Daily Devotions
January 7th, 2026 by Pastor SolleyPhil 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
KJV
Our verse for this morning is one most believers in Christ are familiar with. Even if one does not know exactly where it is found they know it and can even quote it. But how many have stopped to look at what the verse is telling us? For the one the Holy Spirit gave those words it covered three areas of his life. First, the beginning, “For me to live.” All reading this have physical life, but that is not the most important life one can have. Paul was alive, Paul lived, Paul had real life and that life began the moment he received the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal savior. Like Nicodemus in John chapter three Paul was born again and that new birth in Christ gave Paul life. Second, the present, “To live is Christ.” All of Paul’s life was given to Jesus Christ and that made and makes a better life. Whatever Paul did he did for the glory of God, whatever Paul thought was with Christ in mind, wherever Paul went he was directed by Christ, Paul’s life was always wrapped up in Jesus Christ. Third, the end, “To die is gain.” There was also much to be gained in Christ and in death and Paul looked and longed for the gain that would be his when he saw Jesus face to face. In one short verse we have the three stages of life one needs to be most concerned with. First, do you have eternal life through salvation in Jesus Christ? Second, are you living your life in the present for the one who saved you? Third, are you looking for great gain when your life in this world comes to an end? There is a lot in that one verse.