Skip to content The Priority Decision - Pastor Steve Robinson Aug 12 · 39 min ...more
The Priority Decision - Pastor Steve Robinson
August 12, 2025 · 39 min
Explore a journey to a thriving life through biblical values and consistent decisions.
Series Decide to Thrive August 12, 2025 · 39 min · Decide to Thrive
Explore a journey to a thriving life through biblical values and consistent decisions. ...more Show the full description Show less Explore a journey to a thriving life through biblical values and consistent decisions.
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Decide to Thrive: The Power of Six Decisions 0:00 So we are jumping into this brand new series, decide to thrive. Can you guys say that with me the count of 3? 1, 2, 3. Decide to thrive. Pastor, what is a0:12 thriving life? What does the Bible say a thriving life is? And how do we actually get that? And how do we actually maintain? How do we keep a thriving life? Matter of fact, I0:24 think that we're all on a continuum. Some of you, if you're honest, you'd say, you know what, pastor? My life feels like it's not thriving, it's actually declining. Feel like I've been so buffeted by circumstance. I feel0:34 like I'm just barely I mean, I'm just barely keeping my head above the water. So you would say, your life's declining. Some would say, it's maintaining. I mean, you're waking up. That's good, but you're kinda going0:46 through the motions. Some of you would say you're actually growing. The 20 24, you actually experienced some growth. That wasn't like hitting it out the park, but you were just kinda getting on base and that's good. But0:56 some of you some of you would say, truth is my life is thriving. I feel like I'm hitting on all cylinders. The the fact is this series, I've designed this series in such a1:07 way that wherever you are declining, maintaining, growing, thriving, wherever you are, there's something in the series for you. The fact1:19 is I I have been in all these different places, declining, maintaining, growing, thriving. Many of you know my story but when I was in college, I was searching for a relationship with God.1:31 Matter of fact, I was I was trying to do all the things that they kinda said you had to do to kinda be happy and yet there was this gnawing emptiness on the inside of me. And matter of fact, I knew something was1:43 missing. And maybe that's where you are today. You feel like, man, I've just kind of all these different experiences in life and I went to do this and I went to do this. Yeah. You know, if you're honest, there is1:54 something missing in your life. You know, it's interesting. We talk a lot about the royal family in England, and and we know that now Prince Charles has become King Charles the last few years. And and we know years2:06 ago, Prince Charles at the time that there was a rocky relationship that we had, he had with Princess Diana. And they didn't agree on a lot, but they did agree on this concept that I'm actually talking about today.2:17 Listen to Prince Charles' words. Here's what he said. For all the advantages of science, there remains deep in the soul a persistent and2:29 unconscious anxiety that something is missing. Princess Diana at a charity event during that time spoke of an2:40 overwhelming sense of loss and isolation that undermine many people's efforts to both survive and to cope with the complexities of modern life. And she said,2:52 quote, people know something's missing. All of us were meant for more. We were meant first to connect with God as our3:04 father, as our creator, and then to live out God's purpose for our life to actually thrive. You can thrive in life. Now3:16 pastor, how do I get that? Well, I'm glad you're here. We're gonna talk about that over the next 6 weeks. See, a thriving life begins with making what I believe consistent decisions based3:28 upon biblical values. The truth is all of us are where we are in life today because of the decisions we made yesterday and the day before and the day before and actually today.3:40 In other words, you have what you have today. You are where you are today because of the decisions you made. The college you wanted to go to, do you go to college? Do you not go to college? The job you wanted to take,3:51 When do you leave that job? The neighborhood you live in? All of those are a composite of the decisions that you've made. Decisions are powerful. Decisions build your life.4:03 They mark your life. They shape your life. Psychologists will tell us that we make around 35000 decisions a day.4:15 That's a lot. Some of you guys when you woke up this morning, you know, when am I gonna get up? Am I gonna hit the snooze? Help me out grateful for snoozes. I mean, just powerful. Okay. Do I get out of bed? Do I drink4:26 this? Do I drink that? What do I do? In other words, all of that added up. It's on average about 35000 decisions. Do we eat lunch? When do we eat lunch? Who do we eat lunch4:38 with? Do I wanna eat lunch? Thank God in the south, we love to eat lunch. Can I have a big amen in God's house? We love listen. You show up at work at 8 30, you're like, where are we going to lunch? Hey. We got 3 hours.4:50 I mean, we're playing it, man. So that's 35000 decisions a day. Now here's the good news. This series is about decisions, but I'm not talking about 350005:02 decisions. I'm just talking about 6. What you do with the other 34994 is your business. I wanna talk about 6 decisions.5:13 Everybody say 6 decisions. 