Eyes ahead

 October 15, 2024

I am too easily distracted. My mind wanders when I pray, and when I sit down to read my Bible, text messages and emails beckon. So Paul’s words here are for me. 

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

A couple days ago, I cautioned against celebrating victory before you cross the finish line. There’s another, similar danger: Don’t look around you. When our children were swimming competitively, if coach Johnson caught them glancing to the lane next to them, he would warn them. That side glance could spell the difference between first and second place. They had one job to do: keep their eyes on the goal.

With all the social media we’re exposed to, added to work environments, abusive home situations, even church contexts, it’s hard to ignore what others are saying about you. Much of the time, it can get pretty toxic, and if not toxic, it quickly descends into maudlin flattery designed to win you over to someone’s pet cause. So here’s my advice from Paul: Don’t let anyone tell you who you are except Jesus. He’s the only one who has that right. He’s the goal, so keep your eye on him. After all, he has his on you.

Today

 October 14, 2024

“This one thing I do; forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 3:14

Today grab a cup of coffee, sit down and relax; it’s story time. It’s not my own; I borrowed it from Jason Lowrance.

“The devil appeared to three Pastors and said to them: "If I gave you the power to change something in the past, what would you change?"

The first of them, with great apostolic fervor, replied: "I would like to prevent you from leading Adam and Eve to sin, so that humanity does not separate from God."

The second, a man full of mercy, said to him: "I will prevent you from straying from God and condemning you forever."

The third of them was the simplest and instead of answering the tempter, he knelt down, bowed his head and prayed: "Lord, deliver me from the temptation of what might have been and what was not."

The demon, screaming and trembling with pain, fled.

The other two were surprised and said to him: "Brother, why did you react like this?"

And he answered them: “First, we should never talk to the enemy.”

“Secondly, no one in the world has the power to change the past.”

“Third: Satan’s interest was not to prove our virtue, but to trap us in the past, so that we neglect the present, the only time God gives us His grace and we can cooperate with Him to fulfill His will.”

Of all the demons, the one that most holds men back and prevents them from being happy is “what could have been and was not.” The past is left to the mercy of God and the future to His providence. Only the present is in our hands. Live today loving God with all your heart. 

As Paul said, “Forget the past and press towards the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Slacking Off

 October 13, 2024

I remember watching a bicycle race where the guy in the lead began to celebrate crossing the finish line just a bit too early and was passed by the man in second place. Because he let up his pace, he lost the race he thought he had won. Cocky boxers who taunt their opponent have often found themselves on their backs on the mat. 

It’s easy to get complacent. We’ve done this a thousand times before and imagine we can do it with our eyes closed. “I’ve got this one in the bag,” we say. It’s a dangerous place to be. The king of Syria boasted that he was going to wipe Israel off the map. The king of Israel wisely answered, “Let not the one who puts on his armor boast like the one who takes it off.” (I Kings 20:11) 

Paul was afraid of this very danger, and said,

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

—Philippians 3:13-14 

I thought faithful Christian living would get easier as I got older. After all, I’m wiser, know the devil’s tricks a bit better, and am not tempted by many “youthful temptations.” Here’s my word to you: “It doesn’t get easier; it gets different.” Slacking off on prayer, letting down the guard of my mind, filling my head with the thoughts and attitudes of this world instead of God, are as dangerous today as they were sixty years ago. 

Don’t let yourself get spiritually lazy. It will catch up to you sooner or later, and the results are never pleasant.

The Price

October 12, 2024

This is the last of my thoughts on these verses…promise! 

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 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 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; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” —Philippians 3:7-10 

“That I may know…the power of his resurrection…” Most Christians don’t think much about the resurrection until Easter Sunday, but every single Sunday is a resurrection Sunday where we gather, not to honor the founder of our religion, but to worship our Savior who died and is now alive again. We are so used to this thinking that we don’t realize just how revolutionary it is. People who have never heard of Jesus often live in fear, and always live in dread of death. It’s the end of everything for them. 

There’s something else about Christ’s resurrection: We are included in it.

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,” —Colossians 2:13 

But in order to be included in his resurrection, we must be willing to be included in his death by dying to our own dreams and aspirations as well as our sins. Resurrection is glorious, but costly. The only question is, “Are we willing to pay the price?”

 

Suffering Together

 “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” —Philippians 3:10 

Most Christians I’m acquainted with say they want to know Christ. We say we want to know the power of his resurrection. But when it comes to the fellowship of his sufferings, we draw the line. We know people suffer, but desiring it? That seems a little extreme! One has to be a fanatic or crazy to want such a thing! And yet that’s exactly what Paul says.

