From:
Date: February 18, 2020
Subject: It's February 18; Good Morning Union

---

“One thing I do…”       Philippians 3:13

This book of Philippians is amazing. I’ve loved it in the past and seen it as one of my favorite pieces from Paul, and this time through I continue to be more blessed as I spend time with it. This morning I couldn’t even get through the next verse, from where I left off yesterday, until I already had my ah-ha moment and my GMU message! Thank you Paul for blessing ME as you wrote from prison to the Philippian believers.

Yesterday I wrote about Paul’s claim to “deserving” salvation from all his good deeds and how he realized their worthlessness for salvation and the “safeguard” of being able to “rejoice” in the fact that it was God’s righteousness, gifted to him, that saved him. Today, the very next verse was a balancing perspective in this journey. Above this section in my Bible I have written, “Paul’s philosophy,” and it goes like this as I see it:

            I was “good” but never good enough to have assurance

            I learned that my “goodness” was worthless compared to the gift of God’s salvation

            In THAT I “rejoiced” and maintain my safeguard in life

And here’s the today’s part

            I have NOT yet obtained or perfected ALL that safeguard

            But I hang onto it just like Christ Jesus hangs on to me

            I’m still grasping to hang on to it all the time

            But one thing I do—

                        Forget what’s behind

                        And look at what’s ahead

            I press forward toward the goal of heaven to which God has called me

 

Paul did NOT have it all figured out; he had NOT attained a perfect understanding and application of all that God offers for his life—BUT he PRESSED FORWARD, forgetting what was behind and looking ahead.

And that I believe is one of the best ah-ha moments I could have. I don’t’ have it all figured out yet; I’m still trying to figure out how to trust God more completely and rest more fully in His assurance. Satan is still at war with God and His people and he’s good at reminding me of where I was SO THAT I forget where God is taking me. I’ve messed up more than my fair share of times and I get to make a choice- focus on the mess, or focus on my Messiah?! Look back or look forward? It’s my call. It’s your call too!

Have a great day deciding to forget life’s rear-view-mirror and focusing on the windshield of what’s ahead in your life with Jesus,

Pastor Rich

 

Quote for the day:      “Jesus was the only One qualified to throw the first stone, but He didn’t” 

Faith Paden

 

PS        NO Christ on Demand tonight.