Day: March 11, 2024

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“[God] planned to bring all of history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth.” Ephesians 1:10 (GW)

Goal setting isn’t just a good idea for productivity. It’s a spiritual discipline, like prayer, fasting, giving, and reading your Bible.

In fact, goal setting can be an act of stewardship as you try to make the most of all God has given you.

You can waste your life. Plenty of people do it! To make the most of your life and invest it in a way that outlasts you, you’ll need goals.

Even God sets goals. The Bible says, “[God] planned to bring all of history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth” (Ephesians 1:10 GW). God didn’t sit around and let the history of the world unfold in a way he found appropriate. He planned history. God has goals for the church. God has goals for every facet of the universe.

History is moving to a climax. There will be a judgment day, when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. History is moving toward that goal—because God planned it that way.

If God plans, then we should too. God wants us to be like him in all facets of our lives, including goal setting. I’ve heard people say, “I’m not going to plan. I’m just going to trust God and go with the flow.”

That’s not spiritual. It’s foolish! You shouldn’t go one more day without making plans for this week, this month, and this year.

The Bible has more than 7,000 promises from God to you — promises of success, confidence, health, prosperity, strength, wisdom, and more. Why does God make these promises?

Because he wants you to learn to trust him.

When you set a goal, don’t focus on the problems; focus on the promises. Find a promise in God’s Word that will take you to your goal.

The size of your God determines the size of your goal. Start making some plans, and trust God to fulfill his promise to bring everything in history—including you—to its goal in Christ.

By Rick Warren – Source: nhulieuthanhkinh.com

“I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air.” 1 Corinthians 9:26 (NCV)

Without goals, you cannot expect to be any different this year than you were last year. The default in your life will always be more of the same.

Long-term goals keep us moving toward our purpose and keep us from being discouraged by short-term setbacks.

We all have setbacks. You deal with them every day, but those setbacks won’t slow you down if your focus is on something you’re trying to achieve down the road. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9:26, “I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air” (NCV).

You don’t want to spend the next year hitting the air. But just setting goals isn’t the answer. God doesn’t appreciate every goal you set!

These are the kinds of goals that God blesses:

Goals that bring God honor: The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (NIV).If you’ve got the right motivation, anything can be done for God’s glory.

Goals that are motivated by love: God is far more interested in why you’re doing something than what you’re actually doing. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 16:14,“Do everything with love” (NLT).

Goals that fulfill one of God’s purposes for your life: God put you on Earth to do five things: worship him, be a part of his family, become like Christ, serve him, and share your life message. If your goals help you fulfill one of these purposes, then God will bless them.

Goals that are set in faith: Your goals must be big enough that they’ll require God’s help to fulfill. The Bible says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6 NIV).

Goals that are achieved by God’s power: You will not stick to your goals without God’s power. You won’t get healthy on your own. You won’t improve your marriage on your own. The goals that really matter in life can only be achieved with God’s power, not your own.

Take a look at the goals you’ve set for the future. Are they the kind of goals that God blesses?