No Excuses: Bury the Past, Grow On Purpose

Jan 05, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Bury the old; move on with God

Some of us need to bury our past and move on. Jacob had to bury what he loved most, and then Israel journeyed on; that shift is a picture for us. The old name, the old excuses, the old patterns—those can be laid to rest so the new life can walk forward. This new year is a time to stop saying “I can’t” and start saying, “By God’s grace, I will.” You can honor what was without living chained to it. Lay the excuses down, and pitch your tent in a new place with the Lord. [05:32]

Genesis 35:20–21 — He raised a stone marker over Rachel’s grave, and it still stood as a witness. Then Israel packed up and moved on, setting his tent beyond the tower of Eder, stepping into the path ahead.

Reflection: What one attachment or excuse needs a real burial this week, and what is one concrete step that shows you have “journeyed on” with the Lord?

Day 2: Growth is a choice before a change

You have to grow on purpose—spirit first, and life will follow. Don’t wait to feel different before choosing differently; choose, then the change follows. God has already given everything needed for life and godliness, but we still make every effort to add to our faith. Supplement your faith with habits that help—virtue, knowledge, self-control, and love. Nobody can do this for you, but you’re not doing it alone; God’s power meets your effort. Cut the “I can’t,” and ask, “How will I, with the Lord’s help?” [06:10]

2 Peter 1:3–8 — By His power, God has handed us all we need to live and honor Him, and through His promises we share in His life and escape the world’s decay. So make every effort: add goodness to your faith, knowledge to goodness, self-control to knowledge, steadfastness to self-control, godliness to steadfastness, family love to godliness, and love to all of it. As these grow in you, you won’t be useless or fruitless in knowing Jesus.

Reflection: Which one “supplement” (knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, etc.) will you intentionally add to your week, and how exactly will you practice it each day?

Day 3: Walk by the Spirit, starve the flesh

A strengthened spirit weakens the flesh. Feed the spirit, and the flesh goes hungry; starve the spirit, and the flesh shouts loud. Don’t try to fight temptation by staring at it—walk by the Spirit stronger. Begin your mornings asking, “Lord, what’s on Your agenda?” and let Scripture, prayer, and fellowship set the tone. As the Spirit gains influence, those “I can’t” excuses turn into foothills you can climb. When the Spirit leads, the body follows. [05:05]

Galatians 5:16, 22–23 — Choose the Spirit’s path, and you won’t carry out the cravings of your old nature. The Spirit grows a different harvest in you: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; nothing stands against these.

Reflection: What desire has been pulling on you lately, and what specific Spirit-feeding habit will you use to crowd it out this week (for example, Scripture before phone, a prayer walk at lunch, or asking a friend to check in)?

Day 4: A disciplined spirit builds a disciplined life

Discipline starts inside; you can’t out-discipline a neglected spirit. Pray first, then train your habits—heart before behavior. Like a runner aiming for the finish, aim your life toward the prize that lasts. Don’t swing at the air; practice self-control with purpose, and your daily choices will get in step. If you can press through honest, healthy pain for a goal, you can also say no to sin—and you won’t limp from resisting it. Keep showing up; you grow into discipline. [06:45]

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 — Think about a race: everyone runs, but only one finishes first—so run to win. Athletes train their bodies with strict self-control for a trophy that fades, but we do it for a reward that doesn’t. I don’t run aimlessly or throw punches at nothing; I train and rule my body so I won’t fail the very message I live.

Reflection: Where will you practice one small, intentional “repetition” of self-control today (a precise time, place, and action), so your body learns to follow your Spirit-led yes and no?

Day 5: Interrupt temptation and start again with grace

Growth doesn’t erase temptation; it reduces its power. We are lured by our own desires, so recognize the pull early and interrupt it—“Not today, Satan.” If you’ve already stumbled this January, get back up; no excuses, just grace and a new start. Don’t obsess over the temptation; get deeper in the Spirit and let new desires lead you out. Ask for help, invite prayer, and keep taking the next faithful step. The Spirit will lead, and your life will follow. [05:58]

James 1:14–15 — Each person gets drawn in by their own desire; when desire takes over, it conceives sin, and sin grown up delivers death. Catch it early, before it grows.

Reflection: What are your early warning signs when temptation starts, and what simple interrupt (a phrase you’ll say, a verse you’ll pray, and a person you’ll text) will you use the next time it shows up?

