365 Days Of Possibilities Series

Make a Fresh Start Series

365 Days of Possibilities

Tonight we continue with our Fresh Start Series by talking about 365 Days of Possibilities. Every day we have is a blessing from God. In fact the Bible says we have no assurance of tomorrow, so this is all we have – this moment, this time, so we ought to make the most of every day, every possibility.

Some of you may be going through the motions of living your life. Do you remember the old Dunkin Donut commercial – “It’s 4 am, time to make the donuts.” Maybe that’s how some of you feel when you get out of bed in the morning. Some mornings I feel like that.

You get up every day and you just muddle through doing the same old thing, day after day, day in, day out. Over and over again until you just become numb from the routine.

I’ve worked with people that I swear I felt like taking their pulse to see if they were alive.

I have an interesting text to kick off our discussion this evening.

Eccl. 9:4-10

4 Anyone who is among the living has hope —even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun. 7 Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now that God favors what you do. 8 Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun— all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. 10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.

If you have the ability to suck in air every day, then you have hope. Basically what Solomon is saying is that, if you are alive you’ve got a chance to do something special with your life. After you’re dead, your chances are over. If you are going to make a difference before they pat your face with a shovel, then you better make it happen while you can. I like what it says in verse 10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”

People who are alive have hope. We can dream, we can plan, we can have a fresh start. You might be thinking that life has passed you by, but if you’re still breathing, you’ve got a shot! You can make a fresh start today! Right now! God has given you that chance.

Some folks are always looking to the past. Some only look to the future. Too often we miss the moment that is now! We miss the possibilities in front of our face because we’re not looking at what’s right in front of us.

How do we make the most of those 365 days of possibilities? (My version of the “Be-attitudes”)

1. Be engaged – get off the bench and into the game. When I played football and baseball as a kid, I always wanted to be in the game. There wasn’t any fun in sitting on the bench. Quit watching life on the sidelines. Life isn’t a dress rehearsal – make it count for God.

Matthew 4:18-22 - As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20At once they left their nets and followed him.

21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

I don’t know for sure how much time they had with Jesus before this incident, but what I see is the coach telling them to get into the game. They didn’t hesitate, they left immediately and followed Him.

If we are going to make the most of the possibilities, then we have to resolve that we aren’t going to sit on the sidelines and watch the parade go by. We’re going to get in the parade. Jesus has called us to “Go”. He didn’t restrict it by talent or age or gender or race or financial status. All of us have something we can contribute to the cause of Christ and the glory of God.