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November 17, 2021 2:00 am
Bad habits are like weeds: they grow without effort and it's hard to get rid of them. In the message "Breaking Bad Habits," Skip shares how you can begin to break free from bad habits and cultivate good ones.
This teaching is from the series Now Streaming.
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That's what God is getting at when we are allowed to face situations that are highly tempting to God is taking this error because he wants that to be a point of transformation. He didn't just want to deliver something to draw us away from God and stay focused on connect with Skip Heitzigs today is a series called mouse agreement explains your thoughts order to overcome bad habit first know about the opportunity to visit the ancient land of the Bible during guided tour of Israel in 2022 places where the defense of the Bible unfolded experience Christ in your faith is God's word comes to life for you never had that all the info@inspirationprincess.com/380 Q were in Colossians chapter 3 as we dive into the teacher would Skip Heitzigs used by the story. The man was hired to pay the church building faster hired him to do it. The man took pain and proceeded to paint the building, but he knew even from the beginning he did not have enough paint to finish the job so he added paint thinner and he painted me ran out again.
The added morph interdependence more and ran out at a more thinner in the he picked put a very thin veneer of pain across the whole building will the next day after he was done, a brainstorm came through and just took all the pain washed it all off the building which is very disappointing to the pastor of the church who came to him and like only a preacher could do, put his finger in the man's face and said repaint and sin no more. That's up pastor's joke repaint and then the markets also a dad joke Father's Day is next week so I can get away with, you know what though we often try to cover up with a thin coat of religion, or morality, our lives, but at some point in this Christian walk.
We have to learn what it is to break bad habits. Everybody has bad habits and there are some bad habits that are are pretty harmless. I think body biting your fingernails. It's obnoxious but it's pretty harmless. I know some is becoming of no research has been done in Dr. Fakih is not an order to I get pretty harmless bad habit there. Even some bad habits that are endearing.
I knew a cute gal one time when she left. She snorted and she was always embarrassed by that. We all thought it was just cute.
It was endearing. It was her weeded mind, but there are other bad habits that are very serious because they become addictive behaviors they become life dominating sentence alcoholism and substance abuse, pornography, uncontrolled anger can dominate a life and ruin a relationship something you discover about sin. Sin never seems irresistible until you want a break from then you discover that certain behaviors have a very strong grip very strong pole.
You sort of feel like the guy you try to drain the swamp and he Taken water out more water, Nandini kept this until he discovered that swamp was being fed by an underground spring and that he would never successfully be able to empty it all while in this little series were going to take well-known titles of films and give a scriptural bent to an underlying issue.
This is breaking bad habits you know it's unfortunate, but New Mexico is known nationally and internationally. Because of that series Breaking Bad Albuquerque Breaking Bad and psych really of all of the reasons you want to remember a town it's for the bad underbelly of a drug culture. I would love it if our community, our spiritual community in this town were known for Breaking Bad habits, we would see and they would see that victory is ours in Christ. This brings up an issue. I just want to address as we get into a dentist.
Fair warning. I'm not cannot exegete this passage in its entirety. There's too many verses that barely skimmed the surface and extract some major principles but brings up a question. Why is it that we are tempted, or let me let me reframe why does God allow temptations to occur or maybe a better way. Even the part that is why does God allow the temptations to be so strong. I mean, he is God he is all-powerful. Certainly he could if you wanted to dial down the temptation in our lives. Or maybe dial our ability to handle them to overcome but he doesn't do that. He lets us face them's full strength you need to know something about this.
I want this to get away without saying God never tempts us to sin.
So you can ever say well it's God's fault. It is never God's full, it is always a choice that you make. Even if that choice is been made to the to the point where you are controlled by that activity. God is never to blame.
The Bible says clearly in James one. Let no one say when he is tempted I am tempted by God for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt any man, however, God does lead us into vulnerable places. I think we would all admit that the Bible says Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus taught us to pray, lead us not into temptation so he doesn't shield us from the temptations of life. So why is that, is there anything good that could come out of these temptations to sin actually, there are a few good things to come out of. First of all temptation tests are loyalty. You really can't say you love someone unless you have made hard choices in regard to that someone so saying noted temptation is a way to confirm your love for God. God allows them, I think because he wants our passion for him to be greater than our passion for sin.
So temptations test are loyalty. There's a a second benefit they transform our lives and really I think that's what God is getting at when we are allowed to face situations that are highly tempting to us.
God is taking this error because he wants that to be a point of transformation. He didn't just want to deliver us from something he wants to deliver us to some and then not only that, but temptations teach us things they teach us lessons.
