"How To Start The Year"
Dean AngellJanuary 5/6, 2002
In last week's message, I started by reading Psalm 23 and then I spoke about rest and reflection and taking a retreat spiritually. Psalm 23 is the propeller for our learning together during these weeks.
Now, as I begin, I'd like some help. What is the one word you need as you go into this new year? It's the same word you need to have when you go for a job interview. It's the word you need the day you ask your boss for a raise.and the word you need when your hair color comes out orange instead of brown. It's the word I desperately wanted to give my kids as they too their first ski lessons today.CONFIDENCE. I was reading this week about goal setting in a fitness book, and it said that confidence is the number one thing needed to make new years resolutions become a reality.
Today we're talking about confidence and how to gain more of it as we approach this new year - 2002.
I. Confidence comes through personal spiritual renewal.
Psalm 23:6 - "Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever."
So David is now rested mentally and spiritually. He has remembered how faithful God has been to him and has let that realization sink to the very core of His being. And then comes the wind that begins to fill his life sails...then comes the breeze of the Holy Spirit that creates a new vision for his future..Notice how in verse 4 he's talking about the valley of death and then in verse 5 his enemies are surrounding him, but in verse 6 his confidence comes back..as he experiences the powerful presence of God..and he says, "Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me (will chase me) all the days of my life..and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever."
So how does this type of spiritual confidence come to him - even when he is facing some obviously challenging times personally.
The word is renewal - Listen to how Webster defines this word:
To restore - to make new again spiritually. To begin again, to put back into a former condition that which has lost its freshness. Remember last week I said that the most important action step you could take to end a new year was to take a day alone with God - to rest your mind in the knowledge of Him and then to reflect and realize how faithful God has been?..Well a day of spiritual rest, reflection and realization brings renewal to our hearts..It brings our souls to a different place.to their former condition - before life beat them up. Spiritual rest and reflection - even for one day - can put back the freshness your soul has lost.
And here's the kicker - you can't get it any other way..You can't be renewed in your spirit by watching TV for an hour, or renting a movie. You can't be renewed in your spirit by going to yet another holiday social event or Christmas party. You can't get renewed inside with chocolates or oranges or candy canes - believe me I've tried! And catch this - you can't get renewed inside by realizing that Monday is January 7 th and one week has already lapsed in this new year - so you'd better crank it up this week to catch up..that's not renewal folks. That's one giant step closer to an early heart attack..You can't manufacture renewal.
No - renewal only happens when you quiet your mind and your heart for an extended period of time..and connect again with the One who can gently nudge you in the direction you need to be going in order to be well..To connect with the only One who can breathe life into a weary soul..Only God can do that.Listen to some Scripture on this.
Isaiah 40:28-31 - "Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding. He gives power to those who are tired and worn out; He offers strength to the weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."
Ezekiel 11:19 - God says, "And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their hearts of stone and give then tender hearts instead."
Isaiah 41:10, 18 - "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.I will open up rivers for them on high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. In the deserts they will find pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the dry, parched ground."
Isaiah 30:21 - ".whether you turn to the right or to the left - you will hear a voice behind you saying - this is the way - walk in it."
People - a time of renewal will allow you to soar with confidence into the new year ahead..A confidence that only comes from one place - and that renewal cannot be mustered or contrived and it can't be packaged and sold - it only comes from one Source.it only comes from the work of God in your life as you quietly listen for His still small voice saying, "Here's the way - walk in it."
Here's the second truth about confidence in our lives as we forge ahead into this new year.
II. Confidence comes by reordering our lives in balance.
Ecclesiastes 7:16-18 - "Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise - why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool - why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes."
