Big Picture

    Point of view
So much of the time, when we see the situation from someone else’s shoes, everything changes. What if that is true about how we live our lives? The things we consider to be of prime importance might not be as significant as we think.

Exertion
    Philippians 3:1-7
        Self
As this section of the book begins, Paul warns people not to fall for the story that we have to be good Jews before we can be saved. Paul lists things that would have given him standing if that were true, and says all those things were just in the way. They hurt instead of helping. They were all focused on self and personal effort. That is not what salvation comes from. How many people today would say that it does?

Exchange
    Philippians 3:8-11
        Surrender
Instead of salvation coming from personal effort, it comes from what Jesus did. We have to give up on our accomplishment, and surrender to His. Everything else is worth less than nothing, if it keeps us from the salvation that God has provided. Get rid of whatever stands in the way, because He is worth more.

Exercise
    Philippians 3:12-16
        Success
Paul does not claim to have reached perfection or all that God has for him. He makes it his goal to continue pressing toward all that, and invites us to do the same. Don’t let whatever is in your past keep you from moving into a great future. Pressing on is success.

Exit
    Philippians 3:17-21
        Subject
Here everything is put in the context of an eternal future. We are reminded that this is temporary and not where our focus should be. Those who continue to live for here and now might be saved, but still end up as enemies of the cross. Don’t let your life communicate that eternal things are less important that what is here. We are part of an eternal kingdom, subjects of the eternal King.