IT’S A NEW YEAR – IT’S A NEW OPPORTUNITY
I can hardly believe that we’re headed into the fourth
week of January. The time seems to be
passing me like I’m in the slow lane. But, here’s the deal: We have a chance to seize hold of a year
full of opportunities! This is
true for you, for me and certainly for Deer Flat Church.
I read a statement early this week that still is impacting
me. Here it is: “This year, we will open the book of
our life. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The
book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is 'A Whole New Year.'"
Did you know that every difficulty, challenge, problem,
hardship and disappointment includes a chance for an “upgrade”? It’s true. One of the principles I’ve determined to live by is to endeavor to see
my situations from God’s perspective, not mine. My problems are not the issue. My
perspective is. I find it interesting
that we put such a value on diamonds. Do
you know how a diamond is made? Diamonds are made in an environment that has 3
basic elements: Time+Heat+Pressure = Diamond.
God is making an amazing diamond of you!
Can you tell what I’m getting at? Believe it or not, this stuff is all over the
Bible. Let me show you just one
example. Paul writes to a group of
Believers in the city of Corinth. 2 Cor. 4
“But we have this
treasure (the Gospel) in jars of clay (our fragile, cracked pot lives) to show
that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed
on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but
not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the
death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body…
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet
inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our
light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far
outweighs them all. So we
fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is
temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Paul is emphasizing the
opportunities that await us in the midst of our challenges. Our focus this
month is, “Getting Your House In Order.” What does that look like for you? What
would you like to have happen in your life this year? What would you like to
do, to accomplish? What good would you like to attract into your life? What
particular areas of growth would you like to have happen in you? What blocks,
or character defects, would you like to have removed?
What would you like to attain
this year? Little things, big things? Where would you like to go? What would
you like to have happen in your friendships and relationally? What would you
like to have happen in your family life?
What problems would you like
to see solved? What decisions would you like to make? What would you like to
have happen in your career?
Write it down. Take some time, and write it down - as an
affirmation of you, your life, and your ability to choose. Then lay it before
God, and turn Him loose to help you get those things in order. He’s going to give you many opportunities to
become more like Jesus this year. Let’s
get serious about this being the greatest year of our lives! Remember, you’re filling the empty pages this
year with what you want to write.
I’ll be talking more about this on Sunday. By the way, thank you for doing such an
outstanding job inviting friends! I’ve
had such a great time meeting so many new people during these weeks of
January. I love meeting your friends and
neighbors. I can’t wait to see you this
Sunday. Come expecting a great day! I love my church!
Pastor D
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