6 decisions. You're making 35000 decisions a day. I wanna talk to you about 6 because these 6 decisions will5:25 radically transform your life. How you make these 6 decisions, how often you make these 6 decisions, how consistent you make these 6 decisions. I5:37 believe these 6 decisions are critical to a thriving life. So I developed a grit and I I developed this. It's not on the Internet yet. And I'm5:48 sure somebody will take it, but it's fine. It'll help you. I want everybody to take it. But but I thought about these are actually the 6 core values of our church. But as I began into the year in 20 24, I realized these5:59 are really the 6 core values for a thriving Christian life. So here's the grid. Alright? Here we are. And I put them in decisions. Everybody say the priority decision. Priority decision. Matter of fact, we're gonna talk6:11 about that today. What is the priority decision? Putting God first in our life. Number 2, the relationship decision. 3, purpose decision. 4, growth decision. 5, influence decision. 6,6:23 the generosity decision. So we make 6 decisions every day. By the way, it's not a 1 time thing. We need to make these every day. What decision? We're all making a lot of decisions. But these 6 decisions6:35 are decisions that are based upon, don't miss this, don't miss this biblical values. Well, where do I find biblical values, pastor? In God's word, God's will, and God's ways. It all comes out of the word of6:47 God. So here it is. Everybody say 6 decisions. 6 decisions. 6 decisions based upon God's word, will, and way watch this, results in, there it is, a thriving life. Well, pastor, I just6:59 know what's going on, man. I just don't feel like my life ended up 20 24 the way it began. I don't feel like I'm thriving. I don't feel like I'm moving forward. Well, you're making 35000 decisions a7:10 day. The question is, are these 6 central in your decision making grid? Do you have a template? Do you evaluate their decisions? This series is about evaluating7:22 how well we're doing with these 6 decisions because God wants you to thrive. Now I'll say this very closely, very clearly, very poignantly. We do not7:34 believe at Church of the King if your life is thriving it doesn't mean that you don't go through obstacles, that you don't experience trials. But you go through them. You're not overcome by them.7:46 The Bible gives us a picture in Jeremiah chapter 17, I love this, of a thriving life. Notice, blessed is the man, of course the man or woman, who trusts in the Lord and whose hope7:58 is in the Lord for he shall be like a tree planted. Pastor, I want my life to like end up differently in the end of 20 25. Well, here's what I would say. Then learn to live planted.8:10 Everybody say planted. Plant it in God. Plant it in God's word. Plant it in God's house. Plant it by the waters. How many times you I mean, if you if you plant something in a garden,8:22 you plant it, let's just move it. Boom. Well, let's just move it. Boom. I mean, we got to be planted me to be planted. Well, I want my life to thrive. Be planted in God's word, God's will, God's way8:34 with God's people. Planted by the waters which spreads out its roots by the river and will not fear when he comes. Trials come, trouble comes, tribulation comes,8:46 but we're not gonna fear when it comes. Why? Because our life is built differently. Our life is built upon 6 decisions based upon God's word will in ways. So heat's gonna come. There's gonna be a challenge in a8:57 relationship. There's gonna be a financial bump. There's gonna be something with the kid. There's gonna be something external in so so we're not suggesting we don't deal with adversity, but we have to deal with9:09 it God's way, with God's word according to God's will. So he comes, but when he comes the leaf, listen, will still be green and will not be9:20 anxious. My wife and I were sitting the other day having coffee and just the other morning I said, you know what? 20 24, 20 25, we're gonna choose to not be anxious. Can you imagine the quality9:32 of your life how it would be literally transformed if you just you're just not gonna be anxious. We're gonna deal with challenges from God's perspective. We're gonna deal with it with God's word, but we're gonna make a9:43 choice to not be anxious. I'm gonna deal with that in 1 of our choices very clearly. The scripture says a thriving life, it's not to suggest circumstances are not buffeting you9:55 but you're not gonna be anxious because your trust is in God. I'm not gonna be anxious in the season or the year of drought nor will I cease yielding fruit. That is a picture of a thriving life.10:07 So I wanna go right off the bat. I wanna build a framework and a foundation. We are not suggesting that a thriving life is challenge free. We are not suggesting the bible does it. Jesus said, in this10:19 world, you're gonna deal with stuff. But a thriving life, watch this, grows through it and goes through it and comes out on the other side. I I was always reminded whenever I think10:31 of adversity and overcoming