I Know Where I Am Going!

 

I Know Where I Am Going!

"Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."[ (Philippians 3:13-14) 

"Between an airplane and every other form of locomotion and transportation there is one great contrast. The horse and wagon, the automobile, the bicycle, the locomotive, the speedboat, and the great battleship—all can come to a standstill without danger, and they can all reverse their engines, or their power, and go back. But there is no reverse about the engine of an airplane. It cannot back up. It dare not stand still. If it loses its momentum and forward-drives, then it crashes. The only safety for the airplane is in its forward and upward motion. The only safe direction for the Christian to take is forward and upward. If he stops, or if he begins to slip and go backward, that moment he is in danger.”—C. E. Macartney (Ministry 127) 

Our associate pastor Sunday, delivered an excellent message. It was on our text, Philippians 3:13-14. He shared with us three words that the apostle Paul gave us, in pursuing our Christian journey. And this really should apply to our entering this new year. 

1. FOCUS - "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do," 

Whatever the apostle Paul accomplished in his old life, before he became a Christian, he considered rubbish, in comparison to knowing and serving Jesus Christ. This became his one and only focus of life. As he stated in Philippians 1:21 "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." It should be the same with us. As Christians, there should be no other thing in this world, that we should place as the main focus of our lives, than the Lord Jesus Christ. And how blessed we will be when we do. 

2. FORGET -"forgetting those things which are behind" 

The apostle Paul had been born with a wonderful heritage. He had acquired a good, solid education, and held a very high position in his life career. He did not think it a negative experience to go after Christianity, and to try to do away with this movement. After his conversion, he was not proud of his sinful attitude, and actions. He wanted to completely forget it. Someone has said: "It may be good at times to visit the past, but it's never a place we should live." The past is dead and gone. There is a line they have used on the TV show " Blue Bloods" "It's what you do next that counts." We are to let the past go, and allow the Lord Jesus to forgive us, and restore us. 1 John 1:9, and then focus on our next

word!

3. FUTURE - "reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

Do we know where we are going in our lives? What is the path we are pursuing in this life? According to Paul, we are to reach forward to the things God wants us to be, and to do. We are to be Kingdom builders. We are to press forward, like a runner, running a race. We are to press  toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I remember what some of the athletes would say after a significant victory. They would say that "they were heading to Disneyland."

In Jesus, we share the victory over sin, and eternal death. When asked what we will do in the future? We can say, "we are heading to heaven, and we're going to take as many as we can, with us!" I ask you again: Do you know where you are going in this life? If you are in Christ Jesus, you can know! GP

A New Direction

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;.." 
(2 Corinthians 5:17-18) 

Have you ever heard someone say:
"I wish I could start all over, and live my life differently?"
If only I could change the past, I would have done things differently!" And then there are those who cannot forgive themselves for past sins and failures.

Even though we cannot change the past, we can do something about our future. And the key to a right direction for the future, is to place ourselves in Jesus Christ. To allow Him to be our Savior and Shepherd, for the rest of our lives.

If our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, can forgive us, and cleanse us of our sins, and set us on a path to new blessings and hope, why can't we forgive ourselves? If we are in a right relationship with the main One we must answer too, and please, why can't we be in a right state of mind regarding ourselves?

The old is passed away. The old sinful nature, and the regret of past failures is gone, and our hearts are made brand new. All because of what Jesus did to reconcile us to Himself. The new love, joy, wisdom, strength, peace, and hope is found in no one else, but Jesus Christ.

In Christ we have a new direction, and a new hope. GP

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In Green Pastures

"He makes me to lie down in green pastures" Psalm 23:2

 I remember one summer evening, as a teenager, I stood on our front porch, and watched our dairy cattle in the pasture just below our house, eating grass, and looking so content, and satisfied. I hoped that in my future life, I would always feel that way. But now as an older adult, I look back on my life and realize that there were so many times I was far away from feeling content, and satisfied.

My father worked hard to give our dairy cattle, the best they could get. It wasn't always easy, but he did the best that he could. My Lord Jesus has always been a good shepherd to me, but I have not always been a good sheep. I have doubted the direction of the Lord for my life. I have disobeyed, and wandered away. Spending time, looking for that good green stuff, away from the protection and provision of my good shepherd. Have you done the same?

How miserable we are, when we realize that we have made a mistake. When we pursued that which we thought was best, only to find that what the Lord provided was so much better. I have heard that a shepherd will break the front leg of a wandering sheep. What a painful punishment. But what a valuable lesson.

When David says; "He makes me to lie down in green pastures" He is referring to the Shepherd's work to have us be where He wants us to be, not where we think we should be. There are times when we didn't know what was good for us. We made decisions without spending time in prayer, and God's Word. And then we realized the foolishness of our decision.

It is true that, what we decide today, will affect our future. A line in a good old Gospel song says. "Many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand, but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand."

The best decision for us, is to stay in the Good Shepherd's care. Look to His Word, for the answers we are needing. Look in our hearts for the peace that only He can provide.

Green pastures are awaiting us. Don't step ahead, but fall behind. Our Good Shepherd will faithfully lead us there. (GP) 7/7/2017

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Walk With The Lord!

