WEBVTT 00:00:47.066 --> 00:00:52.432 We've been working through this series on building spiritual habits in our lives. 00:00:52.432 --> 00:00:55.265 Ten Spiritual Habits for Life is what we've called it. 00:00:55.265 --> 00:00:58.865 And of course, the idea behind that is what we just saw on screen. 00:00:58.865 --> 00:01:08.665 How do you make small changes in your life that over time, sometimes imperceptibly lead to big results eventually? 00:01:08.665 --> 00:01:13.733 One example I've heard shared about that is take a block of ice. 00:01:13.799 --> 00:01:17.865 A block of ice that's in a room that's at 29 degrees. 00:01:17.965 --> 00:01:24.200 And you began to raise the temperature of the room just a 10th of a degree every hour or so. 00:01:24.299 --> 00:01:27.299 And at first, nothing is different. 00:01:27.465 --> 00:01:31.700 Another hour goes by, many hours go by 30 degrees. 00:01:31.700 --> 00:01:33.099 No difference. 00:01:33.099 --> 00:01:38.566 31 no difference, 32, 33. 00:01:38.566 --> 00:01:45.200 Now, all of a sudden, seemingly out of nowhere, that ice begins to melt. 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:48.900 Small, almost imperceptible changes over time. 00:01:48.900 --> 00:01:52.332 And of course, we want to apply that to the spiritual habits in our life. 00:01:52.332 --> 00:01:56.465 What are the things we do that help us grow spiritually over time? 00:01:56.465 --> 00:02:10.165 That's what we've been focused on and we've been talking through the word habit, and we're up now to the letters T and S to kind of wrap up our series today on the ten spiritual habits we want to develop in our lives. 00:02:10.165 --> 00:02:14.633 So today we're going to be looking at the letter T to start with, and we've been in Romans chapter 12. 00:02:14.633 --> 00:02:24.233 That's been our base passage as we've unpacked this, as we've pressed into this because I love having one passage to come back to over and over again. 00:02:24.233 --> 00:02:36.532 Hopefully even in your own personal spiritual growth, in your own quiet time, you're able to come back to this passage day in and day out afterwards and see some of these spiritual truths and habits that you want to build in your own life. 00:02:36.532 --> 00:02:42.432 And so today we're going to be looking at Romans chapter 12, and we're going to be in verse one, Romans chapter 12, verse one. 00:02:42.432 --> 00:02:48.966 We've looked at most of the rest of the other chapter, but I skipped over verse one to begin with because of what we're going to talk about today. 00:02:48.966 --> 00:03:02.432 And if you have a church Bible that's on page 891, if you don't have a Bible, we'd love to put one in your hands- they are free for you. They’re out in the connection corner, those page numbers on the screen tie in specifically with that Bible that we have here for you. 00:03:02.432 --> 00:03:05.199 So slip out any time, grab one, slip back in. 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:07.233 We'll be reading from that Bible. 00:03:07.233 --> 00:03:10.900 ROMANS Chapter 12, verse one because of the topic. 00:03:10.900 --> 00:03:13.300 We're going to start by unpacking. 00:03:13.300 --> 00:03:20.765 First thing we're going to talk about is the letter T- treasure the savior in worship. 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:27.199 That's the eighth habit you want to develop that we talk about in this list of ten treasure, the savior in worship. 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:31.765 Let's look at Romans chapter 12, verse one and and read about this. 00:03:31.765 --> 00:03:44.733 I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, wholly and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 00:03:44.733 --> 00:03:45.265 All right. 00:03:45.265 --> 00:03:48.066 First couple of words here to address and talk about. 00:03:48.066 --> 00:03:49.733 The first one is just the word, therefore. 00:03:49.733 --> 00:03:57.165 And if you've been in church any amount of time, you may have heard this phrase you ask when you're studying the Bible, what is the therefore, there for? 00:03:57.165 --> 00:03:57.966 Why is it there? 00:03:57.966 --> 00:03:59.133 What is it pointing toward? 00:03:59.133 --> 00:04:04.932 Usually it's the previous verse, the previous idea, maybe the previous couple of verses. 00:04:04.932 --> 00:04:10.032 But it's interesting in this passage, combined with the word appeal that only shows up a few other places. 00:04:10.032 --> 00:04:21.632 Also in Ephesians chapter four, which is a key transition verse for the book of Ephesians here, Many believe that this therefore is pointing to the entirety of the rest of the book of Romans. 00:04:21.699 --> 00:04:34.100 Therefore, because of Chapters one through 11, which walks through God's sovereignty and salvation, his greatness in salvation, his greatness in overcoming our rebellion against him, his greatness in loving us. 00:04:34.266 --> 00:04:40.300 Therefore, because of all of that, I appeal to you. 00:04:40.365 --> 00:04:42.065 And what does he say? What's his appeal? 00:04:42.065 --> 00:04:44.733 How should we live? What does it say? 00:04:44.733 --> 00:04:49.065 Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. 00:04:49.132 --> 00:04:52.466 Now that word living is an important distinction. 00:04:52.466 --> 00:04:57.533 Because if you look at the history of sacrifices, that wasn't usually the case. 00:04:57.533 --> 00:04:59.665 We go back to the Old Testament. 00:04:59.665 --> 00:05:02.500 What was the role of a sacrifice? 00:05:02.500 --> 00:05:04.899 It was to die. 00:05:04.899 --> 00:05:06.533 So what's a living sacrifice? 00:05:06.533 --> 00:05:08.065 How is that different? 00:05:08.065 --> 00:05:09.065 It's an important distinction. 00:05:09.065 --> 00:05:13.733 We want to know that that's what we're called to do, is to live in a way that is sacrificially. 00:05:13.733 --> 00:05:18.100 We're giving our lives to Christ in a way that our life is not our own. 00:05:18.165 --> 00:05:20.665 We're living it for him as we live. 00:05:20.665 --> 00:05:24.165 We live in a way that honors him. 00:05:24.266 --> 00:05:37.565 And all of this here leads us to this treasure of the Savior in worship, this phrase he uses as a living sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 00:05:37.565 --> 00:05:47.333 We need to talk about that phrase a little bit, because those those two words are interesting to use together, and it seems a little redundant to call something spiritual worship. 00:05:47.333 --> 00:05:50.466 I mean, isn't that what we were doing this morning worshiping? 00:05:50.466 --> 00:05:53.966 Isn't all worship inherently spiritual? 00:05:54.065 --> 00:05:56.665 Well, yes, at one level maybe. 00:05:56.665 --> 00:06:01.466 But you've certainly heard some of the quotes out there about our nature. 00:06:01.466 --> 00:06:06.132 The nature of our hearts is that if we don't worship God, you will worship something. 00:06:06.199 --> 00:06:15.065 We are hardwired for worship is how I've heard it said and understanding that word worship really just the English word worship. 00:06:15.065 --> 00:06:22.865 You could break it down into worth ship assigning worth to something, ascribing value to something. 