Embracing a Year of Refreshing and Transformation

Devotional

Day 1: Embracing a Year of Refreshing

Description: As we step into 2023, it's important to recognize that God desires this year to be a time of refreshing for us. This means stepping out of the heat and into a place of abundance and satisfaction. Acts 3:19 speaks of times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord, and Psalm 66:12 describes a wealthy place of abundance and satisfaction. God wants us to experience new blessings, relationships, and experiences this year. To fully embrace this year of refreshing, we need to focus on becoming the best versions of ourselves. This involves a deep self-examination, which we are calling "Man in the Mirror." By focusing on pleasing Him in all areas of our lives, we can experience the refreshing and abundant life He has planned for us. [02:19]

Isaiah 43:18-19 (ESV): "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."

Reflection: What new blessings, relationships, or experiences do you feel God is calling you to embrace this year? How can you prepare your heart and mind to receive these new things?

Day 2: The Importance of Self-Examination

Description: Acts 20:28 and 1 Timothy 4:16 emphasize the importance of taking heed to ourselves first. We must regularly examine our spiritual, emotional, and physical health to ensure we are in alignment with God's will. Jesus also taught in Matthew 7:3-5 that we must first remove the log from our own eye before addressing the speck in someone else's. This self-examination is crucial for personal growth and spiritual maturity. By taking the time to reflect on our own lives, we can identify areas that need improvement and make the necessary changes to align with God's will. [07:55]

Lamentations 3:40 (ESV): "Let us test and examine our ways, and return to the Lord!"

Reflection: Take a moment to reflect on your spiritual, emotional, and physical health. What areas of your life need improvement, and how can you begin to make those changes today?

Day 3: Actions and Words as Seeds

Description: Galatians 6:7-8 teaches that our actions and words are seeds that determine the harvest we will reap. We must be mindful of what we sow, as it will directly impact our future. This principle applies to every aspect of our lives, including our spiritual habits, character, relationships, health, and diligence. By being intentional about our actions and words, we can ensure that we are sowing seeds that will lead to a positive and fruitful harvest. It's important to regularly examine ourselves and make necessary adjustments to align with God's will. [15:20]

Proverbs 18:21 (ESV): "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits."

Reflection: Think about the words and actions you have sown recently. Are they leading to a positive and fruitful harvest? What changes can you make to ensure you are sowing seeds that align with God's will?

Day 4: Living for an Audience of One

Description: Proverbs 16:7 reminds us to live for an audience of one—God. By focusing on pleasing Him in our spiritual habits, character, relationships, health, and diligence, we can experience the abundant life He has planned for us. This means prioritizing our relationship with God above all else and seeking to honor Him in everything we do. When we live for an audience of one, we are not swayed by the opinions or expectations of others, but instead, we are guided by our desire to please God. This focus on God helps us to stay grounded and aligned with His will. [50:50]

Colossians 3:23-24 (ESV): "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."

Reflection: In what areas of your life are you seeking the approval of others instead of God? How can you shift your focus to live for an audience of one?

Day 5: Humility and Accountability

Description: True humility involves recognizing our need for self-examination and being willing to make necessary changes. We must avoid the extremes of self-deprecation and arrogance, finding a balanced view of ourselves in Christ. Humility allows us to be open to feedback and accountability from others, which is essential for personal growth and spiritual maturity. By embracing humility, we can create an environment where we are constantly growing and improving in our walk with God. This balanced view of ourselves helps us to stay grounded and focused on God's will for our lives. [29:05]

James 4:10 (ESV): "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."

Reflection: Reflect on your current level of humility. Are you open to feedback and accountability from others? How can you cultivate a more balanced view of yourself in Christ?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

As we step into 2023, it's a time for fresh starts and new beginnings. Many of us set New Year's resolutions aiming to become the people we want to be and achieve the results we desire. At FX Church, God has revealed that this year will be a year of refreshing. Acts 3:19 speaks of times of refreshing that come from the presence of the Lord, and Psalm 66:12 describes a wealthy place of abundance and satisfaction. God wants us to experience new blessings, relationships, and experiences this year.

