Ready? Set? Go!
So it's one in it at one and done. So this is a woman then serve sermon at the message. I I don't normally preach in series but between Christmas and New Year's we got five Sundays in December. So I wanted to take advantage of this one to share something with you that probably and it should help you in 2019 to help you prepare for it and for it to be a something that you want to what to do in participate in side of your morning bro. Sure, you'll find his intern you're going to need that insert and get a pen or pencil whatever you make marks with crayon, whatever and and get ready to be able to feel some of that out because we're going to be going into this here this morning. I want to share with you some things some principles of wisdom that come from God's word that can and will make a difference in your life in this coming year. If you will apply them if you will do them how when I'm sharing with you are not wholly suggestions. These are facts that work. These are truths that will transform you. Like and I want you to be apart want you to experience it for yourself. I want you to see it. I want you to apply because if you don't want chances are that where you are today is where you are going to be 365 days from now and now the words not going to change its not going to be in change. If this year was not a good year for you then if you don't change your ways next year is not going to be a good year for you either. I can go ahead and tell you right now. It's a big letdown you're already going to be that's it. You're already in trouble. So there's this thing happening in a couple of days a day or two called 2019 now and it's a weird thing that happens every 365 days of the year. It always happens in this phenomenon triggers a whole set of events that you can do. Absolutely nothing about when we hit January one. You're going to get a whole new set of birthdays a whole new set of anniversaries a whole new set of holidays. And did you know that Christmas is going to happen again on December 25th and 29th is going to happen again. We restart the clock who knew but we keep doing it over and over and over and over there will be a January February March April May June July August September October November December. It's going to happen again many people do not pay attention to the fact that time repeats itself. Continually. You say wanted to do that because God created it that way he created the Earth to go around the Sun one revolution. We called it a year and he creates the spinning of a planet. So we get 24 hours in a day and we get Four Seasons a year and then we come along and we carved it up into bugs two days and weeks and we stuck holidays on it and did all sorts of things. There are few things that will happen during this time of the year. Lights that are all quite often between Christmas and New Year's you see people take stock or not. And what is happening was good about a happen to people are going to mourn the failures of the past year. They're going to look at 2018 inside horrible. And I'm so glad that it's over right now. Some people will look forward to 2019 and say look at all the wonderful opportunities that are going to be available to me in the next 365 days. Some people are that way now to Ruffino. There's more of the first group then there are up this second group you how many of you know that already right? Okay. Now some people could care less about the new year. They just completely ignore. It was like I don't care whatever send out of here big deal and then some people are determined to change the upcoming year. They may not know how maybe you're one of those people that's looking at the next year. Do you say I don't know what to do song. We're going to do anything. But if I knew what to do, I would do something. I can't say that again for all the gold in Fort Knox. I would never be able to get that line back at again, but I think you got it. Okay now wild January gives us New Year's Day and Martin Luther King Jr's birthday. It also gives us National pharmacist day. It's a thing. Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. Yeah, somebody looking into that one and squirrel Appreciation Day. Yes, this is a real thing squirrels. Yes squirrel appreciation day. I almost sent one to meet Jesus this morning. I was driving into churchy decided to dirt back out in front of there like nothing. Now. January is also the most depressing month of the year.
And a lot of people go with the first full week of the new year is called yuck week. Holidays are over and it's back to work. You got to work Monday through Friday. You enjoy taking a couple of days off here. And there blue Monday is usually the third Monday in January and that is whenever we feel our worst out of a whole year is the third Monday of January say why it's derived from a mathematical formula that calculates are wealthy amount of debt. We have our monthly salary the time since Christmas and time since quitting our New Year's resolutions and the amount of motivation or lack thereof, which leads to the fact that blue Monday stinks. How many of you figured that way I'll be able to do that take into account that 80% of all New Year's resolutions will fail by February 1st. 80% of all New Year's resolutions will fail by February 1st. And as one psychologist, honestly put it he honestly wrote this we would probably see more suicides in January, but we're just too tired to do it.
