Touré Roberts - A Next Mentality

I want to look at two passages of Scripture; those passages will form the basis for our discussion today. Both are familiar passages, and I quote one of them nearly every week. If you’ve been around this church for five minutes, you’ve heard me reference this passage: Jeremiah chapter 29, verse 11. You probably know I often quote it from the NIV, but today I will use the New King James Version. God says, «For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord.» What kind of thoughts? Thoughts of peace. The Hebrew word «Shalom» refers to wholeness, blessing, and prosperity. God has thoughts of Shalom, not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. When I think about you, I only think one way about you. That word can also mean plans: «For I know the plans that I have for you.» I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord. So, what do you think about me? When you look at me, what do you see? I see Shalom; I see peace; I see wholeness. My plan for you is peace; my plan for you is wholeness—nothing broken, nothing missing. This is what I see when I look at you. This is the plan that I have for you. Then He says, just in case you didn’t quite understand that, let me make it clear: the thoughts I have for you are Shalom and not of evil. In other words, whenever you have a negative or evil thought about your future—fear, worry, or doubt—just know that God didn’t give you that thought. Hello, somebody! Whenever a thought enters your mind that is negative or evil, just know where it didn’t come from: to give you a future and a hope, a future and hope.

So here in this text, we see God speaking through the prophet, and He’s speaking about the future. What’s interesting, if you study the context of that passage, is that He’s addressing a people who are about to go through something challenging. The crazy thing is they had to endure it for a while, but God still comes to them and says, «Listen, in spite of your current moment, in order for you to survive and thrive, I need you to look beyond it. I need you to have a forward or next mentality.» There are some people in this room right now who are discouraged because you’re focused on now and not on next. I feel the Holy Spirit on that.

Now, let’s move on to the second passage. I’ll speak freely and we’ll continue, because, remember, last time I couldn’t finish, and that’s irresponsible. Let’s go to Mark chapter 1. It says, «Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, ” this is Jesus after He has performed many miracles and blessed people while preaching the Gospel. He gets up, takes time for consecration, and goes to a solitary place to pray. The text states, „Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place, and there He prayed.“ In verse 36, it says, „And Simon and those who were with him searched for Him. ‘Where are you, Jesus? ’“ In verse 37, it says, „And when they found Him, they said to Him, ‘Everyone is looking for You.’“ In verse 38, Jesus replied, „But let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth.“

Jesus had a next mentality; He was far ahead of His followers. His followers wanted to discuss what He had done, seeking to relish in the past. „Everyone’s talking about what you did, Jesus; let’s go back and hang out where the miracles happened.“ Jesus corrects them immediately. It’s as if He almost ignores the past because in His mind, He knows He cannot do next and now at the same time. He had a forward mentality. Jesus was saying, „No, no, no! You guys, I’m five steps ahead of you. You’re still focused on what happened; I’m looking at what I am supposed to make happen next. Are you tracking with me?“

We are in a time, as I mentioned briefly a moment ago, where we find ourselves in a strange moment in our world. There are many things unraveling in a way I have never seen throughout my years. If you’re not careful, you will spend so much time trying to figure out what’s happening that you will not position yourself for what is about to happen. I want to express this as I see it, and if you’re not careful, two things that will stifle you are the past and even…