Don't Look Back - Everything is Loss

Scripture:
"12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. "
(Philippians 3:12-14)

On the 25th of last month I returned from vacation after three great weeks of ministry and fellowship with believers in southern Spain. During that time I fell in love, again, with those people and my heart truly longs for many to receive Christ and know our Savior as we do. For this reason, last week was very difficult for me. Everytime I put my heart to pray, I would cry out to the Lord asking Him how would Andalucia be saved? This is what kept me from sharing on our blog last week. I did not want to grieve you all with the burden that was on my heart.

In a matter of speaking, it is taking me more time then I thought to "forget what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." That is to say, my mind keeps going back to the great things that God did, like encouraging two small churches to continue doing weekly and monthly evangelism in the pueblos (villages) and yes, I praise the Lord, and yes, I thank Him, but because it was so wonderful, it has been very hard for me to let it go, and look forward into plans that God has yet to reveal to me. Hallelujah.

Paul tells us in verse 15 in this chapter 3 that "all of us who are mature should take such a view of things" and oh, how immature that makes me feel, as I agree with the Holy Spirit that is within me, and lift up my head to squint forward toward the brightness of God's Glory while shaking off the burden that is upon me. And why do so many not even recognize God's Glory? Because "their mind is on earthly things" (v. 19) and they do not truly "eagerly await a Savior" (v.20) for they are "enemies of the Cross." (v.18)

What Paul did is what we should strive for. We should consider everything loss for the sake of the Cross. (v.7-8) We should want
1) to know Christ, and
2) the power of His resurrection, and
3) the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings,
4) becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow,
5) to attain the resurrection of the dead
Tough stuff. Wow!!!

Request:
For the raising up of a ministry that would focus on the evangelism of Andalucia, Spain

Prayer:
Oh Dear Lord, we have no clue to what Paul felt when he said these words to the Philippians. We live in our comfortable homes, with our asundry of comfort appliances and thank you for them, but we do not know what Paul is trying to tell us in his letter to the Philippians. Open up a small crack in our heart Lord and teach us Holy Spirit something of what you want us to learn.