WEBVTT 00:00:00.666 --> 00:00:01.500 Good morning church. 00:00:01.500 --> 00:00:04.099 How are we doing? Morning. 00:00:04.099 --> 00:00:05.033 It's good to be with you. 00:00:05.033 --> 00:00:07.133 Merry Christmas. Happy new year. 00:00:07.133 --> 00:00:08.465 It's good to be with you all. 00:00:08.465 --> 00:00:13.833 I hope you all had a great season and we are prepping for the year 2026. 00:00:13.833 --> 00:00:14.666 Are you crazy? 00:00:14.666 --> 00:00:17.265 That's crazy. 00:00:17.265 --> 00:00:18.899 Unbelievable. 00:00:18.899 --> 00:00:37.633 Yeah, but I hope this morning what I've been tasked to do is to pick up this theme that Pastor John and our staff have been prayerfully sorting through and thinking about, because this is what we believe God is leading us into this, this manner of life, this way of living as we head into 2026. 00:00:37.633 --> 00:00:46.165 So this idea we are going to flesh out and unpack today is the task I've been given, is to set up 2026. 00:00:47.133 --> 00:00:50.165 But here's what I'll say is probably an obvious statement. 00:00:50.165 --> 00:00:59.399 And if it's not, I hope you hear me today that God's will for your life is better than your own will for your life. 00:00:59.399 --> 00:01:05.900 God's plan for 2026 is better than your plan for 2026. 00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:12.566 And so what we're going to unpack today is this simple truth walk by faith. 00:01:12.566 --> 00:01:17.099 We've probably heard that as a Christian, or even as non-Christians, you've probably heard of this reality. 00:01:17.099 --> 00:01:19.332 Walk by faith. What does that mean? 00:01:19.332 --> 00:01:30.000 Well, we're to unpack that today, because one thing that could interrupt God's plan for your life and what he wants to do in your life in 2026 is if you walk by sight. 00:01:30.665 --> 00:01:36.099 So what we're going to do, we're going to unpack this idea, what it means to walk by faith. 00:01:36.365 --> 00:01:41.733 So being the father of two kids, where's my fathers out in the room? 00:01:41.733 --> 00:01:43.299 You are going to know this. 00:01:43.299 --> 00:01:49.099 Being the father of two, there's a special, unique skill that you got to learn. 00:01:49.099 --> 00:01:54.299 And that is learning how to walk in a dark room quietly. 00:01:55.066 --> 00:01:57.200 Y'all know what I mean, right? 00:01:57.200 --> 00:02:05.066 And when you're getting a baby down for bed or a nap, there's some skills you have to know. 00:02:05.066 --> 00:02:06.566 Y'all catch what I'm saying? 00:02:06.566 --> 00:02:08.133 So you have to feed the baby. 00:02:08.133 --> 00:02:09.133 You have to rock the baby. 00:02:09.133 --> 00:02:22.265 Sometimes you got to pass pace back and forth to and fro to make sure that the baby calms down and settles down, and then you have to get the baby down into the crib softly without disturbing. 00:02:22.265 --> 00:02:28.800 And then you have to walk out of the room in such a way, quietly, without disturbing the baby. 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:32.765 It's a hard task if you never had to do it just wait. 00:02:32.765 --> 00:02:35.599 You can come over to my house and try any time. Okay? 00:02:36.900 --> 00:02:41.400 But I was horrible at this when I first became a dad. 00:02:41.400 --> 00:02:45.665 And even with Ezra, our second, I've had trouble with him. 00:02:45.665 --> 00:02:51.133 And part of the reason is, you know, with Ezra, we're in a newer home when we had him. 00:02:51.133 --> 00:02:59.665 And so navigating furniture and, you know, those squeaks in the floor or the cracking in the floorboards, you know, that make these horrible sounds on? 00:02:59.665 --> 00:03:01.032 If you have a house like that, we do. 00:03:01.032 --> 00:03:04.500 But it's sometimes hard to get out of the room without disturbing the baby. 00:03:04.500 --> 00:03:06.432 And so it's it's kind of funny. 00:03:06.432 --> 00:03:15.366 But this unique skill, I think, is important because sometimes we have to be able to walk without seeing. 00:03:15.366 --> 00:03:18.665 And so what we're going to unpack today is this idea--now would you follow me? 00:03:18.665 --> 00:03:26.265 You will have confidence and a joyful contentment when you walk by faith. 00:03:27.466 --> 00:03:35.733 Two things we're going to see in our passage this morning in Second Corinthians chapter five, we're to unpack verses six through ten. 00:03:36.300 --> 00:03:50.432 And what we're going to discover is these two ideas how we can walk by faith in the result of those of that is to have a confidence and also a joyful contentment. 00:03:51.300 --> 00:03:59.665 Now, what that means for your life is going to vary because of what God is calling you to, specifically in the year 2026. 00:03:59.966 --> 00:04:06.665 Certainly we're all called to follow Jesus, but when we talk about walking by faith, that's going to look different for everybody. 00:04:06.665 --> 00:04:16.766 So here's what I want for you and for me this morning is I want you to think, what is God calling me to do in 2026? 00:04:17.733 --> 00:04:23.699 How is God going to call me to walk by faith in 2026? 00:04:23.699 --> 00:04:28.699 I hope by the time that you are on your way home today, you have a start. 