January is not the best month of the year. I'll tell you which one it is at the end of today's message. But that doesn't stop the New Year from happening doesn't I mean if you knew all this was coming when you say you know, what I think I'll take the month off. It's time to go to Jamaica. It's time to travel around the Sun to do something else. I don't want to be doing this and it is usually this time of the year that I get a lot of questions. Like, how do I change this year? How do I make my marriage better? How do I get my finances in order? How do I become a better follower of Jesus? How do I change my career? How do I get raised find a job? How do I get a promotion? How do I lose weight? How do I break a bad habit, like smoking or overeating or something like that? This is the time of year. I get more questions like this than any other time of the year. In fact, I get a lot of questions here for the next couple of weeks and then pretty much for the rest of the year nada. Nothing now hear another thing and these are great questions, but I can tell you that they're all the wrong questions. True you made it get your finances or yes. You probably need to stop smoking and all the rest of it and let you use losing weight for an example because it's one of the biggest resolution to people will make this year wedding smoking and losing weight of the two big ones every year that people want to do they want to get in shape and want to get healthy and want to lose weight. They want they want to do these things which are great and wonderful. If you're going to join a gym and you're going to go work out, you need to know that 80% of all people who join a gym in January quit in 5 months. 80% of join a gym in January quit in 5 months and only 18% of the people who actually join a gym actually go only 18% now get this gyms have to sell over sell the capacity of their gym by 10 times in order to be profitable. So if I can put a hundred people in there, they have to sell a thousand memberships in order to make money. They're counting on you to quit. Open you quit. They are expecting you to give up and not follow through with your New Year's resolution. I don't know on the outside and we want to make we want you to make it but somebody in accounting that there's going gold going. We don't want you to make it. We just want you to say that we want to take the money out of your account every month, but we don't actually want you to show up. There's something messed up about that. I don't know. There's just me. Jungle, give you five steps are keys to whatever you whatever you want to call them to help to change this year. Hope to change your life there time-tested. They're all true and they all come out of the Bible how many view think that's a good idea. Right? I know you hear a lot of stuff on radio you read stuff on here five keys to a dead blonde people blog about six steps to this seven steps to that five reasons for this here stuff that comes out of God's word that will work and it will change how you live your life for the next year. But first thing I want you to do is want you to take that answer that you have there any hand that I told you to get out of your morning brochure. I don't want you to write down if you know, I don't want you to write down at least if you got them three of your New Year's resolutions. Now one of them cannot be I'm not making New Year's resolutions. That's not a New Year's resolutions that's called chickening out. That's why that is no don't do that. But if you have something to say hey, and I want to get healthier this year. I want to get a promotion this year. I want to start a retirement account this year. Whatever it is. It doesn't matter just write down three things that that are important to you that in the next 365 days. You would like to get some traction on you would like to get some momentum moving in the right direction. You would like to be able to see something become a value to that now, maybe you've only got one way to you've got five I wouldn't suggest going past 3, but maybe some of your indeed need and you need five. Okay, so go ahead and write down 5, but usually 3 is about all we can manage with the time and the energy that we have, but I want you to take those in your right there. Now while you're riding those while you're riding those. I want you to think about or I want you to to understand and learn the value of time. I want you to learn the value of time James 4:14. She says yet. You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life for? You are a man that appears for a little time and then vanishes now James is blunt. If you ever read the book of James and you feel like he beat you up. He did James does not beat around the bush. She just gets straight for the point in the end just end just goes after the James very bluntly tells us that we don't have a crystal ball. We don't know what our future holds in store for us. We really shouldn't boast about our plans for the future. He says because you really don't know that it's not saying that you shouldn't plan he's not saying that you shouldn't have plans but it is and if you're eating a lot of people will come in and they say, okay. This is what's going to happen. This is what I'm going to do this year and all the rest of the stuff. I know James comes off a bit negative, but but he's trying to show us a principal in the fact that we don't know the future. How many elephants were surprised by the death of a loved one or a friend this year? How many of us were surprised by something and they came in the mail phone call that happened all of us were caught flat-footed and our lives were changed as a result of some event that we could neither plan Ford or anticipate and this is what James is saying. He says listen, you can't be boasting and stuff and saying this is how my life's going to turn out because the reality is you don't know how your life is going to turn out. We try to teach our children the value of money. We tried to teach them the value of relationships. We try to teach them of a value of a relationship with Jesus Christ, but do we teach them the value of time do we teach them about your time? What is the two things that we suffer or struggle with? The most money in time? We never have enough of either what we budget our money, but do we budget our time and so when we think about time and we think about what we have given to What are we doing with it? How is it that we are able just kind of let it go and not really pay attention to it. We get up in the morning we go to work we come home. We eat our dinner. We lay down we go to sleep and get up in the morning we go to work. We like to come home. We lay down we go to sleep. We just do this day after day. We have a routine. We have habits and we yet we don't think about how we're spending. Our time time is a resource that God has given you can't have you ever discovered that time is a resource that God is giving you told isn't your enemy time is your friend and God is giving it to you just like he's giving you life just like he's give you a job just like he is giving me things all of these things. God gives you time and just like everything else. He has given to you you are to be a good manager of it. He wants to be us to be good stewards of