What do Paul, Moses, and Solomon have in common?
They are all great men of God who built with incorruptible gold, silver and precious gems. And, they all spent years of their lives building with wood, hay, and stubble too. Years just burnt up at Jesus Bema seat.
The great Apostle Paul had been a pharisee of pharisees who built his whole life of trying to serve God through religious rituals. He said his whole life before knowing Christ was just rubbish, dung.. wood, hay, and stubble. He writes, 'I count it all but dung compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Him.' YES, EVERYTHING ELSE IS WORTHLESS WHEN COMPARED WITH THE INFINITE VALUE OF KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD, FOR WHOSE SAKE I HAVE LOST ALL THINGS. I CONSIDER THEM GARBAGE, THAT I MAY GAIN CHRIST. (Phil. 3:8 NLT) Gaining Christ, knowing Him is gold, silver and precious stones of eternal value.
Religious externalism had become the bane of Saul's existence until He came to know Lord Jesus personally on the road to Damascus. He lived a life passionately devoted to the Lord from the first moment he met him. From that moment on Paul's whole driving force in life became knowing Jesus. I WANT TO KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION.. he says. Paul's heart cries out: "I WANT TO KNOW THE MESSIAH- WHAT HIS RESURRECTION POWER IS LIKE, AND WHAT IT MEANS TO SHARE IN HIS SUFFERINGS BY BECOMING LIKE HIM IN DEATH. (Phil. 3:10 IV) And Paul did too. He knew what awaited him at the bema seat. NOW THERE IS IN STORE FOR ME THE CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, WHICH THE LORD, THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE, WILL AWARD TO ME ON THAT DAY- AND NOT ONLY TO ME, BUT ALSO TO ALL WHO HAVE LONGED FOR HIS APPEARING. (2. Tim. 4:8 NIV) Paul's entire life became dedicated to pleasing Jesus, the Righteous Judge and faithfully finishing the work Jesus gave him to do. Paul states: "HOWEVER, I CONSIDER MY LIFE WORTH NOTHING TO ME; MY ONLY AIM IS TO FINISH THE RACE AND COMPLETE THE TASK THE LORD JESUS HAS GIVEN ME-- THE TASK OF TESTIFYING TO THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD'S GRACE." (Acts 20:24 NIV) What greater gold, silver, and precious stones could there be than to finish the race course?
Jesus commissioned Saul when He came to him in glory. Paul records his encounter with the Lord of Glory this way: " ON THE ROAD (to Damascus) AT NOON,.. I SAW A LIGHT FROM HEAVEN THAT WAS BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN. IT FLASHED AROUND ME AND THOSE WHO WERE TRAVELING WITH ME. ALL OF US FELL TO THE GROUND, AND I HEARD A VOICE.. IN THE HEBREW LANGUAGE... 'I'M JESUS WHOM YOU ARE PERSECUTING. BUT GET UP AND STAND ON YOUR FEET, BECAUSE I'VE APPEARED TO YOU FOR THE VERY PURPOSE OF APPOINTING YOU TO BE MY SERVANT AND WITNESS OF WHAT YOU'VE SEEN AND OF WHAT I WILL SHOW YOU. I'LL CONTINUE TO RESCUE YOU FROM YOUR PEOPLE AND FROM THE GENTILES TO WHOM I'M SENDING YOU. YOU WILL HELP THEM UNDERSTAND AND TURN THEM FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT AND FROM SATAN'S CONTROL TO GOD, SO THAT THEIR SINS WILL BE FORGIVEN AND THEY WILL RECEIVE A SHARE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH IN ME.' AND SO... I WAS NOT DISOBEDIENT TO THE HEAVENLY VISION. (Acts 26:12-19 ISV) FOR THIS IS WHAT THELORD HAS COMMANDED US: "I HAVE MADE YOU A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH." (Acts 13:47)
Paul lived the rest of his life with this one goal in mind, to testify of our glorious Lord's gospel. He knew all about Christs' bema seat. He made that day his life's ambition. He says: "BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I DO NOT CONSIDER MYSELF YET TO HAVE TAKEN HOLD F IT. BUT ONE THING I DO: FORGETTING WHAT IS BEHIND AND STRAINING TOWARD WHAT IS AHEAD, I PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL TO WIN THE PRIZE FOR WHICH GOD HAS CALLED ME HEAVENWARD IN CHRIST JESUS." (Phil. 3:13,14 NIV)
May I live a life passionately devoted to Jesus like Paul did. May I live only to tell of Jesus mercy, grace and forgiveness; His unfathomable river of love that He has had upon my life. May He find my works complete before His God. Amen.
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