Good if you could stand, please We're gonna read Ephesians chapter 4 and look at verse 17 Ephesians chapter 4 verse 17 The Bible says there This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord that he henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their mind. having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts. You being past feelings have given themselves over into lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ. If so be that ye have heard him, and have been thought by him as the truth is in Jesus shall we pray heavily father. Thank you lord for this passage of scripture Lord men may this message today encourage my heart in the hearts of my sisters and my brothers here and those who are watching online And if there's someone watching online or even here tonight that don't know you as lord and savior May this start a new year the right way by accepting you as lord and savior in jesus name. I pray Amen, you may be seated So a new year, a new year's message, this is pretty much a continuation from this morning in an different way, but it says a new year and a new walk. A new year and a new walk. In the beginning of every new year, there's a lot of people who make all kinds of resolutions. It's like I said, it's a continuation from this morning. My goal tonight is to encourage you. Okay. I want you to leave here encouraged by the word of God and in about you who you are as a Christian and where you what you walk with the Lord. I believe this morning was an encouraging message and tonight I wanted to continue to encourage you. You know, sometimes it is easy to get discouraged, especially when you go to the workplace and you're the only Christian there. And you feel like segregated, you feel like a target in many ways, and it's hard sometimes to go on day in, day out, and being the only one. But I tell you what, shine where you are. Don't be intimidated by people. They need Jesus just like you do. They need Jesus. And believe me, the way they act is because they don't know the Lord. I, myself, when I was, before I got saved, I drove some people crazy in a workplace. I gave them a hard time and guess who got saved? You know, I made a grown man cry and I celebrated. And I thought it was like, yes, yes. And my brother-in-law said to me, you should be kind. I said, no, he got what he deserved. And guess why? In the end, his persistency caused me to God save because he planted a seed in my heart. i praise the lord for his consistency but anyway i just want to encourage you tonight about this uh some of us make a joke about uh the way we you know something is funny about new year's resolution but thousands of people make this stuff every year but sometimes new year's resolutions and new goals in life are good some people do it and stick with it You know, they stick with it. And it's good. Sometimes it's good in many ways. Sometimes changes are good. You agree with that? Sometimes changes are good. Sometimes a new direction in life is good. I remember when I was working at Artifact Corporation, not because I didn't love the people that I worked with. They were good people. Even my boss and the people in the high positions, they were good people. They were very good to me. But I need a new change. And I pray the Lord will give me that change. And when that happened, it was a good change for me. I needed that change. So we just enter a brand new year like we just started a few days ago. And lots of things will happen throughout the year. There will be new challenges, new decisions, new problems to resolve. So for us Christians, what should we do this new year? You know, for some of us, the same old is OK and is good. Sometimes we don't need to change anything. We just go live the way we've been living each and every day, and it's OK. It's good. Listen, some people say if it's not broken, don't fix it. Or don't try to fix it, right? I'll give you an example. The other day, we had a co-worker of mine. He loves cars. I mean, I love cars, too. But he loves cars more than I do. He's always playing around with the cars. And I said to him, I said, listen, I heard this story. If it's not broken, don't fix it. Oh, you made a lot of damage in this car. It cost him a little over $2,000 to fix it. He's like, ouch, that hurts. And he says, you know, it hurts. But if I don't try to play with it, I never learn. I'm like, ee. but anyway but you know sometimes you know just go on with our lives that we live it's okay but sometimes we do need a change okay for example last year in the beginning of the year i preached the message more of jesus less of me some of you remember that now what is going to be this year for you and me what are we going to do more of jesus less of me again yeah it's a wonderful title isn't it it's a wonderful thing listen listen lord i want to die to myself i want to you work through my life would be a channel of your love now the first word we on verse 17 right here in this passage there's a word that needs our attention and our focus is the word therefore anytime you see therefore in the bible we should stop and and see what is the therefore is about it's always a transaction word sometimes that the writer is doing something you know he says okay now therefore let me explain to you So the word calls our minds back to what Paul has been teaching us about our high calling in the Lord Jesus Christ. Because we have been given all