A Life that is True

A Life that is True 

by David Brenneman 

I always know something is afoot when, after a struggle to sleep well, I wake up to  hymn going through my mind. 

Living for Jesus, a life that is true,

Striving to please Him in all that I do; Yielding allegiance, glad-hearted and free, This is the pathway of blessing for me.

Refrain:

O Jesus, Lord and Savior, I give myself to Thee,

For Thou, in Thy atonement, didst give Thyself for me;

I own no other Master, my heart shall be Thy throne;

My life I give, henceforth to live, O Christ, for Thee alone.

2. Living for Jesus Who died in my place, Bearing on Calv’ry my sin and disgrace; Such love constrains me to answer His call, Follow His leading and give Him my all.

3. Living for Jesus, wherever I am,

Doing each duty in His holy Name;

Willing to suffer affliction and loss,

Deeming each trial a part of my cross.

4. Living for Jesus through earth’s little while, My dearest treasure, the light of His smile; Seeking the lost ones He died to redeem, Bringing the weary to find rest in Him.

Upon looking deeper, this hymn was written by Thomas O. Chisholm in 1917 at the behest of composer C. Harold Lowden.  As it's written, Lowden was prompted by the Spirit to contact Chisholm to put words to the music.  Chisholm wrote back that he didn't know how to. He was then urged to do it anyway and a month later this hymn was born. 

How seriously do you take the Word of God?  How seriously do you take God at His word?  

Do you truly believe that you were bought with a price? The precious blood of Jesus Christ?  That in that very moment your life was not your own?

How deeply do you go with that?

Are you trying an impossible task of balancing what you want versus what God, through the Spirit, is trying to work out in you?  

How effective in living your life, even for a single day, would you be if you wore two sets of clothes at the same time?  How about 3...or 4?  

Do you not realize, my Dear Reader, that in trying to live for you and live for Jesus, that's what you are doing?

We read the following: 

"So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.  But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." Ephesians 4:17-24 NASB95  

People these days try to live several lives. They are one way at home, another on social media, another in public, another at Church, yet another in the workplace.  Years ago a sitcom that was popular was "Keeping Up Appearances".  It ran for 5 years on British television.  Hyacinth Bucket (she would pronounce it bouquet) always trying to present a life that was more than it appeared to be, at much the dismay of her husband. 

Paul wrote for us to simply live for Jesus. 

Are you at all, and let’s be honest and truthful here, trying to get out of life what you want more than what the Spirit is wanting to do through you?

Are you, in all reality, fighting the work of God in Christ Jesus that's trying to transform you into the likeness of your Savior?

This isn't Burger King...it's not about having it your way.  

We so easily destroy relationships, destroy friendships all because of selfishness and selfish desires.  We sometimes even do it in the name of Jesus Christ.  What blasphemy!  That's what people do when they break apart what God's joined together.  That's what they are doing when they, in their finite understanding, tell God they know better than Him. 

Would you be so bold as to tell God that you know more about a situation, a relationship, than He?  I certainly would not!!

Living for Jesus a life that is true. 

Striving to please Him in all that I do. 

There's that word again. All. Seems to be something that Jesus said. Love the Lord your God with ALL your heart And ALL your soul and ALL your mind. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight. 

Are you lying to yourself in trying to compartmentalize your life?  Are you deceived in thinking you can have your cake and eat it too?  

How's that going to play out when you stand before Jesus to give an account of your life?  How are you going to attempt to defend a life that wasn't spent living for Jesus?  A life that was in all reality spent on you?

It is with great urging that I suggest you take a good look at your life.  If indeed you've been doing these things...stop. Repent, turn back to Jesus with a whole heart.  

If this isn't you...please take heed to what dangers are out there to compromise in areas of your life.  

It's what you do in your body for Jesus that translates to a crown that will be given by you back to Jesus. Will you have anything of substance that will become a crown? 

Selfishness is that chaff that will be burned away in that day before Jesus. 

Live a life that is true. True to Jesus who gave Himself for you.