No matter how long we’ve been a Christian, we never get to a point we don’t need God. We should always be striving to be more like Jesus and the example he set for us. Always talking to our Creator and leaning into his will can help to keep us on the right path.
I think Paul says it best:
Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12-14
This was the Scripture base for this week’s sermon by Jon Porter. The timing is perfect as we are in uncharted territory right now. Leave in the past what was yesterday and begin now to build for a new tomorrow. “I press on”…
Have you ever felt that your faith was less than someone else’s? Maybe they judged you on something from your past. But they may not know who you are today. Can you rise above the hurt you may feel from their judgment? It takes a big person to do that and it’s not easy. But as a Christian, that’s what we have to do.
We need to think in terms of “what Jesus would want” me to do. I’ve been listening to Jon’s sermons for more than 2 years now and I always walk away with a new perspective on the gospel through his eyes and experiences. I appreciate the raw touch of humanism he relates.
As we press on, what are we pressing on toward? Knowing that we are not perfect always leaves room for improvement. But as Jon said,
“self-evaluation can be a dangerous thing, because we can err in two directions: making ourselves better than we are, or… making ourselves worse than we really are.”
Jon Porter
Jesus works in each of us, just as he did in Paul, to make us his own. Becoming a Christian should not be something that is taken lightly. You are replacing your will with Christ’s will. So you forge ahead making Christ’s will your own.
It’s not an easy walk and we will have pitfalls along the way as we are attacked by Satan. But know that you are never alone with the power of Christ.
So what do we do with this? Jon’s advice is to commit to “one thing”. Too often we are too involved in “many things”. What things are diverting you from leaning into Christ? Are you letting past experiences keep you away from church? I’ve been hurt by circumstances in the past that could have caused me to turn away, but I don’t think that what Jesus wants.
There’s a path laid out before you that can help you overcome the hurts and failures of the past take you into the person you are meant to be.
Press on…to the one thing that matters, Jesus Christ.
My little blog post can’t begin to touch the fullness of the message he brings to our small church. You can listen to the online sermon here or better yet, visit us on Sunday morning at 10:30 and catch his sermon live and in person at Milan Christian Church.
In Faith,
Pam
Where God Leads 