Video Transcript: Set Study Goals and Overcome Walls

Alright, Henry, we're back. We're back. And we're glad that you are to right, because many of  you probably could have quit but you didn't. We pray that You would just go to the next step.  That's right. And this is it. So how do you develop goals and plans, taking a course of study  involves study. You can't do it without a systematic way of going through something. So I want to start with a verse Philippians 3:12-14, Paul says nothing. I've already obtained all this. So  Paul talks about all kinds of things. And you're well haven't quite achieved all this, or I haven't directly arrived at my goal. Gotcha. But I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus  took hold of me, brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  The one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on  toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus,  Henry, I want to just take a little time here and just talk a little bit about all these highlighted  words that I have here. So the first one is Paul says, I press. So what do you mean by press  on, pressing. Pressing on is, is continuing a course of action when you feel like quitting. So if  you're going to start this whole endeavor of studying at CLI, there will be obstacles. You may  have already discovered some obstacles. Maybe you wanted to start this course. And it's  taken how long for you when, you know, because there was something wrong with the  computer. There's something wrong with someone or something now. Yep. And so this notion  of pressing on nothing good, is accomplished. Without that. I guess it's a passion. Yeah. And I  remember when I started college, I suffered from the disability of dyslexia. I don't think I read  a book until I was like 18. Dyslexia is you see the words opposite, to use switch word. Yeah.  And so in, I guess, part of that is you read one word at a time. So I had very little college  global vocabulary back then. I struggled and so forth. I sense the call to ministry. And I  remember one day after I got to fail, in college, my first semester. And I said, Who am I? And I felt I have got to press on, no matter what I struggled too I don't know if it was dyslexia. Third  grade, I was in the special class for the kids who couldn't figure out reading, right, there were  four others and me, right. So we have you know, no. Different. We were singled out and  special. Yeah. Yeah, I was in the special class. And there was a teacher's conference with a  teacher met with my parents. And the teachers said that my parents, my parents told me, the teacher said to my parents, you should teach your son a trade. Because I never go to college.  There's nothing wrong with a trade. My dad was a tradesman. My dad, what she was trying to  say is, he's not very good at school, right? In my, in my dad, who was not a good reader never was very good at school. And this was pre internet, he decided that this teacher may not  know what she's talking about. And he found these books. And he got my brother and I do  them. And he gave us $1 A book to do those things. And, and he gave me that attitude that  some people say this, and some people say that this expert will tell you this about who you  are. But no one knows who you are, except God alone. So sometimes you just have to press  on you know, you're going to keep going in this direction until you succeed. So the first  question is, who are you? Are you the your want or want to take that next step with God's  help? Okay, so Paul also uses the words, Forgetting what is behind. So I want to talk a little bit about that. Because, you know, both of us were talking about our past that's right behind. Yes. And I think so many of you out there, have decided who you are based on your past, right? I  think we all do that, to some extent, that, you know, maybe a teacher told you you weren't  going to go very far. I remember you know, I've done the music class here, the worship music  class here at CLI but when I was in fourth grade, Right, I remember a girl in a chapel turning  around and looking at me and saying, You think you can sing? So I had all those years of  trying to overcome one person's comments, right? So many of you have let one or two or  three persons, this is their comment about you. And maybe you did horribly at school, right?  But you're not the same person. I've let mistakes I've made in the past, hold me back. I said  the wrong thing to somebody, and then the consequence was not good. And then I sort of, for  a while, went on the sideline. And sometimes I've even tempted to blame that person or  blame myself or blame people. And at some point, I had to come to a honest evaluation, that I cannot live in the past, I need to forgive myself. Stop self loathing and say, Lord, I receive  your grace. I think it you make a good point. Sometimes it's not forgiving yourself. It's  forgiving someone else. Right? Maybe you didn't have very good parents. And you know, you  weren't raised with an encouraging family background. And you've been, you know, blaming 

