Count It All Loss

Verse of the day: Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.

What do we strive for in this life? What are our priorities? What is most important? Stop for a moment, and consider your goals. Where is God in that list of goals or priorities? Based on that list, what are we willing to do to accomplish those goals? What is motivating us to reach those goals? Is it how people will view who we are? Is it how much of this world’s riches we will gain? Is it how much it will feed our pride, and ego? Are we striving for more money, a new home, new car, new position at work, status in society? In all of this, is it affecting our relationship with the Lord? Are we spending less time with family, or going to church less, and less? Do we find ourselves making excuses for why we no longer spend as much time reading, and studying, God’s Word? Is it time to change our priorities, and make God number One in our lives again? If there was anyone who could boast about who he was, humanly speaking, it was the Apostle Paul. He was born of the Tribe of Benjamin (the favored Tribe of Israel, who never intermingled with Gentiles). He was a Pharisee of the Pharisee, a son of a Pharisee (Acts 23:6), taught by the leading teacher of that time Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), and lived as one of the most religious, and strict, people of that time. In his zeal, he persecuted Christ’s followers (known then as the Way; Acts 22:4), and could boast of living a blameless life, as per the Law, from a human standpoint (Acts 26:5). Yet, once he had his life changing experience with Jesus, he was never the same, and all he counted precious, he now counted as dung (Phil 3:8). The priority in his life became knowing Jesus, and the salvation that Jesus offers, and serving Him. His goal in life became his service to God, and was willing to lose all he had gained, humanly speaking, for the sake of Jesus, and the Gospel. What is holding us back, today, and keeping us from giving the Lord our all? What is standing in the way of our complete surrender to the service of our Lord? Are our goals causing us to compromise who we are in Christ? Are we willing to compromise our faith, our righteousness, our honesty, and holiness, for the sake of gaining something that is of no heavenly worth? There are many who take much pride in how “religious” they are. However, the Apostle Paul gave testimony of how religious he was, and would have put many religious people, today, to shame, in comparison. Nonetheless, like him, we must put our religious tendencies aside, and focus on what a life in Christ really means. Worldly enjoyments, and outward privileges, which impress the masses, should become as nothing in comparison to knowing Jesus, and having a greater understanding of what it means to be a child of God, a born again believer. We must learn, and enjoy, the freedom that is found in Christ, and not be bound by religious rituals, and traditions, that enslave, rather than set free; for in Christ, we are free indeed (John 8:36), not only from sin, but from all that enslaves. The bottom line is that whatever it was that had priority in our lives, before Christ, needs to take a back seat to, or maybe even be forsaken, for the sake of Christ, and the Gospel. For there is nothing that we will give up for Jesus that will compare to all He has in store for us (and all we have already gained). We have received no greater gift, privilege, or treasure, than our salvation, and relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us count all else as worthless for the sake of gaining Jesus.