What things were gain.

Philippians 3:1–14 NKJV

1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul instructs us to “rejoice in The Lord!”

He claims it is not difficult to write these things to them (and us)

He is writing from prison - from suffering

He has sett his example while he was there

He also goes on to warn them about evil workers, false teachers, hypocrites, and those who put their confidence and boasting in the outward appearance and in vanity

You really can rejoice in the Lord! Always!

I could word it that, In The Lord, you can rejoice!

regardless of your circumstances

regardless of the condition of the outward man

regardless of the actions, or inaction of others

no matter what the devil throws at you.

In Christ Jesus, you have overcome this world. and you can, and must rejoice!

Consider the martyrs of old, who rejoiced in Christ, and glorified Him even in their deaths

Romans 8:35–37 NKJV

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

So many times we allow the temporal circumstances of this life to determine our state of joy, or happiness

That is a choice

you can choose to rejoice! Choose love, choose joy!

When you begin to live this way, you will find that there is no better way to live!

Life is good --- becasue God is good - not the world

in the world there is certainly tribulation — but so what? He has overcome the world - and so have you if you live in Christ

When your state comes from Him, you cannot be destroyed by the world.

Rejoice in Him!!

Beware of dogs

Just becasue we are walking in love and joy, does not mean we are ignorant of those who are not.

Christians should not be naive

Walking in love and joy does not equate to being passive or silent

Too many Christians believe that Christianity equates into passivity, or silence, or never being confrontational

the truth is, the gospel is anything but passive

it is confrontational — to the point of death — death for 70 million so far

It is divisive - separating families and friends

It is loud, being proclaimed to all creation - and will be shouted by the angels even from the heavens

But it should never be preached, or lived in bitterness, anger or wrath — but in joy.

So yes, we do have to beware of evil doers

yes, we do have to be discerning and wary of false teaching and hypocrites within our groups.

Have No Confidence In The Flesh

We cannot put our hope in this life - not in substance, or accomplishments, or the praise of men

We should never think this accomplishments or possessions are proof of God’s approval either.

Do you Love Him? Do you really Love Him?

Here Paul gives us his testimony - or part of it

If anyone could put their boast, or confidence in the world - in the flesh he said he could have

He had a pedigree that was impeccable from his birth and genealogy, to his circumcision to adulthood

As a pharisee he said you could not find fault with him in the law. - blameless -

righteous - devout - holy - all these would be said about him. Yet he was lost from Jesus.

He said that all these things that used to be “gain to him”, how he measured himself, became loss to him.

in other words, they were moved from the plus column, to the minus column -

indeed, all things were loss — counted as nothing — less than garbage, in comparison

That I may win Christ

Paul said that he had lost everything — all of the things that he used to think were great, that he used to measure himself by

he lost all these becasue of his commitment to Jesus Christ

Please stop for a moment and answer to yourself - what has you faith cost you?

has it cost you anything?

Are you living by a cheap faith that gives you a warm fuzzy - but has never cost you anything? Never inconvenienced you? Never tested your faith?

Have you lost friends or family becasue of your faith?

Or do you stifle the gospel to please others?

When Jesus calls on you, do you please friends, family or spouse first, or answer HIm?

Or, has He even called on you?

Paul said it cost him everything --- all that he could measure — and it was like nothing!

I can attest to that

All things are as rubbish compared to knowing Him.

The Righteousness Which is From God by Faith

We do not have our own righteousness

it does not come from doing good works, or giving

It comes by faith

and faith leads to good works

Paul said he did not seek his own - but by faith.

Are you living by faith?

There is no better way to live

this is the life that really is life

That I May Know Him!

The Power of His resurrection

The fellowship of His suffering

Being conformed to His death

If by any means I may attain unto the resurrection of the dead

Do you know Him?

This One Thing I Do!

Paul said he wasn’t there yet

after all the wonders he had done and seen

You aren’t there yet either

remember that -

if any man thinks he stands take heed lest he fall

even the heroes of faith could have turned back.

One Thing I do

forget what is behind

have you tried and failed? Forget it

have you never bothered trying? Forget it

Have you done wrong? Forget it

Have you lost some things? Forget it

Have you been disappointed? Forget it

Have you been let down by others? Forget it

Have you been betrayed? Forget it

Have you been successful in the past? forget that too

have you done some great things for the gospel? Forget that too -

Press on to what is ahead - Jesus

Press on toward the mark

for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ jesus

Look forward

look up - above

If you do this, you can rejoice In The Lord Always!