your father blaming your mother all these years. And there's no doubt that they have  contributed to some of the issues that maybe you have, but Paul says. Forget it, If we can't  forgive you, what are we going to do about the past, we can't change the past, let's forget the past. There's a kind of thing I've noticed, it's called destination disease. I've seen this in  pastoring, my entire pastoring career, and that is where people live in a destination, or they  leave the destination and make a new destination. So when people live in a destination,  where they just stay where that hurt is, or they don't forgive themselves or something that  destination continues to define them instead of the destination of today. Right? And the  possibility God's possibility. All right, Paul also says, you know, Forgetting what is behind and  straining toward what is ahead. In some ways, that's actually the definition of a goal, a goal is not. Okay, it's the future. That's a goal is always in the future. It's looking to what could be it's not here yet. And you're not you're not always sure about how you're going to get there or  when you're going to get there or if you're going to get there. But Paul says, I'm straining  towards that. Why straining? What is the straining have to do with a future goal? I think, you  know, if you've taken any history at all, history is it's a story of challenge. And conflict there's  resistance. And what's interesting is, as human beings we like it that way. Really, yeah.  Because, you know, when people have time off, what do they do? Kids, for example, when  they have time off, what do they do? Play video games, they go to school, and they complain  about how teachers are giving them problems all day long. And then they go home and give  themselves problems. You know, what is work? work is a problem to be solved? Right? You  know, how are we going to get this thing done? How are we going to finish this on time? How  are we going to? How are we going to pay our debts? How, what are we going to have for  dinner? What are we going to make? Making a meal is really a problem solving thing, we have all these ingredients? What do we need to do with them to make some kind of a meal. And we love that because when we accept the challenge, and we meet the challenge, and we arrive  at the conclusion of the challenge, we end up feeling pretty good about ourselves. Right?  Right. So goal oriented life is a problem solving, dreaming life for the future that tries to see  things and improve things. And without that, that sense of a future, right? You know, why get  out of bed in the morning? People that have no sense of a future, no sense of a future in a  particular day? And they have a hard time getting up? Why should I get up? Or they go to  work and they have no sense of a future? Or you know, your day? What are you going to do  with your day, if you don't have this sense that there's something good today something to do something to do someone to talk to something to accomplish? You know, there's lethargy,  there's depression and discouragement. You can't get motivated about anything. And when  you have that thing, you know, I can't wait till five. So what about you? So as you think about  this, remember we talked earlier about it's practicing and teaching? You know, this isn't about  the knowledge of a goal. This is about internalizing who you are, and what are you called to  do? and called to be, what's your goal? Okay, so Paul also says, Forgetting what is behind  straining toward what is had, I press on toward the goal. So that's that word goal. He's  pressing on pushing towards this thing. Now we're going to talk a little bit more about what  those particular goals could be in your life, but also with Christian Leaders Institute. So let's  back look back at Paul, I press on toward the goal to win the prize. Okay. So that's interesting  to win the prize. What mean there, you can win in Christianity? Yeah. Well, if you think about a goal, like in the game of soccer, or right, it's called around the world football, they actually  call it a goal when something went Oh, that's right. You know, when it goes in the net. now,  can you imagine playing a sport game like basketball, let's say, and we just didn't have any  hoops? Right? Let's just bounce the ball around and in a run up and down the court. What are  we doing? I mean, ten people just bouncing the ball around, or we go bowling, but there's no  pins You throw the ball down and, you know, football, we just go out there and hit each other.  There's no ball. Without a prize, without a thing that we're we're striving to get. Right. It'd be  like making a meal and you don't get to eat it. Right. So what motivates us towards goals? Is  that prize, right? It was interesting. When Jesus sent off the 72. He said, You know, you're  doing all these things. But in the end, the prize is that your name is in heaven. So there's like,  right, so a lot of times we we have goals, and we're working hard towards little prizes, like you make a meal, you get to eat it. Right? So but here with Christian Leaders Institute, we're 

