Mineral Springs Church of Christ Podcast
Mineral Springs Church of Christ Podcast
First Things First
The clock won’t magically fix what last year left behind—but a God-first start can. We trace Noah’s journey from a flooded world to dry ground and discover why he built an altar before building a home. After a year and ten days inside the ark, he stepped out with grief, questions, and responsibility pressing in. The land looked dry, yet he waited a month and twenty-seven more days for God’s word to move. That tension—between what feels ready and what is right—is where a wise new year begins.
We unpack how worship orders your life better than any spreadsheet, why gratitude is more than a mood, and how to practice patience without drifting into passive delay. From Genesis 7–8 to Psalm 37 and Matthew 6, we connect ancient wisdom to modern choices: budgets, career shifts, relationships, and the ache of unfinished stories. You’ll hear a candid reminder that blessings follow alignment, not anxiety, and that the best year spiritually often becomes the best year practically. Fewer rash decisions. More steady steps. Less noise. Deeper peace.
If you’re entering the new year with debt, fatigue, or fresh loss, you’re not behind—you’re invited. Start with an altar: prayer before plans, Scripture before screens, Sabbath before sprinting. Wait for a clear word, then move with clarity and courage. You made it by grace, and you’ll move forward the same way. If this message steadied you, share it with a friend who needs hope, subscribe for more grounded teaching, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s the first step you’ll take by faith, not sight?
So now I go back to the sound of sound Genesis chapter number eight.
SPEAKER_01:Beginning at verse number thirteen, we'll make our way to verse number twenty. Genesis chapter eight. Beginning at verse number thirteen. It says Now it came about in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth. Then Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up. In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. Then God spoke to Noah, saying, Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons, and your sons' wives with you. Bring out with you every living thing of all flesh that is with you, birds and animals, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly on the earth and be fruitful and multiply on the earth. So Noah went out and his sons and his wife and his sons' wives with him. Every beast, every creeping thing, every bird, everything that moves in the earth, went out by their families from the ark. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. If you saw that, say amen. Today is the twenty-eighth of December. But it's the right time to talk about first things first. We're three days before 2025 ends. And I want to tell you that if you're here, you've made it. By the grace of God, you've made it. But if you're here, you made it. You may have made it limping in to the end, but you made it. I want you not to take that for granted because the truth is there are persons who started this year with you that did not end this year with you. There are persons who are not with us anymore. There are persons who haven't experienced what we have experienced. And so, even though your year may have come with loss, even though it has come with mourning, even though it came with grief, even though it came with difficulty, if you're seated here right now, you have experienced God's grace enough that you are still here. And that's not something to take for granted, that's not something that you idly dismiss. I could stress all morning that for twelve months and twenty-eight days you have been a recipient of the grace and the mercy of God. You have been provided, protected, graced by a loving Savior. And you now stand on the cusp, on the dawn of an approaching year. And because we're on the dawn and the cusp of an approaching year, we should be thinking of how we want to engage, how we want to begin, how we want to set the pace for this new year that is ahead. This is actually where Noah finds himself. I know it's not normally the story we tell of Noah, but I want you to think about where Noah is and what he's experiencing, and I want you as you do that to realize that Noah is going to tell himself that he's here by the grace of God and that he's also going to face a new year and a new beginning. And I want us to learn a few things from that. But before we do that, let's let's backtrack. Let's go back to chapter seven of Genesis because I want you to know a few things about dates. In chapter seven of Genesis, from verse number six, scripture says that Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of water came upon the earth. Now, I'm not good with numbers, but I want you to remember some numbers with me on this morning. Noah was six hundred years old. But let's be precise. I want us to go down some more. Genesis chapter number seven, but verse number 11. It says, in the 600th year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the 17th day of the month, on the same day, all the fountains of the great deep burst open, and the floodgates of the sky were open. So we're not just in the 600th year of his life, we have the day, 17th day, we have the month, second month. This is when God sent the flood. Now I know most of us were familiar with the flood story, and because we're familiar with the flood story, we know that it rained 40 days and 40 nights. However, I want you to know that as much as it only rained for 40 days, the rain was so voluminous that Noah was in the ark for a year. It rained 40 days, but he was in the ark for a year. I could prove that. Let's go to chapter number eight. Chapter number eight, verse number 13, it says, it came about in the 601st year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the water was dried up from the earth. Now, if you're doing math with me, we've moved from 600 to the 605th, and then we have the days. Watch this. Simpler math on the second month, the 17th of the month, 8600. Just pretend it's not 8600. 