To Encourage You

Philippians 3:3-11 “For we . . . put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death. that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.”

Where does your confidence come from?  In Philippians 3 the apostle Paul tells us where his confidence came from at one time – before he knew Christ, that is.  He was religious – very religious. And he was very confident in his beliefs.  He was so zealous in his confidence that the did everything in his power to oppose and even terrorize those who believed differently than he did. Sounds familiar for our present age, doesn’t it? 

Paul came from the right family, and the right race. In fact, he saw himself as a “Hebrew of Hebrews.”  He was a great leader, a Pharisee, someone others in Israel looked up to.  However, it was these very things that had blocked Paul’s relationship with the Savior for his whole life. It was not until he came to realize and confess that none of these things mattered in God’s eyes that he could actually begin a relationship with the true God.  He had to be greatly humbled by the Lord, before he could find the Lord.  He had to realize that everything in his life that he had counted on for his self-worth and confidence was utterly and completely worthless in God’s eyes. 

The same holds true for every other person that has ever lived.  No one ever finds God through any shred of self-confidence, self-worth, or self-esteem – whatever you want to call it.  None of the things that this world puts value in will gain us favor with God.  No one will or ever has found the living God that has not acknowledged their utter and complete need of a Savior, and their total and complete inability to gain favor with God based on their own merit.  We all come to Jesus at his feet, acknowledging our sin and need for forgiveness and acknowledging that He and He alone can meet those needs. 

May the Lord help us to see our need of Him. When tempted by any form of pride and self-confidence may we be reminded, like the church at Laodicea who had the attitude that “I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing,” when the truth was that they were “wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17).” 

Jesus said that “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners (Mark 2:17).”  How about you, do you need Him – or not?