WEBVTT 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:11.759 You're listening to the road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:00:12.480 --> 00:00:17.679 You cannot have a focused life unless you're dissatisfied with your current life. 00:00:17.920 --> 00:00:19.679 You cannot be transformed. 00:00:19.839 --> 00:00:21.039 You cannot change. 00:00:21.280 --> 00:00:22.879 You cannot be a better athlete. 00:00:23.039 --> 00:00:24.480 You cannot be a better businessman. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:26.000 You can't be a better businesswoman. 00:00:26.160 --> 00:00:27.519 You can't be a better Christian. 00:00:27.679 --> 00:00:34.240 You cannot walk in Christ unless there's a holy dissatisfaction with where you currently are. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:39.359 You've got to be dissatisfied before God can give you a determination to move on. 00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:44.320 You've got to look at your life and go, man, I can do so much better here. 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:50.399 At The Road, our vision is to raise up wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ. 00:00:50.640 --> 00:00:54.960 For more information on The Road, visit theroad.org. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:01:00.320 We hope you are encouraged by today's message from Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:07.840 I want you to quickly look at 1 Corinthians 9. 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:11.359 We're going to be off of the book of Revelation this week. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:13.840 We're going to be off of the book of Revelation today. 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:16.640 I want to challenge us for the coming week. 00:01:16.799 --> 00:01:17.760 Make Jesus great. 00:01:17.920 --> 00:01:18.719 Encourage you to come. 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:26.239 And we are going to start promptly at 6:30, and we're going to end promptly at 8 for you that have kids, especially. 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:28.159 And we're going to come in, we're going to have the teaching. 00:01:28.319 --> 00:01:29.840 We're also going to have worship and prayer. 00:01:29.920 --> 00:01:32.879 It's going to be a time for you to also set goals. 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:34.079 Here's my journal. 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:35.599 This is a journal that I use. 00:01:35.760 --> 00:01:41.599 And I've written down, I've got 22 goals right now for the coming year that I've written down. 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:42.959 And they're not all big. 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:47.840 A lot of them, I have a big family, so a lot of them are related to each one of my children. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:54.959 But if you have a journal, I would say bring your journal this week and take notes on the messages this week. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:56.959 And then let God speak to you. 00:01:57.040 --> 00:02:07.359 And I believe that by this time, Sunday of next week, you're going to have some things that God has said to you and spoken to you that are going to be life-changing. 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:12.639 I want you to look at a passage and I'm going to read actually from the New Living Translation. 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:16.159 I know most of you have the New King James Version, which is what we normally use. 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:20.240 I'll read from that first, but then I want to look at the New Living Translation also. 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:22.560 This is verse 24 and 25. 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:26.960 I'm calling this today contending for the focused life. 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:29.840 Contending for the focused life. 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:38.719 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one, only one, receives the prize. 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:43.520 Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:47.520 All athletes are disciplined in their training. 00:02:47.680 --> 00:02:52.000 Now here's what the New Living Translation says for the first part of this verse. 00:02:52.159 --> 00:03:01.039 Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize, and this is the part I like, so run to win. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:03.840 Run to win. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:11.199 No person outside of Jesus Christ made more of an impact in the civilized world 2,000 years ago. 00:03:11.280 --> 00:03:16.960 And I think it could be argued even historically in the last 2,000 years than the Apostle Paul. 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:18.639 He had no Facebook. 00:03:19.759 --> 00:03:21.759 He had no cell phone. 00:03:22.080 --> 00:03:23.280 He had no internet. 00:03:23.599 --> 00:03:25.120 He had no personal computer. 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:26.879 He didn't even have a laptop. 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:29.840 And yet God mightily used him. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:32.080 And here's why God used him. 00:03:32.240 --> 00:03:33.520 He had a mindset. 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:37.520 We talk about mindset as one word, but why don't we put a hyphen in it? 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:39.199 It's a set of the mind. 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:48.960 It's a mindset that transformed the civilized world at that time in such a powerful way that that's why you're here right now. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:59.759 That's why we're here right now, was because of the work, not only the writings, but also the missionary, pastoral, leadership work of the apostle Paul. 00:03:59.919 --> 00:04:05.840 And he arguably spent a quarter to a third of his adult life in prison. 00:04:07.039 --> 00:04:08.000 In prison. 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:11.120 And yet God powerfully used him. 