talking about bigger prizes. Like you just mentioned, Heaven is a prize affecting someone's  life, for all eternity is a prize. And that's a pretty hefty prize. A lot of the prizes, you get they're gone tomorrow, right? We're talking about eternal prize. Right? All right. That was the and the  training to do to win that prize to actually help your neighbor and then have a bunch of  training to do it well. That's pretty cool. All right, press on toward the goal to win the prize for  which God has called me heavenward. So there's that heaven word, but also the word call.  That's it. What does that word mean? That's kind of a special church word. It is. But I believe  we all know this. And we should close our eyes before we go to sleep at night. Many of us get  you a sense of we're here for something to do. And just not random that we are placed on the  earth for a purpose. So you know, because you and I grew up with this word calling maybe  some of those folks out there, you know, what is calling like, that's a loaded word from the  Christian perspective. Yeah. I understand it as the voice of God speaks your heart and asked  you to do something with your life. For me, it happened when I was 12. And I remember,  remember, my grandmother read out of the King James Bible, Jeremiah, chapter one, Before I  formed you in the womb, I knew you before you were born, I called you. And she was reading  that. And I felt that the Lord spoke to me and said, You know, I have a purpose. And my  purpose is to be a prophet to the nation's. And if I look back at it, that organize so much of my life and motivated me to get my school done, and all of those things, when you have the  sense that you have a calling directly from God, then What could stop you right? So we  started with this whole notion of pressing on, when the ability to press on, in part comes from  a sense of a calling, you know, the calling you may feel right now, as some of you are going. I  don't know if God has told me that anything, right? The awareness of a calling, doesn't mean  that, you know, you might not be aware of your calling, but that doesn't mean that God hasn't called you. An awareness of your calling can grow as you start exploring God and all the  possibilities. And the fact is, you're here taking classes, right? Something's going on. Yeah.  Could that be your calling? Good. All right. So what might your goals be? So I just just some  basic little goals. Number one, maybe your goal is to finish this class. But when you start  thinking about goals, these kinds of questions are really good. By when, how, where? And  why. So, you wanna you started this class, but when are you going to finish it? Right? A week,  two weeks, a month, three months, this year, you have 180 days to finish a class, there's all  these logistics that are involved. Number two, what might your goals be to complete a  specific course of study? So what am I talking about? Well, there are all sorts of different  awards, this interest, yeah, this is the introduction. We're onboarding you, we're getting you  involved, we're giving you the access. But after you take this access class, you're going to  look around to say, you know, hey, I liked that class on anger management, because  sometimes I'm the berserk or geniune. And my habitat address a little bit. And so I'm just  gonna start with that one, or it could be that's a personal, you want to improve your personal  life. But there might be others, then you want to take on heavier classes, like, you know, you  really feel the desire to be a minister. And we have classes that go deep in your life, or study  the Bible, of course, Christian Leaders Institute would have the Bible for you to study, maybe  you'll want to do the Old Testament Survey and the New Testament Survey. Those are goals,  you have to figure out how to pray, or maybe you want to get into some of the Enterprise  classes, and you want to get a head start on college with, we have a code we have a coaching program, yes, learn how to coach people in various areas, whether it be parenting, whether it  be marriage, whether it be just you know how to deal with life. So number three, prepare for a specific ministry goal, we sort of touched on that you might be, you might want to be a  volunteer worker, you might want to be a chaplain, you might want to be a life coach, you  might want to be a minister, right? You might want to plant a church, we have all kinds of  different options. You might want to be a professor one day. Alright, number four, What might  your goals be to take so many courses over so much time and see how the Lord directs you?  So maybe you don't you have no idea what you want to be what you want to do. You just  know that, you know, you're stuck in a rut and you want to start exploring and learning and  figuring out what God possibly can do with you. And right now you're like, I can't imagine God  would do anything with me, doesn't matter, right? You just start learning and growing. And I'm telling you, after you start learning and growing, all of a sudden, your mind will be exploding 

