A Daily Walk

Guest (Male): The Christian life is likened to a race. So, how's it going for you?

John Randall: How are you running today? Personally, in a physical context, I don't like running. Some of you do, and I I'm thankful for you. But there is something about running with endurance and having to press through the hard yards and and get beyond and and keep going and and this this was what the writer of Hebrews said. I'm I'm still running. How how are you running today? Maybe you've tripped up in the race. Now it's time to get back up and to continue to run.

Guest (Male): Glad to have you in our listening family and welcome to a daily walk. We're in the middle of a study in Philippians with Pastor John Randall, and today we come back to chapter 3. The biblical encouragement ahead is this. We've got to press on in our walk with the Lord. And to do that, we've got to leave some things behind and follow good examples. Here's Pastor John to elaborate.

John Randall: Paul realized that he could not change the past. And even though he lived with some of the consequences of past decisions, that didn't stop him from continuing to walk and pursue the Lord. And it shouldn't stop us either. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, Paul said it this way, and I love this. The Lord reminded me of this passage this morning. In 1 Corinthians 15 in verse 10, Paul said this. But by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace toward me was not in vain. But I labored more abundantly than they all.

Yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. I I just Every single one of us, we are what we are simply by the grace of God. That's it. I mean, that that's why we stand. That why we're here. It's his grace. It's his grace that brought us to this point. It's his grace that's going to continue. And Paul was confident in that. Choosing to forget the past, Paul was then able to press on. And I love this. To reach The word is so descriptive there. To reach for the things that were ahead.

This word here for reaching forward only found here in all of the scriptures, and it means to stretch one's muscles to their limit, attempting energetically to attain a state or condition. And the verb is actually used to describe a runner who stretches out his neck to break the tape. Did you watch the Olympics? Not the not the opening ceremony. Uh not that part, but later on. You know, when you get to the track and field, I mean, it's incredible. Fastest human being ever. I mean, you just you just like see it. It's over like that, but you remember that one race, right?

The 100 m. Everybody's like, oh, this is it. And the guy wins by like a nose hair. I mean, you can't even he's got out there and you know, he won. He won the gold. And he didn't even know he won it. What happened? He just stretched it out. They had the very I didn't even look like that, but something like that. And he won. Paul saying, that's how I am when it comes to pursuing the Lord, when it comes to reaching. I am everything I've got, every fiber of my being, spiritually, physically, mentally, it is on full throttle when it comes to pursuing Jesus.

That that's just how he lived. And it's in the present tense. He's overextending. It was the habitual practice of his life, that his lifelong attitude. Paul was so fond of using athletic metaphors, and I'm glad he did because Paul saw himself like being in a race. That's how he saw the Christian life. In fact, Paul referred to the Christian life as a fight, as a race, as a war. It's very descriptive. And he saw himself as in a race, and there's a goal, and and he's he's running towards that goal. He's reaching forward, pressing on toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

And in order to reach that goal, in order to get, he's got to keep his eyes focused on what that goal is. You can't be looking to the right, the left. You can't definitely can't be looking back. Jesus said, whoever puts his hands to the plow and looking back is not fit for the kingdom. So, there is this focus and intention with which he runs to finish the race. And in his race, he wasn't running against other people. He's running against himself. I'm not running against anybody here. I am not running against other pastors. I'm running against myself.

You have your race. I have mine. And I want to run it in such a way that I might win. Now maybe you didn't start out in the race very well. Maybe had a bad start. You know, you can have a bad start but a great finish. You can run well and you can also finish strong. The writer of Hebrews, which many believe to be Paul, but the writer of Hebrews said it this way in Hebrews chapter 12, uses the same kind of illustration. Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us.

And let us run with endurance the race that's set before us. And how then are we to run it? Looking unto Jesus, who is the author and the finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus ran a race for you, for me. He finished it, and he finished strong. Now it is our opportunity to run our race for him. How are you running today? Personally, in a physical context, I don't like running.

