Have this mind…

As I was just reading the other morning in Philippians chapter three this declaration stood out to me.  “Have this mind.” 

Chapter three begins “Rejoice in the Lord.”  This alone is a good mentality to have but goes on to say in verse 7 “but what things were gain to me, these I counted loss for Christ.”  “Being found in Him not having my own righteousness but that righteousness which is from faith in Christ.”

All the things we look at as achievements are really nothing “compared to the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus.”  What does that mean?  It does not mean you abandon all your goals; it also doesn’t mean that you do not achieve in life.  It does mean you know everything you do and achieve aren’t better than the relationship between you and Christ.  He’s the truth, Life and Way.  Without him there’s nothing we can do or have that matters in eternity.

When we die, we don’t take our possessions, accomplishments or titles we come before God either in Christ or without.

That is why the Apostle Paul states in, Philippians 3:12-15 “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. 15) Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind…”

I wrote in my journal yesterday “Forgetting those things which are behind us and reach forward to those things which are ahead.  I press (on) toward the goal “have this mind.”  Reach and do not look back on glorious days.  Press on because the more that you recount the past the harder it will be to move forward.  Their over and gone look ahead, press in and go forward be not puffed up be pressed in.”

Pressed in is forward-thinking.  This mind is a calm mind, it is a focused mind and moving forward mindset.  Vision is crucial to moving forward. Press on