the benefits mentioned in verse 1 to 16. We are not to be like the lost who live without God in this world. what benefits is paul talking about benefits is paul talking about this is to remind us that we are been saved through grace and by the mercy of god you know what it is by the mercy of god and by the grace of god that we've been saved and we should never forget that and paul says therefore let me remind you the same thing when we have the lord supper we look back and what the lord jesus christ have done because we need to remember you know why because we are easy to forget little children remember God doesn't say you graduated you're grown up now God calls us our his children and because we children children are prone to go here and go there and disobey their parents guess what happens God keeps reminding us because we need to be reminded okay so our calling to salvation by grace through faith Our unity, that's in verse 1 to verse 3. Our unity in the body of Christ, verse 3 to verse 6. Our unique gift by the Holy Spirit to serve the Lord and His church for His glory, verse 7 to verse 10. Our being built through the ministries of gifted individuals in the church, you see the verse from verse 11 to verse 16 because we have been given all this disadvantage uh and made and made to be partakers of such gifts from god we are to walk in a manner that it is different from the world around us listen we're not going to walk because we think we're better than anybody else Please don't think that way. All right. People are people, right? I know some people because of their positions and status in life, they think like they're bigger than you and they show it to you. But we Christians, we know better than that, don't we? We know better than that. So we ought to be humble, meek. and serve our fellow men and be kind and loving to people be respectful again like i said this morning you cannot control what other people say or do or the way they act or the way they respond the only thing you can control is your actions and my actions you cannot control me i cannot control you okay so Paul issues some very specific challenge for all of us who are saved. These challenges teach us how we are to walk, how we are to stand, how we are to live, and how we are to be different from those who are not saved. But let us look tonight at this subject a new year, a new walk from several points tonight, okay? If you want to follow the outline or take points, here's the one, the first one. A different type of walk, a different type of walk, okay? I hope I'm not getting sick, please. If you shook my hand, just wash it as much as you can or put some of that beautiful Perel that we have over there. And so you don't get, I hope I don't get sick, but anyway. So a different type of walk, listen, just because we are Christians and because our walk is different, doesn't mean that we are better than other people. Okay, we're not better than anybody else. We are saved by the grace of God and by the mercy of God and we are grateful for that. Praise the Lord for such a salvation. But we should never think that we're better than other people. they're lost we saved but we still human beings just like they are and they are made in they are made in the image of god okay so you are because you saved here tonight which you have different you are you have been made new you are a new creation you are a citizen of heaven you are a child out of this of the king of kings and the lord of lords So you are being men new and in 2nd Corinthians 5 17 says therefore is the same word again Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. All things are passed away. Behold all things are become new so you save you clean you a citizen of heaven you a child of the living god so as a result of the new birth you you are now uh i'm sorry we are not to uh to uh not what we used to be and we can no longer do what we used to do all right yes you can do whatever you want to do because you have a self-will okay you save but you can't live like the rest of the world But the thing is we should not even Paul said should I go on on sending that grace may abound and he says God forbid You know, you know, you can't live like everybody else. Yes, you can you can go on and living you can do that But because we've been saved our desire should be heaven now should be the things of this world okay, so Here Paul no two specific problems that plagues the lost people of this world. That's why we should pray for them. That's why we should feel pity of them because they need the Lord as much we did at one time and we still do. Letter A the lost have a mind problem. Look what it says in verse 17. This I say therefore and testify in the Lord that ye hence for walk. I mean we used to walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanity of their minds. They have a mind that is empty from the things of God. Let me put it this way. The vanity towards the things of God because a lot of unsaved people out there who are extremely intelligent. You follow that? Look, look at the construction in our country or throughout the world. They have some great minds out there. Mathematical minds, scientific minds. You have all kinds of people that have great, great minds, but that doesn't mean they're saved. They might be intelligent, they might give so much to the human race, but when it comes to God, they're empty. because they refuse the simple gift