312. How to Make 2025 Great

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Transcript for "How to make 2025 great"

 New Years is a great time to remember time is passing, another year is gone.  We are getting closer to seeing God every year.

¹¹ And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. ¹² The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. ¹³ Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.  Romans 13:11-14

·        Paul says our salvation is nearer now

·        We should be “clothing ourselves with Christ.”  Living as Jesus did.  Representing him to our friends and family.

·        We need to use this time to review, repent and resolve to become the people God has called us to be. 

 

1.      Review:  ⁵ Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?   2 Corinthians 13:5

a.     Examine yourself, test yourself.  This is a great time to do it right now.

b.    List out all the good you did this year

                                                 i.      What did you do well this year?  What are you proud of?

c.     List out all the bad actions

                                                 i.      Bad actions

                                              ii.      Lack of good actions

d.    How’d you do?

e.     How do you feel?

                                                 i.      You will know the areas you need to focus on.

f.       The goal is growth and peace of mind

 

 

2.     Repent: 

a.     ³ We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands. ⁴ Whoever says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in that person. ⁵ But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: ⁶ Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.  1 John 2:3-6

b.    Get your eyes on Jesus.  What is Jesus like?  What does he stand for?

c.     Who are you?  What’s your identity?  What do you stand for?

d.    Obedience to Jesus is how we express our love for him.  We are called to live like Jesus. 

                                                 i.      His purity of thought

                                              ii.      His purpose for living

                                            iii.      His humility to serve other people daily

e.     Repentance is when we get our mind right and stop conforming to this world and our bad habits and instead conform ourselves to our identity as followers of Christ and sons of God.

3.     Resolve

a.     Definition:  “decide firmly on a course of action” or “firm determination to do something.”

b.    Examples from the Bible

                                                 i.      Jehoshaphat:  ² Some people came and told Jehoshaphat, “A vast army is coming against you from Edom,^[a] from the other side of the Dead Sea. It is already in Hazezon Tamar” (that is, En Gedi). ³ Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the Lord, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah.  2 Chronicles 20:2-4

1.      He decided firmly to fast and it brought about a miraculous victory.

                                              ii.      Daniel:  But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.  Daniel 1:8

1.      He chose to diet and not eat or drink certain foods.

                                            iii.      Malachi:  ¹⁴ “Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king,” says the Lord Almighty, “and my name is to be feared among the nations.  “And now, you priests, this warning is for you. ² If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the Lord Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me.  Malachi 1:14, 2:1-2

1.      The sin was giving God second best, leftovers, “tipping, not tithing to God.”

c.     If you want to make 2025 great, you have to decide to take action, you have to decide firmly that things will be different this year.  You have to resolve to honor God.

d.    What one thing would make the difference in how you feel about your relationship with God?

e.     What one thing would make the biggest difference in how you feel about yourself?

f.       What one thing would make the biggest difference in saving people and rescuing people?

g.     What one thing would make the biggest difference in serving people around you and around the world?

Next Steps:

·        Review

·        Repent

·        Resolve:  I resolve to __________________ in 2025.