“Resolutions to Live By” Part IV ( Philippians 3:11&14)
Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
“If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”
If we were to attend a class on how to be successful, what topics do you think the speaker would talk on? If I was that speaker I would title my speech, “The Four Pillars of Success.” However, before we get started, let’s define success. Success is much more than just wealth. For example, I do not consider it successful if in the process of growing your business or your career you end up divorcing your wife, causing hurt to her and injuring your kids. You then remarry and have more children or the second spouse has children and they reap the benefits of the foundation the first family endured so you could be successful. That is not success to me; I consider that a failure that only God can redeem. I have known and been acquainted with a number of people who fit this scenario. Reference Malachi 2:14-16.
So now that we have defined at least one example of what success is not, lets state the four pillars that I believe make for a successful person. One would be, know your field. Be as learned in your field as you can be, and never stop learning. Distinguish yourself from the pack – consider writing in a journal/magazine that targets your business base. Two is the willingness to work hard, really hard, however there’s a caveat to this one. Your family can tell the difference of whether you work to live ( providing for them), or you live for work ( providing for yourself). This is a huge shift in our soul and the later are the seeds of a divorce. So if this is you currently, stop, get your priority right with Christ before you lose everything. Business is not your god, Christ is, if you truly are a believer. If you are understanding from these devotionals that you are on the outside of faith, read John 3 and send me an email. It would be my privilege to speak with you.
Third pillar would be, be honest. I cannot tell you how many clients have said to me in our first appointment that they feel they can trust me. There is a sense that a client picks up, whether you are being transparent and honest with them or not. That “sixth sense” that we pick up on when we met someone is very telling of the person. Do you ever wonder what is the six sense that people pick up from you? I so rely on the Holy Spirit for this one. I focus on being His ambassador and helping my client and allow the Lord to do the rest. The final one that carries as much weight as all the others, is stay focused. So tempting to do this thing and that just to earn a buck, especially when your first starting out. We end up becoming a jack of all trades but a master of none. It is when we are a master of one that our careers take off. Those who appreciate a job well done and willing to pay for your service, will become your clients. So stay focused.
Some of us are very successful in our careers because we follow these four tenants or something similar. However, the problem is we do not transfer them over to our Christian walk – Paul did. He by trade was a tent maker and had opportunity I’m sure to make a good life for himself, read the following.
“After these things Paul departed from Athens and came to Corinth;
And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla;
And because he was of the same craft, he stayed with them, and worked; for by their occupation they were tentmakers.”
And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla;
And because he was of the same craft, he stayed with them, and worked; for by their occupation they were tentmakers.”
Knowing Paul, I’m sure he was a great tent maker. He along with Priscilla and Acquilla could have grown their tent making business, opening up more shops, hiring employees etc., but they didn’t, why? That was not their focus. Their focus was on Christ and spreading the gospel. Therefore the question to ask is, what is our focus? I understand we have families, jobs, marriages etc., that require time and care, but when the question is asked, who do we live for, what is our answer?
If I say I live for Christ does that mean I exclude all the rest? Not at all, I fulfill my responsibilities better because I look to Christ to be my strenght. To love through me as well as to give me the wisdom I need to do my job, be a husband, employer, dad, grandpa etc. In , alI the aspects of my life I am the better, not worse because Christ is first. The contrary would mean I seek to do it all on my own strenght. This can become exhausting, hence a contributing factor to marriage breakups, conflict at work, as well as excessive stress, drinking, illness etc. In Christ we are winners, regardless of our position here. Bringing Christ into every situation should cause us to do better, giving our best effort as well as improving our interpersonal relationships with others. With Christ at the helm, favor is gained before God and man.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
Proverbs 3:4)
Next verse, “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” There is a purpose and an intent for our lives. Our life should not be carelessly lived, but lived with absolute conviction that what I do as an ambassador for Christ matters, first starting with me knowing Christ. I didn’t use to feel this way. My company started out with commercial maintenance and one of our big accounts were a chain of movie theaters. The work was initially degrading, walking around picking up trash out of the planter beds aside from the normal work of mowing the lawns, checking sprinklers, pruning etc. was part of our duties. I really disliked picking up trash. I would tell the Lord your wasting my time, I could be preaching, teaching your people. Nothing changed, never got that call from God, so putting food on the table was what I had to do and picking up trash was part of it.
Finally through a series of more emotional crisis the day came when I got over myself and my attitude changed completely. I picked up trash among all the other duties because I wanted my sites to not only have healthy lawns and bushes, but I wanted them clean. There was a purpose in picking up trash “for Christ.” He was working within me the heart of a servant, for humility was needful. We apprehend (to grasp, seize, exert or strain) as Christ followers through much self denial. As “Christ did not consider it a thing to be grasped to be in the likeness of God, but humbled himself and that even to the Cross,” ( paraphrased, Phil. 2:8) what then should be our response? A willingness to crucify our flesh to attain unto what Christ has apprenhended us for, no?
In the first movie of Karate Kid it shows Myagee putting Danielson to painting his house and taking his jacket off and putting it back on, things that seemed so useless and distant from the goal of leaning Karate. One day being absolutely upset and not believing that Myagee was ever going to teach him Karate, he began to leave. Myagee then engaged him in some attack moves saying “jacket on, jacket off” and Danielson realized that he was practicing Karate the whole time. My picking up trash was working in me a far greater work that I did not see at the time. Christ was using it to mold into me a humble heart, the heart of a servant that would honor Him. We see this same instruction in scripture. A classic example was Moses, prince of Egypt tending sheep for forty years. He was in training to lead the nation Israel. Now I pick up trash wherever I’m at, walking into the grocery store etc., just because it feels good to do so.
I would like to read our final verse in reverse order, ” I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. If
by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” The word “dioko” press, has several meanings; to prosecute, pursue, strain, exert, or persecute. It is a strong word that speaks of paying the price so as to gain “The Pearl of Great Price.” This now becomes true Christianity, as it was and is meant to be lived. I use to sing a song at church camp ” the world behind me the Cross in front of me, no turning back, no turning back.” How we live life matters, but who we live our life for matters more. May God give us the vision to see eternity as Paul saw it, “
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”
Father God,
Thank you for this challenging devotional and how You use the mundane things of our life, even the things we dislike to form Christ like attitudes in us. Let not what I do be the definition of who I am, but let the definition of who I am be who I am becoming in You. You call me your son, therefore let me live as one. Thank you and Amen