00:06:22.932 --> 00:06:29.100 And so that's kind of what we're doing here in the mornings when Andrew leads us in worship. 00:06:29.100 --> 00:06:32.733 That's one aspect of how we worship as we sing. 00:06:32.932 --> 00:06:37.365 And when we're doing that, we're ascribing worth to God. 00:06:37.432 --> 00:06:42.833 We're telling him how great he is over and over again in dozens of different ways. 00:06:42.833 --> 00:06:45.699 And and of course, we also talk about ourselves. 00:06:45.699 --> 00:06:50.266 We say, Here's what we need, here's what I'm feeling. 00:06:50.365 --> 00:06:54.033 But overarching above that is how great he is. 00:06:54.033 --> 00:06:55.266 Here's how great you are. 00:06:55.266 --> 00:06:59.865 Now, we don't do that because he needs to hear it. 00:06:59.932 --> 00:07:02.665 He knows. 00:07:02.665 --> 00:07:05.665 Who needs to hear it more than God? 00:07:05.733 --> 00:07:10.533 We need to hear over and over again how great he is. That's why we worship. 00:07:10.533 --> 00:07:16.365 That's why we cry out, God, you are the greatest. 00:07:16.432 --> 00:07:19.500 But our temptation is to worship other things. 00:07:19.500 --> 00:07:21.199 If you've read the story. 00:07:21.199 --> 00:07:22.733 Picture of Dorian Gray. 00:07:22.733 --> 00:07:25.100 It's an old novel, over 100 years old. 00:07:25.100 --> 00:07:27.165 Oscar Wilde wrote it. 00:07:27.165 --> 00:07:30.266 In that story Dorian has his portrait painted. 00:07:30.266 --> 00:07:50.665 Young man, attractive, well-known, well-liked, kind of aristocratic, moving in those circles, has his portrait painted, and the artist finishes, turns it around, and he sees his own portrait and he falls in love with his own portrait. 00:07:50.665 --> 00:08:03.165 He begins to worship his own portrait because he sees in that moment the beauty and youth that he so longs for and he recognizes I will not always be this way. 00:08:03.233 --> 00:08:10.132 This is a snapshot of just a moment in time, and from here on out, it's all downhill. 00:08:10.233 --> 00:08:20.065 And so what he does is he vows to himself, I will do whatever it takes to stay in that state, to stay just like that picture. 00:08:20.065 --> 00:08:34.533 I'll do whatever it takes and the story goes to some dark places and really ultimately, absolutely decays his soul. 00:08:34.600 --> 00:08:38.466 We're called to worship God alone. 00:08:38.700 --> 00:08:48.265 Other things vie for our affections, but he's the one we're called to worship above all else. 00:08:48.365 --> 00:08:52.600 There is nothing else we're called to worship. 00:08:52.600 --> 00:08:53.633 That's a daily battle. 00:08:53.633 --> 00:08:58.000 That's a daily struggle. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:03.966 One of the things that helps us understand what it means to worship is that word spiritual worship. 00:09:03.966 --> 00:09:14.832 If you look back at verse one, living sacrifice wholly acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship, that word for spiritual, there's not our normal word you would see for spiritual the word behind it in the original language. 00:09:14.832 --> 00:09:15.865 It's not the normal one. 00:09:15.865 --> 00:09:21.133 You see for spiritual in fact, it only shows up in Scripture one other place. 00:09:21.200 --> 00:09:25.932 And prior to this it was mainly used by philosophers in Greek history. 00:09:25.932 --> 00:09:33.600 Greek philosophers would use this to mean something like, That's a true argument, That's a worthy argument. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:37.765 You made a valid point, a logical point. 00:09:37.865 --> 00:09:46.200 In fact, where it shows up in Scripture, The other place it shows up, it says the pure milk of the word. 00:09:46.265 --> 00:09:57.700 2 It is the pure, the spiritual, the right, the accurate, the trustworthy word. 00:09:57.700 --> 00:10:17.832 And so when we think of our act of worship as true, as right, as pure, all of this is pointing to the reality that worship is not just the words we say or the words sing, but it's really part of who we are. 00:10:17.899 --> 00:10:20.100 It's part of what's going on in our heart. 00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:27.533 And ultimately it's how we live sacrificially, as it says here in this passage. 00:10:27.533 --> 00:10:31.566 So letter T, the first habit, spiritual habit we want to develop today. 00:10:31.566 --> 00:10:35.332 And by the way, you should have got a handout when you were coming in today. 00:10:35.332 --> 00:10:44.765 This has all the spiritual habits we've covered and are going to cover today, plus some of the habit building tips, plus a couple of questions for you to process. 00:10:44.765 --> 00:10:47.533 I'm going to talk about this more at the end. 00:10:47.533 --> 00:10:51.033 But over four weeks, you may not have remembered everything we've covered. That's okay. 00:10:51.033 --> 00:10:55.633 I might not either, but it's on here for you to refer back to. 00:10:55.633 --> 00:11:01.832 And so the first one today that we discussed was treasure your savior in worship. 00:11:01.832 --> 00:11:08.966 Now the next spiritual habit, actually the other two to wrap up the series that we're going to address flow from that. 00:11:09.066 --> 00:11:14.200 If we're called to worship, if we’re called to treasure the savior in worship. 00:11:14.200 --> 00:11:17.000 I want to talk about two things related to that. 00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:19.399 How do we do that? 00:11:19.399 --> 00:11:22.966 And then what does worship produce in us? 00:11:23.033 --> 00:11:24.600 How do we worship? 00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:26.432 What does worship produce? 00:11:26.432 --> 00:11:30.700 So what we're going to address as we deal with the other two spiritual habits we want to develop. 00:11:30.700 --> 00:11:33.365 So first, how do we worship? 00:11:33.365 --> 00:11:40.966 I'm just going to talk about one aspect of worship that I think is underutilized in our age. 00:11:40.966 --> 00:11:42.365 Yes, we gather here. 00:11:42.365 --> 00:11:43.832 Yes, we sing. 00:11:43.832 --> 00:11:45.865 Yes, we worship through God's word. 00:11:45.865 --> 00:11:49.265 Yes, we worship also through giving and serving. 00:11:49.265 --> 00:11:55.899 But I think we need to embrace safeguarding the Sabbath. 00:11:55.966 --> 00:11:58.399 Safeguard the Sabbath. 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:03.765 That's letter S in our habits words, safeguard the Sabbath. 00:12:03.832 --> 00:12:07.600 Now, why is that important for worship? 00:12:07.799 --> 00:12:17.566 The Sabbath, interestingly enough, I read in a, John Mark Comers his name, He wrote in-- he was talking about the Sabbath and he said the Sabbath command in Scripture. 00:12:17.566 --> 00:12:21.100 It's longer than any of the other commands. 00:12:21.299 --> 00:12:30.832 You know, some of them are just three or four words, whereas this one's 130 words, long command, one of the longest it is the longest command. 