1.)"There is in store for me the crown." 2 Ti 4:8 NIV
Paul anticipated graduating with highest honors: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown." (vv.7-8 NIV)
By living an unselfish life. There's no greater obstacle to the life God designed you to live, than selfishness. Ego and self-promotion pollute our souls and destroy our relationships. Paul understood the need to dethrone ego. "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20 NIV). This reflected: a.) a change of values. Paul once lived to persecute Christians; now he says, "For to me to live is Christ" (Philip 1:21). b.) A change of ambition. The old Paul, whose goal was to be a recognized champion of religion, says, "but whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ" (Philip 3:7 NIV) c.) A change of mind. The brilliant philosopher, Pharisee and lawyer renounces his self-seeking ways and writes, "Think the same way that Christ Jesus thought" (Philip 2:5 CEV).
2.)"That...day...God will reveal who his children really are". Romans 8:19 NLT
By living a sacrificial life. Salvation is free, but graduation with highest honors costs clearly: "I have suffered the loss of all things" (Philip 3:8). Paul once had a comfortable life, then everything changed. He was beaten almost to death eight times. He faced danger at the hand of friend and foe. He endured nakedness, sleeplessness, starvation, and thirst (2 Co 11:23-29). Despite all of this he states "I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake" (2 Co 12:10 NAS). Three times he asked the Lord to alleviate his suffering. When God replied, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness" (v.9 NLT), he learned to "take pleasure in... insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles" (v.10 NLT, leaning on God for strength. Through "the infinite value of knowing Christ (Philip 3:8 NLT), we can all find joy. Intimacy with was Christ was Paul consuming passion. Though conscious of his problems, he stayed consecrated to his Lord. "For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ (v.8 NLT).
3.)By living a focused life. Great achievers stay focused on their goal. They are so single-minded that they are often considered fanatics. They filter out the extraneous and hone in on their target like a laser, while all around them others lives cluttered with much-talked-about projects that never get off the ground. Paul states "I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the reach and receive the heavenly prize for which God is calling" (vv.13-14 NLT). Graduation with highest honors takes a.)Focus. And focus doesn't happen, you must direct it. b.) Single focus. Focus on one thing. c.)Forgetting past failure d.)Intense anticipation of future success. "Looking forward to what lies ahead. e.)A full-court press. Make sure you finish the race. Take these steps, and you too will graduate with highest honors.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
How to graduate with highest honors 1,2,3-The word for today
1.)"There is in store for me the crown." 2 Ti 4:8 NIV
Paul anticipated graduating with highest honors: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown." (vv.7-8 NIV)
By living an unselfish life. There's no greater obstacle to the life God designed you to live, than selfishness. Ego and self-promotion pollute our souls and destroy our relationships. Paul understood the need to dethrone ego. "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me" (Gal 2:20 NIV). This reflected: a.) a change of values. Paul once lived to persecute Christians; now he says, "For to me to live is Christ" (Philip 1:21). b.) A change of ambition. The old Paul, whose goal was to be a recognized champion of religion, says, "but whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ" (Philip 3:7 NIV) c.) A change of mind. The brilliant philosopher, Pharisee and lawyer renounces his self-seeking ways and writes, "Think the same way that Christ Jesus thought" (Philip 2:5 CEV).
2.)"That...day...God will reveal who his children really are". Romans 8:19 NLT
By living a sacrificial life. Salvation is free, but graduation with highest honors costs clearly: "I have suffered the loss of all things" (Philip 3:8). Paul once had a comfortable life, then everything changed. He was beaten almost to death eight times. He faced danger at the hand of friend and foe. He endured nakedness, sleeplessness, starvation, and thirst (2 Co 11:23-29). Despite all of this he states "I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake" (2 Co 12:10 NAS). Three times he asked the Lord to alleviate his suffering. When God replied, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness" (v.9 NLT), he learned to "take pleasure in... insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles" (v.10 NLT, leaning on God for strength. Through "the infinite value of knowing Christ (Philip 3:8 NLT), we can all find joy. Intimacy with was Christ was Paul consuming passion. Though conscious of his problems, he stayed consecrated to his Lord. "For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ (v.8 NLT).
3.)By living a focused life. Great achievers stay focused on their goal. They are so single-minded that they are often considered fanatics. They filter out the extraneous and hone in on their target like a laser, while all around them others lives cluttered with much-talked-about projects that never get off the ground. Paul states "I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the reach and receive the heavenly prize for which God is calling" (vv.13-14 NLT). Graduation with highest honors takes a.)Focus. And focus doesn't happen, you must direct it. b.) Single focus. Focus on one thing. c.)Forgetting past failure d.)Intense anticipation of future success. "Looking forward to what lies ahead. e.)A full-court press. Make sure you finish the race. Take these steps, and you too will graduate with highest honors.
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