December 31st Forward

Bishop Geoffrey V. Dudley Sr., PhD, DMin • December 29, 2022

Forward

Pericope: Proverbs 4:20-27 - My son, pay attention to what I say;

turn your ear to my words.

21 Do not let them out of your sight,

keep them within your heart;

22 for they are life to those who find them

and health to one’s whole body.

23 Above all else, guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it.

24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;

keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

26 Give careful thought to the[c] paths for your feet

and be steadfast in all your ways.

27 Do not turn to the right or the left;

keep your foot from evil.

Sermon Text:

Prov. 4: 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

Sermon Title: Forward

Deuteronomy 2:3 - ‘You have been traveling around this

mountain country long enough. Turn northward

Joshua said Josh. 1: 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be

careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not

turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful

wherever you go.

Ezekiel said – Ez. 1: 12 Each one went straight ahead.

Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, without turning as

they went.

Paul Said - Philip. 3: 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not

consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do:

Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

Proverbs said it best in the message Bible Prov. 4:20-27 MSG

Dear friend, listen well to my words;

tune your ears to my voice.

Keep my message in plain view at all times.

Concentrate! Learn it by heart!

Those who discover these words live, really live;

body and soul, they’re bursting with health.

23-27 Keep vigilant watch over your heart;

that’s where life starts.

Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth;

avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip.

Keep your eyes straight ahead;

ignore all sideshow distractions.

Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you.

Look neither right nor left;

leave evil in the dust.

1. Accept the fact it's impossible to change the past Philippians

3: 13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to

have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is

behind and straining toward what is ahead, -

2. Stop chasing the windless relationships Ps. 147: 3 He heals

the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

3. Guard your heart – Pr. 4: 23 Above all else, guard your

heart, for everything you do flows from it.

4. Check yourself – Pro. 4: 24 Keep your mouth free of

perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. – Ephesians

put it another way…Ephesians 4:29 - Do not let any

unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is

helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it

may benefit those who listen.

5. Pay attention to your future – Pro. 4: 25 Let your eyes look

straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. –Jer 29:

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you

hope and a future.

6. Level set your situation. Prov. 4: 26 Give careful thought

to the[c] paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.

7. Drive Forward Pro. 4: 27 Do not turn to the right or the left;

keep your foot from evil.

a. Go deeper – Gal 5: 16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and

you will not gratify the desires of the flesh

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