"Is Your Goal In Sight?"

Where's the Finish Line?

Are you going to finish in the lead? We all have to decide, before we start, if we are going to win the gold, silver or bronze. Maybe some will just plan on trying to make it to the finish line for starters but they will never make it to the Olympics if they keep that pace. It is necessary that we make it our top priority to consider this race we call life and the importance of knowing first of all where our finish line is located. Otherwise we could end up most anywhere and allot of people do just that!

I once read a book called "Fire In the Belly" about twenty years ago and I'll always remember reading, "You first need to know where your going and then know who is going with you. If you ever get those in the wrong order you will never get to where you want to go!". Does this make sense?

I began to notice when we got together with friends that no one ever made a decision when we were deciding what to do on Friday nights. I decided to speak up the next Friday when everyone was trying to figure out what to do. I had already figured out a place to eat and where to go for some fun. I said, "Let's go eat at Ruby Tuesday's and then go bowling". You could have heard a pin drop! Everyone looked at me as though I had said something profound, but you know what? That's exactly what we did!

Knowing where your headed is vital, especially in this day that we live in and the influence of the media and peer pressure on our children! Just remember, if you want to be somewhere different than where you are right now you will have to change the things you are doing! If you don't change the things you do, you will always be where you are right now. This is a pretty basic principle of movement.

Once you have established where your finish line is, you will need to know how fast you want to get there and gain some idea of your expectation of yourself in this race. How does a competitor know what speed he needs to practice at in order to finish the race in the lead? He knows how fast to run by the records set in the races ran prior to this race. Right?

Something I saw in Philipians that Paul said about the past record was very interesting and I'd like to read it together,

Philipians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Php 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Paul is exhorting us to think on certain things! You may remember when I first began to teach on "Running the Race" and I wrote about the announcer at the BMX Olympic Bike races, as they were saying that this sport was mostly a mental sport. They also said that you could race in this sport and win even if you had some physical weak points but the competitor could be in perfect shape physically and still lose because he wasn't prepared mentally!

What was Paul telling us to do in order to be ready to press forward towards our goal; our finish line? He says to think on the things that are true; the things that are honest (Greek literal translation is "honorable"), so think on the things that are truly honorable! Think on the things that are just, pure, lovely and of good report.

Think about this and make sure it is clear to you what Paul is trying to emphasize. He is telling them to think about the things that they know to be right and how do they know this? Because the things they think about should be first of all pure. Let's look at the actual Greek for the word "pure".

The word is hagnos
It is pronounced hag-nos'
From the same as G40; properly clean, that is, (figuratively) innocent, modest, perfect: - chaste, clean, pure.

Do you know people that think about innocent, modest or perfect things or do most of the people you know spend their time thinking about things that lead to guilt, immodesty and wrong living habits? The next thing Paul said that we are to think about are things that are lovely. Let's also look at this word in the Greek.

The word is prosphilēs
It is pronounced pros-fee-lace'
From a presumed compound of G4314 (toward) and G5368;(friend of); friendly towards, that is, acceptable: - lovely.

Do you find your thoughts leading you to things that are lovely? Things that you would find friendly and acceptable or are your thoughts slipping into feelings of conflict and aggression? Then Paul tells us to think about things of good report. The Greek translation of this word is "euphemos" pronounced "yoo-fay-mos" and meaning; well spoken of, that is, reputable: - of good report.

Then he says, "if there is any virtue, any praise, think on these things" to summarize what he has been teaching them about mind control. I found that the Greek for virtue and praise actually blend together; excellence and commendable! How could it be possible to think on things that are excellent and commendable and still have a negative attitude or still be focused on something that happened to us yesterday that rocked our world? Is it normal to forget these kind of things and to only think on the excellent and commendable? Of course not or Paul wouldn't be reminding the Phillipians!

Then he closes his lesson with the things that they have learned, received; which means "associated with ones self" and heard which would mean "in the audience of" and seen or "be aware of or to perceive" in me, do:

I have to include the Greek for this word "do" in verse nine! It is so amazing how it fits into our need to run the race well!

The word is prassō
It is pronounced pras'-so
A primary verb; to "practice", that is, perform repeatedly or habitually (thus differing from G4160, which properly refers to a single act); by implication to execute, accomplish, etc.; specifically to collect (dues), fare (personally): - commit, deeds, do, exact, keep, require, use arts.

Can you believe this? Paul is telling them to practice what he has been teaching them and showing them through his example!

In the exact same way, the person competing for the top spot knows how fast he has to run because of the record set by the previous winners! That is how we know where and how to run but what do we do to attain to the level of excellent (virtuous) and commendable (praise) thinking? As Paul says in the middle of verse nine, "do"; which literally translates to mean "perform repeatedly".

Practice these things and you will have sore backs and allot of stress! No. Practice these things and you will experience a life of loneliness and depression! No. "Practice these things and you will find yourself running all alone", you might say as you think about how few people there are that truly desire to follow Pauls teaching and apply it to themselves these days.

It's hard enough just to get people to take time to pray together! How are we going to find people who really want to think the way that Paul tells us to think, all of the time?

Philipians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Philipians 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

I have to admit that you might not be surrounded by everyone you know when you think this way.
You will begin to find yourself moving ahead as you make these changes in your spirit and mind! You might even be way ahead of those around you, but that is why Paul pointed out the principle of living right, "and the God of peace shall be with you. "

That is the goal that is above all goals in our life! The goal of experiencing total peace with God!

That is the finish line that I am focused on in this life. Will you join me if you're not sure where you are headed? Think on these things!

My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I thank you for the peace that comes with knowing you and the fulfillment of practicing the principles that you have laid down for us on earth and in Heaven. I thank you for being a true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good reputation so that I can pattern myself after you by repeated practice and can be sure that I will find myself in your presence one day. Amen.