Five Keys To A Happy New Year

Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are

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"Preach The Word"

Five Keys To A Happy New Year

Text: Phil.3:12-16
Introduction:
1. In verses 1-11, Paul portrays himself as an accountant--Key words "I count"--Paul was saying I have "new values."
2. In verses 12-16-- Pauls present- He portrays himself as an athlete--Key words are "I press". He has a "new vigor."
3. In verses 17-21--Paul's future- He portrays himself as an alien. The key words are "I Look". He has a new vision.
Let's look at five keys to a happy new year:

I. A Dissatisfaction (v.12-13) "Not as though I had already attained."
Paul was satisfied with Jesus but not with His Christian life. Many people are satisfied with their Christian walk because they compare themselves with other Christians. We must be cautioned about a false estimate of our spiritual condition (Rev.3:1).

II. A Devotion (Phil 3:14b)
Paul said, "This one thing I do." He was like Mary, he focused on worshipping Jesus (Lk.10:42). So, many of us are like Martha who was cumbered about many things. Our focus must be on serving God.

III. A Direction (Phil.3:13c)
"Forgetting those things which are behind." The unsaved are controlled by the past, but the Christian looks forward to the future. The word "forget" does not mean a failure to remember, but rather it means that we are not controlled by the past. We need not be controlled by past sins or past failures.

IV. A Determination (Phil.3:14)
The words "I press" means Paul was putting all his efforts in his Christian life. Two extremes we must avoid: 1. I must do all 2. God must do all.

V. A Discipline (Phil 3:15-16)
We can be disqualified for not keeping the rules. There must be discipline in our Christian lives.
Ills. In 1912 Jim Thorpe won the decathlon and pentathlon, but his medal was stripped because he did not keep the rules.

Sermon From Dr. John Smith

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