Goals

There have been a lot of books written, speeches spoken and things said about goals over the years. Most of us have gone to conferences and/or seminars that have guided us in goal setting and have reiterated the importance of having goals in business, in our professional life, in our personal life - set goal, make a plan, get to work.

But rarely have we heard much about having goals or setting goals in our faith life. Yet, here’s Paul plainly laying it out:

“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching 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 NASB

Our Goal: The prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Now, what does that mean?

Paul’s actions steps to reach his ultimate were to…

Know Christ
Be like Christ
Be all that Christ had in mind for him to be
Forgetting what was in the past
Striving for what is ahead

Like an elite athlete in training, we must have a single-mindedness and not allow anything to distract us or keep us from reaching our goal.

Yet still remembering what Paul teaches in Ephesians, as Dr. David Jeremiah so clearly reminds us, “No one is saved BY good works (Ephesians 2:8-9), but every Christian has beens saved FOR good works.”

To me, the cool part of this is that Jesus wants to help us reach our ultimate goal. He wants us to know Him more. He wants us, even calls us, to be more like Him. He wants us to have an abundant life and to live it joyfully.

Opposite of what we often times face when we set our business, professional and personal goals - instead of folks competing and striving against us, we have our goal Jesus, Himself, cheering us on, supporting our efforts, giving us strength in our weakness, reminding us that all things are possible through Him.

If we make Jesus our ultimate goal and our focus is striving to and pressing on to reach that goal, then all “other” goals (business, personal, professional) should fall in to their proper place underneath the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Set your sights on high. Know from where your help comes.

Keep the Faith... Carpe Diem