life, I I look up to and I admire this individual. I mentioned it 1 other time, but but I think somebody who typifies overcoming adversity and thriving in spite of10:43 life circumstances is a man named Nick Vucic. I have a picture of Nick. This is Nick. Nick, was born without arms or legs due to a rare condition. As a child he10:55 struggled with bullying. He's bullied. He struggled with depression and questions about why he was even born. And yet, Nick began to make decisions. Everybody11:07 say decisions. He began to make decisions to align his life with God's word. We're gonna talk about that today. Psalms 1 39 verse 14, 1 of his favorite scriptures,11:19 he said, I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. He began to realize that God made him fearfully. He was the work of God's hand. His perspective began to change. By the way, that's what I wanna help you in this11:31 series to change your perspective. You make these 6 decisions according to God's word, will, and ways. Your life is in position to thrive. Thrive what way? I wrote it down. Thrive spiritually, emotionally,11:43 mentally, physically. Yes, financially, vocationally. God wants you to thrive in every area of your life. Nick made a decision. He made a decision that he wasn't gonna allow, watch this,11:55 his circus In other words, Nick made a decision he wasn't gonna live as a victim. Boy, we have a victimized culture. Everybody when you're a no. No. No. You have the power to12:07 make decisions. A victim has no power of choice. An overcomer has the power to make a choice. The power to make a choice.12:19 Nick began to align his life with God's word will and ways. He now, watch this, is an international motivational speaker. He's an author. He's an advocate for people with disabilities. He's a Christian man.12:30 He's married with children and continues to inspire millions with a story of resilience and purpose. Why? Because he made a decision. Everybody say decision. I'm not talking about the12:42 34994. I just wanna talk about 6 over the next 6 weeks. You make these 6 decisions consistently day in and day out.12:54 6 decisions, just 6. It provides a framework for your life where you position your life to thrive. Yes, you will have things come against you, but no, you will not cave in.13:06 You will overcome. Everybody say overcome. You'll thrive in life. Why? Just like Nick, you have the power of choice. I'll say it again. I'll say it again over and over again. I wrote13:18 about it in my book. There is such a victimized culture. A victim You tell When you tell somebody they're a victim By the way, it doesn't mean that you didn't go through hurtful things in life. It doesn't mean that you13:30 that was painful. Of course, it was painful. But you have the ability to make a decision to move beyond that pain, to move out of that current situation of deprivation and despair. You have the power of13:42 choice. God created you that way. Genesis chapter 1 verse 26. The bible says, then God said, let us make man in our image according to our likeness. Let them have dominion over the fish of the13:53 sea, over the earth, the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. God's given you dominion over creeps. Okay. I'm sorry. That was cheesy. Back to14:05 the bible, pastor. So God created man in his own image. Everybody say own image. You're not God, but you're created in the image of God. It's powerful. You have the power14:18 to choose. God created man in the image of God. In the image of God, he created a male and female, he created them. Then God blessed them. And God said, be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth.14:30 Subdue it. Have dominion, not over people. We serve people. We love people. By the way, that's decision 5. The influence decision. But14:42 God has given inside of mankind the power to make decisions, watch this, to have dominion, to move forward in life regardless of what happened. Yeah. The truth is some of14:54 you guys did start out at different places. We all did. But you have the ability in God to make decisions according to God's word will in ways that positions you for a thriving life. I don't care where you came15:06 from, your educational background, your socioeconomic background, whatever it is, you have been made in the image of God. The image of God is the Latin word Imago Dei, Dei for15:18 God. Imago image. You're not God, but you are made in the image of God. By the way, you are distinct class in God's created order. You're at the top. You're at the apex. You're above the15:29 animals. We are not just slime plus time. We're not just a cosmic accident. You have been made in the image of God. Watch this. And this is so powerful. He said this. You have the ability to15:41 create environments for both you and others to flourish. Animals, well, they're basically led by instinct and appetite. I'm hungry.15:53 They procreate, they eat, and they survive. You have the ability to think, to reason, to rationale, to create to create advances in life where 1 generation16:06 creates and it moves. In other words, you're made in the image of God. There's a creative potential in you and it's tied up in your choices. I'm not talking about your16:16 34994. I'm just talking about 6. I'm just talking about these 6 choices. You make these 6 decisions according to God's word, will, and ways. 0, 0, 0. Could it be16:28 it is. Could it be that a lot of reason why people aren't thriving is because the other 34000 well, actually, all of the 35000, they're not making any according to God's values in his word, will, and ways.16:41 Pastor, I wanna thrive in life. Where are your decisions aligned with? Are they aligned with God's word, God's will, and God's ways? Today, I wanna jump in and just hit it.16:53 I wanna talk to you about the priority decision. Can can y'all say that at the count of 3? 