Chapter 4, Breaking Bad Habits - Breaking Up with A BAD HABIT

 “Breaking up with bad habits is certainly not easy, but with God’s help we can do it.”

Joyce Meyer

Gosh, I will be honest; I am not sure where to start! It seems like I get the tough sections! Maybe it is because I have so much work to do on myself!

 I never looked at changing my diet as breaking up with my bad food choices. However, that is what we are considering, Right? Think about it a minute? Isn’t that what we are really being asked to do!  When we break up with a bad boyfriend or an abusive one, we have counted the cost. We decide that our self-preservation  is more important than what the boy friend could offer! 

 We have to be willing to walk away; never see, talk or associate with that individual or(Bad Habit) AGAIN!

 

SO, What Habit are willing to BREAK UP WITH!?

Joyce asked us to consider the COST! Are we willing to go through being uncomfortable while we are in the process of being changed and being set free? Joyce encourages us to not focus on what we are leaving behind or say negative things like, It’s to hard! Or I, can’t do it!, These are lies! The word says we have overcome the world by the words of our testimony!

Revelations 12:11 ,King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 

So Claim, Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

Joyce encourages us to think about how we are going to reward ourselves for reaching our goal?

Jesus was rewarded by what he endured by sitting at the right hand of God, so consider how you are going to reward yourself when you become free of your bad habit no matter what it is, sugar, overeating, laziness or procrastination! 

Hebrews 12:2, New International Version (NIV)

 Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Focus Scripture: Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

Some Videos I wanted to share that I think relate to our topic of counting the cost:

Prayer: 

Dear Heavenly Father, 

Help us to fully understand the cost! Help us to accept the cost of giving up everything for you! To lay down the things that has us in bondage and enslaved! Our future is worth us laying it all down and walking away! Give us the strength Holy Spirit to do what we know we need to do! Super Natural Ability Father, for some that is exactly what will take Father! 

Help us to keep our eyes on the prize and not look back at what we are leaving. Help to us to not morn the loss but focus on where we are going and the person we are going to become!

I ask that Generational curses broken off of us! In Jesus Name, Amen

Chapter 4 - Breaking Bad Habits - Weekly Assignments

Last week I started the day with a Joyce Meyer 'Power' thought, taken from her book Power Thoughts.  I'd like to do that again today.   Power thought 7

I Am Content and Emotionally Stable

Did you laugh under your breath as you read that?  or chuckle out loud? or are you content and confident in your emotional stability?  I'll be honest, my first indication was to laugh and I did as I thought about what my awesome Jesus Girl sisters must have thought when they read it.

'Godliness with Contentment is Great Gain' 1 Timothy 6:6

In this chapter, Joyce points out that JESUS is our example.  He's referred to as 'the Rock'.  In Hebrews 13:8 we are told He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He never changes. He doesn't change how he 'feels' about things depending on his mood.  WOW!  Must be nice huh?  

Well, the bad news is that emotions are NOT going away.  We are human, we live in the flesh - and sorry ladies, but we are WOMEN......come on, admit it......we have more moods than leopards have spots!  and I've given you a visual......so when you hit one of those moods and feel yourself becoming emotionally unstable, I want you to think about this leopard, his spots, and what else he represents.  For him, these spots equate to success.  Here are some facts about the leopard:

• Huge success living 'in the wild' (we too live in the wild!)
• Runs at speeds upwards of 36 mph
• Climbs trees even when carrying a heavy carcass
• Is notorious for stealth
• Rarely misses it's prey!

What do you see here?   STRENGTH. SPEED. AGILITY

So, today when something gets you down or out of sorts - when you feel a mood coming on or become irritable - maybe your snapping at a child or giving your husband a hard time - think about the leopards spots appearing - got the vision? - and take a few minutes to readjust.


Jeremiah 17:7-8 reads:


“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,  whose trust is the Lord.  He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, or its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.”

Those roots provide stabilization.  Let's work on some stabilization in our lives this week.  Let's reflect on the verses in the bible that teach us to be grounded.   Here are a few tips from Joyce to do this:

•   Reach out to our Heavenly Father immediately for help. Stop, Pray. Ask for Help

• Use Patience - God wants us to use wisdom and that encourages patience.
• Take a few minutes to get your emotions in check before acting

• Exercise Self Control - this is a God-Given fruit of the spirit. 
• You have to practice it.

Praying that this week you have TREMENDOUS power as we begin our assignments for Chapter 4!