One of the biggest lessons to learn, and temptation is a thing called grace God's grace. Aren't you glad for God's grace as we we deal with sin. We deal with temptation would deal with habits and and I love what Paul said in Romans where sin abounds. Grace abounds much more.
Paul even talked about his struggle with an area where he prayed three times in the Lord find is that my race is all you need sufficient for so there are upsides to us for what I want to do is looking in Colossians chapter 3 we can figure pretty sizable chunk of text is only give you three steps three key steps in the break to Breaking Bad have three key steps to Breaking Bad habits. Notice I did not say three easy steps.
And that is because they don't exist. There are no such things as easy things to do, but these are three general and key principles in the first step to breaking a bad habit is you and I we need to think clearly. Verse one. If then you were raised with Christ, notices language if then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above the crisis sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind. Notice that think clearly.
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth for you died in your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
If you do anything in life you have to first learn about that thing to be an artist, you have to know something about color pallets and techniques and styles of you to be a doctor you you need to know something about the human body. Hopefully a lot about the human body to be a car mechanic. You need to know something about engines right, you need to learn. So it is in spiritual life. Learning always comes before living doctrine always comes before doing. If Satan can keep you ignorant.
Satan can keep you impotent in your spiritual life.
That's why every time we gather together we say, open your Bible and let's read let's consider even though you may have read that passage several times before we get refreshed with the knowledge of God.
There are several spiritual realities that are listed here and these are things we need to know what is that spirituality well here is some but we just read up you died, you were raised. Your life is now hidden with Christ in God. And when he appears when Jesus comes back he will appear with him in glory for realities. You died, you were raised. Your life is hidden when he appears, you will appear in glory.
Now those are truths that are positional truths you have any actually experienced them. In actuality, they're not literal they're all about identification. You died spiritually.
You are alive spiritually. There positional truths. You might say this life is what you are alive to so a child will come alive when you tell him that you're going to take him on a trip to Disneyland.
Really when a young teenage boy will come alive when you talk about the cute girl he likes at school or the car that he wants to drive soon a girl or woman make my come alive when you talk about fashion.
I'm speaking in generalities. Forgive me for that or a man might come alive if you talk about golf or camping or sports. Whatever it might be question what made Paul come alive. Jesus exactly and that's not spiritual talk. He actually did.
He wrote in Philippians he said for me to live is Christ and to die is gain and look at verse four of our text. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory so there certain things we need to know and set our minds on them. Basically, you need to know two things you need to know number one your dead you. I am I'm dead. I didn't even know I was sick. How can I be that well you're dead to the whole life.
The old use of the old manner of life. The flesh life.
The flesh doesn't dominate shouldn't dominate you see yeah but it does I have bad habits you need to know positionally that your dead today.
The old Skip died and was buried, you might say publicly executed publicly buried on the day I was baptized for that was all about.
I was a declaration, public declaration demonstration that the old life had passed. I was dead to it. I'm alive to something else.
This is language that we even use in relationships all pick one because I know if this situation were in a Jewish family, a young man gave his life to Jesus Christ.
And when that man converted to Christianity. His father said to him, son, you are dead to me. But assuming you are actually dead. Assuming you are literally dead, but it does mean positionally, you are dead. The relationship between father and son has changed so you need to know that in God's mind. He thinks the same way you are dead not to him, but you are dead to the old way of life. That's how he sees it and that's how you and I need to see Romans chapter 6 verse 11 Paul writes therefore recommend your selves also to be dead to sin but alive to God's over dead second year alive if it will not confuse review the set I was dead. I did, but you're also will I look at verse one if then you were raised with Christ, that's resurrection, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
Jesus conquered death by resurrection is that resurrection power that you and I identify with for power to overcome bad habits. He was raised. You were raised so your dad and your alive, you're both dead and alive member the old Westerns they put up posters wanted dead or alive. God's posters wanted dead and alive. I want you dead to the old but I want you alive to this trouble is many Christians live and in between life. You might say they live between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Resorted dad to the old sub sort of alive to God sent Nelson around. They're not really enjoying full victory.
So the first step to break a bad habit is to know truth know truth. Now I know that perhaps some are listening to this and you're thinking this made. This is just words to write a letter and say your dad your alive that's just semantics will I beg to differ with you. It is so true that God reckons it as fact. And the problem is you and I don't okay so here's an example. Let's say a child is adopted from one family and taken into another family. Now when he is adopted. That doesn't change the way he likes his appearance is still the same.