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:13.520 And here's what we're going to do today, this morning, really quick. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:15.840 We're going to make a little journey into Philippians. 00:04:15.919 --> 00:04:18.480 So now turn to the book of Philippians. 00:04:18.879 --> 00:04:24.879 The book of Philippians is about a mindset, and we're not going to go through the whole book of Philippians this morning. 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:27.279 So don't start leaving. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:29.920 But what we are going to do is we're going to look at chapter three. 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:48.240 We're going to look at chapter three, because chapter three, I believe, is one of those seminal passages in all of the New Testament that gives us an idea of how Paul thought, how he set his mind, how he disciplined his mind toward a vision and toward a goal. 00:04:48.319 --> 00:04:50.319 I'm going to talk about vision tomorrow night. 00:04:50.399 --> 00:04:56.160 So Monday night, I'm going to talk about how you get a vision from the Lord and why getting a vision is important. 00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:57.439 For anything. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:05:02.560 I mean, for some of you this year, God's calling you to write a book. 00:05:02.800 --> 00:05:06.000 For some of you this year, God's calling you to start a company. 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:20.240 For some of you this year, God's put before you a task that you're supposed to do in your work that's going to make Jesus great through God's power flowing through you in a supernatural, powerful way. 00:05:21.279 --> 00:05:23.040 Well, how do you know that? 00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:23.920 How do you get that? 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:26.160 Well, that's what we're going to talk about tomorrow night, more than that. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:29.439 But right now I want to talk about a mindset, the mindset of Paul. 00:05:29.600 --> 00:05:40.319 And if I could give a theme over the book of Philippians, it would be the mindset, a mindset set on Jesus that produces joy. 00:05:40.560 --> 00:05:42.160 A mindset set on Jesus. 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:46.800 Over 40 times Christ Jesus and God is mentioned. 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:54.959 Joy is mentioned over 15 times, and mind is mentioned over 10 times in the book of Philippians. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:57.519 So chapter one, just a real quick summation. 00:05:57.680 --> 00:06:00.800 Chapter one is being single-minded. 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:04.160 Chapter one is about being single-minded to live as Christ. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:08.000 Chapter two is about being submitted in mind. 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:11.680 So chapter one is single-mindedness to live as Christ. 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:16.560 Chapter two is a submitted mind to have the mind of Christ. 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:22.560 And then chapter three, which is where we're going to settle for just a few verses, is the selfless mind. 00:06:22.720 --> 00:06:24.959 So a single mind, submitted mind. 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:27.199 Now chapter three, a selfless mind. 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:38.879 And I want to quickly go through the first part of chapter three, and then we're going to look at five ways that Paul gave us to have a focused life. 00:06:39.199 --> 00:06:40.240 A focused life. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:41.680 So let's start at verse one. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.720 Finally says, My brethren, rejoice in the Lord. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:49.439 For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. 00:06:49.600 --> 00:06:51.199 Now let's just start with it. 00:06:51.279 --> 00:06:52.480 He's in prison. 00:06:53.040 --> 00:06:53.360 Okay? 00:06:53.839 --> 00:06:55.439 So here's the deal, folks. 00:06:55.600 --> 00:06:57.439 He is rejoicing in the Lord. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:00.160 He's not rejoicing in his circumstances. 00:07:00.399 --> 00:07:01.920 A lot of times that's misunderstood. 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:07.199 When we teach about how do we handle adverse circumstances, you're not supposed to rejoice in your circumstances. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:13.199 You're called by God to rejoice in the Lord, in your circumstances. 00:07:13.439 --> 00:07:16.079 He's in prison and he's rejoicing in the Lord. 00:07:16.160 --> 00:07:22.480 And some of us here, you've got some pretty horrible circumstances to start the year. 00:07:23.279 --> 00:07:26.079 You may be struggling with bankruptcy. 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:30.480 You may be struggling with a marriage that's not all that it should be. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:34.720 You may be struggling with some new knowledge about some stuff that's happening in your kids' life. 00:07:34.879 --> 00:07:41.120 It could be that you've been single and you really want to be married and you just had to break off that relationship and it's a struggle for you, and you're battling. 00:07:41.360 --> 00:07:43.439 Some of you are battling with pornography. 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:45.519 Some of you have an addiction. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:56.079 Well, I want to start off with saying right here the mindset of Paul, it's not even one of my points, this is just a lead up, but it's rejoice in the Lord. 00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:01.199 When you come on Sunday morning, rejoice in the Lord. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:06.160 We decided to shake things up a little because nobody's here for announcements usually. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:08.879 So we're going to start with worship. 