Forget What’s Behind

Philippians 3:7-14 >>

7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.Pressing on Toward the Goal  12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

1. In verses 7 & 8, the Apostle Paul considered a loss what he once considered a gain after knowing Christ. Take time to meditate on this. What could cause this to happen?
>> Paul considered a loss what he once considered a gain because it took the focus and attention away from God to him.
2. How about yourself? [give a practical example] For me, I guess it’s the same. I used to like to draw more attention to myself in things, but now I don’t want to if it’s going to take the glory away from God.
3. What’s the way to focus on God’s will? [verses13-14] The way to focus on God’s will is forgetting the past and just working towards the future.

Change of Plans

Acts 16:6-12
Paul’s Vision of the Man of Macedonia
6Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.
Lydia’s Conversion in Philippi
11From Troas we put out to sea and sailed straight for Samothrace, and the next day on to Neapolis. 12From there we traveled to Philippi, a Roman colony and the leading city of that district of Macedonia. And we stayed there several days.

1. When God changed Paul’s plan, Paul reacted by following. There was no discontentment or rebellion or anything. Everything went smoothly. God changed God’s plan when the Spirit of Jesus led them elsewhere for the purpose of going elsewhere, in this case, to Macedonia.
2. When the plan I already made has changed without explanation, I need to obediently follow without murmuring, just as Paul demonstrated in this passage.

PLANS TO HAVE A VICTORIOUS LIFE

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but [only] one receives the prize? So run [your race] that you may lay hold [of the prize] and make it yours.  25Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither. 26Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary.  27But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].

1 Corinthians 10:12 >> 12
12Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall.

[C] – CONTEMPLATE/MEDITATE ON:

1. Why do I need to make a strategy, prepare and plan to have victory over tests and temptations from the media, from the environment and bad associations (negative friends) all around me? I need to make a strategy, prepare and plan to have victory over tests and temptations because I want to win the prize. I don’t want the circumstances to have control over me or dictate my life. Rather, I need to be wise and seek God’s direction and actively pursue victory. This will also help us defeat the devil because we’re prepared!
2. How is the Apostle Paul’s plan/strategy in today’s reading in winning the race of faith in his life? The Apostle Paul’s plan in winning the race of faith is to not just run aimlessly, but to have an aim and to discipline ourselves so that we do not become unfit or counted as a counterfit by God and man.
3. Take time to meditate on recent failures that happened in your life. Analyze the cause and make plans/strategy with the Lord to overcome them in the near future.

Praise and Prayer Can Change Heart’s Focus

Acts 16:22-32
22The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten. 23After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. 27The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

1. Paul and Silas were facing a difficult situation–they were in jail!
2 & 3. If I’m facing trouble, difficulty or stress, sometimes my heart can become discouraged and I try to focus on other things or try to understand it for myself. However, I learned that I shouldn’t try to focus on obtaining self-understanding, but first and foremost, focus on the Lord and praise Him, give thanks, and ask for His intervention. I want to learn to always surrender every situation into His hands.

Suffering That Brings Forth Change in Character

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Acts 9:10-20
10In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.

11The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”

13″Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

15But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”

17Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Saul in Damascus and Jerusalem
Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 20At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.

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1. From yesterday and today’s meditations, I think God’s plans for Saul’s sufferings was so that he could experience that perhaps God is real. He suffered in humiliation perhaps when God spoke to Him in front of others in blinding light, and then he suffered in blindness for three days. However, in all of it, I think it was so that God can stop him (he’s such a busy body perhaps, lol) and reveal Himself to him. God took away his strength so Saul could see his own sins and realize his human limitations and surrender to God.
2. God used a believer in Damascus named Ananias to bring Saul to restoration.
3. I hope my life has helped to bring others back to God’s plan to undergo restoration.

Experiencing Suffering that Produces Repentance

September 8, 2008

Acts 9:1-9

Saul’s Conversion
1Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

5″Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6″Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

7The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
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1. Saul was an avid persecuter of followers of Christ. He was ruthless, uttered threats and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. He wanted to chain both the men and the women. He was a passionate man, but passionate for a bad purpose.
2. Christ changed Saul’s life by appearing to him as a light from heaven (so he didn’t really literally show himself in a bodily form or something) and spoke to him directly. He spoke to him and conversed with him so Saul would know that He is real!
3. God’s changed my heart/character through many experiences that involved suffering. For example, I used to be pretty critical and judgmental, but then God allowed me to go through experiences where I myself fell and needed God’s grace and mercy, and then I began to understand that nobody is perfect, and that we cannot judge others but just love them as God tells us to; also because they are precious in His sight and He loves them!