Thursday, October 20, 2016

Phil 3.12-13

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,”
‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3:12-13‬ ‭

Not that I have already obtained or made perfect.
This verse is such a comfort to me. I am just, yet a sinner. I am justified yet in the process of sanctification. Sanctification can seem like a death sentence sometimes, but that is because my eyes on are myself. Sanctification brings life and peace because it strips me of my flesh and conforms me into His image. In the day to day journey of sanctification, we get easily get discouraged of the abundance of sin in our life. But this truth that we are on this journey and will not taste true perfection until we are before Him in glory. That is what I'm holding onto.

Justified, yet still a sinner. Made perfect in His blood, stamped and sealed with His Spirit until the day we are perfectly justified, sanctified and glorified in His presence.

But I press on.
In the weariness, in the mundane. I press on. In the delight and in the joy, I press on.

Jesus Christ has made me His own.
My identity is solely Jesus. He has made me His own. I have no need to struggle and strive for affirmation and worth when He has knit and made me His own. I am royal family of King Jesus. An heir to all of His promises. For all eternity.

I do not consider that I have made it my own.
Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling. Nothing that I have been given us my own doing. My righteousness is like filthy rags but His righteousness that covers me is perfect and beautiful.

Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead.
On this race that I'm running, I cannot look behind at the good things or the bad. If I try to strive to see behind me at one of my favorite miles, I will be focused on the past and not the mile at hand. If i can't focus on the mile at hand because I am thinking about my worst mile, I will produce another just as bad or even worse. That is why God calls us to PRESS FORWARD for the race at hand.

Application: Today as I face conviction form the Holy Spirit I will take a moment to thank God for His sanctifying work in my heart.

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