How to live
A Godly Life Daily
The Seven Habits of a Godly Life – Dr. Charles Stanley
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intimate relationship of God is um he
talked to Emily
he listens to you you listen to him you
obey him he got you as an awesome sense
of intimacy in a life that trust God
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four decades ago we started in touch
ministries to lead people worldwide into
a growing relationship with Jesus Christ
throughout the years we've seen God's
greatness his love and his blessings in
such awesome ways that we just want
everyone to know him so let's open God's
Word and seek Him together next on
InTouch the seven Habits of a godly life
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well the title of this message is the
seven habits of a godly life you should
get every one of them down ask yourself
the question are you a godly person so
first of all I want to define a couple
of things and first of all I will define
what a habit is and a habit is a
recurring often unconscious pattern of
behavior that is acquired through
frequent repetition that's what I have
it is something we do over and over and
over again the second definition is
simply this what is a godly life
so what's godly it's a life no longer
seeking satisfaction through a sinful
lifestyle but is now surrendered to God
and His will for your life in other
words we would call that a sanctified
life not perfect doesn't mean you never
sin but it means that your life is fully
surrendered to him so I want to give you
seven habits that every single believer
ought to make as a part of their life
and the first one is this the habit
first habit is a life of prayer and you
recall one of my favorite passages very
simple in the mark that first chapter
when the disciples they never quite get
a hold of this but the scripture says in
Chapter 1 of Mark verse 35 in the early
morning while it was still dark Jesus
got up left the house
and went away to a secluded place and
was praying there Simon and his
companions search for him they found the
men said to him everybody's looking for
you and so that's sort of typical about
the way people operate sometimes Jesus
is doing the most important thing in
life and they don't quite get that and
then again for example in the fourth
chapter of Luke and the 42nd verse when
they came Jesus left and went to a
secluded place and the crowds were
searching for him and came to him and
tried to keep him from going away from
them and he said to them I must preach
the gospel and so forth now when we talk
about a life of prayer we're not talking
about once in a while we're talking
about that everyday you sense the need
the desire and the joy and the awesome
power that comes through pray talking to
the father that is it ought to be a
habit something that is recurring in
your life not just when you get in
trouble when you get need but because
you love God because you're grateful for
who he is and what he's doing in your
life and for example I'm the 11th
chapter of Luke the disciples came to
Jesus and said now would you would you
teach us to pray like him John the
Baptist teaches his disciples to pray
and so they saw something absolutely
different about Jesus praying it wasn't
some ritual that people who usually
would go through in those days but they
could sense that he was talking
personally to the Heavenly Father so
when I look at these verses and think
about it the truth is you can't live a
godly life unless you have a prayer life
you're not you can't you live in a world
we all live in a world of temptation and
trials and heartaches and burdens and
sin and everywhere you turn there it is
you cannot live a godly life
I didn't say a life with that innocent
but I got little life and we defined
what that meant
you can't live a godly life unless you
have a good prayer
because the prayer life keeps you
connected to Almighty God sensitive to
his will and his purpose and his plan
for your life you don't pray you will
never got their life and if you'll think
about it it's the most important
activity of your life you've got to have
a life of prayer secondly the second
habit is trust or faith whichever word
suits you best and I love that one
hundred and third song and the 19th or
US and the Bible says the Lord has
established his throne in the heavens
and his sovereignty rules over all so if
you'll think about what that verse says
if God Almighty has established his
throne in the heavens and watch this his
sovereignty that is his all-knowing
supernatural divine power rules over
everything then what does that do that
gives me an awesome foundation to
believe him knowing that he's in charge
it doesn't make a difference what
happens how it happens through whom it
happens for whatever reason I know that
God is in control and I can trust him
but whatever he allows in life and I
think that's why that verse is so
important is because if you don't if you
don't trust him if you don't trust him
you're not gonna pray and you have to
ask yourself the question well where is
where is trust in your own spiritual
life trust in the Lord with all your
heart lead not to your own understanding
and all you always acknowledge him and
he'll direct your path and I quote that
