Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

April 18
Saturday


WHAT'S NEXT?

READ:
Philippians 3:7-16
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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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In the television series The West Wing, fictional president Josiah Bartlet regularly ended staff meetings with two words--"What's next?" It was his way of signaling that he was finished with the issue at hand and ready to move on to other concerns. The pressures and responsibilities of life in the White House demanded that he not focus on what was in the rear-view mirror--he needed to keep his eyes ahead, moving forward to what was next.

In a sense, the apostle Paul had a similar perspective on life. he knew that he had not "arrived" spiritually, and that he had a long way to go in becoming like Christ. What could he do? He could either fixate on the past, with its failures, disappointments, struggles, and disputes, or he could learn from those things and move on to "what's next."

In Philippians 3, Paul tells us how he chose to live his life: "Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in christ Jesus" (vv.13-14). It's a perspective that speaks of moving on--of embracing what's next. it is where we too must focus as we seek to be shaped into the image of the Savior while we look forward to eternity with Him. __Bill Crowder
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`````````````Onward and upward your course plan today,```````````
`````````````Seeking new heights as you walk Jesus' way;``````````
`````````````Heed not past failures, but strive for the prize,``````````
`````````````Aiming for goals fit for His holy eyes. __Brandt`````````
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Keep your eyes fixed on the prize.

**************Today's Bible Reading __ Philippians 3:7-16**********

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
knwoledge 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 fiath; 10 that I may
know Him and the power of
His resurrection, and the
fellowship of His sufferings,
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.

15 Therefore let us, as many
as are mature, have this
mind.... 16 Nevertheless,
to the degree that we have
already attained, let us walk
by the same rule, let us be of
the same mind.

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

Paul kept pressing on in life's race toward "the upward call of God"
(v.14). He said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the
race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7). As Paul reviewed his life,
he used the figures of a wrestler (Eph. 6:12), a runner (1 Cor. 9:24),
and a soldier (1 Tim. 6:12). Only God's grace can help us to be
strong finishers in the Christian life. __Dennis Fisher