1. New Year. New You. Here's How.

Jan 6, 2023

On January 13 of 2018, the residents of Hawaii received a text message from the Emergency Alert System. ‌The alert read: 
 

“BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER” 

This alert was issued over the television, radio and cellphones in the state of Hawaii. Because of the escalating tensions with North Korea, many people had great reason to believe what they were hearing. For 38 minutes, the people on the island began to prepare for the end. It was chaos.

The PGA Hawaii Open just so happened to be taking place. One of the reporters from the Golf Channel quickly shifted gears from golf commentary to doomsday event. He began to describe how the golfers were dealing with the impending missile strike; some hid in the bathtubs, others got in cars and headed for the mountains. One common action made by all were phone calls, telling people that they loved them and scrambling to get things in order as the end approached. For 38 minutes people realized that everything on their Someday List wasn’t going to be accomplished because they were running out of time.

After 38 minutes it was discovered that the text message alert wasn't true--there were no inbound ballistic missiles. Here's question to ponder. Was this false alarm fortunate or unfortunate?  It would be fascinating to learn if this false alarm was pivotal in key life change decisions. Did people just go back to normal or did they start to intentionally take care of their Someday List?
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Here's the uncomfortable truth: we are all running out of time. Whether it’s 38 minutes, one month, one year or 50 years…from where we are right now to someday…we are running out of time.

 

We all have a Someday List; that list of New Years Resolutions or goals we set out to accomplish someday. They range from getting healthy, to living debt free, to sharing our faith with our friend. All good goals. All worthy steps in living a new life. The only problem is, they are slated to be accomplished...someday.

A consistent theme throughout Scripture is: Be prepared.

Here's an example from Jesus.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” ~ Matthew 24:42-44 

Life is all about the unexpected. We don't know when the emergency text is going to arrive or the dreaded phone call or the grave message from the doctor. Much like the residents of Hawaii four years ago, we have been given an Emergency Warning Message. We had better get to that Someday List, today!

Answer this question: What do you need to do today, so that you will be ready when someday comes?

To help answer that question, give a listen to this practical sermon to help you prepare.