My life has been lived like yours, one day at a time, hour by hour, minute by minute. I do not spend much time looking back because I have an enemy, same as you, who loves to highlight and bombard me with my worst moments, never my victories or the long months I persevered. In a moment of weakness or exhaustion, what comes to mind is rarely what spurs me on toward love and good deeds. (Hebrews 10:24) What my loving Father has done in every season of my life is to reinterpret, not the events, but my perception of them. Knowing He is good, I am able to push myself forward toward the goal to win the prize that God has appointed me to win- eternity with Jesus. By His Word, He infuses the moments of my life with meaning and purpose and I want the same for you, my friend.
“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me.
Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus.
I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.
So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us.
If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet!
Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it. Stick with me, friends.
Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal.
There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them.
I’ve warned you of them many times; sadly, I’m having to do it again.
All they want is easy street.
They hate Christ’s Cross.
But easy street is a dead-end street.
Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
But there’s far more to life for us.
We’re citizens of high heaven!
We’re waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own.
He’ll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.”
Philippians 3:12-21 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/php.3.12-21.MSG
Because I had a cancer diagnosis, I determined to work toward the one thing that mattered most- wholeness and healing. Everything else took a back seat to being well. Life moved forward as it always does but I was changed. My focus on one outcome, without which none of the rest could continue, was paramount. If I could not outlast this disease, all else would go on without me. If however by pursuing a very difficult course of treatment the cancer was eradicated and I recovered, I could rejoice and celebrate life! The course of treatment took nearly a year. I relied totally on the knowledge and skill of my caregivers. I could only cooperate with the process.
With each year that passes, I am more aware of what I was saved from and I do what I can to prevent further complications. I eat and exercise more consistently. I see my doctor for tests and labs regularly. Some things including my diet and my digestion will never be as they were but I am alive. I have grandchildren to adore, family and friends to cherish, and as the Psalmist says, “I will sing to the Lord as long as I live. I will praise my God to my last breath!” (Psalms 104:33)
Try seeing God’s Word through Paul to the church at Corinth in this light. You may have a personal analogy similar to my own cancer journey that suits just as well. If so, by all means, allow the Spirit of God to translate His Word to you through this lens but if not, you can be certain that a time is coming when you will be made to understand.
Don’t misunderstand me. God is not vindictive. He is good. Life since creation and the Fall of man introduced the knowledge of good and evil but all who know God through faith in Jesus have the gift of the Spirit to make the knowledge of good not only possible but stronger amid the most evil intentions of the enemy of our souls. We must learn to know Him through His Word in order to hear Him when His still, small voice comes. We learn to understand Him not by filtering His Word through the ways of the world He created but by looking to Jesus, the exact representation of God in human form. (Hebrews 1:3)
“And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.”
John 17:3 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.17.3.NLT
“Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit.
And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.”
2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.7.1.NLT
“So then, dear friends, since we have these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from every impurity of the flesh and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. ”
2 Corinthians 7:1 CSB
https://bible.com/bible/1713/2co.7.1.CSB
“Beloved ones, with promises like these, and because of our deepest respect and worship of God, we must remove everything from our lives that contaminates body and spirit, and continue to complete the development of holiness within us.”
2 Corinthians 7:1 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/2co.7.1.TPT
Since we have promises like these… should immediately trigger a question for us. What promises? If, like me, you have been a believer in Jesus for many years, we assume we know the answer to this query. I am here to say that it never hurts to be reminded. Let your eyes scroll back through the gospels. See Jesus’s humble birth. Look to His life, His teaching, His miracles. Closely observe the moments leading to His sacrificial death and glorious resurrection. Remember His commission and His final promises.
“The Son is the dazzling radiance of God’s splendor, the exact expression of God’s true nature—his mirror image!
He holds the universe together and expands it by the mighty power of his spoken word.
He accomplished for us the complete cleansing of sins, and then took his seat on the highest throne at the right hand of the majestic One.”
Hebrews 1:3 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/heb.1.3.TPT
“With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without.
Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God.”
