22 Jan Hopes & Habits (Because you can’t have uphill hopes and downhill habits) Part 18

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Before we jump in, let’s review.

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 began sharing “Four Biblical Habits” that will radically change your life:

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

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

We began sharing  “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) 

This week we continue with…

5.] Changing your attitude changes your behavior (II Pet. 3:11)

When you have an uncommonly good attitude you begin to go the “extra mile” in life.  Jesus told us in Matthew 5:41, “And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.”  In the time in which this was written, the Roman soldiers had taken social and political power and were very abusive of the Jews.  It was common law of the day for a Jew to be required to carry the backpack of a Roman soldier for one mile.  As you could imagine after the mile had been begrudgingly traveled by a Jew, he would toss the backpack down in disgust and walk away grumbling.  

Well Jesus chose to change the narrative.  Imagine how surprised a Roman soldier would have been when after a Jew had competed his “mile of duty” he joyfully carried it a second mile.  It’s during the second mile that the Roman soldier would ask “why?” It’s during that “why” that comes from the second mile that you can give them the answer…Jesus!

That principle is still applicable today.  My son now has a part-time job and I tell him to do three things when he begins his work day:

  1. Solve problems
  2. Anticipate need
  3. Go the extra mile

By the way, this is great advice for anyone reading this today because I believe that if you do these three things on a regular basis, you will be in line for a great promotion.  Not only am I a pastor but I am an employer as well. I can tell you how valuable someone is to me if they will do these three things for me in ministry. I reward handsomely those who do so!

Remember this:  There is very little traffic on the extra mile!

Join us next week as we continue in our series…