"But none of these things move me; neither do I esteem my life dear to myself, if only I may finish my course with joy and the ministry which I have obtained from [which was entrusted to me by] the Lord Jesus, faithfully to attest to the good news (Gospel) of God's grace (His unmerited favor, spiritual blessing, and mercy)."

What moves you?? What moves me? What moves the world? What motivates us? What makes us strive for whatever it is that we strive for?

Paul said, "But none of these things move me"........... What was he speaking of? Paul's life was definately no tea party. Could he have been talking about the slander and lies spoken against him? How about his imprisonment ? His beatings? The times he was stoned? Or maybe the multiple shipwrecks that he just so happened to be involved with. NONE of these things moved Paul. He was on a mission. Think Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible.... Ok, maybe not quite.....
But why wasn't Paul moved? Why didn't he throw a huge pity party? Why didn't he give up?

" For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. FOr as many a are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God".
Romans 8:13-14

Paul was endwelt with the Holy Spirit... Paul recognized what his purpose was. He understood why his creator had put him on this earth. He was not moved, not distracted. I'mnot saying that Paul was perfect. We know from his past that he was far from it. But was driven and enpassioned by the Holy Spirit... I want to be like that. I want to live and breathe Jesus. I want every beat of my heart to remind me why I'm on this earth.... To testify, to be an ambassador.

"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God". 2 Cor

"He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. " Acts 10:41-43

I think that I am beginning to understand Paul's mentality. It may cost so much more but it is well worth it. Nothing else will ever satisfy us. Right? Have you found anything under the sun that satisifes you? Anything that makes feel complete besides Jesus Christ our Lord?


“ Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.” 3 What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun? 4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes; But the earth abides forever. 5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, And hastens to the place where it arose. 6 The wind goes toward the south, And turns around to the north; The wind whirls about continually, And comes again on its circuit. 7 All the rivers run into the sea, Yet the sea is not full; To the place from which the rivers come, There they return again. 8 All things are full of labor; Man cannot express it. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, Nor the ear filled with hearing. 9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun.

Our souls are eternal. They can't be satisfied with something finite.... That's why our creator created us; to have a personal relationship with Him.... What satisfies us is pleasing Him. What pleases Him is us denying what satisfies our flesh.. So we must deny ourselves to sastisfy ourselves...... interesting huh..... It all comes down to the fact that we were created to worship and glorify our Savior.... So, let's live it :)