- Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Philippians 3:17-18 – Essentially what Paul is telling the church is to keep their eyes open. Watch the lives of those around you for those lives will fall into one of two camps. First it will be the camp of verse 18, those who walk as enemies of the cross. These are the “dogs and evildoers” in verse 2. These were the individuals that continued to believe they must add following the Jewish law onto their faith in Jesus for salvation. For us it anyone who is living a life that is opposed to the ways Jesus directs us to live in scripture. The second camp is those who are seeking to walk as Jesus walked. While not perfect in it, for no one can walk perfectly in this sinful life, they are seeking to live as faithfully as possible in this life for the Lord. We then need to have our eyes open, watching the lives of these two camps, and then we need to make a choice which we’ll imitate. Ask yourself who are the main influencers within your life and are they followers of Jesus’ words? Cleary scripture shows us here that we can have influencers in our life that are not following Jesus and if that is the examples we’re following it’s not hard to imagine the impact that will have on our life. Tailor your life to be watching and following the example of steady Christ followers. Choose to imitate their faithfulness so that you can become an example of faithfulness for others to follow. Be aware that both God and the enemy are seeking to create witnesses for themselves and their kingdoms. You must choose which side you’ll promote with your life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 3418
- Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8 – Paul is speaking of his life before following Jesus and said he counts its as trash; that its worthless and added nothing to his ability to be in a relationship with Jesus. Now many of us would say the same thing about our pre-following-Jesus lives too because of how messed up they were. Yet Paul’s wasn’t messed up like ours, his was filled with godly lifestyles and rule following. But just like our sinful behavior Paul understood his rule following didn’t help him have his relationship with Jesus either. We only can be with Jesus through faith. Nothing we’ve done will matter in that choice, it’s just do you believe and want Jesus or not? So don’t be nervous about your past mistakes and don’t be proud about your past accomplishments. They aren’t going to help you. Only Jesus can help you to Heaven. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 545
- 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. Philippians 3:12 – Paul understood something about himself, that while his past was being an excellent Jew, it didn’t equal him being sinless. Also compared to the example of Jesus, he was far from perfection. No works or studies or heritage would achieve the perfection needed to be in relationship with God. Yet somehow Paul knew this sort of perfection was his future. How? Because Jesus had made Paul His own. Jesus brought Paul into His flock, named him one of his sheep, and made him right enough to be with God. Our story is the same. We aren’t made perfect by our deeds or words, in fact it’s our deeds and words that have gotten us to the point of death. But God, who called us, is making us right by the righteousness of Jesus. We now can strive to live the sort of life that God is calling us to live, not to earn perfection, but to proclaim our gratefulness and anticipation for the perfection that will come in Heaven for every believer. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2404
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