00:04:29.632 --> 00:04:31.833 You have a starting place. 00:04:31.833 --> 00:04:40.899 Because what I want for you, what our staff Pastor John wants for Valley View, is that in the year of 2026, we're going to walk by faith according to God's will. 00:04:40.899 --> 00:04:44.000 And God's plan and not according to our own. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:45.333 Amen. 00:04:45.333 --> 00:04:48.665 So we're unpack that this morning in Second Corinthians chapter five, verse six. 00:04:48.665 --> 00:04:55.699 So if you will look with me in second Corinthians chapter five, verse six, this is a New Testament book. 00:04:55.699 --> 00:04:58.632 If you see first Corinthians, turn the next book over. 00:04:58.632 --> 00:05:03.100 Paul is writing to a church in the city of Corinth. 00:05:03.766 --> 00:05:05.065 Now this. 00:05:05.065 --> 00:05:08.165 This is the second letter he's wrote to and probably maybe even the third. 00:05:08.165 --> 00:05:11.699 And he's writing to them, encouraging them amidst a difficult season. 00:05:11.699 --> 00:05:14.333 And this is what he says in verse six. 00:05:14.333 --> 00:05:21.932 So we that is the church believers, that we are always of good courage. 00:05:23.132 --> 00:05:26.733 This idea of good courage can mean confident. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:31.932 To be of good courage is to have a confidence in something. 00:05:31.932 --> 00:05:33.833 Well, what is that something? 00:05:33.833 --> 00:05:43.565 Well, the verse right before this, in verse five, Paul says that God has given us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee. 00:05:44.632 --> 00:05:50.733 The Holy Spirit is given to you and me as a guarantee of our inheritance of our salvation. 00:05:50.733 --> 00:05:56.466 And catch this of our future resurrection, that God promises us. 00:05:56.500 --> 00:05:58.899 So he says we can be of good courage. 00:05:58.899 --> 00:06:00.300 We can have confidence. 00:06:00.300 --> 00:06:02.766 We can have a surety. Why? 00:06:02.766 --> 00:06:05.766 Because the Holy Spirit was given to us. 00:06:06.365 --> 00:06:09.266 He's the guarantee of what is to come. 00:06:09.266 --> 00:06:11.632 No matter what we're dealing with right now, here's what we do. 00:06:11.632 --> 00:06:15.132 Know that one day we will be raised from the dead. 00:06:15.132 --> 00:06:21.132 So you and I, if you're a believer, if you've trusted in Christ, you can have confidence this morning that the future is taken care of. 00:06:21.132 --> 00:06:24.932 And God has the pen of the story of your life in his hand. 00:06:24.932 --> 00:06:26.132 We can have confidence. 00:06:26.132 --> 00:06:27.800 We can be of good courage. 00:06:27.800 --> 00:06:33.199 But notice too, what Paul says. He says always. 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:38.333 He doesn't just say, we can be of good courage, but we can always be of good courage. 00:06:39.665 --> 00:06:43.500 Here's some helpful, helpful thought today. 00:06:43.500 --> 00:07:00.000 Whatever you're dealing with in your life right now, that one day all of that is going to be done away with and you will get to be with God in Christ forever, without pain, without suffering if you've trusted in Jesus. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.033 Talk about confidence. 00:07:02.033 --> 00:07:05.233 I can face anything knowing that my future is taken care of. 00:07:05.233 --> 00:07:08.300 So he says, always we can have this. 00:07:09.533 --> 00:07:24.632 But he kind of unpacks this a little bit because he explains kind of the situation we're in, the tension that we're living in because he says, we know that while we're at home in the body, we are away from the Lord. 00:07:24.632 --> 00:07:28.865 Meaning, while we're here on Earth, this is our temporary home. 00:07:28.865 --> 00:07:30.932 We're not with God. 00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:32.333 Now. 00:07:32.333 --> 00:07:36.899 The Bible does tells us that the Lord will never leave us or forsake us. 00:07:36.899 --> 00:07:40.233 The Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit dwells in us if we've trusted in Christ. 00:07:40.233 --> 00:07:42.733 So in a way, God's always with us. 00:07:42.733 --> 00:07:46.533 But there's also something different here. 00:07:46.533 --> 00:07:55.365 We're not fully or completely in God's presence yet, but there is something missing that we can't say about heaven. 00:07:55.365 --> 00:07:57.199 So there's this tension. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:08:02.432 We're on this earth now, and we're not fully and completely in the presence of God. 00:08:02.432 --> 00:08:15.065 So this is what he says in verse seven that we need to walk by faith, not by the opposite of that is sight. 00:08:15.300 --> 00:08:19.365 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 00:08:19.365 --> 00:08:23.165 He kind of puts these two things in contrast to one another. 00:08:24.132 --> 00:08:36.832 When we walk by faith, we're going to unpack exactly what that means is we're not going based off of what we can see or observe, or what our logic or our reasoning can tell us. 00:08:36.966 --> 00:08:44.466 You're not living based off of your own power, your own strength, your own planning, your own scheming, your own purpose. 