7 January 2018 - ENCS

The topic Pastor Joey communicated for the congregation to hear

Was based on Matthew six twenty one, titled “Values-Filled Year”

In order for us to have clarity and direction that is not arbitrary

Then we need to know what matters, is valuable, and necessary

For where your treasure is, Jesus said your heart will be as well

And then what we do shows our priorities and values in a nutshell

Verse twenty four declares that nobody can serve two masters

Trying to do so leads to conflict, pain, and eventually disasters

Pastor said that we should focus on what is eternal and timeless

Our priorities and values are evident so we don’t have to guess

God is more important than money and health more than a thing

Relationships matter more than food due to the joy they do bring

So God, relationships, health, money, food, things is the hierarchy

To put anything before God in word or deed is just plain malarkey

That prioritised list descends from timeless to that which decays

We should align our life with these values through all of our days

But Pastor hastened to add that the elements must in fact overlap

For we will not be fulfilled or whole if we have even one single gap

Having God and health without relationships leaves one lifeless

Money and enjoyment without excellence actually causes stress

Jesus said that toward God and His Kingdom our focus should go

Seek Him first and from His righteousness valuable things will flow

Relationships, health, finances, enjoyment, excellence can be great

If we focus on the core principles throughout year two zero one eight

Good relationships require a combination of trust, love, forgiveness

Good health is based on nutrition, rest, movement, and low stress

Good finances only result from earning, saving, and investing well

Excellence from hard work, passion, and diligence Pastor did tell

These essentials are universal although we each differently apply

As we improve each of those elements, quality will not pass us by

Of course the converse is unfortunately also true, that is a fact

If one element is askew, everything else it does negatively impact

But our efforts will not succeed without relying on God to us equip

So therefore we should pray, meditate, proclaim, and fellowship

God wants us to become the greatest, which means serving others

But of course this doesn’t just include Christian sisters and brothers

Per Isaiah fifty eight, we must loose our bonds and priorities reboot

Pastor said that we are to live with God-centred values at our root

-----------------

As Jimmy Needham sings in one of his classic “Clear The Stage”

“Make some space for the one who deserves it” is indeed sage

And to make productive change in our lives, per a friend’s blog

We need to throw out things that otherwise might our lives clog

For myself, this particularly applies to how I invest my finite time

So this year, I must be more committed to changing my paradigm