Sermon Summary

A clear call rang out for a new year with no excuses—moving from old patterns to a Spirit-led life. The narrative of Jacob—clever, self-justifying, and often scheming—exposes how easily people rationalize sin. Yet God renames him Israel and, in grief at Rachel’s tomb, he figuratively buries the old and journeys on as the new. The application is sharp: bury what keeps the soul compromised, even things loved, and move forward in obedience. This is not about self-improvement for its own sake; it is about getting closer to the Lord, refusing the “I can’t” narratives that mask unwillingness, and choosing growth on purpose.

Growth begins as a choice before it appears as change. Spiritual choices shape inner strength: what is fed to the mind, where attention is set, and how often one prays, reads Scripture, and seeks God. 2 Peter 1 promises that God has already granted “all things” needed for life and godliness, but those gifts must be “supplemented” with virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love. No one drifts into that kind of maturity; hearts must decide before habits are reformed.

The flesh is not overcome by trying harder but by walking in the Spirit. Galatians 5:16 reframes the fight: don’t merely white-knuckle against the flesh; strengthen life in the Spirit until sinful cravings lose authority. Discipline is birthed in the inner life and then trains the body. Paul’s athletic imagery in 1 Corinthians 9 presses for intentionality—run to win, bring the body under control, practice self-control for an imperishable crown. The half-marathon story pictured this: sustained, painful training can become joy when it is offered to God; and if one can endure for His glory, one can say no to sin without limping away in defeat.

Growth does not erase temptation; it weakens its pull. James 1 locates the battleground in desire—mature believers interrupt temptation early rather than entertain it. The fruit of the Spirit is not personality polish; it is supernatural life expressed in the body: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. So stop fixating on the temptation itself and go deeper with the Spirit. If this year has already stumbled, get back up. Don’t do it alone; ask for prayer, walk with the church, and if Christ is not yet Savior, start there—everything else depends on Him.

Key Takeaways

1. Bury the past to move forward Jacob’s transition at Rachel’s tomb pictures a decisive burial of the old self and a journey as the new. Some loves and loyalties keep the soul compromised; they must be surrendered. Grief and obedience can coexist, and obedience must lead the way. Moving on requires more than regret; it requires renaming by God and a new direction. [40:27]
2. Growth is a choice before change God grants “all things” for life and godliness, yet growth requires intentional supplementation—virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, love. Hearts decide before habits follow; drift never births holiness. Choose what you feed your mind and where you set your attention. What you choose spiritually today will shape what you can resist tomorrow. [45:21]
3. Walk by the Spirit, not willpower Scripture does not command, “fight the flesh harder,” but “walk by the Spirit,” so the flesh loses authority. Willpower alone eventually snaps; communion with God renews strength and redirects desire. Make spiritual practices first, not optional add-ons. When the Spirit gains influence, excuses lose their voice. [53:11]
4. Discipline the heart to train life Paul joins spiritual discipline to bodily self-control: run to win, and bring the body under command. Inner resolve formed in God’s presence produces outer stability. Train with purpose—aimed at God’s glory—not vague effort. Over time, discipline turns from a burden to a joy. [57:28]
5. Growth reduces temptation’s power Maturity does not erase temptation; it weakens it by exposing its lies and interrupting it early. Desire is the doorway; guard it, and temptation finds fewer handles. Practice early “no’s” and long obedience in the same direction. As roots deepen, resistance rises. [1:01:32]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[35:30] - No Excuses: A New Year Call
[36:25] - Jacob’s excuses; God’s renaming
[38:38] - Burying Rachel; Israel moves on
[41:15] - Resolutions aimed at closeness
[43:38] - Grow on purpose; choose first
[46:41] - God grants all we need
[47:27] - Sin’s promises vs. outcomes
[48:28] - Supplement faith: virtue to love
[51:15] - Willpower’s limits; who leads?
[53:11] - Walk by the Spirit daily
[57:28] - Run to win; train the body
[58:51] - Half-marathon lesson on endurance
[1:01:32] - Growth reduces temptation’s power
[1:02:44] - Fruit of the Spirit embodied

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading

- Genesis 35:20-21

- 2 Peter 1:3-8

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

- Galatians 5:16, 22-23

Observation questions

In Genesis 35:20-21, what did Jacob do at Rachel’s tomb, and what did Israel do next? What shift do you notice between the two names in those two verses?
In 2 Peter 1:3-8, what has God already granted, and what are believers told to “make every effort” to add? What promise is attached to practicing these qualities?
According to Galatians 5:16, 22-23, what is the connection between walking by the Spirit and the desires of the flesh? Which fruit are listed?
What everyday example was used to show how training can move from pain to joy, and what detail made it stick in your mind? [58:51]

