The big rock of Time with God

-The new year gives the opportunity for a fresh start a different way if you position yourself this year in the presence of God that will be a good thing to do and prioritise.

-. Days are flying by us, just going from day to day but there is no joy - but God wants us to enjoy life not endure it and he can give a new start today

-Many people want their lives to be lived differently but don't know how to stop the cycle, don't know how to get off the merry go round of life.

-This year can be different

2) Introduce the big Rocks analogy.

Over this month we’re going to look at some Big Rocks to prioritise in order to live a full and fulfilling life.( SPIRITUEL BIG ROCKS)

INTENTIONAL ABOUT PRIORITISING THE BIG ROCKS

WHY THE BIG ROCKS SEREISE???

-order determines capacity. If you'll prioritise the important things first then you can still get to all the small less significant things but if you prioritise the insignificant or you allow the small things to come first you will never get to the big rocks - the important things in life.

seek first the Kingdom and everything else will be added to you.

THE SECOND AND MOST IMPORTANT REASON IS THE KINGDOM OF GOD

Often we get distracted on those small things, the gym, facebook, our appearance, maintaining relationships, worrying about work, but Jesus says there is another way.

If you will prioritise the Jesus and his kingdom then all that other stuff will fall into place - verse

New Living Translation Chapter 6

Seek the Kingdom of God* above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

INTRODUCTION to the first rock

WHAT IS THE BIG ROCK THAT WE ARE LEARNING ABOUT TODAY?

TIME WITH GOD....

Spending time with God is life is oxygen for the spiritual life

The mask on plane illustration

The clock illustration

WHY???

BECAUSE JESUS SPENT TIME WITH THE FATHER IF ITS GOOD FOR JESUS ITS GOOD FOR ME TOO.

BECAUSE WHEN WE SPEND TIME WITH GOD WE WILL BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN THE THINGS WE DO WE WILL BE EMPOWERED TO LIVE THE LIFE THAT GOD INTENDED FOR US.

EXPLANE ABOUT A DAY IN THE LIFE OF JESUS FROM THE BOOK OF MARK

Last year i was living a crazy busy life style my wife knows i was living a busy life style Are you living a “crazy busy” lifestyle?

Do you constantly run from one activity to another? Do you often eat while checking your email or calendar?

Most importantly, are you so busy that you don’t have time to stop and listen to God?

Developing an intimate relationship with God requires time. If you have been so busy that you haven’t had time to spend with God, it is time to change your focus.

Developing an intimate relationship with God requires time.

If you have been so busy that you haven’t had time to spend with God, it is time to change your focus.

New Living Translation Chapter 10

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home.

39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.

40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details!

42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

The story of Mary and Martha in demonstrates what it means to be so focused on your work and activities that you neglect to spend time with God.

Martha was caught up in all the tasks she had to do, while Mary was sitting and listening to Jesus. When Martha complained about doing the work all by herself, Jesus told her that she shouldn’t be worried and upset about the household work. He said that Mary had made a better choice by sitting quietly at the feet of Jesus.

If you have gotten into a lifestyle of busyness, think about these this next sripture

1. Be still. “Be still and know that I am God!” ().

How often during your waking hours are you actually still? When you sit down, how often do you have your phone, your laptop or the remote control in your hand?

There should be time each day when you stop your activity, put down the electronic devices, and be still.

THE I PHONE HAS A GREAT FUNCTION THE OFF BUTTON

As you find time to be still in His presence, you will realize that He is God and that He has everything in your life under control.

The clock illustration

-This year can be different

If you will prioritise the Jesus and his kingdom then all that other stuff will fall into place - verse

Time with God changes things(John 21:1-12)

(John 21:1-12)

New Living Translation Chapter 21

We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.

4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was.

5 He called out, “Fellows,* have you caught any fish?”

“No,” they replied.

6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.

7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore.

8 The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards* from shore.

9 When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.

10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said.

11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn.

12 “Now come and have some breakfast!

-the big rock for today is Time with God

This story illustrates that we can set about the things of life and be unfruitful but when God shows up things change

The presence of God:-Brings Fruitfulness - large fish Compere to no fish

-Brings Fruitfulness - large fish

C. Favor—v. 6. Christ told them to put the net on the right side of the boat. They obeyed, and caught many fish!

B. Failure—vv. 4–5. All night long they fished, but caught nothing.

(jn15) That why we need to be connected to the vine

· Its always good to be in the presence of God (psalm 16 11) there is nothing like it

English Standard Version Psalm 16

11 You make known to me cthe path of life;

in your presence there is dfullness of joy;

at your right hand are epleasures forevermore.

