Encore: Highlights From Our "You'll Be Glad You Did" Teaching Series
We just finished a teaching series in our church family called "You'll Be Glad You Did." We began our New Year challenging each other to #dohardthings.
All of us have decisions that if we stopped putting them off could have a big pay off.
Many times it's the hard decisions that bring huge rewards.
C.S. Lewis was a pretty bright guy who said, "We need to be reminded more than instructed." So on that note...
Here are some highlights from the series:
- Week One: @JonnyBurgio from BASIC College Ministries challenged us by sharing from his personal experience playing Division I college football.
"Stop praying for God to change someone or something else before He changes you."
"God is more interested in changing you than changing your circumstance. Sometimes our circumstance isn't the problem it is actually the solution."
- Week Two: I challenged our faith family to set S.M.A.R.T. goals and cultivate "brilliant lives." Don't think perfection, think pursuit. Before I can influence anyone else, I have to take the mountain of "me." Jesus is calling each of us towards our redemptive potential.
"There is a big difference between goals that cause discomfort and ones that are delusional!"
"Jesus didn't die on the cross and give me the Holy Spirit so that I could do "good enough."
"You're future doesn't equal your past. Each of us need to get past our past."
"Expect it to get messy in the middle. Man builds bridges but God creates valleys."
- Week Three: We talked about the "h" word. Not hell, but HEALTH! Traumatic circumstances are rarely enough to produce lasting change. Only 1 in 7 people actually change their lifestyle after a traumatic experience with their health! A positive spiritual conviction is more powerful than any negative fear when it comes to sustainable change.
"A healthy lifestyle doesn't happen by chance it happens by choice."
"Many times we eat our emotions. Medical problems in the body are often related to soulish problems that have not been addressed for years." (see 3 John 2)
"Jesus never intended us to be mastered by anything!" (see 1 Cor. 6:12)
"When energy management is neglected, time management is nullified."
- Week Four: Every stress producing ache, pain, relationship, trial can create it's own "ribbit" in our lives. Why spend one more night with the frogs like Pharoah?? (see Exodus 8:1-10)
"Prayer is the most powerful antidote for anxiety."
"When the "frogs" start talking to you, you start talking to God!"
"The situation you live in doesn't have to live in you."
"Someday is not a day on the calendar. Tomorrow is one of the most dangerous words in the English language."
"When you start praying about anything you will find yourself praying about everything!"
Be anxious for NOTHING. Instead pray about EVERYTHING. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all He's done. (see Phil 4:6)
- Week Five: We heard Dave Ramsey founder of Financial Peace University via video challenge us to be "weird" in our finances.
Dave gave us 5 Principles that lead to Financial Peace:
- Have a written plan. (budget)
- Act your wage.
- Save money.
- Get out of debt.
- Give.
"If your broke friends aren't making fun of your financial plans than you are off track!"
"Live like no one else so that you can later live like no one else."
- Week Six: At both campuses we talked about living in community. We looked at the fact that we all have "excuses & needs." @DrTimChapman reminded us that "the only problem with community is people." Yet, disciples were never meant to walk alone. Each of us have to walk with Jesus FOR ourselves but none of us can walk with Him BY ourselves!
"Everyone needs biblical community. Jesus didn't say when two or three extroverts are gathered together there I am in the midst of them!"
"Group life isn't about maintenance or meeting my needs; it's about recognizing that my NEXT spiritual steps are directly tied to my friends' FIRST spiritual steps."
"The Christian in community is the final apologetic." -Francis Schaeffer
"So often we tweet the best and hide the rest!"
I sincerely hope this series helped you move forward. There is so much power in find that one next step. No matter how hard it may seem to take, you'll be glad you did!