It's Time to Make a Change

You may have been in church for a long time… been following God for a long time. But no matter where you are on your spiritual journey, we need to get moving.

That’s why as we come into 2020, It’s Time… repeat it.

We all need some healing… one place for me is traffic.

Talk about me and traffic…

One of the things that drives me crazy is when people don’t go when the light turns green. Anybody besides me??? They are looking down… on their phones… The proper thing is a beep beep… a little one. What I want to do is lay on that horn.

I believe that 2020 is the year we all need to get going. I want to go HONK… but for the next few weeks, I am going to give you a beep beep…

These next 4 weeks can be a catalyst for change.

Luke 9:57–62 The Message

57 On the road someone asked if he could go along. “I’ll go with you, wherever,” he said. 58 Jesus was curt: “Are you ready to rough it? We’re not staying in the best inns, you know.” Jesus said to another, “Follow me.” 59 He said, “Certainly, but first excuse me for a couple of days, please. I have to make arrangements for my father’s funeral.” 60 Jesus refused. “First things first. Your business is life, not death. And life is urgent: Announce God’s kingdom!” 61 Then another said, “I’m ready to follow you, Master, but first excuse me while I get things straightened out at home.” 62 Jesus said, “No procrastination. No backward looks. You can’t put God’s kingdom off till tomorrow. Seize the day.”

We have a brand new year and a brand new opportunity. NY is a time we get to hit the refresh button.

Auld Lang Syne

Things I need to leave in 2019

Should old Acquaintance be forgot… and never brought to mind… Robert Burns It means Days gone by...

The song gets us to think about what we need to leave in last year and what we should bring into this year.

I want you to move on from three things...

Move on from old history

You need to hit clear history. divocrce… offense… some incident that hurt

Isaiah 43:18–19 NIV

18 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Let me ask you… don’t you see it? Beep Beep.

Move on from old habits

Addictions - phones, computers, foods, language,

21 Days of prayer and fasting - fast anything in your life that is mastering you. Sweets… Get rid of anything for the next 21 days that’s threatening to master you. Fasting is me doing the best I can to separate from things to focus on God.

Isaiah 58:6 NIV

6 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?

This can be a powerful time to move on from old habits.

Move on from old hurts

You can’t change the past. The hurt is there… it happened. We have to learn to move on. You have to make the page clean...

2 Corinthians 5:17–18 NIV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

reconciled - bring the balance to zero

Let him clean you once for all.

I can’t start the next chapter of my life if I keep re-reading the last one

How can we do this? We have power available to us.

How to make the change

Jesus ministry began when he was baptized.

Matthew 4:17 NLT

17 From then on Jesus began to preach, “Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”

Repent means to change your direction. Change your mind.

Turn from your way to God because the KOG is near. We live like we are the king. Jesus is king and we need a new king besides ourselves.

It’s near. That means it’s close and it’s not as hard as many of you think it is.

1. It’s time to get closer to God

During this 21 days, let’s get closer to God. I have been in ministry almost 30 years and following Christ over 40 years and I am going to run like crazy towards God.

Beep Beep - you are going to sit through the light and it’s green

James 4:8 NLT

8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.

All about Jesus

God’s purifying work in you

Intercession

Set your priority on Jesus. Don’t let yourself be divided.

Whatever you are going to fast, do it and focus on God. Step out. If you want something you have never had, you have to do something you have never done...

Pray… Show up for church 52 Sundays and Wednesdays. You want to know what will happen… your life will change forever.

2. It’s time to get honest with a friend

We do better with accountability. Work out partners… join a gym … hate to waste money…

That’s why we want to develop some of you into small group leaders so you can lead a group. You prepare and pray harder when you are leading a group.

James 5:16 NLT

16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Forgiveness comes from confession to God. Healing comes in groups of people.

3. It’s time to get in tune with my purpose and passions

Some of you have gone after the wrong purposes and passions…

Galatians 6:3–4 NIV

3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,

Look deep inside and see who God made you to be… stop comparing yourselves to others.

Take advantage of opportunities to grow.

Don’t go through life, grow through life

Get involved…

4. It’s time to get on doing something greater than myself

Pastor Kathy and I talked about a theme for the year… Choose Joy.

Joy comes from doing what God has called us to do.

Ephesians 2:10 The Message

10 No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join him in the work he does, the good work he has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.

If I dedicate my life to something greater than myself, God will fill my life with passion and adventure.

Some of you are sitting at the light. Write this down.

I can’t go back and change the beginning but I can start where I am and change the ending

Pray - healing for those who are grieving… set them free. Help them step out. I pray for hope and life. Thank you for reconciliation… your forgiveness. Maybe you are here and you have been your own king. Make him your king.

Salvation prayer -

21 Days of Prayer January 6-26th

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