Taking It To The Next Level
“Program of Progress”
By:Pastor Donny Granberry
For the next couple of weeks or so we are going to be looking at different means of taking it to the next level.
When many students graduate High School, they will go to a College or University to further their education in an effort to take their knowledge to the next level.
Associates Degree, Bachelor of Arts Degree, Masters Degree, and Doctorate’s Degree are a process of “Taking it to the Next Level.”
You take a child from T-Ball, Minor League, Major League, Colt League, Pony League, High School Baseball, and then if he gets a scholarship, to College Baseball.
Then if he gets drafted, he goes from Class A, AA-ball, AAA-ball, then if he is really good he goes to the show, Major League Ball.
Then All-Stars, Play-off’s, and The World Series.
This is a process of “Taking it to the Next Level.”
Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft Corp. went from a nerdy guy building computers and software in a garage to becoming the wealthiest man in the world in a period of about 25-30 years.
He kept “Taking it to the Next Level.”
The same principles apply to our spiritual lives.
In our text today, we find that the Hebrew Christians were failing.
Hebrews 6:1 NIV
Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God.
Taking it to the next level is a “Process of Progress.”
There are three things we must consider if we desire to progress in our effort to “Take it to the Next Level.”
Today we look at “The Process of Progress.”
Philippians 3:12-14 NIV
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, 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, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
In this text, we see that Paul was very intent on progressing to the next level.
• I press on to take hold for what Jesus took hold of me.
• I may have not taken hold yet, but I’m working on it.
Paul was not a casual Christian.
Some people are so terrified of the process that they seem to never progress.
ILLUSTRATION
Here is the life of Maddie Mae, for her life held no terror, born a maid, died a maid, no hits, no runs, no errors.
No hits, no runs, no errors.
ILLUSTRATION (Babe Ruth)
Baseball great, Babe Ruth, considered to be one of the best to ever play the game did not have a great beginning.
STATS
Played for 22 years. 1914-1935.
2,873 hits, 506 doubles, 136 triples, 714 HR’s, 2213 RBI’s,
.342 BA.
Called the Bambino, The Sultan of Swat.
In his 1st four years hit only 9 HR’s, and after year 5 had only 20 HR.s
¼ of his career was mediocre, but in the next 17 years he progressed into one of the greatest hitters in baseball.
During that 17 year period, he averaged right at 41 HR’s a game.
• Paul begins this text by confessing that he is not all that he wants to be, or will be, but he is striving.
• He had not yet attained, but he was striving to attain.
• He is not sitting on his sofa, sipping Iced Tea and Lemonade and coasting through life without leaving his mark.
Natural growth is spontaneous, but spiritual growth requires effort and diligence.
2 Peter 1:2-11 NIV
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10 Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
There are key elements in the process to progress.
a. Forgetting What is Behind
If given the opportunity, the enemy will attempt to keep you in your past.
If we stay focused on our past, we will never be able to see into our future.
You will never be a visionary if you cannot see your future.
I had a Lab when we were in Vidor, and I kept her on a chain.
In a few days she had worn the ground to dirt all the way to the end of her chain.
She would take off and stop at the dirt, just before the grass.
One day I had taken her chain off and she took off running, but she stopped at the place where she knew she could go no further.
She had forgotten that the chain had been removed and thought that she could go no further.
There are some here today that God has set free.
He has removed your shackles and chains and set you free, yet you keep going to the place where you are reminded of your chains and stopping.
Moses had to go back to the place where his chain had ended previously, before he could discover that his chain had been
Paul said, “Forgetting those things which are behind.”
Not only do we need to forget what is behind, we need to …
b. Strain Toward What is Ahead
This could also be called Sanctification.
Sanctification – Putting off Sin, Putting on Christ.
Paul said in essence, I am not all that I want to be, neither am I all that I’m going to be, but Thanks to Calvary, I’m not what I used to be.
This process continues throughout our whole lifetime, and we need to continually make progress in it.
We must remember that the same field that grows weeds, thorns, Cactus, and Cockburn’s, when taken through a process will also produce fruits and vegetables.
What is the Difference? The Process of Progress.
Progress is never easy; it takes hard work and diligence.
It in past couple of weeks since having knee-replacement surgery I have to do physical therapy every day.
If I opt not to exercise, I will never regain full ability in my knee.
The very first day, the extent of my rehab began with just getting my knee to bend a little and get my leg over the side of the bed.
Then we went on a walk down the hallway with a walker.
This week I began going up stairs, knee flexes, bends, and using weights.
Does it hurt? You bet but I have to remind myself, this is a process of progress.
Right now I am straining toward.
I have not attained yet, but I am diligently working towards that goal.
We must forget the past, we must strain toward, and we must …
c. Press Toward the Goal to Win the Prize.
There is a final reward to those who remain faithful.
Those who remain faithful will remain fruitful.
No one is a Natural, at being a Christian or becoming what God wants us to be.
To “Take it to the Next Level,” we must Forget the past, Strain Toward the future, and Press Toward the Goal.
SONG (Higher Ground)
I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining everyday, still praying as, I’m homeward bound, Lord plant my feet on Higher Ground.
