How appropriate that my husband has been leading us through a study in Philippians on joy. Christmas brings so much joy if we focus on the true meaning.
In Philippians 3:12-16, Paul speaks to us using athletic imagery. As we run the race of the Christian life, we want to be at a certain place at a particular stage of life. We need to be growing and developing.
The first and most important part is starting the race. Salvation is where we start, it's what qualifies us for the race. Paul had a holy dissatisfaction, meaning he was always wanting to know Jesus more. That should be our goal as well.
Eddie challenged us with the art of being focused. To stop dabbling in so many things and focus on that one thing we are called to. As Jesus told the rich young ruler "one thing you lack". As he told Martha "you are bothered by so many things".
Paul was obsessed with Jesus. Not with sports. We pour our money into worldly stuff, our energy into worldly pleasures, load our cars to go all kinds of places...what do we do for Jesus? What is our obsession?
As we raised our children, we would tell them be concerned with what you're supposed to do, not others. I've heard Eddie challenge staff to focus on your ministry and what you're called to do. Let's agree to focus on our calling and run our own race well. Let's not dabble in too much. Let's invest time, money, and energy into kingdom causes, things that will last.
Let's be obsessed with Jesus only.
Rise happened at 6:00. It was the normal, a tremendously great kind of normal, Rise gathering...the Holy Spirit was thick, there were tears, glory bumps, intense worship, great preaching.
When the young man leading worship begins by sharing his heart in such a transparent way including struggles and desire to follow Jesus more closely, you just know it's gonna be good. And it always is.
My son John preached from Acts 20:17-24, Symptoms of the Sent. It was challenging for all of us. I know it will cause me to continue examining myself to see how I line up with all Paul preached in those few verses.
John shared 5 symptoms, what it looks like to be one who is sent. 1)they're servants, 2) they're givers, 3) they're unashamed of the gospel, 4) they have a mandate, a sense of "I have to" not just "I want to", 5) they live to make much of Jesus. Jesus is their obsession.
Paul served with humility. Pride says serve me. Kingdom culture celebrates humility and making the kingdom priority will always be inconvenient.
From church folk and those so steeped in religion they need to be freed by grace to the lowest of the low, we all need Jesus.
Paul's "have to" was proclaiming Jesus. What is our "have to"? We are right here, placed here by God, at this particular time for a purpose, for such a time as this. What we do and where we are is our vehicle.
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