Running Into 2021

Bradley

Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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Introduction

I want to welcome you again this morning.

First, to those joining us online, we are so thankful for our online technology that allows you to be a part of our church family today.

I also want to welcome those who may be joining us in person for the first time today. I hope your time with us is encouraging and helpful, and I look forward to meeting you.

I would also say if you are new to our church today, it would be helpful for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”.

What that means, is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then breaking them down from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Our goal, to better understand not only what God’s Word says, but what it means in our lives today.

And for the last couple of years we have been doing that through the NT book of Acts.

However, through the month of December we have been taking a break from our study of Acts in order to focus in on the Christmas season.

And now that Christmas is behind us, we will be jumping back into our study of Acts next week.

However, before we do that, I felt it would be important that we take a week and consider the year to come. That as we finish out this last week of 2020, we give thoughtful consideration to how we approach and navigate 2021. Because I don’t know about you, but based on how 2020 has gone, I think it’s more imperative than ever that we walk into 2021 with some sort of plan. Some sort of way to navigate the unknown of 2021.

That being said, as I thought about the New Year, I couldn’t help but think of a treadmill.

And when I say treadmill I’m talking about the kind of treadmills that you see at a gym or in a fitness center. Everybody know what I’m talking about?

Now, you might be thinking, “Ok Pastor, that’s a little odd. But, I’ll bite. What does a treadmill have to do with going into a New Year?”

We’ll get to that in a minute, but first let me tell you a little bit about what I know about treadmills.

The truth is, I’m an avid treadmill runner. In fact, on a typical week I’ll log anywhere from 20-25 miles running on a treadmill.

Some of you are like, “Pastor, what’s wrong with you? Why in the world would anybody want to do that?” I don’t know. That would be like asking somebody, “Why would you jump out of a perfectly good plane? Or why would you jump off a cliff with a bungie cord wrapped around you? Or why would you be a chiefs fan?” It’s just something that you can’t explain.

And as an avid runner, here’s what I’ve learned. When it comes to treadmills, runners either love them or hate them, and there is really no in-between.

So, why such a contrast? Why is it love or hate scenario when it comes to a treadmill.

Well, for those of us that love running on a treadmill, I would say there are at least three reasons we enjoy running on a treadmill.

First, treadmills allow you to control your pace. Which means I get to determine how fast I run or don’t run.

Now, you might be thinking, “But Pastor, you can do that running outside.”

Yes and no.

Yes I can control my pace running outside by speeding up or slowing down, but not like on a treadmill.

Because outside I have to contend with hills, terrain, wind, heat, and several other factors that might interfere with my pace. But on a treadmill, there’s nothing to impeded my progress. Why? Because I’m in a controlled environment. As a result, on the treadmill there’s nothing that keeps me from running a certain speed or attaining a certain goal.

Second, treadmills allow for running entertainment and distraction.

For example, while running on a treadmill I’m able to watch the news or one of my favorite television programs. And what I like about that is it keeps me distracted. It keeps me from focusing on how long I’ve been running and how far I have to go. And then before I know it, 30 minutes have passed and my time is up.

Outside, all I can think about is how far I have to go before I’m done, which makes it feel like a never ending run.

Finally, treadmills guarantee that you won’t have to worry about dogs, wild animals, and snakes in your path.

I don’t know if you saw it, but I recently watched a video of an outside trail runner who had an encounter with a mountain lion and spent 10 minutes backtracking and yelling at it before it finally ran off. Yeah, it literally made my stomach turn.

Guess what, down at Marysville Fitness, there are now mountain lions.

All that to say, people who love running on treadmills like the safe and controlled environment that a treadmill provides.

But for those that love running outside, they see it from an entirely different perspective.

What perspective? Honestly, I have no idea. In fact, I had to google it. Because that’s how foreign running outside is to me. So, I actually had to type into google, “Why do people like running outside”. And believe it or not, google gave me nine reasons.

Reason #1 - According to studies, running outside in nature provides a greater well being and mental state than running indoors does. Which means, people feel better mentally after running outside.