of salvation so they're towards the lord they have empty minded they walk or they live with the in the vanity of their own mind the bible says right here so they don't accept god's guidance neither accept god's word the mind of the lost have no place for god Paul says the lost walk in the vanity of their mind the word vanity means emptiness that which is waster on nothing In a way jesus even said what accomplish a man i'm paraphrasing the whole thing if he conquers the whole world And he loses his own soul What about that rich man that said? Oh, I got me this I got me there. Look at my barns would fill with this I'm gonna just take it easy and i'm gonna enjoy and god says you fool because his mind was full of materialistic stuff. God was not there. So the lost don't have any thought, any regard for God, only if life hurts. Then they say, oh God help me. As long as life is okay, they forget God altogether. The lost doesn't have a relationship with Jesus. The lost doesn't think about God, speak about God, neither do they live for God. Their mind is full of earthly things. Their mind is full of things that will pass away. The lost are just existing. and living empty lives because their minds are corrupt by the sin that dwells in them. And of course, they're not saved. The lost mind invents ways to serve the flesh or the selfish desires of their own mind. So the lost mind invents false gods, false religions, and foolish philosophies. They are designed to showcase man and its accomplishments. Yet the inventions of the lost mind are empty of anything helpful, and they are ultimately damning their own soul. Lucas says in Proverbs 16, 25, So folks, the unbelievers have a problem with the mind. His mind is depraved because of sin, and his mind is empty because God is not there. okay let it be that's the second thing that paul says right here uh the lost have a heart problem look at verse 18 having the understanding darkness being alienated alienated from the life of god to the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their hearts Folks, let me tell you the true fact here tonight. Christians, we are to be walking in the ways of the Lord, but unfortunately, there are many Christians who are walking in the ways of the world, like God does not exist. They try to imitate the world. They like the things of the world. They're enticed by the things of the world. I'll tell you what. Who likes to fish here? Miguel likes to fish. I've been a while since I've been fishing. But here's one thing. I've seen this sometimes. If you fish in agitated waters, so to speak, and you can't see. But I've been in places where you fish, and you literally see, I used to call it dumb fish, you know? You put the bait in there, and that thing goes, and bites the thing without no, just goes right at it. he said why did you aren't they smart enough to know there's a you know a little hook in there well it's the same thing about us christians many times you know when we enticed by the things of this world we just foolishly just go after the things and just keep biting it and paul said the lost of this world have a hard problem The heart, their heart is empty towards God. Listen to what Paul says about those who are lost. And Paul says, their understanding is darkened, and they are alienated from the life of God to look, he says, to the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart. The word blindness refers to stubbornness right here. Their heart, they heard the truth over and over again, but they are too stubborn and too blind to admit their sin. before the Lord and to receive the truth you know what let me put it this way and you're going to get with me with this okay let me explain to you one of the hardest things as you people grow older is to say I'm sorry please forgive me We can blob words and hurt people is left and right. When it comes for us to humble ourselves and to say, I'm sorry, many people have a, some people have a, most of you don't have a problem with that. I hear, you know, but some people do have a problem with that. They never said they don't have a heart to say I'm sorry, please forgive me You know what? That's the problem of a lot of lost people there some of them many of them Recognize understand what is wrong and it was right most people do but when they come to recognize God for who he is and for them to bother me and say God, please forgive me on my sin that's when pride comes along and They will not do it They will not do it. I have experienced this many times with people try to witness to them and try to to delete them to the Lord and these things like you want me you want me to ask God to forgive me or for what? That's it. You stuck right there in many piece the problem of asking forgiveness They have a problem towards people. They don't do it. They have a problem towards God. They won't do it either is like as a study is a the word blindness is a stubbornness they hear like i said they hear the the message of the gospel over and over again but they do not You see lost people have a serious heart condition. The diagnosis is blindness and stubbornness to the truth. They need to have a open heart surgery. They need to meet the great physician, which is Jesus. Listen, you had the heart surgery. I had the heart surgery at one time. You received Jesus as your savior, right? It was open heart surgery. We had a heart problem. And that's what people in