Thanksgiving and Christmas are just around the corner. It will be a time of celebration and feasting for many. This is a good a time as any to remind us all that we need to be fruitful in the Lord over the coming months in showing self-control as we sit down for feasting. 

To remind us of our need to show self-control, here is a lesson that I preached in August of 2016 on the topic of gluttony, a sin that too often we tend to ignore.

What is your goal in life? To be successful? To get married, have kids, and have a happy family? To get a good job, make a lot of money, and to help charities? What would your answer be? Some of these may be good things to desire in life, but should they be our goal in life? The Bible's answer is, 'no.' 

As Christians, the Apostle Paul tells us what our goal in life should be: 

“...So we are always confident and know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to him.” (2 Corinthians 5:6–9)

Paul reminds us in this passage that our goal in life as Christians is different from the goals that people in the world have. Our hopes, our dreams, our aspirations are on a higher plain. Our sights must be set on Heaven. And they need to be set on Heaven, not because we think that we will receive many great things there. Heaven is not about receiving a golden mansion lined with silver. It is not about receiving great physical wealth, riches, and possessions. This may be the way many Americans may materialistically think of Heaven, but this is not how Christians should think of Heaven. What is so amazing about Heaven - the reason why we make it our goal and aim to be there - is because we want to be in the presence of our God and of our Christ who gave His life for us. 

In all of the things we desire to do in life, this needs to be our goal. Our goal must be to be successful in the Lord. Our goal must be to have families that are pleasing to Him. Our goal should be to please Him as we serve the lost and saved alike. Our goal in our work in this life should be to please Him in our character by supporting ourselves, our families so that we can be productive in Kingdom work. 

Do these describe your goal in life? Is it the case that being with Jesus, our Father, and His Spirit the greatest desire of your life?