600, the flood began, and then we're told he leaves the ark second month, the 27th of the month, in the 601st year. That gives us one year, 10 days. Noah has been in this boat. One year and 10 days, and I want you to realize it's not just he's been there one year and ten days, he went in at the beginning of one year and he comes out at the beginning of another year. For that reason, when Noah leaves the ark, it's a new year and a new beginning for him. Don't miss this. When Noah leaves the ark, it's a new year and a new beginning for him. What I mean by that, it's a new year because it's the beginning of a new year. We're talking about February of the 601st year of his life. It's the beginning of a new year, but it's also a new beginning for him. The flood would have wiped out every living thing. Noah no longer has a fixed place of address, he no longer has the same work he was doing before. Life has changed for him. Life has changed to such a degree that he has lost some friends and family. Noah did not have a good year. Because in this year, not only was he saved, he also experienced loss. Not only was he graced, he also had to grieve. Not only is he alive, he experienced the death of others and the loss of many things. So when Noah leaves this ark, Noah, even though it's a new beginning and a new year, he has the baggage of the last year coming with him. Oh, don't miss this. I enjoy saying happy new year. That I say it too often too long. The year wears on, and I'm still saying happy new year. But can I be honest? The fact that in four days the time and the calendar rolls on to say one one twenty-six does not make it happy. You're looking at me funny. Nothing about time changing implies happiness. In fact, the truth is for many of us in four days, when time rolls over, we may still have credit card debt of last month. It's a new year, but I'm bringing the debt of last year's finances with me. It's a new year, but I'm also walking into the new year with some memories from 2025, both good and bad. It's a new year, but for some of us, we may not begin this new year as happily as everybody else. There's somebody who starts the new year grieving. It's not the rolling over of the date that necessarily makes it happy, it's what you do when the date rolls over that's going to set you up for a happy new year. I would love, I would love, I would love to stand up here and tell you that 2026 is your year. It's the year where some great aunt that you did not know you have is going to give you an inheritance of 10 trillion dollars. It's the year that your house is going to just receive a makeover that you didn't apply for, that you don't have to pay for. It's the year where you get the car of your dreams, it's the year where you never have to pay for fuel or petrol ever again. Um I wish I could say it's the year where your mortgage is paid off, all your debts. I wish I could say all of that. That 2026 is your year, you're the head and not the tail. You're going to conquer in everything, it's going to be sunshine and rainbows. But if I will, I would be lying. Now, 2026 could promise some of these things for us. But what makes it a good year and a happy year is how you live it. What's interesting to me is that Noah had all of these concerns and all of these challenges. When he leaves the ark, he prioritizes his devotion to Yahweh. Don't miss this. He leaves the ark after being on a boat for one year and ten days. I I haven't been on a boat for a year and ten days. But I have been on a boat long enough to miss land. I've been on a boat long enough to get seasick and to go crazy. He's not on a cruise. He's not in a luxury suite or cruise ship. He's on an ark with smelly animals. He's on an arc that he's probably praying he properly put together because of the wind and the rain and the flood. And he's on there for one year and ten days. While on that ark, I'm sure he's reminded of the neighbors that are no longer with him, the family no longer with him, the house that he's lost, the job that he doesn't have. So when he comes out of the ark, Noah has challenges. Noah has concerns. Where are we going to live? What am I going to do? How am I going to provide for my family? All of these things are undoubtedly concerns on his mind. But you read the text, Noah leaves the ark, and scripture tells us, then Noah builds an altar to God and sacrifices of every clean animal. He didn't just build an altar, he didn't just make a sacrifice, he took time to build an altar was not a quick process. But the fact that scripture says he took of every clean burden, every clean animal, allows us to know this was not a quick worship service. This was not a quick offering. He took time to thank God that in spite of everything, he's