The Essentials: Planning for a Life

Roast Beef on Rye

One thing is true If you don't plan You'll react and accept And find yourself far from What and where you were Meant to be

No one accidently falls Into spiritual growth And a fulfilled, meaningful life

God gave: Resets Fresh starts Newness

Day of rest and worship Before entering a new week Times of Gathering Years of Jubilee

His mercies are new every morning…

God knows you need Times of: Reset Re-examination Recommitment Renewal

God knows that An unexamined life Is an unfulfilled life

An unexamined life Is an unfulfilled life So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom - Psalm 90:12

This is that time This New Year Is a Gift from God A time of "Reset" If you take it

If you Prioritize the Essential You'll be free to - Pursue the important - Handle the painful - And walk away from The meaningless

Prioritize the Essential:

Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching

When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live…

Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her

God opposes the…? But gives grace to the…? Requires Humility "I don't already know it all…"

She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown”

Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness

When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble

Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil

Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble

For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day

The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble

My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart

For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life

Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you

Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil - Proverbs 4

True Wisdom is the ability To see from God's perspective And to make decisions based on This viewpoint that honor God And lead to his glory and Our ultimate best

Keep your heart with all vigilance Everything flows from it

Everything flows from the heart The seat and center of your Affections, drive, desires

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life (NLT)

The place from which you Experience all of life And are able to either enjoy Or barely tolerate What you'll face this year

You can "have it all" and fall Into deep depression "Meaningless" You can go through hard times Have very little and be Grateful, content in your God

The difference? Not the circumstances But the heart Because it determines How you experience The circumstances

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life

Discontent in the midst of Great blessing Because I also want… Because he has more… Because I feel pressure to hold on to it…

All of those things Come from an unguarded heart - Using people to get stuff - Tearing down others - God as a means to an end - Our pursuits and passions

If I have a problem with my desires The answer is not Behavior modification But a heart change in Christ

If I have a problem with my ability to enjoy life The answer is not More of what hasn't satisfied But a heart change in Christ

Keep your heart with all vigilance Everything flows from it "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you…" - Ezekiel 36:26

If you Prioritize the Essential You'll be free to - Pursue the important - Handle the painful - And walk away from The meaningless

Keep your heart with vigilance Ponder the path of your feet Consider where your actions And habits are taking you

If I continue this way Where will it lead me? Most of us: For now, but it'll change one day No it won't

Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil

These are essentials: My heart…which is formed by - What I take in - Who I commit to daily My path…that which I choose or Allow to be chosen for me

If you Prioritize the Essential You'll be free to - Pursue the important - Handle the painful - And walk away from The meaningless

Jesus spoke of the Essentials As a Foundation For everything else (Matthew 7:24…)

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them…

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven…

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’

And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock

The house stood Not because the storms Didn't come Or were lessened By having faith But because of the Foundation

Knows…doesn't follow And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand

And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” - Matt. 7:24-27 Knew…didn't do

Both Houses Following Jesus does not Protect you from hard times It prepares you to weather them When they come

Tony Evans And the contractor

Tony Evans And the contractor If the foundation is shifting It doesn't matter how much You work on fixing the walls

Today… Time to change Your Foundation

"Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven…"

Prioritize the Essential: Because a beautiful house Can still fall like a shotgun shack If the Foundation isn't solid

If you Prioritize the Essential You'll be free to - Pursue the important - Handle the painful - And walk away from The meaningless

Prioritize the Essential: In 2016 (as in 2015 and 2014…) Gym

If you are successful You die healthier But you still die And most won't stick with The gym or the diet

…train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come - 1 Tim. 4:8

…train yourself for godliness

The Law we follow?

The Law we follow? Love God, Love people

Time with God Time with God's People

Scripture: God-breathed…thoroughly equipped for every good work Prayer: …your Father who sees in secret will reward you- Matt. 6:6

Worship: I will lift up my hands In your Name - Psalm 63

Cross: Deny yourself… I buffet my body…

Time with God's People: I will build my church…. On the first day of the week… 1 Cor. 16:2

…while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come

The Bike and a Mountain

Fruit of the Spirit:

Fruit of the Spirit: Love, joy, peace, patience Kindness, goodness Faithfulness, gentleness Self-control

Fruit of the Spirit Doesn't grow unless it is Planted, watered, tended Who you are grows As you pursue the One Who designed you

Prioritize the Essential And you'll have the self-control To handle the physical (gym) And the wisdom to know What is most important Gym vs. Family time vs. Worship

If you Prioritize the Essential You'll be free to - Pursue the important - Handle the painful - And walk away from The meaningless

Devote yourself to Practicing the Disciplines of Grace

Devote yourself to Practicing the Disciplines of Grace Time with God Time with God's People

Scripture Prayer Worship Cross Connected part of the Fellowship of Believers

Specifics: What do I need to deny myself In order to better follow You? Will I Prioritize Christian Family? The Gathering of Believers

Where you are this year Is the result of choices You made last year Even if others made choices You chose a response

Where you are next year Will be the result Of choices you make this year Start out Prioritizing the One thing that matters most And affects everything else

Keep your heart with all vigilance Ponder the path of your feet

Place your Faith in Jesus To Recommit to Him

Pray Questions, Comments Disagreements

Offering

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Pray for Phil Calhoun Yazidi in Kurdistan