Looking Forward to What Lies Ahead

"But all these things that I once thought very worthwhile, now I've thrown them all away so that I can put my trust and hope in Christ alone. Yes everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have put aside all else, counting it worth less than nothing, in order that I can have Christ, and become one with Him, no longer counting on being saved by being good enough or by obeying God's laws, but by trusting Christ to save me; for God's way of making us right with Himself depends on faith, counting on Christ alone. Now I have given up everything else, I have found it to be the only way to really know Christ and to experience the mighty power that brought Him back to life again, and to find out what it means to suffer and to die with Him. So whatever it takes, I will be one who lives in the fresh newness of life of those who are alive from the dead. I don't mean to say I am perfect. I haven't learned all I should yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants to be. No dear brothers, I am still not all I should be but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us. Philippians 3:7-14 (TLB)

Paul distinctively describes his great expectations of fulfillng his mission in life. Although at one time he was great in his arena he counted it worthless because of the love he had for Christ. He vowed to do what ever it took for him to be all that Christ wanted him to be and he definitely reached his goal. He pressed his way through persecution, prison, faced death, but continued to run the race.

It takes faith to go forward, leaving the past behind. We can continue to chase after the way things use to be, but you can't get the old back. Everything changes, who you used to be, you are not that person anymore and what you use to have, you don't have anymore. Many of us stay stuck in that place of repeating to themselves, that I have never had it this bad before I got saved, but think about it for a moment what trouble or emptiness were you experiencing that brought you to your knees . There is a process that is taking place in your life, you had to let go of the former things so that you would begin looking forward to what lies ahead.

Let's face the facts we do not like to suffer, and I understand that, neither do I. But when I think about what's waiting for me, it changes my perspective on suffering. I look at it like this, how bad do I want heaven, what am I willing to do to get there. So as Paul said I must press, or strain to reach the end of the race. The one thing I love about God is that we do things that disqualifies us, but his mercy is always available to give us the chance to get back in the race.

Get back into your sprint position, make an unusually great effort, putting excessive demands on your mind and your flesh to submit to the will of God. Do not get complacent at the starting line you must run, harass yourself into doing what it is God is saying to you, let the love of God be a strenuous and continuous force that pushes you to continue to run forward. Counting on Christ and Him alone to help you make it all the way, get excited as you soar in Christ, looking forward to what lies ahead, greatness awaits you!


God Bless, have a wonderful weekend, and remember to anyone viewing this blog that do not have a personal relationship with Christ, I pray that you make Jesus, Lord of your life. God loved you so much that He gave His only Son to die on the cross, just for you! Please reach out if you would like to know more.