Day 58: Philippians 1:20

“as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”



The Christian’s task is simple. We honor and serve Christ with every breath.


As Paul wrote this passage, he was lingering in a Roman jail. He wrote about the idea that by either his life or his death he would serve Christ.


As Christian leaders, we need to hear what he’s saying. Not that we want to die, but we have to put ourselves in a place that either way, we are serving Christ. Paul’s death, which would probably be at the hands of the Roman government, would be while sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. His life, on the other hand, would be lived out serving churches and sharing the gospel among the nations.


Either way, his life advanced the Kingdom of God.


It’s because Paul’s footing in life that he can say that his expectation and hope are that he will not be ashamed. Either way he goes, Christ is honored and served.


Paul learned something that we need to learn: There are things worse than death. Lots of them. Paul’s next words were “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Christian leaders have to learn this principle.


Many of us live so comfortably that I’m afraid at the end we will be ashamed for not having taken any chances and not advancing the Kingdom of God when we could have, even at the expense of our lives.


How is your footing in life? Can you honestly say that today, no matter if you lived or died, you would be serving Christ?


Most of us probably can’t. But we should be able to.


Take a careful look at your life. Can you approach it like Paul did: with the expectation and hope that after your last breath, you won’t be ashamed of your conduct while you did breath?


CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: Our entire life should be honoring to Christ. We should serve Him in both our life and with our death.


Here’s a set of verses to meditate on Today: Acts: 7:54-60


Prayer: Father, guide me and show me your ways. Show me where I don’t honor or serve you, and forgive me. Show me how my life and death can honor and serve you. In Christ’s name, amen.

Day 50: 2 Timothy 1:9

“who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began…”



Has it ever occurred to you to ask God “why me?” It has me. I wonder all the time. I don’t deserve anything God has given me, and I deserve even less to be used by Him to bring fame to His holy name throughout the earth.


So why did He save me and call me? Why did He save and call you? Paul gives us the answer right here: because of His own purpose and grace. Further, and to really cap it off, God did it before there was even time. Before we were even born, our salvation and purpose were just as sure as they are right now.


That’s incredible, and worthy of worship, love, and adoration.


God doesn’t need us, and He didn’t have to save us; but for His glory and purpose He did, and then gave us a purpose and a job even after that.


Your task, your purpose, was set for you before you were even born. That’s gotta give you some confidence. That means that God’s plan for you and everyone you come into contact with was in place too. We have a big God.


We didn’t do anything that deserved this, or drew God to us. We have nothing that we can offer him. Our good is filthy before God.


That’s a real miracle. That God can take me and make me into something that honors Him. And He’s done the same thing with you.


CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: God doesn’t need us but gives us the honor of serving Him and bringing Him Glory in this life.


Here’s a set of verses to meditate on today: Isaiah 64:6


Prayer: God, thank you for choosing me and for giving me purpose. In Christ’s name, amen.

Day 4: Proverbs 3:9

“Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first produce of your entire harvest…”



We like stuff. Lots of stuff. We can’t get enough of it. We watch commercials about stuff, go to stores to buy stuff, and build whole buildings to store stuff when our own homes can’t hold all of our stuff. God doesn’t really like stuff. He loves you. He wants you. He went a long way in order to have a relationship with you. Now that we have that relationship, God wants us to love Him, not stuff.


God wants us as leaders to ooze God in every area of our lives. He wants us to be countercultural in our thoughts and actions. One of these areas is our stuff. God wants us to honor Him with our stuff. How can we do that? We can use our stuff for Him. Think about it. Our money, our possessions, our time: All of these things can be used for God or they can be used for us. We make the choice. Most people live for their stuff. We have to find a way to make our stuff work for God.


Notice that God doesn’t just want us to use our possessions for Him, but He wants us to honor him with the “first produce”. Now, since most of us aren’t farmers, that doesn’t mean much to us. Here’s what He wants: God is saying that one way we worship God is to give the first portion of our money, time, and talents to Him. That means we serve Him, give money for His causes, and develop the gifts that He gave us. And we do it before we do anything else. Seriously, before anything else. Why? Because it lets other people see that we serve God and not ourselves. And people are drawn to leaders who are real about who they serve.


CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLE: God wants us to give our best to Him. Giving our first and best tells others about the God we serve.


Here’s a set of verses to meditate on today: Malachi 3:7-12.


Prayer: Father, you have given me everything. Teach me to give back to you. Give me the courage to show the world who I serve by how I spend my money, my time, and my talents. Teach me to be faithful through my giving and my spending. In Christ’s name, amen.