The following article was written by Jim Feiker. It is an article that is well worth reading.
A businessman seeking professional counsel was asked by his counselor to describe his life. He said, "I have come to the end of my life; I have climbed the ladder of success to the top only to realize that my ladder has been leaning against the wrong wall."
It is essential to periodically re-evaluate our life so as to re-identify who we are, where we are and where we are going. Now is a good time to re-evaluate our lives to make sure our central purpose and focus of life is what we want it to be, so that we might pursue it with passion. We don't want to get to the end of our life to face the reality that our ladder was leaning against the wrong wall.
What is our real purpose and passion in life? What is the central priority of our life? What if we were to ask that question to the Apostle Paul? Would he say, "I am driven to get the Gospel to the world, to plant churches in every nation, to impact the Gentile world for Christ?" Are these not what we assume Paul was about, for he accomplished an astounding amount in two decades of ministry? But would Paul say instead that these are the result of a "higher passion?" Paul uncovers his central focus for living and his supreme passion in the book of Philippians.
PAUL'S PASSION Paul's dominant theme in Philippians is Jesus Christ. Paul is passionate about this Person. Notice his statements:
1:21 - For me to live is Christ and to die is gain – his life revolved around Jesus. Paul realized that Christ was the Supreme Author of matter, time and space. He created the Universe. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. No one preceded Him, and no one will come after Him. Paul realized that if ultimate reality is a timeless, unchanging Person, then relationship with that person should be the supreme passion of our lives.
2:5 - Let this mind be in you, which is in Christ Jesus - Christ was his model of character...the One he wanted to be like.
3:21 - Christ will transform our bodies - conforming them into the likeness of His glorious body. Our citizenship – our real home - is Heaven where Jesus is. Paul, knowing this, was eagerly awaiting Christ's soon return from Heaven.
4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Christ was his source of joy and the power over his circumstances of prison.
3: 4-14 explodes with Paul's passion for his calling. As you read this portion of Scripture, please notice the phrases and words Paul uses to describe his passion for Jesus Christ, and underline words and phrases that describe it.
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Experiencing Worship, The Study