TODAYS SCRIPTURE:
“Yea verily,
and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I suffered the loss
of all things, and do count them but refuse, that I may gain Christ, (Phil. 3:8)(also Col.
3:10; 2 Pet. 3:18; John 15:7)
FROM THE HERALD:
That knowledge
is held up as paramount today is all to plain to see. We esteem smart ness and smart people very highly. Some how they are
better or more than and so we come to rely on the views of smart people more than others do.
If I were to
talk about the history of Ecuador which celebrated their 100th year of independence, or the battle of Cannae in
which Hannibal defeated the Romans, or of George Canthor the mathematician who created “Modern set theory” or
even of Nestorianism a theory about the duality of Christ, people would be interested. Why? Because they would think, they
were listening to a smart person saying smart things thereby inferring smartness upon them.
The Apostle Paul
WAS a smart man. A Pharisee of the Pharisees, which was an organization of men who did study greatly, gaining great knowledge.
He at one time did rely on that knowledge. That was until he found a more excellent knowledge.
After Paul’s
conversion (Acts 9th chapt.), he become a follower of Christ Jesus. Knowing what he already knew and combining
that with the Holy Spirit, he began to see that excellence of the knowledge of God was far better than any other thing that
he could know.
Apostle Paul
was so effected by the glory of God he became as Eudoxus of Greek mythology, who was so affected by the glory of the sun that
he thought he was born only to behold it. Paul came to think that the lynch pin to all knowledge and things was God through
Christ Jesus.
The Excellencies
of the knowledge of God were fundamental to all Graces, duties, comforts and happiness. It informs our very character because
the more we know of God through Jesus Christ, and abide in him ;( John 15:7) the more we are conformed to him. (Col. 3:10).
was we have to
count, that is deem, esteem, consider, judge, account, govern, have the rule over, suppose, or think that everything we know
is a LOSS to us.
We must judge
in our own mind that what we already bring to the table is a detriment and must be overridden that with the Idea of violence.
We must aggressively rid ourselves of the old man and his thinking. Paul said that we should crucify it.(Rom. 8:13)
This loss though
is no loss at all. In reality, it is the ultimate gain to gain the excellent knowledge of God.
The knowledge
of God is excellent because God and His ways far exceed our ways. (Ps. 57:5:11)
He is from everlasting to everlasting (Ps.90:2) that means that He is infinite.
By contrast,
Blaise Pascal once said, “Man is equally unable to comprehend the nothingness from which he emerged and the infinity
in which he is engulfed". (Eccles. 3:11b) (Isa. 55:7-11)
Paul was preaching
the Discovery of; the consideration of and the conformation to the will of God. He said, “That I may know him, and the
power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings… (Phil. 3:10) The discovery of the real Jesus in ones
life is the greatest of all discoveries. This knowledge leads us to consider
every aspect of Our Saviors life and words because we want to walk like him and talk like him in every way. Once we know of
him, and to know him is to love him, we begin the process of conformation. This conformation lasts a lifetime until we are
conformed to the body of our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. (1Cor. 15:54)
You see friends
the Excellency of the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ surpasses all other knowledge. It is what we should strive after
daily.
A hymn sings,
“Are you searching for something to brighten your life? Are you longing for something to relieve earthly strife? Are
you searching are you seeking from day til night? Seek Jesus he’s comfort and light.”
GOD BLESS
