we're getting ready I've been praying about direction for the new year for us
and I had this question come to my heart what would happen if together we as
individuals and as a church family were to begin this new year with a combined
heart of seeking and pursuing God in a new and fresh way what would happen what
would happen if we together if we as individuals and as a church family began
this new year with a combined heart with the same focus in the same direction
pursuing God in a new and fresh way well what more could God do how many of you
know that word that came this morning is to help us to expect more is to help us
to see mores to help us to dream bigger it's to help us because God is much
bigger than our natural thoughts amen he's much bigger than then what what we
can just see here but as we spend time in his presence how many of you know he
can give us greater vision he can give us greater direction and purpose for our
lives he can expand he can increase and how many of you know it starts with that
expectation he'll put something in your heart and then you've got us take steps
to pursue it you take steps I take steps to release faith to see it come to pass
he gives us a picture of what can be and then we get to participate through the
release of our words the release of Prayer the release of confession of
God's Word over situations in circumstances to see them change and to
see his hand release and to see him glorified through us amen in US and
through us so I'm gonna challenge us to begin a
21-day challenge is what we're calling it a 21-day challenge out it's not gonna
begin tomorrow we're gonna start it next Sunday so you have a whole week to get
mentally prepared and get ready for a challenge amen we're
gonna spend some extra time corporately seeking God together we're gonna spend
some extra time individually we won't encourage folks because how many of you
know God always responds when people are hungry for him amen he always responds
when people thirst after him when when they say Lord I I thank you for what
you've done but I know there's more and I want to participate in the more I want
to I want to see more I want to experience more of you in my own life
but also through my life in our church but also through our church he responds
to hunger he responds to passion he responds to thirst when we call out to
him and we say Lord we want more of you amen
I love the new year because it's always a time I don't know about you but it's
always a time of reflecting it's always a time of refocusing we can see where
we've been through the year we can look forward to the new year I hope you're
looking forward to the new year with expectation and desire for more of God I
know sometimes people are like I can't put can't wait for 2017 to be over you
know sometimes people have challenges in their life sometimes people have
situations and circumstances but let me encourage you go into 2018 with great
expectation go into 2018 hungry for more and more of God now maybe you're aware
of some of the statistics that reveal the difference between successful people
and people that may not be so successful so because how can how can the new year
be different how can things change how can we we focus more on the things that
God has for us well you may have heard of this study before but it's it bears
repeating because it points out something very revealing and and that is
that a study about these guys that were in a Harvard MBA program they
were asked their graduate students were asked if they had clear written goals
for their futures as well as plans to take those dreams and transform them
into realities and so the result of the study was only three percent of the
students in Harvard had written goals and plans 13 percent had goals in their
mind but hadn't written them down anywhere and 84 percent had no goals at
all 84 percent so 3 percent had goals and
they had written him out written out plans how to accomplish them 13 percent
had goals in their mind but hadn't written them anywhere and 84 percent had
no goals at all so take a moment and think which part do you belong to what
part do I belong to so then they came back ten years later to the same group
of students and they interviewed them again and the conclusion was astonishing
the 13 percent who had goals but did not write them down earned twice as much as
the 84 percent with no goals think about that for a moment so these guys 13
percent of them had goals in their mind but they hadn't written them down so
that 13 percent earned twice the amount of income as the 84 percent that didn't
have any goals so I'm encouraging you get a goal amen even if it's in your
mind but we want to write it out the three percent that had written goals
were earning on average 10 times as much as the other 97% of the class combined
10 times as much but there was only three percent so the three percent they
had a goal and they wrote down a plan to see it come to pass so people that don't
write down goals tend to fail easier than ones that have a plan and the
statement true or or or the the study proves the
statement even if only the criteria was monetary we're not just looking at money
we're not just looking at careers as a part of the kingdom of God as a part of
the body of Christ there's a higher call upon our lives amen now making an living
is part of it obviously you need to make a living God wants you to make a living
he wants you to earn he wants you to progress he wants you he wants to
promote you and me but we've got to have some time where we pray and we seek his
face to get his plans and purposes for our lives are we spending time and
