1. Transformed, not Conformed: “The Goal” Northside Mission Church – 5-August-2012

2. Philippians 2:12-16 KJV (personalized) We work out own salvation with fear and trembling; For it is God who works in us both to will And to do for His good pleasure. We do all things without grumbling and arguing, That we may become blameless and innocent, Children of God without fault in the midst Of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom We shine as lights in the world, holding forth the Word of life. Our Proclamation

3. Romans 12:1-2 NKJV I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Transformed, not Conformed

4. The Apostle Paul in Prison

5. Philippians 3:7-15 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Paul - what motivates him?

6. Philippians 3:7-15 (cont’d.) Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Paul - what’s his purpose?

7. Are you “saved by a Stranger?”

8. Philippians 3:10-11 That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. “Savoir” – knowing facts about someone “Connaitre” – knowing someone personally “Savoir” or “Connaitre”

9. John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” Ephesians 2:14a For He (Jesus) Himself is our peace “Savoir” or “Connaitre”

10. “Eternal life, Truth and Peace are not just abstract ideas or concepts, but a Person!” – Dr. Derek Prince Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day “The true spiritual life is not a static condition. It is like a pathway that leads to greater light.” “Life’s greatest tragedy is to lose the presence of God and not even knowing that we’ve lost it.” – quote from a South African Christian magazine “Savoir” or “Connaitre”

11. Genesis 5:23-24 NLT Enoch lived 365 years, walking in close fellowship with God. Then one day he disappeared, because God took him. Genesis 6:9b NLT Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless person living on earth at the time, and he walked in close fellowship with God. “Enoch and Noah are patterns for us. Because they walked in close fellowship with God, He saved them from the Flood” “Walking with God”

12. Consider Abraham, “the Father of all who believe”. He was also a man who walked with God (see Genesis 17:1) Q. As a Christian, am I also “saved by a Stranger”? How can I know Jesus as a Person? A. By having an ongoing fellowship with Him “God is challenging us not to become more religious. God is asking us to walk with Him day by day” “Walking with God”

13. 1 John 2:3-4 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in Him. 1. “We know that we know God if we keep His commandments” The marks of “Knowing God”

14. 1 John 3:6 Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him. “Sins” – a verb tense that means “regularly practices sin” and “sinning without concern” 2. “We know that we know God if we do not wilfully and regularly practice sin” The marks of “Knowing God”

15. 1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 3. “We know that we know God if we love Him and love one another sincerely and whole-heartedly” The marks of “Knowing God”

16. Philippians 3:10a That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings Colossians 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church 1. “Christ suffers with His Church” 2. “The sacrificial suffering of His servants to build up His Church” The sufferings of Christ

17. Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Verse 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Not by Works, but by Grace

18. “The Lord our God may have our relationship. But what He most desires our fellowship!” Q. What about us? What is our desire? What is our goal?