Temple Baptist Church - 1-2-2011

Philippians 3:13

Introduction:

A. It is hard to believe that 2010 is gone and a New Year has begun. “My how time flies when you are having fun!’’ J It seems like just yesterday that 2010 started. Court was over and we were waiting on the AG’s Office to make their decision to “get out of town” and now the DSS has gotten “out of town too.” It was a good year for my family as well as a good year for the church.

B. The Lord has added to the church and there is a wonderful spirit of love and fellowship here. This has been one of the best years at Temple since I have been here. I am proud, in a right way, of where the Lord has brought us from over the past couple of years.

C. Last year is now history and we are facing a New Year with a blank slate. We cannot change those things that we have done but we can certainly learn from them. We learn from our victories and our defeats. I often say that “today is the first day of the rest of our lives.” What we do with the days ahead is up to each of us personally. What we do with the days ahead is up to the church corporately!

D. I am excited about what this year will hold for us. This may be the year that the Lord returns. What a blessing that would be! I am glad that I do not know what tomorrow holds but I am glad that I can face it with hope. I heard a man say once, “Let us make peace with our past and press on in the future.” If you are lost, get saved! If you are sinful, get right! If you are disgruntled, get with the program! If you are sitting, get to serving! If you are living godly and serving the Lord, KEEP ON!

E. I believe that the Lord is still looking for men and women to stand in the gap for our families, for our friends, for our nation, and for the world!

A. The world needs men and women:

1. Who cannot be bought;
2. Whose word is their bond;
3. Who put character above wealth;
4. Who possess opinions and a will;
5. Who are larger than their vocations;
6. Who do not hesitate to take chances;
7. Who will not lose their individuality in a crowd;
8. Who will be as honest in small things as in great things;
9. Who will make no compromise with wrong;
10. Whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires;
11. Who will not say they do it" because everybody else does it";
12. Who are true to their friends through good report and evil report, adversity as well as in prosperity;
13. Who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning, and hardheadedness are the best qualities for winning success;
14. Who are not ashamed or afraid to stand for the truth when it is unpopular;
15. Who can say "no" with emphasis, although all the rest of the world says "yes."

B. This Coming Year Satan Will:

1. Try To Discourage Us

2. Try To Distract Us

3. Try To Defile Us

4. Try To Divide Us

5. Try To Destroy Us

6. Try To Deceive Us

C. What We Need To Resolve:

1. We Need To Resolve To Be Faithful

2. We Need To Resolve To Be Holy

3. We Need To Resolve To Be Unified

4. We Need To Resolve To Be Watching

5. We Need To Resolve To Be Trusting

D. Some Things You Can Count On Next Year

1. God Will Still Be God And Will Not Change

2. The Bible Will Still Be Right

3. Satan Will Still Be Active

Conclusion: Let us face this New Year with a resolve in our hearts to make it the best year that we have ever had! Let us face this New Year with excitement and hope in our hearts! May the Lord bless each and every one of you in 2011!