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―CARPE ANNUM – SEIZE THE YEAR‖
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
How many people here have ever kept a journal or a diary? Back in the ―Day we kept diaries to keep a record of our lives. In the Internet generation we have new ways of recording the events of our lives. How many people here are on Facebook or Twitter?
Did you hear that the Library of Congress is going to be acquiring the Twitter archives, dating back to the social media giant's origins in 2006? When people read the collected tweets years from now, what will they make of our endless stream of junk. What story is being told by our status updates and tweets? Is it a good story? A story different from the many told throughout the social media world? A story that they really want on record for the world to read and reflect on?
In a recent interview with MTV. When asked why Miley Cyrus was pulling back from social media—Cyrus closed down her Twitter account last fall—she had this to say: "I feel like I hang out with my friends, and they're so busy taking pictures of what they're doing and putting them on Facebook, that they're not really enjoying what they're doing. You're going to look back and have a million pictures, but you're not going to be in any of them.
Because you're not having fun, you're too busy clicking away." Like a quote I found from journalist, Russel Baker: ―Life is always walking up to us and saying, "Come on in, the living's fine," and what do we do? Back off and take its picture.‖ Who knew Miley Cyrus could be so deep?
Actually the MTV interview revealed a little more, where she was saying, ―Instead be a part of the fun; Live it up, join the party! Party!‖ or live for the moment, which is the real meaning behind the phrase in Latin that you might have heard before: ―Carpe Diem.‖
The phrase, carpe diem, was from the ancient Roman poet, Horace, but it was popularized in a movie called, ―Dead Poets Society,‖ starring Robin Williams as an
English teacher in a boy’s boarding school. He is trying to teach these young bored kids to live up to their potential, live life to the fullest with a purpose, because life is short.
I found some interesting quotes that I liked about living life to the fullest:
As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.
~Zachary Scott
And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.
~Abraham Lincoln
For a long time it had seemed to me that life was about to begin - real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way. Something to be got through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. ~Fr. Alfred D'Souza
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. ~Annie Dillard, The Writing
Life
Many people die with their music still in them. Why is this so? Too often it is because they are always getting ready to live. Before they know it, time runs out. ~Oliver Wendell
Holmes

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You will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it.
~Charles Buxton
When your life flashes before your eyes, make sure you've got plenty to watch . ~Author unknown, from a television commercial
With the New Year arriving, I wondered what the Latin term was for ―Seize the Year.‖
That’s where I got Carpe Annum . But obviously I am not talking about just living it up all year for next year we might die! The question for us is: ―How will we seize next year and live it to the fullest for Christ?‖
The scripture text for this morning is from Deuteronomy 30. This is Moses’ last speech to the people of Israel before they enter the Promised Land. Remember God used Moses to lead His people out of slavery from Egypt, but because of their unfaithfulness, He made them wander in the wilderness for 40 years. God won’t allow Moses to enter, so
Moses gives his last speech to the people before they move forward into this new land.
This is the end of this speech when Moses is warning them as they enter into a new year in their life:
15 See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. 16 For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
17 But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, 18 I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the
Jordan to enter and possess.
―This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 30:15-20)
Moses is not saying ―live it up while you can.‖ He is saying you have a choice as to how to live. He describes the choices that lead to life and the choices that lead to destruction. He urges them to ―choose life‖ – Mark’s translation of ―choose life‖ for this new year is, ―Seize the Year.‖ Don’t just coast through the year, being a victim, letting life happen to you. Instead Carpe Annum, seize the year for Christ. Live in such a way that you are a victor in life, not a victim. Seize the year for Christ – plant a flag of
Christ’s ownership into the beachhead of this year.
For any big undertaking, you have to take it one step at a time. Like the old saying goes:
―How do you eat an elephant? One bite at time.‖ How do we seize the year and live for
Christ? One day at a time. In other words, in order to Carpe Annum (seize the year) you have to Carpe Diem (seize the day) even to carpe Momento (seize the moment) for Christ.
It even boils down to each little decision you make every moment of every day: With each choice, does it move me closer or farther away from Seizing the Year? Is it a choice that leads to life or a choice that leads to destruction? Choose life!

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So how does this play out in your life? It has to do with things you choose to no longer do, to things that you will choose to do. Things I choose not to do in order to Seize the
Year for Christ: the moment I am faced with a bad habit, I choose not to do it; the moment I am tempted to use foul language, I choose not to; the moment I am tempted to click on certain web sites on the Internet, I choose not to; the moment I start to make the same old excuses as to why I can’t do something for Christ, I choose not to make an excuse; Things I will choose to do to Seize the Year: When I am considering reading my
Bible reading of the New Testament by Easter, I choose to do it; When I am faced with having a daily prayer and devotional time with God, or running out the door, I choose to stop and pray; I choose to speak kindly to others; I choose to seriously live out the
Golden Rule; I choose to get up on Sunday morning and attend worship instead of sleep in; I choose to become active in a Sunday School class or small group; to spend more time with my family; to be a spiritual leader in my family; to take part in a mission project in the community; to sign up for a Foreign Mission; to share my testimony with the people closest to me; to tithe 1% more of my income than what I am doing now (or tithe 10% if you want to gain greater ground of seizing the year). I will choose life a moment at a time.
Don’t just let the year happen to you – don’t just let life happen to you. Seize the moment - seize the day – seize the year! But here is a critical caveat: You do not have the strength to do it yourself, We need God’s help to do it, otherwise you will give in and give up. Seek Christ’s help, and if you mess up, ask for help or forgiveness, get up and go at it again. Let Christ be your strength to seize the year or the day or the moment– ―I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.‖ Philippians 4:13
Do you want the sum of your life to count for something? Let each moment count for
Christ. One of my favorite sayings is found in a poem attributed to Charles Studd, a
Missionary to China, India and Africa, entitled, ―Only One Life‖;
Two little lines I heard one day,Traveling along life's busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgement seat;
Only one life,'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.
Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God's holy will to cleave;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.
Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its clays I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.
Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e'er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.
Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, "twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.
Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say,"Thy will be done";
And when at last I'll hear the call, I know I'll say "twas worth it all";
Only one life,'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.
CARPE ANNUM! SEIZE THE YEAR!
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