Setting Spiritual Goals I. Introduction A. Philippians 3:14 1. Paul says here that he is pressing on to the goal for the prize of the upward calling in Christ Jesus 2. He manifestly has a goal in mind and is pursuing it B. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 / 2 Timothy 4:7 1. Paul speaks of how Christianity is like a race to run... 2. ...and he establishes at the end of his life that he has run it 3. To run a race, you must know what you're running for and where you're going 4. You certainly will not get to where you need to go unless you know the path and work to get there! C. Proverbs 29:18 1. Difference in versions here; the KJV reads, "where there is no vision the people perish," although more properly, "when there is no vision, the people are unrestrained" 2. The sentiment holds truth: people who do not have spiritual direction are aimless, do not reach their goals, and are easily tempted to sin D. It is manifest, then, that we have to have direction in our spiritual lives 1. But how shall we go about establishing these directions? 2. More importantly, how will we get to where we need to go? E. An often used means by which people establish an objective and how to reach it is goal setting 1. The business world especially focuses upon and values the setting of goals and the means by which you achieve them 2. A similar organizing of thoughts and plans can be of great value in seeking to please God by growing and maturing in the faith F. Let us spend some time examining how we can set spiritual goals for ourselves and how to fulfill them II. The Three Questions A. In order to know where you need to go, however, you first need to take stock of yourself, and also figure out where you want to go B. To this end, three questions must be asked about any situation: where have I been, where am I now, and where do I want to go? C. #1: Where Have I Been? 1. A good place to start is to look backward and see where you were and how far you've come 2. After all, if you don't know how far you've traveled, how can you know what should be next? 3. Furthermore, looking back gives you an idea of your abilities-- or how you haven't lived up to your ability-- so that you won't overburden nor underwork yourself in looking toward the future 4. By knowing where you've been, you have a better idea of where you currently are and where you need to go D. #2: Where am I now? 1. Likewise, it is extremely difficult to make a plan of where you need to go if you don't know where you are! 2. Determining where you are might be rather difficult a. you have to be objective and honest with yourself b. in the end, truly knowing where you are at is key 3. If you think you're not as far as you are, your goals may not lead you to "run so as to win" (1 Corinthians 9:24) 4. On the other hand, if you think you are further than you really are, the "gap" between the two will more than likely cause you to fail in reaching your goal! 5. Therefore, you must be diligent in taking stock of where you are, perhaps getting the feedback of others, so as to make sure that you don't deceive yourself in this matter E. #3: Where do I Want to Go? 1. Having established where you have been and where you are at, you can then begin to consider the goals you want to set 2. Goals, of course, will not be uniform 3. Some will be shorter-term, others will be longer-term a. you will have to ask myself: if all things are as now, where will I be in a month? A year? 5 years? 10 years? 25 years? b. and then, where do I want to be in a month? A year? 5 years? 10 years? 25 years? 4. One must keep in view the ultimate goal-- which, in spiritual terms, should be to receive the salvation and free gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord-- and all other goals should head toward that end 5. Then one makes the subsidiary goals and means by which they will be achieved F. It can well be asked: what kinds of goals ought I to set? G. Let us break down the types of goals we ought to be making III. Goals: As an Individual A. We should begin by examining ourselves as individuals B. Where have I been as an individual? 1. Since becoming a Christian, how have I progressed in the faith? 2. What have I developed well? 3. Where have I not developed? C. Where am I as an individual? 1. This requires great honesty, and maybe even input from others 2. Do I know the Bible well? 3. Do I make appropriate, Biblical, choices? 4. Am I striving to teach others about Jesus? 5. ...and so on and so forth D. Where do I want to be as an individual? 1. On the basis of the answers to the above questions, you can chart out how to futher develop as an individual 2. To know the Bible better... 3. To make better choices... 4. To be more evangelistic... 5. etc. IV. Goals: Family A. Another examination should be done in the family B. The examination should be done individually and as a family C. Where have I been as a husband/father? wife/mother? family? 1. How have I developed in these roles? 2. What have I done well in these roles? 3. What could I have done better in these roles D. Where am I as a husband/father? wife/mother? family? 1. Am I living up to the Biblical standards for these roles? 2. Am I appropriately honoring and loving my wife/husband? 3. Am I appropriately disciplining and admonishing my children? E. Where do I want to be as a husband/father? wife/mother? family? 1. Again, on the basis of the answers to the above, determine how to better serve in these roles 2. To be more consistent in discipline... 3. To show more love to my spouse... 