Climbing Life's Mountains: Goals, Growth, and Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Building Confidence Through Small Steps

In the journey of personal growth, starting with small, manageable steps is crucial. These initial steps help build confidence and create momentum, setting the foundation for achieving larger goals. Whether it's a personal ambition like losing weight or a spiritual goal such as deepening one's faith, beginning with achievable tasks allows for progress to be celebrated and motivation to be sustained. This approach not only makes the journey less daunting but also ensures that each step taken is a step towards a greater purpose. By focusing on small victories, individuals can gradually work towards significant milestones, much like climbing a series of mountains, each requiring its own plan and dedication. [05:14]

"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand." (Zechariah 4:10, ESV)

Reflection: What is one small, manageable step you can take today towards a larger goal you have been hesitant to pursue?

Day 2: Embracing Wisdom from Others

Growth often requires us to step out of our comfort zones and surround ourselves with people who are more knowledgeable or skilled in areas where we seek improvement. This can be an uncomfortable experience as it challenges our ego and forces us to confront our limitations. However, embracing this discomfort is essential for learning and development. By seeking wisdom from others, we open ourselves to new perspectives and insights that can lead to greater personal growth. This principle is not only applicable in our personal lives but also in our spiritual journey, where learning from those who have walked the path before us can be invaluable. [05:14]

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future." (Proverbs 19:20, ESV)

Reflection: Who is someone in your life that you can learn from, and how can you intentionally seek their wisdom this week?

Day 3: Trusting in God’s Abilities Within Us

Jesus taught His disciples that they had the power to do great things, yet their lack of faith often held them back. This lesson is a reminder that we must learn to trust in the abilities God has given us and not be led by our emotions or fears. Faith over fear is a powerful principle that encourages us to step out in confidence, knowing that God has equipped us for the tasks ahead. By focusing on faith rather than fear, we can overcome the doubts that often hinder our progress and embrace the potential that God has placed within us. [12:37]

"For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control." (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where fear is holding you back, and how can you choose to trust in God’s abilities within you today?

Day 4: The Heart of True Repentance

True repentance goes beyond merely saying sorry; it involves a change of heart and a commitment to not repeat past mistakes. It is about being genuinely broken by our actions and seeking forgiveness, which leads to greater trust and honor in our relationships. This principle is vital not only in our spiritual lives but also in our personal and professional interactions. By embracing true repentance, we can foster deeper connections and build a foundation of trust with those around us. [12:37]

"Repent, therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19-20, ESV)

Reflection: Is there an area in your life where you need to move from saying sorry to true repentance, and what steps can you take to make that change today?

Day 5: Focusing on God’s Goodness

As we look forward to the coming year, it is important to focus on the positive things God has done in our lives and trust that He will continue to work in even greater ways. By maintaining a mindset of consistency and favor, we can overcome challenges and achieve the purposes God has set for us. This perspective encourages us to look beyond our current circumstances and trust in God’s ongoing work in our lives. By focusing on His goodness, we can find hope and encouragement for the future. [18:26]

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" (Psalm 34:8, ESV)

Reflection: What are three specific ways you have seen God’s goodness in your life recently, and how can you use these reflections to fuel your trust in His future plans for you?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the importance of setting realistic goals and the journey of personal growth. We began by acknowledging the excitement and fulfillment that comes with achieving significant milestones, like winning a Super Bowl, but also the inevitable question of "what's next?" that follows such achievements. This led us to the understanding that life is a series of mountains to climb, each requiring a plan, dedication, and perseverance. It's crucial to start small, setting achievable goals that build confidence and momentum. Whether it's losing weight, reading more, or learning a new skill, the key is to begin with manageable steps and gradually work towards larger objectives.

We also discussed the value of surrounding ourselves with people who are smarter or more skilled in areas where we seek improvement. This can be uncomfortable, as it challenges our ego, but it is essential for growth. Jesus' teachings to His disciples remind us that we have the power to achieve great things, but often our lack of faith holds us back. We must learn to listen to God's voice and trust in the abilities He has given us, rather than being led by our emotions or doubts.

Furthermore, we delved into the difference between being sorry and being truly repentant. True repentance involves a change of heart and a commitment to not repeat past mistakes. It's about being broken by our actions and seeking genuine forgiveness, which leads to greater trust and honor in our relationships. This principle applies not only to our spiritual lives but also to our personal and professional goals.

As we look forward to the coming year, we are encouraged to focus on the positive things God has done in our lives and to trust that He will continue to work in even greater ways. By maintaining a mindset of consistency and favor, we can overcome challenges and achieve the purposes God has set for us.

