To make any changes to make our lives better we cannot repeat the same patterns we have to make changes
- Things need to change – In order to change we have to recognize we want things to be better and we can believe that they can be and that God wants them to be better too!
What patterns are you repeating in your life that need to change?
- Choose to have hope
“….always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” (NKJV)
1 Peter 3:15
We have eternal hope in the promises of God made alive in Christ.
- Choose to have peace
Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (NKJV)
- We have unshakable peace in Christ who will return for His church.
- Choose to have joy
“Rejoice always….” 1 Thessalonians 5:16
- We have the gift of deep, abiding, and inexpressible joy through our love for and understanding of Christ.
- Choose to love
1 John 4:7-9
“Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 8 But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.
We have love because he first loved us, is love, and lives in us
- Start fresh….forgetting what lies behind
Philippians 3:7-14
But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul is looking back on his life and saying….I did my best, but my best was not good enough, I sacrificed, did everything the law and others required me to do and it still wasn’t enough….but now I realize what I can do best is get out of the way, let go of my past both the good and the bad and push into Jesus….everything that I did on my own in my own strength is nothing compared to what Jesus has for me
Paul doesn’t want the past to limit or control us but to look and believe that Jesus has so much more for us….yes we will need to fight our own flesh, the thoughts we have of who we thought we were versus who God says that we are….
Last year you had a lot of battles most you won, some you lost but either way…God has so much more for you than the wins and losses….but if you hold onto them you will compare your life to those patterns when God wants His mercy and grace, wisdom and power to be new to you today to use an Old Testament thought, just like Israel in the desert collecting new manna every day because the old has become spoiled so are your past victories and defeats…God has new manna for you today
- Forgive – Unforgiveness I believe is the number one killer of all things Godly
It traps a person into the slavery of the person they will not forgive
It fights God – it is a form of pride
It poisons the soul
It can keep you out of heaven
1 Peter 5:5,6
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
This is the reason some of you are struggling in your lives, you resist God’s authority and the authority he has placed over you and then you carry unforgiveness….Choose to forgive and walk free today, free from bondage and free from the enemies control over you….Part of the pain is, as Peter writes here you end up carrying all the worlds care on your shoulders because your relationship is broken with the one who loves you the most
Also….
Jesus made it clear heaven is at stake if you don’t forgive…
Mark 11:25,26
And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
Did you hear that…Jesus said, I went to the cross, paid the price for your sin debt and if you can’t even forgive others I can’t forgive you and without the forgivness of sinew are not making it into heaven
Unforgiveness makes you miserable it stunts your spiritual growth, you keep coming back to the same place and can not break free unless you choose to let it go. The person may not even know you are holding a grudge and you are only hurting yourself
Choose to be free this year and let it go….forget what lies behind
- Dream again –
I talked about this last week. Joseph dreamed a dream and did not give up despite the circumstances
Proverbs 29:18
Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law. (NASB)
Once again I I spoke last week it has been a tough few years and it has been easy to give up on dreams but hopefully you have renewed your resolve to seek the Lord even greater.
What are the desires of your heart?
What do you love to do?
What would you love to try?
Where would you love to go?
If you are going to dream, dream big it may take a little while to accomplish it but as long as you do not give up you do not lose
- What spiritual disciplines are missing in your life?
If we expect different results, we need to change things and creating some spiritual disciplines will make a difference
I have a sign in my office that says “A Bible that’s falling apart is owned by someone who isn’t “
2 Timothy 2:15
Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth. (AMP)
I shared this verse earlier but it is worth repeating
1 Peter 3:15
“….always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;” (NKJV)
1 Thessalonians 5:16
Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Get to fellowship – fellowship has been extremely difficult for some because of…
COVID (you can get COVID anywhere do you wonder why the enemy would place such an intense fear in people about attending church as opposed to Walmart, grocery store, school functions restaurants)
Sports, other kid activities
Work
In fellowship we get built up, we can develop friendships, we have accountability, we grow with a group of believers, we feel the life of the church (you can’t sense the feel of the worship or the intensity of the ministry as easily from home), It part of why we have three services Friday at 7, Sunday at 9 and 10:30
Here is what the word says
Hebrews 10:23 – 25
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
Our faith is dependent on fellowship, we stir each other up to love and good works, this is what the teaching, worship and fellowship do when we neglect fellowship we don’t encourage each other to make it through difficult times and may miss the day of our Lord’s approach as if possible
Matthew 24:23,24
Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.
Allow me to challenge you to commit to attending at least 46 out of 52 weekends this year