Last night I had a wonderful Christian sister ask me about "purpose."  She asked me what my thoughts were on the subject.  Of course after thinking upon it for almost 24 hours now since our , this verse has come to mind.  Phillipians 1:21 is a "life" verse.  We all have favorite verses and verses that mean so much to us as they have been tested and found to be true. However, a life verse is a verse that directs us on how to live.  This verse Phillipians 1:21 is perhaps one of the most concise and power packed verses in the Bible. 

To live is Christ.  What does that mean?  To me it means that my life is all about Christ. My goals, my aspirations, my pleasures, my friends, my family, my hobbies, my social life, my career, my money, etc... is to be flavored and colored by Jesus Christ.  When Paul is talking about to "live is Christ" it means that our life is wrapped up and consumed with the passion and pleasure of Jesus Christ.  It means that I can no longer live for myself.  That I can not live for my own wants and desires, what makes me happy and what makes me comfortable, but rather what makes Christ happy, and what makes Him comfortable is to be my purpose in life.  Many Christians unfortunately have this verse turned around backwards.  Many live there life like this: "To live is gain and to die is Christ."  That makes sense doesn't it?  When on this earth many of us are chasing after the things of this world.  Though sometimes it is money, (an obvious choice), there are literally a myriad of other options this world offers for us to gather unto ourselves.  Some of us live for pleasure.  What makes me happy?  That is what I want!  Some of us live for affirmation.  We are totally enraptured with other's thoughts and opinions of us and we eventually become slaves to their applause and acceptance. For others it may be their body.  To look good, to be fit and trim.  For some they chase after things.  Houses, cars, boats, toys etc....  Some of us even make our family, our mate, our children the focus of our lives.  I am sure you have heard someone say, "Life is ____________ the rest is just details."  For the Christian we should fill that blank with Jesus Christ.  Life is Jesus Christ and the rest is just details. Sounds fanatical doesn't it?  Well it should!  God calls us to love Him with all of heart, soul, mind and strength.  To love Him with all that we are and all that we have and with all that we do.   Unfortunately we get trapped in the things of this world and when we die, we expect to see Christ.  I suppose this is a huge paradigm shift for some and for others is it elementary.  Our lives here in this world merely set the stage for our eternity.  This world is not our home, we are strangers and sojourners on our way to another world called Heaven.  I encourage each of you who read this to realize that this world is not all that there is.  This world is passing away, and so are you and I.  Our life is a vapor and we need to focus our life on Christ.  To please Him, to honor Him, to bring glory to Him while on this earth and in this body.  Our purpose first and foremost is to live for Christ - however that may shake out in your personal walk of life. But, make no mistake that Jesus is to be our passion, our priority, and purpose and everything else in this life is just details.

To die is gain:  Jesus reminded us to not lay up treasures upon this earth, where moth and rust can destroy it, but rather to lay up treasures in Heaven.  How do we do that?  Well the Lord teaches us that no small thing goes unnoticed by Him.  When we bless the "least of these" we bless the LORD.  When we minister to the hungry, and the orphans, the widows, and prisoners we minister to Jesus Himself.  If we would even give a cup of cold water to a prophet we would receive a prophet's reward. The Lord also taught us that where our treasures are that is where your heart is.  If you truly treasure the things of God you heart will be with God.  If we treasure the things of this world then that is where our affection and loyalty will be. Now heaven is going to be awesome!  The Bible tells us that "eye has not seen nor has ear heard nor has it entered into the heart of man what God has in store for those that love Him."  Wow!  What a promise!  What does God have in store for us?  A place of peace, bliss, and glory!  A place where there is no sorrow, or death, or crying.  A place that is beautiful, with streets of Gold walls of every kind of precious jewel, a crystal sea.  I am sure we can't even comprehend all that will be waiting for us in Heaven.  Paul, knew this as he stated with conviction: "For I reckon that the, the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us."  Whatever we experience here on this earth will pale in comparison to what God has for us in Heaven.  I have heard it said, and I believe it to be true:  "That for the Christian the most Hell he will have to endure is here on this earth. For the unbeliever the most Heaven he will experience will be here on this earth."  I think we all can agree that this earth is great!  There is so much here to enjoy!  But, yet we need not to get too attached to it. For this is not our home!  No matter how bad it gets here though and it can get bad, we always have the hope of heaven.  It will get better!  It doesn't get any more comforting and reassuring than that!  One day, we all will stand before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and hopefully hear, "Well done my good and faithful servant enter into the joy that I have prepared for  you!"  Yes, to live is Christ and to die is gain!