Taking Aim For A Better Life Series

Taking AIM for a Better Life Part 1

We’ve been talking about NEW BEGINNINGS that END WELL for the past few weeks....

And truly, we know that God is a God of "New Beginnings"

He believes in "Starting Over"

He believes in Second, Third, Fourth and many more chances.....

But we also must know that ONCE we BEGIN,.....

..... there is something MORE to be done to get to the PRIZE or the Finish....

We’ve likened this to a marathon,....of which.....

..... at the Beginning, you START TO RUN.....

......at the End....you HAVE RUN....

But all in between, you ARE RUN-NING.....

And that is where we spend MOST of our Lives......RUNNING the Race that is set before us.

....and that’s where the Real Battles of life are.....

and so its also, where life’s battles and (LIFE’S DREAMS) are won and lost.

In the last part of 1 Cor 9 ......The Apostle Paul gives us some instructions for RUNNING our race......

...... with the MAIN IDEA of WINNING and Obtaining the Prize.....

And that’s what God intends for each and every one of us......to be WINNERS IN LIFE.....

.....That we be VICTORS and NOT victims.....

.....That every Test end with a Testimony.

I heard Joyce Meyer say one time that: "Most people going through a test just end up with the monies...."

But I want you to know today that God’s Plan is for you to have a TESTIMONY.....

Turn and Tell your neighbor "Its time to get with God’s Plan"

If He’s brought you OUT from where you were....

......It’s to take you INTO Something BETTER

All you have to do is keep your complainer turned off.....your faith turned on.....

And Keep following His Lead.......

and He will, WITHOUT FAIL, lead you into VICTORY.....into the Life you really want....

1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.

25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:

27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Let’s look first to verse 26 .....I therefore so run, not as uncertainly.....

.......here the AMP....... adds for clarification of the word "uncertainly" the phrase (without definite aim)......

That is really the basis for the message I want to share with you today....

about .....Taking AIM at a Better Life.

How would you complete this sentence? "In 2008, I want a better _____________________________."

You may fill in the blank in any number of ways.....

and Some of you may need more blank than others......

but hopefully EVERY ONE of you have something that you can identify that you would like to be BETTER in your life.....

You may want a Better MARRIAGE or FAMILY RELATIONSHIP....

You may want a Better JOB, CAREER or WORK ENVIRONMENT.....

...... Better FINANCIAL CONDITIONS or SECURITY.....

......a better home.....or something like that....

Or how about a Better CHURCH

.....(notice I said Better church not a NEW or DIFFERENT church.)

or....MAYBE....again....hopefully...you also want a better CHRISTIANITY....

....a Better Relationship with your Heavenly Father...and with Jesus Christ.......

.....more knowledge of God’s Word or a Better Understanding of His Ways....

FIRST....No matter what area of improvement you want to see in your life....

.....It starts with Identifying Your Desire

Now if you don’t have any desire for IMPROVEMENT....

then you should know that.....

.... Proverbs 1:32 in the (CJB)says "For the aimless wandering of the thoughtless will kill them, and the smug overconfidence of fools will destroy them;"

There are Two Deadly Dangerous things here.....

The first is AIMLESS WANDERING....

.....going through life with NO DIRECTION or DESIRED DESTINATION......

and the second is being Overly Satisfied with things JUST AS THEY ARE

The first killer lifestyle stems from THOUGHTLESSNESS

You need to Know today that: People who do not THINK about where they are headed.....

are not just going NOWHERE.....

....but they ARE HEADED somewhere they DO NOT WISH TO GO

These people are lost and don’t even know it.....

....because they Don’t THINK about where they are going....

Marriages, Children, Families and Friends........

.....Jobs, Promotions, Security and Homes.....

.....Plans, Hopes, Dreams.....

And WORST OF ALL......ETERNAL Destinies....

These are ALL LOST because people do not consider where today’s ACTIONS are taking them......

LISTEN: You will not Walk in Victory....

....neither will your life improve without your Purposeful Participation

We’ll talk more in detail about this later.....

but I’ll give you a practical example of what I mean right now.....