Text: Phi. 3:7-15"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. (vs8) Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.(vs9) And be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:(vs10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (vs11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (vs12) 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. (vs13) Brethern 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, (vs14) I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. (vs15) Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you".
Eph.3:16-19 " That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (vs17) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, (vs18) May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breath, and length, and depth, and height;(vs19) And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God".
Heb.6:1-3 “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (vs2) Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” (vs3) And this will we do, if God permit.”
PREMISE
The Pulpit Commentary pages118-119 on Phi. 3:12-16 "The nearer we draw to Christ, the more we feel our own unworthiness. The light of Christ's holiness, manifested in the hearts of the saints, brings out into clearer light the exceeding sinfulness of sin. This very sense of imperfection urges the Christian to sustained effort. He is never satisfied with himself, therefore he always presses onward. He does not dwell with complacency on his attainments, but forgets the progress which he has made; in view of the far greater height which remains to scale, he throws himself into the work with ever-increasing energy. The crown of righteousness is laid up for all who love the appearing of the Lord. God is calling us thither, calling us upward, to higher degrees of the spiritual life now, to the perfection of that life in heaven. The prize of that upward calling is the heavenly glory. It is the end for which the Christian lives, which makes life worth having, worth living".
Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. - Psa.61:1-2
I. Because I recognize the necessity and desire a higher height and a deeper depth through seeing a necessity for it----LORD TAKE ME HIGHER:
1.When I am in trouble---Psa.61:1-4 “Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.(vs2) From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.(vs3) For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. (vs4) I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Se’lah.”
2.Till I trust you as my hiding place---Psa.27:4-5 “ One thing have I desired of Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.(vs5) For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.”
3. Till I get and stay on the right road--- Isa.35:8-10 “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.(vs9) No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there: but the redeemed shall walk there: (vs10) And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
4. Till I desire the "old time way"---Jer.6:16 “Thus saith the Lord, Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls, But they said, We will not walk therein.”
5.Till I think right--- Phi. 4:8 “Finally , brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
6. Till I take on my full responsibility of my discipleship--- St. Luke 9:23-25 “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. (vs24) For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. (vs25) For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be a cast away?
7. Till I surrender my life to Christ that He might live in me---Gal. 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”
8. Till I by God's Spirit are changed into his image---2 Cor. 3:18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
9. Till I awake with thy likeness--- Psa. 17:15 “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.”