How am I choosing to live my life?

—Philippians 3:12–14

Elliot & Andrew – Jan 21, 2018

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Question

How am I choosing to live my life?
What has God corrected in my thinking and actions,
recently and still ongoing?

1 Corinthians 6:19–20

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,
for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthains 3:11–15

For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Summary

The blessings of God are remarkable and unmatched from anywhere else. But so is the submission and obedience that we need to live in if we are to also live in his blessings.

Road-blocks

Can I really trust God like this. How do I know that he really cares about what is important to me?
It can seem very abstract. What does it mean on Monday morning?
I want to live like that, but I don’t know if I am able to

This is about a relationship
- Trusting God is something we grow in.
  2 Cor 10:15 but we hope that as your faith continues to grow
  
  2Th 1:3 your faith is growing abundantly
- Very often it growns through our experience of trusting him and seeing he is faithful
  - That is what I see in my life
  - I see landmark experiences where my faith grew hugely
- But sometimes on the other hand, it comes as a gift, we just know we can trust God
- I’m going to ask Anne now to come up and tell us about her experience

“I know God loves me and cares about me, and will give me what is good for me
- But what is good for me will probably not be very pleasant”
- So I can’t look forward to a happy life
Girl in Bible college who “knew” God would want her to marry a French guy (the thing we least want)

2. It can seem very abstract. What does it mean on Monday morning?

I could continue to speak about how we must die to ourselves and follow Christ

John 12

I tell you the solemn truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it produces much grain.
The one who loves his life destroys it, and the one who hates his life in this world guards it for eternal life.
If anyone wants to serve me, he must follow me, and where I am, my servant will be too. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

Hebrews 12

…we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us,
keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.
For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame,
and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

Road-blocks

Can I really trust God like this. How do I know that he really cares about what is important to me?
It can seem very abstract. What does it mean on Monday morning?
I want to live like that, but I don’t know if I am able to

Philippians 3

Not that I have already attained this — that is, I have not already been perfected — but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have attained this. Instead I am single-minded: Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead,
with this goal in mind, I strive toward the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Challenge

This life will be over so soon.
Will you try and seize it for yourself,
or give it as an offering to God,
trusting that he really does love you?