00:08:44.466 --> 00:08:49.133 Walking by faith is saying, I'm trusting God, not myself. 00:08:50.832 --> 00:08:59.066 And so for this, you need to think am I walking by faith or am I walking by sight? 00:09:00.466 --> 00:09:09.365 Now this idea of walk if you know other parts of Scripture, if you've read the Bible, this idea of walk doesn't mean I'm literally walking. 00:09:09.365 --> 00:09:12.932 Instead, what Paul's saying here is living. 00:09:13.200 --> 00:09:15.066 It's another way to say how I am living. 00:09:15.066 --> 00:09:17.533 It's a manner of life. 00:09:17.533 --> 00:09:26.566 So when we talk about walking by faith, Paul's talking about something in how we're called to live the manner of life where we're living. 00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:30.899 So I want to give us a working definition here. Okay? 00:09:30.899 --> 00:09:32.166 This isn't perfect. 00:09:32.166 --> 00:09:36.399 I don't say this is, but this is pulling from this scripture and other scriptures. 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:38.799 Paul says elsewhere to walk by the spirit. 00:09:38.799 --> 00:09:40.566 You've probably heard that as well. 00:09:40.566 --> 00:09:45.666 But this is this is kind of a working definition that I'm, that I'm pulling from this verse. Are you ready? 00:09:45.666 --> 00:09:51.500 Walking by faith is living your life, trusting in God. 00:09:52.466 --> 00:09:53.533 And here's the catch. 00:09:53.533 --> 00:10:11.365 Even when you cannot see the outcome, even when what I see and what I notice around me, even though that is unclear, I'm still going to trust God in this situation. 00:10:12.432 --> 00:10:14.066 Now, this is also important. 00:10:14.066 --> 00:10:17.932 Walking by faith is not something that you did. 00:10:18.365 --> 00:10:20.765 It's not something that I did it that one time. 00:10:20.765 --> 00:10:22.700 Now I'm good for the rest of my life. 00:10:22.700 --> 00:10:28.832 Walking by faith is an ongoing daily walk with Christ. 00:10:29.500 --> 00:10:32.299 To walk by faith is to keep going. 00:10:32.299 --> 00:10:47.865 So this shouldn't just be something we point to that we did in the past, but it's something that we should be on going and doing into the future, present and future. So for you, are you walking by faith today? 00:10:48.633 --> 00:10:59.765 Are you walking by faith with your finances, even though you don't know if you're going to be be able to pay your bills next month? 00:10:59.765 --> 00:11:06.399 Are you walking by faith with your finances, even though you're not quite sure what the outcome is going to be at the end of the month? 00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:10.066 Are you walking by faith with your health? 00:11:10.066 --> 00:11:11.899 I don't know what this problem is. 00:11:11.899 --> 00:11:20.299 I don't know why I'm experiencing this health issue, but are you going to walk by faith trusting that God's purpose and plan is still in play here? 00:11:20.633 --> 00:11:29.765 Are you going to walk by faith when it means I got to share the gospel with my coworker or my family member, or the person that I interact with on a on a daily basis? 00:11:29.765 --> 00:11:36.066 Am I going to walk by faith in that, even though I'm not sure how they're going to react, how they're going to respond? 00:11:36.066 --> 00:11:38.332 And if God's going to speak through me in that moment. 00:11:39.666 --> 00:11:52.066 College student students are, are you going to walk by faith in your career where you want to go in your life, even though what you want is not what God wants for your life? 00:11:52.732 --> 00:11:53.533 Because it's true. 00:11:53.533 --> 00:12:02.200 We can come up with a plan that we think is right, but then God says, no, I want you to go this way. 00:12:02.765 --> 00:12:06.765 Walking by faith says, all right, God, I'm not going to go this way. 00:12:06.765 --> 00:12:09.166 I'm going to go your way. 00:12:09.166 --> 00:12:14.166 Even though this looks easier, even though this looks better, even though this is the easier path. 00:12:14.166 --> 00:12:15.765 Does that make sense? 00:12:15.765 --> 00:12:20.365 I'm going to walk by faith despite what I see. 00:12:20.932 --> 00:12:24.500 And so Paul unpacks this a little bit in the verses prior. 00:12:24.500 --> 00:12:44.066 So if you look in chapter four and verse 18, just a couple verses before this, Paul says, as we look not to the things that are unseen, but to the things that are, let me when we read that again, we look not at the things that are seen, but to the things that are unseen. 00:12:44.365 --> 00:12:47.000 For the things that are seen are transient. 00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:53.066 They're going away, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 00:12:54.100 --> 00:13:04.265 So consider this for yourself is your life being directed by things that you see or things that you don't see? 00:13:04.265 --> 00:13:05.633 It's kind of counterintuitive. 00:13:05.633 --> 00:13:07.000 Is it not? 00:13:07.000 --> 00:13:17.865 He says this in verse one of chapter five that the chapter that we're in in this morning, he says, for we know that if the tent that is our earthly home, that's our body, this tent is destroyed. 