our time now, I'll be honest with you being a good Steward of your time takes just as much time as being a good Steward of money. He said Downey Make a budget have stick to the budget and then and then how many do you know that the budget doesn't like you? You have to like the budget and never likes you and always tells you what to do and I have a calendar that tells me what I do when I've got to do it. It tells me how I'm going to do and it tells me where I'm going to be at certain points. Sometimes my next five Saturdays are already playing for me. I didn't even try who's just done for me and I didn't even see that one coming and going to drive to Miami and I'm going to go to Boca Raton all sorts of stuff like that Veronica and and and and all of these things that happen to us, but we have to pay attention only averaged in America. We spend around $11 a day. 11 hours a day how many now think there's 24 hours in a day write 11 hours a day. on social interacting with social media That means Television Internet smart phones. Are you looking at me? Like that's impossible. You're at work you check your ear. Did there's an app on everybody's phone where you can check your screen time. I gives me a report every Sunday morning and mines down last week. You know, we were we doing a bunch of stuff. So I was on the phone a lot last week, but I mean the week before but last week on my my usage was actually down 38% on Atkins was down 5% I tracked this stuff. I watch the time 4 hours and 14 minutes. That's how long I was on social media this past week Instagram Facebook and all the rest that stuff. 11 hours a day What could you do with 11 hours a day? How could you change your life if you turn that into six hours and you just gave yourself 5 hours a day 5 * 73535 hours a week. That's almost a whole work week. Do you know that on our how many of you work 8 hours a day how many of you know, none of us work 8 hours a day. Actual productivity is only 3 hours and 49 minutes a day. We go to work for 8 hours, but with tweet all the distractions and all the rest of stuff that we've got to do. We only work actually work 3 hours and 49 minutes a day. That's all we do. And there and the reality is that we got so much time and it's just pouring out the door were burning it at a phenomenal rate. God has given you time for free the Sun keeps coming up. Think about it. You didn't have to pay for the sun. Thank God. I'm going to pay for the lights in the room, but you got it. You don't pay for that the Sun keeps coming up the world keeps their Planet keeps spinning and keeps going around the Sun and Crank It Up and time keeps marching on and God gives it to you for free so that you could do great things for him. He gives it to you for a purpose. What we learned the value of time we use it for a great purpose will find out in a moment. James goes on the same verse 15 instead you ought to say if the Lord Wills we will live and do this or that as it is you boast in your arrogance and all such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it for him. It's a sin. Call the sin of omission. You know what you're supposed to be doing and James says if you know what you're supposed to be doing and you're not doing it. You're standing against yourself. You're wasting your own time. If you don't know your way you're going to screw around like a rat looking for the next piece of cheese. How many Dino people in the rat race just looking for the next piece of cheese? So he was looking for the next?
You just watching it mean to go on how in the world. Can you do how do you function that doesn't want you to live like that. He doesn't want you just surviving. That doesn't get you where you want to go surviving just it's just getting by surviving it if I can just get through the next day if I can just get through the next week if I can just get to the next paycheck. That isn't what time is for God is giving you so much more to be able to do with the time that he has granted you with. What does James's teaching us? You have to learn your god-given significance and that's what you pull your time into. You have to learn I did God create you and that's why he wants you to know this. That's why you should learn the value of your fly.
Look at yourself in the mirror and go why are you doing that?
Driving down the road. Why did I say that? No, why is that question that gets right up in your face and just intimidates you anybody ever looked at you and Go, why'd you do that immediately, you're on your heels. You're like what I say when I do what's going on? And sometimes it's it's not the best question to ask but you can ask yourself. Why why am I doing what I'm doing? The number one motivator of Life today in my opinion is pain much of what we see happening in the world around us as a result of pain that we are inflicting upon ourselves. Or that others or or that others are inflicting upon us. How many of you know that you have had a crisis in your life and it cause pain and as a result of that pain you did something about it. Hello? Yeah, we've all done that. We both got a place where we have to say to ourselves. Why do I go to work? Because I got too much Dutch. I got to pay the bills. A Health crisis causes you to change the way you eat. Why do you get a divorce because being in a relationship was too painful. We all sorts of things back that we look at. Why do we do what we do and chances are we can find pain rooted in it somewhere in pain is a horrible Taskmaster and it's usually rooted in fear. Look at those resolutions, you wrote down. I'll bet you at least one of them and they're have to do with some kind of pain in your life. Something that is making you uncomfortable something that is causing to push you to the edge and say I've got to do something about this or I'm going to have to do something about this. I want to head this off at the pass before it becomes a significant problem. Sunbelt little Lionel something a little something going on or maybe it's a big pain is a result of a crisis and living your life from crisis to crisis is a miserable way to live but let me tell you Satan want you to live from crisis to crisis and if you don't have a crisis he's going to try to make one for you. He's going to make you look around and Te'o look at this whole look at that all what's going on there or what's going on there and the next thing you know, we get tied up and gossip we get tied up and back by then. We get tired of it all sorts of stuff that we created a forest fire. What are we stand back and go did I do that? We do we start our own fires and then we have to put them out. I don't know about you, but I think that's a waste of time and if I was the reason to exist due to live Romans 12:2 do not be conformed to this world the word conformed here in Greek means to be poured into a mold but be transformed that's where we get the word metamorphosis be transformed by the renewing of your mind that by testing you may discern what the will of God is what you're good and what is good and acceptable and perfect. The transformation is where we discover our why not being conformed to what everybody else wants from us. God's will for your life is your why? God's will for your life is your wife Lilian wise you should exist sitting out there.