1, 2, 3. The priority decision. In life, many things fight for our time, for our17:04 attention, for our money. If we're not careful, we can chase the wrong things and we can be swayed this way or that. Our lives can17:16 be knocked around and our lives can get out of whack. We can pursue the wrong priorities. Thomas Merton, many of you read him, is a famous mystic and monk. Here's what he said, people17:28 spend their whole lives climbing the ladder of success only to find once they reach the top that the ladder is leaning against17:40 the wrong wall. Question, Where is your ladder leaning? What walls it leaned against?17:53 Have you paused long enough to look up at the wall to evaluate where it's going. Yeah. Where do you want your life to go? What are your priorities?18:05 Your priorities can get out of whack when your ladder is leaned on the wrong wall. Well, pastor, how do I know what wall? Well, what decisions are you making? Your decisions18:17 determine your priorities. Well, I don't I prioritize this. Well, you prioritize it, but you don't put you don't make any decisions aligned with that. You don't put any time into that. In other words, where you what you18:29 value, your life, watch this, follows what you value. And what you value is called a a priority. And what you prioritize is defined by what you consistently make choices and move towards.18:42 So in other words, your heart follows what you value. Your heart follows what you prioritize. Jesus said it this way, for where your treasure is, there your heart will18:54 also be. Now we often use this in the context of money. Jesus was talking about that, but it's much much greater than just money. Let let me say it this way. Watch this. What where where your treasures where your values19:05 are, watch this, your heart will follow. Notice, your heart follows where you putting where you putting your where is your greatest value? Is your greatest value in this? Is it in this? Is it in a bass boat? Is19:17 it in recreation? Where your heart goes, nothing wrong with that, but it can't be your top priority. Your top priority your priorities are determined by where you consistently19:29 make decisions. If you make a decision this way, your heart will go that way. Your heart follows what you value. Yeah.19:41 Where is your heart? Your first priority, your top priority, the thing the person that you should value most is19:53 your relationship with God. Now pastor, I'll get to that later. Well, I'll get to that when I get a little bit older. I gotta do my own thing until I get to that point. Nobody's guaranteed it tomorrow.20:05 How many conversations have I had with people? It's amazing. I mean, you get to the end of your life. You're in the hospital room. Nobody's putting their bank statements on the wall. You know what they're doing? They're20:17 wanting to make sure their their soul is right with their creator, and they want those people that they value close to them the most. What do you Well, you make decisions20:29 based upon what you value. First and foremost, our top priority should be our relationship with God. He is the creator.20:42 How much time are you putting into developing your relationship with God? When I was in college, I I was moving fast at first year, partying, doing all the20:54 things that everybody said you're supposed to do to have fun. And I gotta tell you, I was completely empty. I realized I realized halfway 19 years old, I realized, wait, time out. My ladder is against the wrong21:06 wall. Is your ladder against the wrong wall? Climbing fast but going nowhere? The scariest thing in the world is to get to the top and realize you spent your whole life climbing the wrong ladder.21:19 God is the creator, you are the creation. We're part of his created order. We're at the top. He wants to have a relationship with us. To put God first in 20 25 and21:31 make him your priority will completely revolutionize your life. Of the 35000 decisions you're making in a day, how many of those decisions are21:43 related to putting God first? Pastor, God's number 1 in my life. Let me evaluate your decisions. If there's no decisions in alignment with God's word will and ways, if you're not considering your life21:55 and your your relationships in light of what God says in his word will and ways, if you're not spending any time In other words in other words, don't tell me you value something if you don't make decisions towards that.22:07 The priority decision is putting God first. Pastor, how do I do that in 20 25? Number 1, I'm gonna give you 3 things. Number 1, start with knowing and loving22:19 God. Don't miss this. I want every location to hear what