Cultivating Vision

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The message this week in our Road Trip series was titled "Are We There Yet?" It was focused on Philippians 3:12-21. Paul knew he had not yet arrived. But he was determined to keep growing and he was focused on the finish line. He had a keen sense of a better future in heaven.

If heaven has little appeal for you, admit it. But don't stop with admitting it. Living the Christian life well (in the here and now) absolutely requires a vision of God's coming kingdom, of heaven. That's why Jesus taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Here are some books that might help develop a compelling and life-altering vision of the prize:

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:13b-14)

It's Not a Book

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It's not a book, per se. Philippians is a letter. Letters are meant to be read in one sitting. To be understood as a whole. And that's what we'll be doing every week in this series. We'll be reading this letter once per week for eight weeks in one sitting.

Since our group met last night, I completed Day One of the "Detours" Group Life on Philippians 1:12-30 this morning. That prepares me for the next meeting while getting me into the Word daily. My assignment today was to read the whole letter in one sitting. As familiar as I am with the letter, it was fresh. Since I'm reading it out of my most recent experiences as a pastor, I "felt" it differently than before.

I felt Paul's burning desire to see this church mature in Christ. I felt his passion to lead the way as fellow believer on this road trip of spiritual growth. He seems less concerned with what's happening to him and how others have hurt him, and he's focused on their spiritual well being. The dangers from within the church (conflict) and from outside (bad theology) concern him, and he appeals to them in a very emotional way--overtly affectionate, but determined and protective.

I kept thinking of him actually writing or dictating this letter from his imprisonment, wanting every word to count because this letter had to stand in for his personal presence. But I also imagine him spending a lot of time sharing his thoughts and concerns with Epaphroditus who would carry the letter back to Philippi and be able to share more of Paul's heart with them. But how fortunate are we that he conveyed his concerns on papyrus! And here we are almost 2000 years later, reading his thoughts from prison. Amazing!