Philippians 3:3-11
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
What do you want? What do you really, really want? Do you just want to get laid? Have some fun? Or do you yearn for something more? Paul says in verse 8 that "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord". Is knowing Christ better than everything else? Is it my goal to know Christ? Not just a checklist kind of goal, but a burning desire kind of goal? Attaining this goal means a life change, for as Paul says in verse 10 his desire is "that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death". This is not an easy thing to do, but it has the promise of eternal life (verse 11). To accomplish this, we must "put no confidence in the flesh" (verse 3) and instead trust our lives to God.
God, so often I pursue other worldly goals. Help me to seek You first, and to know You.
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.
What do you want? What do you really, really want? Do you just want to get laid? Have some fun? Or do you yearn for something more? Paul says in verse 8 that "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord". Is knowing Christ better than everything else? Is it my goal to know Christ? Not just a checklist kind of goal, but a burning desire kind of goal? Attaining this goal means a life change, for as Paul says in verse 10 his desire is "that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death". This is not an easy thing to do, but it has the promise of eternal life (verse 11). To accomplish this, we must "put no confidence in the flesh" (verse 3) and instead trust our lives to God.
God, so often I pursue other worldly goals. Help me to seek You first, and to know You.