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Ep.1339: Do My Habits Glorify God? (Part II) Social Habits
Reviewing the power of our public habits and how to change them
CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: Romans 8:5
Habits are BIG! In many ways, habits - whether they are good or bad for us - dominate our lives. The odd thing is we are not even generally aware of how deeply rooted they are and how much control they really have. In Part I of our 2-part habits series, we looked into the habits that define our personal lives, those things we do that may or may not impact those around us. In this episode, we look into the habits that define our public lives, those things we do when others are watching or engaging. The science of habits tells us the human brain is capable of being rewired through our conscious efforts. While this truth might be surprising, it also offers us a foundation for change. The Christian question here is, do I present myself in public in a way that brings glory to God, or do I have work to do? How are my social habits?
In Part I of this 2-part series, we focused on two things:
- We learned about how the brain’s neuroplasticity contributes to the forming of habits. New habits can replace old ones.
- We focused on our personal habits and assessed whether or not they should be replaced in order to glorify God.
Here in Part II, we took things one step further as we considered our public habits. When you think about it, these public practices say a lot about who we are to others. Do they show our Christianity or display our fallen humanity?
Likely the unfortunate answer to this question is that our habitual behavior in public is generally designed to feed our human inclinations. Because these behaviors are not usually designed with God’s glory in mind, our need to work at changing them becomes evident.
Where do we start?
The first thing to realize is that how we act in public depends upon what type of people are in our present circumstances. If we are among fellow Christians, our often-repeated behavior will fall into a specific category. If we are situated among family, friends or associates of some kind, our habitual natural responses will probably look different. Finally, if we find ourselves among those who would stand against us, our habitual responses would undoubtedly be very preservation-oriented and different once again. What do we do with all of this?
Check out our June 6, 2024 podcast, “Do My Habits Glorify God? (Part II)” for answers. We assess each category of our public habits. Next, we establish what the thought process needs to be to systematically replace any of our subconsciously engrained public habits. We then match this thought process with the science of habit-changing behavior. We end up with a remarkable message! As Christians, we are called upon to reflect godliness at every turn in our lives. As we combine Scripture and science, we see the pathway to this higher godliness unfold. Join us! Changing our lives to better honor God is not only possible, but also joyful as well!
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Ep.1338: Do My Habits Glorify God? (Part I) Personal Habits
Revealing the different ways habits are made and how to change them
CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: Romans 8:5
Human beings are undeniably creatures of habit. Let me dramatically oversimplify the whole habit thing for a moment to make a point. Habits are formed as tools to bring us comfort, reward and what we believe we want in life. Little kids test this all the time. A child with a very focused mind wants to do things their own way. Instead of listening, they argue and even rebel because doing it their way is what they find the greatest reward in. Another perhaps less stubborn child will fight and argue for their own way and then back off because their parent’s approval or recognition gives them a greater reward. This oversimplified comparison helps us see that our human habits are ultimately self-driven. How do we as Christians deal with all of this? What habits should be changed or left alone?
Habits can be really good things.
They can protect us from danger and enhance our lives by being able to do many things without having to consciously focus. However, when we look at the other side of the issue, we can see how our ability to “mindlessly” do things can be a serious detriment. The great news here is our minds are capable of changing such “mindless” activity into positive and productive habits. This capacity for change is not necessarily an easy fix, but it can be a powerful one. We can do this because our brains have something called "neuroplasticity."
Neuroplasticity means your brain has the ability to change throughout your life.
The fascinating thing is that our brains are always changing. We continually and subconsciously develop new habits in relation to our daily experiences. As Christians, our big challenge is this: Develop new God-glorifying habits we consciously choose to replace old habits that are ultimately detrimental. There is so much to this, as the prospects can be both exciting and scary all at once. So, where do we start?
Check out our June 17, 2024 podcast, “Do My Habits Glorify God? (Part I)” for more. We break down this complex and important subject into its basic pieces. First, there is the understanding of the how and why of our brain functions. Then there is the understanding of what steps actually take place when a habit is being formed. Once we understand these steps, coupled with how our brains reward us for behavior, the whole habit thing becomes clearer.
Now comes the life-changing part. We delve into clearly identifying our God-dishonoring habits. We then lay out the necessary steps for making the kinds of changes that will replace them with better, God-honoring habits. While this may not be easy, it is hands down a thrilling and practical lesson to learn. Join us for this episode as we focus on our internal, private habits. This will set the stage for Part II when we examine our public habits which govern how we act around others>
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Ep.1337: Is My Life on Fire for Christ?
