Changing habits



2 Timothy 2:1~2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (1)



♬ Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #23 O For a Thousand Tongues



 Habits are difficult to change overnight, so we need to change them steadily over a period of time. It is because small habits will determine our whole life.




1. Nine fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22~23)
 The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit can largely be classified into three categories. Love, joy and peace are the fruits toward God. Patience, kindness and goodness are the fruits toward others. Faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are the fruits toward oneself. Some theologians describe the most important fruit as self-control. Metaphorically speaking, self-control is like a door of a house. No matter how sturdy a house is, we will lose many things if we don’t fasten the door securely. Even in a car, a serious problem will occur if there are no brakes. Self-control is like a pair of brakes.




2. When we practice self-control in one area, God will bless us with 100 things
 That is why the most important fruit of the Holy Spirit is self-control. Of course we must challenge ourselves, but we must also be able to practice self-control. Therefore, we must start from small things. Then we begin with what we can do. And we begin one thing at a time in stages. You can start by cleaning your own room. It may seem such a trivial task, but it is an extremely important area in leading a life in society. Even when you are living abroad, it is important to do your best in the smallest things.



3. We must train ourselves to overcome ourselves
 It is important to read a book from start to finish. There is a great difference between giving up on a book halfway and finishing the book. Therefore, we must choose books according to our schedule so that we can finish the entire book from start to finish. It''s good to work out and exercise all the time, but it is also a good idea to set aside some time just once to do it. Even in hiking, it is beneficial to climb up to the top and then come down. These things may seem very trivial, but they are important experiences that will determine our whole lives.




4. Now we must begin our challenge
 We''re not challenging rashly; we need sincere thought, genuine courage and genuine repentance. Even if you think, “I cannot live like this!” God will one day give you the grace to do so. Remnants¶S must be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus (2 Timothy 2:1~2).




● Forum Topic - What are the habits that we must change? Let us think about them and change them one by one.




Remnant Study of Evangelism Lecture 187 / 2009.06.27