that's what this 21 day challenge is going to help us to do because if we
don't have a goal if we don't have a plan it's like just getting in your car
and saying well I I maybe maybe in an unfamiliar place that you you're not I
mean because around here we're pretty familiar with lots of places but you
know what if you were to say well I'm in Europe and I want to go from Paris to
Germany but if you didn't have a map and if you didn't have a GPS you could
wander around maybe check oh I could oh I see a sign over here let's follow this
sign for a while and I see a sign here and and and you you might get there
eventually but without a plan it's going to take you a whole lot longer without a
plan you're just going to be wandering and hoping and but I believe this that
when we spend time in the presence of God he can help us with vision he can
help us with goals he can give us desires doesn't the scriptures say
delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart
so as you spend time as I spend time in the presence of God he gives me the
desires of my heart he plants dreams he plants vision he plants direction inside
of us because we're seeking Him and how many of you know we know the scripture
but the scripture says that I have good plans and good
thoughts for you to give you a future and to give you a hope that's the heart
of God the heart of God is to reveal the heart of God is to show but we've got to
take some time to wait in his presence we've got to take some time to seek his
face take some time to acknowledge him but his proverbs chapter 3 says
acknowledge him in all of your ways and he will direct your paths so let me just
give you some things if you're taking down some notes this morning or this
will just help you at least get started within the next couple of days the early
on and this month it would really be good figure out some goals figure out
some goals what is it that as you spend time in the presence of God what what
kinds of things would he like to expand our horizons and help us to see broader
horizons and see things that we haven't yet seen what kinds of things in our
families what kinds of things is our part of the kingdom of God and a part of
the body of Christ well what kinds of things does he want us to accomplish
that if we'll get a goal from him we'll get a picture from him and write it down
I find sometimes a challenge for me I've write that down and then I have to
remind myself to go back over and look at it and know about you you get busy in
the day-to-day life and ministry and family and and working and all the stuff
that goes along with it and and sometimes it's like you know what I need
to look at my goals I like some some folks they like to do this and maybe you
can do it you can put a whiteboard up you know or some those big sticky pads
and I have some of those in my office where we have meetings and take notes as
pastors or different goals and ideas and thoughts come and so I can look at those
on a regular basis well maybe you can do something like that where you're
constantly looking at what you've written
down what what is it that God is speaking to your heart about what is it
that God is wanting to accomplish in and through your life what does his vision
for your life look like one of the first places we need to start is answering the
question am I in the middle of God's perfect will amen
am I in the middle of God's perfect will am i doing what God has called me to do
am i doing what God has created me to do because as we begin this new year I want
to hear him I know you do too when when this whole thing is over and we're
standing before him I want to hear him say well done good and faithful servant
amen not well you're done I know that's old but it's just it makes a point
doesn't it well done good and faithful servant that's what we want to hear our
Lord say not well you're done what what would we where we are in our lives right
now individually young or old it doesn't matter young or older doesn't matter you
take a look back and when you look back at your life say what what what would I
wished I would have done what would I what would I should have done Lord I
know you've been inspiring me I know you've been prompting me I know you you
wanted me to start this business or you wanted me to do this or you wanted me to
do that when you're in those times of prayer and waiting on him what keeps
coming up from your spirit but by the Holy Ghost what what is it that's coming
up inside of you giving you guidance and giving you and need direction that
sometimes we just think oh yeah maybe someday and we just keep putting it off
rather than writing it out figure out what the goal is and then figure out
okay lord help me with a plan to make that come to pass amen
how many of you know he wants to prosper you and me he he he wants to promote us
he wants us to grow he wants us to expand well how are our relationships
are there changes that we need to make what what are some of the goals
do we need to spend more time with our kids you know we were talking with a guy
who's in the banking industry and he was sharing about how people in the office
they were talking about was it like 60 70 80 hours a week that was required for
people to work in this office and he's like well what about family and he said
well one of these guys one of these managers actually said this and I was
like I've heard this before but I didn't know someone that it actually happened
to and this manager said well I don't spend any time with my kids but I can
provide for them so they'll be able to go to college and they'll be able to
have a good life but they don't I don't ever see my kids and that's what you're