The net did not break

John doesn’t need to tell us this

He could just tell us they caught a lot of big fish but he wants us to see that something supernatural is happening

He wants us to see that normally the net would have torn under the strain – butit didn’t because Jesus was there

In life there are times when we are under greater strain, times when we are at breaking point

That is when we need the presence of God which allows us to hold in times of strain, to endure through when we are at breaking point.

Many of us rush off and look for God’s presence when the going gets tough but we often find it difficult to find by then because we are already stretched and worn and dried out

That’s whay Jesus says remain in me, stay connected to the vine, find you’re the sustenance for life in me – then there is a supernatural endurance in times of strain, an ability to hold when normally we might break

When you do things in your own strength it were you down

· We need to start doing life in Gods strength in Gods presents when we are weary in life, we need Jesus to tell us to throw the net and in his strength it will not break the net will not tear

Something changes in the presents of God when we make this our # 1 priority

This is our first propriety our first big rock to get into the presence of God

God wants to get into a deeper relationship

We need to walk with God

· The way God walked with Adam in the garden it’s the way you are designed

· Its not about a Sunday experience

· The noise of life drowns out the presence of God in your life. some of you need to have4 some quite time with God

GOD IS NOT A TYRE IONE FOR WHEN YOU ARE IN TROUBLE (FLAT TYRE) HE SHOULD BE YOUE PASSENGER infact you should be calling on him, to be in the drivers seat

explane about the awseam time you had at harcest doing prayer time everday

GIVE 20 MIN 20

But until hearing from God is always our first priority, we will keep living from crisis to crisis. Don’t wait for a crisis to make God your top priority. Make sure that the first and most important thing you put on your schedule every day is the time you spend seeking God with your whole heart.

ILUSTRATION

I like to walk with God abide with God and soak in Gods presents

You know when I wash the dishes sometimes o have to scrub very hard and I cannot get the stains out, but when I let the dishes soak dirt just falls off the dishes sometimes you need to just soak in the presents of God and be washed in his presents.

and let the stress and anxiety fall off you

Stuff drops of my life when I soak in The Holy Spirit

ex-plane centering prayer

We have to give time to God

Developing an intimate relationship with God requires time. If you have been so busy that you haven’t had time to spend with God, it is time to change your focus.

i notice every time i go off to pray or worship there is a lying at the door ready to take me out

The problem is

>SATAN DOSE NOT WANT YOU TO WALK WITH GOD

Satan hates it when you walk with God,

he hates it when you put one foot in front of the other.

So how dose Satan try to stop you from walking with God?

Peter Jenkins wrote a book called a walked across America, it was an unbelievable book because he5000 miles

He worked jobs it took him 5 years to it he went through blizzards in freezing cold temp walked through the desert

He was attacked by dogs bitten by snakes; he was hit by a car his dog got run over and hit by a car. He was mugged 3 times stabbed one time you name he went through it.

So, the asked him the question what was the thing that nearly made you give up he gave the answer sand in his shoes

Satan fills your shoes with sand!!!

He would get grains of sand in his shoes and grind him it was the little grains of sand.

The same is true with our walk with God it is not the big things that will stop you from walking with God its not the big things that will stop you spending time with God actually most people run to God when they get a bad doctors report

We lost this or that

It’s the little grains of sand that no one can see that get into our spiritual shoes and grind away at you it’s the pain and hurt that no one sees the disappointments, worry fear it grinds away at you it begins to hinder your walk its only a little thing but because it’s not that big it begins to affect your walk.

It’s the little hurts and the daily worries we put the plastic face on pe [pole ask you how are you doing??? I’m doing good but I look at you walk, and I can see your in pain.

The power of sand can strip paint off a car it’s the little offences

they said to David where is your God

ASK THE BAND TO COME UP ON STAGE

Its that daily trouble that keeps grinding away many Christians have sand in your shoes

Delila pressed on samson daily sleep with me sleep with me sleep with me !!

your trying to do good

HOW TO GET THE SAND OUT

Have you ever been to the beach and you go to wash sand off your feet and its just everywhere you was one foot and the other and its useless well let me tell you this that God never designed you to wash your own feet HE SENT JESUS TO DO THAT FOR YOU!!!!!!

JESUS SAID COM TO ME ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY AND BURDENED AND HE WILL GIVE YOU REST!!!!!!

