ONWARD & UPWARD
From time to time our foolish choices or the unconscionable thing/s we once did in our past, rises up to remind and torment us. Don’t stay there too long, the enemy of our souls would love to see us cast down and disquieted. So this week our scripture and the Devotional Team will bring encouragement from the topic, “Freedom from Past Failures and Offenses.”
SCRIPTURE: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 3:13, 14 NKJV]
In THE MESSAGE Bible paraphrase, today’s passage reads thusly: “Friends, don’t get me wrong; By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” What a forward-thinking soldier of the Living God! Our Lord can use such goal-oriented souls like the apostle Paul. By this verse you can extract some meaningful insight into the character of this former Pharisee, who, prior to his dramatic conversion in Acts 9:1-8 had great zeal for God—but not according to knowledge [Romans 10:2].
While many of us love this verse, because of how it powerfully speaks to us in terms of our spiritual aspirations, I was moved to peer more closely at this extraordinary apostle, seeking to discover more, if possible, about how my Lord might have utilized some of his innate characteristics and “supercharged” them for His glory, despite his persecutorial past! In the wake of his encounter with Jesus, we notice Paul’s (a) humility: he admits that he’s not thinking more highly of himself than he should, but he is (b) a focused man-- intent on following where His Savior leads, and he’s even bringing some fellow-believers along with him, according to verse 15! We also notice from the verse that (c), excluding those times of his imprisonment for the gospel’s sake, his movement is dynamic, not static. [Then again, even while imprisoned, Paul’s passion for serving His Lord was neither chained nor restrained]! Despite all opposition from his enemies, as noted in Philippians 1:15, he remains in full anticipation of his Lord’s promised heavenly reward [Philippians 3:14 NKJV]! Paul was victorious through Christ, as he ministered to fellow inmates, as he remained fully convinced that his God, your God, my God was causing ALL things—including the seeming setbacks--to work together for his good! Would that we all could be a bit more like the apostle Paul—an extraordinarily single-minded and forward-thinking soldier of God!
PRAYER: Oh, heavenly Father, give us, we pray, a fresh stirring in our heart of Your Glory and Excellence—that we shall not be ashamed when we appear before you to give an account of what we did with the name of “JESUS” during our lifetime on this terra firma. Thank You, in His name; amen.
By Sis. Denise Diggs
While many of us love this verse, because of how it powerfully speaks to us in terms of our spiritual aspirations, I was moved to peer more closely at this extraordinary apostle, seeking to discover more, if possible, about how my Lord might have utilized some of his innate characteristics and “supercharged” them for His glory, despite his persecutorial past! In the wake of his encounter with Jesus, we notice Paul’s (a) humility: he admits that he’s not thinking more highly of himself than he should, but he is (b) a focused man-- intent on following where His Savior leads, and he’s even bringing some fellow-believers along with him, according to verse 15! We also notice from the verse that (c), excluding those times of his imprisonment for the gospel’s sake, his movement is dynamic, not static. [Then again, even while imprisoned, Paul’s passion for serving His Lord was neither chained nor restrained]! Despite all opposition from his enemies, as noted in Philippians 1:15, he remains in full anticipation of his Lord’s promised heavenly reward [Philippians 3:14 NKJV]! Paul was victorious through Christ, as he ministered to fellow inmates, as he remained fully convinced that his God, your God, my God was causing ALL things—including the seeming setbacks--to work together for his good! Would that we all could be a bit more like the apostle Paul—an extraordinarily single-minded and forward-thinking soldier of God!
PRAYER: Oh, heavenly Father, give us, we pray, a fresh stirring in our heart of Your Glory and Excellence—that we shall not be ashamed when we appear before you to give an account of what we did with the name of “JESUS” during our lifetime on this terra firma. Thank You, in His name; amen.
By Sis. Denise Diggs
Archive
2024
January
Gratitude Mixed with Faith Should Equal ObedienceGrace Comes In God’s TimingGOD USES WHOM HE CHOOSESSeeing What God Sees to Get What God HasA Life Verse That Is Good for Every YearSeeing Things as God Sees ThemThree QuestionsDon’t Worry About the FutureForgiveness Is Our Daily CelebrationPeace When We Do RightGod’s True Children Certainly Should KnowRegret In Missed OpportunitiesThe Attitude of Delight Is RightMeditation Deprivation Is EvidentARE YOU A DISCIPLE OR JUST A CONVERT?An Anchored Soul Won’t QuitGod Wants to Be BelievedFinding God in Our PainI Must Be About God’s WordWhat the Wondrous Word of God Can Do in a Willing ServantSeeing Things God’s WayGetting Along for Jesus SakeMeditating Brings Us Success In The Christian LifeThe State of Mind That Pleases GodPraised By the RaisedHaving the Right Knowledge for Real FaithWhose Mind Do You Think With?All My Heart & All My WaysWise with the Lord’s TimeNo Shame About What God Has SaidPrayer Is A Conversation
February
DEEP ARMOR FOR THE STEEP CLIMBDressed in the Whole Armor of God for Spiritual WarfareGRAB THAT ARMORSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIn My Dressing Room (Putting on the Armor of God)Armored for Any WeatherTruth is Foundation for Our FaithA Work in Progress and A Mouth in TrainingREJECTION OF GOSSIP, SLANDER, LIES, AND DISCORD: THE PERFECTING OF 'FEBRUARY'THE DETESTABLESSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLIf the Lord Hates It, We Should TooThe Offense Ward of the Sin HospitalSpilling the TeaWe are in ChristLet us Do BetterSpread Love, Not GossipSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLThe GREATEST THRILL: Being SPIRIT - FilledTHE HOLY SPIRIT'S CONTROLA Drunken SpiritLookin’ Like Our DaddyFermented or Fresh; How is Your Fruit?We Have it AllSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER WITH PASTOR WAYNE COCKRELLJESUS’ LOVE MANDATEHIS Walk, Our Hopethe greatest gift of allTo Love Like Christ
March
LOVE x LOVELove is CommitmentSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor CockrellTHE HIGHEST DEBT OF LOVEPREVAILING IN LOVE, AND IN THE LIGHT OF THE PROMISEReturn Your Love to METhe Loveless ChurchWhat Do You Want First: the Good News or the Bad News?POSITIVE FRICTION THAT MAKES US BETTERSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHis Love Versus My FearsJESUS LOVES YOUBe Surrendered to 'Love'Victory Over Fear: Life’s Small LessonsJesus, Our VictoryTRUST CHRIST, BANISH FEARSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellHarmony and Discord Aren’t FriendsHOLY PARAMETERSBlinded by HateACT or REACTRESISTING ANGER AND HATE IN CONFLICTPeculiar PeopleSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne CockrellONWARD & UPWARDHow To Fall ForwardThe Front Windshield is Much Bigger than the Rearview MirrorONE THING TO DOLooking Back Will Have You SaltyGreat Cloud of WitnessesSUNDAY MORNING PRAYER with Pastor Wayne Cockrell
4 Comments
Amen sister Denise. An encouraging devotional. Thank you!
Amen and thank You Jesus!!
Amen!!!
Amen Sister Denise! Very impressive Devotional!!