Most people tend to have uphill hopes, but downhill habits. This new teaching series is called “Uphill Habits” because these habits are not easy. Hope is necessary and good, but if our habits don’t support our hopes, things begin to go downhill and nothing ever changes.
Last week’s habit was: Focus on what you do first. C.S. Lewis wrote: "If you put second things first you don’t get either first or second things. But if you put first things first, you get second things thrown in.” First things set a precedent in our day and can result in us experiencing satisfaction with both first and second things.
This week’s habit is: Develop right thinking. You cannot experience any significant life change without changing the way you think. Are you sometimes guilty of having “stinking thinking?” Pastor Adam’s teaching this week deals with what God has to say about our minds and our thinking patterns. The teaching and this week’s study offer some practical steps (spiritual practices) to help develop “uphill habits” regarding our thinking.
INVITATION: Everything begins with a thought. Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny. Are you ready to consider some “uphill habits” regarding your thoughts that could eventually affect your destiny? Ecclesiastes 10:2 from The Message says: “wise thinking leads to right living; stupid thinking leads to wrong living.” Are you ready and willing to consider you might actually have some “stupid thinking” in your life? Are you open to what God may have to teach you this week?
MONDAY: Romans 12:2: What might it look like for you to surrender your mind to God for “renewing?” Are you even open to considering that your mind might need renewing? Another version says to allow God to “change the way you think.” Are you open to considering that some of your thought patterns may need changing? Pastor Adam made an invitation to consider changing one thing that is a challenge for you (maybe complaining, social media, refusing to take offense, even if its justified, gossip, etc.) Why not choose to take up the challenge to change your default thinking patterns in this area to a more healthy and God-honoring way of thinking? Pray for God’s help. He IS faithful!
TUESDAY: Philippians 4:8-9: Where you are today is heavily influenced by your thought patterns from the past. How can you take this verse with you each and every day to help you remember the “uphill habit” you are working on? Could you be missing out on some of God’s invitations in your life because of holding on to things - or thinking patterns - too tight?
WEDNESDAY: Romans 8:5-6: What do you set your mind on each day? How might Habit #1 (focus on what you do first) come into play regarding this? What happens to your mind and thoughts when trouble, annoyance, difficulty, frustration, exhaustion or other elements come into your life and schedule? How might you take notice when your thoughts begin to go downhill? Perhaps you can consider asking God for His help with a “prompt” when this happens? How might you begin regularly praying for a mind “controlled by the Spirit?”
THURSDAY: 2 Cor. 10:3-9: How might you “take captive every thought” and make it obedient to Christ? Is there a new habit you can attempt to put into practice today and in the upcoming days and months? Consider praying for God’s help in this area. A couple of suggestions Pastor Adam made are: 1) Find a plan to control your thoughts. Perhaps it's in the area of social media, or perhaps the news or behind the wheel of a car? Have some boundaries and make a plan. “Failure to plan is planning to fail.” How much is the Bible speaking into your life and your self esteem as opposed to social media or the news? Don’t just read the Bible as a discipline (though it is a wonderful spiritual discipline), but read and allow it to change and shape you. 2) Find a place to think your thoughts. At some point in your day, find a time and place to shut off the volume of life. Even if it's only for 5 minutes, put your focus on God. Pray. Think. Reflect. Pastor Adam suggested 15 minutes per day: 5 worship; 5 Bible; 5 prayer. 3) Find people who stretch your thoughts (see the related verse and reflective questions on Friday). 4) Find a purpose to fuel your thoughts (see the related verse and reflective questions on Saturday).
FRIDAY: Hebrews 10:24-25: Who “spurs” you on to love and good deeds? Who challenges you to be a better person? Who draws you closer to God - even if they never say the word “God"? Who can speak truth into your life? Find people who will stretch you, but you need to also be willing and available to stretch others. Is there something you might consider offering as Rockhills moves to our new facility on Starcrest? Do you have a skill or talent to put to use for our faith community? Or might you be able to offer a class, or series of classes? What about a passion or desire you have but have not had a location where you could put it into practice? Could you provide something for not only the Rockhills community, but to our new neighbors as well?
SATURDAY: Ephesians 3:20-21: God wants to redeem, restore, revive and renew EVERY part of your life. Even thoughts. Consider the big picture that it is no accident you are living today in the city you are in, around the people you are around. Where are your mind and your thoughts? What might God be inviting you to? Where might God be leading you? Whatever your answers to these questions, God’s plans will take you further, be more fulfilling and joyful, yet be more challenging than you could ever imagine. Are you ready for the adventure?