BUT one thing I do (Phillippians 3:13)

Brothers and sisters,

I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.

BUT one thing I do:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

Philippians 3:13

Far to often we allow our past hurts or hangups to handicap us from a great future.

We must strain (to make a strenuous or unusually great effort:) to see the great things God has planned for our future.

BUT in everything (Phillippians 4:6)

BUT... in every situation (Philippians 4:6-7)

Do not be anxious about anything,

 BUT...

 in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. 
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7
As we begin November let us lay aside all our worries and frustrations and become Thankful. You will be amazed at how your worries will shrink when you begin to Thank God for all you have.  

BUT our citizenship (Philippians 3:20)

BUT our citizenship is in heaven.

And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Philippians 3:20

This is not my home...The more we keep our eyes on heaven the less the problems of this world appear. The most important thing we have going on here is that we make sure the ones we love are going with us. Everything else is just stuff.

BUT now I consider them worthless (Philippians 3:7)

 I once thought these things were valuable, 

BUT

now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done.

Philippians 3:7

What do you see as important in your life right now? Now are you brave enough to ask others what "appears" to be important in your life. Is it work? stuff? family? No matter what you answer please be careful to not let it become like an idol to you. This is a great verse to use to measure all of our decisions in life by. I bet we would end up with a lot less junk. 

BUT each of you (Philippians 2:4)

Not looking to your own interests

BUT each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:4

If you are looking for happiness start here.

BUT...I do want you to experience the blessing of generosity (Philippians 4:15-17)

"You Philippians well know, and you can be sure I'll never forget it, that when I first left Macedonia, venturing out with the Message, not one church helped out in the give and take of this work except you. You were the only one. Even while I was in Thessalonica, you helped out and not only once 

BUT twice. Not that I'm looking for handout, 

BUT I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity. 

Philippians 4:15-17 MSG

BUT... I am well on my way (Phillipians 3:12)

I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made.

BUT I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this,

BUT I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus.

 I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.

Phillipians 3:12-13

When you keep your eye on Jesus as your goal I find I have no choice to run in joy and peace.
Not only will I one day see my God who sent His Son and Jesus Him self who was will to take my penalty BUT I will spend eternity with Poppy and Crystal.

BUT... I do want you to experience the blessing (Philippians 4:16)

   Not that I'm looking for handouts

 BUT I do want you to experience the blessing that issues from generosity.

 Philippians  4:16

It truly is a blessing to give when your heart is right. Giving can sometimes be a touchy subject since money often can be someone's master. BUT what a joy giving is when the heart is right. The more we give the more I believe God blesses us. Try it today, Pray about what the Lord would want you to give, maybe it is just to pay for the persons food behind you in drive through.

BUT... also for the interest of others (Phillipians 2:3-6)

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, 

BUT... with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourself, do not look out for you own personal interest, 

BUT... also for the interest of others. 

Philippians 2:3-6

Back to Back BUTS. This is very hard in today's culture where we are taught we have rights, if we don't take care of our selves no one else will. Well I challenge us to go against the grain and put others interest first and see what happens. 

BUT... take interest in others (Phillipians 2:3-4)

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.
Be humble,
thinking of others as better than yourselves.  
Don’t look out only for your own interests,

BUT… take an interest in others, too

Philippians 2:3-4

Our church had a message on how to deal with difficult people yesterday and the #1 best approach is to take interest in others. Far too often the problem is the “I” problem when we put our desire above everything else. Christ command to us was to “live at peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18)

Try it today and see how the difficult people disappear.

BUT... I press on (Philippians 3:12-13)

BUT…I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 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, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.
Philippians 3:12-13 (NLT)

I am in the middle of a month long plank challenge to see how much time I can add to holding a plank. I admit it hate it BUT I am sticking to it because I signed up for it. We can use this example in our Christian walk, it takes work to achieve a healthy Christian faith, we mess up, we want to quit, BUT I challenge you to stick with it there is a prize!

BUT... I don't know what I prefer (Philippians 1: 21-23)

Because for me, living serves Christ and dying is even better. If I continue to live in this world, I get results from my work.

BUT…

I don’t know what I prefer. I’m torn between the two because I want to leave this life and be with Christ, 

which is far better.

Philippians 1: 21-23

It has been 18 months since my Crystal went to be with Jesus. This verse has taken on a whole new meaning… I love the Lord with all my heart and I love serving Him here on earth BUT… I am torn, it would be better to not only be with Christ in heaven BUT… to be with my precious Crystal.

BUT.. I press on (part 1) (Philippians 3:12)

I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already met perfection.

BUT…

I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me.

Philippians 3:12

Living the Christian life is definitely a roller coaster. Sometimes you feel like you got it all figured out and other times you realize that you are out of control. Jesus is the same in the highs and the lows and it does us good to keep pressing on.