Reason #2 - Running outside burns more calories. Why? Because running on uneven paths, hopping over curbs, and fighting the wind are all things that only happen outdoors. And each one requires an extra dose of effort, which translates to burning more calories over the course of a run.

Reason #3 - The scenery is better. According to outside runners, dogs, parks, trees, and architecture make for better viewing than other runners next to you and in front of you on treadmills. I guess they haven’t seen that mountain lion video.

Reason #4 - Running outside works more muscles. Apparently running on actual ground requires more hamstring and glute activation to propel your body forward as you deal with the occasional hill or adverse terrain. Studies also show outdoor running increases leg strength and ankle flexibility more than treadmill running.

Reason #5 - Running outside prepares you for races. As one outside runner put it, “Unless you’re going to race against some hamsters on a hamster wheel, running outside prepares you for an actual race.”

I guess what I’d say to that guy is, “Well, I’d rather run next to a hamster than run from a mountain lion.”

Reason #6 - Running outside allows you to explore. In other words, running outside allows you to take new paths you’ve never taken before where you may encounter something you’ve never seen before, like a mountain lion.

Reason # 7 - Running outdoors allows you to get more sun, which leads to more vitamin D, which leads to greater health. Unless you get mauled by a Mountain lion.

Reason #8 - Running allows you to exercise longer. Because unlike a treadmill, you can’t just stop and get off if your tired. Running outside requires you to run or walk back home, resulting in a longer exercise time.

Reason #9 - Running outdoors doesn’t have any barriers. In other words, you don’t have to go to a gym or fitness center to run. All you need is a pair of shorts and some shoes. But I’d also suggest a firearm in case you happen to run into that Mountain lion.

So, those are the 9 reasons google gives for why some people prefer to run outside versus on a treadmill. Nine reasons I think you could boil down to one, and I would say it like this.

Outdoor runners don’t like treadmills because they don’t like running in place. Because running in place keeps them from experiencing all the benefits of an outdoor run.

Because that’s how a treadmill works, right? The runner runs in a stationary position and never really goes anywhere. And for the avid outdoor runner, that’s maddening. They would rather run outside where there is changing scenery, challenging terrain, new adventures, more sunlight, and a mountain lion to get their heart rate up.

Bottom line, they want to feel alive and feel like they are actually going somewhere.

That being the case, here’s how I think the treadmill applies to the New Year.

The truth is, when it comes to religion or faith, a lot of people tend to approach the New Year with a treadmill mentality.

In other words, in order to be more religious or be a better Christian in the New Year, they set up a religious routine that they’re going to follow or institute. And in a way, it’s like a treadmill.

Here’s what I mean by that.

Like a treadmill, it’s a religious routine that offers a controlled environment.

For example:

- The routine allows a person to control the pace they will spiritually exercise at. Which is wonderful. Because depending on how I feel spiritually, I can set the speed I feel comfortable running at.

For some, it will be a slow pace as they decided to read a chapter or two from their Bible or attend a church service here and there.

For others, it will be a fast pace as they race through a set of religious routines they feel obligated to complete.

And for a few, it will be a steady pace as they religiously complete a series of assigned routines in order to feel spiritually accomplished.

In addition to that, it allows a person to control their level of guilt. Because depending on how much they sinned that week or that month, the religious treadmill allows them the ability to run those extra sin calories off as they turn up the religious observances and practices at their leisure.

The fact is, religious routines give us a lot of religious control.

But not only do do these religious routines offer a controlled environment, they offer a safe environment.

Safe in that these routines often avoid any spiritual adversity or challenge. Often avoid somebody making them feel guilty. Often avoid somebody holding them morally or spiritually accountable. Often avoid anything that would impede or challenge them in a way they’d feel uncomfortable with.

You see, for the religious person, the religious treadmill is a great way to control and monitor their spiritual progress. And unfortunately, that’s how many people approach the New Year. They approach it with a religious list of resolutions on how to be a better Christian or be more religious in the new year.

