Aligning Goals with God's Purpose for the New Year

"His mercies are new every morning, and he's got a new plan. He's got a ready plan. He's got a plan, B, C, D, E, F, and G. He's got all the plans. No matter what you did, no matter what you messed up, no matter what went wrong, Jesus is ready to help. He's here. He wants us to come to him boldly, and he wants to give us mercy and grace in our time of need. That's what he does. Somebody say, that's what he does. That's what he does." [00:39:30] (22 seconds)


"Because though you had a pseudo vision, you had the pseudo goal, you really had no steps to get there that made any doggone sense. And so you ended up with what you ended up with. And sometimes we end up with that in our lives. We have a vague sense of what we're kind of going for, but because we weren't specific, weren't particular, we didn't take the time to think it out, to plan it out, to write it down, to get a clear picture of what it was supposed to be. We don't really get anywhere real good. And so this year, right at the beginning of the year, I want to challenge each and every one of us to plan some goals, to make some goals, to make some goals with God." [00:136:10] (34 seconds)


"The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage. I would like some advantage. Would anyone like some advantage? I would like some advantage. I would like some advantage. I will go ahead and try to get some. But if I'm going to get some, I'm going to have to be diligent about some things." [00:354:50] (20 seconds)


"Everyone who's lazy, you know, things aren't going to go that great for them. They're going to come up in poverty. And while I think there's probably truth to that, I think it's really insightful that the scripture points out there's a hastiness that causes folks to really miss all that they could have. Why is that? I think part of it is because diligent people, man, they want to do it. They want to get there. They're thoughtful. They're saying, I'm going to spell it out. I'm going to take the time to put it down on paper. I'm going to do my research. I'm going to study. I'm going to go ask so -and -so. I'm going to see different ways I might do this. I'm going to take my time and I'm going to thoroughly prepare. Why? Because when I do, I'm imaging God, the creator. Do you know the creator took his time to make the universe? He took his time. In other words, the book of Proverbs is demonstrating to us, here's the God way." [00:381:15] (49 seconds)


"So let's ask the question, how might we increase our advantages in the next year? How do we increase our advantage? Well, number one is goals. The command in Proverbs there, it implies a goal, the plans of the diligent. Well, it's not, it's not just random plans that don't go anywhere. It's plans toward a goal. The goal is implied in, in the text there. And these ones who are making goals, they're saying, I aim at something specific. See what they do. They get this awesome privilege. They give themselves to it." [00:593:10]

"I get to, I get to just imagine worlds in my head the same way God does. I imagine it in my head and I say, I like that and I like that and I like that and I'm going to pick some of these and I'm going to try to, with God's help, make it a reality. I'm going to choose to believe that thing is possible and I'm going to go after. In other words, they back up and they say, you know, this is fine, this is fine, this is fine, but I can think of something better than this." [00:625:18]

"Can I experience more of God's heart flowing through me? Like those are the best goals and the highest goals. So whatever other goal you're getting, like don't just cross the finish line and forget the character thing. In fact, drop the finish line if it makes you drop the character. Because God will, if you trust him, he'll find you. He'll find another way to that very same goal most of the time with your character intact. Somebody say hallelujah." [00:1050:07] (21 seconds)


"Because that's really what it is. It's not that for most of us, it's not that you don't want to seek God first. It's just that there's all these other things that seem to get in the way. Okay, so identifying what those are, what do I need to deprioritize so that God can take more of a first place in my life? Romans 12 too. Probably what you're gonna have to prioritize is more time in God's word. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. That's through God's word. Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is. His good, pleasing, and perfect will. Well, Carter, how do I know God's goals? Well, one of the ways you do it is you spend time in his word and he begins to point out. This is what he does. He points out, as you're in God's word, he goes." [00:1095:33] (36 seconds)


"Prayer is how he crystallizes for us. We had our theories of what God's will is, and prayer is where he shows us what it actually is. Prayer is Batman and Robin coming together. See, before, when you just had the plan, you were kind of like Robin off on your own. Now, let me know, Robin just isn't very exciting without Batman. He's just not." [00:2172:05] (17 seconds)


"But once you get them together, now they're a dynamic duo. And God says, once you pray, now we're working some stuff, man. Now we're working together. Now we can get some stuff done on planet Earth. I'm not a chef. Some of you might be. But I know, even so, that if you marinate meat for 20 minutes versus marinate meat for 20 days, you're just gonna have a different flip. Maybe not 20 days. Two days. Kenzie looked at me. She's like, no, don't do that." [00:2189:21] (31 seconds)


"Prayer is how God does stuff. Prayer is how God gets in the work. Prayer is how he gets us to understand what it is he's trying to do. That's what he does with prayer." [00:2163:10]

"Prayer is how he crystallizes for us. We had our theories of what God's will is, and prayer is where he shows us what it actually is. Prayer is Batman and Robin coming together. See, before, when you just had the plan, you were kind of like Robin off on your own. Now, let me know, Robin just isn't very exciting without Batman. He's just not." [00:2172:05] (17 seconds)