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“PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL” PHILLIPPIANS 3: This Sunday as we come together it is a New Year Many folks made New Years resolutions last evening and this morning as the New Year began and over the next few days more folks will be making more resolutions for 2012 for many reasons regarding making changes in their lives. Some will be kept, but many will fail within the first few months and perhaps the first weeks of the new year. What are some we can make that are worth keeping?

I. There are 2 Ways to Look at the Past A. Generally as a rule we make resolutions based on the Past, most of the time this is due to some “negative” event or situation we have experienced. We don’t want to experience it again. We want something better in our lives.

I. There are 2 Ways to Look at the Past 1. We can be MOTIVATED to make serious Resolutions based on Experiences and Examples I Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” Romans 15:4 “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Therefore - Learn and move forward by improving our lives.

I. There are 2 Ways to Look at the Past B. OR - We can actually be Motivated by “Regrets” and “Desires” to stay where we are presently or return to where we were at somewhere in the past. -Not always the best decision Luke 9:62 “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

II. WE HAVE OPTIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE A. We can do nothing all – continuing down the same path. – That is pretty easy to do, it doesn’t take much effort or time or numbers of people.

II. WE HAVE OPTIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE WE CAN WALLOW AND CARRY ON IN ALL THE “NEGATIVES” OF THE PAST, The “I CAN’T” - “WE CAN’T” “That’s been tried” “That doesn’t work” “Other’s tried that and it didn’t work there” There are not enough interested, we are not “big enough”…………………………………………………….. ETC., ETC., ETC., ETC., ………………………………..

II. WE HAVE OPTIONS REGARDING THE FUTURE B. OR - we can “Learn the lessons” of the past. Make the Necessary Changes and Adjustments in Our Lives and “PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL”. PHILLIPIANS 3:14 Growing where need to grow. Forgetting What needs to be forgotten!!!!!! PHILLIPIANS 3:

III. WHAT WILL BE THE GOALS WE PRESS TOWARD A. Personally, it may be many things that we resolve to accomplish over the coming year. Change some habits Lose weight Change jobs Go to college Pay off certain bills Get a New Car/Truck

III. WHAT WILL BE THE GOALS WE PRESS TOWARD B.REGARDING THE CHURCH AT ANTIOCH 1.GROW THE CHURCH - TOP OF THE LIST?????? a.But WE Must Grow OURSELVES as Individual’s and as Christians, before the Church will grow. b.PHILLIPIANS 4:8 - II PETER 3:18 c.This doesn’t leave a lot of room to dwell on the Negatives.

III. WHAT WILL BE THE GOALS WE PRESS TOWARD To Grow the Church, we must “PRESENT” the Church to the World, by “PRESENTING” Ourselves as the Church. Living - Breathing - Working – Christians ROMANS 12:1,

III. WHAT WILL BE THE GOALS WE PRESS TOWARD C. Presenting the “MESSAGE OF LIFE” and not being ASHAMED TO DO SO. ALLOWING and GIVING GOD’S POWER TO WORK ROMANS 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

III. WHAT WILL BE THE GOALS WE PRESS TOWARD C. TO LIVE IN HEAVEN II TIMOTHY 4:7 – 8 “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”

CONCLUSION We “press toward the goal” by how we view the past. We can do nothing We can wallow in it and make excuses OR - we can “Learn the lessons” of the past. Make the Necessary Changes and Adjustments in Our Lives and “PRESS ON TOWARD THE GOAL”. PHILLIPIANS 3:14

What Must One do to be Saved? HEAR the Message of Christ - ROMANS 10:17 BELIEVE that Message - MARK 16:16 JOHN 8:24 REPENT of your Sins - LUKE 13:3 ACTS 2:38 CONFESS Christ as Lord ROMANS 10:10 ACTS 8:37-38 Be Baptized ACTS 2:38, 22:16, GALATIANS 3:27