Author: Dr. Howard M Sarkela

I am nothing, He is everything. In and of myself I am worthless. My only value comes from His presence.

My daily goal is to go to the cross and die with him, so that He may be alive in me. Only in my emptiness can He fully manifest through me. The power of His resurrection is awesome as He comes alive in me, with His wisdom, His direction, His counsel. It is in those times that we are able to be fully obedient to His commands as we have been willing to sacrifice our selves. We are nothing, He is everything.

Jesus said, “I do nothing of my own initiative, but I speak these things as my father taught me.” (John 8:28)

He is our example, we are to do nothing of our own initiative and we too can be filled with His presence so as to be one with His teachings, even as He is ONE with the Father, so are we.

We must go to the cross daily and die to self, that He may live in us and manifest through us. I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ. (Gal. 2:20a)

To know Him in the power of His resurrection and in fellowship with His sufferings, we must continually come to the cross to identify with our Lord. Our goal is to be filled with the fruit of the spirit. What is the fruit of the spirit, other than Christ-likeness. We cannot be Christ-like in and of ourselves. But, we can go to the cross and die to self daily and allow Him to live in and through us in the power of His resurrection.

The greatest compliment is that others recognize Jesus in our behavior, in our actions, counsel and ministry. Have you recognized the need to die to self, to empty yourself and be filled with His presence? Are you going to the cross daily?

Lord Jesus, teach us to desire only your will for our lives, to be used of you in the accomplishment of your plans through us as your disciples.

Jesus addressed the Father and said, Sanctify them in Truth father, Thy Word is Truth.” “As Thou didst send Me into the world, I have sent them.” (John 17-17-18) ” That they may all be one; even as Thou, Father are in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us, that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me and the Glory that thou hast given me, I have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one; I in them and thou in me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as thou didst love me.” (John 17: 21-23)

Let us all desire even as the Apostle Paul desired, ” That I may know Him in the Power of His resurrection and in fellowship with His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)

How else can we do this, other than to go to the cross daily?

I pray that each of you would make Galatians 2:20 part of your life in such a way, that you would wake up reflecting on these powerful words, that you would consider them throughout each day and that they would be your final reflection prior to going to sleep each night.

Take a few moments today and read Philippians Chapter 2:1-11, and Galatians Chapter 2.