The Secret of a Great Life
Philippians 3:13-14
Philippians 3:13-14
Introduction: Someone has well said, "the greatest study of man on earth is the study of man on earth." The study of biography is a fascinating and helpful study. We are interested in lives of men who have succeeded. We would know all we can about them, their beginnings, their struggles, their habits, their viewpoints in life. Today, I would direct your attention to the most remarkable Christian of the centuries, the Apostle Paul. In a burst of confidence when writing to the Philippian Church he lets us into the secret of his great life. "This one thing I do... forgetting the things which are behind, reaching forth unto those things that are before...I press toward the mark..."
We will do well to look into that secret today.
I. The first element is whole-hearted concentration. "This one thing I do" No life can be very great, happy or useful without this element of concentration. Everyone should have his work to do, know what it is, and do it will all his might. Decision is energy and energy is power and power is confidence, and confidence to a remarkable degree contributes to success. Many have failed in life not because of lack of ability, but lack of concentration. The whole world is witness to its power.
One must be our master - Jesus. He says if you would be my disciple "I must come first", before father, mother, brother, or dearest love one. "No man can serve two masters", "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God", "Ye shall seek me and find me when ye search for me with your whole heart".... I must come before business, property, own life. "I must be Lord of all or not Lord at all"
Paul knew the 1st element of a successful life was indispensable to success.. "This one thing" Not a dozen, not two BUT ONE!
II. A second secret of his marvelous life is that he cultivated a wise forgetfulness of the past. Some things we are to remember
Some things we are to wisely forget
What are some of the things we ought to wisely forget...
1. Our blunders
2. Our losses - Losses of all kinds come to us. We need to learn how to get past them and forget them.
3. Life's injuries - In a world of competitions, frictions, and alienations it is difficult to get past the injuries that come in human life. But if you have hate in your life, you have lost the highest perspective of life as long as the poison of hate is allowed in your head and life. Big men do not cherish resentments - They put them out of their lives.
4. Our successes - More men have been spoiled by success than we can measure. There's danger in success anywhere for any man. If he can bear success he can bear anything.
5. Our sorrows - Sooner or later they come to us. We need to learn how to take these sorrows to the great refining, overruling master, and ask him to dispose, to rule and overrule in them and with them that we may come out of them all refined and disciplined, and better educated, and more useful because of such sorrows.
6. Our sins - If Paul had not learned how to forget his sins, he would have been crippled utterly to his grave. Paul consented to the death of Stephen, persecuted the church, was a ringleader in sin, and called himself the chief of sinners. If had not learned how to forget them they would have defeated him. "Where sin abounded - grace did much more", "As far as the east is from the west", "The blood of Jesus Christ cleaneth us from all sin" Jesus paid it all - All to Him I owe - Sin had left its crimson stain - He washed it white as snow.
III. Paul had a right anticipation - "reaching faith"
Paul had the right forward look - Forgetting and reaching forth
May I ask you what is your aim in life?
How are you using your life?
How are you investing your life?
What is the aim of your life?
We will do well to look into that secret today.
I. The first element is whole-hearted concentration. "This one thing I do" No life can be very great, happy or useful without this element of concentration. Everyone should have his work to do, know what it is, and do it will all his might. Decision is energy and energy is power and power is confidence, and confidence to a remarkable degree contributes to success. Many have failed in life not because of lack of ability, but lack of concentration. The whole world is witness to its power.
One must be our master - Jesus. He says if you would be my disciple "I must come first", before father, mother, brother, or dearest love one. "No man can serve two masters", "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God", "Ye shall seek me and find me when ye search for me with your whole heart".... I must come before business, property, own life. "I must be Lord of all or not Lord at all"
Paul knew the 1st element of a successful life was indispensable to success.. "This one thing" Not a dozen, not two BUT ONE!
II. A second secret of his marvelous life is that he cultivated a wise forgetfulness of the past. Some things we are to remember
Some things we are to wisely forget
What are some of the things we ought to wisely forget...
1. Our blunders
2. Our losses - Losses of all kinds come to us. We need to learn how to get past them and forget them.
3. Life's injuries - In a world of competitions, frictions, and alienations it is difficult to get past the injuries that come in human life. But if you have hate in your life, you have lost the highest perspective of life as long as the poison of hate is allowed in your head and life. Big men do not cherish resentments - They put them out of their lives.
4. Our successes - More men have been spoiled by success than we can measure. There's danger in success anywhere for any man. If he can bear success he can bear anything.
5. Our sorrows - Sooner or later they come to us. We need to learn how to take these sorrows to the great refining, overruling master, and ask him to dispose, to rule and overrule in them and with them that we may come out of them all refined and disciplined, and better educated, and more useful because of such sorrows.
6. Our sins - If Paul had not learned how to forget his sins, he would have been crippled utterly to his grave. Paul consented to the death of Stephen, persecuted the church, was a ringleader in sin, and called himself the chief of sinners. If had not learned how to forget them they would have defeated him. "Where sin abounded - grace did much more", "As far as the east is from the west", "The blood of Jesus Christ cleaneth us from all sin" Jesus paid it all - All to Him I owe - Sin had left its crimson stain - He washed it white as snow.
III. Paul had a right anticipation - "reaching faith"
Paul had the right forward look - Forgetting and reaching forth
May I ask you what is your aim in life?
How are you using your life?
How are you investing your life?
What is the aim of your life?
I Met the Master
I had walked life's way with an easy tread,
Had followed where comforts and pleasures led.
Until one day in a quiet place,
I met the Master face to face.
With station and rank and wealth for my soul,
Much thought for my body but none for my soul.
I had entered to win in life's mad race,
When I met the Master face to face.
I met Him and knew Him and blushed to see
That his eyes full of sorrow were fixed on me;
And I faltered and fell at His feet that day,
While my castles melted and vanished away.
Melted and vanished and in their place
Naught else did I see but the Master's face
And I cried aloud, "Oh, make me meet
To follow the steps of Thy wounded feet."
My thought is now for the souls of men.
I have lost my life to find it again,
E'er since one day in a quiet place
I met the Master face to face.
I had walked life's way with an easy tread,
Had followed where comforts and pleasures led.
Until one day in a quiet place,
I met the Master face to face.
With station and rank and wealth for my soul,
Much thought for my body but none for my soul.
I had entered to win in life's mad race,
When I met the Master face to face.
I met Him and knew Him and blushed to see
That his eyes full of sorrow were fixed on me;
And I faltered and fell at His feet that day,
While my castles melted and vanished away.
Melted and vanished and in their place
Naught else did I see but the Master's face
And I cried aloud, "Oh, make me meet
To follow the steps of Thy wounded feet."
My thought is now for the souls of men.
I have lost my life to find it again,
E'er since one day in a quiet place
I met the Master face to face.
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