19 Mar Hopes & Habits (Because you can’t have uphill hopes and downhill habits) Part 24

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The Bible tells us that “diligence is our precious possession” (see Prov. 12:27 NKJV).  My personal definition for diligence is “doing little things for a long time, until it makes a big difference.”  Conversely, my definition of laziness is “neglecting little things for a long time until it makes a big difference.”

That is why the Bible tells us, “The hands of the diligent makes one rich” (Prov. 10:4) and the “plans of the diligent surely lead to plenty” (Prov. 21:5).  That’s why diligence is our precious possession…when we diligently connect uphill habits with our uphill hopes…it will eventually make a big difference in our lives!

Over the last number of months we have shared with you “8 Habit Helpers”:

    1. Hope is not a strategy (Heb. 6:19).
    2. The things we do and the things we should do don’t always line up (Rom. 7:19).
    3. The two greatest gaps in life are “wanting and having” and “knowing and doing”.  If you’ll close the second gap, the first gap will automatically close.
    4. We are what we repeatedly do.
    5. We form our habits then our habits form us.
    6. Always point your saying, sowing and serving in the same direction.
    7. Always point your mouth, money and ministry in the same direction.  Again, this is the same principle as #6 but said in a little different way.
    8. Habit will take you further than desire.

Then we shared with you “3 Different Dynamics”:

  1. Renew your hope (Prov. 13:12).
  2. Repent from your past (Rom. 2:4).
  3. Redefine your habits (Heb. 5:13-14).

Then we finally shared with you “Four Biblical Habits” that will radically change your life:

  1. Focus on firsts (Matt. 6:33).
  2. Foster new thoughts (Rom. 12:2).
  3. Find your purpose (Eph. 2:10)

Not only do we need to:

  1. Focus on firsts
  2. Foster new thoughts

You need to…Find your purpose!

To assist you we began our “Seven Purpose Principles”:

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

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

     2. You must have purpose beyond your pain.

Remember this: You can’t be a selfish person and live a significant life!

This week we continue with…

     3. There will be competition for your purpose (Mark 4:19)

Here the Bible says, “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.”  The Amplified Bible calls the cares of this world “the distractions of the age”.  As I’m sure you can attest to, there are more distractions availed to this generation than any up to this time!  

How many of you know your credit card has a plan for your life?!  How many of you know your I-phone has a plan for your life! How many of you know social media has a plan for your life?  There will always be competition for your purpose! The Bible tells us, “Better is a handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 4:6).

This Scripture flies in the face of our culture.  Our culture tells us, “If one is good, then two is better.”  If one cookie is good, then two is better! If one donut is good, then two is better.  If one car is good, then two is better. If one child is good, then two is better. (I probably lost some of you on that last one!)  If one wife is good…then two is Utah!

I can tell you that two is not always better!  I remember when my son had his 10th birthday.  He invited all kinds of his friends and their parents to a park by the lake.  His mom made him two kinds of special healthy cake and some hot cider. Here at the Frease household we don’t eat a lot of sweets and therefore John found these special treats to be extremely tasty!  He gulped down the first helping and then quickly asked for a second round. It wasn’t but twenty minutes later that John was clutching my hand and asking me to come away from all our guests quickly! As soon as we were about 100 yards away I discovered why…the two helpings of cake and cider that went down quickly, were now coming up even quicker in all of its glorious array of rainbow colors!  I can tell you first hand…two is not always better!

Remember this: An overwhelmed schedule will always produce an underwhelmed soul.

Join us next week as we continue our series…