I means a lot of stuff out there to choose from. That you can make your quad but the scripture says there's only one that you should be paying attention to what is God's will for your life. Some things are obvious. Some things need to be discovered pulp houses. That York why shouldn't conform to the world you see this world you live in wants to tell you why you should be living there want to tell you what to buy it would have tell you how about they want to tell you what kind of language you can use what you can't use what kind of music you can listen to what music you can't listen to it would have tell you how you can dress. I want to tell you how to spend your money, you know the world that wants to do nothing, but conform your will to its image. And that my dear friend is a recipe for disaster because this world is doomed I ran the end of the book and goes up in smoke. That's what conforming to this world get you. Complete separation from God for all of eternity. It needs to be transformed Johor. I need to be transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, you know the words your wife should have a holy purpose. You should have a whole Leaf. Why? Do when you get up in the morning, and and you say why am I breathing? Why am I doing what I'm doing today? There was a god-given purpose behind that. It gives you significance that gives you motivation. It gives you Joy that that brings joy to see how you would get him the money. Thank God. I'm alive I can do this in Jesus name. I know why I'm here. Jesus told us his wine Luke chapter 19. It says that he came to seek and save the Lost. He made it clear. This is why I'm here Boyd's he tells the disciples. I'm here to seek. Those are lost when I find a man to lead them back to me. Save them. Call No Moses mission was to deliver the Jews from Egypt and lead them into the promised land. He has his little meeting with God's Side of the Mountain burning bush and get this mission statements Paul to make sure I'm sorry Souls mission was to exterminate Christianity up until we see him have his little experience with Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was mission in life was to kill us all exterminate the way to make this gospel. Minimates Jesus and he gets a whole nation. He gets a whole new. Why can we read about it in 1st Colossians? 1:28? He says he writes his making right here him Jesus. We Proclaim morning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom that we may present everyone mature in Christ. Mac clear. My reason for being here is to lead people to Jesus disciple them so that when they stand before him they are ready to enter into the kingdom of God had that is still the mission of the church today is to see people's lives saved and change by the power of God. Somebody say min. Churches have mission statements. They know their why ours is Christ is our heart had people are passion. We worship him. We play Wheel of people we pull ourselves up for the gospel in the sake of the Gospel businesses have mission statements. They know why Domino's Pizza we deliver fade on it. They know they're Hawaiian what they're doing and how they do it, but all the things to do, but many people today don't know why. They're breathing perfectly good air and I challenge you or the next couple of days. If you've got a day off for New Year's take some time by yourself. Get some solid to get your favorite cup of coffee tea, whatever. It is. Answer the question. Why? Why God what's my why? Why do you want me to do what I'm doing? Because if you don't know your why you'll do everything else, but God's will. You have to know your why. I don't know so many churches and so many people struggle in the world today. because The followers don't know why the following. They don't know what they're doing. They don't know why they're doing it. You ask people today. Why do you go to church? They can't give you a good answer. What do you read the Bible? I don't really read it.
And we see that people suffer because they never found out or discovered there. Why? Be sure to learn how God Made You 1st Thessalonians 5:23 now may the God of Peace himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit and soul body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ help out about this often. I'll refresh your quickly. We're made of Body Soul and Spirit there three parts to us. There's a body everybody knows that one. So when a deer takes your grows old and breaks down and drives you crazy Greg, whatever you did. Yeah, how many of you know that when they man and then there is the soul. That is our what the Bible calls are personality. It's the it's it's our values at our attitudes. It's you know, if you're cranky it's because your souls cranky if your joyful to go see Souls. Joyful. It's it's pretty simple stuff there. And then there is Zoe or eternalize spirits in the Bible calls is are real and genuine life. I want you to get this The Ballad of the Bible makes it clear their spot either sold their Spirit but the Bible makes it clear that you're real life is your spiritual life. It's not your body. That's not your soul. It's not post that was hurt your real life. We spend a lot of time and money on the body and on the soul. We spent the least amount of money and time on our spirit but the Bible says that's the one that's real. That's the one that's genuine that I don't know. Maybe it's just the simpleton in me at this particular point. But if that's the real and the genuine life, that's the one I need to be pouring my time into that's the one I need to be paying attention to that's the one that needs to be in charge of everything that's going on in my life. The Bible calls our spirit live are real and genuine life and active vigorous life that is devoted to God. It is blessed of this world oven is those who put their trust in Jesus anticipating living with him forever more in heaven. Boots, that's the real thing and you will spend eternity in heaven or hell. Do you want think that it matters whether or not that you are fitting Tramore your 5 lb of a way no, will it matter whether or not you were the most charismatic person that you could have been and had a lots of friends and everybody around you or if you were just the average person who had a few friends and loved your family and took a nap not going to matter. But it will matter whether or not you had a relationship with Jesus Christ. And that will only happen when you allow the spirit to run your life. How do you say huge key that most people completely miss? You got to pay attention to this number one. If you going to change your life, you have to use all three areas Body Soul and Spirit all three of got to be active all three have to be using neglect any one of them and it will lead you to disaster. Let's say you're going to get in shape. You're going to start walking. You're going to be one of those who's going to beat all the odds at the gym or whatever the case is you going to go and buy whatever. I got it and it's morning when you need to get up and you need to work out you lose your motivation. Why because your soul is exhausted you were not prepared for mentally. You just didn't get it. I mean that the body was willing but the spirit was weak.