But here’s the problem with the religious treadmill. The religious treadmill works like all treadmills. No matter how fast you run or how long you run, the religious treadmill doesn’t really take you anywhere.

The truth is, it’s good to have a Bible reading routine. It’s good to have a set church schedule. It’s good to set some spiritual goals. But while reading your Bible, attending church, and setting spiritual goals is helpful, those things don’t always get us closer to Jesus. Instead, they just become our religious routines.

So, what ends up happening is a lot of well-meaning people run really, really hard on their religious treadmills trying to please God, trying to show God that they’re going to try harder this year, but never really gain any ground.

So, here’s my concern. My concern is that as we leave 2020 and run into 2021, that instead of running in a way that will grow us spiritually, we would instead adopt religious rituals and routines that don’t really take us anywhere.

And to be honest, after the year we’ve had, we can’t let that happen. Because if we truly want to gain ground and grow closer to Jesus in 2021, it’s going to require us to run differently than we did in 2020, and maybe in a way we never have before.

Let me put it like this. For all of you that may prefer a religious treadmill, 2021 is going to require some outdoor running.

So, the question then is, “How do we run in a way that actually gets us closer to Jesus?”

I think that’s a great question. And in order to discover that, we’re going to go to a book in the Bible that actually talks about running spiritually. The book is found in the NT and it’s called the book of Hebrews. And in Hebrews 12, the writer gives us some insight into what outdoor spiritual running looks like. Beginning in verse 1, look at what he says:

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 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, 2 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.

From this passage, I believe the writer gives us two key running tips. Two tips on what it takes to affectively grow spiritually and run towards Jesus. The first is this.

In order to grow spiritually and run towards Jesus in 2021:

I have to get off of my religious treadmill.

Now, you might be thinking, “Where does it say that pastor? I didn’t see the mention of a treadmill in that passage?”

Well, let’s read it again, because it’s in there. In verse 1 we read:

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

There are a few things I want you to notice about this verse that tell us that spiritual growth can’t take place on a religious treadmill.

First, notice what the writer says about this spiritual run. He says its a race that requires endurance.

The Greek word for endurance here is “hypomone”. And it’s the idea of being able to bear up under difficult circumstances. To maybe even be willing to suffer.

Do you know what that means? It means this run isn’t taking place in a controlled and safe environment. Instead, it’s taking place in an environment that could present difficulty or danger. It’s an environment with hills and rocky terrain. It’s an environment where the elements may work against you. It’s an environment where you may even encounter a mountain lion.

So, that’s the first clue that this isn’t some kind of religious treadmill run, because it’s a run that requires endurance.

Second, the writer says this run involves a cloud of witnesses. Which implies, there is an audience. Which means, this isn’t a run taking place in a personal religous gym or fitness center. This is a run that involves a race. A race where people are watching and cheering you on.

Which again is another clue that this is not a religious treadmill run. This is something entirely different.

So, a great question would be, “Who are these witnesses and why are they important?”

We’ll get to that because this leads us to the third thing I want you to see that verifies this isn’t a religous treadmill.

In verse 1, notice how the writer begins the chapter. He begins withe the word “Therefore”.

So, “Why is that significant?”

It’s significant because anytime you see the word “Therefore” in the Bible, it’s a signal that we need to stop reading and ask ourselves, “What’s it there for?”

Well, it’s there because what the author is about to say has something to do with what he just said.

And in the case of Hebrews 12, it’s there to connect the dots. It’s there to say, “What I’m about to tell you can only be understood based on what I just said.”

So, in order for us to connect the dots, in order for us to figure out what this race is all about and who these witnesses are, we have to go back to chapter 11. And unfortunately, we don’t have the time today to look at chapter 11 in its entirety. But there are a few key aspects of chapter 11 that we are going to focus in on.

So, let’s go back to chapter 11 and see what the writer has to say prior to the race in chapter 12. Beginning in verse 1 he writes:

Hebrews 11:1–2 ESV

1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.

