1. Your Spiritual Bucket List
The Sovereignty of God is no excuse for human inactivity, procrastination, or irresponsibility.
Your Spiritual Bucket List
A Goal-oriented Christian Life with God centered goals.
Jam 4:13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit."
Jam 4:14 [fn]Yet you do not know [fn]what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.
Jam 4:15 [fn]Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that."
Jam 4:16 But as it is, you boast in your [fn]arrogance; all such boasting is evil.
Jam 4:17 Therefore, to one who knows the [fn]right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.
The Apostle James taught us to make plans with the qualifier "if the Lord wills" (James 4:13-17). Surely we've heard that response from someone asked about their plans: "Well, Lord willing, and if the creek don't rise!“
We must understandably make sufficient room in our goals and objectives for God's course changes and adjustments.
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But the sovereignty of God is no excuse for human inactivity, procrastination, or irresponsibility.
God is much bigger and mightier than our missteps. Wouldn't we all rather be pursuing a spiritual goal that might need adjustment, than to be doing nothing for the Kingdom out of fear that we might miss His will?

2. Your Spiritual Bucket List
Instead of “things” we want to accomplish before we die (self-centered).
We should look for things we want to do to glorify God. (God-centered).
Your Spiritual Bucket List
What are some of your spiritual ambitions?
God centered goals from His perceived will as a means of ensuring accountability and productivity. It is not about what we want to do, but what we believe God could do through us.
We must understand that God is sovereignly in control of our today and our tomorrow: So He enables us by grace to point ourselves toward the target of His perceived will for our lives. With His will in mind, we can make a measurable impact in His Kingdom and significantly, change our world by making goals that agree with God.
What might be some examples?
Mission trips, more time in the word or in prayer, join a small group, learn what our spiritual gifts might be and how to use them, use our spiritual gifts, etc. W should not be unrealistic. It might be something small that can set a pattern on which you can build.
Philippians 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

3. Your Spiritual Bucket List
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.
This is your encouragement. Perhaps memorizing a favorite scripture, or finding your life verse. Or be a specialist on one book of the Bible.
Your Spiritual Bucket List
Things you want to do to glorify God.

4. What kind of spiritual goals should we have?
1. Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and righteousness, and all things will be added to you.
2. II Cor. 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seem are eternal.
3. Matthew 6:19-20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
4. Mark 8:36-37 "For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?
1. God and His Kingdom must be first. 2. The eternal takes precedence over the temporal. 3. The spiritual takes precedence over the physical. 4. People take precedence over things.
The idea that we should set specific spiritual goals for our lives is far from the thinking of most professing Christians. They seem not to have thought, in any active, urgent sense, of doing such a thing. This is in spite of their belief in God, their Creator. But what was His plan or purpose for our lives? Certainly He is the Great Planner. “I have purposed it. I will also do it” (Isa. 46:11). There is nothing haphazard in this. Nevertheless, there are many who think God, having created us, then simply released His creatures to whatever might happen, whether by “fate” or random choices. This would not be conceivable with a Supreme Intelligence who is an omniscient Designer.
What of the child of God? “I have plans for you, plans for good, not calamity, and to give you a future hope” (Jer. 29:11). We are chosen in Him before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4). That is an immense plan. The Lord Jesus meticulously fulfilled every detail of Messianic prophecy according to the Divine Plan, the way of salvation, wherefore, a holy God who could save sinners required an eternal plan.
Setting spiritual goals is only the first step. How will these goals best be achieved? By a systematic series of steps carried out preferably with an ongoing accountability to someone you respect as godly and spiritually discerning, who will give you the time.
It should be noted that those who seek training in professional or business careers or higher education (even professional sports) routinely make systematic plans for achieving secular goals. Why not spiritual goals for disciples seeking supremely to please God?

5. Renewing our behavior to conform to the example of Jesus Christ
Romans 12:2, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Our Ultimate Goal Is
To be Christ-like
Paul made it clear that this was the goal of our redemption.

6. Your spiritual journey as a follower of Christ began the moment you admitted personal sin and placed your trust in Christ as Savior and Lord. From that point, until death or the return of Christ, your life’s call is to grow in Christlikeness.
Mark 4 8:34, “If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me”.
Why are we talking about all this?
I personally don’t feel that I am doing what God wants me to do if I don’t attempt to encourage us in Christian Explorers to mature and grow. We cannot do that without goals. We just can’t stay stagnant, or become arrogant.
We must remember this always as Christians
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The only way that we can do this is to move. Move towards a Christ-centered life.
So how do we do that?
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7. Becoming Like Christ Centers on His Work in Us, not Our Work for Him.
Without question, God does the revealing, the renewing, the empowering, and the recreating. Our part as His disciple is to do the yielding, the submitting, and the obeying.
Pass out assessment sheets.
Becoming Like Christ Centers on His Work in Us, not Our Work for Him.
God desires heart change over religious actions.

