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, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14
Everybody is keenly interested in the lives of those who have succeeded. Today, let us turn our attention to a most remarkable Christian of the centuries, Paul the apostle. One day, writing to the Philippian church he let out the threefold secret of his marvelous life.
The first element in Paul's success in life was his whole-hearted concentration. He says, "this one thing I do," not a dozen or two. No man can serve two masters.
The second secret is that he cultivated a wise forgetfulness of the past. Many a man hobbles crippled through life because he cannot forget. Let me give you a few things as teachers and workers we ought to forget:
Forget our blunders. The best of men are but men at their best. We are to learn how to make our blunders bridges to victory by letting them teach us.
Forget life's injuries; we must refuse to harbor them. Think of a hillside where the waters drain endlessly down one path. Soon erosion has robbed the hillside of its strength.
Forget our successes; there is a danger in success and it is sensible to be aware of it. And let us learn carefully the purpose of success. It is to glorify God, not ourselves.
Forget out sorrows; take them to Jesus, ask Him to overrule to His glory. Face the fact that God sometimes allows the grains of sand to produce the pearl.
And forget our sins; Christ knows our failures and loves us. It is our job to ask forgiveness and go on. He has already done the rest.
Now, Paul's last secret, "I press on toward the goal." Have you the right aim in your life? What good is it to reach the top if your staircase is in the wrong building? You have no aim, no goal? Then that's what you will hit.
May we press forward toward the mark, living true and pleasing lives to our precious Lord. He wants to give us life abundant, not an existence of aimless boredom or useless drifting from one diversion to another. He loves us so much more than that.
My we seek to glorify only God,
Patti and Cara
Today's devotion was taken from
Classic Christianity, A Year of Timeless Devotions, Vol 1 Pg 139-140
Click on the link to find these books on amazon.com!
Everybody is keenly interested in the lives of those who have succeeded. Today, let us turn our attention to a most remarkable Christian of the centuries, Paul the apostle. One day, writing to the Philippian church he let out the threefold secret of his marvelous life.
The first element in Paul's success in life was his whole-hearted concentration. He says, "this one thing I do," not a dozen or two. No man can serve two masters.
The second secret is that he cultivated a wise forgetfulness of the past. Many a man hobbles crippled through life because he cannot forget. Let me give you a few things as teachers and workers we ought to forget:
Forget our blunders. The best of men are but men at their best. We are to learn how to make our blunders bridges to victory by letting them teach us.
Forget life's injuries; we must refuse to harbor them. Think of a hillside where the waters drain endlessly down one path. Soon erosion has robbed the hillside of its strength.
Forget our successes; there is a danger in success and it is sensible to be aware of it. And let us learn carefully the purpose of success. It is to glorify God, not ourselves.
Forget out sorrows; take them to Jesus, ask Him to overrule to His glory. Face the fact that God sometimes allows the grains of sand to produce the pearl.
And forget our sins; Christ knows our failures and loves us. It is our job to ask forgiveness and go on. He has already done the rest.
Now, Paul's last secret, "I press on toward the goal." Have you the right aim in your life? What good is it to reach the top if your staircase is in the wrong building? You have no aim, no goal? Then that's what you will hit.
May we press forward toward the mark, living true and pleasing lives to our precious Lord. He wants to give us life abundant, not an existence of aimless boredom or useless drifting from one diversion to another. He loves us so much more than that.
My we seek to glorify only God,
Patti and Cara
Today's devotion was taken from
Classic Christianity, A Year of Timeless Devotions, Vol 1 Pg 139-140
Click on the link to find these books on amazon.com!
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