Keeping New Years Simple Series

PHILIPPIANS 3:3 -16 (NASB)

3 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.

2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; 3 for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, 4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.

7 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.

12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. 13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.

Keeping New Year’s Simple

Philippians 3:3 -16 (NASB)

Sometimes New Year's resolutions create more opportunities for failure than success in our lives. I may tell myself, "This year I'm going to turn over a new leaf. I'm going to exercise regularly & lose weight. I'm going to do all kinds of things to improve myself physically & spiritually." But then somehow I forget.

So for a New Year's resolution that we ought to be able to remember and keep. Let's make this one simple resolution we're going to:

DEVELOP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE TOWARD THE CHURCH

So how do we make the necessary changes and what are they?

DEVELOP A POSITIVE OUTLOOK TOWARD LIFE

1. OUR OCCUPATION

Three key issues in life: SHELTER, CLOTHING, FOOD

We are prone to focus on these concerns more than any other.

“So I tell you, don’t worry about the food or drink you need to live, or about the clothes you need for your body. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothes.” – Matt 6:25 Expanded Bible

2. OUR OPTIONS

There are two priorities on which we can focus our life.

1. POSSESSIONS as our goal.

2. RIGHTEOUSNESS of GOD as our goal.

Generally, we are motivated in life by our appetites and passions. As a result, we pursue self-fulfillment and give small attention to the spiritual things of life. We expect that somehow spiritual things will take care of themselves.

3. OUR OBJECTIVES

We can place the priority for our energies and efforts into our comfort.

Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them,

ILL. Jim Valvano was head coach of the N.C. basketball team. He rose to fame when his team started winning championships. Everybody liked him. He was always cracking jokes & had a winning way of dealing with people.

But in 1991 Valvano learned that he had inoperable bone cancer. During Christmas time, 1992, he said, "It's difficult to be thankful this Christmas because I'm not sure I'll be here next Christmas." And he wasn't. He died in 1993. "But," he said, "this Christmas I'm getting down on my knees & thanking God for every day of the 46 years of my life."