Counting It All As Rubbish

Philippians 3:8

NKJV

“Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ”

Three times in two verses (7-8) Paul says that he counts things a loss for the sake of Christ and knowing Him. God greatly orchestrated this weeks theme and verses to be aligned with the passage of Scripture for our men's Bible study, Philippians 3:1-11. Obviously, when Paul mentions something three times, he is beseeching us to follow the example. Thus the question to be asked is “Why?” Well, he also answers that question in the same verse. For the excellency of knowing Christ Jesus! Now I have found myself questioning my own life. What are the “things” that I hold much too dear to my life? I’ve found more than anything, is my desires for what I’d like to do after this year. Get back into the car scene, get back into ministry at church, travel, or whatever else it could be. It's a mix of “Jesus and”, which is unacceptable. Half of me wants it for my own fun, and half for the love of Christ. I’ve put Jesus as only frosting on my life rather than the whole cake. I can't be lukewarm and serve Jesus. I will be spat out of His mouth. This is such a simple concept, yet so much more difficult to live out a life on fire for God. I truly have the desire to live for Christ in all I do, but as I’ve slowly been learning, there are things in my life that are keeping me from Him. That take me away from the only focus, Him, and letting my life flow out of His boundless well of living water. Sanctification is not a quick process, and I’ve learned that consecration is an essential part of keeping sanctification going. Turning my knobs on the wall and then waiting as He does His work.

I yearn and dream of the day I can identify with Paul when he says “I die daily”. God has brought me up, or down, a step on my seeking to be crucified with Christ as Galatians 2:20 says. I know that out of that, out of true death to myself, will come a life living in the resurrection of Jesus. If Paul did it, a man just like I, with a rugged past and a thorn in the flesh, then so can I. The day will come when I’ll be able to die daily.