You get the sand off by prioritizing your life getting in the presents of Gods spending time with God an let him wash the sand off your feet,

Let him wash the anxiety away!!!

Let him wash your depression away!!!!

Let him wash your fear away

Let him wash your anger away

Let him wash your stress away

You take your worry to him you take the grinding problems to Jesus

Then when you have been clean you go and wash the sand from someone else feet

Conclusion

If we want to get off the merry go round Job speaks of, if we want fullness of Joy then we must seek his presence first

seek first the kingdom......

- NLT

D. Fellowship—vv. 7–14. John told Peter it was Jesus who gave the command. Peter was excited, and swam to meet Jesus. They caught 153 large fish. Jesus ate and fellowshiped with them. This is the third time He appeared before them after the resurrection. Note v. 13, Jesus served the bread and fish.

Feasting with Jesus

… Come and dine.

The full story of this incident is one of great pictorial beauty. Peter, James, John, and other disciples are gathered by the familiar Sea of Galilee. Their condition is one of restlessness. Behind them is the seeming tragedy of the cross. Their hopes have been dashed to the ground. Christ is alive but He appears and then disappears. They are uncertain, perplexed, and unsettled.

How similar is the situation of modern man. He can fly like a bird but not walk as a man should. He can conquer the moon but not vice, violence, drug addiction, and divorce. The world’s problems have baffled and beaten him.

The secret is to accept the Savior’s invitation to “come and dine.” It was an astounding invitation, revealing four things about the risen Lord.

I. The familiarity of Christ

The invitation was not “Come and wait on Me; come and attend to the needs of your risen Lord.” It was “Come and dine with Me.” Indoors it would have meant reclining at a table, each person leaning in the direction of the Savior. Outdoors it was on the sandy beach or the surrounding grass. The Lord Himself would be the central figure of the feast.

How familiar He always was! “This man eateth with sinners.” So said his opponents, acknowledging His familiarity. “Come down,” He said to Zacchaeus, “for today I must dine at your house.” So He wants to befriend us today and enjoy familiar fellowship with us, and us with him.

II. The food Christ provided

There was nothing sumptuous, ornate, or intricate about the menu. There was no great variety of dishes. It was plain fare but plentiful: bread and fish.

He is the “bread of life” and the “true vine.” His death is remembered by millions today at every communion service by the eating of homely bread and drinking simple wine.

III. The fellowship Christ enjoyed

One of the most delightful aspects of Eastern mealtimes is the fellowship that is enjoyed. In Western countries the custom seems to be that the quicker we can gobble down our food and leave the table, the better. But in Eastern countries eating is almost a ritual. Time is taken over a meal—time to be spent in talking as well as in enjoying the food.

It was at supper that the Lord had momentous things to say, truths to impart, as He had at this “resurrection feast.” He went on to speak about loving and looking after His flock.

IV. The favor Christ bestowed

Jesus not only invited His disciples to eat with Him; He, the risen Lord, also acted as host: “Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise” (v. 13). During His earthly life He had no home of His own, although He was often “at home” in the homes of others. But He still knew how to act as a host, in the upper room and now in the open air. After the long walk along the Emmaus road, He, the guest, became host to the two disciples with whom He had walked and talked.

Look at the humility of Jesus: He laid the fire; He bent down on His knees on the ground and gently blew the coals into a flame; He prepared the fish; He provided the bread; He went round the circle serving them, waiting on them, for “He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.”

The Queen of England was once caught in open country in a storm. She took shelter in a cottage, although her welcome from the owner was a grudging one. Later, after the queen’s departure, the old woman who lived in the cottage said, “If only I had known!” She had entertained royalty unawares.

One day we shall have the privilege of sitting down at the marriage supper of the Lord. Let us recognize Him first as the Christ of Calvary.

GOING TO SCHOOL

… I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

Elijah learned his lessons in the school of Cherith; Paul learned his in the school of Christ.

This chapter is one of great promises (for example, vv. 7, 19). No wonder Paul can express his contentment in all circumstances and situations. For him there was no “winter of our discontent” as there was for Shakespeare.

I. The pupil: “I have learned.”

Paul is writing from experience, his own personal experience of the goodness of God in hardship, privation, and persecution. He has learned or been instructed in such[1]

* This was the text my father gave me when I left home to join the army during the Second World War. I did not preach on it until I had proved it!

[1] Eric Hayden, All-Purpose Sermon Outlines, Dollar Sermon Library Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1976), 13–15.

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