this world needs, is that. So, let us see. The lost of a hen's problem. Verse 19, it says, You being past feeling have given themselves into lasciviousness to work of uncleanness with greediness. Because of the lost are spiritually dead in trespasses and sin, they are said to have past feelings. The phrase means they have lost their sense of pain. It is used in a sense of not being bothered in their conscience by things they do. Okay. You sit down to watch TV, and you're a Christian, and there's a non-Christian, but unfortunately, some Christians, they laugh, go along with it. The jokes come out, the dirty jokes come out from the shows, and they laugh along with it, their past feeling. It doesn't bother them any longer. I'm not saying don't go watch TV. It's not what I'm saying. I'm trying to just try to understand, right? All right, so they go along with it, and they participate in it. They have past feelings. It doesn't bother them anymore. So they can't go in and lie. They can't go in and put up the jokes themselves and they go get the buddies, whatever other people to listen to them because to them doesn't bother them anymore. That's why we have a problem today in which people say, who are you to say I'm wrong? You see to them, that notion of that is a God and we're accountable to them. It just, it's past, it's past. They don't even think about it. That's why we say there's no shame anymore. So the lost have a hands problem. That's a sad place to be. So we see a different type of walk. Number two, we see a discerning type of walk. If we are to avoid talking, walking, behaving and live like those who are lost, then we are to strive to be like the Lord. Now get this. Now listen, I need something for the record right here. Not everybody that is lost is practicing all kinds of evil things out there. There's a lot of good people out there who mean well. They're just lost. They need a savior. You agree with me? There's a lot of people out there that just didn't need the savior. They need to stop living that ignorance that is in their minds and open their eyes to the truth. But a lot of good people, I mean, I can give a bunch of people if I am in trouble or something happened to me, they're not even Christians, they come right away and help me out. They have their heart, you know, they're willing to help you. So I don't misunderstand what I'm saying. So we see a different type of walk, number two, a discerning type of walk. So like I repeat myself right here, if we are to avoid talking, walking behaving and live like those who are lost then we are to strive to be more like jesus now get this paul starts by describing those who are lost that's how we start then he turns his focus towards those who are saved so paul so what paul does uh teaches us here is that that we can deeply do our uh i'm sorry we can apply our new way of walk in this new year or any other day by the things that he exposes those who are lost now he turns around and teaches us about those who are saved uh letter a learning from jesus life example look what it says in verse 20 but ye or you have not so learned christ you see what he says in Ephesians right here all right these are the laws but he that he looks at me and you and he says don't you ever learn from Jesus isn't that great because Jesus is our example Jesus our master teacher and Jesus is that sure way we pattern our lives too so people have a tendency to pattern themselves after people and believe me some people are great examples to follow There are people who are morally upright. There are people who are of a godly character and integrity. And believe me, it is easy to pattern our lives after people like that. But Paul goes further in this verse. He says that instead of us pattern our lives after people, we should pattern our lives after Jesus. The phrase learned Christ in verse 20 refers to being saved as I have already said when he saved us, he changed us. He made us like himself and deliver us from being like the world. So fulfilling the sins of the flesh is no longer our creed or our standing for living. Okay, are we going to fall? Yes, we will. You see that little video I put on Facebook? keep short accounts with God because unfortunately I don't know why God is God and I'm not God I'm just a person but sometimes these questions comes to mind Lord when we got saved why didn't you take this sinful nature from me even Paul says all wretched men that I am the great apostle Paul struggled too just like all of us but you know what We can pattern ourselves after Jesus. Jesus should be our example. We are not to allow the old nature or wicked desire to control us any longer, but we are to take Jesus' example and strive to walk in holiness and in newness of life. Letter B, learning from Jesus' teaching. Look what it says in verse 21. So those of us who have been redeemed are no longer ignorant and trapped in the death and dissolution of their sins. The redeemed have Jesus' voice or heard Jesus' voice. They have been taught the truth. They have brought out of death into a new life in Christ. They have been placed on a different path of life. They have been taught. As a result, they have been changed by the power of God. Listen, I believe that all of us here, listen, some of you probably grew up in a Bible-believing home. All right. I did not. Some of us did not. But here's one thing. We've been thought of Jesus. We know the truth. We