CONCLUDING THOUGHTS AND FRESH BEGINNINGS!

INTRODUCTION:

As we have come to a close of the year of 2020, and are currently experiencing the opening minutes of 2021 on the horizon, I desire for us to contemplate some "Concluding Thoughts” that will hopefully lead to some “Fresh Beginnings!”

In preface, the totality of this message is going to be very positive and very hopeful as I move through the stanza’s of this message. If you have not heard that term “stanza” before . . . it is a musical term that means an arrangement of a certain number of lines, normally four or more, having a fixed length; and hopefully for your sake this message will be of fixed length . . . shorter than longer! (That is your cue to laugh, applaud, and give a standing ovation!)

With that being said, let’s get the hard stuff out of the way first and get on to the stuff that really gives us EXPECTANCY and HOPE!

As I begin this message this morning I am going to be quite frank with you, so buckle your seatbelts and put on your steel-toed shoes. I’m not going to mince my words. I’m not going to quote any nonsensical jargon as I’ve heard numerous times from the local and national media and others this past year . . . that makes right look wrong and wrong look right, that defies the very common sense, wisdom, and intelligence that God gave us as human beings . . . and leaves us as our texting abbreviations would say IMO FWIW I’m ROFL because ICYMI by EOD it’s TBD that IMHO, I’m still SMH because I’m still saying IDK any more than I did yesterday . . . amongst other things!

Interpretation: In my opinion for what it’s worth, I’m rolling on the floor laughing because, in case you missed it, by end of day it’s to be determined that, in my humble opinion, I’m still shaking my head because I’m still saying I DON’T KNOW any more than I did yesterday . . . amongst other things!

I’m not going to quote any percentages that are based off of my, nor anyone else’s perceived notion of what or who they think is right, whether it is left, right, up, down, black, white, red, green, yellow, or any other color, nor Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Communist, conservative, liberal, or progressive ideologies; and that means that CNN, Fox, NBC, ABC, CBS, The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, MSNBC, Mother Jones, The Guardian, NPR, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, the Washington Examiner, and a whole list of others are not going to be mentioned beyond this moment! Compared to the WORD OF GOD, they don’t even show up on the visible spectrum!

I am as tired of hearing all of this as you are; and now that I’ve said that; LET ME SAY SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT from the Word of God . . . which we know is TRUTH!

As we close 2020 and expectantly and hopefully enter into 2021 there are certain things that we should consider. I’m going to give you 3 things to evaluate and put into practice as we enter into 2021 that if you put them into practice will guarantee you some great results!

MESSAGE:

1. We need to take inventory!

As many business owners are doing, or have done at this point, being it is the 3rd of January, we need to take inventory! Questions like: What did we learn in and from our experiences in 2020? What was good and of eternal value that we can take away from those experiences? What good and positive things can we continue to build upon from those experiences? In contrast . . . what was not beneficial, but detrimental to what God is doing in us . . . and discard it! The questions go on, and I believe will be very telling for each of us if we will follow Paul’s example as he speaks about in Philippians 3:12-16.

It says there . . .

Philippians 3:12–16 NIV84

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

What are the things he points out?

He realized that he hadn’t arrived, wasn’t perfect, and didn’t know it all! His statement that he hadn’t already obtained all of this refers back to his previous statements in verses 1-11 where he recollects his experiences and puts down pride in his life and accepts the challenge of moving forward.

He realized that there was a goal, a finish line in front of him that was still not crossed! Paul knew that he had to press in and take hold of God and His Word because he wasn’t at all where he thought he was and he had definitely not arrived. As much as he thought he knew (being the Pharisee of all Pharisees) and as much zeal as he had for God (persecuting and killing Christians), he realized that he needed to lose it all to gain Christ and be found in Him.

He realized that the past was constraining him and keeping him from his future!

Paul knew that he needed to forget what was behind him. He knew that he needed to focus on the Word of God, Christ, that was compelling him to move forward.

He knew that he needed to do what he told the Ephesians to do in Ephesians 4:17-32 to live as children of light.

He had to put down the futility of his thinking (v17) because he knew his own thinking was limited by the darkness of this world and his lack of understanding the things of God.

He knew he needed to focus on the truth that is in Jesus and to put on the new self that was created like God in true righteousness and holiness.

He knew that he needed to speak truthfully and put off falsehood, not sin in his anger and give the devil a foothold. Not to speak unwholesomely but build others up.

He knew that he needed to do good with his hands and share with others in need.

