REACH FORWARD – 13 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… Philippians 3:13 NKJV
16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV
Paul is a great example of someone with a visible and alive faith. The condition of his heart motivated, and was reflected in, everything he did and said. Not only did he go forward and step forward, but in Philippians 3 we read how Paul reached forward for the things of God. He treasured Christ above all else and knowing Him more became his ultimate pursuit.
Does what you currently spend your time, energy, and money on match what you’d say you’re reaching for?
When you think about your life, what do you treasure? What are you reaching for? What are your goals? Louie Giglio said, “follow the trail of your time, your affection, your energy, your money, and your loyalty. At the end of that trail you’ll find a throne; and whatever, or whomever, is on that throne is what’s of highest value to you. On that throne is what you worship.” Think about that trail in your life. Does what you currently spend your time, energy, and money on match what you’d say you’re reaching for?
Paul had an eternal perspective. He knew the “surpassing worth of knowing Christ” (Phil. 3:8) compared to anything else in this world. His prayer in the passage above shows how passionately he wanted others to know Christ’s love as well. He knew if they truly knew His love, that would change everything! His eternal perspective motivated everything he did and all that he pursued. Do you have that same perspective?
Oh, that we would have an eternal outlook and that we would reach forward for things that will last!
APPLICATION
– Spend some time now praying today’s verse. Pray it for yourself and the Liberty family, that we would truly know the surpassing greatness of God’s love, that it would shape our perspective and our motivations, and that we would love Him back with all that we are.
– Pray that out of your pursuit of knowing Christ and His love, you would have a desire for others to know His love as well. Ask God to put a burden in your heart for the people of Hampton Roads and throughout the world who do not know Christ.
– Continue to pray for those from the Liberty family who are serving through Liberty Loves Hampton Roads, for the team currently serving in Northwest Africa, and for those meeting in Connect Groups all over our area.
——-
Giglio, Louie. Wired for a Life of Worship, Part 1. Worship.com. http://worship.com/2007/03/louie-giglio-wired-for-a-life-of-worship-part-1/. Accessed: 14 September 2016.