If you think about it, it’s not really as odd as it first appears. Paul speaks not just of suffering, but of the fellowship of suffering. If you’ve been through a particularly difficult experience—rejection, death of a loved one, depression, life-threatening illness, etc.—someone may come alongside you to offer comfort. They mean well, but only those who have been through a similar experience themselves can really understand. When they come alongside you, there is a depth of understanding that brings a measure of comfort no one else can offer. That’s what Paul means when he speaks of the fellowship of Christ’s suffering.

He wants to know Christ so deeply that he can in a sense, come alongside him with an understanding that is only available through his own suffering. And conversely, he wants to know Jesus so deeply that when he (Paul) suffers, he can experience the comforting Presence of Christ that’s only possible because Jesus went through the same, and more.

We don’t look for suffering like some masochist, but we desire to know the fellowship that only mutual suffering can bring.

Unbelievable

 October 10, 2024

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 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 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; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” —Philippians 3:7-10 

Sometimes it’s really hard to believe the Bible. That may sound strange coming from me, but it’s true. In the verses we’ve been considering, Paul states the unbelievable—that we can be righteous. I don’t know about you, but most of the time, I don’t feel very righteous. I don’t have to look very deeply into my heart to see judgmentalism, greed, lying, envy, pride…the list could go on and on. In spite of all I know is inside me, Paul says I possess righteousness, not from the law (ie. trying to do what’s right), but “through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”

Hebrews tells us that faith is “the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith grabs hold of what I can’t see with my eyes, what I don’t see in my life now, and believes what God says about me instead of what I feel about me. I have to work at this kind of faith because what I feel and what I see are very real to me. I have to decide which is more real: my feelings and even sometimes my actions, or God’s promises in his Word. You must make that same decision if you want to experience grace, forgiveness, and life.

Found

 October 9, 2024

I think it’s time to once again quote the entire paragraph in Philippians, so that we don’t lose sight of the context for the things that are on my mind.

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 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 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; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” —Philippians 3:7-10 

Today I am thinking about the phrase “be found in him.” It’s an odd way of putting things. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he speaks repeatedly of being “in Christ,” and if we are already there, what does he mean by wanting to be “found” in him?

I don’t think Paul here is speaking of God somehow finding him in Christ. I think Paul is wanting those around him to see how being in Christ transforms a man’s life. Paul spells it out: he’s no longer scrabbling to follow the law to the letter, becoming in the process a critical, judgmental shell of a man. Instead, by being in Christ, already redeemed, he is free to love and serve selflessly. He wants people to see this, to “be found (by others) in Christ.” 

That’s a pretty good goal, one I am pressing into; one I hope you are pressing into, too.

Who Are You!

October 8, 2024

“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 that I may know Him …” —Philippians 3:8, 10 

“That I may know him…”

When we start really getting to know someone, we discover two things: 1) Who they really are, and 2) who you really are. Those discoveries can be pleasant, but are often painful. It takes time, but we learn about compatibilities and differences. The problem is, compatibility doesn’t guarantee a good relationship, and “incompatibility” doesn’t necessarily mean a bad relationship.

It takes time to learn if the other person is selfish or selfless, arrogant or humble, kind or controlling. But it’s only when we’re in a relationship that we learn the same things about ourselves. How can I know if I’m kind or mean if I’m never in a relationship where these characteristics can surface? 

In the same way, we learn who we really are by being in relationship with Jesus. He is like a mirror to our souls, revealing things about us that we might not want to know, but also revealing his unconditional love that makes such self-knowledge useful in our transformation into his image. 

Pay attention to your relationships. They will both reveal you and refine you.

 

Knowing Jesus

October 7, 2024

Yesterday I wrote about how critical it is to know Jesus. But what does it mean “to know him?” God doesn’t want us to get this wrong, so he made sure John told us. 

“Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him:” —1 John 2:4-5 

There is only one way to get to know someone: spend time with them. Lots of time. Time is what makes the difference between knowing ABOUT someone and KNOWING them. If you have only spent a little time with someone, it’s easy to be deceived by charm, personality, physical appearance. But when you spend enough time with someone, what they want you to see eventually gives way to the reality within, which can be good or bad. 

When Linda and I started dating, I knew about her. When we married, I was only beginning to know her. Fifty four years later, we KNOW each other, and it is better every day.

Spending time with Jesus is the only way to really know him. And the time you spend will inevitably change you. If you aren’t changed, you can’t really say you know him. That’s what John is saying here. He should know. He spent so much time with Jesus that he became “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”

 

Most Important!

October 6, 2024

Last August I dreamed I was preaching to a full house at Park church. I knew it was Park, but it the sanctuary was bigger in my dream. The chairs in the auditorium were gone, and everyone was standing. My message was simple: “You need to know Jesus! More than anything else, you need to know Jesus!” Suddenly, most of the people had disappeared and there were only a few standing at the back of the sanctuary, getting ready to leave.

