Staying On Course Series

#25, 9-30-07

Staying on Course

Introduction, Achieving your goals

1) Many set goals but never achieve them

2) Many get side-tracked on other things

3) To achieve goals you must stay on course

God has an upward call for you!

1) God has created you for a higher purpose

2) God has called you to salvation, service, to be Christ-like

Text, Philippians 3:14-21

How to stay on course.

I Foster the Right Attitudes (v15)

A. Keep a winning attitude

1. Humility- not yet arrived

2. Hunger for more, dissatisfaction

3. Determined, never give up

B. Avoid falling into wrong attitudes

1. Pride

2. Complacency

3. Loser attitude, looking for excuses

II. Follow the Right Example

Illustration of the young bull elephants in Africa

A. Follow those who follow Christ

1. There are no perfect examples, not even Apostle Paul

2. Observe those who live it

B. Reject ungodly examples (v18,19)

1. Many in the church live as enemies of the cross of Christ

2. Fruit to look for,

Their god is their appetite, they look to please their flesh

They glory in their shame, they mind earthly things

III Focus on the Right Prize (v20,21)

A. Our heavenly citizenship

We have a dual citizenship, of the world and of heaven

B. We will see Jesus

Quote words of song “When We See Christ

C. We will be glorified

Have you gotten off course?

What kind of attitudes do you have?

What examples are you following?

Do you have a earthly or heavenly focus