Notes, Shredders And Planners

Scripture: Psalms 95:1-7; Psalm 150; 1 Peter 2:9; Philippians 3:12-16

Theme: Old Year/New Year

Title: Notes, Wastebaskets/Shredders and Planners

INTRO:

Grace and peace from God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!

Today, we say goodbye to another year – in just a few hours we will be saying goodbye to the old year (2023) and hello to the new year (2024).

This morning, I would like for us to look at some things before we tuck the old year away and bring out the new year. I would like for us to do some things that I believe will help us make this new calendar year a year that we can experience victory, abundant living and continued growth. A year that when we look back at it some 366 (2024 is a leap year – 29 days in February) days from now we will rejoice and give thanks.

Let’s look at some things that can help us:

1. Step One – Make a List of some Praise Notes for this current year (2023)

Before we go into the new year it would be good for us to take a moment – to be still and put the old year into perspective. And one of the ways we can do that is to make a list of praises for what has happened in our lives over these last 12 months.

Now, there are all kinds of lists that we can find in books, in articles and on different websites. Lists that can help us think of things that we need to be thankful for this past year.

For example, here are some things that we can be thankful for:

1. Our relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

2. God’s Holy Word – the Bible. God’s love letter to all of us.

3. Our ability to grow physically, mentally and spiritually each year of our lives.

4. Our Uniqueness – The reality that all of us are one of God’s Masterpieces and we were created a little lower than the angels with all kinds of different gifts and talents.

5. This amazing body that God has given us; the ability to breathe, to communicate, to smell, to see, to hear and to move around.

6. Our Hearts – Both our physical heart and our emotional heart. The ability to care and to love.

7. Our parents, our grandparents, our families, and our friends.

8. Our Pets – God’s gifts to all of us; our dogs, cats, birds, horses, hamsters, farm animals and the list can go on and on.

9. God’s Good Creation – The Weather (Sunshine, the Rain, the Wind, and the Snow), the mountains, the oceans, the sky and all of God’s amazing creatures and other creations.

10. Books, Music, Art, Hobbies and Sports – Things to read and to watch that can take us to new places, help us learn new things and open our minds. Things that stir our emotions and enable us to share life with others.

11. Our Resources – What God has placed in our hands for us to take care of ourselves. Being thankful for a place to live, food to eat and clothes to wear. Being able to go out for a meal or buy something that makes us happy or brings happiness to someone.

12. Our Personal Journey with God – Taking some time and reflecting back on the year and thinking how God has been working with us on a day-to-day basis.

It’s important that we take the time to do this. It allows us to reflect on the year and see just how many good things happened to us. It enables us to give God the praise and glory that He is due for walking with us every day.

II. Step Two - We need to grab a waste basket or a shredder.

The Apostle Paul lived such an amazing life. It was a life that had its highs and its lows. It was a life that at times brought great honor and glory to the LORD and at times it was life that needed to hit the pause button because it found itself at odds against the LORD.

Paul wrote these words in Philippians 3:12-16

12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. 16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.