Some of you do, and I'm I'm thankful for you. Somebody's got to run. But it's just not my thing. But some people are really into it, and they love it, and they do it well, and it's amazing. And you know, they say there's a high that comes with it. I have only found the low. I have not found the high. My prayer life intensifies, and it's usually like, oh, oh, Jesus, oh, Lord, help me. Father, you know, and there's a lot of prayer that goes through it. Um but there is something about running with endurance and having to press through the hard yards and and get beyond and and keep going and and this this was what the writer of Hebrews said.

I'm I'm still running. How how are you running today? Maybe you've tripped up in the race. Now it's time to get back up and to continue to run. Paul encourages the believers. Hey, listen, forget the past, press on, reach forward to the things that God has for you. As long as you live here, as long as you just dwell on this, you know, you're you're going to miss out what's right in front of you. Like keep going. It's right around the corner. It's the next lap. Verse 15. This is Paul 's mentality when he runs as he presses on.

Therefore, or in light of the therefore is a connection word. Therefore, in light of what I've just said to you, let us collectively as many as are mature, have this mind. And if in anything you think otherwise, well, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we've already attained, well, let's walk by that same rule. And let's be of the same mind. Again, remember that in the context, there were those coming in, and they were trying to take the people a different direction. Paul saying, hey, hey, hey, come on back now.

We're we're we're reaching forward. We're not we're not going back to that. We're not going that side. We're not This is This is the goal. So, those of us here collectively, Paul would say, that are mature in our walk with the Lord, let's have this same mentality. Notice he uses the word mind and he uses the word think. He's talking about a mentality. This is the mentality you need in order to press on. It is one that is mature. He wanted the mature believers not to be swayed by the Judaizers who were enticing them with incentives of religious practices.

But to have the same mindset in the pursuit of Jesus. Now somebody look at Paul's zeal and think, Paul, you are like you're too much. You're over the top, all this extending and overextending and and run like what come on, man. Why why are you so intense? You're fanatical. But what is interesting is that what Paul is describing is normal Christianity. Like this is not for the elite. That this this is normal Christianity. All of us this morning are in different stages of our growth in our walk with the Lord. We're all in different places.

Some people, man, you're brand new in the Lord, and yes and amen. You just got saved recently or you just came back to the Lord and and you're you're starting on this journey and you're you're starting to grow. It's exciting. Keep on going. Others of you, you've been walking with the Lord for a while. And and you you know the Lord and and you have some experience and and you had God's use you know you see Now there's others of you, you've been walking with the Lord a long time. I mean, decades. You've known the Lord, walked with the Lord.

It reminds me of what John said. You remember when John wrote his first epistle? He said, I write to you, children. And then he said, I write to you, young men. And then he said, I write to you, fathers. Just different stages in our walk with the Lord. We're all in different places. We're all growing. We're all maturing. But what's important to remember is what Paul is writing here. Again, I say it, normal Christianity. Reading your Bible, spending time with Jesus daily. Listen, that's normal Christianity. That's how you grow as a Christian. Being in prayer, not just at meals.

This this is normal Christianity. Talking to the Lord, growing, having conversation. That's normal. Telling others about Jesus, evangelizing. Well, that's for the evangelist. Actually, it's the Great Commission was for everybody, like all Christians, not just the apostles or pastors or whoever. It's for every believer. That's normal. Making disciples, normal. Not being accepted or applauded by the world. Is that normal? Very normal. Becoming more increasing. Yes, it's part of it. That's what it means to walk with the Lord. And this section of the letter is a great exhortation, not to get self-satisfied. I've grown as much as I've grown in my walk with the Lord.

And I've pretty much arrived. No, no, no, no, no, no, no. No way. This should stimulate, you know, and fight against our indifference and awaken, arresting on supposed spiritual accomplishments. Truthfully, folks, I'm amazed that there's some people who have this history with God, who walk with God, let's say a few decades. I'm amazed to find out and to hear Now this isn't condemning. It's just reality and maybe stirring you up to love and good works. They've never read through the entire Bible. And I kind of It shocks me. And I'm not saying that like, oh, he's talking he's looking at me.

I'm not looking at anybody. I'm just looking at everybody, all of us. Scanning. I'm not And it's not to say condemning. They have never read through the Bible. You say, well, what are you what have you been reading? I just saw him in a proverb every day. Which is amazing. Uh but there's uh 64 more books you should check out that are inspired. You really There's more to it that God wants to you know you got the proverb there's 31 proverbs every 31 then day the month and I read 31 proverbs. Even on the 30 if there's only 30 days in a month, I read 31.

