You Will Not Fail!!! 10/24/21
Philippians 3:10-13 (KJV)
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 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.
13 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,
It is a beautiful October morning in Georgia-the home of the National League Champion Atlanta Braves!!
I call to our attention another of my FAVORITE Scriptures:
Philippians 3:10 (KJV)
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
At first reading of this Holy Script all seems well and likable.
EVERYONE desires/wants to “know Him, AND the POWER of His Resurrection!!!”
AMEN-THAT'S GOOD STUFF!!!!
BUT there is an “AND......”
“AND the FELLOWSHIP of His SUFFERING,...........................
BEING made CONFORMABLE unto His DEATH.”
NO ONE, at least in their right mind, WANTS/DESIRES to be:
“AND the FELLOWSHIP of His SUFFERING,...........................
BEING made CONFORMABLE unto His DEATH.”
Over the MANY years of my personal walk in Christ Jesus, I have stumbled over this seemingly conflict of interest.
I, as many of you, so long for, want/desire to “KNOW HIM, AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION.............................”
I am not to crazy about the rest of that One Sentence:
“AND the FELLOWSHIP of His SUFFERING,...........................
BEING made CONFORMABLE unto His DEATH.”
FELLOWSHIP-from <G2844> (koinonos); partnership, i.e. (literal) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction :- (to) communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-) distribution, fellowship.
Strong's Talking Greek & Hebrew Dictionary.
I can easily do without the “partnership/participation/intercourse/benefaction” OF HIS SUFFERING!!
I CERTAINLY can do without the rest of that One Verse:
“BEING made CONFORMABLE unto His DEATH.”
The hard Truth about THIS life is this:
Hebrews 9:27 (KJV)
27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
As Country Joe and The Fish so aptly cried out at Woodstock:
“WHOOPEE WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!”
Yes, beloved WE ALL ARE gonna die-NO ONE leaves this planet alive!!!
The hard part about living is living!!!
When my oldest grandson Devin DIED in 2014 at the young age of 22, shortly thereafter he appeared to me in a dream.
As he passed by me on his way to the kitchen he simply said to me:
“Zada, (his term of addressing me as his grandfather). You do not know how hard it has been for me to get up every day KNOWING that I was gonna die!!!!!!”
SELAH-THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A MERE MOMENT!!!
Beloved, think about this!
EVERYDAY we are required to “get up, knowing that we will die soon enough, possibly too soon and/or sooner than we think or desire.”
Everyday is an unfolding mystery!!!! Too often we know not with any certainty the path we are to trod.
That is why the remainder of Paul's writings are necessary:
Philippians 3:11-14 (KJV)
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 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.
13 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,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
As Neil Armstrong said when he took first step on another planet:
"That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind."
Take that STEP of faith today and geterdun!!!
“The last dejected effort often becomes the winning stroke!”
COME ON AND WALK ON THE WATER WITH ME!!!
YOU WILL NOT FAIL! YOU WILL NOT FAIL!!!
God Bless You!
Pastor Doug
404-295-5644 or
CHURCH ADDRESS:
70 Stone Rd.
McDonough, GA. 30253
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