Introduction

Good morning, family! It's so good to see all your smiling faces here today. We're gathered together to dig deep into the Word of God, to find comfort, inspiration, and guidance for our daily lives. You know, sometimes we come across passages that really speak to us, that seem to echo the very questions and struggles we've been wrestling with. Today, we're going to look at one of those passages.

But before we get into that, let me share something with you. I recently came across a quote from the great Christian author, A.W. Tozer, that really struck a chord. He said, "The most important thing about you is what you think about when you think about God." That's some food for thought, isn't it? It's a reminder that our perception of God shapes our relationship with Him, and that relationship shapes every aspect of our lives.

So, let's turn our hearts and minds to the scripture for today. It comes from Philippians 3:12-16:

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, 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, then, 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."

Isn't that powerful? It's a reminder for us to keep pushing forward, to keep seeking God, no matter where we are in our spiritual walk.

So, let's start our time together with a prayer. Would you bow your heads with me?

Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for the opportunity to gather together as a family in Your name. We ask that You open our hearts and minds to Your Word today. Help us to understand it, to apply it, and to live it out in our daily lives. We thank You for Your love, Your guidance, and Your grace. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

Understanding Our Struggles

When we think about the struggles we face in life, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. We all have our own battles, our own challenges that we're trying to overcome. And sometimes, it can feel like we're fighting these battles alone. But the truth is, we're not alone. We have a God who is with us every step of the way, who understands our struggles and is there to help us through them.

In the scripture we read today, Paul talks about his own struggles. He admits that he hasn't reached his goal, that he hasn't obtained all that he's striving for. But he doesn't let that discourage him. Instead, he keeps pressing on, keeps striving for the prize that God has called him to.

This is a powerful reminder for us. No matter what we're going through, no matter how hard the struggle, we can keep pressing on. We can keep striving for the prize. Because we're not doing it in our own strength. We're doing it in the strength that God provides.

Now, this doesn't mean that our struggles will magically disappear. They won't. But it does mean that we can face them with confidence, knowing that we're not alone. We have a God who is with us, who understands our struggles, and who is there to help us through them.

So, what does this look like in practice? How do we press on in the midst of our struggles?

Firstly, we need to recognize that our struggles are not a sign of failure. They're a sign that we're human, that we're living in a fallen world. And they're a sign that we need God. We can't do this on our own. We need His strength, His guidance, His wisdom. So, when we're facing struggles, the first thing we need to do is turn to God. We need to bring our struggles to Him, to lay them at His feet and ask for His help.

Secondly, we need to remember that our struggles are not the end of the story. They're just a part of it. God has a plan for our lives, a plan that is bigger and better than anything we could imagine. And He's using our struggles to shape us, to mold us, to make us into the people He wants us to be. So, even in the midst of our struggles, we can have hope. We can have confidence. Because we know that God is at work in our lives.

Thirdly, we need to keep our eyes on the prize. We need to keep our focus on God, on His promises, on His love for us. Because when we do that, our struggles start to lose their power. They start to shrink in the light of God's love. And we start to see that we can overcome them, that we can press on, that we can win the prize.

Finally, we need to remember that we're not alone. We have a community of believers around us, people who are facing their own struggles, people who are also pressing on toward the prize. And we can lean on each other, support each other, encourage each other. Because we're all in this together.

The Progress in Christianity

In the light of the scripture, we can see that the apostle Paul is not claiming to have reached perfection ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO