Choosing a Great New Year | Part 1 – Essential Choices!

Deuteronomy 30:19,20 (NLT)
“Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live (really and fully live)! ²⁰ … This is the key to your life.”

Essential Choice #1, We Must –

Release Our !

Luke 22:61-62 (MSG)
Just then, Jesus turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what the Master had said to him: “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” ⁶² He went out and cried and cried and cried.

We must own up to our !

We must refocus on our !

Luke 22:32 (GW)
“I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith will not fail. So when you recover, strengthen the other disciples.”

Essential Choice #2, We Must –

Give Up On !

Matthew 18:21-35

Forgiveness is not —

Overlooking the debt or hurt someone caused us!

Denying or ignoring the wrong that’s been done to us!

Forgiving isn’t same as trusting!

Forgiveness is giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me!

Dr. James Dobson

Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
[God says] — “Forget the former things; do not dwell on (lit: live in) the past. ¹⁹ See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Essential Choice #3 –

Don’t Settle For Past !

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.

Philippians 3:13-14 (NLT)
No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it (all God has for me to be and do), but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴ I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.