When I was young my dad had a nickname for me that he would only use when he was frustrated with a certain side of my personality..He used to call me the rammer.because gentle was never something I understood much of and I broke everything he gave me to use..If I was using a pitch fork - I'd break a tine or a handle every time..If I used a hammer it was a handle or a thumb. If I washed dishes I broke glasses.and power tools - well I just wasn't allowed to use power tools..And operating farm equipment - my dad swore I was the only kid he knew that could break something made of steel 3 inches thick before he could even get out of sight..Balance never came easy for me..I could never figure out how to bend something and not break it. So I got the name rammer..Now in my adult life, I've continued to struggle with this but in different ways. See, I pride myself in being an all or nothing kinda guy - whether it's work or play - I like to wade in deep..and dive in hard..but far too often wisdom has not accompanied that driven side of my life..I tend to work too hard and when I get a challenge in front of me, I automatically think..If I just put my head down and work harder and more - it'll get better.
Well, sometimes that works, but sometimes that just creates fatigue and frazzled nerves and long hours and a crunched home schedule and kids that haven't seen their dad for 2 weeks and a wife who's waiting for some conversation from a husband who can only think about work..or sleep.
There is a massive price to pay for lack of balance in life - it is a lesson I am slowly learning.
So what am I saying? I'm saying that as you look ahead at a new year, there is a certain confidence that can come from balancing your life, and from avoiding all extremes. A confidence that comes from knowing what balance means for you, a confidence that comes from clearly knowing where you are headed in 2002..I'm talking about creating balance and avoiding extremes personally by goal setting..And it's something that has become a huge factor in balancing my own life in wisdom and learning to avoid all extremes.
Here's a great quote I read this week..
"Goals produce a confidence that only comes from knowing where you are going and how you will get there."
Every year at this time.I spend the better parts of a couple afternoons goal setting for the upcoming year - personally and professionally. The first afternoon I spend is after the morning of quiet and reflection I've been talking about - and then I spend another half day crystallizing those goals and clearly defining them..Folks, if you've never done it, goal setting can be a life-clarifier and a huge confidence builder.
Here's where I usually start though..Before I even set one goal I try to analyze my balance in life - Where am I weak? Where am I strong? And I do a little inventory on what my life has looked like over these past few months.
Let me ask you - how's your balance? It becomes apparent very quickly what things we need to focus on - when we're just honest with ourselves about the balance in our lives.
After I have done this very simple and quick exercise, I'm ready for Step 2, and that's setting smart goals. I'll explain smart in a moment. But I thought it might be helpful to walk you through the whole exercise. So here it goes.
For me, this is a goal I'm developing right now - it has to do with physical health. I need to get into shape and then stay there.for health reasons and balance reasons.
A smart goal is simply this: S pecific
M easurable
A ttainable
R ealistic
T angible
So how do I apply these words to a health goal for me?
"By June 30, I will lose 20 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle.by changing my diet to balance protein and carbohydrates daily and by working out a minimum of 5 times per week." Notice - it's specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and tangible.
Now there's a reason I just said that publicly - because one of the words not in our SMART acronym is accountability . I will work out with Jeff nearly every day in the next 5 months. His job is to keep me accountable.Now it's your job too..
Now, during those 2 goal setting afternoons I spend, I will go through my entire personal wheel and set goals - and then I do the same for my corporate/professional wheel. Here's another great quote:
"If you do not consciously decide ahead of time where you are going, you may very easily end up somewhere else." - Paul J. Meyer.
Folks, it is amazing the clarity and confidence that comes to your life when you see your weaknesses clearly and then clearly set specific goals and strategies in place to shape that weakness up...and restore some balance to your life..But that isn't even the fun part. The fun part for me is seeing the strengths on the wheel and then setting even loftier goals to bolster that which is already going quite well..that is always very energizing.
Folks, here's my thoughts on starting your new year off on the right foot. Take some time to honestly analyze your balance in life..and then set some smart goals to ensure that you..
"Do not be overrighteous, neither be overwise - why destroy yourself? Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool - why die before your time? It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. The man who fears God will avoid all extremes." (Eccl. 7:16-18)
One more thought on confidence from the wisdom of Solomon.
III. Confidence comes through prayer-filled plans.
Proverbs 16:3 - "Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."
