19 Feb Hopes & Habits (Because you can’t have uphill hopes and downhill habits) Part 21

Posted at 14:20h in Uncategorized by

This week we jump back into “Four Biblical Habits” that will radically change your life:

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

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.

Then we shared our next Biblical Habit…

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

“Two Change Challenges”:

  1. God-given change is both possible and profitable.
  2. God-given change creates better “normals”.

“Seven Channels of Change”:

  1. Change your “saying” (James 3:3-4).
  2. Change your “thinking”
  3. Changing your thinking changes your expecting (Ps. 62:5)
  4. Changing your expecting changes your attitude (Eph. 4:23)
  5. Changing your attitude changes your behavior (II Pet. 3:11)
  6. Changing your behavior changes your performance (II Cor. 2:14)
  7. Changing your performance changes your life (John 10:10)

Now let’s continue with…

3. Find your purpose (Eph. 2:10)

To assist you with this please allow me to share “Seven Purpose Principles”:

  1. You have a purpose (Eph. 2:10).  

God created us, we did not (see Psalm 100:3).  Therefore He knows how we will function at our best and highest.  The Bible tells us, “For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which He foreordained from the beginning of time that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:10).

The Greek word translated “workmanship” is the word “poema” (we get our English word ‘poem’ from it).  You are God’s special, original poem. God created you uniquely for a unique purpose. Our life becomes more and more pain free when we align ourselves with His purpose!  Please allow me to illustrate with this true and powerful story.  

Many years ago, there was a man who was driving his car on a very isolated country road when the car broke down.  The man was in a very precarious position as there were no other vehicles on this isolated road and it was before the days of mobile phones.  After a while, a very large limousine drove up out of nowhere and stopped. A man dressed in very wealthy attire emerged from the back seat. The wealthy man asked the owner of the broken down vehicle if he could look under the hood.  The man with the broken down car readily agreed. After a few minutes and a few adjustments to the car, the rich man asked the other man to jump in his car to see if he could start it up. As the man turned the key in the ignition, immediately the engine started!

The man was so grateful to the wealthy man and asked him why he stopped to help.  To which the wealthy man replied, “My name is Henry Ford and I am the creator of your car.  It truly bothers me to see one of my creations broken down on the side of the road.”

I truly believe this story illustrates the heart of God.  He designed us to function according to His plan and purpose.  When we venture out on our own that is when we become broken down and isolated.  However, aren’t you glad God doesn’t want to replace us…He wants to repair us!

Remember this:  Live your life by God’s design not human default.

Join us next week as we continue this series…