His activities and actions may for a time still be even the same but is it a new families been adopted. The Bible tells us we are adopted into God's family. Everything changes my not feel like it. You may not look like it outwardly, but in the adoption is taking place now, let's let's press the analogy a little further, let's say that that young man was adopted from one family into another in the family. He came out of was a slave family that season.
A part of the world were slavery so it still exists and he is adopted and put into a royal family.
Family of Kings.
Well, he may not know it but he has a great inheritance now. He has new relationships and he even has power at his disposal that he may or may not realize right now, but it is a fact. So knowing this, knowing that work dead and alive and hidden and will be in glory. We need to think clearly and a couple words and went to the notice of verse one. He says if you then were raised with Christ, which is the fact you to know that then seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Verse two set your mind on things above, not in things of your peers.
I want you to see you don't get it from a typical English translation, but in the original language that is translated from the Greek language. Those two words seek and set set your mind are imperatives or commands right to command to do something but it's a present active imperative, which denotes an ongoing practice so a full translation of an accurate translation would be seek and keep on seeking, set your mind on and keep saving your mind on those things which are about the language speaks of persistence.
The language speaks of not giving up. So in the context of over talking about making mental determination that you will not wallow in your past defeat over the phone down and there's habit gets the best of me and I keep blowing it, keep seeking, keep saving your mind.
Don't wallow in past defeat make that mental determination that you will seek and that you will set your mind, but I fail. One has some really cool. Albert Einstein was kicked out of school is a what you can imagine kicking Albert Einstein. I'm sorry, kid. You can't handle it. Albert Einstein's teacher said that he lacked interest in his studies Bob adjustment teacher was a bad teacher. Albert Einstein lacked interest in the study so he was kicked out of school. Later on he tried to attend another school in Zürich, Switzerland, but he failed the entrance exam love that Albert Einstein failed, so he got a job in a boardinghouse as a tutor until he was fired failure after failure after failure, but you know the rest of the story right equals MC Square later is a legend because he kept seeking he Setting his mind.
He kept getting heated wallow in past defeat Satan. You gotta know something about safety always lies to you. He lies on a number of levels. First of all, he tries to get you to indulge in the temptation. The habit he knows it's your week. This is going ahead everybody do stuff like this. It just be one more time. Gotta forgive you just don't worry about it.
You're a good person. Go ahead, so you do it minutes soon as you do it the second line is I can't believe you just did that. What a horrible Christian you are God's. I can forgive you if you keep just coming back for this stuff, or he'll say this, you will never break free from the chains of this habit you are going to be stuck in this forever, so let me give you little tip hack the tip is to think of the endgame while you're fighting the battle here struggling with the habit or think of the endgame, seek those things which are above. Set your mind on things above were crisis that's heaven or why should I think about heaven when I'm struggling on earth because that's where you're going to spend the bulk of your existence.
So one of that the helps is to realize you are created as an eternal being, even in the midst of the struggle for another place that that provides a certain kind of impetus for you so think clearly. Here's the second key step to breaking a bad habit. After thinking clearly, act decisively, verse five. Therefore, in this what I love about Paul's letters was always there for you so practical he'll always teach us things Telus doctrine, but in his letters he says therefore is he wants you to apply and he does here. Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. But now you yourselves are to put off all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you put off the old man with his deeds, and I put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge.
According to the image of him who created him where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian city in slave or free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility and meekness, lungs Skip the message from the series now screamed want to share about a special resource in your knowledge of God's word even more tears but Norm Geisler said about the tactics, there is no better block to include Christians to think clearly you Skip anything need to engage in spiritual warfare. You'll never fight God's battles, so you'll never contend what really matters. Just cruise and interlacing boiled have to decide to get out as part of the house and join the fight become a contender for treatment, message series, the computer skip.
I think teaching theories on the ring and cardigan teaching to connect more people to the truth of God's word and $35 or more to the text by Gregory couple speak the truth about Christianity with confidence increase, hundred 92 port connector skip.com know we want to let you know how you can stay updated on the latest from this ministry and from Skip get encouragement from Skip and important announcements on social media. Just follow Skip on Facebook, twitter and Instagram bets at Skip Heitzig at Skip HEI T CIG tune in tomorrow as Skip Heitzigs of shares practical insight and helpful tools to help you defeat bad habits and cultivate good ones. The point of what Jesus said is that we should yield erratic cut it off put into that we should deal radically. We should cut off opportunities. Listen to what Paul writes to young Timothy was tempted by the world believe you so Skip presentation of connection communication changing truth