Verse 9 says it even clearer."In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."
This is all about asking 2 questions of God surrounding the goals you set:
- God, what should my goals be?
- God, would you bless me and guide me and strengthen me to reach these goals?
See, what so often happens in life is that we strive so hard to succeed and our intentions are really very good. We desire to get the very most out of life we can.The trouble is, if we only use our human wisdom and don't rely on God's much better view of our lives, then balance will always elude us. We must apply the wisdom of God to any plans or goals we are trying to achieve. And not just a simple "God bless these plans I've made", but asking before you set goals for your life. "God direct my thoughts. Give me wisdom in this area, or that one. God I desire to live a balanced life. Help me see what that looks like."
That's why my goal setting time always happens during a day of spiritual rest and reflection.
People, God is in the business of clarifying and directing our lives in wisdom - that's what He does. He's been the best one at it for a few thousand years now.and He has balanced a whole lot more complicated lives than mine. So why wouldn't I give my goals to Him and ask Him to create them with me? It just makes sense to me.
And then when these goals are done - I regularly and consistently ask God to help me achieve the goals we've set in place. :"God give me discipline. Give me energy. Change my character; make me more efficient. Please help me to be the person You want me to be. Please give me success in life as I follow You."
Folks, I think we forget sometimes how much God wants to bless our lives as we are fully committed to Him. Why wouldn't He answer a prayer like that? Think about it!
Trust me on this. If you grow your faith to the place where you can pray those prayers over the year to come, then your life will go to a whole new level in 2002. And you will have a confidence that is so vital to life - but only available from one place - a vital relationship with Jesus Christ. That's where confidence for the new year is created.and only in Jesus Christ will your confidence and goals be maintained and reached through the next 360 days until we're back here - again.
A couple more thoughts and some practical steps.
As a church, we've set aside this week for our Week of Prayer. As a church, we really wanted to begin this year 2002 in a faith-filled way. So this whole week is dedicated to prayer. Take advantage of these opportunities. Come and pray as we focus on the year ahead. Jesus said "My house shall be called a house of prayer." This week at Lakeview Church, this room will be a prayer room. Let's join together as a community in prayer.
In a more personal way, we wanted to give you an opportunity today - to begin a process of renewal in your life by having a time of communion with Jesus.
Communion is always one of those amazing experiences that is very hard to explain, but deeply meaningful. There are a couple reasons why we take this sacrament regularly at Lakeview Church:
1. Before Jesus died, he simply said.."Church, remember me. Remember my death and why I'm dying. Remember the sacrifice I am making to bring cleansing and forgiveness to you - Remember.
So when we take the Bread, it represents His body - which was beaten and bruised and broken so that we might gain life eternal.
And when we drink of the cup, it represents His life blood - which was poured out for us so that we might be cleansed and washed clean.so our souls could know forgiveness.
Jesus said - Church, remember me and my death.and what I have done for you.
2. The second reason why we take communion is that it is a sacrament - a means of grace. Very simply put, God meets with you in these moments. When you humble your heart in confession and choose to have Him forgive you.You will not go through that exercise without having your soul touched. It's as simple as that - touched by grace. Is it mysterious? Yes. But know this - God longs to meet with His people.He longs to.
The invitation to take the Lord's supper is for all who are decidedly walking towards Jesus Christ - for all who desire to be forgiven and to walk closer with Him. Now, if you're not there yet - simply say "come into my life Lord Jesus. Forgive me - lead me - meet with me please."
Here's what I do when I take communion. I visualize what Christ went through on the Cross. His broken body, the whips, beatings, nails, blood. The thorns, the agony, the sacrifice. Then I simply say thank You as I confess any sin in my life that remains unconfessed. Then I just receive. I say "God meet me now in these moments. Change me. Make me new. Reveal Yourself to me."
Come and take the Bread and the Cup. The body which was broken for you. The blood which was shed for you. Come and receive. Come and be cleansed. Come and know forgiveness.
