Taking Inventory

Intro: At the beginning of this year we need to open our hearts to the Lord and allow Him to take inventory of our spiritual life and see where we need to improve for 2021.

King David a man after God's own heart gives us good example to follow. He said in; Psalms 26:2 Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.

I. Allow God’s Spirit to examine you ~ Let Him study you in a very careful way. Ask God to show you where you need to change! We can all improve in our lives. God’s purpose for all His people is to conform them to the image of Christ. Romans 8:29 (NKJV) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Conform means to be in agreement on every point. Is your life being brought into agreement with Christ’s way of doing things? Let God examine and show you the truth. Are you fulfilling the purpose of God in your life? Do you even know your purpose? Romans 12:2 (NKJV) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Our purpose in life is to constantly be changed into that new person God created us to be. We are changed in our thinking as we pray and read God’s word. We find His will for us. We were created to bring praise, honor and glory to Him while we are in this world.

II. Allow God to prove you through your actions. [Philippians 2:12-13] ¹²  Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³  for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. ¹⁴  Do all things without complaining and disputing, ¹⁵  that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶  holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

1. Prove means to show the character or ability expected of one, especially through one's actions. Are you most like the Father God in your actions or the world?

2. Is your life being shaped more by others’ expectations of you than by God’s priorities?

3. Are some of the things you are doing based on guilt, or a desire for someone's approval or a need to make a good impression? Do others see Jesus in you?

4. Does God see the motive for your actions based on His will, yours, or someone else?

5. Take note each week as to the use of your time.

6. How much time is spent on the things of God such as Prayer, bible reading, mediating and studying His word?

7. Ask God if any activities you are involved in might not be on His agenda for you.

8. When your activities have a reason, God’s reason, you can be more effective for Him and receive more of His blessings, and be less affected by the opinions of those who may not understand why you do what you do. God blesses His activities!

III. Allow God to try or test your faith! Test means to try the quality of something: James 1:3-4 (NKJV) ³  knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Proverbs 24:10 (NKJV) If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small. A lot of people talk the talk of faith, but do not walk the walk of faith when tested. Galatians 6:4-5 (NKJV) ⁴  Let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. ⁵ For each one shall  bear his own load. We are to be examining and judging our own lives, not the life of our brother or sister. Scripture is forceful on this point: every man is to keep busy examining his own work and life, and no man is exempt. The apostle Paul is an excellent example of one who lived faithfully for Christ. Philippians 1:20-21 (NLT) ²⁰ For I fully expect and hope that I will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past. And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or die. ²¹ For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better. This should be the goal for our lives this year of 2021! What you and I are seeking in the end is to be who God is calling us to be.What a way to start the New Year. Not just in theory, but in every day practice.

Prayer: Father God as we bow before You may You examine each heart right now? Show us our hearts as You see us. Where do we stand in our relationship with God? What do you want us to change so we can be more like Jesus and be more productive in our Christian lives? Show us Your priorities for each of us at the beginning of this New Year!

Father God may we allow You to test our motives and purposes for what we do and why we do it. Help each of us live a better Christian example before the watching world.

May each of us rededicate our lives to You right now to live for You each day this New Year that we might experience a fuller and more abundant life in the year ahead?

Invitation: Do you even have a relationship with God? If not, confess your sins to Christ and ask Him to forgive you and invite Him into your life to take charge of you.

Joyful Christmas

 

Intro: Christmas should be a time of joy. Jesus wants our joy to be full. People tend to multiply activities during this holiday season and in their business forget the One whose birthday we are celebrating. So their joy is not full and complete. They wind up tired, exhausted and depressed when it's all over. This is not what God intends!

I. Christmas is about joyously thanking God for His gift to mankind. 2 Corinthians 9:15  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! The greatest gift ever given was God's gift to the world: the gift of His only begotten Son. No greater gift could ever be given. Since God has given us the supreme gift, we should respond in joy by giving Him our thanks. Jesus left the glories of Heaven and came to this earth to save us from the penalty and power of sin and to give us eternal life. Isaiah 53:4-6 ⁴  Surely Jesus has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. ⁵  But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. ⁶  All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. The apostle John says in; John 1:12 As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. Moses brought the law to mankind but Jesus brought us His grace and the right to become the children of God.

II. A joyful Christmas is making Jesus our focus as we celebrate. Matthew 2:1-2 (NKJV) ¹  Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, ²  saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." Matthew 2:10-11 ¹⁰  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. ¹¹  And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The wise men traveled many miles on camels to find Jesus. They brought Him their best gifts fit for a king. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. Nothing was to good for Him. They bowed and worshiped the babe who was King of kings and Lord of Lords, Savior of all mankind. We should seek Jesus this Christmas season as they did. We shouldn't let the worries of this world take our focus off of Jesus. We shouldn't let our problems take our focus off Jesus. He is the problem solver. We shouldn't let Santa, trees, lights and gifts take our focus off Jesus. When we celebrate someones birthday we don't leave them out of our celebration. We honor the one whose birthday we are celebrating. As we focus on Jesus and what He has done for us we can't help but have a joyous Christmas.

III. A joyous Christmas is giving Jesus gifts fit for a King. People sometimes get so involved in doing good things around Christmas they forget the One who is the reason for the season. Like Martha in the bible. She was so busy serving she missed the most important thing, focusing on Jesus and what He had to say. Christmas can become mechanical. It can become a ritualistic celebration with no real meaning. It can become routine, done with no thought of giving a gift to Jesus. One of the greatest gifts we can give Jesus our King is our total self, our love, devotion, attention, worship and praise. Deuteronomy 6:5  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Jesus longs for His children to have an awakened soul that thrills to the joy of His presence. He created us to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. Jesus provides the gift of fullness of joy for our lives and our gift to Him is to glorify Him and enjoy Him by living close to Him and giving our hearts in service for Him. Our gift of praise to the Christ of Christmas will continue throughout eternity.
Revelation 5:12-13 ¹² "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!" ¹³  And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!"

Conclusion: Oh what a wonderful Savior whose birthday we will celebrate Dec. 25^th. May this be a time of joy as we respond to Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. May we thrill at the joy of Jesus' presence in our lives not only at this Christmas but for all time!

Invitation: Make sure you know Jesus before you celebrate His birth. Don't be a hypocrite! If you don't know Him as your Lord and Savior, confess your sins to Him and ask Jesus to forgive you. Invite Him into your heart to take charge of your life. This is what Christmas is all about! This is what life is all about!

Christmas Past, Present and Future