Most people would love some new direction for their lives in the New Year, but because of past failed “New Year’s Resolutions”, they say, “what’s the use.” In this sermon series, Pastor Tom Cogle will guide us each week in how we can turn our “Downhill Habits” into “Uphill Hopes” for 2020. God can give you a new direction in this New Year!
UPHILL HABITS
New direction for a New year
Week 3: Aligned with my Purpose
Pastor Tom Cogle
January 19, 2020
Most people have uphill hopes and downhill habits.
(Romans 12:2 MSG) Fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.
Habit #3 Keep my life aligned with my purpose.
Because I have a purpose.(Psalm 139:16) All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.(Ephesians 2:10) For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Because there is competition for my time and attention.(Ecclesiastes 4:6) Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.
Because time is short.(James 4:13-15) Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”.
Mastering the Habit
1.Decide what is really important.(Philippians 3:7-8 MSG) Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant. I’ve dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him.
2. Give calendar time to the important things.(Psalm 90:12 LB) Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should.
Make time for renewal.Make time for relationships.Make time for reward.
3. Eliminate the non-essentials.(Hebrews 12:1) Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
4. Regularly take inventory.Psalm 39:4-5 NLT) LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away. My life is no longer than the width of my hand. An entire lifetime is just a moment to you; human existence is but a breath.