Posts with the category “pursue”

"For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things." So here's where Paul takes us. After talking about what we surrender and why we pursue and how we keep moving... he reveals what breaks his heart.People. Lost people. ...  Read More

13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, 14 I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus. So Paul makes something clear here. He hasn't arrived.He says, "I do not consider that I have made it my own." This is the apostle Paul. That man who wrote m...  Read More

Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus.  This might be the most important thing we talk about all week.Our pursuit is not our effort to gain something from God. It is our response to Christ having first pursued us.Read that again if you need to.Paul says, “I press on to make i...  Read More

 "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ." So Paul had a list.And it was impressive. Circumcised on the eighth day. Of the tribe of Benjamin. A Hebrew of Hebrews...  Read More

"And the men of Israel went out from Mizpah and pursued the Philistines and struck them, as far as below Beth-car." Now, Israel had just experienced something incredible. God thundered from heaven. The Philistines were confused and defeated. Victory was handed to them. And now they had a choice.Do we stay here? Do we celebrate? Or do we take ground?Israel pursued.Now watch this. The text says they...  Read More