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
I enjoy watching all types of game shows.
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, The Price Is
Right, Deal or No Deal, Wipeout, Family Feud. But
my all-time favorite game show is Wheel of
Fortune, a competition in which three players spin a
huge roulette-type wheel and guess one letter at
a time to solve hidden words or phrases on a
gigantic light-up board. In one magical thirty-minute
segment of television, I set my sights on a
contestant through whom I can vicariously win
life-changing amounts of cash, beyond-my-wildest-dreams
vacations, and sometimes even a car!
With each spin of the wheel, I play
"with" my chosen contestant and rack up cash and
prizes. As letters to the puzzle are revealed, I
guess at the words and phrases by yelling my
answers at the television set - hoping and praying
that "we" don't spin and land on the bankrupt
slot and lose the game.
Thanks to Jesus, my outcome is not a
guessing game. I don't have to live vicariously
through someone else to win in this life. Jesus
lives inside of me, so it's not luck, my good
guessing, or a strong spin of the wheel that makes me
a winner. Jesus has already solved the
toughest puzzle on earth - how to win over death - by
putting Himself in my place to give me the ultimate
prize package - eternal life with Him. And that's
something I can never lose. Ericka Loynes
Faith Step: What wheels do you keep
spinning, trying to land on that one thing you really
want in life? Stop trying to solve the puzzle
alone. Ask Jesus, the longest-winning Champion, to
help you. [Mornings With Jesus 2024 Devotional by
Guideposts and Zondervan]
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}
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
Philippians 3:13, 14 - JESUS - The Clear
Objective!
https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230824-1046.html
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220504-0906.html
Philippians 3:13, 14 - Is It a Wing or a
Weight?
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2022/20220503-0915.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
