For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

This morning, my preaching was from Luke 9:23, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me." (NASB) . One of my key objectives was to encourage our people in having a daily walk with Christ in response to Christ' invitation to "come after Him". The key to having a daily walk that denies self and takes up the cross is to focus not on the loss - what we are giving up, but to focus on what we gain - that is Christ.

The reasons Christians for centuries have been able to overcome temptations, persecutions and difficulties is because they have focused on Christ as their greatest gain. Paul said it best when he said, "But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. {8} More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ" (Phil 3:7-8 NASB). Paul focused on the gain, and his gain was Jesus Christ.

Christopher Love was a minister in London, England during the time of the English civil war. He was beheaded on August 22, 1651. The following is an excerpt from a letter to his wife, on the morning of his execution.

My most gracious beloved, I am now going from a prison to a palace! I have finished my work. I am now to receive my wages. I am going to heaven! Rejoice in my joy. The joy of the Lord is my strength. O, let it be yours also! Dear wife, farewell! I will call you wife no more! I shall see your face no more! Yet I am not much troubled; for now I am going to meet the Bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom I shall be eternally married!

Your dying, yet most affectionate friend until death, Christopher Love,
August 22, 1651, the day of my glorification!

That letter along with many other letters evidenced a man who loved his dear wife so well, but oh... he loved Christ oh SO MUCH MORE! Christopher Love was a man who practiced what Jesus called US ALL to. Jesus said, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." Luke 14:26 (ESV)

Dear Lord, help us to value you so much that we could say in word and deed, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21 (ESV)