Living for What Really Matters – Chapter 5

Watch And Learn – Philippians 3:1 – 4:1

We gather together to talk about Philippians 3.

Breanne highlights that there are so many different thoughts in this passage that go together but at the same time are all different. Theresa, the author talks in day 1 about the tone shift. Paul goes from warm and loving and is now serious and fierce because he is taking false gospels very seriously and how they are coming to his people. Breanne asks the team to consider false gospels they see in the world around us.

Lauren: All You Need is Love – Love is great but the way the world preaches love that is all feeling and doesn’t have the element of sacrifice. They miss the greatest picture of love in Jesus.

Julie: Perception of Truth – see on social media posts stated as truth but they are really someone’s perception. I have to ask myself, what do you know to be truth from God’s Word? And I go back to that. “Share your truth” vs the Truth with a capital T.

Halftruths. We are called to be on the lookout for these false gospels. Some are even going to sound almost right but they are off. Culture will use something but as believers sometimes we want to take the halftruth and redeem it for good. But if culture already has a definition for it then we may end up complicating things by redefining it.

Lisa: You Do You. The good is that we are all created uniquely and creatively by God But culture takes this to mean that whatever you think is best for you is going to be best. This is contrary to biblical truth. But the gospel isn’t to find the best way to heaven but rather there is one way – salvation is in Jesus alone.

Breanne: Jesus & Our Country. The entanglement of the ideas that our hope is found in both but it’s clear that Jesus is our only hope. He is bigger and better. He can work through leaders. He owns all the situations. I can feel the victim in this myself and have to remind myself of this false gospel.

Julie shares in verse 12. The concept of pressing on in our relationship with the Lord. Straining forward. I watch my grandchild strain to get into a chair, I watch him strain and reach and be intentional. I want to be that in my faith.
The tie-in to overcome with determination.

Lauren shared about pg 164 and perfectionism. “What if we don’t pursue perfectionism but the one who is perfect?” This is the sin struggle I struggle with. We can get better. But God is in the business of making us NEW. I am missing out on the one renewing me if I get stuck in perfection. The better choice is not to merely look good but truly choose to be close & intimate with the Lord.

Breanne puts on the “So Whatter” crown.

  • Don’t fall for a false Gospel
  • Discussion of self righteousness for our identity
  • Striving & pressing on.

Specifically in self righteousness and identity, I love to talk about identity. Paul shares about his identity and that how that when we pursue a life of self righteousness it is a life of striving and failing. A life of trying to live apart from God.
But we are called to live a life of God-focused righteousness – living in relationship with him because he has made us whole and right. And we are enough because he has made us enough.

Pride shows up as: Think too much of self or think too less of self (victim)
How can we know when we are getting off track in righteousness? What signals do you have to alert you that you are living in self righteousness?

  • Frustration. People become obstacles
  • Defensive. Argue & destroy unity.
  • Critical spirit.
  • Tired & lack motivation. Sense of giving up.
  • Overdrive/Overfunctioning. The last so what is verses 3:12 – 4:1. Striving & overcoming. This is hard because I want to not overfunction but I want to be known as someone who is an overcomer. I have to ask the Lord for wisdom on where that line is. Trying to get to church and barrier after barrier and yet I sensed the Lord saying “ You press on!” Those are the moments when it is in his strength not my own that I am striving. I want to consistently speak into others the encouragement to press on.

Some final questions to ponder.

  1. What are my signals that I am living for my identity? Usually either perfection or failure
  2. What false gospel might you be believing and how can you root it out and replace it with the true gospel?
  3. What deficits do I have that can be filled? Own them & admit them so waste isn’t a thing

In This Week’s Video:

Lauren Soules
Lauren Soules
Lisa Lewis
Lisa Lewis
Breanne Fuelling
Breanne Fuelling
Julie Antioho
Julie Antioho