00:08:09.120 --> 00:08:14.720 And here's what I want to encourage you to do: go in there, get your coffee, get your donut, whatever. 00:08:14.879 --> 00:08:18.160 You know, for you that are more healthy, get an apple, a banana, whatever. 00:08:18.399 --> 00:08:18.959 Do that. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:22.879 But at 8.55, be in here this year. 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:36.159 And when that first song starts, raise your hands, raise your hearts, and rejoice in the Lord, no matter how lousy your circumstances are, because they could be getting lousier this year. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:38.639 What are you gonna do in your heart? 00:08:38.879 --> 00:08:40.320 It's a choice that we make. 00:08:40.399 --> 00:08:42.559 And then he says, beware of dogs. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:45.200 I love my dog. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:46.879 He's not talking about dogs. 00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:49.600 Beware of evil workers and beware of the mutilation. 00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:57.840 He was talking about the Judaizers at that time that basically were going around Asia Minor teaching that you had to become a Jew before you had to become a Christian. 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:04.639 So that it wasn't for by grace alone through faith, it was through works that you came to Christ. 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:12.799 And grace was the opportunity you had to put your faith in Christ, but the real proof was the works of the Ten Commandments in your life. 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:14.960 And so he said, beware of people like that. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:18.480 And they were even talking that you had to be physically circumcised. 00:09:18.639 --> 00:09:19.840 Look at verse 3. 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:21.759 For we are the circumcision. 00:09:21.840 --> 00:09:29.759 He's talking about the circumcision of the heart, who worship God in the spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, have no confidence in the flesh. 00:09:29.919 --> 00:09:31.039 I ought to underline that. 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:33.759 No confidence in the flesh. 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:38.320 And now he tells us why he should have confidence in the flesh. 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:45.919 He says, though I also might have confidence in the flesh, if anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more than them. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:10:02.559 Circumcised the eighth day of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness which is in the law, I was blameless. 00:10:02.799 --> 00:10:12.720 And so here's a guy that as much as he could as a Pharisee, as a man of the word of God, a man of the law of God, blameless. 00:10:13.600 --> 00:10:17.919 He will say in Romans that what he struggled with was coveting. 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:21.440 But he was blameless in his outward behavior. 00:10:21.600 --> 00:10:23.440 He went to church every Sunday. 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:25.120 He was involved in the church. 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:27.759 Every time the door was opened, he was there. 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:35.759 I mean, he did it all and he said, look, I'm not going to put any of my confidence, even in my education, or even in my past experience. 00:10:35.919 --> 00:10:39.200 I mean, he studied under Gamala, you guys. 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:43.919 This was the Harvard professor of the Middle East. 00:10:44.080 --> 00:10:50.320 Even in secular writings, Gamalael is considered one of the greatest teachers of the law of all time. 00:10:50.480 --> 00:10:55.919 He was an up and coming star in Judaism, and he gave all that up to follow Christ. 00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:57.360 Look at verse 7. 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:02.559 But what things were gained to me, these I've counted loss for Christ. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:04.799 So he put it all on the line. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:11.360 He gave up everything, and he he didn't say that he just counted everything as lost. 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:12.480 Look at verse 8. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:24.639 Yet indeed I also count all things lost for the excellent knowledge of Jesus Christ, my Lord, for whom I've suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:29.919 So he not only counted suffering, he actually did suffer. 00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:49.200 And be found in him, not having my own righteousness which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith, that I may know him in the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, if by any means I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:54.399 So Paul, that's an introduction now to his focused life. 00:11:54.639 --> 00:12:02.320 Paul had a focused life, that of knowing Christ, of loving Christ with all of his fiber. 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:05.600 Everything that he had, heart, soul, mind, and strength. 00:12:05.679 --> 00:12:07.200 And we're gonna talk about this this week. 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:16.240 As we move into the week, we're gonna know how do you love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. 00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:28.240 I'm gonna show you a diagram that I've put together of how we can begin to focus our life on loving God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbors ourselves. 00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:29.679 That affects our job. 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:31.440 That affects how we handle money. 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.000 Some of you've never learned how to handle money. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:40.240 You're constantly living with a spirit of poverty. