Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians Therefore hear

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians

“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ” (Matthew 13: 18 -21)

“Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ” (Matthew 13: 22, 23)

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians Being Separate From the World • For one’s own relationship with God – “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? ”

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians Being Separate From the World • For one’s own relationship with God – “And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people. ’ Therefore, ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean,

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians Being Separate From the World • For effectiveness in the world – “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians Being Separate From the World • For effectiveness in the world – “Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. ” (Matthew

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians Being Separate From the World • For effectiveness in the world – “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. ”

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • An upward outlook Keeping a Positive Attitude – “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. ”

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • An attitude of gratitude Keeping a Positive Attitude – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • A focus on things beneficial and productive Keeping a Positive Attitude – “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Contentment Keeping a Positive Attitude – “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • A can-do attitude – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ” (Philippians 4: 13) Keeping a Positive Attitude

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • The need for growth Continual Growth – “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians Continual Growth • Accomplished by feeding on God’s word – “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. ” (1 Peter 2: 1, 2)

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • In faith and love Continual Growth – “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other. ” (2 Thessalonians 1: 3)

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians Continual Growth • Adding faith to ensure success – “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians Continual Growth • Adding faith to ensure success – “For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • The high cost of living the Christian life Willing to Pay the Price for Success – “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it – lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Salvation involves work Willing to Pay the Price for Success – “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. ” (Philippians 2: 12)

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Temperance requires discipline Willing to Pay the Price for Success – “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Growth requires “giving all diligence. ” Willing to Pay the Price for Success – “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end. ” (Hebrews 6: 11) – “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence…” (2 Peter 1: 5)

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • A necessary part of serving Christ Dedication to Serving Others – “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me. ’” (Matthew 25: 40)

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • When we, through love, serve others, we assure our hearts Dedication to Serving Others – “But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • The measure of true success in the kingdom Dedication to Serving Others – “Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • That we may win others to Christ Dedication to Serving Others – “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more. and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Take advantage of opportunities when they arise. Being Effective Time Managers – “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. ” (Ecclesiastes 9: 10)

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Today is the day to serve God; you’re running out of time. Being Effective Time Managers – “For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. ’” (2 Corinthians 6: 2)

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Time is to be redeemed. – “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. ” (Ephesians 5: 16) – “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. ” (Colossians 4: 5) Being Effective Time Managers

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Looking unto Jesus. Keeping Their Eyes on the Goal – “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ” (Hebrews 12: 2)

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Looking to attain to the resurrection from the dead Keeping Their Eyes on the Goal – “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. ” (Philippians

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • Looking for a city to come -- heaven – “Blessed be the God Keeping Their Eyes on the Goal and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved

Seven Habits of Highly Effective Christians • • Being Separate from the World Keeping a Positive Attitude Continual Growth Willing to Pay the Price for Success • Dedication to Serving Others • Being Effective Time Managers • Keeping Their Eyes on the Goal

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. ” (John 15: 1 -5)

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. ” (John 15: 6 -8)