What I want you to notice, is that in the opening verse of chapter 11, the writer begins by pointing out what the key to pleasing God is. And the key is faith. What kind of faith? The kind of faith that believes and puts its hope in what can’t be seen.

And then to demonstrate what that faith looks like, the writer points to a group of people he calls “the people of old”. People who apparently lived out that kind of faith. How do we know? Because the writer says in the end they recieved their commendation. In other words, after living a life of faith, they heard the Lord say, “Well done good and faithful servant”.

Which is what we all want to hear the Lord to say to us one day when we stand before Him.

So, a great question would be, “Who are the people of old?”

This is where we are going to connect some of the dots. Because would you believe, the people of old in Hebrews 11 are the cloud of witnesses in chapter 12.

In other words, they are the people who have already run the race the writer is referring to. People who lived their lives in a way that grew them spiritually and eventually led them Jesus.

In a way, these witnesses are our role models. Role models who were willing to take risks. Role models that stepped out of their comfort zones. Roll models that left safe environments and walked out into the unknown. Roll models who let go of control as they put their hope and faith fully in God. Roll models that are meant to inspire us and challenge us.

So, who are these role models? Well, there are a number of them. So, let’s look at a few we might recognize. In verse 7 he mentions Noah, a man who built an ark before it ever rained as he writes:

Hebrews 11:7 ESV

7 By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

And in verse 8 he mentions Abraham. A man who left the comfort and control of everything he knew as he writes:

Hebrews 11:8 ESV

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.

And in verse 11 he mentions Sarah, who believed God for a child in her old age as he writes:

Hebrews 11:11 ESV

11 By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.

And in verse 24 he mentions Moses, who laid down everything and risked his life as he writes:

Hebrews 11:24–27 ESV

24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. 26 He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.

And then in verse 29 he mentions a larger group of people, a group of people who trusted God when their backs were against the wall as he writes:

Hebrews 11:29 ESV

29 By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned.

The writers point is this. If you want to run a race that grows you spiritually and leads you to Jesus, then run like these people did. Run with faith.

And to run with faith means:

You may have to run outside of your religious comfort zone.

You may have to run down a path of trust you’ve never been down before.

You may have to run where it’s not safe.

In other words, you’re going to have to run trusting that God is going before you and will fulfill the promises He has giving you. Because just like running outdoors, that’s the kind of running it takes to actually grow you in ways that a religious treadmill can never grow you.

The question then is, “How does a person run like that?”

It starts by getting off of your religious treadmill.

So, how do you do that? Here are a few suggestions:

Suggestion #1 - Be willing to step outside of your cookie cutter religion.

Here’s what I mean by that. The truth is, some of you are more wrapped up in your religious heritage than you are Jesus. So, if you want to get off the treadmill, you have to let go of that.

And for some of you, that’s going to be a real challenge. Because for some, it’s going to require you to quit thinking like a Catholic. And to quit thinking like a Lutheran. And to quit thinking like a Pentecostal. And quit thinking like a Methodist, or whatever your denominational background is. To stop thinking denominationally and to start thinking Biblically. To begin to live your faith like the Bible calls us to live. And to begin to see yourself not as a Lutheran, a Catholic, or a Pentecostal, but as a Christ follower.

Because as great as our spiritual heritage and traditions are, they can easily become religious treadmills that keep us running in place and never growing or moving forward.

I know that was true for me for a lot of years. Because while I’m thankful for the Assemblies of God, being Assembly of God isn’t what saved me. And it’s not what sustains me. And it’s not what’s going to lead me to the throne of Jesus. And I can tell you right now, when I stopped finding my identity in a denomination, it changed everything. It allowed me to run in a way I had never run before.

Because true salvation and true freedom from sin is only found in one place. It’s found in faith in Jesus.

Suggestion #2 - Get rid of ritualistic thinking.

And what I mean by ritualistic thinking, is this idea that in order to be right with God, I have to do certain things or perform certain acts.

For example, you might think, in order to be right with God, I need to read my Bible a certain amount of time. Or I need to pray for a certain amount of time. Or I need to go to church a certain amount of times per month.

