CONFIGURATION OF A NEW MINDSET

PRIORITY

Philippians 1:12-14 – The things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel

 Paul’s priority in life is simple – to live for the gospel. The gospel takes precedent above all else. It’s a very simple rule in life. Paul says he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. You will have to consider what he had experience on the road to Damascus (Romans 1:16). The text tells us that he was not upset with his arrest and was not upset with fellow Christians with ulterior motives and hidden agendas in sharing the gospel. He knows how to chill out because he has set a right priority for his life. A man apprehended by God would not let go of God. An encounter with God will change our priority in life.

2 Corinthians 2:14 – 16 – Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of his knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savor of death unto death; and to the other the savor of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

2 Corinthians 3:5-6 – Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

 PERSPECTIVE

Philippians 1:20-21 – According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

 Note these words of Paul:
“Earnest Expectation and Hope” – life full of expectation and hope though it may be unknowing, extreme, and adventurous for Paul. What a perspective? He knew that his perspective will determine the outcome of his goal in life. His expectation is not in his own strength, it is not in his acquired ability, it is not based of his learned academics but solely in Christ. His hope is place in God alone who can saved him and guide him. He is not afraid of what lies ahead of him or before him. He continued to have the earnest expectation in God’s work and ministry.

“Not Ashamed of Christ” – even in pain, imprisonment, and restriction yet he will lift his head high for Jesus. He was not ashamed to be Christ’s bond-slave. He was not ashamed to be identified with him, in fact, he said that the proof of that was that his body bears the mark of our Lord Jesus Christ. In other words, he was suffering for God. We can read that account in one of his letters to the church in Corinth. In Romans 1:16, Paul declared that he was not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus. What a perspective?

“With All Boldness As Always” – his way of looking at life never changes, as bold as it has always been. His Damascus experience has permanently altered his perspective in life (Acts 9). He declared that nothing can separate him from the love of God – nothing – not even death! His boldness is well-known. That should stir up some fire in all of us today.

“Christ Be Magnified in Me” – by life or by death. I wish we all can say that and live like that. Christ is bigger in me than even my own self. He work, his plan and purposes, his mandate, his call are more important than anything.

“For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain” - Now that should be every believer’s statement of faith. It should be one of our purpose-statement. How do we live our lives? Do we live it for ourselves or for God? He was not only not afraid of pain and suffering but of death itself – in fact – death would be his final entrance into glory and into his reward.

 PASSION

Philippians 3:3-8 – But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellencies of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

 Paul’s passion in life is summed up in THREE SIMPLE GOALS and they are translated into simple rules for his life. These three simple exercises maps out his PASSION – “what things were gain to me I counted loss for Christ.”

He is passionate about WORSHIP – to bring the most costly worship to the Father, to rejoice always because of The Son, and to deal ruthlessly with the flesh. True worship cannot effort to have even a tinge of flesh in it.

He is passionate about the MANDATE – to be fully engaged in the propagation of the Gospel of the Kingdom.

He is passionate about KNOWING THE PERSON, CHRIST. That’s a lifetime passion and pursuit. All he desires was to have the “excellencies of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.” The scripture in the Old Testament said that “the knowledge of the holy one brings understanding.” It makes life more exciting, more fulfilling, and meaningful if we know the Person Christ – in all his splendor and glory.

 PURSUIT

Philippians 3:10-14 – That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings

 

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

 Paul’s pursuit of Christ is THREE-FOLD:

(a)    To Know Christ Jesus
(b)   To Know the Power of His Resurrection
(c)    To know the Fellowship of His Sufferings

 Paul’s Strategy of Pursuing Christ:

(a)    He follows hard after him like David of old – as the deer pants for the water brooks so my soul pants for you.
(b)   He holds on to the Lord the way the Lord holds on to him – road to Damascus.
(c)    He learns to shed off the past – successes and failures too
(d)   He constantly reaches out to what God has in store for him
(e)    He relentlessly presses forward toward the goal – “for the excellencies of the knowledge of Christ”. (Paul knows what can be known that has yet to be known). 

Isn’t that a wonderful deal for life in Christ? How good can life get with such a goal? And God is well pleased with that pursuing power that is in Paul’s vein.

 PHILOSOPHY

Philippians 4:8-13 – In whatever state I am therewith to be content

 (Note: This is also my life verse since I was a teenager. I used to write it big and pasted it on my bed so that I can read it before I went to sleep and when I woke up in the morning.)

 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

 Paul has a simple philosophy of life. His governing thought which is also seen in his life on earth has been this – learning to be contented in whatever state he is.  He is not hard pressed when there is apparent lack because he knows the Father will provide when there is a need. He is not modest or shy about being “lavish” on himself because he knows that God abundantly provides too. It is not a case of being too indulgence to become hedonistic or too modest that one becomes a pauper and a monk. It is a case of learning to be contented – a move away from grasping, selfishness, and a hedonistic urban lifestyle. Everything is possible with Christ – everything is within reach – there is no lack.

….to be continued

INSTALLING OF A CHRIST PROTOTYPE

HIS COMPASSION

Matthew 9:36 – But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.

What was Christ’s COMPASSION to the lost? He saw wandering sheep without a shepherd, the hurt and wounded, the down and out, the marginalized, the oppressed, those bound by demons, and those who are hungry. Can you hear the cry? Can you feel the pain? Can you response with compassion like our Lord?

The reason why we must have the same compassion as our Lord is because lost humanity has never recovered from sin and degradation. There is so much pain in our world. There is so much sickness. There is so much of the illegal abuse of the devil upon the children of darkness, all under his dreadful clutch. Look around our neighborhood, look around our own backyard and you will discover dysfunctional families, depression and oppression, bondages to harmful addictions, all manner of physical and mental illnesses, diseases and virus, violence abuse and rape, and people wandering in confusion, total darkness, and in total despair. Many times we felt so helpless; no way and no immediate answers to such needs all around us.

