What does it specifically mean to be like Christ? See Matthew 5 in the Beatitudes.

Описание: 1/4/2026 morning worship service

Pastor Anthony Fields

" "God's Goal For Your Life'
Matthew 5:3-12

I've heard a number of people talk about their goals for year 2026: goals for health and diet and exercise. But among your goals for 2026, I hope you are considering what GOD'S goal is for you this year.

I. First of all, notice:
"The Picture of Our Goals" that we see here.

In the book, The Secret of Happiness, Billy Graham wrote: "Jesus Christ is the perfect man of the Beatitudes".

"Blessed are
the poor in spirit,
those who mourn,
are the meek,
are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
are the merciful,
are the pure in heart,
are the peacemakers,
are those who are persecuted for righteousness,
are you when they revile and persecute you.,...
...... and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

II. Notice - The Nature of Our Goals

IlI. His Goals - The Real Measure of Our Success

These 8 qualities are God's goal for our lives, they are our ultimate measure of
success.

Francis Chan wrote in his book, Crazy Love
Our greatest fear should not be of failure
but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter."

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"When I walk in darkness: Lord, carry me through.

Psalm 23
"The Lord is my shepherd :I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures :and leads me beside still waters. He revives my soul: and guides me along right pathways for his name's sake. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil: for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You spread a table before me in the presence of those who trouble me : you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is running over. Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever."

When walk in darkness : Lord, carry me through."
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"God,

Your word instructs us to be ready to give an answer for the faith that is within us. When that time comes, Lord, make us bold to proclaim that your love surpasses human knowledge. Let our answer be actions that mirror your love. Amen."
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" "THINK ON THIS: God's Direction"
Proverbs 3:5-6

Our goal? "Whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God," ( Cor. 10:31)

There is a problem with seeking God's direction. The truth is, God rarely gives us clear direction for life decisions. Instead He has given us the ability to plan, seek wisdom, and make smart decisions on our own.

But we want certainty about the decisions we make. We want to remove all risk of possibly making a mistake, so we seek direction from God. We look for a sign, or confirmation, or a sense of peace to try to combat our uncertainty.

The result is often discouragement and indecision, AND Passivity is a plague among Christians. It's not just that we don't do anything; it's that we feel spiritual for not doing anything. We imagine that our inactivity is patience and sensitivity to God's leading."
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"Family Training Hour: "It's OK to want to be blessed"

Mark 12:35-44

In Mark 12, Jesus sat down to watch people bring gifts to God.

▪︎ God is a good God who wants good things for His children. Do you believe this?

▪︎. Do you believe God will reward those who earnestly seek Him?

▪︎ What is one area where you want God to move in your life?

▪︎ What is one way you can surrender this area more completely to Him this week?

▪︎ Do you trust God enough to surrender what he asks, knowing he will reward you?"