Week 4: Philippians Chapter 3 – The Ultimate Prize

How would you answer if you were asked, “what is the most important thing in your life?”  Would you say your family, your job, your house?  Would you say Christ?  Would you be willing to let go of each of those things in the first list for Him?  Paul was the utmost Jew.  He came from a prominent family.  He followed all of the laws.  He had a zeal and righteousness for his religion that matched few individuals.  Yet, when called by God, he left everything for Him.  He counted his former life as a loss simply for the prize of knowing Christ.  Could you say the same?

 

Key Verses:  “But whatever things were gain to me those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ.”  Philippians 3:7-8

 

 

Read Philippians Chapter 3 each day

 

You

·         Make a list of things in your background that form your identity.  These can be your heritage, your ethnicity, your upbringing – anything that contributed to who you are.

·         Make a list of people or things that are important to you.

·         Make a list of things that you desire for others.

 

Paul

·         What did you learn about Paul’s background? (see vv 4-6)

·         What do you learn about his heart for God?  (see vv 8-14)

·         What does Paul want for the Philippians (and you)?  (see v. 15-21)

 

Compare your list to those that you made about Paul from Philippians Chapter 3.  How do they compare? 

 

Journal Prompt:  Take a prayerful look at your personal lists.  Ask God if any of those things get in the way of being who God wants you to be or living the way that God wants you to live.

 
-By Callie
 

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