ESOCS Devotional 10 November 2022
TEXT: PHILIPPIANS 3:1-11
MEMORY VERSE: “… if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Philippians 3:11
0 And the apostles, when they had returned, told Him all that they had done. Then He took them and went aside privately into a deserted place belonging to the city called Bethsaida. 11 But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 12 When the day began to wear away, the twelve came and said to Him, “Send the multitude away, that they may go into the surrounding towns and country, and lodge and get provisions; for we are in a deserted lace ”
Generally, two things about the apostle Paul was that the desire of his heart throughout his entire life was to be of service to his God in winning souls to Christ through the teaching and preaching of the gospel the best way he could (Acts 20:24; Rom. 1:1, 9; 15, 16; 15:19, 20;); and in 1Corinthians 9:16, he said, “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!”
The other thing was to pursue holiness and righteous living with great zeal. He always set himself as an example of what a Christian should be or imitate: “For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you, imitate me” (1 Cor. 4:15, 16); and “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1Cor. 11:1). He to preached the word of God and did not fail to live by it or practise it: “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1Cor. 9:27). The cry of his heart and soul was to be like Jesus in all things and in all ways. In Philippians 3:10, he said his greatest desire concerning the Lord Jesus was to “… know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” And now, in verse 11 he says that his greatest ambition in life was to “… attain the resurrection from the dead”; that is, that by all means he would live a holy life and be among the number of the saints that would rise from the dead and be with the Lord on the sky at His Second Coming and be with him forever: “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1Th. 4:17).
What target have you set for yourself in the Christian race, and in life generally? We have the responsibility to decide what we want in life. It is entirely our choice; and the choice we make is what counts. It is what would make or ruin us. Paul made the right choice. He was diligent in the business of the Lord and the business concerning his own salvation. As our Lord Jesus would say to every Martha in our time: “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Lu. 10:42). One thing is needful! Have you chosen that? To follow Jesus, live by His word, and live our lives for Him is the one thing that is needful. That is the one thing we would do and join Paul and all other triumphant saints to be with the Lord at the resurrection morning. Time is running out! What are you doing about time? Are you redeeming it or wasting it? The scripture counsels us thus: “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Eph. 5:15, 16).
CHALLENGES
- What target have you set for yourself in the Christian race, and in life generally?
PRAYERS
- Pray that you may be able to live your entire life doing the will of God.
- Pray for the continual fellowship of the Holy Spirit w
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ESOCS Devotional 10 November 2022