To fully embrace this year of refreshing, we need to focus on becoming the best versions of ourselves. This involves a deep self-examination, which we are calling "Man in the Mirror." Acts 20:28 and 1 Timothy 4:16 emphasize the importance of taking heed to ourselves first before ministering to others. Jesus also taught in Matthew 7:3-5 that we must first remove the log from our own eye before addressing the speck in someone else's.

Our actions and words are seeds that determine the harvest we will reap. Galatians 6:7-8 warns us not to be deceived; whatever we sow, we will also reap. This principle applies to every aspect of our lives, including our spiritual habits, character, relationships, health, and diligence. We must examine ourselves regularly and make necessary adjustments to align with God's will.

In conclusion, we are encouraged to live for an audience of one—God. By focusing on pleasing Him in all areas of our lives, we can experience the refreshing and abundant life He has planned for us. As we begin this year, let's commit to looking in the mirror, making the necessary changes, and allowing God to transform us.

###

Key Takeaways

1. Examination**: Acts 20:28 and 1 Timothy 4:16 emphasize the importance of taking heed to ourselves first. We must regularly examine our spiritual, emotional, and physical health to ensure we are in alignment with God's will. [07:55]
3. Actions and Words as Seeds: Galatians 6:7-8 teaches that our actions and words are seeds that determine the harvest we will reap. We must be mindful of what we sow, as it will directly impact our future.

4. Living for an Audience of One: Proverbs 16:7 reminds us to live for an audience of one—God. By focusing on pleasing Him in our spiritual habits, character, relationships, health, and diligence, we can experience the abundant life He has planned for us.

5. Humility and Accountability: True humility involves recognizing our need for self-examination and being willing to make necessary changes. We must avoid the extremes of self-deprecation and arrogance, finding a balanced view of ourselves in Christ.

### [07:55]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:17] - Introduction to the Year of Refreshing
[02:19] - Times of Refreshing from the Lord
[03:04] - Walking into the Wealthy Place
[04:12] - Prophetic Words for 2023
[06:16] - Man in the Mirror Series Introduction
[07:08] - Take Heed to Yourself
[07:55] - Importance of Self-Examination
[10:39] - Jesus' Teaching on Self-Examination
[13:20] - Keeping an Attentive Eye on Yourself
[15:20] - Actions and Words as Seeds
[18:43] - Sowing to the Spirit vs. the Flesh
[25:30] - Examining Yourself Before Communion
[29:05] - Humility and Self-Examination
[34:30] - Areas to Examine: Spiritual Habits, Character, Relationships, Health, Diligence
[50:50] - Living for an Audience of One
[53:22] - Invitation to Follow Jesus
[57:25] - Closing Remarks and Encouragement

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Acts 3:19 say is necessary for times of refreshing to come from the presence of the Lord?
According to Galatians 6:7-8, what is the principle of sowing and reaping, and how does it apply to our actions and words? [15:20]
In Proverbs 16:7, what is the result when a man's ways please the Lord?

Interpretation Questions

How does the concept of "times of refreshing" in Acts 3:19 relate to the idea of a "year of refreshing" as mentioned in the sermon? [02:19]
What are some practical ways we can "sow to the Spirit" rather than "sow to the flesh" as described in Galatians 6:7-8? [18:03]
How can living for an audience of one—God—transform our daily lives and decisions, according to Proverbs 16:7 and the sermon? [50:50]