"For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by You I can run against a troop, By my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." 
(Psalm 18:28-30) 

When you read our text, the Psalmist David, gives you a strong message of his confidence in God. God helped him to be delivered from King Saul, who wanted to kill him. When we think of all the things that God has delivered us from, we can agree with David, that God is a shield to all who trust Him (v.30)

God has our back at all times. But there are times that God does not take us out of the trial we are in. For purpose unknown to us, God leaves us in the fire, as He did with the three Hebrew boys at the hand of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 3) But just as they knew, we can know, that God has our best interest at heart, and will always be with us, in the duration of our trial.

But with His strength we can endure, and rise to victory. With His strength we can deal with a trial, like leaping over a wall. It is in the Lord's strength that we can do this, not in our own.

Again faith is the key. Trusting like David, that God's way is perfect.
He knows what He is doing with our lives. The Lord will always enlighten our darkness. We will never have to walk in uncertainty, and we will never have to walk in weakness, as long as we walk with the Lord! GP

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Our Established Steps

'The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." 
(Proverbs 16:9) 

Yesterday (5/21/2017) was graduation day for the students where I reside. One of our graduates was a foreign exchange student from Germany. All the time he has been here in our midst, I felt that it took a lot of courage to leave his home, and what he was used to, and come and experience not only a new place, a new community, and new church family, but a whole new culture.

As Christians, we are like foreigners in a strange country. We are not citizens of this world, but citizens of heaven. While we are here, we are dependent on God to show us His will for our lives. He has given us the freedom to plan our way, according to His direction, established and maintained by His Holy Spirit.

So often I am off track concerning God's direction for my life, because I (like a lot of people) plan my life around my own wants and wishes. Would God be upset if I went fishing today? Or went hiking, or went with some friends to do some shopping? Surely not! But when we neglect to be in His Word, in prayer, and in service for God's Kingdom, then our Heavenly Father is concerned.

The Lord wants us to enjoy our lives, but He wants us to remember who we belong to. We don't belong to the world, we belong to Him. And the path we journey, is to be led by Him, not ourselves, and certainly not by the world! GP Photo: Free Digital Photos (freedigitalphotos.net)

I Have A Plan For You

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." 

(Jeremiah 29:11) 

What keeps you in the balance between the good times, and the bad?

We need to stand on something solid in order to secure a bright future.
This life does not guarantee such a promise. We have the frills and thrills of this life, but nothing that promises us a time of eternal joy and peace. The world just cannot deliver this kind of future package, But God can, and will.
As He made this promise to Jeremiah in our text, He makes the same promise to us. He has not left us out.

To the nation of Israel, God promised that He would restore them, if they would trust Him, and serve Him only. After being in captivity for seventy years, under the rule of Babylon, God made it possible for them to come back home to Jerusalem.

Let's face up to the fact, that if we have not accepted our Savior Jesus Christ into our lives, we are living in a hostage situation. Satan has us, and he will continue to have us, until we allow the Lord Jesus to break the chains of sin and destruction.

God has plans for us, not for evil and destruction, but for a "future and a hope" Why is it that so many people refuse to fall into God plan for their lives? I pray, that you are not one of them. Trust God, Obey His will for your life, and eternally LIVE! GP

 Photo ID 1257225 © Mary Katherine Wynn | Dreamstime.com

Knowing Where We're Going

"Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." 
(John 8:24) 

What Jesus said to the religious leaders at that time, He says to us today.
The Pharisees thought that since they had the law, they knew where they were going. Keeping the law perfectly would secure them a place in heaven. But who can keep the law perfectly?

Without the light of life (Jesus) they would continue in spiritual darkness.
And that applies to us today. Just like the pharisees, we are sinners who need a Savior. Without faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ, we too, will die in our sins.
That is not the direction we want to go.

It is by believing that Jesus is "He" (the Son of God, and Savior of our souls) that we can begin the process of faith, and receive the place of being "In Christ." Being "In Christ"  will secure for us, all of the spiritual blessings God has to offer. (Ephesians 1:3)

Without Jesus, there is no way that we have certainty in our lives.
Not for today, and especially not for tomorrow. So make your eternal position secure. Place your faith, and your life "In Jesus" today.
Have peace of mind, in knowing your path, and where it will lead. GP

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The Precious Path

"Jesus said to him (Thomas) "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

 From the time we took our first steps, we have been on a journey.
As the Heavenly Father as placed us on this "precious path", Jesus is holding His arms out, waiting for us to arrive in His arms, safe, and blessed for eternity. He is waiting to take us to our Heavenly Father.

Many, many people have made other plans for the end of this life journey, and there are those who have not made any plans at all.
When this life is over, where will you be? What is your eternal destination?

Someone who hired a guide to take him through the jungle asked him "where the road was?" The guide replied: "I am the road!" 

If we place our lives in Jesus Christ, He will be the way to heaven, as we obey His Word, and live according to His Will. In this life path, there is much deception given by our enemy Satan. But Jesus is the truth, and will always lead us in the right way. And finally, Jesus is the gift of eternal life, with the Heavenly Father.

You may think, that you can live the way you want to, and do the things that suit you, instead of doing the will of the Lord Jesus Christ. But if you were to die to this life today, than what? Where would you be?

Get on this "precious path" to Jesus today, and be ready to receive the most precious gift God has to give: Life everlasting! GP

Photo by hinnamsaisuy. Published on 19 November 2010 Stock photo - Image ID: 10022944