The Grace Place

1. TO FIND HOPE, THROW AWAY ALL PAST REGRETS.

“Jettison”means “to throw OVERBOARD.”

SCRIPTURE – Philippians 3:8 TEV “Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ…”

Nobody’s PERFECT, everyone has regrets and skeletons in their closet.

SCRIPTURE – Philippians 3:13 NIV “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…”

Because regret is just a waste of time, the Bible says FORGET it.

SCRIPTURE – Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget what happened in the past and don’t dwell on events from long ago because I’m going to do something new.”

2. TO FIND HOPE,QUIT WORRYING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

SCRIPTURE – Philippians 4:6“…don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Don’t worry about anything, instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He has done.”

Worry is the greatest KILLJOY of them all.

Worry EXAGGERATES a problem and only makes things worse.

You can either worry or you can PRAY.

3. TO FIND HOPE, GET ALIGNED WITH GOD’S PURPOSE.

SCRIPTURE – Philippians 1:21 “For me to live is Christ.”

You will never discover real joy if you are DRIFTING through life.

The most dangerous prayer you can ever pray is “Use me!”

SCRIPTURE – Romans 6:13 “Give yourselves completely to God – every part of you – to be tools in the hand of God to be used for His good purpose.”

TO FIND HOPE, STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT IS GOOD.

SCRIPTURE – Philippians 4:8 “Fix your thoughts [focus] on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”

God gives us the opportunity to CHOOSE what we are going to focus on.

When you fill your mind with values, attitudes and promises of the BIBLE, the more positive and joyful you will be.

Don’t allow a CRITIC to rob you of your joy, choose to focus on the good.

5. TO FIND HOPE, INVEST YOUR LIFE IN OTHERS.

SCRIPTURE – Philippians 4:1 “Dear brothers and sisters, I love you and I long to see you for you are my joy and the reward for my work.”

If you want to have continuous joy in your life, then GIVE your life away in helping others.

The Apostle Paul’s joy was the PEOPLE he had invested his life in.

SCRIPTURE – Philippians 3:21-24 “For me, living means opportunity for Christ and dying, well, that’s better yet. But if living will give me more opportunities to win people to Christ, then I really don't know which is better, to live or to die. Sometimes I want to live and at other times I don’t, for I long to go and be with Christ. But the fact is, I can be of more help to you by staying.”

6. TO FIND HOPE, LEARN TO BE CONTENT.

SCRIPTURE – Philippians 4:11 “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

Contentment is not NATURAL, it has to be learned.

Contentment is most frequently learned in life’s TOUGHEST times.

Contentment and joy come by remembering God is in CONTROL of circumstances that seem to be out of control.

We learn contentment when we trust God’s BETTER plan.