I Can't Help Myself
“If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God”
2 Corinthians 5:13
2 Corinthians chapter 5 is a great chapter to read if you want to get a glimpse of the apostle Paul’s heart. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth regarding how sharing his faith wasn’t an option for him as he had given up his personal rights for the sake of the Gospel. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!” In other words he was saying, “I can not not preach the Gospel.” In his second letter to the same church he wrote, “Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Here Paul was saying “Christ’s love controls us” in describing the powerful, Spirit-filled motivation that drives Jesus followers to share the gospel in ways that persuade people to commit their lives to God.
Like Jesus, the apostle Paul gave His life for what He loved, lost souls. We all give our lives to that which we truly love. As I study the apostle Paul’s life and I see the dedication, the passion and sacrifice he made daily to reach people for Jesus I examine my own heart and ask myself, “what is my master passion? What motivates me each day to get up out of bed and do the things I do?” Like you I want so much to say it’s Jesus Christ. There is no greater motivation, no pursuit that even comes close to the privilege God has given us to be ambassador’s for Him, to get the opportunity each day to share the Gospel with a dying world.
Imagine how excited you would be if you could walk into a hospital today and announce that you have the cure for cancer! Imagine how delighted those who were there after being diagnosed with this dreaded disease would be. Here is something you don’t have to imagine today and is much much better. You and I who are in Christ Jesus have the cure for sin and death! That’s right! Jesus Christ is the cure for sin and death when He took the world’s sin in His own body on Calvary’s Cross. Jesus defeated sin and death and Easter proves it! Because Jesus is risen we have been commissioned to go all over the world sharing the Good News with others, watching as people come to life right before our very eyes when they repent of their sin and put their faith in Jesus Christ.
I have a favor to ask of you today. Pray for me today and if you are willing, let’s pray this together, “Father God open up the eyes of my heart and help me to see Jesus! Lord help me to understand that there is no greater joy in this life than knowing you and helping others come to know you too by sharing your truth with them. With Easter being just over a week away, Lord lead me to people who are searching for truth, and lead me to the poor in spirit so I can share with them the wonderful news that their sins can be forgiven if they will look to Jesus as Savior and Lord! Father, I want to be like the apostle Paul and be able to say to the world, “I can not not share the Gospel because the love of Jesus controls me and my life is not my own but His!, amen.”
“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”
2 Corinthians 5:15
I LOVE YOU!
2 Corinthians 5:13
2 Corinthians chapter 5 is a great chapter to read if you want to get a glimpse of the apostle Paul’s heart. Paul wrote to the church in Corinth regarding how sharing his faith wasn’t an option for him as he had given up his personal rights for the sake of the Gospel. He wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News!” In other words he was saying, “I can not not preach the Gospel.” In his second letter to the same church he wrote, “Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life” (2 Corinthians 5:14). Here Paul was saying “Christ’s love controls us” in describing the powerful, Spirit-filled motivation that drives Jesus followers to share the gospel in ways that persuade people to commit their lives to God.
Like Jesus, the apostle Paul gave His life for what He loved, lost souls. We all give our lives to that which we truly love. As I study the apostle Paul’s life and I see the dedication, the passion and sacrifice he made daily to reach people for Jesus I examine my own heart and ask myself, “what is my master passion? What motivates me each day to get up out of bed and do the things I do?” Like you I want so much to say it’s Jesus Christ. There is no greater motivation, no pursuit that even comes close to the privilege God has given us to be ambassador’s for Him, to get the opportunity each day to share the Gospel with a dying world.
Imagine how excited you would be if you could walk into a hospital today and announce that you have the cure for cancer! Imagine how delighted those who were there after being diagnosed with this dreaded disease would be. Here is something you don’t have to imagine today and is much much better. You and I who are in Christ Jesus have the cure for sin and death! That’s right! Jesus Christ is the cure for sin and death when He took the world’s sin in His own body on Calvary’s Cross. Jesus defeated sin and death and Easter proves it! Because Jesus is risen we have been commissioned to go all over the world sharing the Good News with others, watching as people come to life right before our very eyes when they repent of their sin and put their faith in Jesus Christ.
I have a favor to ask of you today. Pray for me today and if you are willing, let’s pray this together, “Father God open up the eyes of my heart and help me to see Jesus! Lord help me to understand that there is no greater joy in this life than knowing you and helping others come to know you too by sharing your truth with them. With Easter being just over a week away, Lord lead me to people who are searching for truth, and lead me to the poor in spirit so I can share with them the wonderful news that their sins can be forgiven if they will look to Jesus as Savior and Lord! Father, I want to be like the apostle Paul and be able to say to the world, “I can not not share the Gospel because the love of Jesus controls me and my life is not my own but His!, amen.”
“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”
2 Corinthians 5:15
I LOVE YOU!
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