Thank God for people like YWAM. Compassion International, World Vision, and the many ministries who are feeding the poor and reaching out to the down and out, to the slums of developing cities, and to the outcast of society. What is our role? What do we do? How do we respond? How would Jesus respond?  We cannot and should not work on our own because even our own compassion would be like filthy rags. We need to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and allow him to infuse in us the compassion of God – the same that is found in our Savior Jesus Christ.

 HIS WORK

He was always about his father’s business. He was busy serving other people; healing, casting out demons, and having meals with people that he can share the gospel with. He feeds the 5000, and he raised the dead. Read the four Gospels and you will know what it means. He never stopped caring for others and never stopped serving others. His meat was to do the work of God. There are so many good men, so many great men in history BUT never one could be compared with Jesus – he gave himself for the world. The scripture said that for a good man perhaps some will die for BUT hardly for a sinner would anyone gave his life for. But Jesus is the only one who did that for the whole of humanity.

John 9:4 – “I must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.”

Jesus knew that the seriousness of his task and he said that he will keep on doing God’s will while there is still opportunity. He will let his guard down or his own convenient cause him to stop doing his Father’s will. So likewise, we should also take all opportunity to serve him; we should not drag our feet, we should not waste precious time away on unfruitful works of darkness and roll up our sleeves and start TODAY. What is our work? Is it to make our fortune? Is it to marry? Is it our career? Our work should be the work of God cut out for us. Have we ever considered what God has prepared us for in this place, at this hour, for this generation?

 HIS FRIENDSHIP

John 15:13 – 15 – “Greater love had no man than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friend, for al things that I heard from my Father I have make known to you.”

 Consider Zacchaeus:  a sinner, a tax-collector yet the Master wished to go to his house. It is not his status, it is not his lifestyle BUT it is the person that Jesus saw. His love, his friendship extended beyond what you are but who you can be in Him and through Him that matters.

Consider Paul: persecuting the church and causing havoc to the Christian community but Jesus met him face to face on the road to Damascus. He was an enemy to Jesus and his cause BUT Jesus saw a different Paul; he saw how love can draw him and transformed him into a friend of God. His friendship is seen by his love in action, the way he draws his disciples to himself.

Consider Peter who denied Jesus three times at the point of crisis, at a crucial point when true friendship would show. Yet Jesus did not reject him but was very concern for him. Immediately after his resurrection the first thing he told Mary was to inform the disciples of his resurrection but then he specifically mentioned Peter’s name. Such was what true friendship is.

Consider Thomas: doubting him and unable to trust him. Did he reject him? Did he not gentle said to doubting Thomas to touch his side and feel the nail-scarred hand? Yes…that’s what Jesus did. He knew the fears, he knew the troubled hearts and that what Jesus’ friendship means to Thomas – “greater love had no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Consider the rest of the disciples who had deserted him at the most critical moment of his life. Yet, to each one of them, except Judah (he killed himself before Jesus could reach out to him), Jesus was personally interested in them. He was personally involved in their lives.

 Friendship, in Jesus’ terms, is not being buddy to each other but to lay down of our lives for each other, watching each others back, and hold each other in accountability. As far as Jesus is concerned we are no longer just servants even though we serve a great big Master of all but we are friends of God and he can share secret with us. In fact, he said that he will share with us everything his Father reveals to him. We can now work together with him and with the Holy Spirit.

Consider ourselves: trace back to the times when we were far away from God, when we were children of disobedience walking in darkness and partaking in all works of darkness. How we have experience the grace of God and how his compassion leads us to repentance?

 HIS VISION

Hebrews 12:2-3 – “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”

 Who for the joy that was set before him that he endured the cross and despising the shame attached with the cross? He had a vision of multitudes whose sins were wiped away because of his suffering on the cross. His vision was not just a grand vision but a very painful one – full of suffering, sacrifice, and undoubtedly full of misunderstanding too. His vision is to fulfill his life mission – to save the world from destruction. His vision caused him his life BUT he gained an exalted position with the Father. His name is exalted far above every other name – prince of peace, wonderful counselor, the exalted one, on and on.

He lived his life fulfilling what was charted out or carved out for him. He was full of joy when he sees the multitudes gaining acceptance from the Father through his shed blood and beyond the cross. He did not die in vain – who for the joy that was set before him (you and me) he endured the cross – endured the suffering – endured the pain.

 HIS PASSION

Ephesians 5:25-27 – “…Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

 His passion is fuelled by his vision beyond the cross and to the new heaven and new earth awaiting there for all of mankind. Because of that his passion has always been to impart his life into the church, his body and his bride, all the grace needed to be a manifold wisdom of God on earth. And through that he ill be glorified and the glory of God will cover the earth.

What do you think were the implications when Jesus said this: “A little while, and ye behold me no more; and again a little while, and ye shall see me” (John 16:16)? The first ‘little while” speaks of him going to the cross, buried, and ascended back to his Father above. The second “little while” was an indication that he will be back. If we recall we would notice that Jesus had earlier spoken about leaving and on his place the Comforter would come, that is, the Holy Spirit to come along side us. While on earth Jesus is limited to time and space BUT when the Holy Spirit comes he will empower the church which is his body and what will manifested would be Christ Unlimited or Christ Magnified. We are his body and he is the Head of the Church.

 In summary, we can see here that his passion never dies. His authority, power, and character have been transferred to the church and through the power of the Holy Spirit in all of us can continue with his mission and his vision. But this time there is no restriction of time and space. The full extent of the power and authority can be unleashed throughout the earth at the same time.

…. to be continued