God's Way or My Way in 2019? (Isaiah 55:6-9)

Sermon: God's Way or My Way in 2019?

Scripture: Isaiah 55:6-9

Date: January 6, 2019

 

Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.  "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord.  "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."  (Isaiah 55:6-9)

Max Lucado's Laws of the Lighthouse:

• Love God more than you fear hell.
• Once a week, let a child take you on a walk.
• Make major decisions in a cemetery.
• When no one is watching, live as if someone is.
• Succeed at home first.
• Don't spend tomorrow's money today.
• Pray twice as much as you fret.
• Listen twice as much as you speak.
• Only harbor a grudge when God does.
• Never outgrow your love of sunsets.
• 'Tis wiser to err on the side of generosity than on the side of scrutiny.
• God has forgiven you; you'd be wise to do the same.
• When you can't trace God's hand, trust His heart.
• Toot your own horn and the notes will be flat.
• Don't feel guilty for God's goodness.
• The book of life is lived in chapters, so know your page number.
• Never let the important be the victim of the trivial.

God's way in 2019 will include:

1. Prayer over planning
   • If we want to adjust to God's ways, let's pray and not just plan.
   • Where does God want us to change the most?  If you are really brave, ask your family or best friends where you need to change the most.
   • Focus is the key to an effective life.
   • "When you don't decide in advance what's important, you're letting other people decide."  -Rick Warren
   • WEEKLY CHALLENGE: Ask God what His plan for you is in 2019.  Ask for specifics.  Consider areas like spiritual habits, character traits, or new ways of obedience.
   • Spiritual habits: prayer, Bible reading, caring for the poor and helpless, Sunday School, church attendance, giving, reading Christian books, Christian music, limiting social media, careful with entertainment, building Christian friendships, family prayer time, quick to repent...
   • Character traits: love, joy, peace, patience/endurance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, humility, courage, boldness, "teachableness", generosity...
   • Will you pray sincerely that God will show Hopewell His plans for us this year?
2. Worship in weakness
   • In your weakness, worship.
   • If we want to adjust to God's ways, we will find Him in worship.
   • Worship focuses on God and not self.
   • Then Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the Lord, before the new court, and said: "O Lord God of our fathers, are You not God in heaven, and do You not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations, and in Your hand is there not power and might, so that no one is able to withstand You?  (2 Chronicles 20:5-6)
3. Forgiveness over fighting
   • If we want to adjust to God's ways, we will value forgiveness over fighting.