I'm about to say. You were created by God for God to live out God's purpose for your life. You weren't created for22:31 yourself. You were created by God. Number 1, for God. What does that mean? To have relationship with God. And number 2, to live out his purpose for your life.22:44 You are not an accident. You're not an accident. Well, I wasn't a plan. No. No. No. You may not been playing by your parents, but you were playing by God. How many are grateful that God has a plan for our life?22:55 You're playing by God. You are the work of his hands. God created the entire universe. He created everything, and then he created23:07 mankind. Ephesians chapter 1, Paul writes at the church at Ephesus. He says, even before he made the world, God loved us. God chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault23:19 in his eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us. Oh, that's a powerful word. Adoption. It's a biblical word. God adopts us. God chose us.23:31 Wow. God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do. And he gave it and it gave him great23:43 pleasure. God created you. God loves you. God likes you. Here's the point. What's the point, pastor? You've gotta make the decision then to respond and put him as number 1 in your life. You know, after23:57 all, I'm just kinda oh, man. I don't know about 20, 25. I mean, I I I okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. I'm gonna work out a little bit. We always know who's working out in the beginning of January. Right? They have new24:08 clothes. And so I'm gonna work out, and I wanna make sure my finances are in order, and I need a little bit of Jesus. No. You don't add a little bit Jesus on your life. He actually becomes your life. Well, pastor, I24:19 don't feel like I'm I'm where I am spiritually. I don't feel like I ended up spiritually where I wanted to be. Could it be because you're still playing hokey pokey with God? You guys have seen me do this before.24:31 What is hokey pokey? Come on skate country, 19 eighties. Come on raise your hand skate country. Come on somebody. Here it is. Here it is. You put your right foot in. You take your right24:42 foot out. You put your right foot in and you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around. That's what it's all about. You24:54 put your left foot in. You take your left foot out. You put your left foot in and you shake it all about. You do the hokey pokey and you turn yourself around.25:07 That's how a lot of Christians are. Here it is. I'm gonna serve God a little bit. I'm gonna back it up. I'm gonna read a little bit of the word. Oh, that's too much. I25:19 made that up and it worked. Are y'all with me? Y'all with me? Well, God, I just I you know, I'm just I'm not getting anything because you're hokey pokey Christian.25:32 You gotta go all in. Everybody say all in. All in. How do you give seconds to the creator? God's first. He can't be second. He can't be third. He can only be number 1. Number 1.25:47 Are you making daily decisions? Watch this. This sounds ridiculous this day, but to make the creator. Number 1. Now we25:59 actually give number 1 to the creation. Bass boot, not into that, not into he's into all that.26:11 But it can't be your top priorities. Your top priority is knowing God. The problem is that we we wanna do our own thing. By the way, mankind here it is. Let me give you let26:23 me give you just a sort of quick definition of original sin. You ready? Man was born with his ladder leaned against the wrong wall. What does that mean? Mankind was born, that's original sin, wanting26:35 to do their own thing and build a life, constructing a life apart from God. We wanna do our own thing, we wanna do our own word, our own will, our own ways. So what do we26:47 do? We gotta deal with the sin issue. All of us have sinned. By the way, no judgment. I've sinned, you sinned. All of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God, Paul said. And the payment of sin comes through the26:57 death of Christ on the cross, but you've got to receive Christ. So pastor, how do I make God my priority? Number 1, you've got to repent of your sin, trust Christ as your savior, and he becomes the lord of your life. How27:08 many are grateful that Jesus saves people? He saves people. Well, by the way, I know a lot of Christians that are say they're they're saved, they're going to heaven, but they're still not27:20 putting God daily as number 1. We don't put God as number 1 just when we get saved. The lordship of Christ, he's savior27:32 and what? Have I say it? Lord. Lordship means number 1 on Monday. Relating to people?27:44 In other words, he wants to be priority. So let me give you some 20 25. I'm talking about how to thrive in 20 25. The first decision is making God number 1. Realizing the creator has your best intention in27:55 mind and we've got to know God, walk with God and he wants to watch us. He wants to pour out his love upon us. Number 2, how do we in 20 25 overcome life's obstacles by making daily28:07 priority decision? Look, as a pastor, I get it. I struggle with keeping God first. Sometimes I put the church before God. Church is a good thing, but you know the church shouldn't be before God. Meaning, even my28:18 messages. I need I prepare