Awakening to Spiritual Growth in the New Year

Devotional

Day 1: Balanced Self-Perception

Maintaining a balanced self-perception is crucial for spiritual growth. It involves recognizing both strengths and weaknesses, avoiding the extremes of self-criticism and pride. This balance allows individuals to see themselves as God sees them, fostering humility and confidence. As we approach the new year, it's important to reflect on how we view ourselves and make adjustments to align with God's perspective. This balanced view helps us grow spiritually and become who God wants us to be. [38:20]

"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned." (Romans 12:3, ESV)

Reflection: Consider an area where you tend to be overly critical or overly confident. How can you adjust your perspective to align more closely with how God sees you?

Day 2: Character and Choice

Our character is shaped by the choices we make, not by external circumstances. This means that regardless of what happens around us, we have the power to choose who we will be. As we look forward to 2025, it's essential to focus on making choices that reflect our values and beliefs. Our character is revealed in both the highs and lows of life, but it is built in the quiet, everyday moments. By consciously choosing actions that align with our faith, we can grow spiritually and develop a character that honors God. [39:29]

"Do not be deceived: 'Bad company ruins good morals.' Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame." (1 Corinthians 15:33-34, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a recent choice that did not align with your values. What steps can you take to ensure your future decisions reflect your commitment to spiritual growth?

Day 3: Spiritual Awakening

It's time to wake up from spiritual slumber and sharpen our spiritual axes. This involves casting off the sins that hinder growth and embracing new opportunities. The new year is a chance to start fresh, to awaken spiritually, and to pursue a deeper relationship with God. By identifying areas of complacency and making necessary changes, we can experience a spiritual awakening that revitalizes our faith and empowers us to live out our calling. [51:37]

"Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed." (Romans 13:11, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your spiritual life where you have become complacent? How can you actively pursue growth in this area starting today?

Day 4: Mental Transformation

To cast off sin and grow spiritually, a mental transformation is necessary. This involves changing the way we think, which in turn changes how we feel and act. By setting our focus on things above and not on earthly matters, we align our lives with God's will. This transformation requires a shift in mindset, allowing us to see the world through a spiritual lens and make choices that reflect our faith. [01:01:37]

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: What is one thought pattern you need to change to align more closely with God's will? What practical steps can you take to renew your mind in this area?

Day 5: Living in the Present

While it's important to honor past achievements, we must live in the present and strive for spiritual growth today. This requires a commitment to be who God wants us to be, making necessary changes to align our lives with His purpose. By focusing on the present, we can fully embrace the opportunities and challenges that come our way, allowing God to work within us and through us. [01:06:07]

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:15-16, ESV)

Reflection: What is one way you can live more intentionally in the present, focusing on spiritual growth today rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the importance of self-reflection and spiritual growth as we approach the new year. We often struggle with seeing ourselves as others do, either being too critical or overly confident. The challenge is to maintain a balanced and healthy view of ourselves, recognizing both our strengths and weaknesses. As we look forward to 2025, we are reminded that our character is shaped by our choices, not by external circumstances or the people around us. Our character is revealed in the mountaintops and valleys of life, but it is built in the quiet, everyday moments.

The new year offers us a fresh start, an opportunity to become who God wants us to be. This isn't about setting resolutions or goals, but about embracing our identity in Christ and living out His calling for us. Romans 13 encourages us to cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light, to live in the identity we have in Christ. We are called to love God and others, not out of fear, but out of love.

It's time for us to wake up from our spiritual slumber, to sharpen our spiritual axes, and to cast off the sins that hinder our growth. We must take a hard look at our lives, identify the areas where we've become complacent, and make the necessary changes. This requires a mental shift, a transformation of our minds, as we set our focus on things above and not on earthly matters.

As we move into 2025, let us strive to be who God wants us to be, casting off the old and embracing the new. We must die to the flesh and allow God to work within us, making no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts. This is a call to action, a call to repentance, and a call to live out our faith with renewed vigor and purpose.

Key Takeaways

1. Perception:** It's crucial to maintain a balanced view of ourselves, recognizing both our strengths and weaknesses. This balance helps us avoid the pitfalls of self-criticism and pride, allowing us to grow spiritually and become who God wants us to be. [38:20]
2. Character and Choice: Our character is shaped by our choices, not by external circumstances. We have the power to choose who we will be in 2025, and this choice is crucial for our spiritual growth and development.

3. Spiritual Awakening: It's time to wake up from our spiritual slumber and sharpen our spiritual axes. This involves casting off the sins that hinder our growth and embracing the new opportunities that the new year brings.

4. Mental Transformation: To cast off sin and grow spiritually, we must undergo a mental transformation. This involves changing the way we think, which in turn changes the way we feel and act, aligning our lives with God's will.

5. Living in the Present: While we can honor past achievements, we must live in the present and strive for spiritual growth today. This requires a commitment to be who God wants us to be, making the necessary changes to align our lives with His purpose.

** [38:20]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[38:20] - Self-Perception and Criticism
[39:29] - Character and Choice
[40:26] - Influence and Response
[41:13] - New Year, New Opportunities
[42:14] - Identity in Christ
[43:56] - Romans 13: A Call to Believers
[45:50] - Love and Commandments
[46:16] - Time to Wake Up
[47:14] - Seeing God Clearly
[48:02] - Mediocrity and Sin
[50:18] - The Lumberjack Story
[51:37] - Sharpening Spiritual Axes
[52:42] - Insanity of Repetition
[53:19] - Spiritual Cleansing
[55:13] - Casting Off Sin
[56:57] - Lewdness and Lust
[58:46] - Living in Christ Alone
[59:55] - Setting Godly Goals
[61:37] - Renewing the Mind
[63:02] - Secret Sins and Challenges
[64:07] - Mature Thoughts
[66:07] - Living in the Present
[67:13] - Finding Rest in Jesus
[68:01] - God's Mercy and New Beginnings
[69:12] - Seeking God's Kingdom
[70:03] - God's Wake-Up Call
[71:08] - Invitation to Repentance
[74:02] - Altar Call and Prayer
[79:35] - Closing and Announcements

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Romans 13:11-14, what are believers encouraged to do as they live out their identity in Christ?
How does the sermon describe the way our character is revealed and built? [39:29]
What does the story of the rookie lumberjack illustrate about spiritual growth and maintenance? [51:37]
In Psalm 73:23-26, what does the psalmist express about their relationship with God?

