Daily Bread 11-19-16
Philippians 3:14-16
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
16 Nevertheless, whereunto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing.
ref. - Heb 12:1 - Wherefore seeing we are also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.
Rom 9:23,24 - And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?
1 Cor 2:6 - Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, which come to nought.
Gal 5:10 - I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.
As we travel on this journey following the Gospel of Christ we must keep pressing on. The word of God say that perfection is in Christ Jesus so this means that we, who are in Christ Jesus, are made perfect in him. Think of it this way, you woke up this morning, you are right with Christ, you have not made any mistakes. So far, you are perfect. What you choose to do and who you choose to follow through this day is the only thing that will cause you to become imperfect. This is not to do with mistakes at work or accidents through the day, your physical body, or even the outcome of a test or something like that, we are speaking of Spiritual perfection. This is only attainable through and in Jesus Christ. And it is only lost when we look away or let ourselves drift away from him. This is why the Apostle Paul said let us walk by the same rule, and let us mind the same thing. This rule is Jesus Christ and this thing is Jesus Christ. The world looks on every day just waiting for us to slip up so they can call us hypocrites and such, meanwhile overlooking their own lives. This is why we must press on toward not man's idea of perfection, but God's wisdom and perfection. We will never be right in men's eyes but men do not determine the outcome of our eternal souls. If we look onto worldly men's judgment of us then we have looked away from Christ and, poof, there goes our perfection. God has put a Spirit in us that reveals to us what is not in his will. it is up to us to be obedient to this Spirit. God, also, has put leaders in our paths similar to the Apostle Paul who are called to lead and in this leadership they are going to try to press us away from the world and closer to Christ. They are not going to try to make us acceptable to the world but to become acceptable to God in Christ. The world will see our perfections and our imperfections eventually but we must not concentrate on this. We have a ruler and that is Christ, we have one way and that is Christ, so let us keep drawing closer to him and leave the worldly elements behind. Men will judge us and if we are not guilty in God's eyes, they will receive their reward. Let us just stay focused and realize this; If you woke up in Christ Jesus and prayed this morning you woke up perfected in Him. Press and strive to stay that way!!! Have a great day!!!!!