Living Christ Always

Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the small, daily things of life that I tend to forget who I am and what I’m doing here on earth.

Other times, I may be suddenly thrown into important, big things in life and I forget who I am and what I’m doing here on earth. My 7th grade daughter comes home from school with a black eye; my son failed geometry; my best friend just lost her job; my husband wants me to accompany him to India for a month; my mother is facing surgery; the state legalized recreational marijuana; my neighbor wants me to cut down my favorite tree, it’s blocking his view; I have to make the bed, get some exercise, get a new phone, get dental insurance, have the car inspected….

Living Christ

In the middle of all these, I can get a bit muddled. And then I sit still long enough to remember that in any and every situation, I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and I want to live as a reflection of him and as a glory to my heavenly Father.

Philippians 1:20,21: [J. B. Phillips New Testament]
…now, as always, I should honour Christ with the utmost boldness by the way I live, whether that means I am to face death or to go on living.
For living to me means simply ‘Christ’….

And at times I feel powerless and at a loss—What should I think? What should I say? What should I do? I, like you, want to ‘honour Christ with the utmost boldness by the way I live.’ In every thought I think, every word I say, everything I do. So I made a list of some of the things that God says in His Word we are to think, say, and do always. Then at least we have a basis, a foundation for what to think, say, and do more specifically in each of life’s challenges.

What to Think, Always

Here’s a great verse to start our ‘always’ list of what to think.

Ephesians 5:19,20:
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Think ‘thankful’ always. Thankful to God the Father for all He has blessed us with in His Son, Jesus Christ: victory over sin and death, eternal life, comfort in affliction, abundant supply of all our need, deliverance, healing, brothers and sisters in Christ, and so much more. The scripture here says ‘giving thanks always for all things…’ but we clearly are not thankful for persecution or illness. ‘For all things’ is better understood as ‘in all things’, meaning, in any and every circumstance, we give thanks for His goodness and deliverance to us.

The next verse presents us with a very tall order.

II Corinthians 10:5:
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.

Not every thought we have will be godly. In fact, plenty of them will not be godly, righteous, or true. That’s OK. The point here is to recognize each and every worldly thought and reasoning, cast them down and bring them into captivity to the obedience of Christ. To think the thoughts of and about Christ is the beginning of ‘living’ Christ as in Philippians 1:20 and 21 above.

And really, this final scripture will be the fruit, the natural consequence of faithfully giving thanks always to God and bringing our every thought back to Christ. Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4:
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Yes, rejoice in the Lord always. We can rejoice in the most trying of circumstances, thankful for our ultimate victory in Christ and holding fast those thoughts in mind. Again I say, rejoice! Always.

What to Say, Always

Let’s start with a backwards ‘always’.

Philippians 2:14:
Do all things without murmurings and disputings.

No complaining or grumbling, and no arguing or debate in anything you do. This is a great thing to teach our kids when they’re little. The book A Complaint Free World gives the reader a challenge to stop complaining for 21 days straight. Not an easy undertaking, I can tell you from experience. But worth the effort! It helped me stay aware of what I was saying, good and bad.

The next verse sums up the ‘what to say, always’ subject.

Colossians 4:6:
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Always speak with grace, your words a gift to the hearer. Always spice them up with salt, a necessity of life. Salt is also a disinfectant and a preservative as well. In the ancient world, salt was even used as money in commerce. Always speak pure and true words of life, worth more than gold, ministering salvation and grace to all who hear them.

What to Do, Always

I think you may find this first ‘what to do always’ verse to be a mild to severe reproof. I did.

Philippians 2:12: [The Amplified Bible]
So then, my dear ones, just as you have always obeyed [my instructions with enthusiasm], not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation [that is, cultivate it, bring it to full effect, actively pursue spiritual maturity]….

Always obey the instruction of God’s Word pursuing spiritual maturity, even when your pastor, boss, father, or anyone else is not looking. Always.

The second ‘always’ verse about what to do, reminds me of Nehemiah rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem.

I Corinthians 15:58:
Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Picture Nehemiah planning, preparing, enlisting support, working, overseeing the construction, and completing the wall under great pressure from his adversaries. He was sweet-talked, ridiculed, and threatened with attack by his enemies. He often had to encourage his own people to stand strong, and then correct their abuse of money and other matters after the wall was built. Whatever was required, he remained steadfast, unmovable, abounding in the work of the Lord. We do the same in our own work of the Lord. Always.

What We Think, Say, and Do Always

Always give thanks to God, the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Always bring captive every thought to the obedience of Christ.
Always rejoice.
Always do things without complaining or arguing.
Always let your speech be with grace, seasoned with salt.
Always obey the instruction of God’s Word whether anyone is watching or not.
Always abound in the work of the Lord, steadfast and unmovable.

And finally, one more always. Always do all things in love, the love of God.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Always love.