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean to "cast off the works of darkness" and "put on the armor of light" as described in Romans 13:12? How might this look in a believer's daily life?
The sermon emphasizes the importance of a balanced self-perception. How can one achieve this balance between self-criticism and pride? [38:20]
How does the concept of "sharpening our spiritual axes" relate to maintaining a vibrant spiritual life? [51:37]
What role does mental transformation play in spiritual growth, according to the sermon and Romans 12:2? [01:01:37]

Application Questions

Reflect on your self-perception. Are there areas where you tend to be overly critical or prideful? How can you work towards a more balanced view of yourself? [38:20]
Consider the choices you made in 2024. What changes do you want to make in 2025 to align more closely with who God wants you to be? [39:29]
Identify a "spiritual axe" in your life that may have become dull. What practical steps can you take to sharpen it and enhance your spiritual growth? [51:37]
How can you incorporate the practice of setting your mind on things above, as mentioned in Colossians 3:2, into your daily routine? [59:55]
Think about a specific sin or habit that you need to "cast off" in 2025. What is one actionable step you can take this week to begin that process? [54:08]
How can you ensure that your goals for 2025 are aligned with God's will and not just earthly ambitions? [59:55]
Reflect on the sermon’s call to wake up from spiritual slumber. What is one area of your spiritual life where you feel you need to be more alert and active? [46:16]

Sermon Clips

"Jill and I have this conversation sometimes that it's just we don't see ourselves sometimes the way others see us, and it's hard to do. So many times we don't see ourselves because we're our greatest critic, right? We talk about it, trying to encourage each other, saying, hey, you're doing okay, you're doing all right. No, I'm not. I'm a horrible person, and that's the way we see ourselves at that time. We're generally harder on ourselves than others are on us at times, but then there's a time where we think we're doing pretty good, too." [00:37:12]

"I can choose to be more kind, more loving, and more compassionate. I can choose to be that in 2025. Or I can choose to still be selfish, prideful, and a jerk. I mean, right? I mean, I can make that choice too. I can choose to change, or I can choose to stay the same or worse than I was. Now, get this. Our character depends on us." [00:38:30]

"People and things reveal our characters. Mountaintops and valleys reveal who we are. Now, I understand as we go through the mountaintops, we go through the valleys, and people in our lives can test us. But they reveal our character more than they build our character during those times. Our character is built during the quiet times. Our character is built in the everyday." [00:39:44]

"See, what the new year brings to you depends on what you bring to the new year. Look at that. What the new year brings to you. What does that mean? What 2025 brings to you depends on what you bring to this new year. If you bring nothing to the new year, then you will not change this year. Nothing in you will be different." [00:41:13]

"Let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light, and let us put on the armor of light, and let us put on the armor of light, let us walk properly as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lusts." [00:44:49]

"2025 is a time that we need to wake up, wake up from our sinful ways, wake up from our lustful desires, wake up from our worldliness. God wants us to be who he created us to be, and that means to get out of our carnal security, get out of our thoughtsfulness, and a willful disobedience to him. It means to quit comparing ourselves to others and see us the way God sees us." [00:46:25]

"It's like the story of the rookie lumberjack who started out determined to chop down more trees than anyone else. He made his goal to be the best the company's ever seen and beat the company average of 15 trees a day. He was going to chop down 15 or more trees a day. First day of work, he went out, he got after it, he worked hard all day, and he fell 10 trees." [00:50:18]

"If we keep doing the same thing, we get the same result, which is the very definition of insanity, right? If I do the same thing I did in 2024, I'll get the exact same result in 2025. Who are you going to be in 2025? What area are you going to grow in? Will you take a good look at your spiritual life and see where you've gotten a little dull?" [00:52:42]

"Set your mind on things above, not on things of earth. So many goals. goals are of this world if you're a goal setter you probably set goals already how many of those were earthly goals how many of those are goals that really won't matter in eternity how many of those were godly goals how many of those were were goals of you being who god wants you to be in 2025 where does micah 6 8 fit into your plans micah wrote this he has told you oh man what is good and what does the lord require of you but to do justice to love kindness and to walk humbly with your god god who do you want me to be in 2025 right there" [01:00:13]

"See, the way you think determines the way you feel. And the way you feel determines the way you act. You say, I need to cast off this sin, Robbie. I understand, preacher. I need, I got to get rid of this. God's convicted me right now. And I want to be better in 2025. I want to do better for him. I want to love him more. I want to walk humbly before him. I want to be who he wants me to be. That's great. Then you got to start with changing the way you think. Because changing the way you think is going to change the way you think. Changing the way you think will change the way you feel. And when you change the way you feel, you'll change the way you act." [01:01:49]

"People may honor you for what you did yesterday, but they respect you for what you're doing now. Think about that in your life. Your wife, your husband, your kids. They may honor you for what you did in the past, but they respect you for who you are today, for what you're doing now. We should value yesterday but live in today." [01:06:04]

"Jesus said, come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you what? Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest in your souls. Need some rest today? You need to come to Jesus." [01:07:33]

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