know what happened to us. You know what? We can go pattern ourselves after the world, but we can pattern ourselves after Jesus and live for him. So learning from Jesus is teaching. And I'll tell you why. I think if we pattern ourselves after Jesus, we're never going to get disappointed. So when Jesus Christ came to us, He brought us with the knowledge and truth. He taught us the truth about God and God Himself, His Spirit, heaven, hell, sin, salvation, life, death, grace, faith, righteousness, eternity, judgment, the purpose of life, the meaning of life, creation, history, and everything else that matters. We are no longer in the dark, but we now understand what is the meaning of life. Okay. I heard many people say, I don't understand what I was born in the first place. You have people say that? Discouraged people, desperation, people that are totally discouraged and they don't see any meaning for living. But when we have Jesus, our thought process changes, our way of life changes because we begin to understand the whole purpose why I'm here in the first place. to give glory to the one who made me and created me. Isn't that great? That's why I love to sing. I'm not the greatest singer, but man, I love to sing unto my Lord, okay? So consider this, 1 John 5.20 says, What a great verse. So we ought to be different from the lost world around us. We ought to be walking always with great discernment and learning all that we can from the Lord Jesus Christ. You know, is it pastor, why should I do this? Because we please and glorify in the Lord, but we should never forget those who are lost need Jesus too. Right? Don't you glad for the person that led you to Jesus? I'll never forget Brother Page. You met Brother Page? Bob Page. He led me to the Lord. I could hear him next to me, Amen, Amen, Amen, as I was praying the Lord to save my soul. So listen to what the Bible says about our walk. In Ephesians chapter 5 verse 15 says, See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. We Christians ought to walk in wisdom and with great discernment because of the evil that is in this world. People think there's no evil in this world. Yes, there's a lot of evil in our world. Folks, we have a brand new year to walk in wisdom and discernment, praising and pleasing the Lord. It is a new year full of opportunity for you and for me to live for Jesus. Believe me, you won't regret it, but instead you will be praising the Lord. Some people usually say new year, new life. We Christians say new year, new walk with the Lord. That's the way it should be. New year, new walk with the Lord. So, first of all, we see different type of walk. Secondly, discerning type of walk. And number three, a decisive type of walk. Look at verse 22. but ye put off concerning the former conversations of the old man which is corrupt according to deceitful laws but look what it says but be renewed in the spirit of your minds that ye put on the new man which is after God is created in righteousness and in true holiness since we have been changed by the power of God and since we have been taught the truth about God and Christ we are to make some active uh changes in our lives some people are very decisive with many things in life for let me give you an example did you ever drove around in in your car and for a good period of time and decisively what restaurant you should go to eat you ever done that all right okay No, not this one. I'm going to the next one. No, I don't think so. And you go around in circles. One hour later, you're still walking, driving around, because very indecisive. Did you ever even add the times in your life that you're very indecisive about anything else? Or you sit down watching TV, and you flip, flip, flip, flip, flip, flip, flip, flip. Two hours later, I'm going to bed. He still didn't watch anything, because he kept flipping. Very indecisive. Have you ever been there, or is it just me? I'm like, nothing good here. Praise the Lord for the remote control, right? Oh, my goodness. Hey, by the way, I'm going to tell you something. You know, I'm talking about the red light this morning. It happened to us. Right, Brandon? We stayed in that red light for what? Two hours? We're sitting there. This is a continuation from this morning. So we got to the red light, right? And we're going to turn right. It says, do not turn on right. Don't turn right on red. That's what it said. And so we sit there, and that light was red for the longest time. Even Brendan was a little antsy in the back seat. I mean, I could study my message over there in that light. Oh, that was something. But anyway, this is about continuation from this morning. It was about red lights. OK. So we see a decisive walk here, all right? So what about trying to get out of bed in the morning, OK? Five more minutes. Sometimes this is what we do. Very indecisive. We get out of bed in the morning. We try to get out of bed in the morning, and the alarm comes on. And you go, why in the world is the alarm on anywhere? Ever been there? You know you have to go to work. And you say, five more minutes. And the second alarm comes on, and you go, oh, five more minutes. Very indecisive, right? I mean, it doesn't happen to me often, but it sometimes happens. You just don't want to, you just want to stay there. You got to make that decision. You got to get up. You got to get up. You see, sometimes, you see the Christian life is a life of faith. a