4. etc. F. With these goals especially, one must consult with one's spouse 1. S/he will better help you understand what you need to do to be better as a spouse 2. You can have complementary goals both as spouses and as parents V. Goals: Member of church A. Another examination should be done as to your role in the church, both local and universal B. Where have I been as a member of the church? 1. How much participation have I done in the assembly? 2. How much encouragement, within and without the assembly, have I done? 3. How have I benefitted the church? 4. How have I been a drag on the church? C. Where am I as a member of the church? 1. Am I as developed as I ought? 2. Do I participate in the assembly as I ought? 3. Do I encourage brethren as I should? D. Where do I want to be as a member of the church? 1. To be a deacon/elder (or to be the wife of a deacon/elder)... 2. To participate more, be a Bible class teacher, preach, etc... 3. To visit brethren more, be more hospitable, etc... VI. Goals: the Local Congregation A. It is not just for the individual or the family, but also the local congregation, that can set goals B. Where has the local congregation been? 1. What kind of growth/loss has it experienced? 2. How much development within the members has occurred? 3. What evangelistic strategies have we done; what worked? what did not? C. Where is the local congregation now? 1. How mature is the church? 2. How much effort does the church put into instruction? Evangelism? 3. How stable is the church? D. Where does the local congregation want to be? 1. Where will the congregation, if all remains as is, in 1 year? 5? 10? 20? 2. Where does the congregation want to be in 1 year? 5? 10? 20? 3. On the basis of all this, the church, led by the elders if present, can determine the goals necessary 4. To emphasize evangelism more... 5. To help the members develop more... 6. To have deacons/elders if not, or develop men to fill those roles... 7. etc. VII. Other Thoughts/Caveats A. All of this goal-setting, of course, ought to be directed by the Word of God 1. The Scriptures themselves can provide you word-for-word what goals you can have 2. We should not, of course, trust in our own desires and vision, but trust in God's Word for such things 3. In the end, the goals we set for ourselves according to God's Word will lead us to be more conformed to Christ and better serving Him (cf. Philippians 2:5-11, Romans 12:1-2) 4. Goals, therefore, are constructs by which we are developing and maturing in the faith as we have been commanded to do B. A critical part of goal-making, moreover, is establishing a plan to reach the goal 1. Having an abstract goal is not going to be very helpful unless you chart a path to fulfill it 2. We have mentioned many different hats we all wear and the goals specific to those capacities, and there are also many overarching goals we wish to meet 3. Many times, to fulfill one goal may require the fulfillment of smaller goals 4. In fact, you can structure your goals so that the tasks that will be required to fulfill each goal are few 5. Regardless, when you make a goal, you need to also figure out how to go about fulfilling that, using the Word of God as your guide C. Likewise, another critical part of goal-keeping is assessing development 1. You need to consistently sit down and check your status in fulfilling your goals 2. Really, it's no different from the three questions that we asked when making the goal in the first place! 3. You determine how far you've come since you made the goal, where you're at in fulfilling the goal, and what you need to do the same or better to fulfill the goal 4. The process should be easier since you already started it! VIII. Conclusion A. As Christians, we've been commanded to follow a path 1. If we are going to follow the path, we need to know where we have been, where we are, and where we need to go 2. By taking stock of our situation and making goals, we can succeed in doing this B. We need to ask ourselves the three questions in every aspect of our lives 1. Where have I been? 2. Where am I now? 3. Where do I want to go? C. We need to do this always in accordance with the Word of God, and if we succeed in our goals, we will find ourselves more conformed to Christ, better serving Him, more pleasing in His sight D. Likewise, we need to make sure that we plan how we are going to fulfill the goals and do it, consistently taking stock and seeing how we're doing in our development E. Let us strive then-- as individuals, as families, as a church-- to sit down, ask these questions, and make goals for ourselves so that we may continue to grow and develop in the Kingdom F. Invitation/songbook G. The question is to be asked today: what is your ultimate goal in life? H. Is your ultimate goal the prize of the upward calling in Christ Jesus? I. If not, you stand to be condemned, having set your sight on vain, ultimately profitless matters 1. All that will be good that lasts is eternal life in Christ Jesus 2. As it is written, what good will it do if you gain all the world but lose your soul? (Matthew 16:26) 3. Change your life today: make your goal eternal life in Christ Jesus 4. Come to obedient faith in Christ Jesus today J. If so, how are you progressing toward that prize? 1. If you are falling short, and require the prayers of the brethren, we'd love to help you today 2. Or perhaps you simply require encouragement to keep striving for the prize K. If we can help you in any way, please allow us to do so: come to the front as we stand and sing