with all kinds of things, and thoughts that you never had before. Interests often peak on new  ideas, you go to sleep at night, thinking about? Okay, so walls to reaching your goals. There  are walls. At this point, you think, Okay, I gotta goal, I articulated. And now you're talking  about walls. And you probably you watched the first lecture and that wasn't too bad. And then you're taking this when you're doing these guys are kind of interesting, at least they're  humorous or something. Right? And you're thinking, Yeah, I can do this. Right. And a lot of  times when we start something, and we we have all this enthusiasm. I mean, that's what God  has to start. You heard about this program, people talked about it. And so now you're doing it,  and you're full of I'm a studier and so on. But what happens often as we start something, I  find that even just like cleaning my garage, I start with enthusiasm about halfway I want to  quit because tired of it, right? Because now it's become work. And so there's all these walls  and we've identified a few walls that maybe you can relate to. And we thought that we talk  about them maybe before we even bump into them so that when you do bump into them.  Okay, that's what they said. I want to give self disclosure that I have all of these walls. So if  you think that we're like so high and mighty that we don't have this is for you for that's not  the case. Okay? Walls to reach your goals. Number one, no specific goal. What when, where,  how, why? Okay, so this is, for most people, they don't do anything because they have no  goal to do anything, right. If you get up in the day, you have no goal of doing anything. You  end up wasting the whole day. So this the same thing was CLI. If you don't have a goal, if  anything this class you won't finish the class. So one of our professors named Dr. Roy Clouser, a professor was given the Templeton award for a class that everybody has an unstated goal is they don't have a stated goal, that there actually still is a goal that you have, and it's inside of you, but it's often not identified. So it might just be the goal, my goal is to do nothing today,  it's still a goal. It's just but then you've accepted that goal inside of you. So Dr. Clouser said,  great philosophy is being self aware of what's driving you or others. And a lot of times we  choose goals based on success. In other words, if I have a goal of doing nothing, today, I'll  probably have a good chance of succeeding. Yes. So that's the nothing so the reason we don't put challenging goals in front of us is because we might not make it right. And then we have  to deal with a failure of not making it. And so part of our encouragement to you, is to help you get familiar with failure. Because these, these walls that you're gonna bump into, this is the  walls everyone bumps into, right. And if you could set seeing walls as challenges, right, as fun things to overcome. So no specific goal. Number two, procrastination. I'll get to it later. Yeah.  Like, you know, the third lecture, I'll do that. I plan on tomorrow. But then tomorrow comes  and then something else happens. And then something else happens. Probably some of you  procrastinate with this whole course of study you're going to start a month ago. And finally, I  don't know what finally led to it. Right. So procrastination is a typical thing that most of us  struggle with. Partially cuz I think sometimes it's just hard to get started. I think it was hard to  get started, I think we worry that we might not fail. So put up to deal with things and  progressives and probably lose a lot of other walls too Yes, yes. But it's a debilitating one.  Okay. Number three, lack of study. You know, we've been doing this for almost 20 years and  15 years of doing online education almost, in and I'll tell ya. That's a wall. It's not even, you  know, I went to school and college and so on seminary. And I never took a class on studying, I  have no you're just on your own. And so all my bad habits that I had, for most of all my life, I  just then transferred to the area of study, right? Sports is very easy to me. So I didn't work at  sports. So when I did school, you bring up a good point there. No sports actually takes a lot of  habit. I'm the I love to golf, you love to golf, if you forgot, if we had a grade for every time we  went golfing, and every effort we made in golfing, but we'd be PhDs to this. Because the  discipline took you know, yesterday, I was at the range practicing just so I have sports habits,  and they're a lot easier for most of us than study habits. Alright, number four, struggled  struggle with English as a second language. Some of you struggle with English as a second  language, and so you're taking classes and so on. Or you might not be struggling with English  as a second language. A lot of technical words. I was gonna say, you know, I think I still  struggle with English. As a first language, I remember when I went to college. And we talked  about that in an earlier presentation. I didn't have a great grade school background High  School. And when I went into ministry, I didn't get into philosophy that was the course of 

