The Target

January 10, 2011

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.
Philippians 3:7-8

Making Goals. Paul is basically saying that nothing else matters compared to knowing Jesus—it’s better than all the high points, and it transcends failure. If you’ve made New Year’s resolutions, don’t just have “to do” goals—to do more working out, less eating, more reading, etc. Those are all great, but the most important goal should be to have a closer walk with Jesus—that is how you will truly be changed. The degree to which you renew your connection with God will determine your success in reaching your other goals.

Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I PRESS ON toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Moving Forward. If you want to move on and grow, you’ve got to let some stuff go—including past hurts and aches that have been defining your life up to this point. We need to guard our heart and be selective about what gets in (Proverbs 4:23). Instead of meditating on painful moments from the past that keep you loss-centered, use them as reference points of God’s faithfulness—by His grace you’ve made it this far! Shake off the heaviness and look ahead with confidence. God who began a good work in you will complete it (Philippians 1:6).

Knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus is what we can carry into eternity. Seek to know Him. Turn off the TV and the phone and spend some time with God. Write down the things He shows you. Spend time fasting and praying this month. In 2011, let’s make it our primary target to reinforce our connection with God and press on toward His call for our lives.

It’s good to know Jesus!
Pastor Jeff

Copyright © 2011 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.