Seeking a More Excellent Way

(I Corinthians 12:30b)

Key Verse:
Philippians 1:9-11

⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; ¹¹ having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.   New American Standard Bible (NASB)

In this prayer Paul prays that the readers may approve (recognize and respond to) what is excellent, i.e. what is truly the best.  The NIV says, that you may be able to discern what is best.

Purpose of the Theme:
To help us as a congregation and as individuals accomplish the following goals during the year of September 2011 to September 2012:

• Avoid being satisfied with where we are spiritually (the sin of the Laodicean church) – Revelation 3:15-19
• Avoid compromises with the world –“ make no provision for the flesh” – Romans 13:14
• To seek the very best in our faith, speech, knowledge, earnestness, and love – II Corinthians 8:7
• To improve the spiritual nature of our thoughts and meditations – Philippians 4:8

Desired Result of the Theme:
A more excellent way would be the path that is most pleasing to God, the one that accomplishes the most in His kingdom. To find it will require of us careful self-examination, and a heart willing to make any change or sacrifice needed.  As we accomplish the goals above, we will be:

• Better students of God’s word
• More worshipful individuals
• Better parents
• More diligent evangelists
• Purer in heart and mind
• More intense and consistent in prayer
• Greater servants of one another