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It is the blessing of God that makes life rich; rich in His grace, mercy, and faith; and may you hear the voice of God, speak to you through His word this day, that you may be truly blessed as you become a blessing – The Lord bless you from Zion; And may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life. [Psalms 128:5-6] The blessing of God is expressed in you as spiritual maturity, or more Christ-likeness that comes with a change in our attitude, or thinking, to consider the surpassing value of knowing Christ more and more, to be incomparable and to consider all that the world considers to be of value or gain, as loss or rubbish. [Philippians 3:15,3,8] And when you know the truth or learn to think in alignment with God’s word, it is always easy to give up what is wrong or temporary, however high-sounding it may seem in the eyes of the world.
Pressing on towards maturity:
Paul is honest to make it clear that he has not reached, or attained, made perfect or mature in his calling. But forgetting what lies behind, he is determined in straining forward, to say – ‘I press on towards the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.’ [Philippians 3:12-14]
God has a plan for your life:
And it is not about you taking hold of His hand, but you being held by His hand. Let your desire be to get hold of His purpose to make it your delightful pursuit. In the life of Paul, regarding knowing the call of God upon his life, he desired a more 1] Deepened understanding 2] Sharpened focus 3] Refinement in execution of it.
Deepened understanding:
Paul was in jail, nearing the end of his life, as he wrote this epistle to the Philippians. But still, he writes about laying hold of the call of God, not because he did not know that he was called and held by Christ, but that he may have a deepened understanding of the purposes of God. It is how even in your life, you will know that He causes all things to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purposes. [Romans 8:28]
Sharpened focus:That you have fallen asleep is something you realize only on awakening from it. And the danger of going into sleep mode, or in other words losing the call of God upon your life, His ordained purpose for it, is what makes the need for a sharpening of your spiritual focus upon your divine destiny very necessary sometimes in your life.
Refinement:
More often than not, it is how transformation in your heart takes place. God has been refining you, if you have been going through any kind of loss, through His word, to make it profitable. A time of affliction, that could have been your portion, God has used to make you more like Him. Your prayer through it all, therefore, needs to be, ‘Lord, search my heart, and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting’. [Psalms 139:23,24] For ungodly passions, a selfish ambition could have subtly crept in. It was so in those who opposed the apostle Paul, even in the realm of the gospel being preached. [Philippians 1:16] What needs to happen in you is introspection, a self-examination of your motives, instead of inspecting others. And truth could be a difficult pill to swallow when it is about yourself. A comparison trap more often than not can pull you down. Therefore, running your race, set before you is of utmost importance. [Hebrews 12:1] For, thoughts of not being good enough can enter in, only to lead to frustration and a sense of emptiness, in prayer therefore, ask the Lord to reveal to you, the wrong things that you need to let go. And you can do it, trusting in Him, and His strength, not your own.
Letting go:
1] Prideful pursuits-
But afterward, David was stricken to the heart, because he had numbered the people. [2 Samuel 24:10] It seemed an innocent act. But sometimes one can dress one’s ego in spiritual terms, and your total dependency on God counts. Impressing people is a motive that needs to be avoided. And no matter the wealth you amass, what can be taken away from you, can never be your security. David’s heart troubled him, and a heart that is sensitive to sin is a positive sign, and can ultimately lead to a restoration of your right relationship with God. And the apostle Paul knew the truth that even if he did not see anything wrong in himself, he did not stand acquitted, for the One who examines us is God. [1 Corinthians 4:4] The right thing to do would be to go to the God who is full of grace; As seen in the book of revelation, as the Lord points out to the church in Ephesus, it’s fault, of not loving Him as it did in the beginning, He goes on to give the solution, and also that His very presence will be the empowering, the provision for its fulfillment. .[Revelation 2:4,5] Even to you, it is for God’s purpose to be worked out in your life, that His resources are given. As the LORD Jesus was able to say with confidence, to the Father, as His time on earth was drawing to a close-‘I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. [John 17:4]
2] Wrongful participation-
Innocent people were carried away by the smooth talk of Absalom, the son of David, whose heart was like a drawn sword, but words like butter. [2 Samuel 15:6] And in your life, you may be in the hard place of having realized that you have been following the wrong person, in the wrong direction. But, God can still turn it around, to make it right, that you may take hold of that for which Christ has taken hold of you. He intervened in the life of Paul, who left to his ways would have perished; but instead ended up writing half of the New Testament! In the life of the prophet Balaam, He intervened by making a donkey take a detour, and then talk to the prophet, pointing out the God-sent roadblock! [Numbers 22:24]
Revelation——>repentance [U turn]:
In your life, too, problems that come are sometimes God’s way of getting your attention. And revelation from Him should lead to repentance; a change in your mind, ought to be expressed through a change in your conduct. It is by letting go, what you need to let go, that you can take hold of that for which Christ has taken hold of you. And to make the radical turn around that repentance involves, God Himself will help you, to take you from worry to wonder, from frustration to fruitfulness. Let this be the day of salvation in your life, when everything that is lost is recovered, and everything that is broken is rebuilt. And may we pray – Lord, We thank Thee for Thy word; Help us to lay hold of that for which you have laid hold of us; May You take us by Your Hand to lead us in the way You want us to go, to enjoy the privilege of doing Your will;, as Thy word takes deep root in our hearts. In the Name of Christ Jesus Amen.
