Raising the Bar

What does raising the bar mean when it comes to walking the Christian life? Does it mean that we work harder and be more committed to what we do? Maybe in some cases it might. But I believe that it goes much deeper than the outward actions. Would I love to be involved in a local body that every member gave 100% all the time, gave their tithe no matter what, bought into being here no matter what both Sunday morning AND Sunday night even if they weren't in the limelight of the stage? Absolutely! If every person just gave 5% in a tithe, it would flood our budget with revenue that we have yet to see. But again, there has got to be more to the Christian life than outward actions.

So what is it? Raising the bar when it comes to the Christian life is actually very simple. It is realizing that we will never realize all of God. Apostle Paul challenged us greatly in Philippians 3:12-14 when he made a statement about his one goal. He said "Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Two things...this ONE THING I DO and I PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL. When we look at our lives, how many "things" do we find ourselves doing that pull us away from the goal? Are we so overbooked, double-booked, triple-booked in our lives that we are so far removed from the statement "this one thing I do"? The goal...what is the goal? Again, if we stop long enough to look at our lives, are we living a life that is pressing toward the goal of knowing Him?

The first five words in Philippians 3:10 describe the goal of Paul's life..."that I may know Him."

This week's blog is a challenge to us all to "raise the bar" of knowing Him. We can't stay where we are in our relationship with Him. The divorce rate in this country is over 50% and one of the reasons for that is that the relationship is still back at the "I do" stage instead of the "I am doing" stage. Although we know God will not divorce us, it still spurs us on to be men and women who are not the same place today as we were yesterday in our relationship with Jesus.

So the challenge to you and to me is..."will we raise the bar?"

Have a great week!

pb