Embracing Eternity: Prioritizing God's Will Over Earthly Ambitions

Devotional

Day 1: The Fleeting Nature of Time

Time is a precious and limited resource, and our days on earth are numbered. It is easy to become engrossed in earthly ambitions and desires, but these should be surrendered to God's will. The greatest impact we can have is for the Lord, as earthly accolades are insignificant compared to the glory of knowing Jesus. This perspective encourages us to focus on what holds eternal value and to prioritize our relationship with God above all else. [00:15]

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12, ESV)

Reflection: What is one earthly ambition you are currently pursuing that you need to surrender to God's will today?

Day 2: Consistent Walk with Jesus

While moments of strong desire to walk closely with the Lord are common, consistency in this walk is crucial. Allowing Jesus to lead us, even to places we may not want to go, requires humility and a willingness to see the true condition of our hearts. A consistent walk with Jesus involves daily surrender and a commitment to follow Him, trusting that He knows what is best for us. [02:07]

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." (Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: What is one practical step you can take today to ensure a more consistent walk with Jesus?

Day 3: Eternal Perspective

Psalm 90 teaches us to number our days and present a heart of wisdom to God. This wisdom comes from valuing eternal things over earthly ones, as knowing Jesus is the greatest pursuit. By focusing on His greatness rather than our own accomplishments, we align our lives with God's eternal purposes and gain a heavenly perspective that transforms our priorities. [05:20]

"Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:2, ESV)

Reflection: How can you shift your focus from earthly concerns to eternal values in your daily life?

Day 4: Worldly Success vs. God's Will

Reflecting on past achievements reveals their emptiness outside of God's will. True fulfillment comes from walking with Jesus, not from worldly accolades. By seeking first His kingdom and righteousness, we find our true purpose and satisfaction in life. This requires a willingness to let go of our own plans and ambitions in favor of God's perfect will. [10:04]

"For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?" (Mark 8:36, ESV)

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you are seeking worldly success over God's will, and how can you realign it with His purposes?

Day 5: Enduring Glory

The glory of man is fleeting, but the glory of knowing Christ endures forever. Continually praising the Lord and submitting to His will allows us to seek after things that will last for eternity. By focusing on the eternal glory of knowing Christ, we find lasting joy and fulfillment that transcends the temporary nature of earthly achievements. [11:45]

"And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:17, ESV)

Reflection: What is one way you can prioritize the enduring glory of knowing Christ over temporary earthly achievements today?

Sermon Summary

Time is fleeting, and our days on this earth are short. As I reflect on my 42 years, I realize how quickly time passes and how easy it is to become consumed with earthly ambitions rather than eternal ones. While it's natural to have desires and ambitions, they must be surrendered to God's will. Our greatest impact should be for the Lord, as earthly accolades pale in comparison to the glory of knowing Jesus. When Jesus enters the room, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess His Lordship. This perspective should remind us that our pursuits, even if good and lawful, are insignificant compared to the pursuit of God.

We often have moments of strong desire to walk closely with the Lord, but these moments can be fleeting. My prayer is for a consistent walk with Jesus, allowing Him to lead us, even to places we may not want to go. Humility is key, as it allows us to see the true condition of our hearts. Our lives may be comfortable, but the greatest blessing is when Jesus reveals our hearts and transforms us into His image. We must learn to cast off every weight and hindrance, even our good plans, and submit them to God's will.

Psalm 90 reminds us to number our days and present a heart of wisdom to God. This wisdom comes from a heavenly perspective, valuing eternal things over earthly ones. Even ministry is not the greatest thing; knowing Jesus is. We must focus on His greatness, not our own accomplishments. The Lord judges the world in righteousness, and we must not get caught up in seeking worldly success. Instead, we should follow Jesus' example, who always sought to do the Father's will.

Reflecting on past achievements, like winning a national championship, I realize they are meaningless outside of God's will. True fulfillment comes from walking with Jesus, not from worldly accolades. We must seek first His kingdom and righteousness, striving to be humble and contrite before Him. The glory of man is fleeting, but the glory of knowing Christ endures forever. Let us remind ourselves to seek after things that will last for eternity, continually praising the Lord and submitting to His will.

