DO YOU HAVE A HOLD
ON YOUR CALLING??
Phillipians 3:8 - 12
Tonight the greatest thing that could happen
to us as Christians, is to be Heavenly Minded!!! AMEN
If we are gonna be heavenly minded we have to live every part of our lives with the goal of entering into heaven with the completed purpose that God has called us to do!!!!AMEN
Everyone here tonight has a calling on their lives!!! Even if you’re a sinner you have a calling....Romans Eleven says:
Gifts and callings are without repentance..
But the best thing that could happen to you if you’re a sinner is that you accept Jesus Christ as your Personal Savior!!!
The Bible says in 1st Corinthians
I am saved by the Gospel!!!!!
John 13:10 says:
I am made Clean!!!
But listen to what,
Phillipians 3:17 says:
Brethren be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example...
Here the Apostle Paul is telling the Phillipian Church that they are to
imitate him,
But since he is absent they should imitate them among them that live as he does!!!
This is what everyone should be doing
Today!!!!
We should be trying to imitate Christ...
And be Heavenly Minded.....
Heavenly Minded is not waiting for heaven, but pressing on toward the goal of entering heaven....
And having finished what God has called
us to accomplish!!!AMEN
In verse twelve we see three things we’re supposed to be doing...we have not yet attained what our calling is..We have not yet reached perfection, and we are to press on
toward our calling!!!!!!!
Romans 8:30 says:
I am called according to HIS Purpose!!
We have not yet attained, or literally, haven’t laid hold of the purpose of our calling....
When we enter into fellowship with Jesus Christ...its by surrendering our lives to Him...but still this don’t mean that we’re automatically accomplishing our mission..
1st Corinth 6:20 says:
For ye are bought with a price...
Therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s!!!!
As a new Christian you have not yet laid hold on our calling!!!
It takes much prayer and fasting and seeking God...to find out and fine tune just exactly what our calling is!!!!
Jesus is the door we have to open to begin our new life and our new journey toward Heaven...
But just walking through that door is
not all there is to the rest of the story!!!
In 2nd Corinth 11:23 says
Are they ministers of Christ??
I speak as a fool...I AM MORE!!!!
In labors more abundant, in stripes above measure...in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft!!!!
We’re so foolish to think that when we get our ticket to Heaven we have reached our goal...
First:
we have to show ourselves faithful stewards
and seek out God’s purpose...and if I cant pass the test of basic stewardship, then I’ll never be able to find the path That God has called me to find!!!!
1st Peter 2:9 tells us
that We are part of a chosen generation...
A member of a royal priesthood
A citizen of a holy nation...
One of HIS own special people!!!!
John 15:5 Jesus Said:
I am the vine ye are the branches!!!
We are one with Jesus Christ!!!!
We are covered by His Blood!!!
In the Book of Jeremiah God asked,
If you can’t run with the footmen, how will you contend with the horsemen???
If you were wearied in the land of peace, how can you expect to contend among the arrogant nations???
Church our calling ain’t just to make it into Heaven tonight!!!!
But to be equipped so that we can answer
this important call, and begin to run the race knowing that God honors....
FAITHFULNESS!!!!!!
We are not yet perfected...
Before your spiritual root can begin to dig in your flesh nature must be crucified...
Apostle Paul said I die daily....
Our flesh don’t die when we’re born into the kingdom of God...
Were set free from the bondage of sin and are no longer driven by the flesh...
But its our responsibility to bring our hearts and minds under subjection to Christ...
Way to many of us leave a lifetime of fleshly habits that will not die easily...
But a Christ centered focus is required in order for us to become heavenly minded....
Where my eyes are fixed my feet will follow...
Though perfection will never be achieved in this life.......
Our calling is to strive and continue
toward that mark...AMEN
Every time I look back at my life I can see and I’m amazed at how God has put my life together just like a puzzle and how far God has brought me.... AND I am determined to never return where I once was in my past life!!!!
We shouldn’t focus on our past but our goal should be on winning the race that God has put in front of us!!!!
Just like Apostle Paul said...
I have kept the faith, I have fought a good fight... I have run the race,!!!!!
In this life were just passin through.....
Hebrews says:
I am a stranger to this world, a pilgrim just passing through....
But when we think we have arrived and were as far as we can go...guess what...
We’ll go a little farther with God’s help!!
When we think we’re as far as we can go
and we don’t strive to keep on plucking forward...then we’ll stop growing in God...
