Maxson Central

Today's My Utmost for His Highest had an interesting take on this topic. One I never thought of before.

Jesus does not ask me to die for Him, but to lay down my life for Him. Peter said – "I will lay down my life for Thy sake" and he meant it; his sense of the heroic was magnificent. It would be a bad thing to be incapable of making such a declaration as Peter made; the sense of our duty is only realized by our sense of the heroic. Has the Lord ever asked you – "Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake?" It is far easier to die than to lay down the life day in and day out with the sense of the high calling. We are not made for brilliant moments, but we have to walk in the light of them in ordinary ways. There was only one brilliant moment in the life of Jesus, and that was on the Mount of Transfiguration; then He emptied Himself the second time of His glory, and came down into the demon-possessed valley. For thirty-three years Jesus laid out His life to do the will of His Father, and, John says, "we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." It is contrary to human nature to do it.

If I am a friend of Jesus, I have deliberately and carefully to lay down my life for Him. It is difficult, and thank God it is difficult. Salvation is easy because it cost God so much, but the manifestation of it in my life is difficult. God saves a man and endues him with the Holy Spirit, and then says in effect – "Now work it out, be loyal to Me, whilst the nature of things round about you would make you disloyal." "I have called you friends." Stand loyal to your Friend, and remember that His honour is at stake in your bodily life.

The text was from John 15:13,15.

Are we called to die for the cause of Christ? Certanly if the situation demads it. But, isn't it harder to lay down my life every day at His feet and live for Him instead of myself??

Well, I have decided one thing I'm going to do…. There are 31 Chapters in Proverbs. That means I can read one chapter per day. Every day, I am going to begin reading the chapter for that day. Here is today's:

Proverbs 14

   ¹Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
   ²He that walketh in his uprightness feareth the LORD: but he that is perverse in his ways despiseth him.
   ³In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.
   ⁴Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.
   ⁵A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies.
  ⁶A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.
   ⁷Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge.
   ⁸The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
   ⁹Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favour.
   ¹⁰The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not intermeddle with his joy.
   ¹¹The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.
   ¹²There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
   ¹³Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
   ¹⁴The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.
   ¹⁵The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going.
   ¹⁶A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident.
   ¹⁷He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated.
   ¹⁸The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
   ¹⁹The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
   ²⁰The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.
   ²¹He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.
   ²²Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.
   ²³In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.
   ²⁴The crown of the wise is their riches: but the foolishness of fools is folly.
   ²⁵A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.
   ²⁶In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
   ²⁷The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
   ²⁸In the multitude of people is the king's honour: but in the want of people is the destruction of the prince.
   ²⁹He that is slow to wrath is of great understanding: but he that is hasty of spirit exalteth folly.
   ³⁰A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones.
   ³¹He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker: but he that honoureth him hath mercy on the poor.
   ³²The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.
   ³³Wisdom resteth in the heart of him that hath understanding: but that which is in the midst of fools is made known.
   ³⁴Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
   ³⁵The king's favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.