still here, he's still alive, he still has the grace of God. He was also not just thanking God, but probably putting all of his hope in that same God to help him with what lies ahead. So that you see in Noah this idea before I build my house, let me make sure my relationship with God is good. Before I think about how I'm going to take care of my family, how I'm going to work, before I think about any next step, I want to make sure that I start my new journey, my new beginning, my new year with God. What's interesting is right after he does this, if you read chapter 9, verse number 1, it says, Then God blessed Noah. I don't think it's an accident the way this text was laid out, that Noah's first step was to prioritize God, Yahweh, and in prioritizing Yahweh came the blessings. And so I want to tell you the same thing that we read from Noah. That in spite of the year that you're going to face, in spite of the circumstances and the concerns and the challenges that you may have, even as you prepare to usher in this new year, make sure your devotion to God is a priority. I don't believe there's any better way to order your steps to ensure a happy new year and a blessed new year than one that begins with God and that allows God to set the pace of your days, of your weeks, of your months, and your years. I don't know what challenges or concerns or queries you have right now that you're carrying into the next year. I don't know what baggages you may have now that you are carrying into the next year. I don't know what emotional load you are carrying with you over the next few days, but I know regardless of what you're holding on to right now, if you're going to make it, you're going to make it by the grace of God, not by your effort. If it's going to be a good year, then it has to be a God-led year. I could make this promise to you that it could be the best year of your life if it is your best year spiritually. Oh no, you're looking at me funny. I was ready to quit, but you're like my hope is not built. On the physicalities of life. Because anything that's physical is temporary and fleeting and could be gone in a second. I need something more stable than the physicalities of life. And I have too many scriptures that tell me put God first, and everything else is going to fall into place after. Psalm 37 begins by saying, Fret not yourself because of evildoers. By the time you get to verse 23 in Psalm 37, it says, The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way. Though he falls, he's not utterly cast down because God upholds in his hands. And David said, I've been young, now I'm old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. Jeremiah says, Oh Yahweh, I know the way of man is not in himself. It is not a man that walks to direct his steps. Psalm 1: The blessed man is one who delights in his law, and in his law he meditates day and night. Matthew 6 33, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Romans 8 28. All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. Verse 37 of chapter 8, Romans says, Maying all these things we are more than conquerors through him. I've already conquered 2026. But it's not because I was smart enough. And so because this might be the last time I see you before the clock rolls over, I want to encourage and admonish, advise, even that as you start thinking of the new year, before you take one step, make sure your devotion to God is central and priority. Before you do anything, before anything is said and done, make sure that your steps are ordered by God. That He's the one who said, Move left, move right, not to go. And I want you if you look at the text, you just had it, Judy. If you look at the text 8, um, 13, sorry. If you look at the text, go back, go back. She she had it and then she lost it, but it could be my fault. Right there, 8 13. There we go. If you look at this text, it says in the 600th and first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the water was dried from the earth. I have a mind that questions everything. And so when I read this, my first question was why did God allow the spirit to record this? And what's the significance of this? And then I kept reading, and it said that Noah removed the covering of the ark and looked, and behold, the surface of the ground was dried up. Don't miss this. And he opens up, he removes the covers of the ark and he looks. And when he looks, everything looks dry. But he doesn't move. And he doesn't move because if we could get verse 15 on the board, you would see, then God said, As much as he saw, he did not want to act based on what he saw and what he felt alone, he was waiting for God to say. So verse 15 was, then God said to Noah, It's time. You, your wife, your sons, and your sons' wives leave the ark. But watch this, that did not happen for another month and 27 days. He saw the land was dry on the first of the first, but it wasn't until the 27th of the second, or this you all tell dates backwards, until 027 that he sees or hears rather God say it's time to move. So for one month and 27 days, Noah stays in the ark, although it looks safe to leave. Because he's waiting for a word. I was going to point that out to tell you don't move, don't act, don't do until God says it's time. As you enter this new year, if you're moving, it must be a God move. And sometimes that means waiting for God to say it's time to move, for you to move. I told