Loss for Christ

I am a little late on getting my devotion out today as I just got in from a long drive home from vacation. So here it is!

When we serve God we are going to lose some things....worldly things sometimes and sometimes things we just have to cut for time sake. Let's read today's scriptures.

Philippians 3:1-11

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.
2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
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 knowledge 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 faith; 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.

I n verse 1 Paul continues to tell us to rejoice...I just can't get over Paul telling us to rejoice when he is in prison. That is dedication my friends! Then he tells us to beware of those who want to lead us astray in verse 2. We need to be on our toes at all times for their are people who want us to fall on our face! Then in verses 4-6 Paul tells us that he has no confidence in the flesh which the bible also tells us not to live in the flesh. The flesh can be our own worldly desires or our status of who we are. Paul also says in theses verses that if their is anyone who could have confidence in flesh alone it would be him because of his credentials. He was a Jew through and through....top of the line but all that was nothing. Why did he says this??? Because all this is useless unless we have knowledge of Jesus Christ. Which he tells us in verse 8. Paul tells us in verses 7-9 that all the fleshly he has lost in his life....prestige, standing in the community, money, fame and fortune, is lost but he counts it gain because now He has a relationship with Jesus!! Stop and think about what he is saying here it is deep. What have you lost to follow Christ?

Paul tells us in verse 9 not his own righteousness(our works) but in faith(alone) in Christ Jesus is what has made him righteous before God!! Nothing we can do can save us from sin....it is all Jesus! In verse 10 Paul admits he wanted to suffer for Christ and one day Paul and us will know the power of the resurrection if we die before Jesus comes back. Then Paul tells us in verse 11 he will do anything to obtain this resurrection. So the question comes back to us...are we willing to do the same? Honestly? Paul proved it as he laid his life on the line everyday for Jesus.

Take time to read these scriptures again and let God speak to you. There is much more to grasp onto than what I mentioned.

God bless...Tom