Reading / Blog Assignments: 

Day 1 - Breaking Bad Habits - Leanne   (Read Section 1 of our chapter)
Day 2 - Believe - Kara
Day 3 - What Provokes You - Sherry
Day 4 - Focus - Melanie
Day 5 - Get out of the Rut - Kelley
Day 6 - Recap - Cynda
Day 6 - Prayer Day - Kendra
Day 7 - Weekly Assignments - Kelley

Dear God, Monday's are incredible!  AWESOME!  We get another shot at making one of your God-Given weeks the best it can possibly be.  I am praying that each reader starts this week with STRENGTH and POWER - seeking it from you.  I pray that we stop and think before we run to the fridge when we get emotional or have something occur that makes us snap.  I pray that we read your Word and absorb the wisdom and promises provided on each page.  I pray for self-control and patience in our walk this week. We love you Father and we are so thankful for you.   Thank you for this group, thank you for your love, thank you for your promise of eternal life. In your precious name we pray.  Amen

Let's do it ladies!  Come on - POWER!  Lysa TerKerust tells us in Made to Crave that we are EMPOWERED.  I know my bible study sisters that read Lysa's book have that forever engraved in their minds.  Through our Heavenly Father, We are EMPOWERED!

I love you and am so thankful for you and this journey we are on together!

<3  Kelley

*NOTE:  Joyce references us having more emotions than the leopard has spots; however, the information surrounding the leopard was taken from Wikipedia (not Joyce's book)

Prayers and Praise Saturday

I absolutely LOVE Saturdays; our Prayer and Praises Day!!!  Saturdays at my house are the day to sleep in, to relax, to let down from the busyness of the week.  We've focused on making the habits of GOD and HIS WORD being our top priority, making our time with HIM first in our lives.  As I read my Jesus Calling the other day, it reminded me of constantly keeping HIM my focus.  "Make Me your focal point as you move throughout this day.  Just as a spinning ballerina must keep returning her eyes to a given point to maintain her balance, so you must keep returning your focus to Me.  circumstances are in flux, and the world seems to be whirling around you.  The only way to keep your balance is to fix your eyes on Me, the One that NEVER changes.  If you gaze too long at your circumstances, you will become dizzy and confused.  Look to Me, refreshing yourself in My Presence, and your steps will be steady and sure."

Hebrews 12:2, "Let us fix our eyes on JESUS, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of GOD."

As we approach our day, our weekend, let's keep our eyes focused on HIM with our praises, for we know all things come from HIM; and also with our prayer requests, for we are confident that HE can do ALL things!!  Post your prayers and praises so we can join you!!!
BE BLESSED THIS DAY
Kendra

The Week in Review - The God Habit

Power Thought

I am disciplined and self-controlled.

Intentional.  We need to be intentional in seeking God and spending time with Him everyday.  We have been given a spirit of discipline and self-control.  It is time to put it to good use.  It is vital for us to develop the God Habit if we want to develop any other good habits.  Proverbs 3:6 says 

"Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

    don’t try to figure out everything on your own.
Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
    he’s the one who will keep you on track.
Don’t assume that you know it all."

Making our own decisions and trying to make things happen is a very bad habit we must break.  Without God we can do nothing of true value.  "You are as close to God as you want to be"  How close do you want to be?

First Things First

Starting our day with Jesus feeds our soul. Even if it is just a short, sweet prayer acknowledging Him.  God rejoices in every moment we spend with Him.  He waits patiently on us when we wander off.  Start small.  A little time with God is better than none.  I love the idea of keeping scriptures handy to refresh us and keep us focused throughout the day.  Establish the God Habit.  How will you start?

Get the God Habit

We must make God a priority in our lives, give Him the "first fruits" of our day, our lives.  If we do not, we have no reason to expect anything to work out right.  It isn't like we have to go find God.  We just need to pay attention to Him.  "Heaven is full of answers for which nobody ever  bothered to ask" - Billy Graham.  What have we missed out on because we simply did not take time to ask God?

The Word Habit

It is impossible to develop the God Habit if we don"t have the Word Habit.  Spending time in God's Word can make such a difference in our lives  Make time.  Schedule it.  Keep note cards or a journal handy to write down things you learn or scripture that speaks to you.  We cannot truly know God apart from His Word.  His Word shows us how we are to live.  How can we be a reflection of Him without knowing Him?

The Religious Compartment

We need to invite God into all aspects of our lives, give Him "all-access".  By forming this one good habit, a lot of our bad habits will be taken care of.  His help is available for the asking.  God will always send us the grace and strength we need to do His will. Are we willing to let Him break down the walls of our compartments?

