Devotional Song: … GO TO THIS LINK … Please take the time to take in a You Tube video of the Sara Groves singing her song Eyes On The Prize, declaring the desire which all Christians share, to stay on the course of our service to Christ.
Highlight Passage: Philippians 3: 13-14 [NKJV] …
3 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
… Reveals Paul’s focus to stay the course of His calling for Christ.
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Highlight Context – Philippians 3:12-16 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… Paul declares his desire to keep his eye on the prize of his quest to serve His Lord.
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Reference Passage #1 - 2nd Corinthians 11:22-33 [NKJV] … USE THIS LINK …
… What Paul went through to stay the course of His calling in Christ.
Reference Passage #2 - Ephesians 4:1 [NKJV] …
1, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, …
… Paul’s exhortation for ALL born-again Christians to walk worthy of their calling in Christ.
Reference Passage #3 - 2nd Timothy 4:6-7 [NKJV] …
6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
… Paul declares his resolve in staying the course for Christ.
My Journal for Today: … Our Daily Bread author, Dave Roper, uses an entertainment analogy to illustrate his teaching. In today’s ODB entry, Roper writes: I like Reepicheep, C. S. Lewis’ tough little talking mouse in the Chronicles of Narnia series. Determined to reach the “utter East” and join the great lion Aslan [symbolic of Christ], Reepicheep declares his resolve [see attached photo]: “While I may, I sail East in Dawn Treader. When she fails me, I row East in my coracle [small boat]. When that sinks, I shall paddle East with my four paws. Then, when I can swim no longer, if I have not yet reached Aslan’s Country, there shall I sink with my nose to the sunrise.”
The Apostle Paul was a “Reepicheep” figure, wasn’t he? Called by Jesus Himself to serve Christ by evangelizing the Gentiles of his day, Paul, traveled the known world and went through almost unimaginable trials (see 2Cor. 11:22-33), always keeping His eyes on the prize of his hope in Christ (see Phil. 3:13-14), calling other Christians to walk the worthy walk of faith (see Eph. 4:1), and staying the course to the end (see 2Tim. 4:6-7).
And after meditating on the imagery and reality of today’s ODB entry, I don’t know about any other reader here with me today, but I’m convicted that I need to do more to serve my Lord … today and most certainly, … tomorrow!
My Prayer Today: O, Heavenly Father, … Help me to keep my eyes on the prize which will come from my calling to serve You, my Lord. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled Our Daily Bread, distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.
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