I quit preaching and made my way outside where everyone was watching as pastor Brandon was baptizing people. Then I woke up. I’ve only had a couple times in my life when I knew God was speaking to me in a dream, and this is one of those times. Joel 2:28 tells us that when God pours out his Holy Spirit, old men will dream dreams and young men will see visions. I’m an old man, so this fits.

The Scripture we’ve been considering is from Philippians. Remember what Paul said? 

“I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,” and “that I may know Him…”

Later as I was reading my Bible, I came to Ezekiel 33 where God tells Ezekiel that he has set him as a watchman on the wall. If the enemy comes and he warns the people who then refuse to listen, they will die, but he will be innocent. 

“But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchman’s hand.”

—Ezekiel 33:6 

I’ve read this chapter many times, but this time it literally scared me. There is nothing more important than that you know Jesus. NOTHING! Paul knew this. I know this. And there is nothing more important to me than that you know him. I can’t make your decisions for you, but if I fail to tell you, God will hold me responsible. My dream, coupled with our text and what I read from Ezekiel this morning is God telling me to tell you. Nothing is more important than knowing Jesus. NOTHING! More than just words, can you say beyond a shadow of doubt that you know him?

 

Even the Good

October 5, 2024

Yesterday I said I would tell you a story about suffering and giving up even good things for Jesus. Here is the text:

“I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him.” —Philippians 3:8

Mary Cantrall was my junior high Sunday School teacher. One Sunday, she sat down and told us to be careful what we pray for. She said that one day as she was praying, she told the Lord that if there was anything at all standing between her and Jesus, would he please take it away because in her love for Jesus, she didn’t want anything to come between them.

Shortly after praying that prayer, her husband died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack. Mrs. Cantrall looked each of us in the eye and said, “I loved my husband very much; so much that I believe I loved him more than I loved Jesus. Don’t pray for something unless you’re very sure you’re ready to have God answer that prayer.” You might argue that her understanding of life and of the Lord was mistaken; that God doesn’t work like that, but how do you know for sure? 

Right or wrong, Mrs. Cantrall understood what Paul was saying in these verses. When we love a good thing more than we love Jesus, it becomes a bad thing. It can be hard to turn away from a habitual sin; it’s even harder to turn away from something good. But if it means more to us than Jesus, we must be willing to endure the soul-suffering of letting it go.

 

Get Rid of the Good

October 4, 2024

Sometimes when we are in the presence of someone whose walk with Christ seems worlds beyond our own, we can almost imagine it’s easier for him/her. Trust me; it’s not. Read again Paul’s own testimony:

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 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 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; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” —Philippians 3:7-10 

Did you notice that word “suffered?” It was real for him. He took seriously Jesus’ words that if anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23). 

Letting go of what is dear to us is never easy. Getting rid of the bad stuff in our lives is hard enough, but Jesus isn’t content to let us allow the good things in our lives take precedence over him. We think this pleasure or that indulgence is OK as long as it isn’t a sin spelled out in the Bible, but good things can become our gods. I’ll tell you a story about that tomorrow.

 

Letting Go

October 3, 2024

 Sometimes when we are in the presence of someone whose walk with Christ seems worlds beyond our own, we can almost imagine it’s easier for him/her. Trust me; it’s not. Read again Paul’s own testimony:

“But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 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 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; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,” —Philippians 3:7-10 

Did you notice that word “suffered?” It was real for him. He took seriously Jesus’ words that if anyone wants to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23). 

Letting go of what is dear to us is never easy. Getting rid of the bad stuff in our lives is hard enough, but Jesus isn’t content to let us allow the good things in our lives take precedence over him. We think this pleasure or that indulgence is OK as long as it isn’t a sin spelled out in the Bible, but good things can become our gods. I’ll tell you a story about that tomorrow.

The Reckoning

 “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ…that I may gain Christ.” —Philippians 3:7-8

“Gain and loss” are accounting terms (as is of course, “counting”). If you are in business, you add up receipts and compare against expenses. The end result is either a gain or a loss. Paul took stock of his life before and after Christ. Before, he thought the columns were in his favor. He was gaining. The Christians he was persecuting he considered losers. Until he realized things weren’t adding up. 

He discovered that his life account was actually in the red, while those “loser” Christians’ accounts were a healthy black. So he did the math, and according to Romans, he realized that the life he was living actually was deadly to him. Here’s how he put it:

“For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” —Romans 6:10-11 

That word “reckon” is also an accounting term. It’s used when the gain/loss columns are added up. Reckoning is the process of making sure all the numbers match. He did the reckoning, and knew things had to change. So…how are things adding up for you?