Fantastic. It's really good. I'm not dissing it. I read a proverb a day too. I love the proverbs. There's so much wisdom. But there's more to it. So, I'm saying keep growing. Listen, when a child is born, there's only certain things a child can eat, can take in and assimilate. Milk for a brand new baby. Really important. But there comes a point as they get older that like you you need you need more than you just can't live on what do you live I just just milk. That's it. No, no, no, no. You're not going to that you can't do that.

You need more. There's more for you. You want to go on to maturity. The writer of Hebrews said, by this time you should be teachers. You should be You should be reaching forward. Go farther. Keep growing. Don't settle. That was Paul 's heart. And he encouraged the believers in Philippi. Hey, let's let's be of this same mind. This is the mature mindset. Let's keep growing. Let's not just settle, but let's be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain. In other words, it just keeps going.

We haven't reached the ceiling yet. Man, heaven is where that's at. There's no ceiling there. Well, to encourage them even more, Paul says, and we're almost through. Again, he says in verse 17, brethren, family in the Lord, brethren, join in following my example and note those who so walk as you have us for a pattern. For many walk of whom I've told you, and often, and now I tell you even weeping that they're enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things.

So, we are to forget the things which are in the past. We are to reach forward to those things which are ahead, pressing on, and to follow good examples. Paul said, here's the good examples, and well, here's the bad examples. And Paul points to himself. And he's not pointing to himself because he's some egotistical apostle. Like if you're looking for somebody to follow, check me out. I mean, I am the standard. Paul's not saying that. He was saying, listen, imitate us as we imitate Jesus. We're We're running this way. Hey, run with us. This This is This is how we Paul had already said, I haven't arrived.

So, he's not saying that he's the the ultimate standard. Jesus is the standard, but but it's like here here's an example that you can follow. Do what I'm doing as I'm following after Jesus. And he said, notice the others who are in the body, who you have as a pattern. And the word pattern is such an incredible word because the word pattern is defined as as a visible mark or an impression made by a hit or strike on an instrument. Paul had been literally There's had been an imprint of Christ on Paul's life that changed him from that moment on.

That you could see there was a visible, tangible transformation in Paul's life. And now it had become a pattern for others to follow, an example. How important it is for us as believers to be an example to our kids, to our grandkids, to our wife, to our husband, etc. The people around us in this world to be an example. And to walk that is to live as Paul mentions here as examples. Even though we're not perfect, we're still to be an example and be followers of Christ. John Newton, who wrote that famous hymn, I believe, Amazing Grace.

You're familiar with it. Had a an incredible testimony. Was formerly a slave trader. I mean, just a real evil person before he got born again. And you can read about it. But he wrote these words, and I thought they were so profound and I can identify with what he said. He said, I have ever to confess with sorrow that I am far from being what I ought to be. And far from what I wish to be. But I'm also blessed to testify that I am far very far from what I once was. And I say amen to that.

We're growing. We're maturing. It's it's it's a day-to-day process of just walking with, enjoying fellowship with Jesus. Paul said, these are the examples that you want to emulate. Look for good examples because Paul said there's other examples that you you want to avoid. And And he says it here, and this is so It really gives you the shepherd's heart even in this for Paul said, I I've There's some who live or walk of whom I've told you before. And I tell you even weeping that they're enemies of the cross. Now who's Paul referring to? Is he talking about the Judaizers, perhaps?

Is he talking about the Greeks that have come in and kind of a perhaps? Non-believers? Whoever they are that Paul is referring to here, there is some speculation. What we know for sure is that they're enemies of the cross. That when he says their God is their belly, it means they live for the flesh, the fleshly appetites. That is all they live for. And their glory, that which they glory in is actually shame. And their end is destruction. But what stands out to me first of all in that is that Paul says, I tell you this even weeping.