But here’s the reality. None of those things make you right with God.

“So, Pastor, are you saying I shouldn’t do those things?”

No, of course not. What I’m saying is you need to start thinking differently about them.

For example, don’t read your Bible just so you can say, “I read my Bible today.” And then check it off like you’ve accomplished some task. That’s thinking ritualistically.

Instead, read your Bible with an anticipation to hear from God. Read your Bible with the perspective that God Himself is speaking to you in that moment. Read your Bible without time limits or constraints.

Let me put it like this. Read your Bible with a “I studied God’s Word and spent time With God today” mentality and not a “I read it and got on with my day” mentality.

Do you see the difference? One is a treadmill activity. The other is an outdoor run of excitement and new growth.

Suggestion #3 - Make Jesus Lord of your entire life.

As we look at the people of old, the cloud of witnesses, one of thing key markers of their lives is that they served God with their entire life. Everything they had and everything they were was devoted to God. And it’s what set them apart from others in their generation. And it was that level of commitment that aloud God to use them in the way that He did.

And what was true for them is true for all of us. Because if we want to men and women of faith, men and women that God uses, we have to be men and women who are committed to giving everything we have to following Jesus.

You see, that’s one of the major differences between a religious treadmill runner and a person who runs by faith.

The religious treadmill runner only gives to God what he’s comfortable giving to Him. What he can control. But the person who runs by faith trusts God with everything.

He trusts Him with his finances as he faithfully tithes.

He trusts Him with his time as he gives it generously to others.

He trusts Him directionally to go in a direction He’s never gone before.

He trusts Him to step out when there doesn’t appear to be a step.

He trusts them like the people of old who the writer of Hebrews says:

Hebrews 11:33–38 ESV

33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

The writer says they stepped out in faith and they gave everything, including their lives. And in the end, they recieved commendation. They recieved the prize. The Apostle Paul puts it like this:

1 Corinthians 9:24 ESV

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

You see the man or woman of faith gives everything to Jesus, their entire life. That’s how true spiritual growth takes place.

So, a great question would be, “What do you need to give to Jesus in 2021?” What have you been holding onto? What have you been trying to control? What do you need to give to Jesus so you can step off of the religious treadmill and begin to run in a way that leads to new purpose and new growth?”

I think that’s a question we all need to be willing to ask this morning. Because if we want to grow spiritually in 2021, we have to get off the religous treadmill.

This leads us to one more running tip if we want to run successfully into 2021.

In order to grow spiritually and run towards Jesus in 2021:

2. I have to be willing to shed some weight.

As we come back to Hebrews 12, notice what the writer says in verse 1:

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

The writer says in order to run this race of endurance, we have to be willing to lay aside every weight.

So, what does he mean by that?

The image the writer is giving us here is dietary. And it’s the idea that for a runner to run well, they’re going to have to shed some weight. In other words, the leaner and more in shape the runner is, the faster he will run and the more endurance he will have.

So, what does that mean for you and I? What it means is, if we want to run the race of faith affectively, along with getting off the treadmill, we have to shed the weight that might hold us down. The weight that will keep us from running faster, further, and with greater endurance.

So, what’s the weight that is holding us down? Is it the weight we gained from eating too much pumpkin pie during Thanksgiving? Is it the weight we gained from eating chocolate and sweets as Christmas approached. Is it the weight we gained from the big Christmas dinner we all had a few days ago?

No, that’s not what the writer is talking about. So, what weight is he referring to? Look at what he says:

Hebrews 12:1 ESV

The writer says the weight is sin. In other words, it’s the sin that you and I are holding onto in our lives. Sin that we know is there, we know is wrong, but we continue to hold onto it, and in some cases, pack more on.

It’s like the person who maybe needs to lose some physical weight. But instead of shedding the pounds, they grab another Twinkie. They grab another ho ho. They continue to feed their bodies with things that work against losing weight.

And that’s what happens to a lot of Christians. An it’s why many Christians struggle in their faith. And it’s why God often can’t use them for His purposes.

