Intro thoughts:

• Our mission at Bethany
  • Bringing all people to life, FAMILY, and purpose.
• As we start this year, I want to act as a “coach” and help you progress. 
  • Many people are stuck and go in the same circle over and over again. 
  • Have you ever been stuck?
    • In traffic
    • In the waiting room at Dr. Office
    • Tarmac for 8 hours
  • Some are stuck in deeper ways
    • Stuck in habits
    • Stuck in depression
    • Stuck in abusive codependent relationships
  • I want to get you unstuck! 

Luke 5:1–11 (NLT) — 1 One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. 4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” 5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. 8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed. Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

Four ways to PROGRESS 

1. Change your PRIORITIES - “what is most important”
   1. Peter was busy cleaning his nets and TIRED! 
      1. Cleaning the nets was important, but something more important was in front of him
      2. Jesus was in front of him, people were in front of him, work could wait.
      3. Mary and Martha
   2. How do you change your priorities?
      1. Reflect - What do you value MOST right now 
      2. Inspect - Difference between good intentions and actions
         1. Where you spend your time, thoughts, money, energy
      3. Protect - Make the alignment and “Set it and forget it” Ron Popeil 
2. Change your PEOPLE - “who gets your focus”
   1. The one alteration to the equation here is Jesus. 
   2. I want you to spend a few minutes as I talk and reflect on your relationships.
      1. You have relationships that are “responsibility” - spouse, kids, family members.
      2. Outside of that, who gets the spare time?
      3. Is Jesus in those relationships?
   3. Often, we settle for relationships. If you take me, I’ll take you. 
   4. Quotes
      1. “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with” Jim Rohn
      2. “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”
   5. It’s WAY deeper than just that - 
      1. David Burkus “friend of a friend”
      2. Obesity
         1. If your friend gains weight, 45% chance you will
         2. If a friend of a friend gains weight, 20% chance you will
         3. If a friend of a friend gains weight, 10% chance you will
      3. Smoking
         1. If a friend smokes, you are 61% more likely to smoke 
         2. If a friend of a friend smokes, you are 29% more likely to smoke
         3. If a friend of a friend of a friend smokes, you are 11% more likely
      4. Happiness
         1. If your friend of a friend of a friend is happy, you have 6% chance of being happier
         2. Doesn’t sound like much but a 10k raise only makes people 2% happier. 
      5. The point is, it’s not just your friends, IT’S YOUR WHOLE NETWORK! 
   6. Action:
      1. Evaluate your relationships
      2. Is Jesus in them?
      3. Do they PROVOKE you?
3. Change your POSITION - “scenery shift”
   1. Jesus told Peter to PUSH AWAY from the shore and go deeper.
   2. This is a calling by God to change your positioning!
      1. What is familiar to you?
      2. What is safe to you?
      3. What is normal to you?
   3. Examples
      1. Maybe you are used to buying a lottery ticket every time you go into the gas station
      2. Maybe you are used to going bowling with the guys and it’s a bad environment
      3. Maybe you’re used to never leaving Baton Rouge
   4. When God wants to change you, He changes your SCENE
      1. Jacob left home
      2. Moses left Egypt
      3. Elijah crossed the desert
      4. Paul became blind
   5. A position change puts you at a place of FAITH... Out into the unknown... Peter was often called into the unknown
      1. Go a little deeper
      2. Walk on water
      3. Lead apostle after the ascension
4. Change your PURPOSE - “a bigger WHY”
   1. It wasn’t really a “no-fish” problem... It was a life calling problem
   2. Most people struggle with a WHY. They don’t know their why
   3. The way to come to a conclusive why is like this:
      1. What do you want?
      2. Why? Why? Why?
   4. There is no greater WHY than the WHY of Jesus Christ - Seek and Save 
   5. Most Christians know the great commission and the purpose of Christ, but they still don’t embrace it as a purpose, why not? 
      1. They don’t FEEL like it.
      2. Intentionally shift your purpose. Change it on PURPOSE

Closing

• The right PRIORITIES + the right PEOPLE + the right POSITION + the right PURPOSE = PROGRESS
• Change is almost impossible for humans, with Christ, you become a NEW CREATURE!
• OR... Christ in the boat makes the difference