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:43.919 I know because I came out of that kind of a background. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:45.840 You know, save, save, save. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:47.519 And I believe in saving, of course. 00:12:47.679 --> 00:12:53.919 But the generosity factor was just thrown out the window because all we cared about was security. 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:56.399 That's a poverty mentality. 00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:58.320 I love what John Wesley said. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:02.399 He said, make all you can, give all you can, and save all you can. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:03.600 Isn't that awesome? 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:04.480 I love that. 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:06.960 And we've tried, as the whole, to live that our whole life. 00:13:07.039 --> 00:13:09.679 Save all we can, give all we can, and make all we can. 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:10.639 Well, how do you do that? 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:15.840 Well, it's part of being in a focused understanding of knowing and loving Christ. 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:16.960 So here's five steps. 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:19.679 I see five steps here toward a focused life. 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:20.720 So jot these down. 00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:24.559 Starting in verse 12, Paul gives us an insight into his thinking. 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:28.879 And I believe this is the insight at the road that we want to have in the new year. 00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:40.000 Not, I love the way he starts, not that I have already attained it or am already perfected, but I press on. 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:49.039 I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:52.559 So number one, first thing, dissatisfaction. 00:13:52.879 --> 00:13:55.279 Number one, dissatisfaction. 00:13:55.440 --> 00:14:00.399 You cannot have a focused life unless you're dissatisfied with your current life. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:10.320 You cannot be transformed, you cannot change, you cannot be a better athlete, you cannot be a better businessman, you can't be a better businesswoman, you can't be a better Christian. 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:17.039 You cannot walk in Christ unless there's a holy dissatisfaction with where you currently are. 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:22.159 You've got to be dissatisfied before God can give you a determination to move on. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:27.360 You've got to look at your life and go, man, I can do so much better here. 00:14:28.080 --> 00:14:34.480 I am not accessing the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in this area of my life. 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:37.039 I mean, some of you have a drinking problem. 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:40.879 I mean, you're drinking too much alcohol. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:42.879 I'm not against drinking alcohol. 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:53.200 I'm talking about excess and drinking alcohol, and you are, you're borderline getting yourself in trouble right now because you're starting to just, you know, you're starting to crave that stuff. 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:55.279 Some of you are smoking pot. 00:14:56.000 --> 00:14:59.759 Some of us here are embezzling money. 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:03.440 And when you heard the stuff about taxes, you're going, I'm not gonna pay any taxes. 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:04.639 I said no problem for me. 00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:06.559 I don't need Ryan's email. 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:15.039 You've got to be dissatisfied with where you're at if you want more of God's blessings. 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:18.080 Absolutely true. 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:19.519 Paul. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:21.440 I mean, he's amazing. 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:24.480 Paul has experienced visions and dreams. 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:27.919 He's been in the third heaven, whatever that is. 00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:28.559 We don't know. 00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:37.919 But he was lifted up into heaven, he saw things in heaven he speaks of that he says, I can't even write about them because they're indescribable. 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:40.559 And he's not satisfied. 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:48.080 He was speaking, and if any of you have ever fallen asleep on one of my sermons, grace upon you, because it happened to Paul. 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:53.039 I'm in good standing with men of God who've put people to sleep. 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:58.639 I am a sometimes a spiritual anesthesiologist, but I don't get paid as well. 00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:06.559 But but Paul one time was preaching, and a guy, it says that sleep came upon him, and he fell out a third-story window. 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:12.559 He was taken up dead, and Paul wrapped his arms around him and brought life back into his body. 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:14.720 He raised people from the dead. 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:26.720 He was so anointed of the Lord that they that the that the sweat headband that he wore was taken off and he was and it was laid on people and they got healed in one instance. 00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:28.960 And he says, I'm not satisfied. 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:38.240 I mean, if anybody should retiring and writing just books and hanging out and fly fishing, it's Paul. 