Learning the true and transformational meaning of Christian zeal
CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: Psalm 69:9
As human beings, we all know what it's like to get fired up about something. We see a circumstance unfold or read about something controversial, or our team wins the game no one thought they could. And we react! We become passionate or energized and feel that adrenaline rush. Suddenly there is no mountain too high or ocean too broad. We’re up for the challenge! Yeah, we all know what that’s like. The question is, is that what "having our lives on fire for Christ" looks like? Before we get too excited, let’s consider a simple question. What was David referring to when he wrote, “For zeal for Your house has consumed me” in Psalm 69:9? Was he talking about being consumed by a moment and reacting, or was he writing about having his very being consumed by a lifelong desire to honor God?
Compare today
The 21st century version of getting fired up is a far cry from what was known as “zeal” in the Old and New Testaments. For us here and now, it really ends up being all about emotion. Being fired up can be either a good thing or a bad thing. The dramatics of such a surge of feelings can easily push the borders of personal control. Interestingly, this is the greatest similarity between modern-day fire and scriptural zeal. In the Bible, the word is often used to describe things like jealousy and even hatred. However, on the positive side, it is frequently used to depict a powerful, disciplined and long-lasting burning desire - just the kind of Christian zeal we want.
David, Paul, Jesus
When we look at biblical individuals like King David, the Apostle Paul and Jesus himself, we can begin to understand what this burning desire looks like. When Jesus cleared the moneychangers out of the Temple in John 2, he was described as having the same kind of zeal King David had relating to that very Temple. What was that zeal? David spent many years of his adult life dedicated to getting the Temple built. Even though God told him that because he was a warrior it had to be built by someone else, David was unphased. He planned, he gathered materials, and he taught his son Solomon what needed to be done. THAT is zeal. That is what a burning desire looks like according to the Bible.
How can we even relate to that kind of zeal? Check out our June 10, 2024 podcast, Is My Life on Fire for Christ? for more. We uncover some startling realizations about how Jesus learned zeal, and how he himself expressed it in different parts of his life. We break down several other biblical examples of zeal and then use them as a basis to formulate what our Christian zeal should look like. Finally, we compare the burning desire of zeal in the Bible with our emotional versions of it today. What we find is revealing! Join us and see how true zeal for Christ can change your life!
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How can Satan turn our shame on us so that we become trapped? How do we avoid this? Watch this highlight from our podcast on shame, then listen to the full episode #1336: How Do We Cope With Feeling Shame?
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Scriptures about God’s peace can feel overwhelming when we feel anxious. What do we do? Watch this highlight from our podcast on shame, then listen to the full episode #1336: How Do We Cope With Feeling Shame?
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Ep.1336: How Do We Cope With Feeling Shame?
Understanding the role shame should and should not play in our lives
CHAPTERS
Theme Scripture: Hebrews 12:2
Feeling shame has a long history within the human race. We can actually trace it back to its beginning. As we do, it’s important to observe what it looked like and why it appeared. Adam and Eve were direct creations of God and the beginning of our human family. As such, Genesis tells us they were naked and unashamed. We know they were given clear guidelines for living and ended up choosing to follow Satan’s suggestions rather than God’s proclaimed truth. Once they committed to this sinful act, something unique happened.
Feeling shame has a long history within the human race. We can actually trace it back to its beginning. As we do, it’s important to observe what it looked like and why it appeared. Adam and Eve were direct creations of God and the beginning of our human family. As such, Genesis tells us they were naked and unashamed. We know they were given clear guidelines for living and ended up choosing to follow Satan’s suggestions rather than God’s proclaimed truth. Once they committed to this sinful act, something unique happened.
Adam and Eve felt shame.
They covered themselves.
They hid from God.
Their shame was a function of their consciences.
It was a tool of the mind to let them know that their previously perfectly balanced lives were now off center. They were out of harmony with their Creator and consequences would follow. This shows us that in its best application, this can be something very positive. It can serve as a sort of alarm to alert our minds that corrective action needs to be taken.
Shame as a weapon
Unfortunately, in our world this very positive purpose for shame barely exists. Why? Because we have taken to using shame as a weapon. Instead of it being based on the purity of godly righteousness, we have based it upon our rivalries and our desire to exclude “those" people. Shaming is now a great way to close down arguments and send those on the other side into hiding.
Added to this shaming by others is the fact that many of us bring unjustified shame upon ourselves. We perceive ourselves as "less than" or unworthy and proceed to hide ourselves away. None of this is good, healthy or godly. So, what do we do? Check out our June 3, 2024 podcast, “How Do We Cope With Feeling Shame? We break shame down into its varied applications and find scriptural remedies. We examine an incredibly powerful account of shame in the New Testament and observe how Jesus - with just a few words - changed it all. Join us for these important and inspiring lessons. They just might add valuable insight to your perspective!
Watch Our Episode Preview
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