"I must die first"

Karen Ehman writes devotionals for Proverbs 31, I am drawing from her devotional I read over a year ago.

Looking at I Corinthians 15:31 Paul writes, "...I die every day!

In Romans 12:1 He tells us to present ourselves as a "living sacrifice."

Paul is telling us that as Christians we must die to our self, meaning we put aside what it is we want to do.  We must present ourselves daily to God for Him lead us in what we are to do.

The Message Bible interprets this passage:

"Take your everyday ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. 

Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him."

Karen writes that before reacting; before speaking; before passing judgment; before snapping at another; before acting, pause and spiritually say,

"Just a moment, I must die first."   

Do I know what it means to "die first?"

Well, lets take a look at what it means.

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it." Luke 9.24,25      

How very often I just want to be left alone, sit in the quite, keep the blinds shut and do nothing.  Sometimes picking up a book, watching a movie or doing handiwork.

But, is this what God wants me to do?

We all need rest and I know we are to care for our bodies to promote good health.

But to sit all day doing nothing, I think not.

Getting up between 6-6:30 every weekday, has been so very energizing for me.  I believe this is what God wants. 

Die to self, do not stay up late at night do not sleep in to 9 or 10 a.m.

Start your day, Good morning Lord, what do you have for me today.

For me, walking to my crossing intersection before the students arrive, taking a brisk walk both directions from my corner and talking to God. 

Then I start crossing the students, wow how energizing they are!  I know them, thank you Lord for giving me memory to learn each one by name.

Thank you Lord for knowing me by name!

I need to learn to "die to self" in more areas of my life.

So I blog, never thought I could write and share publically, I can't, so I die to self and trust God.

Never thought I could lead Adult S.S. class, I can't, so I die to self and trust God.

But dying to self is more than doing, it is in every detail of my life.

So, I respond when someone needs me; I love even when it is hard to love, I forgive what I do not want to forgive.

Do you get it my friends?  God came and died for me (for you), Jesus went to the cross, dying to His human self, for me (for you).

Give me a minute why I give in to the tears that fall when I think of Jesus on that cross.  Not because he choose to, but because His Father asked Him to die to self.

I don't know where you are today in your spiritual life.  I don't know who it is you believe in.

What I do know is I step out today, dying to self and asking you - Do you know Jesus?  Have you asked Him into your life?

I invite you to pause if you have not ever before, pray, Dear Jesus, I need to die to self, I need your forgiveness, forgive me and come into my heart today. 

Do you need to renew your sinners prayer, then I invite you to say the same prayer just asking Jesus to renew the forgiveness he offers and to renew the spirit within your heart.

Are you ready to spend eternity in Heaven?  I am, and I want to see or meet you there.

Matthew 16:24 " Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'"