Thought

There was so much great information in this chapter, some of it not easy to hear.  But ladies, the benefits of developing the God Habit are amazing.  God instructed Abraham to be habitual in walking with Him.  Abraham was and God blessed his life abundantly.  The key to having the abundant life God desires for us is keeping God in His rightful place in our priorities.  We need to make God our priority if we want to have a deep, intimate relationship with Him.  Then step back and watch the blessings flow!  Plus, the more we allow His Word to consume us the more our minds will be renewed.  Colossians 3:16 reminds us to "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly".  It is impossible for satan to defeat us, to keep us from experiencing God's best if our mind are renewed.  will you allow the Word of Christ to consume you?

Father, thank you for these wonderful ladies who desire to make You the number one priority in their lives.  Bless them as they lift their faces to You.  Give us the desire to put You first ahead of everything else in our lives. Help us become addicted to spending time with You.  Thank You for waiting patiently when we wander off.  I am so glad we do not have to find you, just simply pay more attention to You.  Thank You for revealing Yourself to us in Your Word.  Give us discernment as we read the Word so we will truly know You & help us be a true reflection of You.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen

Chapter 3 - The God Habit - Beware of the Religious Compartment

Beware of the Religious Compartment

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God

1 Corinthians 10:31 

 Religious Compartment - What is a religious compartment?  How many 'compartments' do we have in our lives?  Do we have a religious compartment and an 'all other' compartment?    Let's think about this.......... I will admit, I googled Religious Compartment.  Not that I don't trust Joyce, but I was anxious to see what was on the internet about this topic.

Gandhi said "I claim that human mind or human society is not divided into watertight
compartments called social, political and religious. All act and react upon one
another."  - ah wisdom. 

When I was growing up, my mother kept 'religious compartments'.  We would go to religious instruction on Saturday morning and went to mass either Saturday 5:00 Mass or Sunday morning Mass...and unfortunately in my home there weren't bible stories, or veggie tales - we did say our prayers at bedtime and sometimes Grace at dinner, but for the most part, religion was definitely compartmentalized.  I don't remember a time when WWJD came into play, it just didn't cross over into daily activities.  There truly was a SACRED compartment and an "All Other" or a secular compartment in my house.

Unfortunately I then got into this same routine with my own children.  Sunday mornings were church times, sometimes we would go at other times for special events, and always for vacation bible school.  Still very compartmentalized.    

I look back now and I'm sad.  I am sure I am not alone.   Many years were wasted in not giving God the glory he deserved every day and in all things.  Our scripture above says: whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.   Not just Sunday morning or when we feel like it - but every day and every single thing we do MUST bring Him glory!  We cannot live for Jesus on only Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, or just on nights we attend small groups or life groups - we have to live for Jesus 100% of the time - in everything we do, with everything we say, with every breath we take. - that means destroying the compartments we've built around our lives and letting God be the center of everything.  If we are doing something that we know Jesus would say No to, then it is certainly not bringing Him glory ~ and taking it a step further - it needs to stop.

Do you find yourself convicted when  you slip up and say a bad word or when you tell a lie in order to skip work ~ do you catch yourself gossiping with the neighbor and want to crawl in a hole knowing you just completely dishonored God?  If not, it's time to take a look at your 'compartments'.

Everything this week has taken us back to making God a Habit.  Our time management, putting Him first, reading His word ~ it all leads back to making sure He is involved in every part of our lives - not just when we are ready to open the 'religious compartment' for a church gathering.

NOW, Joyce makes a good point in her book - this isn't going to be easy.  This requires lifestyle changes - changes that aren't going to be comfortable at first and may squash our lively lifestyles. Giving up things we may not be ready to give up...however, as Joyce notes in today's reading - we sometimes just want to hold onto certain things but what we don't realize is that those same things are stealing our peace an joy on a regular basis.

God promises us He is with us always, with Him we can do all things - if we will just ask, we can receive.  In James 4:2 it says:  "You do not have, because you do not ask".  We must ask for His help, we must pray for empowerment to give Him glory in all things, we must remember who's we are. We must live by WWJD!  We must ask for help in building this GOD HABIT,  we are not born with it.  It just doesn't come natural ~ like everything else worthwhile, we must work for it.   We must invite Him into everything we do - as Gandhi said above - all compartments intersect and - there aren't any 'watertight compartments', one of which holds only 'JESUS' things.  HE IS LIFE.

A couple great points Joyce made in today's reading:

-Start talking to God about everything you do.  Invite Him into your activities. AND if what you  are doing and where you're going aren't places He would go, then STOP, you don't need to be there either. - Prayer doesn't just change things, it also changes us - for the better.

-The more time we spend with Jesus, the more we become like Him.   The bible says that as we study the Word of God, we are transformed into His image. - We then will find ourselves convicted more and more every day during our daily activities.  Our compartments opened wide  - and God at the center of all.

-If we are diligent in seeking Him, slowly but surely, we will become better people.