Key Takeaways

1. Time is Short: Our days are fleeting, and we must focus on what holds eternal value. Earthly pursuits, while not inherently wrong, should be surrendered to God's will. The greatest impact we can have is for the Lord, as earthly accolades are insignificant compared to the glory of knowing Jesus. [00:15]
2. Consistent Walk with Jesus: It's easy to have moments of strong desire to walk with the Lord, but consistency is key. Allow Jesus to lead you, even to places you may not want to go, and embrace humility to see the true condition of your heart. [02:07]
3. Eternal Perspective: Psalm 90 teaches us to number our days and present a heart of wisdom to God. This wisdom comes from valuing eternal things over earthly ones, as knowing Jesus is the greatest pursuit. [05:20]
4. **Worldly Success vs. God's Will:** Reflecting on past achievements reveals their emptiness outside of God's will. True fulfillment comes from walking with Jesus, not from worldly accolades. Seek first His kingdom and righteousness. [10:04]
5. Enduring Glory: The glory of man is fleeting, but the glory of knowing Christ endures forever. Continually praise the Lord and submit to His will, seeking after things that will last for eternity. [11:45]
** [11:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:15] - The Fleeting Nature of Time
[00:44] - Earthly Ambitions vs. Eternal Value
[01:19] - The Glory of Jesus
[02:07] - Consistent Walk with Jesus
[02:42] - Humility and Heart Condition
[03:30] - Surrendering to God's Will
[04:03] - Psalm 90: Numbering Our Days
[05:20] - A Heart of Wisdom
[06:17] - Praising the Lord
[07:07] - God's Judgment and Righteousness
[08:17] - Trusting in the Lord
[09:05] - Reflecting on Past Achievements
[10:04] - True Fulfillment in Christ
[11:45] - Enduring Glory in Knowing Christ

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

Psalm 90:1-12
1 Corinthians 4:7
Psalm 9:1-10

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Observation Questions:

According to Psalm 90, what does it mean to "number our days," and how does this relate to presenting a heart of wisdom to God? [05:20]
In 1 Corinthians 4:7, what is the significance of acknowledging that everything we have is received from God? How does this perspective affect our ambitions? [03:30]
How does the sermon describe the difference between earthly accolades and the glory of knowing Jesus? What examples were given to illustrate this point? [01:19]
What does Psalm 9 reveal about God's judgment and righteousness, and how does this influence our understanding of success and failure? [07:07]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of "numbering our days" in Psalm 90 encourage believers to prioritize their lives differently? What might this look like in practical terms? [05:20]
Reflecting on 1 Corinthians 4:7, how can recognizing that our abilities and achievements are gifts from God change our approach to personal success and ambition? [03:30]
The sermon emphasizes the fleeting nature of earthly glory compared to the enduring glory of knowing Christ. How can this understanding reshape a believer's goals and aspirations? [11:45]
Considering Psalm 9, how should the knowledge of God's righteous judgment impact a believer's daily decisions and long-term plans? [07:07]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your current ambitions and desires. Are there any that you need to surrender to God's will? How can you begin this process this week? [00:44]
Consistency in walking with Jesus was highlighted in the sermon. What practical steps can you take to ensure a more consistent relationship with Him, even when it's challenging? [02:07]
The sermon mentioned the emptiness of past achievements outside of God's will. Can you identify any areas in your life where you are seeking fulfillment apart from God? How can you redirect your focus? [10:04]
How can you cultivate a heart of wisdom as described in Psalm 90? What specific changes can you make in your daily routine to prioritize eternal values over earthly ones? [05:20]
The sermon encourages humility and a contrite heart. In what ways can you practice humility in your interactions with others this week? [11:10]
Reflect on a recent decision or plan. How did you involve God in that process? If you didn't, how can you ensure that future decisions align with His will? [03:07]
The sermon calls for continual praise and submission to God's will. How can you incorporate more praise and gratitude into your daily life, especially during difficult times? [12:33]