And so when the song was didn't get didn't say hey, what's it? What's it cost? And what are we going to have to do? You're going to have to motivate me every morning to get out of bed because I like my pillow and it's nice and warm and toasty and hear somebody say, yeah. Amen good. Let's say you're all in 100% less same and you're going to the gym and you're doing this but you don't factor in the spiritual life. What's going to happen? Your body image will become an idol. Your body image will become an idol if you're just got so much body fat. I know a young lady in and she everyday test her body fat you say well that's a little ridiculous know it's connected to her job and if she goes over a certain amount and I mean Taylor cheese lean trim didn't go to the gym each right now the rest of the stuff, but if it goes above a certain point she's fired on spot. She's on television. She's on music videos and stuff like that. And I'm thinking man that's miserable. But her whole life is all wrapped up and making sure that is what he can turn into an idle. So quickly are so many things in your life that will replace Jesus Christ. If you do not make the spiritual part of your life your priority above everything else in your life and no you can't put it on the back burner while you take care of something else. You have to keep it up in front and running all the time or otherwise, you just never get back to it. There's always something waiting in the wings to replace your relationship with Jesus number to if you're going to change your life, you're going to have to let the spirit rule over the body and the Soul people in recovery or anybody's trying to quit smoking or if you're trying to quit a habit, you know this one right here because if you don't have God's help you are doomed to repeat your mistakes. You're doomed to repeat your mistakes. You did it once you'll do it. Again if God is not in control.
If the body rules over our lives, it's all about the moment. How many of how many of you know this since Christmas cuz you you saw that favorite dessert sitting over there? You could care less about everything else was on the table here. You just wanted to get it's one of the plow through that because that pie or that cake or that cup get whatever that was in charge. You don't have no did I look at you? Look at y'all around there? Yeah. That was he I was you I got you baby. If the shoe lifts the soul rules over your life and it's all about being happy and control. I'm not happy and all of you were going to do what I say and tell her I'm happy. That's what happens when the soul gets in control. It's all about you and what you want how you wanted when you want it and you don't care of everybody else is miserable. As long as you are happy and we saw a lot of hair during the holidays then wait. Yeah hallelujah. Thank you Jesus. No, I wasn't sure it wasn't any of you. I'm I'm I'm positive of that. Try to redefine what spiritual is I have people telling me all the time. What spiritual is you know, I don't go to my doctor and tell him what medicine is. I don't go to a lawyer and tell him what the law says. Hello. Come on. I don't go to a physicist and try to explain to him the anatomy of an atom. That's not my job. They've already got that but people feel that it's been there for some reason their first amendment speech ride to come and tell me what they think spiritual is what is spiritual. What does it mean to be spiritual spiritual means that your hard work is submitted to Christ and follows the leading of the Holy Spirit. That's what it means. So that the Holy Spirit tells your body Jody patch or get out of bed or don't get it a habit. It also tells your emotion. No, you cannot get angry about this. You can't give this up your spirit keeps the other two and check and we follow meeting a holy spirit through prayer the word of God leaders that are gifted by the Holy Spirit to teach and lead us and the influence of others who share our faith or the church. We take care of each other. The one the spirit is control at all about lining up with his will that's what it said back in Rutland Romans chapter number 12. That's what James said back in James chapter number for it's all about coming up with his will Jesus said nobody would have been fine be done. And yes the journey from where you are at to lining up. The gods will can be painful. Hello, but it's worth it. If you're going to be in pain on something worthwhile find something worth doing it and finding your why and adjusts covering. The joy of the Lord is your strength to me. It's the greatest gift that you can get ahold of in your life. I've often said that God is committed to your success. So why don't we see more followers of Jesus growing and changing because they refuse to allow Christ to rule over the body and the soul. Where and how to fail with Grace anybody ever failed any failures in the room? All good here. I'll be put up both hands. I don't really have enough hands. I can talk to you about failure all day long at the preacher series on failure. It's easy. We both failed Hebrews chapter 12 and 11 through 13 says for the moment all discipline seems painful rather than Pleasant, you know, that one. Yeah, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it discipline trained you Failure trains you therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees. Get up is what he saying and make your path straight paths for your feet. What does that mean? Correct your course learn from your mistakes get moving in the right direction. So that what is lame? Maybe not be put out of joint but rather be healed. So many people go through their life and they never recover from their failures and they drag themselves through life. bemoaning their mistakes and hear the writer of Hebrews says get up dust yourself off get moving in the right direction and you'll discover healing. Oh.
Now I don't know about you, but I don't think that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is a pot of gold.
I've gone to that found the end of the rainbow one time. There was a Chevy under it. But about to go right in front of me. There was a Chevy I'm going that's not a pot of gold. but nonetheless if I discovered healing for the body the sold as Spirit that's worth more than all the money in the world.