you the story already, but I'll tell you again as I emphasize waiting on God. I worked with a guy in IT. We worked together some 15 years, and he had a habit every morning before he came to the office. He would go to the cathedral and he would pray for about an hour. And there was this particular year as he started the year going to the cathedral praying. When he would leave, at the time that he would leave, there was this beautiful woman that would be walking in when he's leaving. And he saw her walk in when he left once, twice, three times, fifteen times, twenty times. He saw her enough that he said, I like her. That's fine. And I remember him telling me the story that he decided one day that he's going to start his prayer later. And normally he would be closer to the altar, the pulpit when he prays, but he says he decided to be closer to the door. And he decided to start his prayer around the time that he normally would be leaving. And he prayed, and his prayer was something like this. Oh Father, you know I'm trying to be a good Christian. And the only thing I've been asking of you in this new year is that you provide for me a wife as you did for Adam. And Lord, I'm asking that the next woman that walks through this door be the wife that you have designed for me. Show enough, says, I pray this in Jesus' name. Amen. He opens his eyes and he sees some heels right in front of him. And as he lifts his head, he realizes for sure this pair of heels are attached to a woman. But he begins to think of a particular woman in his mind. And as his head meets the face of the woman standing in front of him, what he had in his mind and who was standing in front of him diverged. There was this nun who decided or was conflicted about whether she wanted to remain a nun, and she was praying about leaving the nunnery and entering into normal life. And she heard my friend's prayer, and she thought that was God's answer. So as he looked at her, she is smiling towards him and she tells him, God has answered his prayer. But he's upset because he was hoping for a different answer. If you're tracking with this, he was hoping that the lady he would normally see every time he leaves would be the lady that walks in while he's praying. It just so happened that day she never showed up. I normally say God has a sense of humor and he has a funny way of showing it. But the one day she's been consistent for months, and the one day he schemed was the day she didn't show up. But I'm telling you the story, not to humiliate my friends why I didn't call his name. I'm telling you the story because, like him, we plan, we devise, we scheme, and then we expect God to be okay with it. So you have already, some of us have already calendared, scheduled, and planned how 2026 is going to go, and you haven't yet spoken to God about it. You've already planned your academics, your career, your money, your everything, and you haven't yet spoken to God once and say, Is this your will for me in 26? And for that reason, like my friend, if you haven't waited for God to say this is the way, you'll get a pleasant surprise. On the other hand, for those of us who decide we're going to start the with the year putting God first and only moving when he says it's time, this year would work out to be your best year once it is your best year spiritually. So I end the same way I began. You made it, but you made it because of the grace of God, and if you are to make it next year, you'll make it the same way you made it this year. By the grace of God. Let's all stand. Let's all stand. The end of the year normally has me contemplative, reflective, doing a lot of introspection. And moments like these are mixed for me. They're mixed because, like you, this year has been a year. I've seen many valleys in this year. But I'm thankful that as much as I've seen valleys, I've experienced mountaintops. I've seen God's hand and his blessings in many ways. And I'm thankful that in spite of the challenges, the concerns, the losses, the griefs, the many things that I've faced this year, I've also faced many positives. And so for that reason, I am in a mood of thankfulness that on the twenty-eighth of December, I could still stand here and breathe. Because it means God has been good. In spite of health challenges, academic challenges, marital challenges, financial challenges. Being a foreigner in U.S. challenges, I'm still here. And it's only because God has been good. And so I'm moved with gratitude, but it also fills me with hope. I'm anticipatorily awaiting whatever God is going to do in 26. I don't know, but he already knows. And because he's been faithful and good in 25, I expect him to be faithful and good in 26. And so my hope is built on nothing less than the blood of his righteousness. And I dare not trust in the sweetest frame. But I'm ending the year and I'm beginning the next year, wholly leaning on Jesus' name. I'm proclaiming on Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand. I have no idea what John is going to sing now. So Judy has work to do. My hope is built on nothing less.
unknown:That's 538.
SPEAKER_01:538. And I'm hoping I'm praying that this is not just my prayer, my hope, but it becomes yours as well. That as you end this year and you march into 2026, that you're entering it saying, My hope is built on nothing less. On Christ. The solid rock. I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.