study to get into seminary back in those days. And every single word blew me away. I had no  idea what they're even talking about 99% of the time. So there is an academic language here. All right, too busy, work, family friends. What can we say? I mean, that that's often the excuse 

we give for not doing something that we were supposed to do, but it really comes again,  down to priorities. What if you don't have to do any of this stuff? Right? What do you want to  do? What do you want to do? You know, people actually do what they want to do, they do.  And so if you're not doing what you say you want to do maybe what you say you want to do is not really what you want to do, right? Too many distractions, the other distraction genes, we  have the Berserker gene that you need to take anger management for. But then there's the  distractions. And some of us just have it. Some of us are just easily distracted A.D.D they call  it nowadays, but sometimes maybe our habits of where we're studying is just as you know, a  place where too many things that going on, right I can, I can study in the middle of total  mayhem kids chaos, because I'm someone who just tunes everything out, and I don't hear  what's going on. So I have the hyper focus thing. And you know, which hurts me because then my wife says I don't listen, because I'm preoccupied with some problem. And she started to  have a conversation with me, and I act like I'm listening, but I'm not because I'm distracted.  So I noticed that in You Too, but other people have the opposite problem where they can't  focus on anything. If there's something else going on. I personally can only focus on what I'm  doing. If I want it. I cannot, I have a tie my will in with my study. If I have any question, I don't  want it. I will not be in focus. Number seven, no support. spouse, Family Church. So you know, you're you're doing this study, maybe you've told some people, maybe you haven't maybe  some of the people you told they sort of laughed at you. They, they pigeon holed you. Right?  They think this is who you are, do you think you can learn something? You think, oh, you're as  a Christian. You are, you know, and then they bring up your past or things that you did in the  past. And, and so you don't have a supportive environment. Right. And that's so hard. You  need people in your life that believe in you. Even when you fail, so that when you fail they're  right there, they encourage you to keep going. And Rich DeVos was so good for us, he would  always do that he was Mr. Encourager, always fighting. You boys are just, you know, don't  worry. You always paint this glorious future for us. And because he said it, and because he  believed it, we started to believe it too. Right? Alright, number 12. Number eight, no belief  that you can do it. So this is really about you. You know, you might have these self doubts  that just plague you. And you're wondering why you're even doing this because you've failed  at everything like this in the past. And but not this time. Maybe you're hearing the voice of a  father, mother, brother, or teacher or somebody saying negative things about you. And that  tape keeps playing. Right. Alright, number nine desire to accomplish but little desire to learn.  So some of that's an interesting one, what are some of our students, because there's  certificates and awards and so on, and you can keep track of them. And it's almost becomes  like a game, we notice that and you know, people are sometimes more interested in the  badge in the certificate in getting the next one, they rush to the classes getting nothing is  barely getting. They won't even watch the lecture, they take the quiz and hopefully try to  pass as best they can. So that there are some people Steve, literally who know how to pass a  quiz with learning. Absolutely nothing. Right. Yeah. And and what's the point of that? Yeah, the point is to become something and learn something. Alright, number 10. Fear of failure. You  know, we've talked about that. Let's go to the next one eleven, uncertain of end goal. Some of you don't know, what am I going to do with all this? Where is this all going to go and that  keeps you from going to the next step. Now I'm talking about that a little bit. What I've  learned is that any time I can get enlightened and learn something, some I didn't know, it has  everything to do with my future, whether or not I get a credential to prove anything about it. I  just learned and all of a sudden new options occur to me and ideas I never thought before  occur when I've learned something I've had that with you. You're one of these people that is  very curious and inquisitive and creative and I just like spending time with you because I  might learn something and it might change my life. And that's what these classes will do. Who knows where you're gonna go? Yeah, we have a credential. But it's not the credential that  makes a man or a woman it's you and what you do with what you learn that makes it special.  Okay, number 12, feeling like you're in over your head. Interesting. Some of you may, you 

