A year to remember...

John Gray @ Lakewood Church

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: "The  Spirit of the Lord  is  upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to  the  poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to  the  captives And recovery of sight to  the  blind, To  set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord ." Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.

Luke 4:16‭-‬20 NKJV

Jesus made sure to remain in community.

Can we recognize when we see the thing that we've been reading (prayer journals, prayer notes, scripture, etc...)

2018 was a year of exposure.

God loves me too much to let me linger in a relationship that isn't pushing me forward.

You can't argue with people who are committed to misunderstand you.

Stop showing a filtered version of yourself.

Don't throw out the whole year because you had a few bad days.

And he said to him, "Say now to her, 'Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can  I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?' " She answered, "I dwell among my own people." So he said, "What then is to be done for her?" And Gehazi answered, "Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old." So he said, "Call her." When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. Then he said, "About this time next year you shall embrace a son." And she said, "No, my Lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!" But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.

II Kings 4:13‭-‬17 NKJV

1. What was God trying to teach us?

• You've been putting people on pedestals who don't belong there.

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People will judge your entire book based on the chapter they walked in on.

The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.

Proverbs 29:25 NKJV

2. How was God trying to reach us?

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

James 1:2‭-‬4 NKJV

Remember vs. Dismember

God had all the pieces to put 2018 together.

God pruned and planted.