Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 19
Tuesday


NEVER SATISFIED
BUT ALWAYS
CONTENT

READ:
Philippians 3:7-14
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I press toward the goal
for the prize of the
upward call of God in
Christ Jesus.
__Philippians 3:14
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Tiger Woods is clearly the greatest golfer of his generation. His ability to perform under pressure and win is becoming legendary. Yet what motivates Woods is not just winning, it's his passion for excellence. Despite his great success, Tiger has repeatedly refined his swing in an ongoing effort to improve his game and be a better golfer. His desire for excellence leaves him never satisfied.

The apostle Paul was also driven by a desire for excellence--but in his relationship with Christ. Paul, however, taught that we're to have balance. While we're never to be satisfied with our spiritual progress, we're always to be content in Christ.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul expressed both realities. While writing from prison, he declared his contentment with life's circumstances, entrusting them to God's care (Phil 4:11). Nevertheless, he refused to be satisfied with his own spiritual progress. He did not count himself to have "apprehended" (to have arrived and achieved it all). Instead, he was committed to pressing on toward the goal (3:13-14).

Learning to balance contentment with a desire for excellence may be the forgotten key to our ongoing spiritual growth and advancement. __Bill Crowder
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``````````````````````I give my life to You, O Lord,```````````````
`````````````````````````To follow and obey;```````````````````
```````````````````Grant me contentment as I strive``````````````
````````````````````For excellence each day. __Sper`````````````
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Godliness with contentment is great gain.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ Philippians 3:7-14*********

7 But what things were
gain to me, these I have
counted loss for Christ.

8 Yet indeed I also count
all things loss for the
excellence of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus
my Lord, for whom I have
suffered the loss of all
things, and count them as
rubbish, that I may gain
Christ 9 and be found in
Him, not having my own
righteousness, which is
from the law, but that which
is through faith in Christ,
the righteousness which is
from God by faith; 10 that I
may know Him and the
power of His resurrection,
and the fellowship of His
suffering, being conformed
to his death, 11 if, by any
means, I may attain to the
resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already
attained, or am already
perfected; but I press on,
that I may lay hold of that
for which Christ Jesus has
also laid hold of me.

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, 14 I
press toward the goal for
the prize of the upward call
of God in Christ Jesus.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Through God's mighty word of redemption in Christ, believers are
able to know the power of Christ's resurrection (Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor.
15:17; Phil. 3:9-10). The power of the Holy Spirit who raised Christ
from physical death is also available to the believer for living the
Christian life. Positionally, we have been raised with Christ and
experientially we can be empowered in our walk with Him (Eph.
1:19-20; Gal. 5:16). __DENNIS FISHER

[Dora]

Love those verses!

[cimi]

so true