Four Easy Principles For Facing The New Year
John 6:1-29
INTRO: What does it take to face the New Year ahead of us? Does it take a lot of special knowledge? No. Does it take hiring a special coach? Not really. Does it take a great special skill? Well, not really. I want to look at four easy Biblical principles we can apply to our lives and face the New Year with great success. Before I start, I want to mention we can do nothing by chance or haphazardly. We must show a desire and determination as well as deliberateness in our lives to discover the Lord's will for us.
Let us begin, we must…
Look towards Him with acknowledgement 1-3;14 -15
See His blessings and give our praise - 1-2
See His nearness and lend our presence - 3
See His greatness and show our passion - 14-15
So as we face difficult times this next year, we need to look towards Him and acknowledge the Lord in all our ways
Ps. 119:168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
Pro. 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
We must…
Learn from Him to acquire a special closeness - vs. 3
Seek His nearness in prayer
Seek His wisdom in Word
Seek His touch from His Spirit
Is. 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Psalms 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
James 3:17-18 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
Eze. 36:27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.
Luke 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
We also must…
Labor for/with Him to accomplish His tasks 4-13; 16-19
It is…
Difficult, but doable - 4-9
Direction of our duty - 10, 11-13, 16-17
We must…
Demonstrate a determination 18-19
We must not fail to labor for/with the Lord so we can accomplish the tasks for Him.
Gal. 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Heb. 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
We must realize facing the New year will require that we…
Lean on Him as we anticipate His help 20-29
He is here to help us - 20, 21b (immediately…)
We need His help - 18, 21
It is an honorable help (right thing) - 22-29
And through all this, we must lean on Him and anticipate His help in the coming year.
Matthew 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.
For Him, and with Him we can do what the Lord would have us do!
Are you willing to face the New Year with Him on your side?
Are you willing to try and use these principles in your everyday life?
Are you willing to show the desire and determination as well as deliberateness in your life to discover the Lord's will for your life?
Do you want to live a closer more dedicated life with Him blessing you each step of the way?
Come now and make the first step. Reach out to Him for His help in your life…NOW!
Gary Marcum - New Beginnings Church - 010404am