October 1, 2017

Moving Toward My Future with Joy

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Series: Living Joyfully Scripture: Philippians 3:12–21

Living Joyfully: 

Moving Toward My Future With Joy: 

Philippians 3:12-21

Our attitude toward the future has a powerful impact upon our joy for today!

(To download and print blank sermon notes to complete while you listen, click HERE.)

How To Move Toward My Future With Joy

  1. Reject Complacency (12-14)
  • Dissatisfaction

“A sanctified dissatisfaction is the first essential to progress in the Christian race.” Warren Wiersbe

  • Direction

Forgetting – “To treat with inattention or disregard”

We can’t change the past, but we can change the Meaning of the past by God’s grace!

Three Things I May Need To Forget:

  • My Griefs
  • My Guilts
  • My Glories

You break the power of the past by living for God’s Future and what He has for you!

  1. Clarify Commitments (13-14)

We lose a lot of our joy, not because of great commitments, but because of Unclear Commitments

Paul Had A:

  • Singular commitment
  • Visionary commitment

“God what do you want me to do?”

  • Energetic commitment

For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.” (Colossians 1:29)

  • Called commitment

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ.” (Colossians 1:28)

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.” (2 Corinthians 5:14–15)

  1. Follow The Right Examples (15-19)

The Positive: Paul and Others (15-17)

  • Right Beliefs
  • Right Behaviors

Learn from human examples, but never Worship human examples

The Negative: Many (18-19)

  • Wrong Direction

  • Wrong Priorities
  • Wrong Values
  • Wrong Focus
  1. Remember My Identity (20)

Our Conduct must match our citizenship

A.W. Tozer Gave Three Tests For Our Citizenship:

  • What do you desire most?
  • What do you think about most?
  • Whom do you admire most?
  1. Regularly Reflect On My True Home (21)

“If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”  C. S. Lewis

 “So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.” (2 Corinthians 5:6–10)

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”  Corrie Ten Boom

Making It Personal:

  • If you were standing before God right now and he were to ask you, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” – What would you say?
  • What is your attitude toward the future? How is it impacting your life today?
  • Which of the points of this message do you most need to put into practice this week? How will you do that?
  • Who can you share these truths with?

other sermons in this series

Oct 15

2017

Joy in Contentment

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Scripture: Philippians 4:10–20 Series: Living Joyfully

Oct 8

2017

Dealing with Joy Killers

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Scripture: Philippians 4:1–9 Series: Living Joyfully

Sep 24

2017

Joy on the Job

Pastor: Jeff Bedwell Scripture: Philippians 2:19–30 Series: Living Joyfully