Live Free with Josh Howerton - Don’t Expect Overnight Change | Ep. 16 | Monday February 27, 2023

Episode Date: February 27, 2023

Choosing to walk with God is a decision followed by a process. In this episode, Pastor Mike talks about the transformation that takes place through redemption in Christ. It is a reminder to trust God and push forward one day at a time. Whether you made that decision long ago or if you’re just starting out, this episode is one you won’t want to miss! For more information, visit lakepointe.church/dailydrive

Thanks for tuning in to today's Daily Drive with Lake Point Church, a daily dose of God's word for your morning drive. When the word, not the world, becomes the majority of your week, your life will start to change. For that reason, our prayer is that God will speak to you through today's devotional. For more digital content to feed your faith, visit lakepoint.comit. And now let's dive in to today's devotional. Hey, welcome back to the podcast or welcome for the first time. My name is Mike Bro and together we're just talking for a few minutes every day, just about walking a new direction in this new year.

And just want to tell you, I'm so grateful for you and an honor to be walking this road together. Now, if you don't mind, can I just go back and rewind just a bit so that we make sure that we kind of got a handle on this 20-23 game plan for walking a brand new way? we talked about how if you're going to walk a new direction, you have to first of all map your route. You've got to pick which direction you're going to walk. We've been talking about how if you want to change, you can't just keep walking down the same street. You've got to get on a better path, a different path, one that will lead you the freedom and transformation that God has always wanted for you. And we've been learning along the way a few life verses that we can actually download into our heart and mind to keep us on track. And here's the one we started with in this new year.

This was our Map Your Route verse. I'm just going to read it out loud. It comes from Jeremiah chapter 6, verse 16. It says this, this is what the Lord says. Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old godly way and walk in it. Travel its path, and you'll find rest for your souls. Man, I love that verse.

Just stop. Stop at the crossroads. Before you make the wrong choice, again, recognize it. But there's another way. There's a better way that you actually do have a choice. You know, our destination is heavily influenced by the choices that we make. And we put it this way in our opening segment. Direction determines our destination.

And our decisions determine our direction. So the verse again is stop at the crossroads and look around. Take a look at your current reality before you even ask, like, where do I want to go this year? You need to ask, like, how did I get here? and just be honest. You'll drop all the image management's junk and just honestly pray, search me, oh God. What choices led me to where I currently am?

Do I really want to keep going this same direction? Like, what in me needs to change? Like, God, what is the one thing that you think could make a huge difference in my life? What needs to be on my start-to-do list and what needs to be on my stop-doing list? So you just stop at the crossroads, look around, and just ask for the old godly way and walk in it.

You say, you know what, I'm going to start doing things God's way. I'm going to surrender to his leadership and get on his path, the ancient path, the one that leads to life. And to keep me walking this new direction, we talked about how now I'm going to download a new playlist. I'm going to get some stuff in my mind that will lead me to a new way of thinking. You know, you might have a playlist that you listen to as you work out or you jog or your walk or you throw in your air pods. You go at it. It really helps if you've got a playlist. And as you and I walk this new road with God, we have to intentionally download some stuff into our mind that will help us walk his way.

I mean, let's face it, what you and I choose to put in our minds is absolutely critical to our success. And if we want to walk a new way, we just have to think a new way. I'm telling you, from my own experience, your playlist will dictate your whole life. You see, here's a deal. Direction determines destination. Decisions direction. and what you download determines your decisions. We talked about trading truth for lies in this new year.

So whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is noble, whatever is lovely, excellent. We're going to fill our minds with those thoughts. We're going to dig into God's word daily. And with his help, going to do the hard work of stripping off all that old nasty wallpaper that's been plastered in our minds for so many years and re-wallpaper our mind with new images, new ways of thinking. So you map your route, you download a new playlist, and then you find a partner. We've been talking in recent days about the importance of having some spiritual, let's just call them workout partners, so people that will walk with you. It's been said, if you want to go fast, go alone.

If you want to go far, go together. And God made us to do this life together. When we isolate ourselves, we are much more prone to give in the temptation, much more likely to relapse back into old destruction. behaviors, much more likely to struggle with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, even substance abuse, sexual addiction, eating and sleep disorders. There is power when we're connected to each other. It's just the way God designed life to work. It works no other way.

Your brain, your heart, your soul, your body, all respond to relationships with others. Relationships are where we get our fuel, our motivation, our sustaining power, and more. And this was our Walk This Way verse last week. Proverbs 1320. It says whoever walks with the wise will become wise. Whoever walks with fools will suffer harm.

Who you choose to walk with this year is crucial. So you map your route, you download a new playlist, you find a partner, some wise people to walk with you on this path. And then the last thing is this. Just keep a steady pace. Just keep a steady pace. You don't need to be a world-class sprinter.

You don't even need to be one of those, you know, competitive speedwalker people. Just put one foot in front of the other, take your father's hand, and take one step at a time, one day at a time, and just walk. And the truth is, you may wobble a little bit.

You may even fall, but he will pick you up and help you get better and better at this new way of walking. You see, this new life of walking with God is a decision followed by a process. You know, that caterpillar I mentioned a while back, he has to struggle for a while,

and then uncomfortable cocoon while God is changing him into this beautiful butterfly. So don't expect overnight metamorphosis. You know, sometimes you take three steps forward and honestly sometimes it's three steps, two steps back, but you're one step ahead of where you used to be. So just stay at it. Keep walking, keep trusting, keep surrendering to his leadership one day at a time this year. I have one tattoo on my body. I'm too big a chicken to get any more.

I lost a bet with my son. He told me he's going to get a tattoo. I said, you're the biggest needlewimp ever. If you get a tattoo, that's the day I'm going to get a tattoo. He texts me from the place going, your move. He's like, oh, man. So I got one. I got my life verse.

It's on my right calf. And it just reminds me not to overcomplicate this new walk through life. Sometimes people will see it and go, bro, what's that tattoo you got? And I just tell him, well, it's a little three-step program I'm in. And I say that because this is what my life verse says. It's Micah 6-8. He has showed you, oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Act justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God. There's your keep a steady pace verse for today. Just look it up, read it, commit it to memory, repeat it over and over throughout this day, and then tune in tomorrow. And we're going to start breaking that verse down a little bit. I'm just praying for you today as you walk. this new direction with God.

Thanks for tuning in today. For more biblical teaching and worship, join us for our church online live weekend services on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 9.30 and 11 a.m. Central Standard Time. Also, if this podcast was helpful to you, would you be sure to rate, review, and share this podcast to help get the word out?

For more information about all digital ministries of Lake Point, visit lakepoint. Daily Drive.