WK 3 - S P E L L I T O U T

Why We Do What We Do

US Marine basic training

Crucible hill

What lies on top of the hill?

In our Christian walk, there will be challenges. Hills and valleys.

There is not a detail too insignificant in your life for God to care about

How you spend your time, the decisions you make, the relationships that you have…

… yet these things aren’t ultimate. These things aren’t the highest goal.

Focus! Keep your eyes on the Prize

Philippians 3:10–14 CSB

My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead. Not that I have already reached the goal or am already perfect, but I make every effort to take hold of it because I also have been taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly call in Christ Jesus.

Notice Paul’s goal here

not girlfriend. Not money. Not fame.

To know Jesus. To know His life-giving Power. To know eternal security.

We are people with an amazing, incomprehensible hope

It is mission critical to know the promised goal (the destination) and push onward to meet that goal

Set your eyes and heart on the Promised land

Promised Land chocolate milk? I’m more of a Lucerne chocolate milk guy. Either way- I have my eyes set on the prize when Elle and I walk into the grocery store. I turn into a 5-year milk

“Chocky milk make pain go away”

You are being brought into the Promised land

Yet- there’ll be diversions and stumbling stones.. sometimes you’ll get stuck in a trench

“Forget what is behind”

Here are some of the things that detain us from the prize that lays ahead:

Perfectionism & Shame

We struggle. We still sin.

Waiting to take Elle on a date.. to marry her.. I wasn’t perfect. We weren’t perfect. But everything changed when our hearts were captivated by God and His beauty first.

Perfect grades. Perfect friendships and reputations

What we say- our words

“Heaven is for Real”

Whistling for Lucky, your long dead dog, to come. Eating your favorite snack

No- Isaiah in the throne room says “Woe is me! For I am a man of unclean lips”

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

2 Corinthians 5:21 ESV

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Doubt

caught in limbo

Don’t forsake what you know to be true for what you don’t know to be true

Discouragement

We are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:17)

Boredom and disinterest

More interested in money. In romantic relationships. (I have struggled with these things)

This time in between, from now until glory, may feel more like Call of Duty Advanced Warfare *yawn* than a real battleground. Real proving grounds for a warrior

Don’t miss the mission. Hasn’t anybody told you? Take the hill today.

Persevere

Head up, soldier. Strive for what lies ahead.

HE is worthy

Never give in, never give up

We hope in the foremost thing. And it sets the tone for the small details.

We begin to understand discouragement, disinterest, perfectionism, and other stumbling stones that deter us from keeping focused on the Prize. On Jesus.

Like a child wants to grow up, we long to mature more and more in Jesus

Spiritual maturity

Ultimately, our hope in the end goal MOVES us

Focus! Keep your eyes on the Prize

Write “Keep your eyes on the Prize” on your notecard. Take it with you and put it in a place you will see it daily that week- in your room, on the bathroom mirror, in your car, in your school locker, etc.

When it comes to daily life and activities, does having a reward or prize motivate you? (examples: winning a trophy for a district or state title competition, or winning a gift card/money)

What obstacle/distraction/stumbling block most often keeps you from keeping your “eyes on the Prize (Jesus)”? Is it perfectionism? Shame from the past? Doubt? Discouragement? Boredom?

In what ways do you want your faith to mature, or grow?

How can the group pray for you this evening?

Make sure to end group time by praying for one another!