Strain Forward!

Philippians 3:12-13

ESV

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,”

There are many things which lie ahead. Today, tomorrow, next month, next year, this lifetime. But what lays beyond that which I may strain forward to? Heaven. That is the motivation to press on. The place where angels dwell and creatures surround the throne of God singing “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” eternally. A place to dwell in perfect harmony and fellowship with God and His people. There will be no tears, no weeping, no pain, no hurt. Love and joy and peace and freedom will abound. It will be infinitely large, always expanding for the exploration of Gods children. Adventure, mystery, excitement will be found with every blink. These are only a few things to be expected in a place so beyond human comprehension. As humans, we haven’t even found the limits of our universe, if there is one at all. Already minds are blown by the vast expanse of space, how much more shall our minds be blown by the wonder of heaven. For me, that it my motivation. To keep my heart and mind fixed on my eternal home, and forget the ways I’ve failed behind me.

But, I also do not discount the fact that life is hard. The journey will not be easy and keeping a right heart on the way is difficult, and I know for certain I won't ever come to a perfect understanding and knowledge of dealing with all the issues that come. Discouragement, depression, confusion, fear, and a myriad of other emotions will come and go. Today, the Lord truly spoke through a message to me and it was this simple encouragement that God spoke to Paul in Acts 23. “Take courage.” I must always take courage. God is not finished, His promises still stand, and great is His faithfulness. Be of good cheer, the Lord has drawn near.

Attaining To The Resurrection

Philippians 3:11

NKJV

“if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

At this point in my walk, I am reaching my own experience of “by any means”. Living in spiritual hardness and having a parched soul has been inwardly pressing me so deeply. I’m at the point of desperation as the battle that wars between the flesh and the Spirit rages on. “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2). The longer I search in the wrong places for those refreshing water brooks, the more desperate and dry my soul becomes. I cry out to God, asking for Him to show me the way, yet, without answer for what feels like an eternity in the moment. But, that leads to this truth. Just as I lose perspective of time while I walk through the valleys, I have lost, or never even gained, right perspective of myself in the Gods eyes. I am unworthy, undeserving, unrighteous and a worm compared to the majesty and holiness of the Creator of the ends of the earth. Yet, His love and mercy continues to pour out on me, His patience stretched beyond the stars for me, and His grace showers me even when I’m lost. He has been faithful to guide me, and make my heart glad with a good word in due season. And now, He is pulling the veil from my face to behold the power of His death and resurrection. More and more He is teaching me how to die to myself. How to walk in the Spirit and to always have the peace of God ruling my heart. How do I have that peace rule my heart? By living in the word of God. Soaking myself in it, allowing it to transform me, convict me, give me life. I have learned today that to have His peace rule my heart is similar to a referee blowing his whistle when a foul is committed. In order to keep Gods peace ruling my heart, I must be attentive to hear that whistle as the Holy Spirit alerts me of even the smallest of sins. Through learning to listen for these whistles, I will grow closer and closer to the dearly beloved desire to attain the resurrection of the dead.

All That I May Know Him

Philippians 3:10

NKJV

“that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”

The power of His resurrection allows me to walk in the Spirit. Without His resurrection, I would be stuck in the death of myself, basically still stuck living under Mosaic law. Through that power I get to live my life free of guilt, shame and condemnation. Instead, I have communion with my Father and get to enjoy the fruits of the Spirit. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Not only that but I also have a guaranteed ticket to heaven! However, on the way there, sufferings are guaranteed. The most certain thing in life is that there will be uncertainties. I know for myself that sufferings are one of the best experiences, based simply on the fact that when I come out of it, the intimacy I have with Jesus is so much greater. My character is reformed and my life better represents the life of Jesus. God teaches me when I climb out of the valley up onto the mountain and look back. I see the valley I just walked through and God shows me how each step was guided and protected by Him. It not only increases my faith and intimacy with Him, but gives me the ability to hope through the next valley, and minister to those who go through similar valleys as I have. I can recall my mountain view on the valley, and testify of the guidance and protection God gave to me to those who are in the valleys. People will believe in the name of Jesus by the word of my testimony. I've begun journaling as I’ve been here simply for the fact of testimony. Not only does it remind me of the faithfulness of God in my life, but can show others that He will be faithful to them too. Last but certainly not least, is being conformed to His death.What does this mean for me? Quite simply, it means just as He left sin and death on the cross, so should I. Why walk in the ways of the flesh when I have the freedom to walk in the resurrection of Christ? Well, there is no reason to walk in the flesh. The times I find myself walking in darkness rather than light are when I’ve let my spiritual guard down. The enemy slips in undetected, or ignored, and then veers me off the straight and narrow into the ways of wickedness. Then I wonder why I’m discouraged or discontented or frustrated. Its for the simple fact that I let my guard down. Gods word wasnt holding priority over my situations and I walk into darkness. Thankfully, God has been guiding me and helping me keep the armor of God on at all times, and I’m beginning to walk in light more often than darkness.

Not My Righteousness

Philippians 3:9

NKJV

“and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”

My righteousness is never to be my own. If it is, I’m doing something terribly wrong, seeking to be justified by the works of law rather than the work of Christ on the cross. The righteousness of God for me is to be received by faith alone can bring me before the throne of God and into His presence. What I love about this is that Paul states the truth that the righteousness is from God. From God. Not only righteousness will come from God, but also holiness, purity, liberty, joy, peace and many others. If God can give me righteousness through the riches and grace of Christ Jesus, then there is nothing He won't be able to give me. God is limitless, boundless, infinite. His resources are more bountiful than the dirt of the earth and the space of space. Yet I can find it so difficult to trust completely that He will be able provide for my needs, especially financially in this year of IGNITE. But, I am learning to strengthen myself in the Lord. God was capable of forgiving me of and forgetting my unrighteousness through the cross of Jesus, He is plenty capable of guiding me through the uncertainties. I can sleep like Jesus in the storm knowing that He will fulfill His promise to bring me to the other side. Peacefully. Not needing to expend any more energy trying to manipulate the plan, fulfill it on my own, or worry one cubit about it as He strategizes, organizes and provides all I need along the way. All He is asking me to do right now is deny myself, hoist my cross upon my shoulder, and follow the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

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.