verse to you very often because it is a
basic verse and when you're not trusting
what happens it builds intimacy with him
and intimacy means that I have a
relationship with him I don't have to
introduce myself to him an intimate
relationship with a person means that
that you are close not only to their
heart but their thinking the way they
think the way they feel an intimate
relationship
for every husband and wife ought to have
all the days of their life intimate
relationship with God is you and he
talked together he listens to you
you listen to him you obey him he guides
you
that's an awesome sense of intimacy in a
life that trusts God and if you want to
know whether you're a trusting person or
not ask yourself this question what am I
worried about if you can't look around
see I'm not worried about anything
that's because you're trusting in
whatever you're worried about is God's
long awesome finger saying you're not
trusting me at this area of your life a
godly life is a life of trust third
third habit in this awesome life is the
habit of meditation in the Word of God
now I don't know how you describe how
important this is but the scriptures are
there and I want us to look at it for
just a moment and the psalmist said in
this 63rd chapter in the sixth verse
listen when I remember you on my bed I
meditate on you in the night watches for
you've been my help in the shadow of
your wings I sing for joy my soul clings
to you your right hand upholds me now
what does it mean to meditate it means
that I read it it means that I think
about it I search my heart in the light
of what God is saying I ask him whatever
questions I have on my mind
I surrender whatever he brings to my
mind and meditating upon him here's what
meditation does meditation is like
looking into a mirror but it is also
looking beyond the mirror that is I see
what God sees and then I see beyond that
and I see him your focus is on him and
when you begin to focus on God here's
what happens
worries drift away concerns drift away
your mine is no longer contaminated with
all kinds of things that do not do you
any good at all meditation is an
absolutely essential part of living a
godly life and where there's no
meditation you're not gonna live a godly
life you can't you think about when you
get up in the morning how much of the
world crowds itself into your thinking
you have to get dressed of course need
breakfast and you gotta get in your car
and drive down the expressway or
somewhere and finally get to work in as
soon as you do
it's chatta chatta chatta chatta chatta
all the day the keyboards flying all the
day in your mind it's all then you've
got to get back in your car you get back
on the highway and and dodge the traffic
again all the way home and when you get
there you undress inside relaxing then
there's dinner I can fill up your day
and not even know you because that's
what we do and so where is God where's
where's God's private time with you what
leads to a godly life is the time of
being alone with him longing for him
meditating upon him thinking about him
and then there's a fourth habit a very
important one and the one you hear me
say all the time obey God and I want to
go back to Deuteronomy 27 all the way
back in the Old Testament because he
makes it so crystal clear in this twenty
seventh chapter and the tenth verse God
speaking through Moses to his people
here's what he said he said you shall
therefore obey the Lord your God and do
His commandments and his statutes which
I command you today and then down that's
when chapter 28 verse 1 now it shall be
listen this if you diligently you know
what that means consistently diligently
obey the Lord your God being careful to
do all his commandments which I command
you today the Lord your God will set you
this has sent you high above all the
nations of the earth he was talking
about Israel but put yourself in that
position
when you and I obey God we listen well
think about this we're walking on a
higher level think of and how the world
lives they live with all kinds of evil
thoughts and busy busy busy no time for
God you have chosen to follow Jesus and
the follow him means you live on a
higher level it doesn't mean that you're
looking down on other people it just
means that you have chosen to live by a
standard that's higher than the world
standard it doesn't mean that we're
better than somebody else
but Italy means our lifestyle is better
than the lifestyle of the world so I ask
yourself the question now do I have a
habit of really praying and trusting and
meditating upon the Word of God and
would I be considered an obedient child
of God and how many times have you said
it and you said as well as I can the
wise way to live is to obey God then
leave all the consequences and
circumstances to God now I will do that
only if I'm have a life of prayer only
if I'm trusting only if I'm meditating
upon him that's the only way I'm gonna
do it so these are simple habits that
make your life what God wants it to be
and listen think about this there's
nothing that can keep you from obeying
and walking in these seven habits
nothing except the choice you make you
see you have to you have to cheat you
have to choose some things you have to
choose to go with them oh my god have
this or have God walk this way