00:12:30.832 --> 00:12:42.365 And it's interesting, this command is the only one that gives you kind of the reason why you should-- not the results, but the reason why the basis for why you should observe the Sabbath. 00:12:42.365 --> 00:12:49.566 And it simply says because the Lord rested. 00:12:49.633 --> 00:12:55.899 Now, we don't view the Sabbath as a legalistic thing, as New Testament Christians. 00:12:55.899 --> 00:13:06.200 It's not a legalistic thing, but to deny the need for rest based on the pattern that was set with God when he created the world in six days and rested on the seventh to ignore that. 00:13:06.299 --> 00:13:09.200 That's a dangerous thing. 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:13.232 So it's not a legalistic thing, but it's an important thing. 00:13:13.232 --> 00:13:20.133 What does observing the Sabbath, safeguarding the Sabbath, keeping the Sabbath look like for you today? 00:13:20.133 --> 00:13:24.600 One thing's for sure if you don't make it a priority, it won't happen. 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:28.700 We've got too much else screaming for time and attention. 00:13:28.700 --> 00:13:31.200 How do you make it a priority? 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:34.765 I want to give you three things to prioritize on the Sabbath. 00:13:34.765 --> 00:13:39.133 Three things and this will help set the tone for how you spin the Sabbath. 00:13:39.133 --> 00:13:40.265 Go and put those up on the screen. 00:13:40.265 --> 00:13:49.166 Three things to prioritize on the Sabbath, rest, worship and relationships. 00:13:49.265 --> 00:13:58.332 Start by just asking the Lord, Lord, how can I prioritize rest, worship and relationships? 00:13:58.332 --> 00:14:06.299 Too many times after church on Sunday, we fill up the day with all the normal activities of life. 00:14:06.365 --> 00:14:10.765 But pick just a window of time in your life and, look-- again, not a legalistic thing. 00:14:10.765 --> 00:14:12.066 I don't know what your life looks like. 00:14:12.066 --> 00:14:14.832 I know some people have to work on Sunday. I get that. 00:14:14.832 --> 00:14:15.600 I don't really. 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.732 I promise I don't look down on you for that. 00:14:18.732 --> 00:14:22.100 I work on Sunday. 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:23.533 Okay. 00:14:23.533 --> 00:14:27.633 So do what you can, but carve out the time. 00:14:27.633 --> 00:14:29.466 What does your Sabbath look like? 00:14:29.466 --> 00:14:30.700 Be intentional with it. 00:14:30.700 --> 00:14:40.533 How can I be more intentional to rest, to not just be driven along by all the needs and desires of the world, to say no to some things that I might normally say yes to to rest? 00:14:40.533 --> 00:14:47.799 How can I be intentional to worship, to turn off some things that might distract me from worship, to read things that draw me toward worship? 00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:50.066 How can I focus on relationships? 00:14:50.066 --> 00:14:55.365 By connecting with my loved ones that we've probably neglected each other throughout the week, and rightfully so. 00:14:55.365 --> 00:14:56.100 We have busy lives. 00:14:56.100 --> 00:14:58.832 We have things we have to tend to. 00:14:58.899 --> 00:15:06.100 How can I focus on rest, worship, relationships on the Sabbath? 00:15:06.265 --> 00:15:08.332 Begin to just ask him, Lord, what? 00:15:08.332 --> 00:15:10.799 How can I safeguard the Sabbath? 00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:13.100 What would you have me do? 00:15:13.100 --> 00:15:18.100 Just start by simply asking him and see what he says. 00:15:18.100 --> 00:15:20.600 You don't have to change everything all at once. 00:15:20.600 --> 00:15:28.432 What's just one simple change you can make to begin safeguarding, observing, keeping the Sabbath. 00:15:28.432 --> 00:15:33.399 I'm not going to list out a bunch of things for you to do because we really don't want to make it a legalistic thing here. 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:40.966 We don't have a list of TV shows you can or can't watch or places a TV can't be, or whether you can own one or not, or what devices you can have or or can't. 00:15:40.966 --> 00:15:42.166 We don't. 00:15:42.265 --> 00:15:44.100 We don't do that. 00:15:44.100 --> 00:15:44.299 Now. 00:15:44.299 --> 00:15:49.100 I have strong feelings about what I think you could do, but it's my opinion. 00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:51.899 It's not a legalistic thing. 00:15:51.899 --> 00:15:59.066 Rest, worship, relationships, safeguard the Sabbath for worship. 00:15:59.166 --> 00:16:01.566 That's one of the ways we begin to keep the Sabbath. 00:16:01.566 --> 00:16:07.666 And actually, I heard one guy say it's an act of resistance against our culture. 00:16:07.765 --> 00:16:10.533 I love that phrase. 00:16:10.533 --> 00:16:13.399 All of the world says, Do more, be more active. 00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:17.200 Go, go, go, go, go. 00:16:17.265 --> 00:16:27.966 And everybody's burned out and anxious and tired and frustrated and disconnected from one another and disconnected from the Lord. 00:16:27.966 --> 00:16:30.666 Safeguard the Sabbath. 00:16:30.666 --> 00:16:32.799 We all need margin in life. 00:16:32.799 --> 00:16:42.232 Look, even at a secular level, studies have shown if you work more than about 50 hours a week, productivity goes down, errors go up. 00:16:42.332 --> 00:16:45.666 We're not above God's created order. 00:16:45.732 --> 00:16:53.166 When we served as missionaries in the South Pacific, we lived in this harbor town and it was kind of the main port city for all of the South Pacific. 00:16:53.166 --> 00:17:04.365 Many people would come there and there was a number of different places that would work on ships, repair, restore, So they would come park there, enjoy the island area and have their ship worked on. 00:17:04.365 --> 00:17:08.333 But you couldn't really see what was going on in the shipyards from the main road that passed them all. 00:17:08.333 --> 00:17:10.732 You just see these big buildings. 00:17:10.732 --> 00:17:19.833 One day we take a boat out on the trip into the harbor and we go past all these buildings on our way out of the harbor and you could just see, here's one boat up out of the water on stilts. 00:17:19.833 --> 00:17:32.432 Here's another up out of the water, another up out of the water, boat after boat after boat after boat, up out of the water, because, yes, they were having repairs made, but every once in a while you got to stop. 00:17:32.432 --> 00:17:44.799 You've got to shut that thing down and have all the barnacles cleaned off the bottom of your boat, because if not, it literally can make your boat almost useless, just the animals growing along their boat. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:53.232 And if you don't pause and stop and clean that stuff off, eventually you won't be able to go. 00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:56.299 And I think some of us have been there. 00:17:56.333 --> 00:18:07.165 I went til I couldn't go no more, but the daily, weekly activity of Sabbath will restore your Soul. 00:18:07.266 --> 00:18:10.066 So that's how we worship. 