Why? Because they are weighted down by sin. They’re holding onto things that don’t bring life, but death. They’re packing their life full of things that will never allow them to run the way God wants them to run.

Sure, they jump on the treadmill from time to time as they show up for church, read their Bible, or say a prayer now and then. But they never do what it takes to really lose the weight and run the way God intended them to run.

I see this happen every year about this time at the fitness center. People come in all hyped up to lose weight, and for a couple of months they are super consistent as they show up, run through a routine, and walk out the door. But then all of a sudden they stop showing up. Why? Because they were frustrated. Frustrated that they spent two months in the gym but they haven’t lost any weight. Frustrated because they went through all these motions with no results.

So, why didn’t they lose weight? Why didn’t the exercise routines work? They didn’t work because during the other 23 hours of the day nothing else changed as they continued to eat junk. Continued to overeat. Continuing to not drink enough water. And the lists goes on.

You see, what they didn’t understand, is if you want to lose weight, along with exercise, you have to stop eating junk.

The same is true for Christians. While having a routine of reading your Bible, praying, and coming to church is great, if you’re not cutting sin out of your life, nothing is going to change.

So, let me ask you this, “As we go into 2021, what sin or sins need you need to shed?” In other words, what are you allowing or have you allowed in your life that is keeping you from running in the way God intended for you to run?

Is it sexual immorality? And when I say sexual immorality I’m talking about a number of sexual sins. Maybe it’s sex outside of marriage. Maybe it’s pornography. Maybe it’s inappropriate sexual thoughts, which are just as destructive as the act itself.

Is it gossip? Is it a loose tongue? Is it your unwillingness to mind your own business?

Is it financial? An unwillingness to tithe and trust God financially.

Is it selfishness? An unwillingness to put others first.

Is it unforgiveness? An unwillingness to forgive someone that has hurt you.

Is it a critical spirit? A spirit that breeds negativity and hopelessness?

My question for you is, “What sin or sins are you holding onto? What is it you need to shed in order to run the race God is calling you to run in 2021?”

Because I can tell you this, if you’re unwilling to shed it, not only will it bog you down, but there’s a possibility it will keep you from finishing the race. The Apostle James puts it like this:

James 1:14–15 ESV

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

James says for the person who persists in sin, there is only one outcome. Death. And when he says death, while it could be physical, he’s mostly talking about spiritual death. He’s talking about separation from God. Because that’s what sin does. It separates us from God. It keeps us from finishing the race.

So, what sin do you need to shed? What is weighing you down?

As we close this morning, I think that’s a great question for all of us to ask ourselves. Because the truth is, none of us are without sin. All of us have something that is weighing us down. Something we are holding onto. Something we need to let go of.

So, how do we let go of it? How do we step off the religious treadmill? How do we run into 2021 in a way that will lead to new growth and draw us closer to Jesus?

As we close, I’d like to suggest three steps you can take today in order start down that path.

Step # 1- Fully commit your life to Jesus today.

I don’t know where you are in your faith in God or walk with Jesus, but what I’d like to challenge you to do today, is to fully put your trust in Jesus. To make Him Lord not just of some of your life, but all of your life. To fully commit to following Him not just sometimes, but at all times.

Because that’s where it starts. It starts with that commitment. A commitment to make Jesus Lord. A commitment to let go of control and safety, and to embrace a life of faith. A life where you put your trust in a loving God. A God who has a plan and purpose for your life. A plan that you’ll never discover running in place on a religious treadmill. A plan that can only begin to take place as you put your faith in Jesus and make Him Lord of your life.

Step #2 - Fully commit to studying God’s Word.

The truth is, if you want to grow in your faith and you want to shed sin, then you need to be in God’s Word.

That’s why on January 1st we are going to be starting a 1 year Bible challenge. A challenge that will take you through the entire Bible in 1 year. A challenge that is going to be more than a daily routine.

Because unlike most Bible reading plans, this one takes you a little deeper. Because along with the daily read this plan includes built in videos from the Bible Project at the beginning of each section, along with a daily commentary podcast that recaps and explains what you just read.