00:13:17.865 --> 00:13:22.932 We have a building from God, a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. 00:13:24.133 --> 00:13:28.566 So even if this body, even if this world was destroyed, you know what? 00:13:28.566 --> 00:13:35.066 We still have a house, a kingdom in heaven that will never be destroyed. 00:13:35.332 --> 00:13:40.066 So it has to be asked the question. 00:13:40.299 --> 00:13:42.299 Are you walking by faith? 00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:43.533 Are you walking by the things? 00:13:43.533 --> 00:13:48.100 And your life is directed and playing by the things that you see? 00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:50.799 Because here's the danger to this. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:14:00.066 When you see with your what do you see with your eyes can distract you from what God can do through your faith. 00:14:00.466 --> 00:14:02.832 I'll say that again. 00:14:02.832 --> 00:14:09.732 What you see with your eyes can distract you from what God can do through your faith. 00:14:10.100 --> 00:14:21.865 Meaning, if your decisions, your life choices are all decided based off of what you think, what you believe is best according to your plan, and even in the short term, immediate. 00:14:21.865 --> 00:14:33.832 If your life is all based off of what you see, how you observe, and you're making decisions based off of your your reasoning and logic that can distract you from what God really wants in your life. 00:14:35.732 --> 00:14:37.200 Excuse me. 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:40.100 Now, I would never say, don't use your brain. 00:14:40.100 --> 00:14:43.100 That's not what I'm saying. 00:14:43.332 --> 00:14:50.899 But I'm saying is walking by faith is trusting in God even amidst the things that don't make sense. 00:14:51.033 --> 00:14:54.799 Y'all know the famous musician Stevie Wonder. 00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:57.399 Hopefully Stevie Wonder is still alive. 00:14:57.399 --> 00:15:03.000 I think he's in his 70s, but Stevie Wonder is an incredible musician, incredible musician. 00:15:03.000 --> 00:15:08.666 He plays multiple instruments, is influenced music on a grand scale. 00:15:09.332 --> 00:15:15.133 But he has an interesting quote because, excuse me, he was born blind. 00:15:15.500 --> 00:15:16.365 At six weeks old. 00:15:16.365 --> 00:15:19.365 He was diagnosed as completely blind. 00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:21.966 And he's lived with this in his entire life. 00:15:21.966 --> 00:15:26.666 And he could have easily said, you know, I can't do anything with my life. 00:15:26.666 --> 00:15:29.732 But despite being blind, he became an incredible musician. 00:15:30.732 --> 00:15:31.799 And look at this quote for a minute. 00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:33.133 I think it's helpful for us today. 00:15:33.133 --> 00:15:35.500 This is what Stevie Wonder said. 00:15:35.500 --> 00:15:42.166 Just because a man lacks the use of his eyes doesn't mean he lacks vision. 00:15:42.265 --> 00:15:50.166 I love that just because he can't see doesn't mean he can't have a vision for his life and where he's headed. 00:15:50.166 --> 00:15:54.832 See, there's physical sight, but there's vision too. 00:15:55.100 --> 00:16:01.066 And what Paul would say is we don't live and operate by what we physically see. 00:16:01.066 --> 00:16:11.332 We primarily would walk by our faith, and sometimes it might even be better if we were blind because we wouldn't be distracted by the trials. 00:16:11.332 --> 00:16:15.299 By the things that are intimidating, the things that are scary. 00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:18.332 And yet we still walk by faith. 00:16:18.332 --> 00:16:20.365 So we get to this point that I think is helpful. 00:16:21.966 --> 00:16:29.765 The direction of your life should be determined more by your faith than by your sight. 00:16:31.265 --> 00:16:36.365 Faith should direct your life more than what you can come up with. 00:16:38.166 --> 00:16:45.500 From the big moments, from the big choices to the small, that our life should be directed by what? 00:16:45.633 --> 00:16:49.666 By our faith and not by our reasoning. 00:16:49.666 --> 00:16:52.666 Does that make sense? 00:16:52.832 --> 00:17:00.765 So here's our point tonight or this morning, we need to walk by faith, not by sight. 00:17:00.765 --> 00:17:03.232 I don't need to reinvent the wheel here. 00:17:03.232 --> 00:17:05.066 It's good enough. 00:17:05.066 --> 00:17:08.066 Walk by faith, not by sight. 00:17:10.465 --> 00:17:25.833 Because I think too for your 2026 God may have a huge, incredible plan for your life in this year coming year, but it may require some suffering. 00:17:26.133 --> 00:17:29.200 It may require some trials, some difficulties. 00:17:30.532 --> 00:17:42.266 But with all that said, wouldn't it be better to suffer in God's plan than to just be delighting in your own plan and to settle for what you can come up with. 00:17:42.266 --> 00:17:50.165 But this year, God has a plan for your life, for your ultimate good. 00:17:50.932 --> 00:17:54.932 And I would encourage you, what does that look like? 00:17:54.932 --> 00:18:00.266 And how can you walk by faith this year to what God wants and not what you want? 00:18:00.266 --> 00:18:03.099 12. 