00:18:10.066 --> 00:18:13.700 One way we worship, safeguard the Sabbath. 00:18:13.700 --> 00:18:18.599 And then now what does worship produce in us? 00:18:18.665 --> 00:18:20.333 What does worship produce in us? 00:18:20.333 --> 00:18:25.032 For this last habit, when we think about worshiping and what it produces in us? 00:18:25.032 --> 00:18:29.665 The letter T, the final thing we're going to cover is trust. 00:18:29.766 --> 00:18:38.732 When I am worshiping God, I learn to trust His sovereignty more and more and more. 00:18:38.799 --> 00:18:53.732 Now, I think that plays out in two ways in this passage that we're going to look at, at the last section of the chapter versus last eight verses 14 through 21 sets up this whole idea of how worship produces trust in his sovereignty two key ways. 00:18:53.732 --> 00:18:58.732 In fact, the first one is it produces kindness towards our enemies. 00:18:58.965 --> 00:19:14.032 Look at this here in verse 14, when we're trusting in his sovereignty, it produces kindness towards our enemies, Verse 14 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. 00:19:14.032 --> 00:19:19.532 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, live in harmony with one another. 00:19:19.532 --> 00:19:22.266 Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. 00:19:22.266 --> 00:19:29.200 Never be wise in your own sight repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable on the side of all. 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:35.365 If possible, so far as it depends on you live peaceably with all. 00:19:35.465 --> 00:19:42.266 When we worship, we trust in God's sovereignty and that produces kindness towards our enemies. 00:19:42.266 --> 00:19:44.299 I love this opening verse. 00:19:44.299 --> 00:19:48.633 Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them. 00:19:48.633 --> 00:19:53.099 You know, it's one thing to bless someone who's just difficult. 00:19:53.099 --> 00:20:01.532 I mean, you've probably had that angry neighbor, crotchety old neighbor who is hard to love on. By the way, not any of my neighbors. 00:20:01.532 --> 00:20:04.532 I'm not talking about my neighbors. 00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:06.266 But you know what I mean. 00:20:06.266 --> 00:20:11.465 You've lived in some other neighborhood where that's happened and it's hard to love on that person. 00:20:11.465 --> 00:20:13.299 But you figure it out. 00:20:13.299 --> 00:20:19.633 You maybe do go out of your way to do something for them, something small. 00:20:19.865 --> 00:20:26.200 But how do you bless those who aren't just difficult but are persecuting you? 00:20:26.266 --> 00:20:28.165 They aren't just hard to be around. 00:20:28.165 --> 00:20:30.965 They hate you, they hate the sight of you. 00:20:30.965 --> 00:20:34.865 They would never be happier than if you didn't exist. 00:20:34.932 --> 00:20:38.833 Bless those? 00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:44.500 It's sad to say, but we lived almost 20 years in Little Rock, and I never I'd heard of the story of the Little Rock Nine. 00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:45.432 Are you familiar with that? 00:20:45.432 --> 00:20:52.000 The first group of African-Americans in Little Rock who were integrated into the school system, 1957? 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:53.232 I'd heard that that happened. 00:20:53.232 --> 00:20:54.133 I'd seen pictures. 00:20:54.133 --> 00:21:01.066 I've shown photos of that of white people yelling at the black one black woman as she's walking in. 00:21:01.066 --> 00:21:04.365 But I'd never actually read their story until this week. 00:21:04.365 --> 00:21:44.700 I read the book of one of the ladies who went through that and what she endured every single day as a 15 year old black girl, every single day show up to school and someone sprays ink on your clothes every day between every class, someone is behind you stepping on your heels till they bleed and someone is in front of you tripping, you stepping on your feet between every class, every day and every time you go down a stairwell, someone is pushing you, trying to get you to tumble down the stairs every time, every day, every hour, and in every class. 00:21:44.700 --> 00:21:48.232 Everyone is calling you lovely names. 00:21:48.333 --> 00:21:52.932 You can imagine many of the words that were used all through class. 00:21:52.932 --> 00:21:58.133 Teachers aren't standing up every day. 00:21:58.232 --> 00:22:12.365 The author of this book in particular said it was her family that continue to say to her, bless them, bless, bless, but you don't know what I'm going through. Bless be a peacemaker. 00:22:12.465 --> 00:22:20.165 And reading her story, how she became the best actor of all time in terms of being able to say thank you. 00:22:20.165 --> 00:22:22.732 When someone throw a golf ball at her. 00:22:22.732 --> 00:22:23.165 Thank you. 00:22:23.165 --> 00:22:24.665 I've never had a golf ball before. 00:22:24.665 --> 00:22:26.932 Thank you. 00:22:26.932 --> 00:22:29.766 As someone shoves the door on her, she can't get out. She's stuck in a room. 00:22:29.766 --> 00:22:30.865 Thank you. 00:22:30.865 --> 00:22:33.965 You've caused me to exert extra energy and thus strengthening my arms. 00:22:33.965 --> 00:22:34.665 I needed that today. 00:22:34.665 --> 00:22:37.665 Thank you. 00:22:37.732 --> 00:22:41.965 Who does that? 00:22:42.066 --> 00:22:45.700 Bless those who persecute you. 00:22:45.700 --> 00:22:51.266 That's the call When we worship him that rightly orders our lives. 00:22:51.266 --> 00:22:52.766 Bless those who persecute you. 00:22:52.766 --> 00:22:53.900 Here's how else this looks. 00:22:53.900 --> 00:22:56.232 Look at the next verse. 00:22:56.232 --> 00:22:57.766 Rejoice with those who rejoice. 00:22:57.766 --> 00:23:01.566 Weep with those who weep. 00:23:01.633 --> 00:23:07.099 Now, this is a hard one because how many times is it the opposite? 00:23:07.099 --> 00:23:10.000 Even with some of your closest friends? 00:23:10.066 --> 00:23:12.032 How many times? 00:23:12.032 --> 00:23:28.633 Well, that good friend does just a little bit better in school and you're upset about it because they're doing better than me or that other friend maybe gets the boyfriend or girlfriend that you really wanted and you really want to see him fail. 00:23:28.633 --> 00:23:42.665 You want to see that relationship fall apart instead of rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep, sharing in their joy together and weeping with their sorrow. 00:23:42.665 --> 00:23:49.665 And the hard part of this, the context here is even with your enemies. 00:23:49.732 --> 00:23:50.965 Tim Keller talks about this. 00:23:50.965 --> 00:23:55.932 He, I think, a helpful word to summarize this is the word envy. 00:23:55.932 --> 00:23:58.200 In fact, here's how he defines envy. 00:23:58.200 --> 00:24:03.032 Envy is being unhappy at other people's happiness. 00:24:03.032 --> 00:24:04.665 Someone else has joy. 00:24:04.665 --> 00:24:08.566 Man, how dare they be so happy? 