The Best Is Yet To Come

Philippians 1:21 KJV 1900

21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Introduction

One of the most precious and beautiful gifts we have been given is life. Everyday that we wake up, we are given a new opportunity to do what we have never done, to go where we have never gone, and to be better than we have ever been. I do realize that not all of us enter this life under the same circumstances.

Some of us were born in prosperity, while others were born in poverty.

Some of us were born in good health, while others were born genetic diseases.

Some of us were born in happy homes, while others were born into a living hell.

Some of us were born with ease, while others were born into lives of struggle.

No matter what the circumstances of your birth was, the good news is that most everyone born is given a life of opportunity, blank slate upon which we can paint our own portrait of what we want our lives to become. The question is, what are you going to do with the opportunity that you have been given? What kind of life are you going paint upon your canvas of opportunity?

I have always been a believer in the idea that life is what you make it. I believe that our decisions lay the foundation of our destiny. I believe that our choices determines the quality of the contribution we make in life.

Helen Keller, a woman who was blind and deaf, said, “I will not just live my life. I will not just spend my life. I will invest my life.”

Many of us in here today, have not been good investors in our own lives, because we have not given ourselves to Jesus!

But don’t give up, hold on a little while longer, because the best is yet to come!

Main Outline

Personal Conviction - “For to me…”

When Paul wrote the book of Philippians he was in prison, but in spite of that fact, he was determined to make his life count Jesus Christ.

How I live my life is a matter of personal conviction for me. It matters to me how I live, because I want my life to be a life of value to other people and to God.

You have to be passionate about who you are as a person. You have to be passionate about your integrity, and passionate about your faithfulness, and passionate about your own walk with God.

Romans 12:1–2 “1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

It is important to me, that I… (expound)

Powerful Confession - “to live is Christ…”

Paul is saying that for him, living his life is how he demonstrates Christ. The way he lives his life is an ongoing expression of the love and grace of Jesus, because his life is a reflection of the power of Christ.

It did not matter that he was in prison. It did not matter that he had haters that could not understand how he could be blessed even in bondage. It did not matter that there were even people in the church who despised the work he was doing for Jesus Christ.

Paul’s confession was, “I am going through, so that you can see the perseverance of Christ in me!” And that’s why my confession is so important. I confess…

Isaiah 40:31 “31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings as eagles; They shall run, and not be weary; And they shall walk, and not faint.”

Isaiah 54:17 “17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; And every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”

Philippians 4:13 “13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Philippians 4:19 “19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:28 “28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Promising Conclusion - “to die is gain…”

Many people see death as the end of the journey, but Paul’s perspective of death is that it is a gateway to greater, and an opportunity for gain!

But you must understand, that you cannot have this perspective of death, if you have not lived the right kind of life.

The reality is that we must all come to terms with is this, EVERYBODY is going to live in eternity. The question you have to ask is this, is your eternity going to be spent in heaven or hell.

I don’t know about you, but I am not willing to go through the all the suffering of this life only to end up in a place of eternal suffering!

I want my eternal life to be a promising conclusion to this earthly life.

I want to be in a place…. (Closing)