Notes from my sermon on 12.27.2015
Princess Anne Church of Christ
This is the question I ask myself ever year in the final few days in the calendar year. I always answer it the same way...NO. I'm never quite good enough or strong enough or faithful enough or successful enough.....I'm always hard on myself. I go through my list and see what I was successful at through out the year, and what I found that I failed at.
I have to do this so I can properly evaluate myself in order to RESET my new goals. Often people use this as the only day to establish their new goals. I like to use a series of firsts, not just the first day of the year. I have a reset at the first of every month, week and even morning. Sure, I have my New Years Resolutions....or goals. I set them for personal, physical, business and of course my spiritual. It is important to have an appropriate mind set and priority when you establish these goals.
I've gone through the bible and selected a few key thoughts about characteristics you should first consider when setting your goals. After that I sought out several verses that tell us about our new goals and how they should be established.
Enjoy.
8 Biblical Keys for Goal Setting
Faith – We serve a big God who can accomplish the impossible. There is nothing He can’t do. We can believe that He journeys with us and always has our best in mind. He is trustworthy and faithful.
Humility – We never want to be in a position of demanding that things work out or that all our goals are accomplished exactly as we say. The Lord’s will always trumps our own. We need to be sure our attitude is one of humility before our holy and mighty God.
Commitment – We need to commit ourselves to the tasks at hand.
Diligence – Goals often require hard work. We need to be diligent in our effort.
Perseverance – We will face set backs and disappointments, but need to persevere through rough times. Don’t give up!
Alignment with God’s Word and Will – Are we within the parameters of God’s Word and His character?
Forethought & Planning – Have we done the appropriate homework before starting our task? Have we counted the cost?
Motivation – We need to ask the hard questions. What is our goal and why? Do we have selfish motives or are we operating with a healthy heart.
Bible Verses To Think on When Setting Goals
Goals, Plans, Desires, Paths, Visions
Psalm 20:4 “May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.”
Psalm 33:11 “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.”
Psalm 37:4-5 Delight yourself also in the Lord,And He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord,Trust also in Him,And He shall bring it to pass.
Psalm 127:1 “Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”
Proverbs 3:6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Proverbs 13:16 “All who are prudent act with knowledge, but fools expose their folly.”
Proverbs 16:3 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”
Proverbs 16:9 “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”
Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
Proverbs 24:27 “Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.”
Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, But happy is he who keeps the law.”
Isaiah 32:8 “But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.”
Jeremiah 17:7 “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.”
Habakkuk 2:2-3 “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that whoever reads it may run with it.”
Matthew 17:20 “Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'”
Luke 14:28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?”
John 6:27 “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.”
Romans 12:2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Hebrews 10:35-36 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”
Hebrews 12:1-2a “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
James 4:13-15 “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.'”
2 Chronicles 15:7 “But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.”
Hope this gives you some perspective in setting your goals this year. Set them right and the Lord will prosper. God Bless my friends.
Eugene Thompson
ET This I Believe
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