gonna have to do if you're gonna grow in this company and you're gonna grow
you're gonna have to sacrifice your family you're like holy cow you you hear
that from time to time maybe some of you've heard that so it sounds
surprising to me but maybe you've heard that in the corporate world they want
you to put the business first they want you to put that company first now I
understand work hard yes we do need to work hard I understand be a faithful
employee do more than as it then is expected but when they start crossing
over into well you sacrifice your family at least you'll be able to buy them nice
stuff and send them to a good college but you're never gonna be a part of
their life that's not the plan of God amen
God's plan is first family amen you go back to the book of Genesis when he
created Adam and Eve it was God first I should have said it that way God first
and then family and then work amen and so you and I have to determine you you
draw boundary lines you set things and pray if you're in a place that's saying
well you have to sacrifice your family then you you probably need to be praying
about Lord I don't want to sacrifice my family where else can I work what other
doors can open what other things can happen you know and I understand seasons
I understand busyness I understand I understand all that but if it's a
consistent thing in in your corporate culture to sacrifice your family that's
not God's plan amen you need to pray and say Lord how
can i what else can I do what would where can I go what doors are you
opening because if you're serious about being in the middle of God's perfect
will he'll get you there amen he'll get you there so figure out
the goals write them down if you can you know write them on a piece of paper
write them on a whiteboard write them down somewhere so that you have
something to see and every day you look at it it'll help you move in that
direction now I like to say this and and so have others be specific about your
goals maybe maybe for some it's health-related
maybe for some I want to lose twenty pounds well that's
different than saying I'm going to lose twenty pounds in the next four months
you put a specific timeframe to it so figure it out write it out then write
out a plan how are you how are you going to do this I'm gonna go to the gym I'm
gonna eat so many hundreds of calories less a day I'm gonna cut out pop I'm
gonna cut out desserts or the third dessert I'm only gonna have one be
specific how can we be specific about it but have it when you have a plan
then then you can say okay so I'm gonna lose 20 pounds and I'm gonna do that by
liszt them cutting out pop cutting out dessert and going to the gym or walking
or swimming or whatever you like to do but put a specific plan to it and put a
specific timeframe to it because when there's a timeframe to it then we're
looking at it and it's keeping it fresh in our mind and we can move towards that
and we can accomplish that I know sometimes when we talk about the new
year you know sometimes people are like well yeah gym memberships are talking
about gyms gym memberships always increase January and February and by
March it's back to normal again you know because they didn't have people don't
have a long-term plan or this is I have to do this to stay healthy and I
want to be around to see my great-grandkids so I'm gonna eat right
and I'm gonna exercise and I'm gonna take care of myself so I can be here a
long time amen you have a plan you can have a plan for
that well I'm gonna be here to see my great grandkids but you know if we're
eatin all kinds of stuff that's not good for us you may not be here to see your
great grandkids God wants you to be here to see your great grandkids if you want
to be here amen but there are some steps that we can
take put a put a put some specifics on it I'm gonna work on my relationship
with my wife okay what are you gonna do I'm gonna make sure I'm home at a
certain time or I'm gonna make sure we go on a date maybe you're not doing any
dates at all maybe you're not spending any time with your wife you're not
spending any time with your husband write down something what can you do to
be specific once a week we're gonna go out for a walk if it's that if finances
are an issue doesn't have to be spending money all the time
there's creative ways that you can spend time together amen you can build puzzles
together if you need a puzzle come to my house we've got a ton of them I've
recently started buying puzzles I like because she loves to build puzzles and
I'm like you know what if I'm gonna build a puzzle so I'm buying these route
66 with retro cars and gas stations and it's a lot of fun I found that murdoch's
a couple of years ago and last year I think it was so we build puzzles so if
you need a puzzle her brother bought us a five thousand two thousand three
thousand last year was a five thousand piece puzzle we gave it to our
daughter-in-law her and my son can build that yeah you
need to puzzle come to our house we'll give you a puzzle and spend some time
together what what can you do be specific need to look at you and
maybe that this would be a great conversations for husbands and wives to
have have some time to talk and say okay what do we need to do in our
relationship guys listen to your wife and take her suggestion seriously it'll
help us amen so be specific figure out a goal and family figure out a goal with
your job figure out a Jill goal with your income figure out goals but they're
all formed with God I want you to understand that this is not just
psychological getting ready for the new year I want how many of you know the
scripture says in Habakkuk chapter 2 verses 1 to 3 I will stand my watch and
