A Life to Build Your Thoughts Upon

Habit #2

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Uphill Habits

Most people have Uphill hopes and  downhill habits.

Hope gets you going.  Habits keep you going.

What I starve dies.  What I feed thrives.  It takes 21 days to create a new habit.  Get rid of stinking thinking.  I'll never change my life until I change the way I think. 

(Romans 12:2 MSG) Fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Habit #2

I must control my thoughts.

(Ecclesiastes 10:2 MSG) Wise thinking leads to right living. Stupid thinking leads to wrong living.

✓Everything begins with a thought.

(Romans 12:2 NLT) Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

✓What we think determines how we feel.

(Philippians 4:8-9) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things... and the God of peace will be with you.

✓Our thoughts determine our destiny.

(Romans 8:5-6 NLT) Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.

Sow a thought.  Reap an action.  Sow an action. Reap a habit.  Sow a habit.  Reap a lifestyle.  Sow a lifestyle.  Reap your destiny. 

Mastering the Habit

1.Find a plan to control your thoughts.

Replace your thoughts with what God says about you and your world in the Bible.  

(Hebrews 4:12) For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

2.Find a place to think your thoughts.

  

Turn down the world's volume to hear from God. Have a daily conversation with God.

(Isaiah 26:3 NLT) You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

(Colossians 3:2 NLT) Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

3.Find a person to stretch your thoughts. 

Join a small discussion group with other believers to challenge your thinking. 

(Hebrews 10:24-25 NLT) Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

4.Find a purpose to build your thoughts upon.

Think about why you're on this planet. 

(Romans 12:2) Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

5.Find a power to fuel your thoughts.

God wants to settle your past and talk to you about your future.

  

(Ephesians 3:20 NKJV) Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.

Lord, I open my life to the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Isaiah 55:9 (NIV)

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways

    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Chris Hodges, Church of the Highlands 

Video

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/media/message/habit-2

Discussion Guide

https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/files/groups/guides/1-15-2017.pdf

All scripture is from the New International Version unless otherwise noted.