faith that requires action a faith that requires you to make decisions and more within that decision is is with something we we can't be indecisive we have to get going oh let me show you about three actions paul mentioned in these verses right here look at verse 22 it says put off verse 22 be be renewed then it says put on in verse 24 we are not commanded for the uh Are not commenced for the believer. They're actually statements of of fact right here It's not command the statements of fact. It says put off be renewed put on Put off the old man be renewed the spirit of your mind and put on the new man That's what God wants us to do. Each of these statements refers to what the Lord did in us when he saved us. We are reminded of what he did so that we can ever step to assure that each of these conditions is an act of reality in our lives. Because let me put it this way, you cannot live the Christian life if you don't die to the old man every day. You have to say no to self every single day. Otherwise, we'd be pleasing our own flesh. You have to say every day, Lord, not me, but you. Lord, not me, but you. Constantly, every single day, we have to do that. Letter A, we say, stop practicing ungodly habits. Look at verse 22. But he put off concerning the form and conversations of the old man, which is corrupt, according to deceitful laws. So the phrase put off means to strip away. It is the image taking the clothes off. Just take them off. Just take it away. Taking the old clothes, all dirty clothes off and put new ones on. That's what happened to us in the moment of salvation. We put off the old man and we put in the new man. which is created after Christ Jesus. So we have nothing new to offer to the world. If we put the old man away, we can offer the world this new man that is created in Christ Jesus. So, the old nature is like a corpse rotting away in the sun. It will stink. It grows more vile, more evil, and more wicked every day if we feed on it. If we allow the old man to grow in us, he's only going to take us to places we don't want to be. so let's feed on the new man on this new year let's feed on the new man and say lord i'm going to live for you not for the world let it be daily renewed your mind in the lord look what it says and be renewed in the spirit of your mind each day spend time in your bible Memorize scripture. Have a devotional time with the Lord. Start your day with prayer and end your day with prayer. Empty your mind of worldly things and saturate your mind in the things of God. I'll tell you what, good Christian music in a workplace. Good Christian music in your car. It builds the minds. A good start in the morning, even if you pray laying down in your bed or if you slip out of the bed and get on your knees and pray, however you do it. But how wonderful it is we wake up first thing in the morning and just, Lord, thank you. that you give me this day. Thank you. You kept me safe through the night. Thank you, Lord, that I'm part of this day. And just talk with the Lord. It could be a 10-minute prayer, it can be a five, it can be a two-minute prayer. However that is, the Lord lives in your heart. But let me tell you, start your day with God. That's how we renew our mind. But don't forget God through the day. That's why it's good to have a devotional time. That's why it's good to have a Bible reading. You know, sometimes, a lot of times I'm driving. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not able to read my Bible because I got to keep my eyes on the road. But I tell you what, I got somebody to read the Bible for me. With a wonderful company all the way to work. You say, yeah, but you're not reading. No, somebody's reading for me. Isn't that nice? You know, I mean, I know Chrissy Hoy goes to where you go to see Jill and Jill is a blind lady and she goes over there once a week and read her story. Jill is not, but Jill gets blessed because of her reading. Same thing, I received the blessing because somebody's reading the Bible to me. If I can't read it because I'm driving then I'm gonna or listen to a good piece of christian music Music that will build you up. We encourage you in a walk of the lord with the lord Listen, you cannot have your pastor with you 24 7 Right, but you can have the presence of the lord with you 24 7. He is in you But you can encourage yourself in the Lord. But oh, I know. Why am I going to memorize scripture for? I'm not going to participate in any, you know, quote scripture in front of anybody. That's not for that. We memorize scripture to enrich our life towards God, because there comes a time on which you going to help somebody or you find yourself somewhere or you in your own life in a situation. I mean, that scripture come right to your mind. And it helps you go through all situations of life. daily renewing your mind of the Lord by listen to the Bible, prayer, listen to the Bible, reading your Bible, memorize scripture, have a devotional time and through the day talk with the Lord. All right I'm not talking with you right now because I'm not talking it's not how it is. Include the Lord in our daily life. You're walking towards a job. Lord, please help me guide my hands and my mind so I can do the best that I can in this job. Oh, but I can't say there's people, there's people around me. You can't say in your own heart and mind, nobody has to listen to what you say. Is our heart in tune with the Lord? That's