Fresh Start

Intro

Top 10 Broken Resolutions:

Lose Weight and Get Fit

Quit Smoking

Learn Something New

Eat Healthier and Diet

Get Out of Debt and Save Money

Spend More Time with Family

Travel to New Places

Be Less Stressed

Volunteer

Drink Less

Set Your Goal

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

What is your goal this year?

Build muscle, Lose weight, Learn a new language, Read more of the Bible?

Is your goal realistic and within reach?

Paul tells us as he writes to the Romans, “do not be conformed to the patterns of this world...”

The world is chasing self-promotion, self gratification - after all, if it makes me feel good then it must be okay, right?

WRONG

When you measure your goals against a human standard, you will never be satisfied with your achievement.

Human standards constantly move because humans are not perfect and humans fail every day.

1 Corinthians 15:33 ESV

Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”

When we set our goals in alignment with God’s standard, we end up with something worth reaching. That’s why it says in Romans, God’s will is pleasing and perfect.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Let Go, Be Lifted Up

One of the biggest things people like to do in the new year is get organized!

We need a good purging in our lives.

Here’s a list of some items we can purge to get our lives cleaned up:

Old Magazines

Receipts, Bills, Documents

Clothes

Bills & Documents Clothes Books Medicine and Vitamins Makeup & Perfume Jewelry Food Some Memorabilia Notebooks Old or Unused Electronics

Documents Clothes Books Medicine and Vitamins Makeup & Perfume Jewelry Food Some Memorabilia Notebooks Old or Unused Electronics

Books

Medicine and Vitamins

Makeup & Perfume

Jewelry

Food

Some Memorabilia

Notebooks

Old or Unused Electronics

Just like the physical stuff in our rooms and closets need to go, there spiritual junk we carry around that needs to go once and for all.

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Great Cloud of Witness

Look around, you’re surrounded by some great people

Lay aside the weight

What is weighing you down tonight?

rough home life, going back to school, tough relationship with girlfriend/boyfriend

What is keeping you up at night?

We are told here to lay it aside, as in we put the weight/burden we are carrying out of our sight.

Stop tripping over the offences of 2017!

Lay aside clingy sins

Sin sucks!

I really don’t like sin, but yet my body loves it.

I’m so conflicted, because my soul and spirit despise sin, yet my body craves it.

What really makes me mad, is that sin feels good for a moment, and then hits you with the consequences.

Look at how Paul describes sin…CLINGY

No matter how far you run from it, it always seems to be right next to you, waiting around the next corner.

But it is possible to live in the world and not fall to sin…it’s hard but not impossible.

How to run the race of endurance

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Look to Jesus (point up)

WHY?

Because he is the founder and perfecter of our faith

Jesus is the ultimate example of what it means to give up something for a greater reward.

Jesus is motivated by His love for us so much so that He laid down His own life so that you and I could have life!

The Abundant Life

2 Corinthians 4:7–9 ESV

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

You may have been completely trampled on in 2017, but I have to remind you of the obvious, YOU’RE STILL HERE.

You might looks beat down on the outside but you are alive on the inside:

2 Corinthians 4:16 ESV

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

Walk it Out

Colossians 3:1–10 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Colossians 3:1–4 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Col 3:1

Purge List

Colossians 3:5–10 ESV

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Colossians 3:4–10 ESV

When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.

Now, pick up your tools for this year

Colossians 3:12–17 ESV

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Pick your word

Habakkuk 2:2 ESV

And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.

Habakkuk 2:2–3 ESV

And the Lord answered me: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.