NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME....

NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME.......was reminded of this from my friend Betsi Calhoun she said in a post:
“What a blessing it is each Wednesday morning to have so many precious teens from the public school come together to pray and be challenged from God's Holy Word! This morning 24 of us were inspired and challenged by Peter Verkaik, missionary to Nigeria. WOW! What a blessing from Acts chapter 20, verse 24! "None of these things move me . . "

(by the way, I know Peter Verkaik and his sweet wife Betty. I know what opposition they face every day as they serve in that country.  He is serving his Calling, telling the Truth of Jesus, so I know first hand his life speaks.  I know others who are in countries right now facing the same things Faithfully...)

What he was telling those teens that morning, as Betsi said, interested me in my walk today.  I think maybe you could use this today too...

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself,[a] so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God”

One of the reasons we allow our circumstances to move us is sometimes we allow things to become “all about us” we have this little circle we live in seeing life in our own perspective.  Let’s break out of that world and see what it is like living like Paul says here....

God gave us in His Word the life of Paul as an example of how the Christian Life is to be lived. So, when you read about Paul you see a man who has determined to live his life in the Lord Jesus Christ.

One day on the Damascus Road, Jesus confronted him in his sin. Paul repented of his sin, opened his heart to the Lord Jesus, and at that point in time life became a great adventure for him.

He then likened life as being in a RACE when he said, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Life for Paul was like being in a BATTLE when he said, "I have fought a good fight."

Life for Paul became a sacred TRUST as he said, "I have been committed with the precious treasure of the gospel, and my job is to deposit that sacred commitment into the hearts and lives of every person with whom I come in contact."

Paul’s life shows us what it means to live with “Christ as Life”, as he was on his way to the city of Jerusalem where there is an atmosphere of uncertainty about his journey.  His circumstances were real complicated at this particular time. He had a sense of what his future held, and it was not good.

Even though he knew this, he stood firm in his determination. In the midst of all the turmoil, Paul says in verse 24, "But none of these things moved me."  WOW what a statement with all the circumstances swirling around him. That is the attitude of the person who had found Life in his Savior.  He was NOT living his life as “All about ME!”  Paul did not care what was going on around him, it didn’t matter.  He didn’t care about the opposition he would experience in the future. His position in life was “Regardless of what others may do, none of these things move me”.  And he stood on this Truth.... Psalms 16:8, "I have set the Lord always before my face, because the Lord is at my right hand. I shall not be moved."

This was on my heart today as I was wondering what you are facing today.  I've heard from different ones things that lay heavy on their heart as they face challenges and I know you are too where ever you are...

I want to see you live  RUNNING THE RACE.....WINNING!

I want to see you FACE YOUR BATTLE.... WINNING!

I want to see you TRUST IN YOUR SAVIOR WHO HAS WON LIFE FOR YOU!!!

Live as Paul did keeping his eyes on the goal set before him....look up and off of those things around you and say, .....NONE OF THESE THINGS MOVE ME!!!