Let go of 2014 and focus on 2015!

Please forgive the long absence. Right after the New Year I came down with the flu that is hitting so many here. It put me in bed for 8 days. Only now is my mind coming out of this fog.

We had been considering the importance of Christmas before the New Year and I had shared some principles from Phil. 3, interestingly this last section has a lot of application for us as we begin a new year. First, let’s review the three principles we saw before:

“I must accept all of what it means to be a Christian!”

“I am not so mature!”

“I am going to get out of life everything that Jesus sees in me!”

Here is the passage we are looking at:

Philippians 3:10-16 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

We pick up in verse 13:

v. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.

Again we see Paul, humble, not claiming to have “arrived”. The quickest way to stop growing is to think you know soooo much!

v. 13 But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

Here we discover one of the great secrets to victorious living. We have a single mindset that expresses itself in two actions. This creates a unified purpose of mind…which I call “Present Living.” This involves two actions that compliment each other:

Forgetting – first, individually. Each of us needs to let go of the bad, not of the lessons but of the guilt it brings. Many are paralyzed by guilt and spend most of their time in a pity party that accomplishes nothing except protecting ego. We also forget the good, once again not the benefits from it, but we do not live off the past. What we did 5 years ago does not change where we are today!

Corporately as the Body of Christ, far too many spend their time looking behind, which has empowered traditionalism and methodology to quench the Holy Spirit.

The other action is we need to focus on what is ahead. Funneling our energy toward the future. When a person gets stuck in the past, they will lose hope. Here we find a great principle for 2015:

“I will live in the “now”, while focusing on the future!”

v. 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

What is that prize? I believe Paul answers that in 2 Tim 4:6-8

2 Timothy 4:6-8 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

To be with Jesus! This is the prize…but only for those that are ready for His appearing. I have found two driving factors that lead me to desire His return.

[1] To escape the evil of this world, not only the horrible things that go on here, but especially the evil I have found in my own heart produced by my sinful nature. It will be a joy to never wrestle with sin again!

[2] To be in the presence of the lover of my soul! I spend everyday with Jesus as a vital part of my life now, how much more when I can worship and fellowship face to face!

This gives us another great principle for 2015:

“What matters is what I am right now - not before!” None of us can change 1 day of 2014, but what matters is are we desiring to be like Him and with Him right now?

v. 15 All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

When our one goal is to be like Christ and with Him, true unity is accomplished! All the other stuff is put into perspective, and if we are open to God’s Truth, He will illuminate us. The key is for us to keep moving toward Christ!

An encouraging principle for 2015: “What matters in 2015 is where have I become more like Christ?”

v.16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

This is our last principle and should set the pace for 2015:

“Live what you know right now!” Whatever you know right now God wants you to do…Do It! Do not allow the “what ifs” to control your life! Being obedient to God’s leading right now makes you ready for His return!

What if you decided to make these principles a weekly personal accountability for yourself for 2015? Review them once a week and see where you are January 2016.

“I must accept all of what it means to be a Christian!”

“I am not so mature!”

“I am going to get out of life everything that Jesus sees in me!”

“I will live in the “now”, while focusing on the future!”

“What matters is what I am right now - not before!”

“What matters in 2015 is where have I become more like Christ?”

“Live what you know right now!”