The Daily Word of Righteousness

Dying in the Lord, #8

Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: (Colossians 1:24)

If the Lord has commissioned us to accomplish a portion of Gospel work we are to set out and do it as He leads and enables. If we do not do what God has requested we will be punished severely. God does not judge all believers alike. He judges according to what has been committed to us. Performing Gospel work may bring us to death to self but we must persist in doing the Lord's will.

To some of us it is given to suffer on behalf of the Church, the Body of Christ. There are tribulations, pains, travails that must be experienced if the Bride of the Lamb is to come to perfection. We must be willing to bear these if the Lord is to receive the desire of His heart.

We enter union with God so that all He has is ours and all we have is His.

And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. (John 17:10)

The little gods of the dust spend much of their time clutching to themselves things, relationships, and circumstances. All of these become gods that rule the little gods and we do not desire to cease worshiping them. It is death to us as we let go of our "treasures."

It is only as we are willing to give Christ everything, every thing, every relationship, every circumstance, that we are able to escape the corruption that is in the world.

Every aspect of our personality must be placed on the altar of God. All must be relinquished. All must be committed.

Anything we hold back is loss for Christ and for us and will result in our being unable to stand the pressures that are rapidly coming upon us.

We must learn to commit everything to the Lord for His safekeeping.

Whatever we need at any given moment will be given to us if everything is committed to the Lord. We gain all the riches of God when we give everything to Him.

There must be nothing in us that is not found in God. Whatever is not found in God is unholy.

We must give everything to God. When we do that we can say, "All that I have belongs to God and all that God has belongs to me."

When we commit all to God, then we receive all; but only as we need it.

Money cannot save us in the day that is coming. To make one's life a quest for money in an effort to build a hedge against danger is a foolish enterprise. The only safe individual is the one who has given all to God.

When God gives back to us what we desire or hold dear it is ours for eternity. It has ceased to be a God to us. It is filled with the Presence and Life of Christ. It is treasure from Heaven.

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (II Timothy 1:12)

The Lord is faithful to watch over all that has been committed to Him.

To be continued.