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:40.480 He said, I'm not satisfied. 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:43.120 Men and women, are you satisfied? 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:47.440 If you're satisfied, then I guarantee you you won't be here this week. 00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:50.240 Because you don't have anything that you need. 00:16:50.399 --> 00:16:54.799 And so just keep coming and maybe someday you'll get it. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:17:03.519 But ask God, Lord, is are there things in my life that they're not what they should be? 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:05.680 Have I grown satisfied? 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:08.319 I like what Jay Vernon McGee one time said. 00:17:08.400 --> 00:17:08.720 I love this. 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:09.920 I saw heard this one time. 00:17:10.079 --> 00:17:14.000 He said, Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:17.359 Today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday. 00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:22.240 Because what happens is you're either going to be focused or you're going to be worried. 00:17:23.279 --> 00:17:28.720 And I know because I am the Emmy award-winning worrier in this room. 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:30.720 Just ask my wife. 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:37.200 I worry about trivial things more than anybody, and that is where I am going. 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:39.839 Let me tell you, that's where I'm going in 2017. 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:46.000 I want to break off this trivial pursuit in my life. 00:17:46.319 --> 00:17:47.680 The game is great. 00:17:47.759 --> 00:17:50.000 I just don't like living it in my life. 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:51.599 Trivial pursuit. 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:56.319 Some of you are so trivialized, and you're worried about so many trivial things. 00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:04.960 And until you start to take something greater than your trivialities of your own life, you will continue to be worried about trivial things. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:07.519 And so I'm saying, be dissatisfied. 00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:12.000 Ask God to make you dissatisfied, holy dissatisfaction. 00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:13.119 Verse 12. 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:18.640 Not that I've already attained or am already perfected, but I press on. 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:19.599 Underline that. 00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:20.480 Highlight that. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:21.440 Circle that. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:27.119 I press on that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has laid hold of me. 00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:27.920 Number two. 00:18:28.079 --> 00:18:33.599 First, dissatisfaction, but dissatisfaction leads to number two, which is determination. 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:35.039 Determination. 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:46.079 Pressing in to know Jesus, to love Jesus, to follow Jesus, to be a wholehearted disciple of Jesus. 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:48.880 It is a pressing, those are his words. 00:18:49.119 --> 00:18:52.160 It is the same idea of running a race. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:19:01.519 He's using the words of a runner pressing his chest toward the tape to be the first one to break the tape. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:12.400 And you may remember that Paul spent the majority of his time, one of the only times where he spent a lengthy time was at Ephesus. 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:14.480 He was in Ephesus for three years. 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:17.359 And Ephesus had one of the largest arenas. 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:25.359 I've had different commentaries say different things, but somewhere between 50 and 70,000 spectators could be in this arena. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:32.160 And it is believed that at least some of the Olympic Games were held in the first century in Ephesus. 00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:35.920 So it could be that Paul had seen those games. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:37.920 He had seen the Olympic Games. 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:56.240 He had seen those runners, and that picture was lodged in his heart, was lodged in his mind, and that's why he uses metaphors like farmer, athlete, runner, and wrestler in his descriptions, in his epistles of what it's like to live the Christian life. 00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:58.640 The Christian life is a pressing. 00:19:59.759 --> 00:20:01.359 It is a listen to this. 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:05.200 It is a vibrant pursuit of the heart. 00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:10.240 It is a vibrant pursuit of the heart. 00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:16.880 For many of us, Christianity is just one of the boxes of our religious world that we live in. 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:17.839 Well, I went to church. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.200 Alright, due church. 00:20:19.440 --> 00:20:23.440 Paul saw it continually and competitively different. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:37.200 He saw it as a vibrant pursuit of the heart where he wanted to be a winner in his understanding of the love of God and his grasp of knowing Christ in his life. 00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:41.119 And so we know what being a winning athlete is like. 00:20:41.279 --> 00:21:02.079 To me, looking at Paul in Philippians 3 is not unlike being in a room with someone like a John Wooden, you know, who took UCLA to 10 out of 12 years to national championships in basketball at UCLA, or a Coach K at Duke, or a George Mueller, or Jay Hudson Taylor. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:07.039 You know, having that opportunity to spend an hour or two with them and say, well, how do you, I mean, how do you think, man? 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:09.359 I mean, you you're just crazy. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:11.279 The things you've done. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:14.000 Your accomplishments are amazing. 00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:16.720 They're basically supernatural. 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:20.240 Paul's showing us how he saw that. 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:23.039 That pursuit, that determination. 00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:43.440 It's so many, I I mean, I can't divulge confidentiality, but many of you this year have come to me, or you've come to Ryan, or you've come to George, or you've come to Paul, or some of our shepherds and stewards saying, you know, my marriage is in trouble. 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:48.640 I've got this issue in my life. 00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:51.599 I want that to change. 00:21:52.640 --> 00:21:55.359 I am not satisfied with where I'm at. 00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:57.039 And then you've done it. 00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:58.960 You've done it. 00:21:59.200 --> 00:21:59.680 You're doing 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:00.559 It. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:02.319 You're in a D group. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:03.759 You're in a C group. 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:05.599 You're getting the counseling that you need. 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:06.319 You're going out. 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:07.920 That's determination. 00:22:09.680 --> 00:22:11.680 Courageous integrity. 00:22:12.720 --> 00:22:13.759 Courageous integrity. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:15.119 Let me give you a quote. 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:19.519 Integrity is choosing courage over comfort. 00:22:20.559 --> 00:22:27.359 Choosing what is right over what is fun, fast, or easy. 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:32.960 Choosing to practice our values rather than simply professing them. 00:22:34.160 --> 00:22:38.400 That's what I call courageous integrity. 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:54.559 For many of us, it's more now in your life than just following Christ, it's wanting to be a whole-hearted disciple of Christ, to experience more of Jesus in your life and heart. 00:22:54.799 --> 00:23:02.480 To not, listen, to not just have Christ living within us, but then Christ living through us. 00:23:03.359 --> 00:23:07.359 You see, see, Christ living within us happens at salvation. 00:23:07.599 --> 00:23:11.039 Christ living through us is what we call sanctification. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:16.480 So there is a within us part which you gotta have first, and that's called salvation. 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:18.240 And Paul was never satisfied. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:20.400 Here's the thing that's amazing about Paul. 00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:30.000 He never got over the joy of his salvation, but he was never satisfied with the joy of his salvation. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.119 He wanted more. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:36.240 Not just Christ within us, but Christ living through us. 00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:53.440 So how does Christ in his resurrection power live through your business, through your nursing, through your accounting, through your coaching, through your teaching, through being a housewife and a mother? 00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:58.000 How does the power of Christ and the love of Christ flow through your singleness? 00:23:58.799 --> 00:24:06.880 As a student, as one who maybe has recently gone through a miserable divorce. 00:24:07.839 --> 00:24:12.480 How do we go from just God living within us to living through us? 00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:14.160 That's determination. 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:19.279 That determination for more of God's power flowing through us. 00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:21.359 Verse 13. 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:25.920 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended. 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:28.079 So there's that dissatisfaction. 00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:31.440 But one thing I do. 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:33.599 One thing I do. 00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:35.599 Number three, direction. 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:39.279 Dissatisfaction, determination, and now direction. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:42.480 One thing I do, not a hundred things I dabble in. 00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:44.799 Paul had a direction for his life. 00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.920 He had a vision for his life. 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:47.680 I'm going to talk about that tomorrow night. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:49.680 This vision, how do we get a vision? 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:52.799 Why does it say without a vision the people perish? 00:24:52.960 --> 00:24:57.119 Why does it say without revelation the people are unconstrained? 00:24:57.359 --> 00:24:58.799 Well, there's a reason for that. 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:01.519 So he's saying there's a vision for you. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:03.039 There's a goal. 00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:07.119 If your vision in life is to be happy, you're going to be miserable. 