Eyes Forward: Walking with God into 2026
CCCAG January 4th, 2026
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Introduction:
Last week we talked about looking back at 2025 and the lessons we learn when we take time to examine our heart and our actions.
However, we can overdo that and freeze in place instead of learning from everything that happened and moving forward.
It’s why car manufacturers give you a giant windshield, and a small rearview mirror.
They want you to focus on the road ahead instead of worrying about what is behind you. That’s basic driver safety.
I was watching a documentary on a professional football team in training camp. You’d expect them to be running all kinds of trick plays, doing advanced level passing routes, or defensive strategies.
But that is not what was occurring- the phrase being shouted by the coach’s was simple-
“Stick to the basics. Stick to the basics”
You’d expect NFL level players to be so elite they don’t need to hear that, but the coaches understood that without the basics, any advanced level play would fail before the football is snapped.
So this morning, we will review three basic principles this morning to help us with walking with God in 2026 that will keep our eyes forward.
Prayer
We talked about some basic principles a moment ago, so here is Principle number 1-
Keeping our Eyes Forward Begins with the Word of God
If we are going to walk with God into 2026 and not drift, not react, and not stumble — then we have to be honest about where walking with God actually begins.
It doesn’t begin with me riling you up in church.
It does not begin with vision statements.
It does not begin with goals or resolutions.
It does not begin with motivation.
It begins with the Word of God.
Every time Scripture records a renewal among God’s people, it starts the same way:
the Word is rediscovered, reopened, reread, and reapplied.
When Israel wandered, they drifted from the Word.
When Israel returned, they returned to the Word.
When reform came, it came through Scripture.
When revival came, it came with repentance shaped by God’s Word.
That pattern has never changed. Let’s explore that.
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The Word Is Direction, Not Decoration
Psalm 119:105 says:
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
That verse is comforting — but it’s also instructive.
A lamp does not show you the entire road.
A lamp does not explain the terrain five miles ahead.
A lamp gives you just enough light for the next step.
Faith is not about having full visibility.
Faith is about trusting God enough to take the step He illuminates.
And here’s the problem many believers face at the start of a new year:
We want a spotlight — God gives a lamp.
We want certainty — God gives direction.
We want clarity — God gives obedience.
The Word of God is not designed to satisfy our curiosity about the future.
It is designed to shape our faithfulness in the present.
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So why do we not give the Word it’s proper attention in our lives?
Why We Drift From Scripture (Without Meaning To)
Most believers don’t wake up one morning and decide,
“I’m done with the Bible.”
What happens instead is slower… quieter… more subtle.
Life gets busy.
Responsibilities pile up.
Fatigue sets in.
Scripture slowly moves from:
• daily nourishment
to
• occasional reinforcement
We still believe the Bible.
We just stop living immersed in it.
And over time, something dangerous happens:
We begin interpreting Scripture through our lives
instead of interpreting our lives through Scripture.
That’s when confusion grows.
That’s when discernment dulls.
That’s when faith becomes reactive instead of rooted. (pause)
God never intended His Word to be an accessory to our lives.
It is meant to be the framework.
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Why a Chronological Bible Matters Right Now
This year, I printed out a chronological Bible reading plan.
Chronological reading does something uniquely powerful:
It reminds us that Scripture is not random.
It is not fragmented.
It is not a collection of inspirational quotes.
It is a single unfolding narrative.
Creation.
Fall.
Promise.
Failure.
Redemption.
Restoration.
When you read chronologically, you begin to notice patterns:
• God calls people before they are ready
• God remains faithful when people are not
• God works slowly, patiently, relentlessly
• God moves history forward even when His people resist Him
That matters for us.
Because it tells us something deeply reassuring:
God is not intimidated by unfinished people.
In fact, God has always worked with unfinished people.
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Another point of being in the Word is that Scripture Shapes Us Before It Informs Us
One of the most important shifts we need to make as we move, eyes forward is this:
Bible study is not primarily about information.
It is about formation.
Scripture does not exist to help us win arguments.
It exists to shape hearts.
Sometimes it comforts us.
Sometimes it confronts us.
Sometimes it unsettles us.
All of that is evidence of our Father’s love toward us.
When Scripture stops challenging us, it’s usually because we’ve stopped letting it speak honestly.