Key Takeaways

1. Start Small and Build Momentum: Achieving big goals begins with small, manageable steps. Whether it's a personal or spiritual goal, starting small helps build confidence and sets the foundation for larger achievements. This approach allows us to celebrate progress and stay motivated. [05:14]
2. Surround Yourself with Wisdom: Growth often requires us to be around people who are more knowledgeable or skilled than we are. This can be uncomfortable, but it is essential for learning and development. Embracing this discomfort leads to greater wisdom and personal growth. [05:14]
3. Faith Over Fear: Jesus taught His disciples that they had the power to do great things, yet their lack of faith often held them back. We must learn to trust in the abilities God has given us and not be led by our emotions or fears. [12:37]
4. **True Repentance vs. Saying Sorry:** True repentance involves a change of heart and a commitment to not repeat past mistakes. It is more than just saying sorry; it is about being genuinely broken by our actions and seeking forgiveness. This leads to greater trust and honor in relationships. [12:37]
5. Focus on God's Goodness: As we enter a new year, we should focus on the positive things God has done in our lives and trust that He will continue to work in even greater ways. By maintaining a mindset of consistency and favor, we can achieve the purposes God has set for us. [18:26]
** [18:26]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:00] - Achieving Big Goals
[02:30] - Starting Small
[04:00] - The Importance of Planning
[05:14] - Learning from Others
[07:00] - Jesus' Teachings on Faith
[09:00] - Emotional vs. Spiritual Guidance
[10:30] - The Power of Repentance
[12:37] - True Repentance Explained
[14:00] - Trust and Forgiveness
[16:00] - Looking Forward to 2025
[18:26] - Closing Blessing

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Jesus say about the power of faith in Matthew 17:20, and how does this relate to the sermon’s emphasis on faith over fear? [05:14]
According to Proverbs 13:20, what is the benefit of surrounding oneself with wise individuals, and how was this concept discussed in the sermon? [05:14]
How does 2 Corinthians 7:10 differentiate between godly sorrow and worldly sorrow, and how does this relate to the sermon’s discussion on true repentance? [12:37]

Interpretation Questions

How might the concept of starting with small, manageable goals relate to the idea of having faith as small as a mustard seed in Matthew 17:20? [05:14]
In what ways can surrounding oneself with wise individuals challenge our ego, and how does this discomfort contribute to personal growth? [05:14]
How does the sermon’s discussion on true repentance align with the biblical understanding of repentance in 2 Corinthians 7:10? [12:37]

Application Questions

Reflect on a personal goal you have set for yourself. What small, manageable steps can you take this week to build momentum towards achieving it? [05:14]
Identify an area in your life where you feel a lack of faith is holding you back. How can you begin to trust in the abilities God has given you? [12:37]
Think of a situation where you have been sorry but not truly repentant. What steps can you take to ensure your repentance is genuine and leads to change? [12:37]
Who are the wise individuals in your life that you can spend more time with to gain wisdom and personal growth? How can you intentionally seek their guidance this week? [05:14]
As you look forward to the coming year, what positive things has God done in your life that you can focus on to maintain a mindset of consistency and favor? [18:26]
How can you ensure that your daily actions and decisions are led by your faith and not by your emotions? What practical steps can you take to achieve this? [12:37]
Consider a relationship in your life that needs healing. How can you apply the principles of true repentance and forgiveness to restore trust and honor in that relationship? [12:37]

Sermon Clips

"i would rather be around people that are smarter than me and maybe a little bit just get over the fact of like yeah i feel really stupid and out of place right now but if you can get over that as a human being that's where you learn that's good my brother will tell you like when he first like walked into like fighting and stuff it's like man i'm around all these people who literally could kick my tail right now he ain't feeling that way now right now he kicks some of their tails you know what i mean and so it's like legitimately that's the important overlying message here is like jesus was telling his disciples like you have little faith don't you realize like you have the power just as i do given from my father above that you could go and do the exact same things cast out demons heal the sick all of it and you know i i would have loved to just see their faces when he was telling them those things like could you imagine and i would have loved to see jesus face after they woke him up you know sleeping yeah don't you care master our savior don't you care or like you know master don't you care that you know we're dying and because i think that's what they said like master don't you care that's super dramatic yeah it was just dramatic and it's like i would have loved to see but" [06:07]

