17 Oct Hopes & Habits (Because you can’t have uphill hopes and downhill habits) Part 8

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Over the last number of months we have been in our this series, but before we jump into new teaching let’s review…

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).

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

Let’s continue this week. 

Please allow me to share with you Three “First” Formulas:

  1. Give God the first of your month…scheduling and budgeting

As a family, we literally schedule in our weekend and Wednesday church attendance.  In today’s culture Sundays have become the new Saturday. People overwork and over schedule, and now take Sundays off from church.  In America people consider going to church once a month a “regular church attender”. As a pastor, I certainly recognize my bias here, but as a Christian it is impossible to be a committed disciple of Jesus Christ and just attend church once a month!

The second thing we schedule in every month is our day off…Monday.  On Mondays we make sure we do two things together as a family: one, we eat together with all electronics off.  We actually talk! Two…we have family devotions together where we discuss the Bible and pray together as a family.

Lastly, we monthly budget our finances with “tithe, save and spend” as our order of priority.

Join us next week as we share from our Three “First” Formulas…