Not the path up - The GOAL! by Gary Rose

When you look at this picture, what do you see?

1. An oddly shaped picture?

2. The color Grey?

3. A rock wall?

4. Slippery snow?

5. Clouds that obscure your vision?

6. Steep elevations?

7. The summit?

8. The heavens above everything?

9. The future?

This unusual picture is indeed thought provoking. Its unusual shape and color makes me wonder why someone would even take it. Could its shape emphasize its height? Could its drabness emphasize its strength or the coldness of its environment? Or, could there be another message within the picture by its very design? Yes, that last thought, may be it. Think for a moment of this picture as a path upward, and in spite of all the obvious obstacles that lay before you- the prize of reaching the summit and beyond lies before you. If THIS is correct, then the following passage of Scripture would apply…

Philippians 3 ( World English Bible )

 ^[1] Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not tiresome, but for you it is safe.  ^[2] Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.  ^[3] For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh; ^[4] though I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If any other man thinks that he has confidence in the flesh, I yet more:  ^[5] circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee;  ^[6] concerning zeal, persecuting the assembly; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless. 

  ^[7]  However, what things were gain to me, these have I counted loss for Christ.  ^[8] Yes most certainly, and I count all things to be loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord, for whom I suffered the loss of all things, and count them nothing but refuse, that I may gain Christ  ^[9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, that which is of the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;  ^[10] that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed to his death;  ^[11] if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. ^[12] Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect; but I press on, if it is so that I may take hold of that for which also I was taken hold of by Christ Jesus.

 ^[13]  Brothers, I don’t regard myself as yet having taken hold, but one thing I do. Forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before,  ^[14] I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

The prize is everything. No hardship of any kind will stop a person who realizes this life is temporary, but heaven is FOREVER. Nothing, and no person should ever keep you from Jesus. Frankly, he is our ONLY HOPE. I have never met a person equal to the apostle Paul and probably never will, but I have know many, many people who have done whatever they could to please God. They are called simply “Christians”; look them up – you will find them in the yellow pages under the church of Christ! By the way, if you are ever in Zephyrhills, Florida, I would love to meet you at the Southside church of Christ- just ask for Gary…

ps. No need to dress warmly, after all – this is Florida!