00:18:03.099 --> 00:18:05.700 This is the first letter that Paul wrote, but it's a helpful verse. 00:18:05.700 --> 00:18:10.000 You may have heard it before, but Paul is at the end of the letter and he's saying a few things. 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:19.566 He says, for now we see in a mirror dimly, in other words, looking into a mirror, and I can't fully see what God is doing. 00:18:19.566 --> 00:18:21.232 I can't fully know God. 00:18:23.465 --> 00:18:29.299 But later, then, face to face. 00:18:30.365 --> 00:18:39.365 Now, one day we will have sight and we will see what exactly God was doing all this time, he says, now I know in part. 00:18:39.365 --> 00:18:45.965 But then I shall know fully, even as I've been fully known. 00:18:45.965 --> 00:18:48.799 He's giving us this picture right now. 00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:57.232 We have to walk by faith, but soon we will get to see God face to face in all that he has done. 00:18:57.232 --> 00:19:03.000 So if I can put it this way, the present duty of every Christian is faith. 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:07.465 Right now you and I are called to walk by faith. 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:13.633 But if I could encourage you with something one day, our future reward is what we will get to see. 00:19:13.633 --> 00:19:15.365 We'll get to see God. 00:19:15.365 --> 00:19:18.965 We'll get to see all the fruition of his plan and what he was doing all this time. 00:19:18.965 --> 00:19:20.200 But now it's the hard part. 00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:21.000 It's the in-between. 00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:25.865 It's the tension that we have to walk by faith and not by sight. 00:19:27.365 --> 00:19:27.932 Let's go on here. 00:19:27.932 --> 00:19:37.032 The next verse in our in our passage, it says in verse eight, yes, we are of good courage. 00:19:37.032 --> 00:19:38.299 He brings this idea up again. 00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:44.766 It's the second time, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 00:19:44.766 --> 00:19:48.833 So again, he draws this, this difference. 00:19:48.833 --> 00:20:13.032 And with this we should have great courage and confidence again, that we should have a courageous spirit about us, that even though we may face difficulty and trials and tribulations and pain and suffering, that we can say, I have confidence that God will come through. 00:20:14.465 --> 00:20:23.432 So right now the tension is this that I would rather be away from the earth and to go be home with God. 00:20:23.766 --> 00:20:25.833 Do you kind of pick up what Paul is saying? 00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:33.732 I, I would rather die to go home and be with God. 00:20:35.066 --> 00:20:38.432 That's a hard thing to to say and even think about. 00:20:38.432 --> 00:20:43.266 Like, I would rather die now so I can go be home with God. 00:20:43.266 --> 00:20:47.333 But here's what I think Paul's kind of drawing on. 00:20:47.833 --> 00:21:00.400 Excuse me that when you walk by faith, knowing your future eternity, you become content with death itself. 00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:06.500 That even the reality of death doesn't faze you. 00:21:06.965 --> 00:21:10.633 Now, this is not Paul saying I want to die. 00:21:10.633 --> 00:21:13.633 I want to suffer. 00:21:13.965 --> 00:21:18.200 What this means is, if death is how I get to God. 00:21:18.200 --> 00:21:20.599 I'm okay with this. 00:21:20.599 --> 00:21:21.865 I'm okay in this life. 00:21:21.865 --> 00:21:24.532 If I can walk by faith not knowing what's next. 00:21:24.532 --> 00:21:30.066 And if death is going to happen to me, I'm content knowing that where I'm going is with God. 00:21:31.965 --> 00:21:35.465 What an incredible faith that requires. 00:21:35.732 --> 00:21:44.965 I don't know if I would have the faith in the moment that I know that death was approaching me, that I can just say I'm content, but Paul is in this place where he can. 00:21:45.133 --> 00:21:52.365 This is the beautiful part that when we walk by faith, not even death can break that confidence in us. 00:21:53.432 --> 00:22:04.333 And if death can’t break our confidence, neither can financial struggles, relational struggles, difficult choices that you're going to have to make. 00:22:04.333 --> 00:22:10.432 Because if God is taking care of death, what else is everything else? 00:22:11.232 --> 00:22:13.865 He goes on here in verse nine. 00:22:13.865 --> 00:22:29.599 So whether we are at home or away, meaning whether we die or whether we go home or whether we stay on earth, here is Paul's aim for his life. 00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:37.732 We make it our aim to what this is important church to please him. 00:22:37.732 --> 00:22:45.665 We make it our aim to please him, meaning whatever happens to me, it can be death itself. 