00:24:08.566 --> 00:24:11.032 Why didn't I get that? 00:24:11.032 --> 00:24:17.833 It's also the flipside of that and being happy at other people's unhappiness. 00:24:17.900 --> 00:24:19.833 You ever had that moment. 00:24:19.833 --> 00:24:23.266 Something doesn't go well for someone and you get happy about it. 00:24:23.266 --> 00:24:25.700 I was driving down the road one day. 00:24:25.700 --> 00:24:32.000 College student, this annoying high school girl was on my tail inches from me. 00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:36.965 I just gave her a nice little tap, just the lights out, just enough to say, Hey, back off. 00:24:36.965 --> 00:24:38.633 There's a kind of Christian tone to it. 00:24:38.633 --> 00:24:41.432 I think just enough. 00:24:41.432 --> 00:24:42.165 I wasn't worried. 00:24:42.165 --> 00:24:43.232 I was in my dad's car. 00:24:43.232 --> 00:24:46.232 It was okay, right. 00:24:46.365 --> 00:24:50.932 The LTD we nicknamed it the Valdez because of how much oil it spilled. 00:24:50.932 --> 00:24:53.700 And I'm pretty sure it had an I-beam for the rear bumper. 00:24:53.700 --> 00:24:58.732 It was so enormous she didn't like that. 00:24:58.732 --> 00:25:00.232 Rushes back up on me again. 00:25:00.232 --> 00:25:01.732 Another little tap, just a small one. 00:25:01.732 --> 00:25:03.633 Just enough. 00:25:03.633 --> 00:25:04.700 The road opens up. 00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:05.799 We go from one line to two. 00:25:05.799 --> 00:25:07.633 She comes flying up beside me. 00:25:07.633 --> 00:25:09.133 By the way, if you're here today, I'm sorry. 00:25:09.133 --> 00:25:11.333 I apologize in advance. 00:25:11.333 --> 00:25:13.700 That was 30 years ago. 00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:18.833 Comes flying up beside me and I'm thinking, oh no, what's going to happen? 00:25:18.833 --> 00:25:24.133 She is looking at me, not at the stop lane, the traffic ahead of her. 00:25:24.133 --> 00:25:33.532 And the last thing heard was a large crunching sound as I continued on straight ahead with just a hint of a smile in that moment. 00:25:33.633 --> 00:25:35.500 It felt good to see that happen. 00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:39.665 Unfortunately, it felt so good. 00:25:39.732 --> 00:25:44.732 Bless those not just who annoy you. 00:25:44.732 --> 00:25:45.965 Bless and do not curse. 00:25:45.965 --> 00:25:48.066 Rejoice with those who rejoice. 00:25:48.066 --> 00:25:51.900 I rejoiced with those who were weeping in that moment. 00:25:51.965 --> 00:25:54.066 How do we rejoice? 00:25:54.066 --> 00:25:55.532 How do we weep with those who weep? 00:25:55.532 --> 00:25:58.532 That's what we want to be moving toward. 00:25:58.599 --> 00:26:00.365 There is so much in this section. 00:26:00.365 --> 00:26:01.633 We could spend forever on it. 00:26:01.633 --> 00:26:08.965 One word I want to highlight here is the word harmony in verse 18,16, Live in harmony with one another. 00:26:09.066 --> 00:26:10.700 Live in harmony with one another. 00:26:10.700 --> 00:26:12.232 That's such a good word. 00:26:12.232 --> 00:26:18.932 It sums up the meaning behind that, which means actually what it says is think the same thoughts to one another. 00:26:18.932 --> 00:26:20.932 Work to align your thoughts together. 00:26:20.932 --> 00:26:25.365 But the interesting part about harmony, it doesn't mean conformity. 00:26:25.365 --> 00:26:27.500 In fact, I'm going to give you an illustration of harmony. 00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:29.400 Just listen to this illustration of harmony. 00:26:29.400 --> 00:26:30.532 We're going to hear it right now. 00:26:30.532 --> 00:26:46.566 I've got a couple of people who are kind of outside of this room or on the edge of this room who are going to sing us a little bit of harmony. Go ahead. 00:26:46.633 --> 00:26:48.099 Why did you stop? 00:26:48.099 --> 00:26:50.299 You know, I'm kidding. 00:26:50.299 --> 00:26:51.365 Big breath. 00:26:51.365 --> 00:26:52.665 Actually, I prerecorded that. 00:26:52.665 --> 00:26:55.900 Those are all me. No. 00:26:55.965 --> 00:26:59.232 Harmony, Here's the interesting thing about harmony. 00:26:59.232 --> 00:27:04.766 Each person sings a different note, but it's actually more interesting. 00:27:04.766 --> 00:27:08.165 That is, they all sing the same note. 00:27:08.232 --> 00:27:12.465 But to do that, you really have to work together. 00:27:12.532 --> 00:27:20.633 You have to be very intentional and actually you have to celebrate that the other person is a little different from you. 00:27:20.732 --> 00:27:26.266 Harmony. Live in harmony with one another, move towards one another. 00:27:26.266 --> 00:27:32.232 Worshiping produces that kind of heart, that kind of attitude. 00:27:32.232 --> 00:27:46.432 Now the other thing that worship does so look here, Harmony, bless those who persecute you also notice in verse 18, if possible, so far as it depends on you live peaceably with all. 00:27:46.432 --> 00:27:55.965 I love that phrase if possible, because there are times where you have done all you can and it's not enough. 00:27:55.965 --> 00:27:58.266 That happens. 00:27:58.266 --> 00:27:59.500 That's okay. 00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:02.333 If possible move towards forgiveness. 00:28:02.333 --> 00:28:04.000 We're called to be forgivers. 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:09.665 In fact, as Christians, we've given up the right to harbor bitterness, anger, unforgiveness. 00:28:09.665 --> 00:28:12.032 We don't have that privilege. 00:28:12.032 --> 00:28:18.365 Christ didn't hold that towards us, and we're not called to hold it towards others. 00:28:18.365 --> 00:28:20.799 Now, forgiveness is complex. 00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:22.365 It's a very complex topic. 00:28:22.365 --> 00:28:25.232 Forgiveness doesn't necessarily mean reconciliation. 00:28:25.232 --> 00:28:27.465 Forgiveness is the first step towards reconciliation. 00:28:27.465 --> 00:28:29.566 It doesn't guarantee reconciliation. 00:28:29.566 --> 00:28:34.066 You can't control what the other person does. 00:28:34.133 --> 00:28:38.299 And I know we have some recovering control freaks in here, don't we? Right. 00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:49.232 Can I see a few hands who are my recovering control freaks? Now, I know the real control freaks didn't raise their hands because that would be giving up control in the moment. 00:28:49.299 --> 00:28:51.266 There's plenty we can't control. 00:28:51.266 --> 00:28:53.500 You can't. 00:28:53.500 --> 00:28:55.066 If possible. 00:28:55.066 --> 00:28:56.732 So far as it depends on you. 00:28:56.732 --> 00:29:03.000 Let it be known that I went to the fullest extent of what I could. 00:29:03.165 --> 00:29:13.032 So worship produces in us the ability to love our enemies, to pursue our enemies. 00:29:13.032 --> 00:29:20.566 And then here's the other thing it produces in us dependance that God will work it all out. 00:29:20.633 --> 00:29:23.333 He will work it all out. 00:29:23.333 --> 00:29:25.000 Trust that He will work it all out. 00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:26.165 Look at these last few verses. 