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this one thing


"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 3:13-14 ESV)

 Philippians 3:12-16... having the right mindset (mental attitude) for the Christian life:

 1.  Recognizing that you’re not there yet. (3:12, 13a)

 2.  Knowing what to neglect, to forget, and to leave behind. (3:13)

 3.  Directing your mind (and life) hard in one direction.  (3:12b-14)

 4.  Trusting the guidance of the Lord to show you the way.  (3:15)

 5.  Staying faithful to the gospel and its community. (3:16)

 Summary: the right mindset for the Christian life is:  

 “A single-minded pursuit to become 
what God has already declared me to be 
and what I actually one day will be.” 

 “Any choice involves the use of time in a way that cannot be used over again. … Among other misconceptions about ‘choice’ is the one that no one points out – a piece of time, a section of time, a certain length of time is the price of choice!  Time cannot be used over again.  Time cannot be taken to the cleaner and brought back as good as new, to be used in another way.  The use of time is a very permanent thing, whether one wants permanency or not!  Time moves from the present tense into the past tense very relentlessly … a minute, an hour, a day, a week, a year, nine years!  There it is. Childhood cannot be used over again for another set of preparations nor a different set of memories.  The teen-age years cannot be lived over again, but neither can the twenties, nor the thirties…” 

 (Edith Schaeffer, Common Sense Christian Living, p 101, 104)

 Sermon MP3 is here. 

 Recommendations on reading John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress.  Here are three unabridged editions with some updating of language...
--Cheryl Ford translation (Tyndale House) here.

 --Barry Horner translation (Reformation Press) here. 

 --Hazelbaker translation (Bridge/Logos)(more contemporary) here. 
-- Barry Horner's commentary on Pilgrim Progress, PDFs here.



Photo of runner above from nationalgeographic.com. 

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Comments

Ambrose said…
I just listened to the sermon. Thank you. This has been a powerful text, along with I Cor. 9:24-27, in my life for many years. Sadly, I am so easily distracted and undisciplined in seeking after 'the one thing.'
April 9, 2013 at 9:49 AM
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