8. Challenges of Spiritual Growth
Requires
Diligent Effort
Sustained Effort
It does not come naturally;
if we are not careful,
We will revert to our former conduct and character.
True spiritual growth demands a renewal of mind and character, in which the goal is to become like our Teacher.
Write them down and review regularly, make adjustments. Give yourself some time frames if you want.
Find scripture to support your goals.

9. This involves growing in the knowledge of Christ
We must add spiritual graces
to our faith, such as_
Virtue
Knowledge
Self-control
Perseverance
Godliness
Brotherly Kindness
Love
The more we grow
in these,
The more we
truly
know and understand
our
Lord and Savior.
Not just academic knowledge, but personal knowledge through character development.
Remember when we talked last year about searching our hearts and revealing to us what needs to be changed. Then we talked about developing the character that is involved in the fruits of the spirits. Well
It is with these graces that we are truly fruitful in the knowledge of Christ
2 Peter 1: 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

10. SMART GOALS SPIRITUAL PHYSICAL MENTAL SOCIAL STEWARDSHIP S-pecific
M-easurable
A-ttainable
R-ealistic
T-imely
-- Specific (not just lose weight, but instead "lose 35 pounds"); Measurable (can you tangibly show you met the goal?); Attainable ("bring about world peace" is WAY too lofty!); Realistic ("never eat chocolate again" -- gallant thought, but better to say limit it to one day a week!); and Timely (set a date -- not too soon, and not too late -- but time constraints are helpful to bring about change).

11. Means, Markers, Do’s and Don’ts
Think about these things:
Things you need to stop
Things you need to start
Things you need to read and hear
Things you need to meditate on about the Lord
Possible hindrances:
Not convinced of the necessity
Not specific enough; just generalities
Unresolved problems
There should be means, markers, dos and don’ts on the way of goal achievement. These might include:
Things to stop
Excess sleep, prolonged use of the telephone or cell phone, idle talk about inconsequentials, especially the sin of procrastination; “junk reading.”
Spider solitaire
Things to start
Witnessing regularly, written intercessory prayer lists, written applications from Scripture, a systematic, daily “to do” list.
Things to read
Solid reading (be a reader), good audio or video tapes, using research sources (the library, internet, concordances, dictionaries). You might even want to start a book club of Christian reading
Things to meditate on or learn from Jim Lenderman’s method of study a small part of the Bible. How many get his Seeds.
Your model also should come from observing the lives of godly people. I always like to put myself around people that I perceive as more Godly than I am so that I can observe them as well as learn from them. (Small Groups are good for that)
Hindrances:
Not convinced of the necessity
You would rather “fly by the seat of your pants.” I have lived this long without it. Why now?
Not specific enough
Choose a better prayer life. Would you even be sure God answers your prayers in this area? Are you just hoping, dreaming, or taking action?
Unresolved problems
Character deficiencies, “weights,” debts, excess poundage, lack of skills

12. You can start to establish these ambitions by asking yourself some of these questions:
• Where am I spiritually and how do I want to develop?
• What do I imagine about my eternal purpose, and where am I in relation to that purpose?
• Do I shell out time in prayer and peaceful moments and contemplation?
• Do I study scripture on a daily basis?
• Do I attend church and have a church residence?
• Do I engage in community company in my church?
• Am I supplying my God presented skills and gifts to my church or other organizations?
• Am I helping others?
• Do I have self-assurance that my desires and dreams are divinely inspired?
Scripture indicates that Paul had a life of centered function. He recognized the target and developed a program to help that function
According to Dan Miller, author of 48 Days to the Function, “a goal is a dream with a time frame of action attached”. Should have recognized spiritual aim with useful action method.
God is objective- oriented.
One of the most wonderful things about the Kingdom People study was learning how to analyze yourself and to develop a personal ministry for your life. An ever changing one, but a target with attainable goals that can be measured.

13. Allow God to guide you on your journey Give it time and prayer
“In agreement with God’s Word that says God intends to give me ‘a future and a hope,’
I challenge myself to see exploits done for His Kingdom through my life.
Pray for Guidance
I will ’redeem the time’ during this next year. I fully understand that all goals are subject to change and to the perfect will of God.
Allow God to guide you on your journey
Give it time and prayer
Once you have made a quick list, look back over them and pray about it. This isn’t a quick step to rush through. I encourage you to pray daily until you feel God convicting you. Perhaps you will be given guidance through a particular verse you read, someone you come in contact with or a circumstance. Be alert to His leading.
***Remember this step isn’t to be taken lightly. Give it time and prayer. Allow God to guide you on your journey.
"In agreement with God's Word that says God intends to give me 'a future and a hope,' I offer these goals and plans to Him as a gift from my heart. I challenge myself to see exploits done for His Kingdom through my life. I will 'redeem the time' during this next year. I fully understand that all goals are subject to change and to the perfect will of God. By His help these dreams of my heart shall become reality!"
By His help these dreams of my heart shall become reality!” Amen