Week of March 25, 2007, Philippians 3:4-11

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Paul's letter to the Philippians, chapter 3, verses 4 to 14. This is where Paul describes his relationship with God from his Jewish background to his sudden conversion, and how now he strives to know Jesus Christ, his highest priority and greatest good:
4 If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put 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; in regard to the law, a Pharisee;
6 as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.
7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, 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 is through faith in Christ-- the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Dear Lord, help me to see in all Your glory, that my highest goal would be to know You. Help me to know that my righteousness depends on my faith in You, Jesus, not adhering to a bunch of laws that lead to legalism. Jesus, teach me to know the power of the resurrection in my daily life, where each day I die to myself and rise daily to a newer life of an ongoing relationship with You.

May I always strive to let go of the things that entangle me, of past things, and may I press on toward the goal of knowing Your extravagant love and abiding presence in my life. Thanks, Lord Jesus. Amen.


The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you His strength and His great peace. In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

If you would like to leave a message or prayer request, please e-mail me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May God be with you now and always.