what it renews our mind. We saturate our mind in the things of God. A lot of times what happens is we forget God throughout the day. We forget Him. Then we go to bed at night and we forget God altogether. Listen, this is what I do and I'm not saying something that I'm not doing. Yes, I read my Bible. Yes, I start my day with prayer. Yes, I memorize scripture. Yes, I listen to the songs of Zion. I do. I have a privilege. I don't know if you have that privilege, those of you who work. If you have that privilege, praise the Lord. But some of us might not have that privilege. I have the privilege of putting a little speaker on and put my music. We have to put it in a way that won't bother anybody else. They do the same thing. But if they come to my desk, that's what they're going to hear. I have Christian music on because if I'm working there, a lot of times I'm not even there, but my music is on in a way that doesn't bother anybody. Same thing. That's the way he is in my job. If you have that privilege, you can, what a blessing it is. If you cannot, that is hard, but I'll tell you what doesn't mean we cannot be in tune with the Lord throughout our day. That's how we renew our mind and the things of God is our mind towards him throughout the day. It makes a better walk for us and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And let me tell you something here for the record. Actually, the Bible says in Romans chapter 2 verse 2, what a great verse, and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that he may prove that which is good and acceptable and perfect will of God. We are to walk each day having our minds renewed by the Word of God, by the Spirit of God. The fact that God literally changed our mind when He saved us, now we have to keep feeding on that so we can be more and more like Jesus. If you can ever get your mind right, your life will never... Let me put it this way. If you can't ever get your mind right, your life will never be right. It's in our thinking that either sets up the right path for life. We even think the ways of God and if our life goes the right way, we can pattern our mind towards the things of the world. Look what the Bible says about this. The Bible encourages us on this. It says, 2 Corinthians 10, verse 5, look what the Bible says about this. It says, casting and throw away, casting down imaginations. and every high thing that exalted itself against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Is God wants us to have a pitiful life? No, God wants to bless us and to help us to enjoy life. Listen, there is evil in this world? Yes. But besides that, let me tell you this, God created a wonderful, beautiful universe for us to enjoy. Isn't it? I mean, we in the Lord, we can live a full life enjoying the goodness of God. It's a passage easy for you to say because you don't have any problems. Come on, we're all grown ups here. All of us have problems, right? That's what we do every day. Isn't that what we do every day? Here's a problem. Here's another problem. Here's another problem. And you solve one, here comes another. Solve one, here comes another. Sometimes that's what people say. I am tired of fighting. Ever heard people say that? I can't. I don't want to do it anymore. They're discouraged. But look what it says again. There's another verse that's a wonderful verse. Look at it. Philippians chapter 4 verse 8. Finally, brethren, Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, look what it says, think on these things. If we think on these things, our mind is at ease and at peace with God. Don't think the worst on other people. Doesn't Jesus ask for us to pray for our enemies and for those who do wrong to us? Is that hard to do? Go like this. Yes, it is. I mean, that's not going to be naive, right? It is hard to pray for those who hurt us. But in the end of the day, when we pray for them and give them to the Lord, we have an inner peace that we cannot explain. God give us that peace. I hope I'm not the only one experiencing that because I tell you what, I don't hold grudges against people. I refuse to do that. You want to talk trash about me? Go ahead and talk. If it fills your belly, just keep going. I'm not going to put up an argument with you. I'm walking the other way and I'll give you to the Lord. see is the choice that we make whatsoever things are true and and and things are honest and and just and and pure and lovely and of good report think on these things let us see life for the new uh for the new look what says uh live for the new i'm sorry uh ephesians 4 24 says and there he put on the new man which after god is created in in righteousness and true holiness if we're going to put Off the old man, don't leave your mind empty. Put the new man in. Feed the new man. All right. I don't have it over here, but let's say if I have a bucket right here full of candy. John was looking at me, where's the candy? You got the bucket full of candy, right? And let's say that candy is bad. and I throw that candy in the garbage, because it's bad. What do I have after? An empty bucket, right? So what am I going to put there? A new candy. Put off the old man, put on the new man, you see? Okay, I'll give you another example. There's a little kid, little kid, learning, you know, like two years old, three years old, they're exploring. That's why we call the crazy twos, because they're exploring, right? You've been there, I've