00:22:45.665 --> 00:22:52.165 And yet my aim is still to please God. 00:22:53.833 --> 00:23:01.833 Would you say today that the main goal of your life is to please God? 00:23:03.165 --> 00:23:18.000 And no matter what happens to me in life or in death, in trial, or in the good times, my my purpose and my aim is to please God. 00:23:20.299 --> 00:23:31.000 That should be our aim, because the aim for every Christian should be to please God with their whole lives. 00:23:31.133 --> 00:23:32.232 That should be our aim. 00:23:32.232 --> 00:23:36.032 That should be our focus, that should be the direction of our life. 00:23:36.032 --> 00:23:38.266 I want to please God no matter what happens to me. 00:23:38.266 --> 00:23:40.500 So you know what it means to walk by faith. 00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:51.633 It means that I'm going to strive to please God no matter what has happened to me, how my health is doing, how my finances are doing, how my relationships are doing. 00:23:51.932 --> 00:23:56.732 I'm going to strive to please God in whatever way that I can. 00:23:58.566 --> 00:24:03.566 Yesterday, I visited one of our members in the hospital. 00:24:03.566 --> 00:24:14.732 They've been there for about a week, and they've been struggling because they have a health issue that they don't know what is the problem. 00:24:14.766 --> 00:24:26.232 And some of you may have been in that that scenario, in that situation, and not knowing what's wrong with you is a terrible thought, especially when it's debilitating because it's church member. 00:24:26.232 --> 00:24:32.633 They can't even get out of bed hardly another part of this is that they're completely healthy. 00:24:32.633 --> 00:24:35.633 All the tests are saying they're fine. 00:24:35.799 --> 00:24:39.700 Several months ago, they were running marathons and now they're debilitated. 00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:40.299 They can't move. 00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:44.766 And so despite what the tests say, despite all these things, they can't figure out the problem. 00:24:44.766 --> 00:24:53.032 And so you can imagine the stress and the concern and the frustration and the anxiety that comes along with that. 00:24:53.032 --> 00:24:59.133 But even in meeting with them yesterday and just sitting down and talking with them. 00:24:59.633 --> 00:25:07.965 Their attitude, this person's attitude is this I don't know what's going on, but I'm going to walk by faith. 00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:10.465 I don't know why. 00:25:10.465 --> 00:25:12.900 I don't know what. 00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:16.665 Here's even tougher when I don't know when. 00:25:16.665 --> 00:25:19.400 But I'm going to walk by faith. 00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:21.465 Why? 00:25:21.465 --> 00:25:26.833 Because I know that God is going to work it out. 00:25:27.165 --> 00:25:30.633 And when you walk by faith, you know what you do. 00:25:30.633 --> 00:25:41.599 You please God that even when it's difficult, I'm going to please God with how I respond, how I speak, how I act, how I make my choices. 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:44.133 I'm going to please God because I'm going to walk by faith. 00:25:46.766 --> 00:25:49.032 Because here's the truth. 00:25:49.032 --> 00:25:57.133 6 brings this to light, and without faith, it's impossible to please him. 00:25:58.432 --> 00:26:00.500 Do you hear me? 00:26:00.500 --> 00:26:04.500 Without faith, it is impossible to please God. 00:26:05.432 --> 00:26:10.566 If I don't have faith in God, I can't please him. 00:26:10.566 --> 00:26:14.400 Now you're probably thinking, how does that work out? 00:26:14.833 --> 00:26:17.400 Well, let's look at it for this in this way. 00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:27.766 Say, I asked one of my kids from my my daughter or my daughter comes up to me and she she asked, daddy, I want to play a game with you. 00:26:29.032 --> 00:26:32.566 And I say, great, sweetheart, but do me something first. 00:26:32.566 --> 00:26:36.965 Can you go to your room, clean it up, get it straightened up. 00:26:36.965 --> 00:26:40.400 So when we go to play our game, there's not a bunch of mess around right? 00:26:42.133 --> 00:26:46.865 So you can imagine what a young kid might do. 00:26:47.766 --> 00:26:52.232 What you would, might do is an anger stomp. 00:26:52.232 --> 00:26:58.232 March back to the room and start picking up the room with anger and bitterness in her heart. 00:26:58.799 --> 00:27:06.500 Now, let me tell you, as a father, is that pleasing to me that she would respond and obey. 00:27:06.500 --> 00:27:09.200 Obey me that way. 00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:11.932 No. 00:27:11.932 --> 00:27:17.232 Because here's what can happen we can sinfully obey God. 00:27:17.566 --> 00:27:18.566 Catch what I'm saying. 00:27:18.566 --> 00:27:24.400 We can sinfully obey God when we obey out of obligation. 00:27:24.965 --> 00:27:27.633 I'm obeying God because I have to. 00:27:27.633 --> 00:27:29.932 God, I hate this, I don't, I don't like this. 00:27:29.932 --> 00:27:35.266 I'm doing it and I'm angry and I'm bitter and I've got resentment. 00:27:35.266 --> 00:27:42.133 23 says, anything not done in faith is sin. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:51.432 So yes, we can externally obey God and do it with an angry, bitter, resentful attitude. 