He knew that he was not to grieve the Holy Spirit in his life but to get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and any type of desire to inflict harm and pain on another human being. He knew that kindness and compassion towards others, that forgiveness was he was to be living as an example to others because Christ forgave him.

So, take inventory and get rid of those things that God is speaking to you about; those things that you know and are convicted about in your heart. Grab a hold of and press in to those things that are good, acceptable and please to God and are leading you to the narrow path.

What may that practically look like from this past year? I know from my own personal interactions that there are many out there that have been hurt by words said out of pride, anger, selfishness, and misunderstanding that have divided relationships because we have allowed the devil to get a foothold in our lives. The enemy has had a heyday in 2020 like I’ve never seen before. Relationships on every level, and in every definition have been isolated, divided, and are suffering because of misunderstanding and pride on both sides . . . and that’s right . . . both sides. I’ve had to deal a number of times with my own emotions and thoughts about the things of the last 9 months keeping myself in check and staying focused on what is truly important in this temporal life. I’ve had to decide what discussions to have and not to have on certain topics that I might stay focused on what is most vital and eternal.

Why? Because there is something greater at stake here! It’s more important than our pride and ego! It’s more important than who’s right and who’s wrong concerning a number of topics . . . because most of the topics being discussed concern temporal and not eternal consequences!

That’s why Jesus and Paul tells us to to LIVE FOR and PRESS IN TODAY!

2. Live Today in Preparation for the possibility of Tomorrow! (Prepare, Envision, Dream, and Plan)

We are to live today like we don’t have tomorrow! Jesus tells us not to worry about many things (Matt 6:25,28, 31, 34; 10:19) but He doesn’t tell us not to prepare, or have vision, or dream, or make plans! Jesus tells us not to worry about the temporal things (Matthew 18:8; 19:29) of this earth but to set our eyes on the eternal things that effect us most! He wants us standing on the positive side of things not on the negative! He wants us standing on the eternal side of things and not the temporary things of life!

The very essence of the gospel is freedom and not bondage and slavery (Luke 4:18)! Freedom to live for Christ and not be a slave to sin! Freedom to live for Christ and not to live in the selfishness of the flesh! Freedom to live for Christ and to proclaim freedom for those in bondage spiritually, physically, emotionally, and financially!

Luke 4:18 NIV84

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,

Romans 8:21 NIV84

that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

1 Corinthians 7:21 NIV84

Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.

2 Corinthians 3:17 NIV84

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Galatians 5:1 NIV84

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

According to Galatians 5:13 we were called to be free . . . and we are not to use our freedom to indulge in the sinful nature . . . but rather to serve one another in love!

Galatians 5:13 NIV84

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

We are to plan for righteousness and good!

Proverbs 12:5 NIV84

The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful.

Proverbs 14:22 NIV84

Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.

We are to commit to the Lord our plans

Proverbs 16:3 NIV84

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

I could go on and on long past our ability to withstand the time it would take to expound upon the scriptures that speak of these things! God has given us the precious gift of Christ for reconciliation and salvation, for deliverance and forgiveness to that we might LIVE TODAY IN PREPARATION FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW!

There are souls to be saved and brought into freedom! There are lives in this world of every race and of every color, of every tongue and of every belief that need the TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST! There are people in our families, and in this city that today need Jesus; and there may very well be people sitting in this very room right now that need Jesus . . . because if the trumpet were to blow as Christ returns for His church, they would be left behind because they did not know and believe that Jesus Christ is who He says He is, and that He has done what God has told Him to do!

And, where does that leave us?

It leaves us LIVING TODAY IN PREPARATION FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF TOMORROW

and GETTING UP tomorrow and DOING IT all over AGAIN!

3. Get Up and Do It Again!

Each day we have the privilege of bringing the gospel of hope and freedom to a dark world that is deceived by the lies of the enemy, that is mislead by the very acts that keep our world in bondage! We have the honor and blessing of being the temple of the living God so that we might be used to bring light into dark places to set the captives free! We have the blessing and the responsibility of speaking truth where one will listen and be set free!

As I close, let me encourage you with these words . . .

Galatians 5:25 NIV84

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Philippians 3:16 NIV84

Only let us live up to what we have already attained.

Colossians 1:10 NIV84

And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

1 Thessalonians 4:1 NIV84

Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.

Hebrews 10:25 NIV84

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

CLOSING THIS PART OF THE SERVICE

PRAY AND CUT THE ONLINE FOR OUR MISSIONARY