-Prayer is not an obligation, it is a privilege.

Today is Friday and this week is nearly over, I hope that you will reach out to God today and ask that he destroy your compartments, that he surround you and fill you with His presence so that everything you do will bring Him the glory he deserves.

Assignment: 

• Think back on some areas of accomplishment in your life. Were they used to bring Glory to God?  If not, what steps can you take to change the future?
   
•  Read Acts 12:20-23 a sobering thought about God's glory.   How did this verse make you feel when you read it.  I didn't like it very much.

•  What changes have you made in your life to incorporate The God Habit?

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for being there, for being patient while we grow and study your word.  Please be with us today - let today be the day that we begin making sure we give you glory in all we do or say.  Convict us Father if we embark on things that you disapprove of. Destroy the compartments of our lives - where we think we can separate our relationship with YOU from other things in our lives. Bless each reader today.  Allow them to feel your presence. Continue to mold us into the disciples you need us to be.  We love you Father.  Amen.


Ladies, our group scripture verse resonates beautifully with today's lesson - we must honor God with our bodies.  That means, we must take care of them - the Holy Spirit lives in us - we should be largely convicted anytime we treat our body like anything other than a temple, a temple that houses HIM, our Heavenly Father.

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Happy Friday!

Love and Hugs, 

Kelley <3

Chapter 3 - The God Habit -- The Word Habit

So I picked this topic because for many years I didn't get into God's word. I was a Christian, I went to church, but I didn't spend time in God's word during the week. While my life was a little different than before I gave my life to Christ, it wasn't flourishing like it should. I didn't drink, party, swear, etc, but I didn't feel really connected to God. I prayed and could feel him working in my life, but knew that there was probably so much more.

Once I made it a priority to spend time in God's word every day, just like Joyce Myers, my life really took off. I feel a peace like I've never had before. Trials seem to be minor bumps and not major road blocks. I can be joyful during trails instead of worrying. I was able to more readily turn things over to God as I knew his promises and knew he is there always.

One of the first books I read was 1 Peter. I saw a Verse from this chapter on yesterdays blog. It was written by Peter to Christians in pagan nations. It has so much wisdom that we can apply today. 1 Peter chapter 4 literally made me stop. One thing it says is that non chrtistians live in the past, but Christians live in the present and have hope for the future. I wouldn't have known this if I never picked up the bible.

I ask you take take Joyce's challenge to just spend fifteen minutes in God's word each day. See how it changes your life. Report back to me after seven days if it made a difference.  Make time and schedule it! Just like exercise , you won't do it if you don't schedule time.

Dear God,
I hope each lady in this study finds fifteen minutes to spend in your Word each day this week. I hope because they are in your Word they are blessed beyond their wildest expectations. Please help them make it a priority. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

Chapter 3 - The God Habit - Get the God Habit

DAY 3

What a great week to read– The God Habit. Leanne began by telling us the importance of the God Habit. Melanie followed up with the importance of making a daily habit of spending time with God. Today I want to talk about how to Get the God Habit - making God a priority. 

Joyce tells us, “If God is first, then we will be winners in life, but if He isn't  there is no reason to expect anything to work out right.” Put God first. Stop for a moment and just let that sink in. God before Facebook. God before blogs. God before TV. God before Emails. God before FOOD. God before problems.

I know life gets going and some days it takes all you have to just hang in and hang on. Life has a way of throwing the good, bad and sometimes downright ugly at us. Its so easy to run to our friends, or significant other to tell the good, or complain about the bad. How about seeking God first?

How many times did you seek God, praise God before telling someone else?

How many times did you simply to run to Abba and thank Him?

How many times did you try to figure it out yourself without God’s help?

1 Peter 5:7 tells us “Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

Psalm 55:22 tells us “Cast your burdens on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.”

It is time to up the ante and get into a serious God habit. When you've had a blessing run to Abba thanking Him BEFORE you tell anyone else. When problems hit, troubles at home, no money, run to Abba telling him about your problems, invite him in, and hand your burdens over. When you feel hungry, craving something, run to Abba as fast as you can.  

Just like every other good and bad habit this one takes time, but it is so rewarding, refreshing, refilling and comforting.

Assignment this week:

Time to put God first, going to him first. Thankful for something? Go to God first, then family & friends. Going through problems? Go to God first, then family & friends.

God,

We come to you, thanking you for all you have provided us. We are thankful that you are continuously with us through the rainbows and providing strength during the rain. Abba, I pray that you open our hearts to hear you and see you. I pray that you instill in us a desire to come to you first in all the good, the bad and the ugly life brings us. Thank you for constantly being the loving giving and supportive father to all of us. Amen