00:27:52.965 --> 00:27:55.799 And that's not walking by faith. 00:27:55.799 --> 00:27:58.465 Walking by faith, says God. 00:27:58.465 --> 00:28:00.299 I don't know why you want me to do this. 00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:06.465 I don't know why you're calling me to do this, but with joy, I'm still going to go do it. 00:28:06.465 --> 00:28:15.665 I don't understand, I don't know why I can't understand why you have me in this situation, but I'm still going to walk by faith, even though I can't fully understand it. 00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:20.932 And listen, I've done this. 00:28:20.932 --> 00:28:24.732 I have tried to do things on obeying God. 00:28:24.732 --> 00:28:32.432 But. But reality is, I was sinning in my heart because I really didn't want to do what God called me to do. 00:28:32.432 --> 00:28:37.232 I want to do what I want to do, but I'm just going to do it because I have to. 00:28:39.066 --> 00:28:45.833 But what if in 2026, we walk by faith not because we have to, but because we want to? 00:28:46.633 --> 00:28:49.633 Talk about pleasing your father. 00:28:50.833 --> 00:28:55.465 And if I can say it this way, pleasing God. 00:28:55.465 --> 00:29:04.465 It's not about earning heaven, it's about bringing delight to him. 00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:05.965 You pleasing God. 00:29:05.965 --> 00:29:08.266 It's not about I've got to appease God. 00:29:08.266 --> 00:29:11.732 I got to do all of these things that God likes me. 00:29:12.566 --> 00:29:16.165 No pleasing God is about. 00:29:16.165 --> 00:29:21.365 I want to bring delight and joy to God with my life. 00:29:21.365 --> 00:29:27.665 I want to live my life in such a sacrificial way that it brings joy and delight to God. 00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:33.299 So I got to ask. 00:29:33.532 --> 00:29:37.932 Is that how you're walking today? 00:29:38.133 --> 00:29:52.965 Let's wrap it up here in our last verse, second Corinthians five, verse ten says, for we must appear all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. 00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:56.700 Why do we all need to appear before the judgment seat of Christ? 00:29:56.700 --> 00:30:06.700 He says, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 00:30:07.532 --> 00:30:10.532 It's kind of a scary reality. 00:30:10.766 --> 00:30:20.599 Now, one day we will stand before our Lord and Savior Jesus, and we will give an account for our life. 00:30:22.900 --> 00:30:28.633 And we will receive as what he says, what is due to him. 00:30:28.633 --> 00:30:31.465 Well, I put that in English layman's terms. 00:30:31.465 --> 00:30:34.465 What he deserves. 00:30:36.532 --> 00:30:43.465 So if I can say it this way, your actions today have eternal consequences. 00:30:45.099 --> 00:30:53.665 How you act today has eternal consequences, and that could be for good or for evil. 00:30:56.766 --> 00:31:12.266 And here's a beautiful thing about this that if you're a believer, if you're a Christian, if you're walking by faith that you will be rewarded in heaven and how you live now impacts that reward. 00:31:13.200 --> 00:31:17.232 That your life counts. It matters. 00:31:19.066 --> 00:31:22.799 So listen, we should aim to please God. 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:24.532 And here's why. 00:31:24.532 --> 00:31:29.532 Because one day we will receive a reward. 00:31:30.232 --> 00:31:32.333 I want to be careful here. 00:31:32.333 --> 00:31:37.700 This does not mean that we can work and do good enough to earn heaven. 00:31:37.732 --> 00:31:40.500 This does not mean that I can earn my salvation. 00:31:40.500 --> 00:31:43.865 This does not mean I have to work for God to accept me in heaven. 00:31:43.865 --> 00:31:45.965 This is not what that means. 00:31:45.965 --> 00:31:47.599 The Bible refutes this all over the place. 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:52.032 In fact, Ephesians two eight for by grace you have been saved. 00:31:52.032 --> 00:31:55.766 Through faith you're saved by your faith, not by your works. 00:31:55.766 --> 00:32:00.700 He says in verse nine, not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. 00:32:02.665 --> 00:32:18.532 But here's what he says in verse ten for we believers, we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. 00:32:18.532 --> 00:32:19.500 So you know what that means. 00:32:19.500 --> 00:32:23.900 You're saved by grace, but now you are working from that grace. 00:32:25.032 --> 00:32:33.333 You're living a life that's pleasing to him and making the world a better place so that God gets the glory no matter what you're going through. 00:32:33.900 --> 00:32:35.799 And in that, I'm not walking by sight. 00:32:35.799 --> 00:32:36.766 I'm walking by faith. 00:32:36.766 --> 00:32:39.365 No matter what comes my way. 00:32:39.365 --> 00:32:41.799 So here's your second point this morning. 00:32:41.799 --> 00:32:48.365 Find joyful contentment in pleasing God. 00:32:48.365 --> 00:32:59.333 I pray for you this year, in 2026, that you would have a joyful contentment that no matter the circumstance in your life, you can have joy. Why? 00:33:01.900 --> 00:33:05.066 Because God is taking care of your future. 