I have God's Way and so I the reason I
said seven habits because they remember
we said of happiness are occurring off
an unconscious pattern of behavior
that's acquired through frequent
repetition something that you not do
continuously now each thing I've
mentioned so far you can do the reason
you do not do this because you don't
think it's important now watch that the
reason we don't do things of ABB's
sacred godly awesome life-changing
lifting habits is because we've decided
to choose the world's way and no matter
who you are how gifted you are or how
much money you have how wise you think
you are how much education you have you
cannot live a godly life the best life
without practicing these seven habits
now what is the fifth one this earth
habit is dependence upon the Holy Spirit
and somebody says well what does that
mean it means that I surrender my life
listen to the indwelling presence of the
Holy Spirit and I remember what Jesus
said to his disciples he said sit down
wait in Jerusalem until you be endued
that is until the Holy Spirit comes into
your life and when he does then you'll
be ready to do of what I have called you
to do so I've given you some some
scriptures here some of them are
familiar to you maybe some or not but in
Ephesians chapter 5 you men what the
scripture says in this particular
passage and let's look at verse 18 the
scripture says do not get drunk with
wine for that is dissipation of waste
but the filled with the spirit now if I
took a quart sized jar and set it up
here and I had it half full of water you
would say well it's only half full it
would only be full when it's up to the
top brimming complete when he says be
that that a Greek verb says be ye being
filled which means it's a continuous
thing in the morning when you two get up
amidst your prayer before you if when
you're meditating before you even get
out of the bed you should say Lord I
just want you to fill me with your
spirit today
now here's what that means jesus said to
his disciples then Luke before you do
what I told you to do wait in the city
of Jerusalem until you be endued until
the Holy Spirit has come upon you to
enter well you for the simple reason you
are not equipped to do what I've called
you to do apart from the indwelling
presence of the Holy Spirit who will
empower you
he will empower you teach you how give
you guidance and direction to do what
I've called you to do now most people
don't have any idea who the Holy Spirit
is you are as a follower of Jesus as a
believer of Christ you've trusted the
MPO salvation you are now already in
dealt by the third person of the Trinity
who is the Holy Spirit when you and I
choose to disobey God we choose the sin
against the Holy Spirit who is within us
and whom God sent into our life to
enable us to become to be to do to
accomplish whatever he has in life so
you're never alone you're indwelt by God
the Holy Spirit who was there to enable
you help you encourage you strengthen
you heal you you name it he's there
because we need a God in our life and he
knew we would then of course there is
the sixth son and that's giving to God
unto others and in the sixth chapter of
Luke which is a very rhythm in your
chapter you remember what he says give
and it should be given to you good
measure he says listen they will pour
into your lap a good measure pressed
down shaken together running over for by
your standard of measure it will be
measured to you in return I'm not
thinking about giving to God my favorite
example of that is I was thinking about
this last night my first Sunday school
teacher was this naturally I was
probably three or four years old
somewhere that balanced because I
started school at five which was too
early never caught up
and then but I went to Sunday school
every Sunday and I remember all the
chairs with different colors green red
yellow blue so forth and then the Sunday
school teacher was this I don't know how
told she was but she looks like she's
about 10 feet old to me got sitting down
she had black hair sweet wonderful lady
and they came around to take the
offering and I remember my mother will
always give me a few pennies to drop in
oh yes she would never let me go without
having something to give so before I
could count my mother taught me to give
to God so when I got my first job which
was a paper route I made four dollars a
week well I was grateful to God I
thought I can't get God change I gave
him a dollar which was 25% I never
thought about that I just don't know
what did God yet then after that I had
to pay friend I made 16 dollars a week
and so I gave God more than title net
and then all of my life I've never
adjust sound never for the simple reason
I learned very early in life you cannot
outgive God and watch this secondly you
can't even predict what you're going to
need and if you can't predict what
you're gonna need how you gonna manage
all of it so we give to God and trust
him to do exactly what he promised to do
and so I give you this simple example
that many of you heard before because
it's one that's so impressed my life so
you have to ask you something question
is that young will be one of the habits
in your life and the vowel says that God
loves a cheerful Giver so if he loves
the cheerful Giver what about those who
