These Three Things Part Two Series

These Three Things – week 2

ThisYearCanBeDifferent

GOOD MORNING…

WELCOME – to church,

WELCOME – to week 4 of the new year, and to week 3 of our opening series for 2019… ‘This Year Can Be Different!’

AND LISTEN B/S – the God that we have gathered in this room to worship, wants you to know that those 5 words really are true….this year can be different!

It can be – better, bolder, bigger and brighter than you ever ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, amen!

HEY – look 3 people in the eye and give them a high five and tell them, ‘this year can be different!

AND HEY – You know, I think it’s pretty cool that we are still talking about this year being different on January 27th, because as I said in week one nearly 80% of people give up and bail out on their new years resolution by the end of January.

YES – it’s true, this year can be different.

IF YOU - as we learned in week one, if you grow like Jesus…

Jesus grew is wisdom (intellectually) and in stature (physically) and in favor with God (spiritually) and man (relationally). – Luke 2:52

SO – it’s been three weeks… have you taken the time to fill out your Values and Goals sheets.

WHAT – kind of person do you want to be?

Are you living your life for an awesome resume or a meaningful relationship impacting eulogy?

AND HAVE YOU - prayerfully set a few – intellectual, physical, spiritual, and relational goals?

If yes… awesome

If not… there is still time?

LISTEN – you cannot afford to let another year slip away!

GET IT?

This year can be different… If you grow like Jesus, and if

You embrace ‘these three things’ AND…

Thing #1 – is forgetting (losing out of mind) what is behind

• Past sins and failures and the guilt and shame attached to them

• Trying to earn being right with God (remember the best we could ever bring to the table is nothing more than dog poop… I consider them garbage)

• Hurt caused by other people

UNDERSTAND – if you insist on holding on to hurt caused by other people, your 2019 is already derailed out of the gates

AND – you need to embrace and keep striving to live out…

Thing #2 – straining toward and pressing on to what is ahead, to becoming more and more like Jesus.

AND YEAH – I get it, I feel you… Becoming like Jesus seems like an impossible task… But remember it is not about knowing ‘how’ instead it’s about ‘where.’

He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. – Mark 4:26,27

The farmer does not know how.

UNDERSTAND…

• The seed, it seems so small and insignificant

• And once he puts it in the dirt it becomes invisible and he is not sure when he will see it again

• And yet, the process of growth continues working even though he does not know How

AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS…

Jesus says that is what growth in the kingdom is like…

• What we at times (like a seed) seems so small and insignificant

• The work that goes on is often invisible

• And when it comes to how, and to the grow process we are ignorant…

BUT HERE’S THE DEAL…

We don’t have to know how, we just need to know where.

BOTTOMLINE..

If you want to become more like Jesus you have to embrace actions that put your life in the dirt, and then just let the dirt (the Holy Spirit) do His work…

Read the bible and pray often

Make being in church each week a priority

Do life together (~ 50 new people are doing that at The Grove)

Prayerfully set goals in those 4 areas

Don’t let not knowing how – keep you out of the dirt where the Holy Spirit does it work.

OKAY – now it is time talk about thing #3… as we unpack an Old Testament passage that was written by Solomon, David’s son the 3rd king of Israel…

QUESTION – is anybody out there ready for a word from God this morning?

LOOK – three people in the eye and give them a high 5…

‘Get Ready”

MGCC – 3000 years ago Solomon moved by the Spirit of God wrote the following words that if you embrace and keep striving to live out, will make this year different.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. – Proverbs 3:5,6