We Can't Understand.

'Nonetheless, under guidance of this kind the believer learns that the purpose of God for him is an alteration in his course. Previously everything was going forward; henceforth it is to ascend. It does not signify there is no more work; what it does mean is that that work can be concluded at any time. God continually has employed such circumstances as persecution, opposition, plunder, etc., to cause saints to comprehend that He wishes them to have the spirit of rapture rather than to make progress in the work on earth. '  Excerpt - The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee

Php 3:2  BEWARE of dogs, BEWARE of evil workers, BEWARE of the concision. 

Php 3:3  For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have NO CONFIDENCE in the flesh. 

Php 3:4  Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 

Php 3:5  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 

Php 3:6  Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 

Php 3:7  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 

Paul tells us plainly that having confidence in the things of the flesh is NOT gain for Christ. He gladly would count ALL the flesh attributes people would have him believe were important a LOSS. Give all prideful flesh things up knowing those things are NOT things of Christ. Paul had EVERYTHING a man could ever want! He was a pillar in his community! And yet in the eyes of Christ all that had to be given up. Paul had to be stripped of the prideful things of the flesh all of them.

Php 3:8  Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 

Php 3:9  And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 

Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 

Php 3:16  Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. 

Php 3:17  Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. 

Php 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 

Enemies of the cross of Christ-

Those whose God is their BELLY.

Those whose glory is in their SHAME.

Those who MIND EARTHLY THINGS.

Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 

Php 3:21  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 

Is your conversation in HEAVEN?

Is your conversation where you look for YOUR SAVIOR- the LORD JESUS CHRIST?

It is all well and good for us to labor here on earth in the way we believe God has planned for us, having faith that as we live our lives we are doing God's will, but when things change drastically for us and not always in a very good way- perhaps we are being nudged down a different path. Perhaps it is a preparation for the future. Maybe we've been tossed into a burning vat of molten lava to refine our otherwise un-refine-able attributes. The pain so intense we barely imagine being able to survive it, our sanity rocked so much we live in fear of it slipping away completely, these things are refining fires of the fiercest magnitude. And we are allowed to endure so much in order to get us to look upwards away from ourselves and towards Jesus Christ our Lord, our SAVIOR.  We are being transformed here and now, and transformation isn't always easy.

 Pro_3:5  Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

We simply cannot understand.

We hate that, but we cannot understand.

Admitting that we can't understand has us admitting to the truth of living by FAITH.

Rom_1:17  For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

May we live through faith by the grace and mercy of our LORD and SAVIOR, now and FOREVER!

Amen.