1. “Priorities for a New Year"

2. Philippians 3:10-14

3. I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death,11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!

4. v.12
 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

5. v
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

6. #1 WE MUST REALIZE GOD HAS A GOAL FOR OUR LIFE

7. ROMANS 8:29
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 
For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” 

8. He is not looking to merely “save us”, He is working to “transform us”. 

9. RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE NOT ARRIVED YET #2
RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE NOT ARRIVED YET 

10. #3 DON’T LIVE IN THE PAST   

11. We have a tendency to be obsessed with the past. 
We have a tendency to rest on the past. 

12. #4
BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOUR GROWTH 

13. #5 KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE GOAL   

15. Implications For Focus
Though we should be grateful for the growth and blessings we have seen we must always be looking for new opportunities to minister and grow.

16. We must constantly evaluate our ministries and eliminate those that have served their purpose and develop those that meet the new needs around us.

17. We must always be on guard that we value our traditions so much that they become an obstacle to growth.  The question must    always be, “Is this something that will further the Kingdom of God?” Rather than “Is this the way we have always done it?”

18. We must remember that our goal as a church is not a particular attendance figure, our goal is to honor and glorify Christ in all we do. 

19. For Individuals
Focus on the goal strive to finish well.

21. What value do you place upon knowing Christ
What value do you place upon knowing Christ? What would you consider to be benchmarks for spiritual maturity?

22. What steps can you take to prioritize your day to reflect the importance of knowing Christ?

23. Does someone need to spend ____ minutes reading their Bible or ____ minutes in daily prayer to be considered spiritually mature?

24. Paul states in Philippians 3:10 that he wants to participate in Christ’s sufferings. What does participating in Christ’s sufferings look like living in the United States?

26. My “goal” is to be all Jesus saved me for and wants me to be.