might not be there yet. But eventually, okay, so we're going to leave all those there. What  we're going to do now is specifically how we get over those things. We've said some of that  already. But we have some verses that go with it no specific goal what, when, where, or how  Philippians 3, why don't you read it? Well, now that I've already obtained all this, or have  already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that which Christ Jesus used to call to me, brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I  do, forgetting what's behind and straining towards what's a head, I press on toward the goal  to win the prize, for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Okay. Do you think  Paul struggled with this sense of his purpose? You know, I believe he did. You know, we have a read often where he says that there have been a thorn in the flesh. And he was beaten, and  many times and he was held back, and I can see, he would just throw in the towel at some  point. But what kept him going, I realy what kept him going was he knew that he was on earth for a purpose. In fact, the stories as calling, Jesus meets him on the road to Damascus, and  said, You are going to be the agent, my apostle to go speak the Gentiles. speak the gospel to  the Gentiles. So you think, in part, every time he was whipped, beaten, abused? Do you think  he went back to this original calling? That those original words? I think so? And so what words  can we can we give these folks that they can tell that to? You know, all of you have a  narrative, a journey on why you're where you are? And so do I. And there's two ways to look  at that. One is you're becoming prepared for that next step, that next blessing that you're  going to share with the world or with your neighbor or with your family, or it's just all random.  I believe these two things are before us that are just things are random, or there's their  purpose. And I believe there is a purpose. And I believe you're here, because you know,  there's a purpose, right? So maybe this is your Damascus Road, this moment, right, right now, and we can categorically say that God has called you. He has prepared you, and even the  negative things that have happened in your life. Those are, you know, Paul, too Paul was an  enemy of the church. Right? But God used all of his background, all those things where he  was walking exactly the opposite direction. And God used all of that for His purpose. Right?  He can do the same for you. All Alright. Number two, procrastination. Henry, why don't you  read that one Proverbs 10:5. a wise youth makes hay while the sun shines but what a shame  to see a lad who sleeps away in his hour of opportunity. Hour of opportunity. right here. That's  what this is. I's your opportunity, Don't Sleep? Number three, lack of study. Okay, how do we  help people get over a lack of study? we're going to address this in more detail in a future  presentation. Because we know this is a wall that you and I must get over. Number four,  struggle with English as a second language. I think we've talked about that and we will have  more information on that as well. Alright, number five, too busy with work and family and  friends. Again, we have no idea what your specific situation is. Number six, too many  distractions. Let you read that. I Corinthians 9:23, I do all this for the sake of the gospel. But I  may share in this blessing. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one  gets the prize Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games  goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last but we do it to get a crown  that will last forever. So in some ways, a lot of our lives are busy with crowns that don't last.  Yeah, pseudo crowns. And we work hard. And in the end, what do we have nothing. So, right  now you're involved in something that has the potential to not only change your life forever,  right? But change the people that you're closest to. Maybe the people that you've been  estranged from, right? Maybe there's a miracle, bringing some of that back together. And  you're going to learn how to do that. Yes. Because that's, God is a God of forgiveness, and  second chances and reconciliation, reconciliation, and going in directions. You never could  have guessed? Yes, it's, it's, it's a it's a ride. It's a ride. Grace filled adventure. And as all  headed. Alright, no support. I Timothy 3:5, if anyone does not know how to manage his own  family, how can he take care of God's church? I'm just gonna say that verse makes me think  that yeah, there is a problem here that needs to be overcome. And it would be  understandable that many of you don't feel like you have family support right now. And yet,  by taking these classes, you're making a step to show your family that you sincerely are on a  different path. But it's difficult because it's hard to stay on a path when you don't have family  support. But once you get on this path, you're more likely to get family support. So you need 

