The Beginning of The End – Run The Race

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The Beginning of The End - Run The Race

The Beginning of The End – Run The Race starts us off on the right foot!  There is plenty in this Philippians 3 text that talks about those outside the kingdom of God.  They live as enemies of Christ.

Living Like Enemies

We are not enemies of Christ, but I think that sometimes we act like it.

  • Are we guilty of the same idolatry as the people in Paul’s day, shifting our worship from the true God to our stomachs?
  • Do our healthy appetites ever turn into insatiable lusts?  We cannot live in our society without being tempted to sin sexually.  These temptations are everywhere: TV, magazines, school, our work place.  Do we always stand firm or have we fallen lately?
  • We live in the most powerful nation on earth.  Do we ever trust in Uncle Sam for protection and our future more than our Lord?
  • We live in the wealthiest nation on earth.  Do we ever lust for money and possessions?  Are we ever content with the two games we have for our xbox?  Is our house ever big enough?  Is our retirement really secure?  What is worse, do we ever rejoice in one of these shameful lusts?

All too often our minds are on earthly things.  If we continue to indulge in our lusts, then our destiny will be eternal destruction in Hell too.

Press On

Forget all of these lusts.  Instead press on toward our goal.  Strive for what is ahead.  Keep the goal in perspective.  Paul says,  I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  The reason we can forget what is behind and strive for what is ahead, is because Christ has already taken hold of us.  Our God is no longer our stomach.  Our insatiable lusts don’t have control over us because by faith Jesus has claimed us as his possession.  Jesus payment on the cross covered all of our sins, even the ones that we once rejoiced in.  No sin is too great for our Lord to forgive.  For all the times we acted like an enemy of God, Jesus remained our faithful friend.  While we foolishly longed for our destination of eternal destruction, Jesus called us to our heavenly home.

Want to hear more?  Watch this week’s message taken from Philippians 3, The Beginning of The End – Run The Race.

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