set myself on the rampart or the tower watchtower to see what he will say to me
so Habakkuk was saying he's he's setting time aside he's saying I'm gonna get
into the presence of God so I can hear what God is saying and then he says so
I'll know what to answer when I'm corrected then the Lord said to me write
the vision and make it plain on tablets that he may run tablets there you go
look how many of you've got a tablet just make it plain see you you didn't
think the Bible was relevant who knew make it plain on tablets that
he may run who reads it amen so write it out it's not this is not just
psychological you know better yourself and self-help type of talk this is from
the scripture amen you can you get a set to set aside time
to be in the presence of God and and and just worship Him and say Lord I I want
to be in the middle of your perfect will and most of us probably are but if
there's adjustments that need to be made how many of you know sometimes I think
we can just kind of go through life without stopping to say Lord I want to
make any adjustments that you want me to make
lord I want to be in the middle of your perfect will not I'm not a fearful thing
like I don't want to be out of the will of God I'm afraid I'm gonna miss God no
not not being afraid but just being open to say Lord I want to be in the middle
of your perfect will for my life what is that is that in the career that I'm in
is that in the place that I'm in what what is any adjustment she want me to
make any changes you want me to make we were open to him that that's what that's
what Habakkuk was saying and then the Lord said write it down write the vision
and make it plain on tablets that he may run who reads it for the vision is yet
for an appointed time maybe it has to do with family maybe it has to do with
salvation where you're focused more on praying for the lost in your family
praying for the lost in your neighborhood praying for those that
don't yet know Christ Joshua chapter 1 verse 8 says study this book of
instruction continually meditate on a day and night so that you're sure to
obey everything written in it only then will you prosper and succeed and all you
do so meditate on the word we understand the principle there but there's also the
part of writing out the vision write it and God will give you verses the
scripture he'll give you scripture to stand on he'll give you scripture to be
able to to attach to the dream attached to the goal attached to his plan and
purpose for your life so that you're meditating on the
scripture you're seeing the goal you you see health
you see prosperity you see the plan and purpose of God coming to pass in your
life and you write it out Wow keep it before us so this 21-day challenge that
I'm encouraging us to begin next Sunday will have three parts to it so Sunday
the seventh Sunday the 14th and Sunday the 28th no 21st takes us to the 28th
okay and so each Sunday beginning next Sunday we're gonna talk about God's work
first in us because how many of you know it's a good place to start with with
saying and being introspective not not to beat yourself up not to be condemning
but to start with okay Lord what kinds of things I love the Psalms and one of
these will have seven scriptures one scripture to read every day together so
we as a church for 21 days will be reading a scripture together today seven
scriptures a week one a day so we'll be able to read scriptures that talk about
first of all me i love psalm 139 search my heart search me O God and see if
there's any wicked way in me see if there's anything in me that offends you
see if there's anything I need to make adjustments in and make changes in so
the first week we'll be talking about God's work in us then the second week
we'll be focusing on scriptures on God's work through us and the third week will
be God's work in and through us as a church and we'll be focusing together on
scriptures so the scriptures will be on our in our notes for Sunday mornings and
they'll also be on our YouVersion they'll be on our Facebook account those
of you that have Facebook and can get on that way and I believe we'll even be
able to print them out so when you come in next Sunday you'll have some
scriptures that you can just take with you on paper if you need it that way so
that you can begin to spend extra time with him now I want to encourage you
because the scripture says in James chapter 4 verses 8 through 10 draw near
to God and He will draw near to you but notice what the next verse says we
always like to quote that first part draw near to God and God will draw near
to you but then he says cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts
you double-minded ouch we got our toes stepped on sometimes
when we read the word and God says now let's change that attitude let's change
that direction in your life let's change use this area so draw near to God he
will draw near to us but when we do that we need to be open to sit to change now
there may not be a lot of change but there might be some change there might
be some steps of holiness that we can take there might be some things that
we've allowed to creep into our lives really without realizing it how many of
you know you've heard the illustration before but sometimes temptations
sometimes the things of this world it is like the crab in the pot of boiling
water if you threw a crab or lobster and I'm told
they'll into a pot of boiling water they'll try to get out but if you turn
up the heat real slow they'll just sit there and
cook they won't realize the change is happening how many of you know living in
this world sometimes things are slow and if we'll take some time especially like
