That I May Know Him...

'That I may know Him...' Philippians 3:10

Paul writes: 'That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings.' Now, we know about resurrection power. It's the power that raised Jesus from the dead.

Think!!...
-What problem or need do you have that resurrection power can't handle?
-What is dead in your life that needs to be raised, or broken that needs to be fixed?
-When you make intimacy with Christ your top priority, you tap into this power. Why is it that some Christians live as 'more than conquerors,' while others seem to go around defeated all the time?

The answer isn't in their circumstances, because victorious Christians and defeated Christians face basically the same kind of trials. The answer isn't in who goes to church more often, or who reads the Bible and who doesn't.

The answer is, victorious Christians know Christ more intimately, therefore they experience His life-giving power! But a lot of us would like to put a period after the words, 'The power of His resurrection.' No, if we're going to know Christ intimately we must also know Him in 'the fellowship of His sufferings.' This word 'sufferings' means more than just enduring a bad allergy season or having a bump in your car. For Paul it meant being badly beaten and beheaded! But it also meant a special kind of intimacy with the Lord that can't be known any other way.

If you've ever suffered deeply with another person you understand what this means. We'll never truly be intimate with somebody if we say to them, 'I only want to share the good times with you, keep your suffering to yourself.'

Getting the idea?

(I got this from a friend)

Hidden Hero(s)

What is a hero?

Hero: (noun)
1. A person noted for special achievement in a particular field
2. A person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life
3. A man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities
(Dictionary.com)

I was reading "Cast of Characters" by Max Lucado last night and the word hero caught my eye so I started to chew on it. Many times when you hear the word hero numerous things pop up in your head like the tv show Heroes :) or a fictional character. I, myself, even thought of Hercules and yes the Disney character. At first, the picture that crossed my mind was this big, physically strong, vigorous guy. However, that can be a false picture of what a true hero is.

Referencing back to the movie Hercules, he starts out looking like a typical civilian. Until later, he is faced with the eye catching physical features and some trials to go through to show is real heroism. People probably think that Hercules is a great hero because he is so strong. Thou, I think there is much more to a hero than his strength. A quote from the movie I liked is "A true hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart."




Thinking more deeply on the word hero, here are a few adjectives I would use to describe a hero: someone who shaped history, extraordinary, courageous, defender, guardian, visionary, protector, the will for self-sacrifice, and stood against the crowd. The book "Cast of Character" referenced Paul as a hero (Paul shaped history and would die in the jail of a despot). Taking a quick look at the journey Paul went through I am sure many of us would not classify him as a hero because he was so "noble, but passing; courageous, but small; and radical, yet unnoticed" (Lucado). Before he was a Christian leader he was a Christian-killer and he introduced himself as the worst sinner in history. Max Lucado also mentions that Paul's heart was so heavy at times, his pen would drag itself across the page and wrote "what a miserable man I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death?"

Heroes are not always people that stand out in a crowd and some times are hard to identify. "For that reason, a hero could be next door and you wouldn't know it" (Lucado). Have you ever thought of the guy who changes your oil, the baby-sitter, parole officer, teacher, deacon, or even Paul as a hero. In most cases these people do not fit the mold of a hero because they just look too normal. For all those heroes who are in the spotlight, I am sure there are many more that are in shadows. These people usually do not get the press or crowds or care to get them.

Now, here's some questions:
Do heroes know when they are herioc?
Have you ever thought of Jesus as a hero?
In what ways do heroes seldomly look like a hero?
Now, what is your picture of a hero?



Psalm 16:1-3 "Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge. I said to the Lord, 'You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.' The godly people in the land are my true heroes! I take pleasure in them!" (NLT)

Isaiah 42:13 "The Lord will march forth like a mighty hero; he will come out like a warrior, full of fury. He will shout his battle cry and crush all his enemies." (NLT)