And that’s dangerous — because a Bible that never challenges us is a Bible we’re using to confirm ourselves instead of letting it conform us in the image of Jesus.
Walking with God into 2026 means letting Scripture:
• correct our thinking
• soften our hearts
• challenge our assumptions
• reorder our priorities
Even when it’s inconvenient.
Especially when it’s uncomfortable.
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Consistency Beats Intensity Every Time
Here’s good news for anyone who feels overwhelmed at the idea of “doing better” with Bible study:
God does not demand intensity.
He invites consistency.
You do not need to read for hours every day.
You do not need perfect comprehension.
You do not need dramatic revelations.
You need regular exposure.
A little every day shapes more than a lot once in a while.
If I go out to one of the rock faces in our area, break off a rock, and it into water, nothing happens other than getting it wet. Take it out, it dries quickly, but nothing has changed.
Let me toss that same rock into the Mississippi river, and come back in a few years.
No more rough edges,
The Word of God works slowly — like water shaping stone.
You don’t see the change immediately.
But over time, it changes everything.
That is why consistency in reading God’s word is important instead of guilt diving into it when you feel convicted.
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Transition to Movement 2
But Scripture was never meant to stay on the page.
The Word of God, when received honestly, always moves outward.
It changes how we live.
How we treat people.
How we show up in the world.
Which means if our eyes are truly forward —
they won’t just be fixed on Scripture…
They will be visible in how we live-
Movement 2: Eyes Forward Is Lived Intentionally (Missional Living)
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If the Word of God truly begins to shape us, it will never stop at information.
Scripture does not settle for agreement.
It presses toward embodiment.
The Bible was never given so that God’s people could simply know more.
It was given so that God’s people would live differently.
Which means this truth cannot be avoided:
If Scripture is forming us, it will be visible in how we live.
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Faith Was Never Meant to Be Private
One of the quiet lies of modern American Christianity is the idea that faith is something deeply personal — and therefore largely private.
It is personal.
But it was never meant to be private or hidden.
Jesus said,
“You are the light of the world.”
Light, by definition, exists to be seen.
Not to draw attention to itself —
but to make what is dark to be seen.
Faith that never leaves the sanctuary eventually becomes theoretical.
Faith that steps into everyday life becomes credible.
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Missional living Is Not a Program — It’s a Posture
When many people hear the word mission, they think of:
• special projects, in organized outreach, at distant locations
Those things matter — but they are not the foundation.
Mission is not primarily something the church does.
Mission is something the church is.
Every believer is sent.
Sent into:
• workplaces
• families
• schools
• neighborhoods
Missional living does not require a new schedule.
It requires a new awareness.
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Intentional living begins when we slow down just enough to notice.
Notice that:
• People around us are carrying unseen burdens
• Words spoken casually can wound deeply
• Kindness can disarm defenses we don’t even see
Most people you encounter are fighting battles you know nothing about.
Missional living means we stop rushing past people and start seeing them.
That alone changes everything.
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Here is the truth- People Are Watching — Whether We Like It or Not
Most people will never read a Bible.
But they will read:
• how you handle frustration
• how you treat people who disagree with you
• how you respond under pressure
• how you speak when you’re tired
You may be the only representation of Christ someone ever encounters.
That’s not meant to frighten us or convict us— it’s meant to clarify our calling.
Intentional living is not about being impressive.
It’s about being consistent.
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Integrity Is a Missional Act
One of the most powerful witnesses a believer has is integrity.
Integrity says:
• what I believe shapes how I live
• who I follow affects how I treat others
• my faith does not disappear when it becomes inconvenient
Integrity builds trust — and trust opens doors no argument ever could.
You don’t need the right words for every situation.
You need a life that aligns with what you claim to believe.
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Missional Living Often Looks Ordinary
Here’s the part that often gets missed:
Most missional living looks remarkably unremarkable.
It looks like:
• patience instead of irritation
• humility instead of defensiveness
• grace instead of retaliation
• presence instead of distraction
It’s rarely dramatic.
But it is powerful.
Because it reflects the character of Christ in places where people are not expecting Him.
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The Cost of Living Intentionally
Let’s be honest — intentional living costs something.
It costs:
• convenience
• comfort
• sometimes approval
You will occasionally feel misunderstood.
You will sometimes feel stretched.
You may even feel taken advantage of.
But the cost is not loss.
It is investment.