Tell your happens to kids don't turn out right you didn't heal that hit the sales Market marriage fell apart your career plans didn't pan out bankruptcy having you failed your selfie failed God you failed your family. You look at yourself in the mirror and failure failure failure. What do you do? The Bible says we learn from it the right in a few Bruce tells you to let the pain happen. So many people want to avoid the pain. If it's a course correction that disciplined you embrace the pain. He said that's not fair. Then you can't tell me that what Jesus dying on the cross was smaller because he embrace the pain for you so that you wouldn't have to be mailed to that Crofts.
Paul says in Philippians 3 13 and 14 that we should keep moving towards our goal letting go of the past and move on. The term they use in business today is called failing forward. If you're going to fall in the direction, you're supposed to be going in then get up and keep moving make sense to me. Tell your teacher says how to be humble before God.
I know none of us like humility being humiliated. That's not fun. But you have to remember that humility is the beginning of everything good in our life.
Humility is the beginning of everything good in your life. It says it in the Bible if we both humble ourselves and pray and seek his face. Humility is where we find Our Hope failure teaches us that Jesus saves our Salvation isn't dependent upon our success. Will thank you Jesus. You not going to go to heaven and go wow, man, you really screwed up jokes to your life. You're not getting and I don't want screw-ups in here know we are saved by grace through faith not by success while you're forcing us to seek God for a better way.
Well, we know what doesn't work.
Oh how many of you how many of you know someone that has never learn from their mistakes? Some of you are a little too anxious by getting your hand up in the air about that. Yeah, we've all been there. We know people. But we should learn and see what God's will is this didn't work. Something isn't right speak to me. That's one thing that's been driving me crazy for about the last six months. I'm not going to tell you about it. Now. It's for my sermon series next month. I just been talked about this and I'm going missing something here. I know I'm missing something. I know it's standing right in front of me. How many have you read that irritate you you know the answers right in front of you. It's not like some big secret of the universe. It's right there and when they got says here's what you're looking for and I went home and I believe that That was so easy. But none the less. It's true. Don't give up where to grow up and move on towards your fly. A lot of people don't give up because I mean dog people don't get up because they don't have the motivation to get up because they don't know their why. They spend their time doing a whole bunch of other things. Their body their soul is in control of their life and then they fail and they go I give up I quit I'm done. I can't do this anymore. I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to do it anymore either. How did not have a holy fly to my existence learn to invest in yourself Ecclesiastes 7:12 for the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money, Let me know when you got a lot of money you feel better. If you got a little girl and write down in here and when you don't have enough money in the bank account it twitches. This is what Solomon's talking about. Okay, he's saying the protection of wisdom is like the protection of knowing that you're secure had the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom persevere preserves the life of him who has it?
It's not the amount of money that saves our life. It's a wisdom that preserves it. But I'm still surprised at the number of people who refuse to learn. Solomon teaches that regardless of your station in life that you find yourself wisdom will protect you. I'm leaving now wisdom will protect you how many of you know that you got to go find wisdom wisdom doesn't come on a in a box at Walmart.
But it's something that we have to discover for ourselves. You live in a twenty-first-century people. Everything is at your fingertips. 30 years ago. I didn't have the resources I have today. I can't even begin a boggles the mind what is possible? I would sit down to write a sermon. I had a Strong's Concordance, which is the biggest book you've ever seen in your life. Like I meant something with with nine point font on every page in Pages were this big every pastor had one and then a big old Study Bible and maybe another version and that's it. You just had to figure it out from there now today. There's so many resources out there to help you with the Greek and Hebrew we could go up and it's all free. I remember back when I had to pay $1,000 just for a couple of discs to put on my so I could just understand a Greek and Hebrew. All of these things are now available. You've got more now at your fingertips when you've ever had before they're more books and podcasts and Blunts and Blondes. Are there Christian words Christian radio and TV stations and we've ever seen before your apps on your phone that will teach you and disciple you there are believers. You're right about business and Leadership and current events in life and everything that will enrich your life. You have more now than to do to enrich your life and you've ever had ever in the history of mankind, but if you fail to gain the knowledge there can be no wisdom. My pointy says if you're not learning wisdom will not come pay you a visit.
Because wisdom is the proper biblical. Holy application of knowledge.
But if you don't know.
Wisdom will never show up. how many times have we found ourselves in a place where we made mistakes because We did know. You're ignorant. How many lives have you seen the people have destroyed themselves because they have reveled in a lack of knowledge. I've known people who were proud of the fact they were stupid. I'm quoting them. I'm not trying I'm not inviting them. I am stupid and I know it and I love it and you'll like what is wrong with you? Ignorant says not blessed. The word of God is the greatest source of wisdom that you have to be able to guide and direct your life. But when's the last time that we opened it? Tell me read it other than Sunday. Who did I say that out loud? That wasn't my milk, maybe? Okay, I'll run with it. Solomon teaches again and again and again read The Book of Proverbs. He absolutely goes Bonkers on this point. He says learn learn learn learn and learn then apply it to your life. He says it over and over and over and over again. I mean to the point that you're just motivated by it Solomon. I got the point. That's go to chapter 2 all here we go again chapter 3 there's some more 31 chapters of him saying learn for crying out loud. Tension. What's going on around you? We don't have time. People say I can't retain what I read. I don't retain what I read anything if I can read a book and get one great truth out of it. I'm happy I get aggravated when I want read a book or nothing.