support from somewhere, right? So we try to be supportive in these classes. So in some ways, we are right in the room with you. And we're trying to support you as best we can. But  hopefully you can get other people to study or maybe there's are people that you are already  doing this alongside of you. Spend time talk to each other, you need the encouragement from people around you. And I will say this, Steve, and I can say this, we do love you. We believe  God has a plan for you. And we believe that through your efforts, the world will be a better  place. People will be love Grace will be shared. And you will be part of that Grange Grace  journey. Alright, number eight, no belief that you can do it Philippians 4:13, I can do all things  through Him or give me strength. This is one of my favorites. So not to say that I can do all  things would be arrogant. That's kind of the world way. You know, pump yourself up, get up in  the morning, look in the mirror and say you're awesome. You can do it. And I got to talk  myself into this. But this first says I can do all things through him who gives me strength. It's  not, it's not on me. Right? I mean, the other puts a lot of pressure. Yes, you should be able to.  After off, you live in the greatest country in the world and you have all these, you know, and  then you can talk yourself into a downward spiral. But it's not on me. Right? It's not on you.  Right? It's on him. For him to give you strength. The responsibility that you have is to say,  stay connected to him. Yes. Number nine, desire to accomplish but little desire to learn  Galatians 1:10 am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or God? Or am I trying to  please people? If I were still trying to please people? Would I not be a servant of Christ? Or I  Thessalonians 2:4, On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with  the gospel. We are not trying to please people But God, who tests our hearts. Right. So again,  sometimes I think students sometimes we find you know, will take classes and they're trying  to pump themselves up to make themselves look good. Instead, you know, so they're trying  to please men right like they want to look good before men, right? Instead of I'm just trying to do God's will right that's it. And I don't want I'm not trying to have men lift me up. I'm trying  to lift up men. Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to be take my moments and my  days and let them be filled with your praise, right? How can I How can I be the consumer love  lifting people up? Rather than how can I manipulate people so the timeless Alright, number  10, fear of failure Corinthians 12:7, Now to each one of us the manifestation of the Spirit is  given for the common good. This I Corinthians 12 is all about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and  how each person is given a gift. And I love this verse because as everyone, every it doesn't  matter who you are, right? If you're following Christ, then you have the gift of the Holy Spirit,  you may not know what it is, right? What, there's a lot of options in terms of gifts. But, but the Holy Spirit is in you and wants to do something through you. So good things can happen for  you. You don't have to worry about failure, number eleven, uncertain of the end goal.  Proverbs 13:3, commit to the Lord, whatever you do, and He will establish your plans in their  hearts. humans plan their course, but God, but the Lord establishes their steps. So, you know, he might not be, you know, might not have any idea where all this is gonna lead, right? So  you make your plans with these courses with this course, finish this course. And you know  what, God will direct the rest. That's right. It's just, it's just preparation for what God has in  mind. And when God is going to let you know specifically what he wants, it'll be that's his  problem, that's right in fact you don't even have to worry about it is a curious journey. Alright,  last one, number 12. feeling like you are in over your head. Okay. Ephesians 3:20. Now to him  who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that  is at work with, to Him the glory in the church, and in Christ Jesus, for at all generations  forever and ever. Amen. Amen. So, you know, I know for me most the time is I grew up with  this verse, people used it as you know, I have to imagine something incredibly big and large,  and the pressures on me because God is so great. So I should have these incredible goals that are worthy of God. But that's not what the verse says, it says now to him was able to imagine  something awesome and great. I don't have to imagine it. That's his thing. I just have to do  the thing in front of me. And then realize that God can take that little thing that I do this little  class that I finished the next class. So the first certificate that I have, he's the one that can  take this thing that seems so small, he can turn it into something beyond what you ever  imagined. Right? So here we are, your goals. There are walls, but God will be with you. And as

you continue forward, know that we're here to support you. We're excited about what's going  to happen as you continue on in this course.