Philippians 3:13

PRESSING AHEAD IN 2023!

(December 17, 2022) Brian Bell encourages leaving the past behind and moving ahead in 2023…

As we come towards the end of 2022, I encourage you with Paul’s words in Philippians 3:13, ‘I am still not all I should be… forgetting the past… and looking forward to what lies ahead.’

The apostle speaks about his past which he wants to forget, his present as he recognises he is a work in progress, and his future based on Christ’s accomplishment and provision.

I believe Paul’s encouragement in this verse is not related to employing techniques to help us forget, but about that good old topic of perspective.

Paul wasn’t saying he had discovered a way to eradicate past memories (in his case the many believers he had persecuted prior to his conversion). It was not that Paul could or had actually forgotten, but that he would not allow those memories to hold him back. So, I suggest that is the context for Paul then saying he was ‘… looking forward…’

(more…)

FINISHING WELL

(September 2, 2021) Brian Bell encourages finishing the race of life…

Exciting and yet in the current climate, challenging as the 2020 rescheduled Olympic Games in Japan may have proved, they may not have been your favourite ‘must watch’ event of 2021 to date.

In 1 Timothy 4:8, Paul tells Timothy that ‘Bodily exercise is of some benefit, but godliness with contentment is of greater gain.’

While I believe the apostle’s words about bodily exercise were specifically directed to Timothy’s situation, as with all scripture we too may benefit from its general exhortation.

Paul’s words remind us about priority (a common theme in scripture) our aim as believers is for ‘God likeness’ in our attitudes and daily living but if we are able to take physical exercise, it is good to do so within our limitations.

Keep going
At the 1968 Olympic Games held in Mexico City, Tanzania was represented in the marathon by John Stephen Akhwari. Part way through the race, Akhwari fell and was injured. He decided to get bandaged up and continue, which he did, finishing in last place over an hour behind the other runners.

 When interviewed later Akhwari was asked, ‘Why did you bother to get up and finish the race’ to which his reply was ‘My country didn’t send me to Mexico to start the race, they sent me to finish.’

(more…)