00:25:08.400 --> 00:25:13.359 If your vision in life is to be happy, you're going to be miserable because it's not a goal. 00:25:14.000 --> 00:25:15.119 It's the result. 00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:23.680 And there's nobody I know, take it from me after all these years, there's nobody I know who knows more about happiness than Jesus Christ. 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:33.839 There's nobody in all of eternity, in all of the realm of the spirit and the physical, in the three-dimensional world, and the fourth-dimensional world that knows more about joy than Jesus Christ. 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:37.359 And Jesus Christ, when he becomes our goal, we get happiness. 00:25:37.519 --> 00:25:38.400 We get joy. 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:40.880 But Jesus must be our goal. 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:42.720 It's about direction. 00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:43.680 What's the direction? 00:25:43.839 --> 00:25:44.880 Get rich. 00:25:45.599 --> 00:25:46.400 What's the direction? 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:47.519 Make as much money as you can. 00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:48.000 That's fine. 00:25:48.079 --> 00:25:52.240 As long as you're going to give it up give it to the Lord and bring glory to him through it. 00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:56.480 Paul's rejoicing in the Lord, and he's in prison. 00:25:56.799 --> 00:26:02.079 He's in prison right now and he's got joy because he's got direction and he's got vision for his life. 00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:03.279 So direction. 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:06.880 Forgetting those things which are behind. 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:10.319 Now here's the part that's really, really hard. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:16.799 Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. 00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:18.960 I'm going to give you a new word. 00:26:19.440 --> 00:26:22.559 I didn't even know it was a word, but it had to start with a D. 00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:30.640 So we were sitting out by the fire, Isaac, I think it was Isaac, me, I think my son Daniel. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:36.960 We were sitting around the fire and I said, How do I say like forgetting the past and it starts with a D? 00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:40.480 And then I think Isaac said, disremember. 00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:43.839 And I went, Yeah, that's a good word. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:44.720 Is it real? 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:45.279 It is. 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:46.079 It's a real word. 00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:46.880 Disremember. 00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:48.000 So there's your fourth point. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:49.119 Disremember. 00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:50.640 It's a real word. 00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:52.559 Forgetting the past. 00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:56.960 I mean, if anybody had so much to be proud of, it was Paul. 00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:59.440 Paul had planted numerous churches. 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:03.039 Paul had a PhD for his generation. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:09.119 He had raised up disciples all over the uh all over Asia Minor. 00:27:09.359 --> 00:27:10.720 He had suffered for Christ. 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:13.599 He had so much he could be proud of, so much he could brag about. 00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:15.519 And he's forgetting about the past. 00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:19.839 He's disremembering the past. 00:27:21.119 --> 00:27:30.559 And I think the reason is because the past, especially a positive past and a good past, often does the opposite of what we think it's going to do. 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:33.200 It actually sometimes doesn't create confidence. 00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:41.599 It actually creates a mild form of satisfaction that actually inhibits us from going for more. 00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:45.839 So Paul saw it as a forgetting of the past. 00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:49.839 And also remember about Paul, Paul had persecuted the church. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:28:01.839 So I believe we don't have exactly the words in the New Testament to verify this, but it would appear that Paul actually was a part of the killing of many believers. 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:11.519 So murder was in his background, at least in a secondary form, because he was capturing the Christians and taking them to prison, and many of them possibly were executed. 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:12.640 And so he had that. 00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:17.839 And some of you have stuff you're ashamed of in your past. 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:21.039 And that shame, you've never faced that shame. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:24.079 I want to encourage you to face that shame. 00:28:24.400 --> 00:28:33.200 But then we've got to begin to renew our minds to allow the blood of Christ to forgive us, and we've got to disremember. 00:28:33.359 --> 00:28:46.240 We've got to move on with a new vision and a new direction and a new determination based in a dissatisfaction with where we currently are and move on to greatness to make Jesus great in our lives. 00:28:47.200 --> 00:28:52.640 So we look at our lives and we say, those kind of people. 00:28:53.599 --> 00:28:57.599 I just, I just can't stand those kind of people. 00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:05.839