Our hope is that by engaging in this Bible reading plan, you’ll do more than just read the Bible, but you’ll learn to study the Bible. To begin to see the Bible not as something you read and go about your day, but something you digest and carry with you throughout the day. A new diet so to speak.

And all you have to do to sign up is text 1Year to 785-268-7247. And then visit www.mcf.life/1year for other resources.

Step 3 - Fully commit to a life of prayer and fasting.

As I look back on 2020, I can tell you without a doubt that the Daniel Fast we did that first of the year prepared us for the unknown. It prepared us for Covid. It prepared us for a 3 month shutdown. It prepared us to weather the storm financially. In fact, I’m convinced, had we not fasted at the beginning of the year, MCF wouldn’t be ending the year in the way that it is.

That being said, as we move into 2021, we are going to do another 21 days of prayer and fasting. But this fast is going to be different than last years. This fast is going to require you to step off the treadmill and run outside.

The fast will begin on January 10th and will run through January 30th. 21 Days.

The fast will also include two aspects:

First, is the fasting aspect. And what we are asking you to do for 21 Days is choose one of four fasting options. You could even choose more than one and mix them up as you go.

Option 1 - A complete fast - In this type of fast, you drink only liquids, typically water with light juices as an option. This is like the Navy Seal of fasting, and honestly something I would only suggest you do under the care of a doctor.

Option 2 - A Selective Fast - This type of fast involves removing certain elements from your diet. One example of a selective fast is the Daniel Fast, during which you remove meat, sweets, and bread from your diet and consume water and juice for fluids and fruits and vegetables for food.

Another way to do this would be just to remove sweets. Or quit drinking your favorite soda.

Option 3 - Partial Fast - This fast is sometimes called the “Jewish Fast” and involves abstaining from eating any type of food in the morning and afternoon. This can either correlate to specific times of the day, such as 6:00 am to 3:00 pm, or from sunup to sundown.

So, for example you wouldn’t eat all day, but you would eat something at night.

Option 4 - Soul Fast - This fast is a great option if you do not have much experience fasting food, have health issues that prevent you from fasting food, or if you wish to refocus certain areas of your life that are out of balance. For example, you might choose to stop using social media or watching television for the duration of the fast and then carefully bring that element back into your life in healthy doses at the conclusion of the fast.

So, we’re asking you to choose one or maybe a combination of those fasts January 10th-30th.

The second aspect involves prayer. And this is really going to require you to get off your treadmill. Because from January 10-30th are going to open up the sanctuary for people to come and participate in time of focused prayer and worship. The schedule will look like this:

Beginning Monday, January 11th, the schedule will be M-F from 6a-7a. And then from 9a-10a on Saturdays.

I know that’s really early for some of you, and maybe for some of you not an option due to work or some other obligation.

So, here’s what I’m asking all of you to do.

First, for those that could come, but you just don’t like the early hour, I’m asking you to step off your treadmill and for 21 days to run outside. To step out of your comfort and routine and engage in a level of prayer you’ve probably never experienced. To learn to run in your prayer life in a way you’ve never run. Because I can promise you this. If you’ll make this commitment. You’re growing to grow spiritually and your’e going to begin your New Year with an endurance you’ve never had before.

Second, for those of you that can’t make that time frame work, I’m asking that you join us online or use the online feed to devote another hour of your day to prayer. Because even if you can’t be at the actual prayer time, I know for a fact that God will honor the commitment you can make, and through it you will grow spiritually.

So, how do you sign up for the 21 day fast and prayer? I’m glad you asked.

You can do one of two things:

Fill out the card in your sermon notes. Please include all the info.

Go online to www.mcf.life/21 days.

My hope and prayer is that everybody that attends MCF will participate as some level during this season of prayer and fasting.

Because the truth is, this is how we grow MCF? This is how we go to the next level. This is how we get off the treadmill. This is how we shed the sin. This is how we walk into 2021 ready to tackle the unknown and further the Kingdom of God.