Day 4 - Forty Days in the Word

Last night our Wednesday night Life Group Experience met in the gym. We had 35 adults seated around 5 tables, plus about 8 tables of youth who viewed the Rick Warren video together. During these 40 days, he is teaching 6 aspects of the “devotional” Bible study method. He is teaching and encouraging a personal devotional time. My day is shaped around my morning hour of scripture, prayer, reflection and application of God’s word.

Philippians 3:1-16

Paul has written this letter to the church at Philippi, and sent it to them with one of their members who has been travelling with him, Epaphroditus (2:25). He begins chapter 3 with “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.” He reviews how it is that he puts no trust in the flesh (unlike the false teachers, the judiazers who insist that Christians must follow all Jewish teachings in order to please God.) He reminds the Philippians that if anyone could put trust in the flesh, he could do so, born a Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, circumcised on the eighth day, a Pharisee, zealously persecuting the church…

 

Paul summarizes that he “count(s) all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” He want s to “know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” He affirms that he has not already obtained this or become perfect – which leads to the verse for today:

“I press on in order that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.”

 

I, Bruce Baxter, also press on – day by day moving forward. I am not going to coast, I am not preparing for a life of ease in retirement, I am pressing on – pushing forward against the pressures of the day, against the enemy of God who tries to hold me back. I press on, fighting undertows that would suck me down. I press on against the storms of life that are raging, against unexpected waves that  almost knock me down. I press on, into an uncertain future within the certainty of God’s redeeming love. I press on, even as the light of God’s word illumines only the next step. I press on, leading the way for others who are pressing on. I strive forward, keeping my eyes on Christ, who for the glory set before Him endured the Cross, despising its shame and is seated at the right hand of God. I press on, as the arrows of the enemy wound and the wounds from friends slow me down. I press on to the glorious salvation in Jesus Christ!!!

 

Guide me today, most holy Lord as one who is pressing on!!!!