this at the beginning of a new year and we'll take some time to be in the
presence draw near to God he'll draw near to us he may make some suggestions
or he may make some commands or he may give us some direction that will
ultimately make our life better amen that we have to be assured of is the
rewards far outweigh what sacrifices we think we need to make oh I have to give
up this or I have to do that or no how many of you know the rewards of seeking
God far outweigh any sacrifices that we think we have to make now it may not be
sacrifice it may just be encouragement you're doing the right thing it may be
keep moving in this direction or it could be search me O Lord and see if
there's any wicked way and mani says yeah I want to put my finger right there
and we go okay thank you for the Spirit of God so we want to encourage you we're
gonna encourage fasting have you all fasted before fasting now how many of
you know fasting and I'm not doing like you know where we say fast this or fast
you decide some people can fast meals sometimes fasting meals for some because
the dietary situations insert Sansa's it's hard to do that I
understand that but take some figure out so you've got seven days between now and
next Sunday to figure out what am I gonna fast what is fasting meat fasting
means setting aside something not doing something but replacing it with getting
in the presence of God sometimes you know people if they're fasting just too
fast well that's you know there's some physical and health benefits to fasting
going without food drinking liquids of course sometimes people drink a soup
broth sometimes people drink juice sometimes people just drink water and it
doesn't have to be a long fast and you can be a meal maybe as we get into next
week from the 7th to the 14th as we get into the next few weeks maybe you pick a
day where you're gonna say I'm gonna not eat lunch today and I'm gonna just go
into my car or go for a walk then zhan the weather I know it's wintertime I'm
gonna get away and instead of eating lunch I'm gonna pray and read my Bible
I'm gonna pray and read the word some of the scriptures that will be giving you
you'll be able to read they'll help you along those lines
but pick something to fast maybe you watch three hours of television a night
fast an hour of television tonight or fast two hours of say you know what for
the next 21 days from January 7th to January 28th I'm not gonna watch
television wow it's getting pretty quiet in this Presbyterian Church what can you
fast what what what and take some time to pray say Lord what you know am I
gonna fast a day a week am I gonna fast a meal a day or a couple
of days or am I gonna go without watching television am I gonna go
without a Starbucks or am I gonna go what what can I but the key is replacing
that with spending time in prayer and reading the word that's the key it's not
just trying to go without and focusing on oh I don't know if I can make it
another 10 hours without eating no spend time praying spend time filling up with
the word and reading the word and just spend time in the presence of God and
watch what'll happen so this 21 day challenge notice it says in Psalm 34
verse 10 and worship team you can come on back up Psalm 34 verse 10 says the
Young Lions lack and suffer hunger but those who seek the Lord shall not lack
any good thing Wow so there's rewards there's benefits to spending extra time
and seeking the Lord Psalm 105 verses three to five says glory and His Holy
Name let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord
so as you're seeking God don't do it like with a heavy heart well pastor said
I have to fast and this is gonna be a drudgery or a dull or whatever no go
with it go into it with expectation that in 21 days we as a church as we progress
through the scriptures and we spend time praying that we're gonna see God do some
things in us through us and then in us and through us as a church to help lift
us to new places that broad horizons again and to broaden our horizons again
to look up and expect in 2018 our God to do great and mighty things amen
so what can we fast pick something how can we spend time reading scriptures
praying and then write down what the Lord says value what he says value what
the Holy Spirit reveals to you because if we'll value those little thoughts
that come he'll give us more but if we're not obeying here we think well
that's just something really little yeah but something really little leads to
another thing leads to another thing and then before you know it it's been
something really big sometimes we're just looking for something really big
and we're out there looking for this big thing and God's just saying here just
make this little adjustment here and we don't always see what this adjustment
here will do down here along the way let's all stand up Father I thank you
for this opportunity as we prepare this next week for this 21 day challenge Lord
of you working in us you working through us you working in and through us as a
church in us individually through us individually and then corporately
together as a church you working in and through us as we spend time in your
presence Lord I thank you I thank you for a stirring a reviving of
dreams and visions and goals and help us walk them out by the Holy Ghost helped
us be much more than just a beginning of the year pep talk but help us father
with the things that you desire for us to accomplish help us father know you
more and walk in the middle of your perfect will with our lives we might
accurately represent you and that we might glorify your name in the earth
today hallelujah thank you Father praise God
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