Sermon Tone Analysis

I have Decided...

Leave on screen until I mention Resolutions

Paul is waiting to be executed...

I have not finished my work… I have a lot left to do… but this one thing … forget what’s behind - Paul was a successful Pharisee… but he was a big sinner before coming to Christ… He pressed on… After Christ he had accomplished a lot, but he still wasn’t who he thought God wanted him to be so he focused on growing…

Next 3 weeks we want to talk about decisions as we go through the 21 Days of Prayer.

4 important decisions we need to make that need to go with whatever resolutions you make as we begin the new year.

Resolutions

How many of you make NY resolutions?

How many beside me make some of the same ones every year?

Funny Resolutions

A NYR is something that goes in one year and out the other

I will stop wasting my time reliving the past, instead I will spend it worrying about the future

I will start fewer social media fights

I will check facts before posting.

Encouragement - whatever happened yesterday… whatever should have happened that did not happen… whatever mistakes that you made… whatever goals you set last year… goals that did not even come close to happening....

I want you to know we serve the god of a second chance.

ILL - God is like a forward in BB.

Maybe you took a shot and missed, but God gets the rebound and passes the ball back to you… and he will do that over and over.

Golf - he gives you a mulligan…

This is important because when you get so a point in life and it hasn’t happened, we tend to give up on our dreams… our goals.

Let me tell you, no matter what is going on around you, 2022 can be the best year of your life.

Here is what we need to do.

Remember the passage from last week?

Move away from 2021… even 2020.

“For I am about to do something new” Now is the time that God is about to do something in your life.

God has created this moment for you.

Pathways - direction Rivers - provision

Don’t you see it?

Too many don’t.

This morning, I want you to know God wants to do something special in your life and he wants to begin it today.

So, we are going to talk about decisions.

We are where we are because of decisions we make on a daily basis… some good and some not so good.

Talk about good decisions and even an example of a bad decision or two…

I want to draw your attention to the most important decision you need to make in your life right now.

I asked this last week too.

What one thing, if changed would make the biggest difference in my life?

What is it?

If one thing got better… one thing changed… one thing went away… what would make the biggest difference in your life?

I want to help you see it… draw you to it and see you go after it.

I want you to know that your life matters.

My role as your pastor is to be in your corner helping you and cheering you own.

The truth is we all have that “one thing.”

Wouldn’t you like to know what Paul’s was?

Here Paul was in prison and he is saying that he was going to focus on one thing...

I am going to give some categories… may not be yours but maybe they will spark your thinking.

What One Thing?

My habits

What habit do you have that if it changed, your life would be better?

How much better would your life be if you didn’t drink so much?

You may be thinking, I don’t drink too much, but everyone around you says you do.

How much better would your life be if you were not so mean to everyone?

Live is like a HVAC system.

If it’s too hot, you adjust the thermostat and it will cool off.

How much better would your life be like if you dealt with your habits on the internet?

on it all the time… looking a bad things...

What about gambling?

Prescription meds

Tobacco...

Now is the time.

What would your life be like if you made a change?

My relationships

Some are no good… they draw you away from the Lord… dating unbelievers… partnering with unbelievers…

Compromising relationship with co-worker.

run away… change jobs if you have to.

Relationship that needs to be restored… made stronger?

Get in a group…

My debts

What if instead of getting into debt, you begin tackling your debt?

debt snowball

My health

Maybe I need to eat different?

Maybe I need to go to the Gym

Maybe I need to go to the Doctor and actually do what he tells you...

My dreams

Mission trip… Israel…

Start business…

I don’t know what that is for you, but we will try to help you as your church family.

I focus on this one thing… I am going to forget 2021 and press toward the goal …

Pray for everyone to reach their goals this year.

During 21 Days speak to us.

I hope this stirred you to make 2022 your best year.

Do not show the screen below until I begin to read it.

Don’t get ahead.

If you want to be successful in any part of your life, you cannot leave out God.

If you have lived life without a relationship and dependence on God you have discovered that your efforts are not enough.

There is something available to you that is so powerful, so real, so energizing that you are able to live not just a natural life but a supernatural life.

A life where you look back and say, wow… only God could have done that.

That’s why in the Bible if you asked what is the one thing that if you changed it would change your life the most?

You find…

Only One Thing is Needed

King David…

He figured out that the closer he got to the Lord the better everything else was.

Listen, the closer we get to the Lord, the more we will be empowered to do all the things on our lists.

So, only one thing is needed… to get closer to Jesus.

That’s my one thing… to be closer to Jesus.

Let’s see how close we can get.

If you are serious about 2022 being the best your life, make it the best year of your life spiritually.

Let’s see how close we can get to the Lord.

Look at this story of Jesus life…

Martha owned the home and opened her home.