been there. They're exploring and we can stop and they go, they see a receptacle there and they go there. Let's say they go stick a wire in there or a fork in there. And the best thing we can do is patiently is taking their hand out and explain why you should put a thing there. A lot of times that we take it out and say, don't do it. And you know what they're going to do? They're going to go back to it again. They're going to back to it. The same thing. You know what we, if we empty the mind of which is not good, we got to make sure we fill the mind with something else, something good. We got to do that. Otherwise we're going back to the same thing and grab it back again. And the devil also uses that. Okay. That got an empty mind. Let me fill it up. Live for the new. Verse 24. Verse 24. I conclude with this. We have a brand new year ahead of us. Are you ready for it? Yeah, I don't see you. You guys looking at me like, oh, I don't know. Are you ready for it? Yes. Yes. Let's face it, you know. Let's go through it, you know. Are you ready to face it, trusting Jesus to guide us along the way? Yes. You know what I'm going to do this year? I'm going to sit in the passenger seat. Let God, let Jesus do the riding, let him take the steering wheel. And I'm telling you, because when we do that, you know, we give it to the Lord, let the Lord take care of it. Lord, I have this need, this need, this need, this need, this need, this need, give it to the Lord. I'm not going to carry those burners on top of me. Give it to the Lord. He'll carry it for you, God says. Okay. I'm not that important to God. Yes, you are. God loves you and a love that you cannot understand unconditionally. You know what? He loves you so much as you know how many ears you have in your head. He knows how many ears we have. That's how much love he has for us. We are very important. We are a precious treasure to God. That's how much he loves us. So give him the steering wheel, sit in the passenger seat. Some people don't like to drive. How many people like to drive here? Hey, most people like, probably they don't like to drive. Driving is a great privilege, isn't it? But how many times I just want to sit in the passenger seat, let somebody else drive. You know what I'm going to do this year? I'm going to give the steering wheel to the Lord, and I'm going to sit in the passenger seat. When the problems come, Lord, it's the red light coming. Lord, is the caution light yellow? I had a friend many years ago, he said to me one time, what do you do when you come to a yellow light? I said, you prepare to stop. He goes, oh no, you put your foot in the accelerator because your cousin is coming the other way. I'm like, come on, that's not how you do it. He was kidding with me. But you know what? This is me. I'm trying to encourage you, OK? I'm going to sit in the passenger seat and give the steering wheel to the Lord. Give it to Jesus. I hope you want to do the same. Because of all of us is a choice that we make. Jesus, you take the car, take the steering wheel. I'm going to sit down. I want to trust you this new year. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for your word. What a great encouragement we can get from your word. And I pray tonight for my brothers and sisters, pray for them. The different walks of life here, different issues that goes on in people's lives. Lord, you know all of it. But I pray, Lord, for each one of them. Bless them, protect them, watch over them. And Lord, help me as I give the steering wheel to you this year. And Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters. They will have the desire to do the same. In Jesus' name I pray, amen. OK. What song are we singing? If you could stand, please. I'm sorry? Page 490. As we close our service tonight, page 490. Take my life and let it be. Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love, at the impulse of Thy love. Take my feet and let them be Swift and beautiful for Thee Take my voice and let me sing Always, only for my King is only for my king take my lips and let them be filled with messages from thee take my silver and my gold not of my when I withhold, not a mite would I withhold. Take my love, my God, I implore, at Thy feet this treasure store. Take myself and I will be Amen. Actually, the top of the song says, and be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans chapter 12, verse 2. Well, let's encourage one another in this new year. Please, when I'm discouraged, encourage me. When I see you discouraged, I'm going to try my best to encourage you in the ways of the Lord. We need that. We need each other, don't we? We need each other as we go through this new year, day by day, one step at a time. Let's trust the Lord, walk by faith. I think we can do it. Let's pray we'll be dismissed. Heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for the blessing of being in your house today. Thank you, Lord, for the privilege to preach and teach this dear people. And thank you so much, Lord, for their attention and their willingness to want to learn. I pray for each one here tonight and those who are online as well. Lord, bless them. Help them to be a blessing, not only to you, but others as well. Help us to be a light this week to those who don't know you. And help us, Lord, as we serve you, help us that our minds will stay close to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. You are dismissed.