And eventually we’ll be sliding...Backward..
We can’t compare our mistakes to other peoples mistakes, cause then pride will enter in
But when we look to Christ....we have the
perfect model in front of us!!!
And that will show you very plainly
that you need to press on forward!!!AMEN
We are encouraged by our past and this gives us strength to reach toward our calling...
I can only overcome this life by the Strength
that has been given to me by Jesus Christ Himself...
Only He has the power to give us the endurance to keep reaching forward.......
We have to press toward our call!!!!
The call that God has placed on our lives...
1st Thess. Says:
I am a child of light
I am a child of the day...
Matt. 5:14 says:
I am the light of the world....
When God saved you...He didn’t change
your life...so you can live any way you want
You have to make a direction change in your life!!!!!!
God called you for a purpose...
Don’t think that God has called you for your pleasure or your wants...
Because He didn’t...
And if you think that...Then you’ve
missed it!!!
If I want to fulfill my calling I have to throw off everything that is holding me back....
Sometimes maybe even things I do or say
are not sinful...but the sin is when I put more value in them than I do in GOD!!!!
When we hit gray areas in our Christian walk...then our closeness we have with God is what’s gonna bring the darkness to light!!
The Bible says: Deut 28:6
I am blessed when I come in and when I go out!!!
The Book of Hebrews tells us plainly
the promises of God are inherited through faith and patience....
If Im earthly minded, I will value worldly things because I don’t really believe God’s promises...
I won’t be able to grasp a concept of a small sacrifice with a great reward....
If all I’m looking for is instant gratification....
When you become a Christian your life ain’t gonna be no flowery bed of ease...
The Bible says in Galatians
I am an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus Christ....
And if this is true.... and it is...Very True..
Then we might also share in His suffering...
When I’m getting ready to go with our tent or to a church revival I can always tell what kind of service we’re gonna have...
Cause if its gonna be good I am Persecuted..
But we have to determine what is of value!!!
I count all things as rubbish can be translated like this,,,
as nothing but garbage or waste!!!!
Just like for example....temptation
it only has value because we allow it to have
When you invest into the things of this world, like stocks, Bonds, CD’s, Insurance Policies, and etc. etc.....what do you get in the end...
What is the end result????...
You might make some money in this life..
Or your investment might fall right before your very eyes......
But guess what, You ain’t taking it with you
Your profit nor your loss....
And then on the other hand if you invest in the good stock of Jesus Christ...and live this life for Him....what is the end result....
Streets of Gold, Walls of Jasper, Gates of Pearl...and ever flowing River of Life!!!!
And You’ll get to share the glory with
Jesus Christ!!!
On the day that Jesus Christ returns, all the schemes of the devil will be revealed and everything invested will be shown to be worthless...
But until you believe this you’ll keep investing in the worthless stock...
It’s impossible to realize that what this ole sinful world presents as treasure is in fact nothing but waste compared to the value of serving Jesus Christ now...Today...
But if you use a corrupt world to measure your value’s, then a corrupt measurement is gonna be corrupt results...AMEN
Church tonight Jesus is the only way to reveal the true value...
Or lack of value found in the things of the world....
If the blessings and promises are your number one concern and you’re looking for a gold mine...in serving God, Then you’ve missed your calling as well!!!!
Your goldmine will be when this life is over.
God’s truth is in light of our eternal life...
Where do you want to live for eternity tonight?????
You have only two choices....Heaven or
Hell!!!!!!!!!
Today most everyone’s mistake in this life is that they are not willing to let go of the world unless they’re able to see what God offers...
You’ll never find the good things of God until you first trust Him and live your life by Faith in HIM!!!
Until Im able to understand this value of relationship with God, our whole value’s will be totally mis-understood....
I’m married to my wife because I Love Her..
Not because she has wonderful possessions
of this world...
If I was gonna be looking for her to give me the things of this world...I would never
have married her!!!!
Cause guess what....She didn’t have anything then and the only good thing she
has now is me!!!!!
If you wonder how to develop a longing and Love for God...
It only comes through knowing His Word!!!
Jesus said if anyone takes their hands to the plow and looks back, they are not worthy of the Kingdom of God!!!!!
How in the world are we gonna reach forward and receive the wonderful things God has in store for us if we’re always looking back to see what we’re missin????
Are you ready tonight to get a hold on
Your Calling?????
Jesus is here tonight...
He’s calling you.....
Will you accept Jesus’ Calling???
