HOW TO HANDLE THE TIMES OF YOUR LIFE

Philippians 3:13-14, 4:8

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. FORGET THE PAST [Phil. 3:13-14]

1. Forget Past Victories [v. 13]

-Forget in the sense that you hide it from the forefront of your mind, it's importance is diminished because you have more ground to cover.

2. Forget Past Failures [v. 13, Heb. 12:1] - because they're over.

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

-Confess the sins, forsake them and keep running the race! FIDO!

-Forget the failures of others! One man said, "I never forgive" To which John Wesley replied, "Then sir, I hope you never sin."

-Clara Barton was asked by a lady if she remembered when that lady had once done her wrong. Barton said, "I distinctly remember forgetting it!"

3. Forget the Pleasures [Num. 11:1-10, Titus 3:3, Hebrews 11:25]

For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

II. FACE THE FUTURE WISELY

1. Don't Worry (undue concern) About It! [Mt. 6:34]

Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

2. Don't Count On It! [James 4:13-14]

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

3. Don't ignore It! [Mk. 1:1-8, Mt. 6:19-20, Amos 4:12]

Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

III. FOCUS ON THE PRESENT

1. Be Today What You Ought Be [Phil. 4:13-14]

2. Do Today What You Ought Do [James. 4:15-17] do your giving while you’re living so you’re knowing where it’s going

For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

3. Live Today How You Ought Live [Psalm 118:24]

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it