messages every week, but I can't put my preparation of a message before me hearing from God as a Christian first. Does that make sense? In other words, God's gotta be so I28:30 get it. I'm with you guys. We're all in the same boat. There's always thing that vie for our attention to try to reprioritize. They wanna listen. There's always things that wants us to get to move our ladder from here to28:41 here. The first priority is making God number 1 every day. What are some things that we have to overcome? By the way, Jesus said, seek ye first the28:53 kingdom of God, not second, not third, not when everything else is try. Well, I'm just gonna try God. It's like prayer this year. We started the year with prayer. Let's stay in faith. Let's pray for our needs. Let's29:04 intercede for others. Let's stay in faith. And I say this very respectfully, some people only pray what I call toilet bowl prayers. You know what that is? If you part in college you know, God if you get me out of this29:16 I'll never do this again. Shut up. You're lying. You'll do it next weekend. I'm sorry if that was strong. But a lot of people only pray toilet,29:27 prayer, bowl prayers. How many know God wants us to have a relationship with God whether you're sick or whether you're well? Come on. How many know God wants to talk to us? So we're29:39 busy. We get over programmed, over scheduled, overwhelmed. If you're too busy to deepen your relationship with your creator, check to see if your ladder is moved back against the wrong29:51 wall. Busyness, past hurts, doubt, FOMO. If I serve God, I'm a miss out on all the fun, all my friends. I don't care if you're teenagers and just30:02 college or high school. It's twenties, thirties, forties. Well, I wanna be If I if I really serve God, make him number 1, you know, and really So people are gonna think, wait, no, no. You're not gonna miss out on all the30:12 fun. Here's what you're gonna miss out on, despondency and despair. A life lived without God is filled with despondency and despair. We have hope. Everyone say hope. We're not missing30:24 out. We're actually gaining more than we give up. We're gaining Christ. We're we're gaining Christ a relationship with our creator. Think of the word creation creator.30:37 He knows how life works best. God knows how your life works best. You have a relationship with your creator. Number 5, we've gotta we've gotta overcome this30:48 distraction of the uncertainty about God's plan. If I really trust God this year, if I really trust God with my life, if I really trust God my business, if I really trust God my family, if I really in other words, it's30:58 just it's just it's just making the priority. What does God's word say about that? What does God's will about that? What does God's way Do you evaluate your business decisions in light of what God says?31:10 I'm asking. Do you evaluate your relationship in what it No. We often evaluate our relationships in light of what our feelings say. Oh, man. You're getting close faster.31:22 We all do it, but our the word of God is stronger. So if you make a decision based upon your feelings, you end up in a life that's not thriving. But if you make a decision, everybody say decision. Decision. If you make a31:34 decision according to God's word, guess what? Your life will thrive. Now you'll go through things but your life will move through those things. Oh, I feel like I'm gonna miss out. No, you won't. You'll gain more31:46 than you think quote you lose. Let me give you this third and final thing. Prioritize God through intentional living. Putting God first doesn't have to be complicated. There are a few fundamental areas and ways that we31:57 practically can put God first in 20 25. I'm trying to help you. I've got just a couple of minutes. I'm trying to help set your life up this year to thrive, to move forward, to grow, to32:09 expand, to know God, to make a difference with your life. Here's some practical steps and I'll close. This is just the intro week. Alright? The priority decision. Start your day with God.32:21 I set a sign time each morning to pray and read my Bible. Maybe just 5 minutes. 5 minutes. Why don't we drive 5 minutes in the word of God? Paul said, present your body a living sacrifice. You present your body I32:33 know it's hard early in the morning, you're tired. Just present your body a living sacrifice to God. 5 minutes a day in the Bible. 5 minutes a day in the bible. Last32:45 night I was trying to figure this out. 5 minutes a day keeps the devil at bay. He still comes. You can't keep him away, but you keep him at bay. You pick up that32:57 shield of faith, quenching all the fiery darts of the wicked 1. You make a decision to read the Bible. Just watch. There's spiritual warfare in this thing. You say, you know what? I'm gonna read the Bible through in the33:06 year. I'll do it. Man, you start off in Genesis. You're like 3 chapters a day and 5 on Sunday. You get a reading plan. I do the the the life journal devotional thing. You you go on YouVersion, there's tons. Go on to33:17 YouVersion. Just Google that, and there's tons of Bible reading plans. I use, the Life Journal. Alright? It's a reading plan, and it's got the Old Testament, New Testament. You make a decision. I'm gonna read the