Embracing the New Year: Five Tools for Growth

 

Summary

As we step into the new year, the concept of "new" resonates deeply, reminding us of the transformative power of being in Christ. This year, I want to share with you five indispensable items that will guide me through 2024, each representing a tool for personal and spiritual growth. I encourage you to reflect on what your indispensable items might be for this year.

The first item is a pen, symbolizing the importance of words and listening to God. I aim to live inspired, captivated by thoughts of nobility, goodness, and courage. A practice I find valuable is writing down everything that comes to mind during moments of reflection, without filtering or judging these thoughts. This process allows me to discern God's guidance and act upon it.

The second item is a book titled "You Are Not Your Brain" by Jeffrey Schwartz. This book helps me maintain peace of mind by addressing deceptive brain messages that can lead to rumination and negativity. By relabeling, reframing, refocusing, and revaluing these thoughts, I align my mind with what is true and noble, inviting the Holy Spirit to guide me.

Friendship is the third indispensable item, represented by a cup of coffee. In 2024, I want to prioritize relationships that speak truth and love into my life. These connections help me see the image of God in others and remind me of the eternal value of each person. As David Brooks illustrates through the story of Pastor Jimmy, seeing others through Jesus's eyes transforms our interactions and deepens our relationships.

The fourth item is a jacket with the phrase "Become New," reflecting my calling to create value and live out my faith. Whether through work or personal interactions, I strive to partner with God, bringing His presence into every task. This mindset transforms mundane moments into opportunities for growth and service.

Finally, the fifth item is Cooper, a joyful Labrador puppy. Cooper reminds me of the beauty and joy inherent in God's creation. Amid life's challenges, I want to embrace joy and gratitude, recognizing the goodness of God in everyday moments. This year, I aim to live inspired, in peace, in friendship, doing meaningful work, and embracing joy.

Key Takeaways:

- The Power of Words and Listening to God: Embrace the practice of writing down all thoughts during moments of reflection. This unfiltered approach allows for divine guidance to emerge, helping us discern God's voice amidst the noise of daily life. [02:28]

- Maintaining Peace of Mind: Address deceptive brain messages by relabeling, reframing, refocusing, and revaluing them. This process aligns our thoughts with truth and invites the Holy Spirit to guide us towards a peaceful and inspired life. [05:15]

- The Importance of Friendship: Prioritize relationships that speak truth and love into your life. These connections help us see the image of God in others and remind us of the eternal value of each person, transforming our interactions. [10:23]

- Living Out Your Calling: Recognize that every task, no matter how mundane, is an opportunity to partner with God. By bringing His presence into our work, we transform ordinary moments into meaningful acts of service. [14:46]

- Embracing Joy and Gratitude: Amid life's challenges, embrace joy and gratitude, recognizing the goodness of God in everyday moments. This mindset allows us to live inspired, in peace, and in harmony with God's creation. [16:29]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:10] - Embracing the New Year
- [00:36] - Five Indispensable Items for 2024
- [01:03] - The Power of Words and Listening
- [03:43] - Maintaining Peace of Mind
- [07:34] - The Importance of Friendship
- [12:09] - Living Out Your Calling
- [15:25] - Embracing Joy and Gratitude
- [17:08] - Reflecting on Your Indispensable Items
- [17:40] - Closing Blessing

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
1. 2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
2. Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
3. John 15:12-13 - "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."

Observation Questions:
1. What does the pen symbolize in the sermon, and how does it relate to the practice of listening to God? [01:03]
2. How does the book "You Are Not Your Brain" help the speaker maintain peace of mind, and what are the four steps mentioned? [05:15]
3. In what way does the cup of coffee represent friendship, and how does it relate to seeing the image of God in others? [10:23]
4. What is the significance of the jacket with the phrase "Become New," and how does it relate to living out one's calling? [14:46]

Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the practice of writing down unfiltered thoughts during reflection help in discerning God's guidance, according to the sermon? [02:28]
2. What role does the Holy Spirit play in aligning one's thoughts with truth and nobility, as discussed in the sermon? [05:15]
3. How does the story of Pastor Jimmy illustrate the importance of seeing others through Jesus's eyes, and what impact does this have on relationships? [10:23]
4. In what ways can mundane tasks be transformed into meaningful acts of service, as suggested by the speaker? [14:46]

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on your own life: What are five indispensable items that you believe will guide you through this year? How do they align with your spiritual and personal growth goals?
2. The speaker emphasizes the power of words and listening to God. How can you incorporate the practice of writing down your thoughts during moments of reflection into your daily routine? [02:28]
3. Consider the deceptive brain messages you might encounter. What steps can you take to relabel, reframe, refocus, and revalue these thoughts in your life? [05:15]
4. Think about your friendships. How can you prioritize relationships that speak truth and love into your life this year? What practical steps can you take to nurture these connections? [10:23]
5. The speaker talks about living out one's calling by partnering with God in every task. How can you bring God's presence into your work or daily activities this week? [14:46]
6. Joy and gratitude are highlighted as essential mindsets. Amid life's challenges, how can you intentionally embrace joy and gratitude in your everyday moments? [16:29]
7. Reflect on the story of Pastor Jimmy. How can you practice seeing others through Jesus's eyes in your interactions this week? What changes might this bring to your relationships? [10:23]

Devotional

Day 1: The Transformative Power of Unfiltered Reflection
In moments of reflection, writing down thoughts without judgment can be a powerful practice. This unfiltered approach allows individuals to discern divine guidance amidst the noise of daily life. By capturing every thought, one can sift through the clutter to find the whispers of God's voice, leading to a deeper understanding of His will. This practice encourages a life inspired by nobility, goodness, and courage, as it opens the heart to divine inspiration and direction. [02:28]

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12, ESV)

Reflection: What thoughts have you been filtering out that might be God's way of speaking to you? Can you commit to writing them down this week and seeking His guidance through them?


