Every believer should be able to honestly say what Paul did - "I die daily." Everyday we should reckon ourselves dead to this world. Children of God, we must learn to look upon things as they really are. This world, and everything in it is temporary and vanishing away. Everything you can see with your eye, feel with your hand, taste in your mouth, smell with your nose, or hear with your ear is perishing. All of those things for which men and women labor; houses, lands, riches, position, and fame are all perishing. It would be wise for every man to write upon everything he sees - "DESTRUCTION". Everything in this world is marked for destruction, "The things which are seen are temporal." Your career is only temporary employment. Your family is only a temporary arrangement. Your fine house is only a temporary lodging. Your life in this world is only a temporary thing. But we are all going to a world where all things are eternal: "The things which are not seen are eternal." He is wise man who lives in the prospect of eternity, who realizes that he has an immortal soul, and takes care that his soul is securely united to Christ by faith. If you live only for this world, you are a fool!
As a believer, a man redeemed by the blood of Christ, saved, forgiven, and justified by the grace of God, I have my heart set upon Christ and eternity. I ENDEAVOR TO LIVE EVERYDAY AS THOUGH IT WERE MY LAST. If I were to die today, very little would need to be done to arrange my afairs. I have endeavored to put my house in order. I PURPOSEFULLY ENDEAVOR TO LIVE IN THE HABIT OF DYING. I want to be able to say with Paul, "I die daily. Daily, we must put down the passions of life in this world and die to it. A man who is dead to the world cannot be greatly charmed by it. My friend, you would be wise to HOLD EVERYTHING IN THIS WORLD WITH A LOOSE HAND. Once a pastor was visiting one of the old men in his congregation. They were sitting in the man's backyard. He had a large estate, a fine home and a good piece of property, His wife, his children, and his grandchildren were all present. And the old man said to his pastor, "These are the things that make it hard to die." Indeed, they are: But all of these things are perishing. We must hold them very loosely. Child of God, you must be ready, at a moment's notice to turn loose of anything in this world. For your soul's sake, for your happiness and peace, I urge you not to build your nest in any of the trees of this world. They will all be cut down and cast into the fire. I TRY TO LIVE IN THIS WORLD LIKE A TRAVELLER, STAYING
IN A HOTEL. I am only spending a few days and a few nights in this place. So the things here should not greatly disturb me. What does the price of tea in China matter to us? What does the price of a loaf of bread or a gallon of gas matter to a man who lives in the prospect of eternity?
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