2 Corinthians 7:1 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/2co.7.1.MSG
“Dear friends, we have these promises from God.
So let us make ourselves pure from everything that makes our bodies and spirits impure.
Let us be completely holy.
We want to honor God.”
2 Corinthians 7:1 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/2co.7.1.NIRV
“For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
Philippians 2:13 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/php.2.13.NLT
“When Jesus goes to the cross, in part he is acting out of sheer loving obedience to his Father (John 14:31; cf. 15:9–11).
God’s awesome plan of redemption is to the praise of his glory (Eph. 1:3–14).
This must shape our understanding of God—and thus our prayer lives and our priorities.
That is also why, in the second place, God will not permit his people to be comfortable in their sin.
The law was given so that the one who obeys it will “live by” it (20:11, 21, 25; cf. Lev. 18:5)—in this context this means that the one who obeys the Law will prosper.
When the people disobey and hunger to be “like the peoples of the world,” God vows that what they have in mind “will never happen” (Ezek. 20:32).
Instead, God will protect his name, invoke “the bond of the covenant” (Ezek. 20:37) and pour out his wrath (Ezek. 20:33) so that the people will not “live by” the evil statutes they choose: they will not prosper.
Years of God’s forbearance (whether then or now) must ultimately issue either in transformation or in judgment.”
“For Scripture says: “You are to be holy, because I am holy.””
1 Peter 1:16 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/1pe.1.16.TPT
““ ‘Set yourselves apart for me. Be holy, because I am the Lord your God.”
Leviticus 20:7 NIRV
https://bible.com/bible/110/lev.20.7.NIRV
“It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.”
1 Corinthians 1:30 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/1co.1.30.NIV
“Now, since we are God’s coworkers, we beg you not to take God’s marvelous grace for granted, allowing it to have no effect on your lives.
For he says, I listened to you at the time of my favor. And the day when you needed salvation, I came to your aid.
So can’t you see?
Now is the time to respond to his favor!
Now is the day of salvation!
We may suffer, yet in every season we are always found rejoicing.
We may be poor, yet we bestow great riches on many.
We seem to have nothing, yet in reality we possess all things.”
2 Corinthians 6:1-2, 10 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/2co.6.1-10.TPT
“So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out.
Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going.
He always keeps his word.
Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
If we give up and turn our backs on all we’ve learned, all we’ve been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ’s sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be!
If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit?
This is no light matter.
God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay.
He was quite explicit: “Vengeance is mine, and I won’t overlook a thing” and “God will judge his people.”
Nobody’s getting by with anything, believe me.
Remember those early days after you first saw the light?
Those were the hard times!
Kicked around in public, targets of every kind of abuse—some days it was you, other days your friends.
If some friends went to prison, you stuck by them.
If some enemies broke in and seized your goods, you let them go with a smile, knowing they couldn’t touch your real treasure.
Nothing they did bothered you, nothing set you back.
So don’t throw it all away now.
You were sure of yourselves then. It’s still a sure thing!
But you need to stick it out, staying with God’s plan so you’ll be there for the promised completion.
It won’t be long now, he’s on the way; he’ll show up most any minute.
But anyone who is right with me thrives on loyal trust; if he cuts and runs, I won’t be very happy.
But we’re not quitters who lose out.
Oh, no! We’ll stay with it and survive, trusting all the way.”
Hebrews 10:22-39 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/heb.10.22-39.MSG
We do much provoking and we are far too easily provoked today. Every little thing sets us on edge but if by the Spirit in us we are different, seeking peace and pursuing it, fanning into flame the Holy Spirit, speaking the truth in love, we may or may not feel we are accomplishing much, but God will have His way in the earth-because of His sovereignty, He will indeed have His way- and we will one day hear His well done.
“may we hold fast the unwavering profession of the hope, (for faithful [is] He who did promise), and may we consider one another to provoke to love and to good works,”
Hebrews 10:23-24 YLT98
https://bible.com/bible/821/heb.10.24.YLT98
“May the God who gives hope fill you with great joy.
May you have perfect peace as you trust in him.
May the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.”
Romans 15:13 NIRV
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