what about those who are stingy who
don't give God y'all tell you you know
I'll tell you why God's not pleased
forgives just what it says I can do
without him I'll handle it
I can manage I don't need God to manage
my money
think about how foolish that is your
money could burn up overnight the
situation can be that you'd lose it all
overnight yet
but listen to skip it you will never be
in the situation where you don't have
anything because you have God living
within you and everything you need God
has promised to provide an awesome habit
in our life then I will give you the
seventh a habit and that is very
important one and that is the habit of
forgiving of the people and the
scripture one of them very clear
scriptures in Ephesians chapter 4 and
we've all read it many times before but
it's the truth and we read it again and
again and again and the scripture says
listen be angry and yet do not sin do
not let the Sun go down on your anger do
not give the devil an opportunity very
very important passage and then he says
don't greet in verse 30 don't grieve the
Holy Spirit of God by whom you were
sealed that the day of redemption then
he says in verse 31 let all bitterness
and wrath and anger and clamor and
slander be put away from you along with
all malice be kind one to another
tender-hearted forgiving each other just
as God in Christ has also forgiven you
it's not always easy no it's difficult
sometimes to be forgiving to people who
have done certain things to you and I
think one of the worst situations is
when you've been betrayed when you have
trusted really trusted somebody done
your best to help them in lots of ways
and then they betray you they they do
what would be the last thing you'd think
that they were doing your life and yet
we have to be forgiving now here are
seven habits listen carefully I could
have done this in a lot of different
ways but I wanted you to see every verse
and they get all seven habits now so
that every single person in here fully
understands
the seven habits about which you live a
gun in life a life that will be blessed
over and over and over again in many
many different ways but it's a it's a
choice you make and I would suggest that
you make a choice right now we got to
pray in a second
and in this pray I'm gonna pray that
you'll be wise enough and say to God
Lord I want these seven habits in my
life and I will begin today working them
into my life it's a working process into
your life will you would you live up to
all of them every day no but here's what
you do you ask God to forgive you show
me why tripped up on that one Lord and I
just reaffirmed my desire to be
forgiving to others or whatever it might
be
Oh Lord I was too busy this morning I
got up and ran off forgive me for not
stopping to meditate upon your word to
surrender my life to you
yields myself to you made a mistake god
I don't want to do that again you don't
think God would correct you yes he will
he will correct you he'll give you
enough trouble one morning after you get
up and ignore him that she won't forget
it
listen you know what it's because He
loves us thinking about there's a whole
Bible full of truth but I believe those
seven habits absolutely will transform
your life and lead you to be able to
accomplish in life more than your heart
can ever desire now if you here this
morning and you're not a Christian
you're not saved you never trust the
Jesus as your Savior I understand this
is probably beyond you but let me say
this you'll never understand I'll be
able to enjoy life at its best until you
surrender your life to Christ because
you can't ever lose surrendering to
Jesus never you say what I have to do
you ask the Lord to forgive you of your
sin not because you deserve it but
because Jesus went to the cross
died on the cross shed his blood for you
paid your sin debt in full the Bible
says and therefore when you ask God to
forgive you because of what he has done
for you he paid your debt God forgives
you and makes you a child of God then
you begin the practice of these seven
habits what an awesome life you have
before you and I trust that you'll do it
following love iane praise you and thank
you for the word of God from Genesis 1:1
to the last verse of the revelation and
this morning we're praying that you'll
give us wisdom to recognize there were
these seven habits everything else will
fall in place then we will open the door
to the best of your blessings and I pray
for somebody here today who is unsaved
you've never trusted you as their Savior
that they would be willing to ask you to
forgive them of their sins believe that
Jesus went to the cross and paid our sin
debt in full and by trusting his death
at Calvary the shedding of his blood
that confession and repentance brings
forth salvation and following salvation
we would develop these seven awesome
life transforming habits in our life and
lord I pray that for all of us today and
that somebody seated here who's not
saved would be willing to ask you to
forgive them and they cleanse their
heart and surrender their life to you
right now
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and we thank you for it in Jesus name
Amen if you've been blessed by today's
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