Be Found
Philippians 3:7-1 2-But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
Have lost things, to be found in Him? Things like Mends, financial reward, business deals.
1 Peter 1:6-9-In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation (information revealed: information that is newly disclosed, especially surprising, or valuable) of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.
Have the trials of your life brought praise, honor and glory to God? (Because of how you handled them)
Have the trials revealed a side of God or of your self, that you didn’t know before?
2 Peter 3:10-14-But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner ofpersons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?
Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;
All these things that we so desperately try to hang on to in this life.. .wealth, health, power, prestige, fame, material things, will be destroyed and the only thing left standing is our relationship with Christ.
That’s why it is so important to be found working, serving, worshipping until that day we stand before Him!
We want to hear from God, “Well done, good and faithful servant;.”
Think about all the ones who have set in these pews, those ones who have been faithful until death and I also want you to think about the ones who have wandered away from Christ.
At the end of our life will we be found in Him?
Will we still be true to Him?
Will we still be doing His work?
Will we let things stand in our way of serving Him?
Will we let the trials in our life teach us the lessons that we need to learn?
Someone has said:
We have to endure the rain, to see the rainbow!
We have to endure the thorns, to smell the roses!
It is not as important as how you started the race, is it is how you finish the race!