When faith is lived outwardly, it creates space for God to work in ways we may never see — but eternity will reveal.
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Eyes Forward Means Faith Is Integrated, Not Compartmentalized
One of the greatest dangers for believers is compartmentalization.
Faith on Sunday.
Life the rest of the week.
Scripture refuses that division.
Eyes forward means faith integrates into:
• how we work
• how we speak
• how we rest
• how we respond to conflict
It means Christ is not an accessory — He is central.
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Transition to Principle 3
But intentional living cannot be sustained on effort alone.
If we try to live missionally in our own strength, burnout is inevitable.
Which is why Scripture gives us one more anchor.
If the Word shapes us…
and faith is lived intentionally…
Then prayer is what sustains us.
Principle 3: Eyes Forward Is Sustained Through Prayer
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If the Word of God shapes us, and intentional living expresses that shaping outwardly, then prayer is what keeps us connected to the God who called us in the first place.
Prayer is not the extra practice of mature believers.
Prayer is the lifeline.
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Prayer Is Not Performance — It Is Dependence
One of the reasons prayer quietly fades in the life of many believers is because we misunderstand what prayer actually is.
Prayer is not:
• a spiritual performance
• a demonstration of vocabulary
• a way to impress God
Prayer is dependence spoken out loud. Repeat
When we pray, we are not informing God of something He does not know.
We are reminding ourselves of something we often forget:
We are not self-sufficient.
Prayer says,
“God, I cannot do this alone — and I was never meant to.”
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Why Prayer Is Often the First Thing to Go
Most believers don’t stop praying because they stop believing.
They stop praying because they start coping.
Life fills up.
Schedules tighten.
Energy drains.
And slowly, prayer moves from:
• daily conversation
to
• emergency communication
We pray when something breaks.
We pray when fear spikes.
We pray when control slips.
But Scripture never presents prayer as a last resort.
It presents prayer as the first movement of trust.
When prayer fades, it’s usually because we’ve begun believing the lie that we can manage on our own.
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Prayer Reorients Our Vision
This is why one of prayer’s greatest gifts is perspective.
Prayer doesn’t always change circumstances —
but it always changes how we see them.
When we pray:
• anxiety loses some of its grip
• fear is exposed
• pride is softened
• clarity begins to emerge
Prayer lifts our eyes.
It reminds us that the story we are living is larger than the moment we are standing in.
That’s essential when we are trying to keep our eyes forward.
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Simple Prayer Is Powerful Prayer
Some people struggle with prayer because they think they’re doing it wrong.
They compare themselves to others.
They feel inadequate.
They worry about words.
But Scripture repeatedly shows us that God is not impressed by eloquence.
Some of the most powerful prayers in the Bible are painfully simple:
“Lord, help me.”
“Lord, forgive me.”
“Lord, lead me.”
God does not require poetic language.
He welcomes honest language.
Walking with God into 2026 does not require better prayers.
It requires faithful prayer.
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Prayer Aligns Our Will With God’s Direction
One of the most subtle dangers of a new year is this:
We make plans — then ask God to bless them.
Prayer reverses that posture.
Prayer teaches us to say:
“God, lead — and I will follow.”
That shift matters. Because God is not interested in endorsing our direction.
He is interested in shaping it.
Prayer is how we learn to walk forward without insisting on control.
This helps us to have the long view, and realize that
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God Works in Seasons, Not Snapshots
One of the reasons prayer matters so much is because it teaches us to think long term.
We judge ourselves by moments:
• a bad decision
• a missed opportunity
• a difficult year
God works in seasons.
What feels unfinished may be preparation.
What feels delayed may be protection.
What feels unclear may be God inviting trust.
Prayer slows us down enough to recognize that God is not behind schedule — even when we feel behind.
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Conclusion: Eyes Forward, Together
As we step into 2026, God is not demanding dramatic gestures.
He is inviting faithful steps.
• Scripture that shapes us daily
• Lives lived intentionally for Christ
• Prayer that keeps us connected and aligned
This is not about perfection. It is about direction.
Eyes forward does not mean denying the past.
It means refusing to let it dictate our obedience today.
The God who carried you through previous seasons is already present in the one ahead.
So we walk.
Not in fear.
Not in frenzy.
But in faith.
Eyes forward.
Steps steady.
Trust intact.
Because we are not walking alone.
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