I don't really need this. It's it's just not my style. I had somebody tell me what it's not my style to learn.
What?
Excuse me.
Has it ever occurred to you? That Satan doesn't want you to have knowledge. Has it ever occurred to you? That you're nothing more than a pain in Hell's hand because of your ignorance. Has it ever occurred to you that it is Hell's desire that it's Satan desire that you never grow that you never succeed that you never learned how to conquer your fears.
Oh.
It's not God's will.
For you to remain dumb as a brick.
Learn the value of time learn the value of your why learn how God made you learn how to fail with Grace and learn how to invest in yourself. Oh, I got 10 more. I know right behind that, but I know that I'm not up here will save it for later.
over the course of the next few days They say that word with me days day so good. I'm glad you got that over the course of the next few days. I want you to carve out some quality time with yourself. I want you to sit down and take some stock what it was or whatever you call it. Just take time. He said old Pastor you're asking so much. I'll tell you what. I do. I do it every Monday. I do this every Monday of every week I sit down. And I take a look at my why what am I doing? Why am I doing this? I look at everything I eliminate thanks. I look at it and go. This is a waste of my time. You're gone.
I need to include this I need to do that better. I need to figure out this I need to delegate that. I go through this I'm with passion. I do this all the time. I drive people crazy around me. But the fact of the matter is that my life is too important to waste and your life is too important just to let Time March by and you get to this this Sunday next. Here you go. Wow, nothing happened.
Take that insert that you have pray over it.
Determine the answer to your question since I don't know how that I need help. I'll coach you. That's not a problem. It's not hard. You're looking at this like you're making this bigger in your mind and what it really is. You really are most people do they look at this stuff and go like doing your own taxes, you know, that's not the same thing doing your own taxes you had panic over that but not this
And let God speak to you and say hey, you know what? Let's take 2019 the let's do something new different better. Stop still going to happen. Surprises are still going to show up. But now with a purpose in your life. They don't devastate you. Remember those New Year's resolutions you have how many of you would like to achieve at least one of them? If not all of them only like MLK all two three four of you five of you. Okay? Okay. So for you 5 in here sex, ok Styx. Here we go.
I'm going to tell you how to do it. Step number one. Do not start now. Worst idea you've ever had in the world. I'm going to start a new year's resolution this week. No, you're not don't do that why you're going to fail. I'll tell you straight up. There is nothing in the book that says you have to start right now. I don't know where we got that one from Okay, so you don't have to start right now, but I really I got to cuz everybody else is doing it didn't your mama ever tell you if everybody else jumped out of the original you would jump off the bridge nevermind sarek. Let me move on step number to prepare successes in the preparation not in the execution your successes in the preparation not in the execution. If you're going to lose weight, you're going to quit a habit of whatever the case is learn everything you need to do before you start and marketing pitches are designed to make you spend money and fail.
Hey Bobby, you get on I'm listening to the radio. I'm apparently you don't have you listen to the radio long enough right now. You're overweight. Doesn't matter if you are or not, but every other ads come join our jump come and lose 10 lb this month, and they're like, there's no tomorrow by because they know the people this time of the year. I want to make a resolution to get healthier and they're just trying to get you to show up and spend money and just like the jam-band. Oh, you're not going to make it so they can get the money from you again next year when you try again and fail, so no prepare yourself before you start. I'm going to do this. I'm going to succeed by Pastor. I'm still struggling with this the struggle is where you're going to find a success number 3 start in June. I know. Yep, you're all looking at me going to Hawaii June because June is the happiest month of the year. January is the most depressing month of the year that she and you're kidding me. When does summer start June longest days more Sunshine? Not that we have a problem with that in, Florida.
But June is more successful than any other month of the year. If you're going to do something great your chances of doing it and being successful at it or in the month of June. Really? Yeah, it works.
So there's your New Year's resolution. She got six months to prepare to be successful. You're going to pull the trigger in June and you're going to knock it out of the park.
You know what's happening your microwave theology thinks you're going to get everything right now and God's telling me I don't own a microwave only on a crock pot.
Learn the value of time. Time is a blessing that will take care of you. I want you to make it. I want you to be successful I do I don't get up in the morning going. Well. I hope they fail. Know if you doing something sinful or horrible? Yes. I do want you to fail at being a sinner but a but now they're bypass. I don't want you to succeed at your job. I want you to your education. So I want you to succeed in your marriage being a parent whatever it is that you're doing to the glory of God. I want you to succeed at it. And here's another secret that you may not know. God wants you to make it to Who want you to make it?
God is not interested in your failure.
He's interested in turning your failures around into victories and getting the glory for it. my question to you is are you interested? Do you want to make it? Do you want to be do you want to do this? Do you want to see your life change in 2019 now, I'm getting down to brass tacks here. Cuz I've already told you that if you don't change your ways when we get to this time next year, you're going to be the same person that you are and if you come and grab at me about that, I'll say what you do different.
nothing I'm not going to be very merciful to you. I'll be honest with you right there cuz he had 365 days to do something.