00:33:05.066 --> 00:33:07.465 And in doing that, you know what you do. 00:33:07.465 --> 00:33:15.833 You please your father, that you are walking by faith, even though it doesn't make sense, even though it doesn't come naturally. 00:33:15.833 --> 00:33:23.766 You're walking by faith, even though what you see says not to, that you still trust God. 00:33:23.766 --> 00:33:30.965 So a challenge for us this morning is this how do you plan to walk by faith this next year? 00:33:30.965 --> 00:33:33.566 So my wife and I, we got together. 00:33:33.566 --> 00:33:38.965 We prayerfully considered what we were going to do as a family and how we were going to walk by faith this year. 00:33:38.965 --> 00:33:47.633 And so we thought about it even, this week we started writing stuff down because once you write it down, it becomes serious, doesn't it? 00:33:47.633 --> 00:33:48.432 So we thought about it. 00:33:48.432 --> 00:33:52.032 What is the Flowers family going to do for 2026? 00:33:52.032 --> 00:33:55.133 I give you a little sneak peek just because it might be helpful for you all. 00:33:55.133 --> 00:33:59.900 But if you as an individual or you as a family, here's what we are going to strive to do in 2026. 00:33:59.900 --> 00:34:06.865 We want to walk by faith by giving God more of our attention. 00:34:07.799 --> 00:34:11.965 This year, we want to give God more of our attention and more of our time. 00:34:11.965 --> 00:34:21.900 And so we're going to walk by faith, trusting God with our time, with our attention, even though everything else tells us to give it somewhere else. 00:34:23.233 --> 00:34:24.166 For you, it might be. 00:34:24.166 --> 00:34:30.865 I want to walk by faith with my finances this year whether you have a lot or a little, I'm going to trust God. 00:34:30.865 --> 00:34:39.865 But I'm going to give knowing that God is going to take care of our bills at the end of the month, I'm going to give challenging God that God I'm going to give. 00:34:39.865 --> 00:34:43.865 And I pray that you still pay for my bills the end of the month. 00:34:43.865 --> 00:34:48.365 I'm going to walk by faith with that family member that I know is not a believer. 00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:52.065 I know they're not a believer, but you know what I'm going to do? 00:34:52.065 --> 00:34:58.632 I'm going to walk by faith, and I'm going to engage them with the gospel in a loving, joyful, truthful way. 00:34:59.199 --> 00:35:05.132 And I'm going to trust that when I do, you're going to speak whatever this looks like for you. 00:35:05.132 --> 00:35:10.766 This is why walking by faith in 2026, you need to make it your own. 00:35:10.932 --> 00:35:12.599 For some of you, that might be, you know what? 00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:17.865 I'm going to prayerfully consider who I'm going to invite to Easter this year. 00:35:19.065 --> 00:35:23.333 And you know what God can do with that faith? 00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:26.132 He can grow a church. 00:35:26.132 --> 00:35:27.965 You know what God can do with that faith? 00:35:27.965 --> 00:35:30.965 He can lead others to know Christ. 00:35:31.465 --> 00:35:33.333 You know what God can do with that faith? 00:35:33.333 --> 00:35:36.632 He can get you through the worst of circumstances. 00:35:37.666 --> 00:35:40.599 No matter what you're dealing with. 00:35:40.599 --> 00:35:42.833 So this year, what is that going to look like for your family? 00:35:42.833 --> 00:35:44.132 So here's what I would like for you to do. 00:35:44.132 --> 00:35:47.532 Take this as you're going home, begin processing. 00:35:47.532 --> 00:35:53.632 What am I what is my family going to do in 2026 to walk by faith with God? 00:35:53.632 --> 00:35:55.833 Let's pray. 00:35:55.833 --> 00:35:58.333 Well, thank you for your word. 00:35:58.333 --> 00:36:04.532 I thank you for the written truth and the testimony that Paul gives here. 00:36:05.166 --> 00:36:16.565 We know God that life is difficult in all the various ways, and all the various things that we go through. Life is difficult. 00:36:16.565 --> 00:36:22.065 It's full of trials and pain and suffering and anxiety and worry and doubt. 00:36:24.365 --> 00:36:41.432 But God, if we can remind ourselves this morning, what's your what's your word tells us that if we walk by faith, you will give us a confidence and a joyful contentment to face every situation. 00:36:42.500 --> 00:36:53.800 But I pray, father, specifically for for our church family here and for those who are, who are, who are coming, maybe for the first time this Sunday that we would pause and consider, how am I? 00:36:53.800 --> 00:36:57.965 How is my family going to walk by faith this next year? 00:36:58.365 --> 00:37:11.400 God, I pray that you would empower them, that you would give them wisdom, that you would shape their their thoughts and their desires around your Word so that what happens in 2026 is your will and not theirs. 00:37:12.733 --> 00:37:19.766 And I pray God that it would be pleasing to you, that it would glorify you, and that it would satisfy us. 00:37:20.800 --> 00:37:22.599 God, we pray this in Jesus name. 00:37:22.599 --> 00:37:22.965 Amen.