The people who were not living for the Lord, who are enemies of the cross, who lived a life after the flesh, whose whose glory was their shame, whose end was destruction. Paul said, you know what that does to me? That breaks my heart. I weep for those who are lost. And I read that and I thought to myself, do I have that kind of heart for people? I mean, really. When was the last time I saw somebody's life and I just broke over it because they didn't know the Lord? What was the last time you wept over somebody who just didn't know Jesus?

You were just moved by your neighbor who's end is destruction, separation from God. Oh, man, Lord, help me to have your heart for people. But Paul said, don't follow these examples. Why Why would they hate the cross? Why are they enemies of the cross? You know why? Because the cross is offensive. The message of the gospel is offensive to people. Why is it so offensive? I mean, it's God's love demonstrated because it declares that everybody is a sinner, no matter who you are. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That offends me.

I don't I'm I'm a sinner. And that those who die without Christ, without the message of the gospel, responding to it, will be eternally separated from God in hell. That is offensive to people in this world. That is not a tolerant message to this world. Not an accepted message. People become enemies of the cross, enemies of believers. Meanwhile, not only are they enemies of the cross, but their glory is their shame. I'm amazed sometimes that there are believers who want to almost venerate the idols of this world and prop them up and say, look at how amazing they are.

She is incredible. Do you know who she is? Yeah, I know her name. Do you know how many awards she's gotten for what she does? Uh I'm aware. My question to you is, do you know that her end is destruction and that she's an enemy of the cross and that you glorify her or him? Fill in the blank. You can You can figure it out for yourself. People in the church who almost deify and venerate individuals who could are blasphemers of the cross, rather than weeping over them, we're just propping them up and glorifying them.

It's easy to do in this world. May God help us.

Guest (Male): We'll break away right here, but don't go away. Pastor John Randall has more to say on a daily walk. Today's message, pressing on, can be heard again at a dailywalk.org, oneplace.com, or wherever you get your podcasts. Has this ministry blessed and encouraged you in your daily walk? If it has, we'd like to know. You can email us at a daily walk at gmail.com. Pastor John would be so encouraged by what you have to say. So, tell him which station you listen to as well. That's a daily walk at gmail.com. Here in the month of June, we picked out a resource from R.

Kent Hughes. It's called Disciples of a Godly Man. If your desire is to be a Godly Man, then this is a must read. You'll be encouraged to grow in godliness through disciplines like purity, devotion, prayer, and leadership. It's available for the cost of $11. Ordering is really easy online at a dailywalk.org or just call 877 242 0828. And please remember us in your prayers and your giving to the Lord. We want to help as many people as possible in their daily walk through the teaching of God's word. And you can help to make that possible through either a one-time gift or ongoing monthly support.

Donations can be made online at a dailywalk.org or call 877 242 0828. And now with a few takeaways from today's study in Philippians, here again is Pastor John.

John Randall: I suppose as I read this today, several things I take away from it. One, that we want to press on in our walk with the Lord. And in order to do that, we got to leave some things behind. Forget those things. Keep on forgetting them. Oh, how Man, the enemy wants to bring it up or people want to bring it up and have to think No, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm reaching forward. I want to follow good examples. I want to emulate those examples. Like not not perfect examples, even in the scriptures. They're full of imperfect people who failed.

Think of David. It says that David was a man after God's own heart. That was what God said about David. And yet uh when I read this, I read he didn't um there was He failed. Abraham, this incredible father of the faith. Oh, man, he trusted God and he failed. All of them. Samson, so strong, great hair, failed. Failed. I'm so thankful that this book is full of people who were not perfect, but also filled with those who were pursuing a relationship with God, chasing after him. And then also following those good examples. And And then I suppose finally, having a heart for people who are enemies of the cross.

Sometimes we see them as enemies of the cross and we think they're enemy There are enemies. And maybe they are. But really, it's not you that they're upset with. They're actually at war with God. They just don't know it. But you're the person that they can attack. But really their their fight is with God. So, Lord, break our hearts for people that that your heart is broken for. Help us to press on this week to to forget the things which are in the past and move forward for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Amen.

Guest (Male): If you're a believer, the future is bright. Hear all about that next time on a daily walk as Pastor John Randall returns to Philippians. This program is brought to you by Calvary Salt O Sea and made possible through your generosity.