Interpretation questions

In Genesis 35:20-21, how might burying Rachel and then journeying on picture laying down old loves or loyalties that keep someone compromised? How can grief and obedience walk together? [39:31]
If God has already granted “all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3), why does verse 5 still call for “make every effort”? What does this balance teach about grace and effort in real change?
How does the call to “walk by the Spirit” reframe the fight with temptation compared to just trying harder? In what sense does a strengthened inner life make the flesh “lose authority”? [54:53]
What does the athletic picture of running to win and bringing the body under control suggest about aim and intentionality in spiritual discipline? How would that help someone who starts strong but often quits? [57:28]

Application questions

Identify one “Rachel”—a love or loyalty you cherish—that keeps your soul compromised. What would “burying it” look like this month in one concrete step? [39:31]
Choose one supplement from 2 Peter 1 (virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, love). What is one small practice you will add for the next 14 days to “make every effort” toward it?
Where have you been saying “I can’t” about a spiritual habit (Bible reading, prayer, joining a group)? What specific plan will you try for the next seven mornings to cut that excuse? [43:05]
What first-thing-in-the-morning rhythm will help you “walk by the Spirit” before you face the day—scripture, prayer, surrender? Write your exact 10-minute plan and start time. [52:29]
What bodily practice will help bring your body under command for God’s glory—sleep schedule, fasting from a certain food, exercise with worship, phone curfew? Choose one and set a start date. [57:28]
Name one desire that routinely lures you. What is your “interrupt early” plan (five-minute prayer, text a friend, step outside, delete an app) the next time it knocks? [01:02:02]
Who are two people you will ask to pray with you and check in weekly as you pursue these choices? Reach out before midnight tonight. [01:05:46]

Sermon Clips

41s

#InterruptTemptation

“Spiritual growth doesn't remove temptation. It raises resistance. Here's the thing. Paul's or James says, each person is tempted. He's talking about we will be tempted. And what are we going to be tempted by? Lured and enticed by our own desires. What you desire in your heart is what you will be tempted on. Temptation loses strength when it reckon when we recognize it early. Mature believers don't entertain temptation. We interrupt it. We say, nope. Not today, Satan.”

22s

#WalkByTheSpirit

“I think a lot of times we try to fight the flesh first and we just kinda use the spiritual side as, oh, okay. I'm a Christian. I'm good. We need to flip that up. I'm a Christian. I walk by in the spirit and the rest will come. So as the spirit gains influence, the flesh loses its authority.”

23s

#ChooseSpiritualGrowth

“Well, it that this is the part that we have to do something. We have to do the work. We have to put the groundwork into it. So we can't just do nothing. So the first point of today is growth is a choice before it's a change. So what you choose spiritually determines what you resist physically. Spiritual choices shape our inner strength.”

21s

#StartWithPrayer

“First thing that I like to do is just wake up and say, alright, lord. What what do you want me to do today? What what's what's on your agenda? Because here's my agenda. But how but what's your agenda? And when you do things like that, you'll start to find out that god will use your agenda for his glory.”

31s

#StrengthToSayNo

“I can say no to sin. If I can work that hard to push physically through something, I can say no to sin because I've never walked away limping when I've said no to sin. I may have walked away limping when I've said yes to sin. I may have walked away with my tail between my leg and say, you know what? I lost because I sent but I've never walked away limping from from defeating the the temptation.”

31s

#DropYourExcuses

“So Jacob buried his past. Israel moved on. And today, I think some of us in this room, we need to bury our past. I think today, some of us need to bury the things that we love, but those things that we love that may get us in trouble, like the the fleshly desires of our of our flesh, those things that we need to move on. Those excuses that we make to keep us back. We need to bury that and move on. So, this year is the year that we drop our excuses. We move on.”

29s

#FeedYourSpirit

“Because if you don't feed the spirit and if you don't start out feeding the spirit and walking in the spirit, you will never be able to get rid of those fleshly desires. You'll never be able to stop craving those donuts or the pizza or whatever. Maybe it's alcohol or a cigarette. Whatever that is that you want to stop without feeding that spirit first.”

44s

#DontFeedTheTemptation

“So, we don't we can't overcome temptation by focusing on the temptation. It's not a secret that I struggle with a food addiction. I love food. And not just food, but a lot of food. And a lot of the bad food. And I will tell you that if I think about food all of the time and I think about the bad food all of the time, it's always up here in my mind and it's always tempting me. And then when it's always up here in my mind, that's when I can start making those excuses and self justifying why I deserve it.”

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