Category: Philippians

But our citizenship is in Heaven… (Philippians 3:20).

I did a bit of traveling in my pre-geezer days.  I remember the feeling of being all alone in a foreign country.  It was exciting, but unsettling.  I didn’t understand the language, the customs, the road signs–I was out of my element.  Wherever I went, I made it obvious in a thousand little ways that this was not my home, that I did not belong.  I kept my passport securely tucked in my fanny pack–no judging, please–and checked it frequently. That passport was my lifeline, my link to home, my protection should things go awry in this strange, sometimes unfriendly land.

That’s us, isn’t it?  

I mean, if you feel out of place, it’s because you are.  

You should feel different.  

You should be different.

You are not a citizen here.

Neither are you a tourist.

You are an ambassador.  

So grab your fanny pack and go…ambassad.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved

For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is their shame. Their mind is on earthly things (Philippians 3:18-19).

Even with tears.

That’s the part that gets me.

Paul was not exulting over his enemies.  He wept over them, because he knew the truth.

They weren’t really his enemies.

They were Christ’s.

And as such, they were utterly, thoroughly lost.

We all know people like this, folks who are far more concerned with their stuff life than their spiritual life.  We shake our heads in their general direction, we sigh at their shallowness, we may even pity them.

But do we weep?

Do I weep?

Father God, give me your eyes, your tears, your heart today.  Let me care–no matter how much it hurts.

Happy Monday, Beloved

Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you  (Philippians 3:17).

To live a life so focused, so devoted to God, so dominated by His grace and His love that you can confidently call others to follow your example…

I want that.

At least, I want to want that.

For now, I’m still more of a “way pointer” than a “trail blazer.”

For now, but not forever.

That’s my prayer this morning.

Care to join me?

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Only let us live up to what we have already attained (Philippians 3:16).

There’s so much I don’t know.

It’s astonishing, really.

I mean, it could paralyze me if I really focus on it.

I know, because sometimes I do.

And yet

There’s so much I do know.  

I wonder…if I were to just do the things I know…to live up to what I do understand…

What would that look like?

What would I look like?

What would my world look like?

Nah, it couldn’t be that simple.

Could it?

Happy Thursday, Beloved

All of us who are mature should take such a view of things.  And if on some lesser point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you (Philippians 3:15).

It’s called majoring in the majors, and minoring in the minors.

If you believe that there is one God, who exists eternally in three persons

If you believe that you are made in God’s image, but are poisoned by sin beyond your ability to repair

If you believe that the Father, who made you and knows you and loves you, sent his Son to die in your place so that you might be free from the penalty of sin and restored to relationship with him

If you believe that Jesus, eternally God, became man

and lived

and died

and rose from the dead

so that you could be with him forever

Then you are my brother and my sister (well, one of the two).

Every other disagreement can be argued and debated and ultimately put on the shelf until we know more…until we are more.

Major in the majors today, Beloved.

Happy Wednesday

But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14).

He came to be with us.

One day, at the end of all things, he will call us to be with him.

We will be…what we were always meant to be.

Complete

Whole

His

That’s the prize, Beloved.

You’ll get to be the real you.

Finally

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize… (Philippians 3:14)

I want to win.

I hope that doesn’t offend you.

I know it’s not polite to say these days, but I wanna destroy my opponent, crushing him to powder as I race to the finish line.  I want the gold medal, the big trophy, the attaboy certificate.

Over the years, I have won and I have lost, and lemme tell you: winning is eversomuchmorebetterer. 

Oh, and here’s the great thing: in order to win, I don’t need to defeat anybody

except 

myself.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…  (Philippians 3:14).

Pick your sports analogy…

Football

Baseball

Soccer

Hockey

Lacrosse…I guess.

Imagine the athlete dodging through his opponents, evading the outstretched glove or grasping hands, bobbing and weaving and twisting and diving headlong toward the goal. All distractions burned away, the entire world has condensed into the space separating him from the prize he seeks.  

That’s you.

At least, it oughta be.

Eyes on the prize, Beloved.

Happy Friday

But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead… (Philippians 3:13)

It doesn’t say drifting.

It doesn’t say wandering.

Straining 

Yes, of course we serve a God of grace, and no, of course you are not saved by your own effort.

That doesn’t mean you don’t make an effort.

You didn’t have to try out for this team. You were picked. And, I’ll let you in on a little secret–we win, whether you’re in the action or on the sidelines pretending to check your shoelaces. But wouldn’t it be better to be in the middle of the fight? Wouldn’t it be better, when the whistle blows, to say that you left everything on the field?

Go get ‘em, Beloved.

Happy Wednesday

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind… (Philippians 3:13)

Don’t look back.

That was one of the biggest rules my coach taught me.  About 700 years ago I was a cross country runner.  I was pretty good, but I had a weakness that often got me into trouble on the race course.

I looked back.

I just couldn’t resist sneaking a peek at who was behind me, wondering if they were catching up or falling back or what. That was a problem, because it took my focus off of the challenges right in front of me, the things in my path that could slow me up or knock me down.  With my eyes to the rear, I couldn’t give my all to the race in front of me.

As an adult, sort of, I still struggle with the temptation to look back, to think about how I should have run that last mile, when the next mile awaits. That’s silly, because the next mile has rocks and sand and thorns and I really oughta pay attention.

‘Course, we’re not talking about running anymore, are we?

Eyes front, Beloved.  Run hard.

Happy Tuesday