Anyone who knows me well knows that Philippians 3 is one of my most favorite chapters in the entire Bible, especially verse 10 in the Amplified Bible. But there are a couple of other verses that really lay the groundwork for understanding verse 10! Look first of all at verse 1:
3 For the rest, my brethren, delight yourselves in the Lord and continue to rejoice that you are in Him. To keep writing to you [over and over] of the same things is not irksome to me, and it is [a precaution] for your safety.
First of all, Paul is encouraging them to delight in the Lord, which has THIS as a promise from Psalm 37:4:
4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.
When we delight in Him, then He will put desires in our heart so that HE can fulfill them! What a wonderful promise! Paul then proceeds to explain the "bragging rights" he COULD have in the natural, but reveals his true heart in verses 7-9:
7 But whatever former things I had that might have been gains to me, I have come to consider as [one combined] loss for Christ’s sake. 8 Yes, furthermore, I count everything as loss compared to the possession of the priceless privilege (the overwhelming preciousness, the surpassing worth, and supreme advantage) of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him [of perceiving and recognizing and understanding Him more fully and clearly]. For His sake I have lost everything and consider it all to be mere rubbish (refuse, dregs), in order that I may win (gain) Christ (the Anointed One), 9 And that I may [actually] be found and known as in Him, not having any [self-achieved] righteousness that can be called my own, based on my obedience to the Law’s demands (ritualistic uprightness and supposed right standing with God thus acquired), but possessing that [genuine righteousness] which comes through faith in Christ (the Anointed One), the [truly] right standing with God, which comes from God by [saving] faith.
We should each have it as our own personal goal to get to the point where there is nothing in this life that will EVER become more important that our relationship and fellowship with HIM! When Paul compared all of his earthly accomplishments, things that people strive all of their lives for, to His fellowship with the Lord and truly KNOWING Jesus, He found that the very best things of the world were as rubbish in comparison! Remember that every good thing in your life came from God (James 1:17), but never let those good things take HIS rightful place! AMEN! Here again, to help you remember this, is Hillsong Kids with "My Number One":
Shalom in him!
