This is the second of three messages on the goodness of why we are here.

A while back, I wrote out the following outline on living life, and more specifically, on how to experience the goodness in everyday life—because there is an amazing goodness to life, as you know, and it comes to us in myriad ways. Upon reflection, it is perhaps more of a logical progression than an outline. Either way, I refer to it often as a way to keep me on track in a world that wants to derail those of us who love Jesus. I hope it helps you.

Outline On Living Life
1. Absent a God, I will die one day. The end.
2. Except there is a God, and He loves me. And I realize my need for salvation.
3. Salvation occurs at the moment of faith alone in Christ alone, with a transfer of trust to Christ, who is both my substitute for sin and my new life moving forward.
4. At that moment, the Holy Spirt comes to live inside of me, giving me the ability to live the joyful life God has in store for me, now and forevermore.
5. Living life after salvation involves two primary missions: Evangelizing the unsaved and edifying the body of Christ using God-given gifts.
6. Living life after salvation involves two primary means: Loving God and loving others.
7. I love God by inclining my heart and attention to Him through prayer, reading the Bible, stewarding the life He has given me—in a phrase, walking in relationship with Him every day.
8. I love others by caring for their heart and their best interests the same way I would my own. This applies to my family, friends, neighbors, workmates, and the world at large.
9. I marshal the power of this love by abiding in Christ. “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5).
10. I abide by depending on the life of Christ in me, whereby He animates my thoughts, feelings, and actions. This I do when I walk in faith and leave the results to Him. “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord”—(How? In faith!)—“so walk in Him” (Col 2:6).

All of the above can be summarized thus:
The Joy of life is mine for the choosing (and the abiding) and it will be mine for all eternity by virtue of what Christ has done for me. And whenever I keep this foremost in my heart and mind, no matter my circumstances, I readily can see and experience the goodness God presents to us in everyday life.

I hope this encourages you today.

Kevin Murray
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