"GAIN CHRIST!"

Philippians 3:3-8                               (ESV)
"3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the SPIRIT of GOD and glory in CHRIST JESUS and put no confidence in the flesh-
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of CHRIST.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing CHRIST JESUS my LORD. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may "GAIN CHRIST"



From time to time I hear of people, claiming to believe that JESUS is their LORD, yet still clinging to a "fleshly" trait.  They can claim to be wealthier, more intelligent than others, Caucasian, Black, Chinese, financially limited, a Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, or any other "label" one prefers to be known by, but they are using "fleshly" traits to identify themselves.

2 Corinthians 5:17 plainly states "Therefore, if anyone is in CHRIST, he is a new creation. The old (fleshly traits) has passed away; behold, the new (Spirit man) has come."  Since I have been "born-again" as a new "Spirit man", I must use terminology of the same.  Instead, I formerly used "graveyard language", that is language used by those who live in a graveyard.   Why would anyone who has been born into "peace" (John 14:27) resort to living in a graveyard with all of their old friends?

We need to be "on guard" (1 Corinthians 16:13-14; 1 Peter 5:8) as the great deceiver will make the temptations of "this world" seem so attractive, or get us so busy doing things we are "convinced" are good things, that we miss what GOD has planned for us.  I'm not sure there is a more miserable experience than being outside of GOD's will, especially when you are experiencing worldly success!  Success from "this world" can be unwisely used to justify living outside of GOD's Plan for your life!

The great deceiver can get us so consumed with our old, fleshy traits that we can't envision the things of the Spirit that truly satisfy and "complete" us.  Don't allow the glitz and glamour of success to get your eyes onto something other than only what GOD has for you.  For if we "GAIN CHRIST" we are achieving our purpose, and that is to glorify the FATHER!!