Bible33:28 in this year. Start in January, you're in Genesis. You're in March, you're still in Genesis. You're in June, you're just kinda in the middle of Genesis. Then you just give up. Why is33:40 that? Now you can read the newspaper in the morning, you can read your emails in the morning. Don't you think let me just say this. I said this so respectful. The devil doesn't want your nose in the book. Let me tell you33:49 something, the enemy wants to keep you out of the book this year. You get into the word of God, you start making decisions. Here it is. 6 everybody says 6 decisions. I don't care about your other 34000 niner. I I care34:00 about the 6. You make 6 decisions based upon this word, your life will be repositioned to thrive in 20 25. How many y'all wanna thrive in 20 25?34:13 Start your day with God. Seek God's guidance in decision making. Those of you that are in business, what would you do? What would what would what how would that sales call look different if you prayed a little prayer34:23 before you walked into? I'm not suggesting that if you pray that prayer, oh, everything's gonna go well but you'll have the wisdom of God. Well, God doesn't care about my business, he just cares about my soul. Last time34:33 I checked, he cares about even the hair on your head that used to be there for some people. Okay? Mine's getting a little bit back too. Oh, but here's my point. He cares about every part of you.34:46 He cares about your kids. He cares about your grandkids. He cares about your concerns. He cares about your hopes. He cares about your dreams. He cares about your business. He cares about every part of who you are. Who34:58 told you he doesn't care? Bring him in. Bring him in God. What are you what are you saying, Lord? Just pray a prayer. Pray a prayer. He wants to help you in your35:09 parenting. He wants to help you. See, God, put him first. What? Make a decision. Everybody say decision. According to his word, will, and35:21 ways. Make a decision. 6 decisions. That's it. 6. 6. I'm not talking about 7, 8, 9. Just make a decision.35:33 Prioritize Here here to see, prioritize church and small group involvement. Here's my 1 time, my 1 time, I'm gonna say it as many as I can. Show up in the house of God. I'm so proud of you guys being here the first,35:44 second weekend, I guess, of the year, but just keep showing up. Some of you guys, and I'll be honest here, there's nothing else to do today. Saints aren't playing. LSU's, they're out. There's no monograph35:56 parade yet. No travel ball, too cold. Well, I guess we might as well just go to church. Nothing else to do. If you're laughing, you're convicted. But anyway,36:08 I'm just I just cannot just Everybody say, we know you love we know you love us, pastor. Come on. Everybody say it. Show up in the house of God. I've never had 1 person tell me, you know36:20 what? I went to church today. It's the worst decision ever made in my life. I know I'm not a 10 every time36:31 I talk, sometimes I'm a 6. Notice it's always above average, but anyway, so Okay. 5. Show up this year. Just show up. There's gonna36:43 come every excuse in the world. It's too hot. It's too cold. It's about to rain. It's not rainy enough. It's sunny. There's not a wooden boat festival. There's not cruising on the coast. There's not a parade. The saints36:54 are out. There We might as well go. Just show up. Show up. Show up.37:06 You heard the famous story about me telling this lady came up to you and she goes, Pastor, were you speaking to me today? Man, that was right to me, I said. In all due respect, I wasn't talking to a lady down the street37:16 at First Baptist. Of course, I was talking to you. Who else am I talking to? You're right in front of me. Here's what she was really saying. How did you know what was going on in my life? I didn't, but God does.37:29 I could be talking about anything. And God could take 1 scripture, 1 thought and I've had people email me and say, my husband thinks that, you know, I emailed you and told you about our problems in church.37:44 I really don't look at a lot of emails. Some, only the nice ones. Only pastor appreciation emails. The other ones where you call me bad names, I give them to pastor Randy. But anyway,37:56 so use your gifts this year to serve others. Some of the best friends in the world you'll make are those that you serve alongside. And I'll give you this last 1. Steward your resources for the glory of God. Wherever your38:08 treasure is, your heart will follow. It's not just about money. It's your time, your talent, your treasure. Where where you make decisions consistently towards the things that you value most. Nothing wrong with your38:16 basketball. You ought to go fishing. You ought to do all those recreational things, but just don't make that your priority. Your priorities gotta be God. And when you put him first, everybody say first. Let's get to know38:27 our creator this year in a whole new way. Let's make the first decision to prioritize God like never before. And I believe your 20 25 is38:39 gonna be your best year yet. Come on. Y'all receive that word? I'm gonna ask everybody to bow their heads.In this video 0:00 Decide to Thrive: The Power of Six Decisions
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