Phil. 3:13 “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.”
This verse really spoke to me that Paul was making a
conscious choice not to stop but to keep going forward. I don’t want to live in
the past…I should hold onto the lessons that God has shown me in the past but
then close that chapter to go and live out a new chapter.
During this month, Pastor Steve explained to us the
importance of unpacking all the stories
of our time…the good and hard experiences, taking the lessons learned, packing
them up again, and launching on this new foundation for what is ahead. This is
very exciting to me as I look to the future. However, there are still those
moments where it is hard to move forward looking at all the neat opportunities
that I had and the friends I made in Costa Rica. I don’t want to keep reliving
what God did in Costa Rica to avoid facing challenges in the future. The Lord
has been giving more clarity and vision for the future and I know that there
are new things the Lord needs to mold in my life to make me more like Him
giving me enthusiasm for the future.
Application:
I don’t want to “stop” where I am at….but keep going
forward. I am going to continue doing what I did yesterday for my application
which was reading the Word and praying throughout the day instead of just in
the morning… I know that the more I pursue the Lord, the more aligned I will be
to where He is directing me and the clearer I will hear His voice speaking to
my heart.
What a good reminder this verse is to me. So often I get
caught up in the running the race looking around me instead of gazing at my
prize. I remember earlier in the year when it came alive to me that my true
treasure is in heaven. Everything that I do for Jesus Christ will be rewarded
after this life on earth. This made me start thinking why I wouldn’t do all I
could to get as many treasures as possible. I don’t want my only motive to be
getting treasures but to also honor my Lord because of my love for Him.
The call of God, I believe, that Paul refers to here is
easily summed up in Matthew 28:19-20 for everyone. “Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have
commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
(Matthew 28:19-20) As I seek to live out
this verse in my life, I am pressing for this goal.
Application:
Today, I am going to stop looking at the things I do to
serve God as sacrifices but more as actions of obedience seeking to store up
treasures in heaven. Anything that comes to mind as difficult today, I am going
to remind myself of heaven and the glory awaiting there.
Phil. 3:15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have
this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to
you.
Here Paul is referring back to the previous verse of having a
mindset of reaching for the goal…our heavenly prize. I thought it very
interesting that Paul also added that if the believers of Philippi disagreed
with the mindset he shared, Paul knew that God would reveal the TRUTH to them.
This gave me motivation to pursue God for direction in everything. Unfortunately,
often in the past I would only look to the people around me: my parents, my
mentors, my friends, and those in my church for clarity on the things of God
and my next steps in life instead of just going to God Himself. That is why it
has been so good for me to come here to the ranch where I am solely just
pursuing God for direction and learning to listen to His still small voice. I
find that when I make time to spend and ask God to speak to me, He always does.
This could be something practical for my next step, wisdom in a situation, or
simply just the reassuring words of, “Trust me.” God is so worthy to be
praised.
Application:
When something in my life is foggy and I am not sure how to
handle it, I know that I should look to God above all else. Yes, I believe that
God most definitely can and has spoken to me through those around me, but
ultimately, I should be looking to my Creator, who made me, for this insight.
Phil. 3:16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already
attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
This verse points out a great lesson that I need to
consciously keep in my heart as I go back. We, Believers, are not all at the
same level in knowing God as those around us. Here at the ranch, I have been
taught and shown how to live out a life in Christ in areas I didn’t know before
I came. From day 1, the PFR staff constantly encouraged and poured into me, and
with that came growth. Paul is saying here that to the extent that we
understand and have grasped the things of God, we will be held accountable.
As I go back home, it is critical to understand that I
cannot expect the same excitement or understanding of others if they have not
been taught the same things. At the same time, however, Paul makes an excellent
point that we believers should still be of one mind. It is okay to disagree on
certain areas but as a whole, we should all be seeking to follow the Lord and
bringing glory to His name, unified on this aspect.
Application: As I go back home, I am going to remember that
as I have been given much, much is expected. I am going to make a list of
people that I will ask at home to keep me accountable to certain lessons that I
want to live out in my life.
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