27 Nov Hopes & Habits (Because you can’t have uphill hopes and downhill habits) Part 13

Posted at 08:00h in Uncategorized by

This week we continue sharing “Four Biblical Habits” that will radically change your life, but first let’s review.

  1. Focus on firsts (Matt. 6:33).

Four “First” Facets:

  1. What you do first reveals who you are.
  2. Whatever you prize you will prioritize.
  3. Whatever you put first you set up to meet your needs.
  4. First things have power

Then we shared Three “First” Formulas:

  1. Give God the first of your month…scheduling and budgeting
  2. Give God the first of your week…worshipping and resting
  3. Give God the first of your day…studying and praying

“Three Alignment Aspects”:

  1. If God is simply on your list, your life will be misaligned. If God is at the top of your list, your life will be aligned.
  2. God models what He expects.  He put us first by going first.
  3. Expect the rest to be blessed.

So our first uphill habit is to “focus on firsts”.

This week let’s continue with…

   2. Foster new thoughts (Rom. 12:2).

Here the Bible tells us, “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”

The Greek word translated “transformed” is the word “metamorphao”.  This is a Greek compound word for “meta” which means “to change” and “morphao” which means “shape”.  Put those two Greek words together and the Bible tells us when we foster new thoughts according to God’s Word…we can change shapes.  In other words, uphill habits can begin to make uphill hopes!

However, as a pastor, I understand that people are often very hesitant about change and the flesh loves status quo.  So there are a couple of things you need to understand about change:

“Two Change Challenges”:

      1. God-given change is both possible and profitable.

People resist change because they don’t believe the above.  Change for the sake of change will not benefit you, but when it is God-given change it is always possible and always profitable.

      2. God-given change creates better “normals”.

We just celebrated the 15th Anniversary of Joy Church!  I remember when we moved from Knoxville to Mt. Juliet to pioneer our church.  Everything was change!  Now 15 years later, after starting the church with 18 we have over 2,100 active Joy Team members.  Everything is “normal” now just at a much better level!

“Ok, Pastor Jim, I’m in…I am ready for change” you might be saying at this juncture.  “Tell me how!” I’m so glad you asked!

Please allow me to share with you “Seven Channels of Change”:

  1. Change your “saying” (James 3:3-4).  

Here the Bible says, “Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.  Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, withersoever the governor listeth.”

In this powerful passage of Scripture the “horse” represents you.  The ship represents your life circumstances. The bit and the rudder represent the words you speak.  You can first turn “you” around and eventually your circumstances simply by changing what you are saying!

4 “Saying” Superlatives:

  1. Don’t use your words to describe your life…use your words to design your life.
  2. Don’t speak what you experience…speak what you expect.
  3. You can’t out-think the devil but you sure can out-speak him (see Matt. 4:1-11).
  4. Take the faith in your heart and overpower the doubt in your head…by the words of your mouth!

Obviously this all begins by speaking the Word of God (see Prov. 18:21).  When you change what you are saying it will change what you are thinking!  

Remember this:  Your life will always move in the direction of your strongest thoughts.

Next month we will continue our series.