Power
Power of Laying Down Your Life
Time is life
Jesus said about His
life
“I have authority”
“I lay down my life of my own accord”
“No one takes it from me”
Take authority over
your life
To fulfill your
purpose
To find lost sheep
and to feed them
Jesus laid down His
life for the sheep
Power of Laying Down
Your Life
At age 64 every day I realize
I have one less day on earth.
Every day becomes more important.
How should I live today?
Out of all the things you can
do today, what is important?
What have you done
today that had any value?
Right now you are spending time
in your life reading this devotional.
The time you spend reading, you will
never get back and you will not be
able to spend this time on anything else.
(WOW, what pressure on me to give
you something worthy of your time.)
I have often said if you could add one healthy
day to your life how much would you pay for it.
It is this thought that makes me think of
how I spend the healthy days I have now.
As you are thinking of the value of today
you may be thinking of watching a movie,
going out to eat, maybe a vacation.
When I worked at Jeep, I realized that each Jeep I
was welding together would someday be in a scrap yard.
I think about all the things I do that have no lasting
value or power to change the world around me.
Jesus said about His life…
“No one takes it from
me, but I lay it down of my own accord.
I have authority to
lay it down and authority to take it up again.
This command I
received from my Father."
“I have authority”
“I lay down my life of
my own accord”
“No one takes it from
me”
God has giving you your life, He has given
you the authority to do with it as you will.
You can lay it down for others,
you can lay it down for God.
You can take it up and do as you want.
You can let others rule your life.
When we look at this scripture we think
of Jesus laying down His life on the
cross, and Jesus is making that point.
But what if that is all we knew,
if only we knew a man on a cross?
Jesus had a life He could have
spent it any way He wanted.
The Gospels tell us how He spent His life…
Doing good and sharing the
message of the Kingdom of God.
If Jesus had not laid down His life every day
what meaning would the cross have had?
Every day of our life goes by quickly.
You have needs and dreams for your life.
“If a man does not
work, he should not eat.”
So how do we take authority over our lives?
The first thing is recognize your purpose.
Jesus saw His purpose was for the sheep.
We, too, are Shepherds.
So how is what you do today helping
to find lost sheep and feed the flock?
Laying down our life starts with the recognition
that you have authority over your life.
No one takes it away from you.
Therefore in any situation
you can fulfill your purpose.
Jesus was effective in the
streets and in the synagogue.
Your life has the power to make a difference…
Power to change lives.
“This command I
received from my Father."
So how are you laying down your life?
Scripture Reading
John 10:14-18 NIV
14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my
sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay
down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep
pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall
be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay
down my life — only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay
it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take
it up again. This command I received from my Father."