You have to do something, but you have to believe you can make it and there is what trips most people up.
They don't believe in themselves and this isn't some psychobabble mumble-jumble motivational stuff. God created you. He created you specifically with purpose.
And he sent his son to die on a cross not so that you will fail your whole life. But that you will discover what he created you for. The question has never been whether or not God is on your side is always on your side always been on your side. He has never left you he will never give up on on you. He set you free from being conformed to a world of sin He Set You Free from having to do what everybody else is doing. he wants you to be free from the lies that say you can't you won't or you'll never he wants you to be free from the excuses. They keep you back. He wants you to know that he's here and that he does care.
And that you are not the exception to the rule.
Well, you know, my my thing is special. My my excuses are special Pastor. Everybody's everybody's excuses are special. That's why we're not special everybody's different so therefore.
It's all the same to God. There is nothing about us that makes God set up in heaven look down upon us and go. I don't know what I'm going to do with that one. Never going to happen.
But these truths will never be a reality until you. believe
the god believes in you
God believes in you people leaves in this church. He believes in me. He believes in all of us.
There comes a point where you have to accept that and believe in it and embrace it for yourself and hang on to it with all of your nights.
Father I thank you that you're the one that's touching our hearts and lives today. And I pray that your holy spirit will speak of us touch us come into our hearts and lives and let us know that you love us so much that you believe in us and that you want to see the difference. You want to see our lives change. We weave Mark time with months and days and we good time means nothing to you got but you understand that our future is dependent upon the choices that we make today. So what happens now? We will see in the near future and I pray God that you will do that.
Heather still bow ties are still closed and let me just ask a quick question.
How many of you here today struggle with the fact?
You struggle with the face. You struggle with the belief.
the god believes in you I've shared with you scriptural principles that he's giving you to change your time your why your purpose to align your life with his will but you struggle with the fact. That he actually believes in you personally.
I understand it. How would like tells me all the time? I'm worthless.
I'm a lousy father. I'm a lousy husband. I'm a lousy pastor. This is a lousy Church. He'll never shuts up and I'm sick of his lies. I give it you hear it. You hear it in your heart to hear it in your mind. Maybe somebody close to you likes to say stuff like that. Just want to tell him in Jesus name. Up.
But you struggle with the fact that God believes in you you struggle with those words. He created you. He created you. Specifically your DNA was his creation. That he gave in order to make you unique among billions of people upon this planet. There is only one you and he has every in pension. of you
knowing him I thought you here today. You say yeah, you know what I struggle with the belief that God Believes In Me. Stretch your hand and say Pastor pray for me. Thank you. God bless you. Thank you. God bless you. Thank you. Who else? Yeah, that's me. I struggle with the fact that God Believes In Me. I've got a past I don't have a future. Whatever excuse there is God Is Bigger Than it God is bigger than your excuses.
Can you have a plan now to change the rest of your life how many of you say I want that plan to work? I really want this plan to work in my life. Amen hands all over the place. I believe it. I believe God's word never returns void. I believe that what God has created it. He sent his son to die on the cross because he loves you so much. I believe that God is a God who has never failed and no one will ever fail us that even though we will make mistakes. He will never count them against us.
That's called love. He loves us so much stand with me if you would please father.
I pray for ever person to raise their hand here in this place right here right now. I pray for every person who struggles with the words that they believe that God believes in them. I pray for every person here who says about valve. Would you ask who I am is diminished. By the thoughts inside my mind and Lord. I pray that you will come in at you will speak to our hearts. You will speak to reminder need will reword. those spots To speak hope to speak joy to speak life and to speak purpose into US Lord. I pray pray that you will begin to add value to who we are that we are bored. Let me know. I heard that there was a purpose in the reason for our existence. That is beyond what other people say or do.
Turn on behalf of people. We just went through the holidays and for most of us it was wonderful time, but there were moments and some of us that were quite painful. That withdrew from the joy of our heart and I pray that you will restore that which hell has tried to diminish. But you will be the one that will change our hearts change our minds about ourselves. Then we will discover our holy why? Why am I here Lord? What do you want from me?
and Lord we both thank you and praise you for it in Jesus name we pray and everyone said hey, man, give the glory to God in this place. Somebody give him praise and honor and Glory. Thank you Jesus. Thank you, Jesus Hallelujah. Hallelujah, there is some value to sell talk. I'm not known put a lot of credit in it, but you got to look at yourself in the mirror and say I am a creation of God and I'm worth everything to him. It won't hurt you. It's not a sin not being arrogant or selfish. If you need to take action take this a step farther you need to do more to it. You need help. I'll help you.
But God wants this year to be different from every other year price and how do you know that because God is a creative God.
God is a God who has a plan. God is an interesting. Hello. God is not boring. God has a plan to change people's lives and you're part of the plan. You are part of the plan and it's more than just sitting on the sidelines, but there is a purpose and a reason. That you can make a significant difference for the kingdom of God. And everybody said amen.