"yeah i would have loved to see that it was a hurricane i would have loved to see you know i and i love how they're calling on him in that moment but yet jesus is also telling them like everything that's going to happen to him and him coming back and they're like no lord that's not going to happen to you you know and like it's like how many times does god speak to us on what's gonna happen and we're just like yeah there's no way okay so we get a prophetic word from somebody that god speaks to or god speaks to us directly and it's like we sit there and think like like jesus literally told him like you all are gonna flee you're gonna deny me you're gonna do this you're gonna do that you're blah blah blah blah and he gave him the positives he gave him the negatives he told him you have the power to go out and heal the sick and preach the gospel and bind storms and cast out demons and all of it and it's like they for whatever reason felt some sort of lack of faith and they were like i don't know i don't know i don't know i don't know because jesus said you have little faith" [07:27]

"can't be emotionally we cannot be spiritually led there's no crying in baseball so many people are led by the emotion of how they feel when they wake up out of bed yes and it just ruins or makes their day and it's like the moment you get out of bed and it's like usually the first words that people say makes or breaks their day it's literally like i know so many people that are just so emotionally led and i'm like what are you doing right you can't be like living off your emotions in life like i'm sorry you're gonna have bad days but what's your outlook in them yes and you're gonna have good days but what's your outlook in them people can have good days and then it's and then somehow make it a bad day because they can't be thankful in the good day it's true it's like still not enough to complete them" [09:58]

"yeah and honestly like i would honestly just undergird what you just said because legitimately i think being sorry for something is like people that keep saying sorry all the time they're really just like saying well i'm sorry that i just i did this but then they keep doing the same thing most of the time" [12:16]

"go but being repentant repentive is a change of heart it's a complete like i'm broken by what i've done i'm not doing this again i'm not even gonna fathom thinking about it again yeah you know and a lot of times i'm like i'm not even gonna fathom thinking about it again yeah you know and a lot of times i'm people are sorry it's just this like cop out sometimes and you know i get that some people may genuinely be sorry and they and that's kind of the word but there's a way to say i'm sorry with a true repentive mindset and heart yeah my dad has always said that the bigger the apology or the bigger um the repentance the bigger the forgiveness and i think that's important you know when people that's good have more heart in their apology there's more of a trust that's even like responded back with you know and and and given back to you know that people on the receiving side of the apology are more open to open their heart and trust more or give a acceptance back more so the greater the repentance the greater i don't even want to say forgiveness because you can forgive no matter what but like the greater the the trust the greater the honor received you know and and and returned it's like david who really sought god you know that's true yeah and was on his face for what he did" [12:37]

"no so yeah that's my point it's like there's a difference in just being like completely like sorry so i can move on with my day yeah and like i am broken by what i've done and i don't even want to think about it again like doing it again i'm broken that i broke you and broke your heart or hurt you or hurt god or hurt that person you know what i mean that's good um there are some people who just say sorry but have no feelings attached" [14:12]

"to it there's no heart attached to it and i think that's the thing is like people throw that word around like it's candy it's true you know and i just really think that the greater somebody responds you know in repenting and responds to what they like comes to the realization of what they just did and really says man i gotta get this right i gotta repent yeah there's a humbleness in that" [14:41]

"easier like my dad says it like it is because there's more acceptance in a true repentance than there is just somebody saying sorry and everybody can say sorry look how many people say sorry when they go to jail and then they get released and do the exact same crime like months or years later but then there's people who are truly broken for what they did and realize that this has an everlasting effect on who maybe they affected yeah" [15:23]

"feel the same way that you know whatever goals things you have in life for this year i just speak that there will be an absolute consistency and favor that the lord gives you there'll be a mindset there'll be peace that you won't give up on yourself that no matter what it is that you have your eyes and your spirit set on for this year in 2025 that you're not going to think about the things that didn't work out in 2024 and let that be your mindset in 2025 you're going to think about the good things god did in 2024 and say now god's going to even do it greater in 2025 and so we just declare that over every one of you we speak a crop failure to anything that the devil would try to put in your life that is not of god that is not of good use that is not going to propel you over these next 12 months but i just decree and i just declare right now that at the end of this year you're going to look back and say wow look how far i've come and look where god has also taken me that you're going to remember what the lord has done in your life and that there's going to be things in 2025 that you're going to be so proud of that man i am so glad i did not give up in many of these times or months when i easily could have but i kept staying the course i followed my goals and i trusted yes the anointing that god has put us on me the calling my identity everything and my purpose and i just speak that right now let there be a lot of purposes that are found this year for people that are watching right now in jesus name amen amen what a word man i felt" [16:48]

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?