00:29:26.165 --> 00:29:32.032 Verse 19, beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written. 00:29:32.032 --> 00:29:33.365 Vengeance is mine. 00:29:33.365 --> 00:29:35.599 I will repay, says the Lord. 00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:38.000 To the contrary, If your enemy is hungry, feed him. 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:45.066 If he's thirsty, give him something to drink for by so doing you will heat burning coals on his head. 00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:53.032 Do not become or do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. 00:29:53.133 --> 00:30:02.766 We know when we worship, when we grow in our trust, in worship, we know God’s going to work it all out In the end, vengeance is his. 00:30:02.766 --> 00:30:06.400 He knows who really needs vengeance. 00:30:06.400 --> 00:30:14.165 He knows who really needs his justice way better than we do. 00:30:14.165 --> 00:30:16.865 That's part of the reason why this is so important. 00:30:16.865 --> 00:30:25.400 All of this bless your enemies talk, which, depending on where you're coming from, sounds utterly insane. 00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:31.665 Part of the reason is you have no idea where that other person is in their walk. 00:30:31.665 --> 00:30:35.099 You have no idea how close or how far they are from God. 00:30:35.099 --> 00:30:42.900 You have no idea if tomorrow God touches them in a radical way. 00:30:42.965 --> 00:30:49.099 We don't know what's going on inside of them and we could take some guesses sometimes, but that's the best it is. 00:30:49.099 --> 00:30:50.165 There's a guess. 00:30:50.165 --> 00:31:00.633 There are some who appear to be very close to God who aren't, and there are some who are very far from him but are a whole lot closer than you think. 00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:09.700 And our role is to follow what Scripture says, bless don’t persecute, love, forgive. 00:31:09.766 --> 00:31:12.766 If your enemy is hungry, feed him. 00:31:12.865 --> 00:31:20.965 The dependence on God that he will work it all out Is part of the overflow of worship. 00:31:21.066 --> 00:31:22.633 So those are the last three spiritual habits. 00:31:22.633 --> 00:31:26.465 Now, the other thing we've done each week is to talk about habit building. 00:31:26.465 --> 00:31:28.400 How do you build new habits into your life? 00:31:28.400 --> 00:31:31.000 And I've given practical tips on how to do that. 00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:34.700 Some of those are just general tips you can apply to any area of life. 00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:40.566 But I hope in the course of this study you focus it on how do I build new spiritual habits in my life. 00:31:40.566 --> 00:31:41.766 That's our hope. 00:31:41.766 --> 00:31:44.133 How am I growing spiritually through the little things I do? 00:31:44.133 --> 00:31:47.732 So let me give you just a few more tips for developing new habits. 00:31:47.732 --> 00:31:51.766 Focus. 00:31:51.833 --> 00:31:55.365 Focus on just one to begin with. 00:31:55.465 --> 00:31:58.965 If you want to develop a new habit, focus on just one. 00:31:58.965 --> 00:32:02.266 Do not try to even do two at the same time. 00:32:02.266 --> 00:32:06.766 You've heard the saying If you try to chase two rabbits, you catch neither. 00:32:06.766 --> 00:32:10.865 And it's so true of goals or habits. So true. 00:32:10.865 --> 00:32:13.232 How do I develop just one new one? 00:32:13.232 --> 00:32:15.465 Focus on just one new one. 00:32:15.465 --> 00:32:18.732 If you want to have a chance, just pick one. 00:32:18.732 --> 00:32:25.365 I know we all want to do ten new things at once, and none of those get done or not as well as they could have. 00:32:25.365 --> 00:32:35.799 So focus. Number two, take some time to track what you're trying to grow in, track the habit, measurably track it somehow. 00:32:35.799 --> 00:32:38.700 That's why we have the Bible reading plan with little check boxes on it. 00:32:38.700 --> 00:32:40.465 I love the feeling of checking off a box. 00:32:40.465 --> 00:32:42.865 If something is done, I want to track it. 00:32:42.865 --> 00:32:43.799 I want to know where am I? 00:32:43.799 --> 00:32:46.865 Am I progressing or not? 00:32:46.932 --> 00:32:57.965 There is a story Jerry Seinfeld told a new-- He was well known comedian for many years, actor, and he told the story of a young comedian that came to him and said, How do I get better? 00:32:57.965 --> 00:32:58.865 I want to be like you. 00:32:58.865 --> 00:33:00.066 I want to be on the TV shows. 00:33:00.066 --> 00:33:01.333 I want to be the famous comedian. 00:33:01.333 --> 00:33:03.099 How do I get better? 00:33:03.099 --> 00:33:04.532 And he says to him, Here's what you do. 00:33:04.532 --> 00:33:08.032 You get one of those big wall calendars that you put up on the wall monthly calendar. 00:33:08.032 --> 00:33:10.266 You see all the days. They're huge. 00:33:10.266 --> 00:33:11.965 Takes a big part of your wall. 00:33:11.965 --> 00:33:15.032 You get the fattest Sharpie marker you can get. 00:33:15.032 --> 00:33:19.566 And each day you write just one joke, write one new joke a day. 00:33:19.566 --> 00:33:20.500 That's it. 00:33:20.500 --> 00:33:21.900 Make sure you write that one joke. 00:33:21.900 --> 00:33:23.965 Write it as well as you can every day. 00:33:23.965 --> 00:33:32.465 And when you finished writing that joke, take Sharpie and put a big X on that day and then do it again the next day and do it again the next day. 00:33:32.465 --> 00:33:39.400 And he said, and this is the phrase that has stuck with me, don't break that chain, just keep doing it. 00:33:39.400 --> 00:33:41.633 Now, part of you goes just one joke, really. 00:33:41.633 --> 00:33:44.432 You're going to be some world changing comedian through that. 00:33:44.432 --> 00:33:47.400 Well, at the end of the year, you have 365 jokes. 00:33:47.400 --> 00:33:48.865 That's a full set. 00:33:48.865 --> 00:33:51.599 And they’re quality, you've developed them. 00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:52.833 Don't break the chain. 00:33:52.833 --> 00:33:53.766 Track it. 00:33:53.766 --> 00:33:55.133 There's a new habit you want to build. 00:33:55.133 --> 00:33:55.965 Track it. 00:33:55.965 --> 00:33:58.232 Am I actually doing it or do I think I'm doing it? 00:33:58.232 --> 00:33:58.865 We've all been there. 00:33:58.865 --> 00:34:00.099 You know what I'm talking about. 00:34:00.099 --> 00:34:00.465 All right. 00:34:00.465 --> 00:34:02.532 Number three, this aligns with that. 00:34:02.532 --> 00:34:07.865 Assess your time in the midst of tracking the habits. 00:34:07.865 --> 00:34:09.900 Assess your time. 00:34:09.965 --> 00:34:11.965 Who are my Dave Ramsey fans in the room? 00:34:11.965 --> 00:34:14.199 Many of you heard Dave Ramsey, Financial Peace University. 00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:16.099 You read his stuff or listen to his radio show. 00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:18.300 Yeah, I see a bunch of hands out here. 00:34:18.300 --> 00:34:27.000 One of the quotes I love by him is he says, It's easy to be irresponsible when you don't know where you stand. 