Day 2: Aligning Thoughts with Truth
Addressing deceptive brain messages involves a conscious effort to relabel, reframe, refocus, and revalue negative thoughts. This process helps align one's mind with truth and invites the Holy Spirit to guide towards a peaceful and inspired life. By recognizing and challenging these deceptive messages, individuals can maintain peace of mind and focus on what is true and noble, allowing for a life led by divine wisdom. [05:15]

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a recurring negative thought in your life. How can you reframe it in a way that aligns with God's truth and invites His peace?


Day 3: The Eternal Value of Friendship
Friendship is a vital component of spiritual growth, as it involves relationships that speak truth and love into one's life. These connections help individuals see the image of God in others and remind them of the eternal value of each person. By prioritizing such relationships, one can transform interactions and deepen connections, seeing others through the eyes of Jesus and fostering a community of love and support. [10:23]

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your life speaks truth and love into your heart? How can you prioritize and nurture this relationship in the coming days?


Day 4: Transforming the Mundane into Meaningful
Every task, no matter how mundane, is an opportunity to partner with God. By bringing His presence into daily work, individuals can transform ordinary moments into meaningful acts of service. This mindset encourages living out one's calling, creating value, and embodying faith in every aspect of life. It is a reminder that even the smallest actions can have significant spiritual impact when done in partnership with God. [14:46]

"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." (Colossians 3:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: What is one mundane task you can transform into an act of service today by inviting God's presence into it?


Day 5: Embracing Joy and Gratitude
Amid life's challenges, embracing joy and gratitude allows individuals to recognize the goodness of God in everyday moments. This mindset fosters a life inspired by peace and harmony with God's creation. By focusing on the beauty and joy inherent in life, one can cultivate a heart of gratitude, acknowledging God's presence and blessings even in difficult times. [16:29]

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." (Philippians 4:4-6, ESV)

Reflection: What is one simple joy or blessing you can thank God for today, and how can you carry this gratitude into the rest of your week?

Quotes


The first indispensable item for me is a pen, and the reason that I choose that is because of the importance of words and in particular listing for God. One of the things that I want deeply for this year is I want to live inspired. I want to be captivated by thoughts that have nobility and goodness and strength and Grace and humility and courage in them. [00:53:32]

There's a very old practice that I have been engaging in for a while since I read about it. It actually comes out of the 12-step movement and approaches to Christian spirituality. The idea was that sometime during the day, for me it's an hour in the morning because I'm a morning person, to spend some time reading scripture, having my mind circle around some thoughts that are from God and that are filled with love and power. [01:21:04]

Write everything down that comes into your mind, everything. Writing is simply a means of recording so that you can remember later. Don't sort out or edit your thoughts at this point. Don't say to yourself, "This thought isn't important, just an ordinary thought, can't be guidance, isn't nice, can't be from God, just me thinking," etc. Write down everything that passes through your mind. [02:11:28]

I have been going through a period over the last month or so where circumstances have been difficult for me, as happens periodically. I have told you about many, many years ago when my friend Dallas Willard asked me how I was doing. I said I was doing okay under the circumstances, and he said, "Well, what are you doing under there?" We were not meant to live under the circumstances. [04:03:43]

Deceptive brain messages are the statements that I live with, and we all do. These statements may not be completely untrue, but they are very unhelpful. They will trap me in the process of rumination and spiraling downward. What's false about them is that they offer the promise that if I will just obsess over them, it will lead to something constructive, but of course, it never will. [04:56:24]

Jeffrey talks about four different steps to relabel, you know, words to say with that thought, "I don't have to live with that all the time. That's actually not going to help me," and then to reframe it to recognize, "Oh, that's catastrophizing," or "That's black and white thinking," or "That's taking it too personally," or "That's magnifying it." I come to see what's not true about it. [05:20:52]

Friendship and the farther I go in life, and especially as I'm passing through this season of life, to recognize for those friends for you where when we are together, we speak truth to each other, and there is love, and we're able to help each other. We're able to find God with each other in ways that we couldn't otherwise. We're able to see the image of God in one another. [07:55:08]

When Jimmy sees a person, any person, he is seeing a creature who is made in the image of God. As he looks into each face, he's looking at least a bit into the face of God. When Jimmy sees a person, any person, he is also seeing the creature endowed with an immortal soul, a soul of infinite value and dignity. [10:08:36]

I can do that. I can say, "God, how do you want to partner together with me so that I can pour myself into this in partnership with you and do whatever I'm doing heartily as unto you and with you?" And so I have this little uniform to remind me this is my fourth indispensable item for 2024. I get to do work. I get to create value. [14:43:86]

Cooper is a 12-week-old yellow Labrador puppy, and he is the indispensable item for 2024 that reminds me of joy and the beauty of joy. I want to live inspired, and I want to live in peace, and I want to live in friendship, and I want to live doing good work, but I also want to remember the goodness of God and what it is that God has created. [15:18:39]

Al Pla has written a wonderful book, "Not the Way It's Supposed to Be." He writes about how the beauty that we were all created for is what the biblical prophets would call Shalom, the webbing together in mutual harmony and delight of creation and every human being and God. He writes in there about how part of Shalom is our internal response to things. [15:52:80]

For this year, along with the pain and the sorrow that I know will be there, I want to remember joy. When we took this guy into the vet, and they oohed and aahed and cooed over this dog so much, Nancy said, "You should pay me for getting to touch this dog. I should have to pay you for bringing him in." [16:37:24]

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Transcript
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