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Join us each Saturday for our weekly gathering.
Sabbath School: 9:45 – 10:45 am
Church Service: 11:00 am
Lead Pastor Simon Liversidge 805.498.2300
I'm still enjoying Paul's letter to the church in Philippi. Written from a jail cell in Rome, to a place where he had been imprisoned and miraculously rescued, God's messenger had some really good and practical advice for living as a Christian. One of those important lessons was the assurance that his "righteousness" did NOT come from himself or his efforts to be all that God wanted him to be. It came FROM CHRIST alone, and it was accepted BY FAITH alone.
Then he summarized his philosophy of living that faith:
- ONE thing I do (that's focus!)
- FORGETTING what is behind (that's forgiveness!)
- STRAINING toward what is ahead (that's intentionality!)
- I PRESS TOWARD THE GOAL that God has promised (that's heaven!)
One of the most dangerous things I have done to myself is to look back at my failures rather than look forward to my potential in Him. I have been forgiven (and so have you!) - past tense, completed at the cross. That's the only thing I look back at. I have to stop looking back; that just feeds guilt and shame. I must look forward - to Jesus. THAT produces hope and purpose. I can't fix the past, but I can affect the future if I live today with a focus on Him; He'll guide me toward the next step. He'll guide you too!
Here's to looking forward at Jesus,
Pastor Rich