00:34:27.065 --> 00:34:27.800 How true is that? 00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:36.365 You're going to spend freely when you don't know if I should or not, or maybe eat freely when I don't know quite where I stand. 00:34:36.365 --> 00:34:39.199 That applies to a lot of areas of life. 00:34:39.199 --> 00:34:43.565 And how many times have we said, I just don't have time for that? 00:34:43.766 --> 00:34:48.333 But if you actually take the time to assess your time, you'll find you have probably a lot more than you thought. 00:34:48.333 --> 00:34:51.666 One writer-- throw that book cover on the screen-- this is a great book. 00:34:51.666 --> 00:34:55.432 If you're struggling with Sabbath in particular, this book, it might be hard to read. 00:34:55.432 --> 00:34:56.000 No you can read it. 00:34:56.000 --> 00:35:00.132 The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry It's a great book. 00:35:00.132 --> 00:35:03.099 So many tips in there written by a pastor. 00:35:03.099 --> 00:35:05.733 It's heavily focused on spiritual life. 00:35:05.733 --> 00:35:07.965 How do I ruthlessly eliminate hurry from my life? 00:35:07.965 --> 00:35:11.199 But he talks about this in terms of measuring time. 00:35:11.266 --> 00:35:14.132 Now, bear with me at first, this is going to seem a little overwhelming. 00:35:14.132 --> 00:35:16.132 Bear with me, you'll see the point. 00:35:16.132 --> 00:35:21.000 The average American reads 200 to 400 words per minute. 00:35:21.199 --> 00:35:35.099 Those are kind of the average reading times at that speed, we could all read 200 books a year, nearly twice what he normally reads a year, and just 417 hours, which is just over an hour a day. 00:35:35.099 --> 00:35:37.733 Now, again, that feels overwhelming. 00:35:37.733 --> 00:35:38.599 Read an hour a day. 00:35:38.599 --> 00:35:40.000 You got to be kidding me. 00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:41.333 Are you kidding me? 00:35:41.333 --> 00:35:42.500 I don't read a minute a day. 00:35:42.500 --> 00:35:44.900 How am I going to find an hour a day to read? 00:35:44.900 --> 00:35:46.865 Hang on. 00:35:46.865 --> 00:35:52.199 Can you guess how much time the average American spends on social media each year? 00:35:52.199 --> 00:35:56.565 The number is 705 hours. 00:35:56.632 --> 00:36:01.833 That's got to be way low an hour a day, a little over hour and a half hour. 00:36:01.833 --> 00:36:03.632 You do the math. 00:36:03.632 --> 00:36:06.465 What about TV? 00:36:06.465 --> 00:36:13.233 2,737.5 hours a year on average. 00:36:13.300 --> 00:36:14.099 You see the point? 00:36:14.099 --> 00:36:16.766 I don't need to give you a guilt trip on how you spend TV, social media. 00:36:16.766 --> 00:36:18.833 You see the point. 00:36:18.833 --> 00:36:25.000 Most of us allow, myself included, allow our time to be overtaken by other things. 00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:26.333 How do we measure it accurately? 00:36:26.333 --> 00:36:30.965 How do we put things in place to help us regain that time, not be led along by others? 00:36:30.965 --> 00:36:31.865 Okay, that's number three. 00:36:31.865 --> 00:36:33.400 Number four, I love this one. 00:36:33.400 --> 00:36:36.666 A friend of mine, I saw him use this, point and state. 00:36:36.666 --> 00:36:40.465 My friend Joey in the South Pacific, trying to lose weight. 00:36:40.465 --> 00:36:41.632 He was on a good journey. 00:36:41.632 --> 00:36:42.699 Trying to lose 100 lbs. 00:36:42.699 --> 00:36:43.599 He had lost about 50. 00:36:43.599 --> 00:36:45.065 Still heading in the right direction. 00:36:45.065 --> 00:36:49.865 And we were at this banquet and they loved to have these big banquets in Fiji. 00:36:49.865 --> 00:36:56.500 And he walks in and he sees this platter of all kinds of things he shouldn't be eating. 00:36:56.565 --> 00:37:00.365 And he walks right up to him and he goes, I see that cream bun, I see it. 00:37:00.365 --> 00:37:03.833 They're tempting me, but I'm not going to eat that cream bun. 00:37:03.833 --> 00:37:08.132 I'm going to look at it, enjoy looking at it, and I'm going to walk out of the room. 00:37:08.132 --> 00:37:10.400 That's what he did. 00:37:10.400 --> 00:37:11.333 Point and state. 00:37:11.333 --> 00:37:13.865 How many times do you just need to say it out loud? 00:37:13.865 --> 00:37:15.666 I know this is and you can do it the opposite. 00:37:15.666 --> 00:37:17.465 This is a thing I'm going to do. 00:37:17.465 --> 00:37:19.365 I know I need to do it. 00:37:19.365 --> 00:37:20.766 Everybody listen. 00:37:20.766 --> 00:37:21.766 I'm doing it. 00:37:21.766 --> 00:37:24.400 Point and state. 00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:29.300 Lastly, and it's here at the bottom of the page number 19 tips for developing new habits. 00:37:29.300 --> 00:37:32.266 Do what you can and rest in that. 00:37:32.266 --> 00:37:42.599 Any time the temptation, the challenge of talking about habits as a church is that you can end up feeling like if I don't change my whole life, I'm worthless. 00:37:42.599 --> 00:37:46.666 No, look, do what you can and rest in that. 00:37:46.733 --> 00:37:48.666 I had a person share with me this week. 00:37:48.666 --> 00:37:54.565 Okay, I have been wanting to get back into working out, so I downloaded this workout app and I did the first workout. 00:37:54.565 --> 00:37:56.266 It was 13 minutes. 00:37:56.266 --> 00:37:58.000 Now I can't walk. 00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:01.266 (Ha Ha.) 13 minutes. 00:38:01.266 --> 00:38:03.199 I thought that wouldn't be any big deal. 00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:04.833 It's like, Hey, you did something. 00:38:04.833 --> 00:38:11.766 Do what you can, do what you can and rest in that The enemy wants to overwhelm me with guilt for not doing enough. 00:38:11.766 --> 00:38:14.965 That's a great strategy of his. Do what you can. 00:38:14.965 --> 00:38:18.766 Rest in that, when you fail, move forward. 00:38:18.833 --> 00:38:20.632 Now, here's what I want to do as a church. 00:38:20.632 --> 00:38:22.932 I want to do something we haven't really done before. 00:38:22.932 --> 00:38:24.099 Since I've been here. 00:38:24.099 --> 00:38:31.132 I want to do just a little bit of open sharing and that's why I put this in your hands, because again, we don't remember everything we've covered. 00:38:31.132 --> 00:38:46.800 But what I want to hear from you is if over the course of this study you feel like God has put on your heart a spiritual discipline, you want to develop-- I’d like to stay focused on spiritual disciplines, if we can. A spiritual discipline you want to develop one of these on this list or could be another that I didn't cover. 00:38:46.800 --> 00:38:52.266 And then if there's also a method or a means that you want to share toward that end. 00:38:52.333 --> 00:38:55.532 But here's the catch. 00:38:55.599 --> 00:38:57.865 We've already heard one sermon, right? 00:38:57.865 --> 00:39:07.865 And I've got people coming around with microphones and just basically read out your answer to these two questions at the bottom what is one spiritual habit I want to build in 2024? 