Application Questions

Reflect on your spiritual habits. Are you reading your Bible and praying daily? If not, what specific changes can you make to improve in these areas? [40:18]
Examine your character. Are there areas where you struggle with love, joy, peace, or self-control? What steps can you take to grow in these areas? [42:16]
Consider your relationships. Are there any relationships that need mending or strengthening? How can you take the first step towards reconciliation or deeper connection? [44:06]
Assess your health. Are you satisfied with your current physical health? What specific actions can you take to improve your diet and exercise routine? [46:12]
Evaluate your diligence in your work life. Are you being as productive and creative as you could be? What changes can you make to better utilize your time and talents? [47:28]
Think about your words. Are you speaking life and positivity into your situations and relationships? What is one specific way you can change your speech to align more with God's will? [23:59]
Reflect on the idea of living for an audience of one. How can you shift your focus from pleasing others to pleasing God in your daily actions and decisions? [50:50]

Sermon Clips

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "God wants it to be a year of refreshing. In fact, I want to just take you through a couple of scriptures that we looked at. We just talked about it. We talked about this at the end of the year last year." [01:17] (9 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "God wants you satisfied this year. I'm going to say that again. I said, God wants you satisfied this year. God wants you to feel like you did on Thanksgiving Day after you finished eating everything that was in the house. You sit back and go, ah, I can't eat another thing. Come on, that's what God wants you to experience." [03:04] (18 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "We're going to see some moves of God that we haven't seen in a long time in the body of Christ nationwide and worldwide. This is our year." [04:12] (10 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "When a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. You know what I help you with this concept? Recognize that you're living for an audience of one. If you just get back to the basics of focusing on pleasing God and your spiritual habits, pleasing God with your character, pleasing God in your relationships, pleasing God when it comes to your health, pleasing God when it comes to your work life, you'll find out that God will be able to take you to the heights that he has always wanted you to go." [50:50] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "So the question to ask yourself as we begin 2023 is what kind of seed are you going to sow? Because that's going to tell you what kind of year you're going to have. And one way we sow seed is through our words. Proverbs 18, 21 says, death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. So your words are seeds too. And there's a lot of scripture that shows that. So speaking your words, the words that you're speaking will become a harvest in your future." [23:04] (47 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

### Quotes for Members

1. "The first thing you need to do as a minister is pull out your mirror every day and look at yourself. You need to look in the mirror. Somebody say, look in the mirror. Amen. That's a good looking guy right there right? No. You need to look in the mirror. That's what he's saying. He's saying, you gotta make sure that your spirit that's the, the real you, the inside of you, your soul, that's your mind, your will and your emotions. Even your body, it is where it's supposed to be. That you're right. That you get to move on." [08:53] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "So we can see here based on just a number of scriptures that God expects us to look in the mirror from time to time to focus on ourselves and our own health, our own state of being rather than just focusing on everybody else. Somebody say it again. Look in the mirror. Put it in the comments online. Look in the mirror." [13:20] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "So the truth is, man, God has made me righteous. I am able to do all things through Christ. Yes, I am valuable to him, but there are times where I miss it. There are times when I'm off. There are times where I need to make some adjustments. And we have to be very careful that we are not like children who cannot accept that I might be wrong. That is an immature position because little children do that, right? You got to tell them anytime. Did you? No. Did you? No. Did you? No. Did you? No. Did you? Yes. Don't you pull the belt out, right?" [32:06] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "And that's one of the things we're going to have to do if we're going to have a year of refreshing this year. Is that we've got to learn to examine ourselves. We've got to be willing to take responsibility for what those things in our lives that are not what they should be. For the things in our character that aren't really where they're supposed to be." [34:30] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "So let me give you five areas to look in the mirror about help you as you examine yourself. Number one, your spiritual habits, your walk with God. Are you close to God or are you far from God? Are you doing the basic things that God said you should do as one of his children if you're a follower, if you're a believer? You read your Bible every day. We're going through a chapter a day. In fact, on this month, we're doing Proverbs. So if you don't remember what day it is, today is the 8th. We're in Proverbs 8. We got it on our website. We got it on social media. Read a chapter a day." [40:18] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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