Luke 17:33 "Lose Your Life to Save It." Word of Grace Devotion with Pastor Joe Marquez.

3/2/2015

The Word of Grace Devotion for the Week of March 2, 2015

Lose Your Life To Save It!

Luke 17:33- “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”

Beloved, it was Morrie Schwartz who on his deathbed suffering from the raging disease of ALS said, “In order to live, we must first learn to die.” His wisdom was nothing new. This concept is mentioned six times in Scripture, “Matthew 10:39, Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24 & 17:33; and John 12:25. It is so important that the Lord felt the need to impress this truth six times over. It is something that we must learn to apply to our lives, for if we are going to live, we must first learn to die!

Commentator Albert Barnes explains it this way: “The word "life" in this passage is used evidently in two senses. The meaning may be expressed thus: He that is anxious to save his "temporal" life, or his comfort and security here, shall lose "eternal" life. . . . He that is willing to risk or lose his comfort and "life" here for my sake, shall find "life" everlasting, or shall be saved.”

In other words, Beloved, are we wiling to forego the temporal riches of this world, its comfort, safety and such for the eternal riches of serving Christ with our all? Serving Christ may very well cost us temporary pleasure but it will reap eternal rewards here on earth and eternally in heaven.

Is it worth it? Jim Elliot, missionary to the Huaorani people of Ecuador said, “He is no foolwho gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

Beloved, we will never experience life to the full until we extend our all to Christ. May we all die to ourselves and live for Christ as Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

I pray that you will have a blessed week! I love you and I will be praying for you!

In Him,

Pastor Joe

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Senior Pastor
Joe Marquez

Beloved, we are soon to once again celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the human Son of man and the divine Son of God. He is one hundred percent human and one hundred percent God.

While there were many people instrumental in the birth of Christ, this morning we will look at His birth through the eyes of Joseph, His legal father. There is not too much known about the man who would care for Christ as He grew up. We know that Joseph was possibly a carpenter but most importantly we know that he was a righteous man who did the right thing.

When others would have ran away from a responsibility that was not even their own, Joseph stood steadfast and remained faithful to the end. We can learn much from his character and apply his attributes of faithfulness, purity, and perseverance to our own lives.

May you have a Blessed Christmas week and may Christ always be at the center of your lives!

P.S. Come back this evening as we look at the birth of Christ through the Gospel of Luke!