Acts 26:29-32 (NKJV) And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, but also all who hear me today, might become both almost and altogether such as I am, except for these chains.” When he had said these things, the king stood up, as well as the governor and Bernice and those who sat with them; and when they had gone aside, they talked among themselves, saying, “This man is doing nothing deserving of death or chains.” Then Agrippa said to Festus, “This man might have been set free if he had not appealed to Caesar.”

When personal ambition hinders or even replaces God in your life, you’re in big trouble. You might think you’re doing pretty good without God, but in reality it is like trying to swim across quicksand wearing floaties; you might think you are doing OK and maybe you are in the eyes of society, but sooner or later, you’ll be sucked under. The Bible says of Personal Ambition:

1 John 2:16-17 (AMP) “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh [things that feel good], the lust of the eyes [things that you desire], and the pride of life [recognition that we crave], is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away”

The stock market crashes, jobs are lost, businesses fail, and, of course, health fails and sooner or later, the Bible tells us that it’s all going to burn. Your eternal destination is something that you shouldn’t be playing with. It is far too important … much more important than your job or even your health.

Paul appealed his case to Caesar as was his right as a Roman citizen. That he could have been set free was not unknown to Paul. He knew what he was doing. He was presenting himself a living sacrifice as his reasonable service to God (Romans 12). Paul was giving it all up for Jesus.

Christian brothers and sisters, let me ask you … what is it that you are clinging to?

Is it yourself or is it Jesus? Jesus said, “Clinging to your own life will cause you to lose it, but whoever loses his life for His sake will gain it” (Luke 9:24). People may search for true life in any number of places and in any number of things, but there is nothing and no one that gives life in abundance but Jesus.