Moving Forward

Joel Osteen @ Lakewood Church

• As long as l live in regret looking the past it will keep me from my bright future.
• Don't let what someone did or didn't do for me hold Me back or  poison my future.
• Resentment Regrets Disappointment are bags that can weigh you down and God didn't create me to carry that much weight
• In the car, the rearview mirror is smaller than The windshield because what lies ahead is more important than what is behind you.
• My bad breaks did not stop Gods plan for my liFe.
• Philippians 4:8 KJV
  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
• Quit thinking about it and quit talking about it. when there negative pictures come up, change The channel because I have the remote
• Isaiah 61:3 KJV
  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord , that he might be glorified.
• You have to let go of the negative to receive the positive. The enemy would love for me to sit in the ashes.
• Philippians 3:13-14 KJV
  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
• 1 Samuel 16:1 KJV
  And the Lord said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Beth–lehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.
• There is a problem with excessive mourning.
  God can take What I see as a stumbling block and use it as a stepping stone.
• I SHOULD sow my losses as a seed.
• James Franco
• James Franco become trapped in a canyon. A boulder has him pinned down…after a few days his arm dies so he cuts it off.
• IF something Is dead in my liFe l had to not due with it. I have to be willing to walk away
• Job 2:8 KJV, Job 19:25
• And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
• For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
• Isaiah 61:7 KJV
• For your shame ye shall have double; and for confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
  .
• Victoria @ Lakewood Church
• Proverbs 18:21 KJV 
• Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
• James 3:4-8 KJV
• Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and
  hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
• James 1:5 KJV
• If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
• You can take your tongue and turn your life around.

Keeping Your Vision in Front of You

Joel @ Lakewood Church

• Keep the right things in front of you because if you aren't looking at it then you are not moving toward it.

Zechariah 4:6-10 KJV

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. Moreover the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord , which run to and fro through the whole earth.

Proverbs 29:18 KJV

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

• When you believe big, you please God!  Don't be afraid to set a new standard for your family.  God is not limited by any of my perceived deficiencies.

• His dream for my life is bigger than my dream.
• Don't be limited by your own imagination (or lack thereof); don't let the enemy decide what you imagine.
• Let a new image take root.
• If you aren't healthy right now but you should put things in front of you that remind you of when you were.  More importantly make plans to live and not die.

2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

One translation says that those things are subject to change.

Genesis 13:14-15 KJV

And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward: For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.

Conrad Hilton: In 1932 Conrad N. Hilton wrote "The Greatest of Them All" onto a photograph of The Waldorf Astoria New York in New York City. It was his dream to own this hotel and include it in his prestigious portfolio of hotels. In 1949 he realized his dream, extending his version of "the light and warmth of hospitality" to the legendary New York landmark. Today, the hotel is the inspiration for the distinctive luxury hotels of The Waldorf Astoria New York Collection, the new Hilton brand established in 2006, to which the original Waldorf Astoria New York is affiliated. 

********Victoria Osteen**********

Forget and Press

Philippians 3:13-14 NLT

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

• ·Forget the past
• ·Set a goal.
• ·Press forward.

EXAMPLE: When you lift weights, you start with small weights and its hard but if you keep pressing then you get stronger. 

• We shouldn't operate in our circumstances because the more you mediate on it the more it will take root. Don't associate yourself with your circumstances.

You have to decide what you will dwell on and remove yourself from situations that will drag you down.

Walk out of harmful identities and walk into the identity that Christ on you, it is a HIGH CALLING!

The Ups And Downs of Life [Simba from the Lion King]

Remember Who You Belong To:

• Simba had gotten very lost and forgotten who he was…
• Who do we belong to?

“…we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.” -1 John 3:2 

• We are God's child and He is going to take care of us! Even if we stray, don't do what He wants us to, make bad choice that cause us to have some ups and downs, God is always there for us.
• When we remember whose we are, we make it through out downs and head to the ups. 
• Jesus lives in your heart and He is with us to help us every moment of every day!
• You are made for more than just problems and getting into trouble, you are made to be a King or Queen in the Kingdom of God! But, if we let the past define who we are and hold us back... we will never be able to do all that God has for us.

Put Your Past Behind You:

• I love that clip because it is a good reminder to us all about how powerful our past can be on our future. 
• We are all going to have "Ups & Downs" in life, but when we make it through difficult things, we have to choose to move on into what God has for us and not let the painful memories or experience hold us back!
• Have any of you experienced something that was difficult or hard?
• Me too, but the awesome thing about God is He always with us and willing to help get us back up on our feet and help through it onto bigger and better things!

PP SLIDE:

“…I have not achieved it [perfection], but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. – Philippians 3:13-14

-What would happened in Simba's life if he never would have moved on past the past?

• Okay, let's review Simba's “Ups & Downs”... (Ask some of the student to help you)
• Simba's Ups: being born, being a prince, his great relationship with His Dad, meeting Nahla, having friends like Timone and Pumba, etc
• Simba's Downs: Father dying, evil uncle, leaving home, etc..

Closing:

We can all agree that Simba went through both “Ups & Downs”, but he didn’t let life make him bitter, it made him better.

He owned who he was through his father and embraced what he wants meant to do! Rule!

God is going to be there for you no matter what, but you have to do be willing to need him!

evel 56 is the Lakewood Church exciting, high impact service designed exclusively for 5th and 6th graders. Tweens discover an exciting new world where they can hang out with friends, enjoy games and fun activities and learn leadership and social skills through biblical principles that will prepare them for the future.