Priorities for 2024

 

Intro: As we have just entered the New Year, it’s time to think about our priorities for 2024. Our top priorities should be of the spiritual nature. Those things that will help us grow in our relationship with God. Our spiritual life controls how we respond to all other things. God’s will for us all; 3 John 1:2 (NKJV) Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. Matthew 6:33 (NKJV) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

I. The first priority is prayer. (Jeremiah 33:3 (NKJV) 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'

A. We have an open invitation from God to call on Him in prayer.

Only through prayer can believers stay in contact with God, know what he wants them to do, and then have the strength to do God’s will in all areas of life.

B. The promise is (V:33b)

1. He will answer us. We should pray in confidence, complete trust in God and His word to us.

2. He will show us the things we don’t know. God’s plans for the future are inaccessible to ordinary people. Only God can unlock the secrets of the future, and He offered this knowledge to Jeremiah and to every one of us who are children of Abraham by faith.

II. Jesus invites us to call on God in prayer.

In Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV) ⁹  In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ¹⁰  Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹  Give us this day our daily bread. ¹²  And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.
¹³  And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Jesus had given the disciples a model prayer. Now He assured them that God welcomes prayer, and urged them to come to Him through their own prayers in His name.

A. Conditions of prayer. Matthew 7:⁷ "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you

1. Asking – Continuously and persistently action. Emphasized by the present tenses in the verbs:

2. Seeking- Like seeking some lost treasure that means the most to you.

3. Knocking - “keep on asking”; “keep on seeking”; “keep on knocking”

B. Some things to ask in prayer. God’s wisdom for daily living and for clear direction in our daily lives in the choices we make and paths we follow. Pray for God’s help in being faithful, disciplined and committed to Him in the use of our time and resources all year long. Pray for help in seeking His Kingdom first and living righteously.

C. The promise if we do these things faithfully. Matthew 7:8 (NKJV)
. ⁸ For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

1. It will be given you. The answers we need to make right choices that will keep us faithful to Him.

2. You will find. We will find God more than ready and willing to help us along life’s journey this year.

3. It will be opened to you. Every door that leads to the abundant life and His blessings for us will be opened to us.

III. These promises are for everyone who asks. Matthew 7:9-11 (NKJV)⁹  Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?¹⁰  Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?¹¹  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!

A. The Father is willing to answer us because He delights in granting our request.

B. He will give us the good things that we need to promote our well-being.

Prayer makes sure we live with a humble acknowledgment of our need for His grace, knowing He is our only hope for staying on course and fulfilling our created purpose. God rewards those who call on Him.

Invitation: For the abundant life, make prayer your top priority for this year. Pray about everything from church, family and Nation to all your own needs. Ask God regularly to show you His agenda and priorities for your life, to order your steps so you can fulfill His Kingdom purposes in and through your life. First priority of prayer is salvation. If you have never called on Jesus to save you, now is the time! Ask Jesus to forgive your sins against God and invite Jesus into your life to take charge.

Have a Joyful Christmas

 

Intro: Christmas should be a time of joy. Joy is different than happiness. Joy comes from within you and happiness comes from external events or things. Happiness comes and goes depending on external circumstances. The joy that comes from within you is from the Holy Spirit and does not depend on external happenings. People tend to multiply activities during this holiday season and in their busyness forget the One whose birthday they 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 for His people!

I. A joyful Christmas is thanking God for His gift to mankind. What if Christ had not come, this world would be a hopeless world. This world would be a lost world. There would be no access to God, there would be no atonement for sin, we would all be guilty before God. Would be no forgiveness, no Savior and no home in Heaven. We would all be doomed to Hell. 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 own Son. Luke 2:8-14 (NKJV) ⁸  Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰  Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²  And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger." ¹³  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ¹⁴  "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" No greater gift could ever be given. Since God has given us the supreme gift of His Son, we should respond in joy by giving Him our thanks. Jesus left the glories of Heaven and came to this earth as Savior to save mankind from the penalty and power of sin and to give us eternal life. 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. John1:17 says Moses brought the law to mankind but Jesus at His birth brought us grace and truth. John 1:16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

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 2:9-10 (NKJV)⁹  When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. ¹⁰  When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. The wise men traveled 2 1/2 years and 1,500 miles on camels to find Jesus. They bowed and worshiped the babe who was King of all kings, Lord of all Lords, Savior of all mankind. We should seek Jesus this Christmas season as they did. We shouldn't let the problems and worries of this world take our focus off of Jesus. He is the problem solver. We shouldn't let Christmas activities take our focus off Jesus. When we celebrate someone's birthday, we don't leave them out of our celebration. They are the center of attention. We honor the one whose birthday we are celebrating. As we honor Jesus and praise Him for who He is and what He has done for us and what He is going to do, we will have a joyous Christmas.

III. A joyous Christmas is giving Jesus gifts fit for a King. Matthew 2:11 (NKJV) 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 brought Him their best gifts fit for a king. They brought gold, frankincense and myrrh. Nothing was to good for Him. They bowed in worship of Him. One of the greatest gifts we can give Jesus is our worship, our attention, devotion, love, and obedience. Deuteronomy 6:5  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and with all your strength. Jesus longs for His children to have an awakened, and revived soul that thrills to the joy of His presence. He created us to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever. Jesus provides the fullness of joy and pleasure for our lives and our gift to Him is to glorify Him and enjoy Him by living in an intimate relationship with Him and giving our hearts and our possessions in service for Him. There was no room for Him in the inn, how about your heart? People sometimes get so involved in doing things around Christmas they don't have time to enjoy the One who is the reason for the season. Remember Martha in the bible. She was so busy serving she missed the most important thing, focusing on Jesus and listening to His words. Christmas can become mechanical. It can become a ritualistic celebration with no real meaning. It can become routine, with no thought of Christ. Christ should be the center of all we do not only at Christmas time but all year long. Jesus promises an eternal reward for those who live for Him in all they do. Colossians 3:23-24 ²³  And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ²⁴  knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. Honoring and Serving Christ brings us the joyful reward of the inheritance of the saints of God. The reward of His inheritance is out of this world, it is above all we can ask or think. Because of Christs' birth those who believe in Him will live eternally with God, and our Savior Jesus Christ. We will be reunited with all our loved ones gone on before us. Life will be perfected which means that the body of man will be perfected. Life will be totally different from what it is now. The very life and perfect state for which man has longed will be a living reality. All the suffering and evils of life, all the bad and negative experiences of life will be gone. There will be positions of enormous leadership, authority and service in His kingdom. Don't you think that Jesus deserves our full attention as we celebrate Christmas?

Conclusion: Oh what a wonderful Savior whose birth we celebrate tomorrow. May this be a time of joy and pleasure as we worship Jesus with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and may we joyously renew our dedication and commitment to Him. May we thrill at the joy of Jesus' presence in our lives not only 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! This is what your eternity depends on!