A Blessed & Happy New Year =)

Dec 31, 2014 Goals Help You Do What Matters Most by Rick Warren “God can do anything, you know — far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” Ephesians 3:20(MSG) The Bible tells us that Jesus set goals. In fact he often announced publicly what his next goal was for the next phase of his ministry. So why should you set goals? We’re going to talk about three reasons today and three more tomorrow. You need to set goals because it is a spiritual responsibility. If you don’t have goals for your life, you have already decided to let other people run your life. When you don’t decide in advance what’s important, you’re letting other people decide. You end up wasting your life, because you haven’t clarified how you want to grow as a follower of Christ. The Bible says that to be spiritually mature, you have to set your goal and move toward it as you keep your eyes focused on it. “I have not yet reached my goal, and I am not perfect. But Christ has taken hold of me. So I keep on running and struggling to take hold of the prize …. I run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven. This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done. All of us who are mature should think in this same way” (Philippians 3:12, 14-15a CEV). You need to set goals because they are statements of faith. If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ and you set a goal, you’re saying, “I believe that God wants me to accomplish this by this time. This is what I believe God is going to do in my life.” Goals aren’t just a statement of faith; they stretch your faith. The bigger your goal, the more your faith will be stretched. And that pleases God. Ephesians 3:20 says, “God can do anything, you know — far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!” (MSG) You need to set goals because they focus your energy. Focus is the key to an effective life. If you spread your energy out and diffuse it over a whole bunch of things, you’ll make no impact at all. But if you focus your life, it’s going to be powerful, and it will change the world. You don’t have time to do everything. Here’s the good news: God doesn’t expect you to do everything! The key to being effective in life as a woman or man of God is to do what matters most and forget everything else. Goals help you maintain that kind of focus. “I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something — not just the air” (1 Corinthians 9:26 NCV). Talk It Over How do your goals reflect what you believe about God? Does your family set goals together? Why would it be important to do this as a family?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hp7Sf9hwIAM What are the things you spend your time and energy on that don’t really matter?

Praising in the Midnight Hour

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE:

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose."
Acts 16:25-26, NIV

TODAY'S WORD:

Paul and Silas were put in jail for spreading good news. It wasn’t fair. They were beaten with rods without a trial. It was unjust. As they sat in the prison, bloody, bruised and uncomfortable, they began to sing praises to God. All of the sudden, there was a great earthquake. The prison doors flung open, the chains fell off and they walked out as free men. What happened? They praised their way to victory! 

Friend, if you’re going to live in victory, you have to know how to praise in your midnight hour—when things seem the darkest, when you’re in pain, disappointed, lonely or experiencing a loss. When you praise Him no matter what, that’s when God can enter your situation. That’s when He can break your chains and set you free! 

Even if you aren’t in a difficult season, remember, praise paves the way to victory. Praise is what we are called to do! Today, praise Him, not because of how you feel but because He is worthy! Praise Him in your midnight hour and get ready to embrace the freedom and victory He has prepared for you!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Father, right now I lift my heart to You. I declare that You are worthy to be praised, and Your worth doesn’t change because of my circumstances. I will bless You in the midnight hour knowing that You are good, and You have victory and freedom in store for me in Jesus’ name! Amen.

​PS... ​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AjR1GBXjQc

A Blessed & Happy New Year! J