Sermon Clips

and God needs to be the one who directs your steps it says in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths we all have ambition this comes from God we all have desires this comes from the Lord and their good desires they're not unworthy desires many of us want to have a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment in our life knowing that we had an impact but you know the greatest impact that we can have is for the Lord on this Earth [00:54:23]

but when Jesus comes in the room every great man will bow every King will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord so we have to remember that the things that we're seeking after they may be good things they may be lawful things but they're garbage compared to knowing Jesus and I don't know about you but I have to check my heart very often because I can see myself getting caught up with the Pursuits of this life rather than the pursuit of God and knowing him [01:34:16]

my desire is that consistently I would be walking with Jesus in whichever direction he takes me it says when Peter was younger he said to him that when you are younger you got to clothe yourself and choose whichever direction you wanted to go but when you go old someone else will clothe you and someone else will lead you and make those choices for you and will take you to places that you do not want to go [02:11:66]

many times we don't see the condition of our hearts because our lives are pleasant we have good jobs we have our daily life many of us have families children or things that we look forward to but the greatest blessing that you can have is when Jesus shows you your own heart and changes your heart informs you to his image and shows you that things in life that aren't good so we need to learn to cast off every weight and hindrance even our Ambitions even our good plans [02:41:16]

so teach us to number our days that we may present to thee a heart of wisdom teach us to number our days so that we may present to you the heart of wisdom you know when you think and take into account that our days are short we're going to have more of a Heavenly perspective and not so much of an Earthly perspective you know even having Ministry isn't always the greatest thing you know that ministering to people isn't always the greatest thing knowing Jesus is the greatest thing [05:20:52]

the Lord rebukes the world he rebukes the world in hopes that the men and women would repent and that they would number their days and see that hey it's not about us it's not about how great we are how successful we can be it's about how great the Lord is and the Lord rebukes the Nations it says right here the enemy has come to an end in Perpetual ruins and you have uprooted the cities the very memory of them have perished but the Lord abides forever [06:42:40]

and so we can be seeking for these things and have some sort of sense of accomplishment but if you are outside of the will of God and the things that you are Desiring after it will leave you empty and I told that to my teammates last night and I said you know what I I was outside of God's will at that time and as much as it's nice that I get an Accolade for being that person I can tell you this that it pales it's garbage and dung in comparison to knowing Jesus [10:12:12]

you need to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and say the Lord not my will and your will be done and you know I can see that the Lord has shown me in my heart lately that I've really striven to be known among the higher Echelon or the upper echelon of society as somebody who is successful as a businessman as somebody who who Who's done a good job and you know the Lord continually reminds me again I'm not with that person [10:53:22]

I'm not with a successful person I'm with him who is humble and contrite who tumbles at my word who is little in his own eyes and you know what I say Lord help me to judge myself righteously righteously so you don't have to judge me help me Lord to look Inward and to say Dan the things that you're pursuing after are not for God's glory Therefore your own Glory last night the glory of man was there and everybody was clapping but you know what when Jesus comes again that glory is a fading Glory [11:14:51]

there's going to be a glory that remains and that's the glory of knowing him it says right here that Christ in you the hope of glory Paul exhorted them and he said I exhort you and I'm going to preach to every man that the true Riches of his glory would be Christ in you the hope of glory so I pray that you guys would remind yourselves that it's not about all the things that we can do and accomplish in this life it's about knowing him [11:45:42]

ask him to help you to search your heart to see if the things that you're seeking after are for his glory or for your own glory to be known as somebody who is wise who is good who is righteous who gets accolades for men that's not the things that we should seek after it should be seeking after the things that will endure for eternity and that's knowing him and I always want to remind myself that in heaven they pray they present their offerings and their praises to God 24 hours a day [12:25:45]

they never stop praising the Lord so let's remind that in our minds today that the things we're seeking after let's stop and praise the Lord and say Lord your will be done and not my own [12:51:92]

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Embracing Eternity: Prioritizing God's Will Over Earthly Ambitions

Devotional

Day 1: The Fleeting Nature of Time

Day 2: Consistent Walk with Jesus

Day 3: Eternal Perspective

Day 4: Worldly Success vs. God's Will

Day 5: Enduring Glory

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Embracing Eternity: Prioritizing God's Will Over Earthly Ambitions

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