“Taking Inventory”

 

Scripture Text

Psalms 26:2 (NKJV)
Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart.

Intro: This time of year all businesses begin to take inventory for the purpose of determining what they accomplished for the past year and from that information, they formulate a plan for the New Year. We Christians need to do the same thing. We take inventory of what we have accomplished spiritually and formulate a plan for 2026.

I. Allow God’s Spirit to examine ~ study you in a very careful way! (v:2) Ask Him to show you where you need to change! God’s purpose for all His people in this life 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 (NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Our purpose in life is to constantly be changed into that new person He 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! 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? Is your life being shaped more by others’ expectations of you than by God’s priorities? Are some of the things you are doing based on guilt, or a desire for approval or a need to make a good impression? Does God see the motive for your actions based on His will, yours, or someone else’s? Take note each week as to the use of your time. How much time is spent on the things of God? Ask God if any activities you are involved in that may not be on His agenda for you. When your activities have a reason, God’s reason, you can 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 test you in mind and heart! Test means to subject to strain, as of endurance, patience, affliction, trouble; or duty. Proverbs 24:10 (NKJV) If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small. James 1:3 (NKJV) Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. A lot of people talk the talk of faith, but do not walk the walk of faith when tested. 2 Corinthians 13:5a (NCV) Look closely at yourselves. Test yourselves to see if you are living in the faith. What you and I are seeking in the end is the  freedom to be who God is calling us to be. 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 2026! Not just in theory, but in everyday practice.

Invitation: Will you allow God to examine your heart right now? Allow Him to show you your heart as He sees it. Where do you stand in your relationship with God? Do you even have a relationship with God? If not, ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and invite Him into your life. If you have a relationship with God, allow God to test your motives and purposes for what you do? Will you take action and look back on what you did last year and see how much it fit God’s plan for your life! Will you rededicate your life to Him right now?

The Greatest Christmas Gift

 

Intro: December 25th we will celebrate Christmas. This is one of the most important holidays for mankind with Easter being the other important holiday. Christmas is a time of giving and rejoicing in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I. God was the first to give. John 3:16 (NKJV) For God so loved the world that He (gave) His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. Mankind was eternally lost without God’s gift, in sin and error wasting away with no hope until Jesus appeared and the soul felt its worth. Luke tells us in; Luke 2:11 (NKJV) For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ts worth. No greater gift has ever been given to mankind than the one given on the first Holy night when God gave us His only begotten Son that through Him we might be forgiven of sin and have eternal life.

II. Jesus gave the ultimate gift of His life on the cross for us. Isaiah 53:5 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. He suffered these things for our sins, not His own, because He had no sin. Our Lord Jesus suffered all five kinds of wounds known to medical science for us: contusions—blows by a rod; lacerations—scourging; penetrating wounds—crown of thorns; perforating wounds—nails; puncture wounds, spear. He paid the price required by the Father, that we might be healed. What a precious gift Jesus gave to mankind!

III. God has given us the gift of His Spirit. When Jesus ascended, God sent the Spirit. We were baptized into the body of Christ by the Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. The Father has given the guarantee of eternal life by His Spirit. Ephesians 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Spirit has given us the gift of His power to live righteously and be witnesses for Jesus Christ. We received that power the moment we were born again. Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." Our part is to surrender to the Spirit's power in our lives.

IV. We can give Jesus a gift. The greatest gift we can give to Jesus Christ in return for all He has done for us is helping to spread His message of salvation to the world. No greater gift can be given than that of Christ and His salvation to lost souls. Jesus said in (Matt. 10:8b) Freely you have received, freely give. When we give Christ to a lost and dying world it is truly the gift that keeps on giving throughout eternity. Our lives should be a continual testimony of Jesus Christ!

Jesus said “He came to seek and save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Invitation: Have you been the recipient of the greatest gift God has ever given to mankind, which is salvation through Jesus Christ. If not, now is the time according to God’s word. Simply confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you for the kingdom of God. Invite Jesus to take charge of your life till He calls you home. And be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! It will be your greatest Christmas yet!

Christmas Celebration

 

I. We Celebrate our Savior's Birth. Luke 2:9-14 (NKJV) 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!" There was 400 years of silence from Heaven between the Old Testament which ended with the book of Malachi and the New Testament beginning in the book of Matthew. We are now no longer under the old covenant of law, but Matthew tells we now have a New Covenant with God through the birth of Jesus Christ. That new covenant is based on the blood of Jesus which He shed on the cross as payment for our sin. Matthew tells us that Now You and I have a Savior. A Savior is one who delivers or rescues one from destruction. The bible says in Romans 3:23 that all mankind has sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Romans 6:23a (NKJV)  For the wages of sin is death, according to this scripture, The wages of our sin is death, eternal separation from God. But the verse goes on to say Romans 6:23b but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. So we conclude from the previous scripture that all mankind was eternally lost until Jesus came. Jesus came to save us from our sins which had held us in slavery and bondage to the devil. The angels’ message was comforting. The shepherds were told not to be afraid. The message was that “a Savior,” Christ the Lord, was born. This was good news of great joy. Throughout Luke “joy” is often associated with salvation. This news was to be proclaimed to all the people.

II. We Celebrate Jesus as Our Redeemer. He paid the penalty due us for our sins. 1Tim. 2:5-6 ⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. Because of what Jesus did on the cross we can be forgiven our sins against a holy God. Not only do we celebrate His birth, but we also remember His death and His soon return, because it was not only His birth, but it was also by His death & resurrection that our salvation was made complete. No matter what sin we have committed we can be forgiven if we repent and ask for forgiveness and turn from our sinful ways. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Colossians 2:14 says Jesus has wiped out the handwriting of requirements [10 commandments] that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. O what great news the angel brought that night. What a truly Holy Night when Christ was born! We no longer have to carry the burden of the penalty for our sins, we are forgiven in Christ. This is good news of great joy to all people.

III. WE PRAISE GOD FOR THE GIFT OF HIS SON. [Luke 2:13-14]
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, toward men of goodwill!" Praise means the act of expressing approval, admiration or commendation. Since there were no people to praise God He opened the mouths of the angels and they began to praise God saying ^“Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, toward men of goodwill!" We can learn a great lesson about praise from the angels and tonight we praise God for His wonderful gift of salvation for all mankind. We Praise Him for the love, mercy, grace, salvation, and eternal security He revealed to us thru His Son Jesus whom we worship.

Invitation: If you don't know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, now is the time to confess your sins to Him and ask Jesus to forgive you of those sins and invite Him into your life to save your soul for Heaven, and you will enjoy the greatest Christmas ever.