New Year, New Opportunity
As you look back on 2009 I’m sure that you wish you could have some do overs. If you knew then, what you know now, then you wouldn’t have said what you said to that person, or maybe you would have said what you failed to say.
You wouldn’t have started that new business venture or at least you would have started it in a different way.
You would have refrained from eating that chocolate donut, or at least not eaten as many as you did; at one time; in one sitting; without your spouse’s knowledge.
So the end of an old year and the start of a new year is a great opportunity to take a fresh look at what you will do with the opportunities you have in 2010.
Matthew 6 tells us where our focus should be:
And also where our focus should not be. Let me give you the positive first:
► Focus on Growing Closer in Your Personal Walk with Christ.
Matthew 6:33
Do not worry, but “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” The word “seek” (zēteō PWS: 3411) means to seek; to go after; to strive; to pursue; to desire; to aim at; to search for; to endeavor to get.
If you are a Christ follower, then your life is not to be preoccupied with material things. You are first of all to be seeking after the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
So, you seek first to become a citizen of God’s kingdom, and you seek to lead others to become a citizen of God’s kingdom.
You seek after God’s righteousness for yourself and for others.
When you feel like you have failed in the eyes of the world, you can know four certain things—if you really put God first:
1) Your failure is temporary. God will help and strengthen and even teach you through the trying times.
2) God will work all things out for good, for God loves you and has called you (Romans 8:28f).
3) God will see to it that the necessities of life are given to you.
4) God has much better things in store for you—eternally.
When you go through a failure, remember just one thing: be faithful—continue to be faithful. In putting God first, God will lift you up.
► Do Not Focus on Your Resources at the Moment.
Matthew 6:31-32
The follower of Christ has a heavenly Father who knows your needs. The believer is different from the unbeliever (the lost) in that he/she has a heavenly Father and lives for heaven. He does not live for the earth, for the moment.
⇒ The believer knows Christ and knows God’s people.
⇒ The believer knows the promises of God and the glorious hope of eternal life.
⇒ The believer has God and His presence in this world.
⇒ The beleiver is not a stranger and foreigner to God, but a fellow citizen with the saints of God’s household.
Therefore, the believer is to seek “first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.” He is to leave the cares of this world up to God as he diligently goes about his affairs upon earth. He makes his contribution to life as God has called him to do, and while so doing he knows that God will take care of all the necessities of life.
► Do Not Focus on Your Circumstances of the Day.
Matthew 6:34
Do not worry—live one day at a time.
A Christ follower is not to be preoccupied with tomorrow and its affairs. You are to seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness today, and leave tomorrow and its needs in God’s hands.
Christ is not forbidding you to take care of tomorrow. He is speaking directly to your obsession with getting more and more and still not being satisfied and ignoring and neglecting God and His Will.
There are five attitudes you can have about the future and you probably fit in one of these:
1) A no-care, worldly attitude. A person eats, drinks, and is merry today, letting tomorrow take care of itself. The future is of little concern. It will take care of itself. Earthly pleasure, power, and fame are the major concerns of life. He needs to get all he can now, while he can.
2) A fretful, anxious attitude. A person worries all the time, wondering if he is secure and if he will have enough to take care of himself and his family.
3) A fearful, panicky attitude. In the face of trial and failure, a person can barely function. Tragedy has hit: his job is lost, cutbacks have to be made, adjustments are needed. The strength and confidence to act and to continue on is lacking.
4) A self-assured attitude. A person has complete confidence in himself and his ability. He knows he can make out and take care of himself in this world, and he does it. But there is one thing that this person fails to see and it is fatal: the confidence that he has in himself will end. He will die, and he will only have taken care of himself for a few short years. He will find out that self-confidence cannot bridge the great gulf between heaven and earth, time and eternity, God and man.
5) A calm God-centered and trusting attitude. A person goes about living and working ever so diligently and calmly, trusting God to take care of all. He does all he can about the necessities of life, both for himself and for others, but he seeks God and His righteousness first.
Tags: Bible, Carl Poole, Christian, Church Planting, Essentials Church, New Year