00:39:07.865 --> 00:39:10.932 I'm going to give you just a minute or two to answer these questions on your own. 00:39:10.932 --> 00:39:13.032 What's one spiritual habit I want to build? 00:39:13.032 --> 00:39:16.865 What is one thing I can do this week? 00:39:16.932 --> 00:39:21.733 Something you can do this week to begin building that spiritual habit? 00:39:21.733 --> 00:39:21.965 All right. 00:39:21.965 --> 00:39:24.800 Take a minute and jot some down and then we're going to share. 00:39:24.800 --> 00:39:47.199 I want to hear from some of you what God has put on your heart. 00:39:47.266 --> 00:39:47.965 Okay. 00:39:47.965 --> 00:39:50.532 Who's got one to share? 00:39:50.532 --> 00:39:52.300 We got guys with mikes roaming around. 00:39:52.300 --> 00:39:54.199 They're going to hang onto the mikes. 00:39:54.199 --> 00:39:56.199 They're not going to give it over to you. 00:39:56.199 --> 00:40:00.800 Okay Keeping control, control freak coming out who's got one to share? 00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:01.965 Come on, somebody. 00:40:01.965 --> 00:40:03.365 I know you talkers. Here we go. 00:40:03.365 --> 00:40:05.000 Now I see some hands are shooting up. 00:40:05.000 --> 00:40:06.266 Who can get up here? 00:40:06.266 --> 00:40:07.099 Here comes Jim. 00:40:07.099 --> 00:40:08.400 Thank you. 00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:10.599 To save the day, we had another one back there. 00:40:10.599 --> 00:40:13.166 If another mike wants to be headed over that direction. 00:40:13.166 --> 00:40:13.565 Oh, sorry. 00:40:13.565 --> 00:40:15.432 Also, there's probably five people raising their hands up there. 00:40:15.432 --> 00:40:16.666 We got a mike upstairs. 00:40:16.666 --> 00:40:20.733 Read the Bible more and worship more. 00:40:20.800 --> 00:40:22.565 Read the Bible more and worship more. 00:40:22.565 --> 00:40:24.300 Who else put that down out there? 00:40:24.300 --> 00:40:27.300 I'm not going make you talk just who else relates to that? 00:40:27.300 --> 00:40:29.199 Yeah, there's a few more. 00:40:29.199 --> 00:40:30.565 Okay. Who who was next? 00:40:30.565 --> 00:40:32.400 There was someone over this way. 00:40:32.400 --> 00:40:36.500 We got Christy over here. 00:40:36.599 --> 00:40:40.833 If you see a hand raised in the balcony, Nick, just move toward him. 00:40:40.833 --> 00:40:42.233 Okay? Go ahead, Kathy. 00:40:42.233 --> 00:40:45.733 Invite a Christ into every situation that I face. 00:40:45.733 --> 00:40:49.099 And I started doing that about a month ago. 00:40:49.099 --> 00:40:49.833 Say that again? 00:40:49.833 --> 00:40:51.500 I didn't hear it up here. I'm sorry. 00:40:51.500 --> 00:40:55.500 Invite Christ into every situation. 00:40:55.565 --> 00:40:58.900 And I started doing that about a month ago. 00:40:58.900 --> 00:40:59.532 Awesome. 00:40:59.532 --> 00:41:00.965 Invite Christ in every situation. 00:41:00.965 --> 00:41:02.000 That's good. 00:41:02.000 --> 00:41:03.266 Okay, go ahead, Christy. 00:41:03.266 --> 00:41:07.266 I want to be listening more to God. 00:41:07.266 --> 00:41:11.032 And I'm just going to spend time sitting in his presence. 00:41:11.032 --> 00:41:12.565 Good. Presence. 00:41:12.565 --> 00:41:14.599 Yeah. That's an important one. 00:41:14.599 --> 00:41:16.932 I've been focused on this year, just sitting in his presence. 00:41:16.932 --> 00:41:18.065 Go ahead, Nick. 00:41:18.065 --> 00:41:20.865 I wish to serve more. Serve. 00:41:20.865 --> 00:41:23.900 Finding places to serve more in the coming year. Good. 00:41:23.900 --> 00:41:26.132 And I'm not. You don't have to. 00:41:26.132 --> 00:41:30.300 But if you can say one specific action towards that you plan to take this week, that'd be great. 00:41:30.300 --> 00:41:35.000 Josh, are you over here with anyone back there? 00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:36.000 Okay. we got one here. 00:41:36.000 --> 00:41:37.333 Go ahead, Michelle. 00:41:37.333 --> 00:41:40.333 I want to start reading my Bible more. 00:41:40.565 --> 00:41:43.500 Good. And talking with God. 00:41:43.500 --> 00:41:45.965 All right, Josh who do we have back here? 00:41:45.965 --> 00:41:49.432 I want to spend more time in prayer with my kids. 00:41:49.432 --> 00:41:52.632 And we have been doing some Bible studies at home. 00:41:52.632 --> 00:41:55.266 And I think we'll continue that. 00:41:55.266 --> 00:41:56.000 That’s good. 00:41:56.000 --> 00:41:58.132 More time in prayer with my kids. 00:41:58.132 --> 00:41:59.065 Who else would say that? 00:41:59.065 --> 00:42:02.266 Yeah, that's what I need that in our home, too. 00:42:02.266 --> 00:42:03.599 Yeah. 00:42:03.599 --> 00:42:04.500 Let's just take a few more. 00:42:04.500 --> 00:42:05.500 Anybody else upstairs? 00:42:05.500 --> 00:42:05.965 Here we go. 00:42:05.965 --> 00:42:12.000 Go ahead. 00:42:12.065 --> 00:42:14.132 I want more time in prayer. 00:42:14.132 --> 00:42:22.965 And I have just been did a few moments are like 5 to 10 minutes in quiet time before God. 00:42:23.065 --> 00:42:28.032 Okay, more time in prayer and 10 minutes in quiet time before God. 00:42:28.032 --> 00:42:30.865 That's good. Okay, who do we have down here? 00:42:30.965 --> 00:42:39.932 I started prayer journaling, and I'm not really a good writer, but I started writing about things that I didn't even know I needed to pray about. 00:42:39.932 --> 00:42:41.233 That's good, Prayer journaling. 00:42:41.233 --> 00:42:42.333 That's so powerful. 00:42:42.333 --> 00:42:45.699 Who else here likes to journal to write down your prayers and thoughts? 00:42:45.699 --> 00:42:48.333 Yeah, man, I find that so helpful. 00:42:48.333 --> 00:42:52.365 It just slows you down, gets you focused on the Lord. 00:42:52.365 --> 00:42:54.932 That's good. 00:42:54.932 --> 00:42:57.065 All right, well, listen, not. 00:42:57.065 --> 00:42:58.233 Excuse me. I got one more. 00:42:58.233 --> 00:43:00.300 No, no, no. We're done Ray. 00:43:00.300 --> 00:43:02.632 Not. I'm kidding. Go ahead. 00:43:02.632 --> 00:43:04.565 I've got the face for radio and a gift for gab. 00:43:04.565 --> 00:43:08.599 I'm sorry. I'm being more open as a Christian. 00:43:08.599 --> 00:43:17.400 When you meet people, you know, I find even in my job, I can talk with someone and I can tell by their actions that they're a Christian. 00:43:17.400 --> 00:43:29.900 And walking with them in conversation and not being afraid to ask and sometimes just saying and opening that door leads to so many conversations. 00:43:29.900 --> 00:43:32.199 I mean, you can stand right there and pray with somebody. 00:43:32.199 --> 00:43:40.099 You can hear their hurts, you can hear their pain, and I hear so many Christian people say that I'm so afraid of opening that conversation. 00:43:40.099 --> 00:43:43.565 And I know in today's society that's wrong. 00:43:43.565 --> 00:43:52.266 God wants you to express him and show people that the world is not the place to be. 00:43:52.266 --> 00:43:55.099 It's to be in Jesus Christ, your Lord and savior. 00:43:55.099 --> 00:43:57.233 Yeah. Thank you Ray. That's good. 00:43:57.233 --> 00:43:59.300 All right, well, listen, it's been a good service. 00:43:59.300 --> 00:44:01.400 Let's wrap up in prayer. I have a