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Philippians 3:13, 14 - JESUS - The Clear Objective!

Philippians 3:13, 14 (NLT) No, dear brothers 
and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but 
I am focusing all my energies on this one 
thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to 
what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the 
race and receive the prize for which God, through 
Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven. 

Philippians 3:13, 14 (CWR) I certainly don't 
consider myself as having reached perfection. 
However, this one thing I do: I forget the things of 
the past and press toward the goal to win the 
heavenly prize God is calling me to receive through 
Jesus Christ.  

INTRODUCTION 

Our most important goal should be getting to 
know Christ better. Paul says that his goal is to 
know Christ, to be like Christ, and to be all 
Christ has in mind for him. This goal absorbs all 
Paul's energy. This is a helpful example for us. We 
should not let anything take our eyes off our 
goal--knowing Christ. With the single-mindedness of an 
athlete in training, we must lay aside everything 
harmful and forsake anything that may distract us 
from being effective Christians.  [Life 
Application SB] 

COMMENTARY PEARL

   In the film City Slickers, Billy Crystal 
plays the role of Mitch, a New Yorker in his late 
thirties whose marriage is falling apart. He goes to 
a dude ranch to become a cowboy for two weeks, 
and there he meets an actual cowboy named 
Curly. 
   As theyre riding along on their 
horses, Curly, a man of few words, turns to Mitch 
and tells him the secret of life is just one 
thing. 
   Thats great, Mitch says, but 
whats the one thing? 
   Thats what you gotta figure out.
   The apostle Paul figured it out. He said, 
I have not achieved it, but I focus on this 
one thing: Forgetting the past and looking 
forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the 
end of the race and receive the heavenly prize 
for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling 
us (Philippians 3:13-14 NLT). 
   Paul had a clear objective. Notice that 
he said, I focus on this one thing. 
   David, the great psalmist and king of 
Israel, summed it up this way in Psalm 27: The 
one thing I ask of the Lord"the thing I seek 
most"is to live in the house of the Lord all the 
days of my life, delighting in the Lords 
perfections and meditating in his Temple (verse 4 
NLT). 
   What is the one thing that gets you up in 
the morning? What is the one thing that gets 
your blood pumping, the one thing that you are 
really passionate about? 
   For the apostle Paul, that one thing was 
Jesus"following Jesus and knowing Jesus. And thats what 
we should focus our attention on as well. 
   Im not running the race of life for 
people. Im not even running this race for 
whatever heavenly reward I may receive. Im doing 
it for Jesus. [Greg Laurie from Harvest 
Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com] 

CLOSING THOUGHT

The Scriptures plainly show that the work of 
sanctification is progressive. When in conversion the 
sinner finds peace with God through the blood of 
the atonement, the Christian life has but just 
begun. Now he is to "go on unto perfection;" to 
grow up "unto the measure of the stature of the 
fullness of Christ." Says the apostle Paul: "This one 
thing I do, forgetting those things which are 
behind, and reaching forth unto those things which 
are before, I press toward the mark for the 
prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." 
Philippians 3:13, 14. And Peter sets before us the steps 
by which Bible sanctification is to be 
attained: "Giving all diligence, add to your faith 
virtue; and to virtue knowledge; and to knowledge 
temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience 
godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to 
brotherly kindness charity  If ye do these things, 
ye shall never fall." 2 Peter 1:5-10.  {GC 
470.1} 

LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE

Philippians 3:13, 14 - Is It a Wing or a 
Weight? 

http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220503-0915.html 

YOUR COMMENTS

If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or 
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either 
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in 
hearing from you.  Thanks in advance and let's keep 
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred 
Gibbs