Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 121

May 1;   Philippians 3:13;   177/260(I);   ‘Keeping On’

Philippians 3:13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,    NLT

What an incredible attitude Paul had.  If anyone could have boasted on all that he had done, it was Paul.  He wrote the Book of Philippians, which is called the epistle of joy, in a Roman jail.  He intended to fulfill the ministry, the Lord Jesus gave him, regardless of the challenges and persecution he faced.  Paul never thought that he ‘had arrived.’  Though grateful for all the Lord helped him do, he was not satisfied. He never felt that the revelation given to him by the Holy Spirit, the success he had establishing churches, teaching the Christians and flowing in the power of the Holy Spirit was all the Lord had for him.  Instead, Paul looked ahead to continuing to minister wherever the Lord would send him and whatever the Lord would have Paul to do.  Paul completely focused on future ministry for the Lord.  What an attitude.   We are told in I Corinthians 11:1 to imitate Paul as he imitates the Lord Jesus.  Paul forgot all of the accomplishments of the past and any mistakes he had made, so should we.  There are people who need the Lord Jesus everywhere, always.  If our desire is to reach as many as we can with the gospel, then every day is a new adventure.  Great success in the past is just that, in the past.  Learn from any mistakes that you may have made and eagerly look forward to what today holds in store.  Each of us is a minister of reconciliation.  If you are actively pursuing reaching others keep on with the fine work you are doing.  If you are not doing this, it is never too late to start. Until you become a Christian this would seem absurd to you.  Once born again it is all we want.