“So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.”(Luke 4:16)

The story is told of a man who decided to do away with his bad habits. He took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, stared at it and said, “Who is stronger, you or me?”  He answered, “Me.”  So he stopped smoking.  He took a bottle of beer and said, “Who is stronger, you or me?”  There was silence for a few seconds.  “Well,” he said sadly, “I am not very sure about that yet.”

As men, we are ruled by habits.  Every success or failure we will ever experience in life is the result of what we are constantly in the habit of doing. Good habits naturally tend to success and contentment while bad habits tend to failure and frustration.

Habits are God’s key to help us succeed in life.  They are therefore very powerful factors in our lives.  They determine how effective or ineffective we are as men.  In fact, we control our destinies by our choice of habits.  As the maxim goes, “If you sow a thought, you will reap an action.  If you sow an action, you will reap a habit.  If you sow a habit, you will reap a character.  And if you sow a character, you will reap a destiny.”  You mortgage your future by every bad habit you acquire. 

Habits are God’s key to help us succeed in life.

We find all through the Scripture that people who accomplished great things had certain habits which distinguished them. 

·     In the time of trouble in Babylon, Daniel knelt down three times everyday and prayed, giving thanks to God as was his custom (Dan.6:10). 

·     Paul went into the synagogue of the Jews in Thessalonica as his custom was and reasoned with them for three Sabbaths (Acts 17:2).

·     In our text, the Lord Jesus went into the synagogue in Nazareth on the Sabbath day and stood up to read as His custom was.

People who accomplished great things had certain habits which distinguished them.

These people were very successful because, not only did they have goals, they did something consistently to enhance the pursuit of those goals.  One thing was particularly obvious about the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ from our text: it had acquired a certain uniformity of procedure on the Sabbath days.

Habits once formed are not easily changed.  And smokers understand that too well.  It may take just a few days to learn how to smoke, but to stop smoking may take a lifetime.

Statistics showed that 75% to 85% of smokers would like to stop smoking, but somehow a good number of them go to their early graves with their good intentions. That is often the sad thing about bad habits.  They are like comfortable beds: they are easy to get into but difficult to get out of.  So it is better not to allow a bad habit to take a foothold in your life.  If any habit does not move you closer to your destination, then do not embrace it.

Many of the habits you will ever form in life will start as a piece of information which you have acquired and allowed to form your thoughts.  This leads to desire.  It therefore behoves you to guard your heart with all diligence.  Be careful what you watch, read or listen to as well as the company you keep.

If any habit does not move you closer to your destination, then do not embrace it.

But if you are already caught in the web of negative habits, I want you to understand that breaking them may be difficult, but not impossible.  After all, no habit is more dangerous, deep-seated and detrimental to your well-being than sin, yet faith in the Lord Jesus breaks that yoke.  It is easier to do away with bad habits and imbibe good ones when you are filled with the resurrection power of the Lord Jesus.

CONFESSION

I am not ruled by bad habits. I form the kind of habits that will daily move me closer to my destination. I am filled with the resurrection power of Jesus Christ which breaks the yoke of sin and bad habits. I do not allow my mind to be polluted. Rather, I guard my heart with all diligence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

“Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; see now and know; and seek in her open places if you can find a man, if there is anyone who executes judgment, who seeks the truth, and I will pardon her.” (Jeremiah 5:1-2)

The story is told of a 12-year-old boy who was an important witness in a lawsuit. One of the lawyers, after cross-examining him severely, said: “Your father has been telling you how to testify?”

“Yes,” said the boy.

“Now,” said the lawyer, “tell us how your father told you to testify.”

“Well,” said the boy modestly, “my father told me the lawyers would try to confuse me with my testimony; but if I would just be careful and tell the truth, I could tell the same thing every time.”

You will agree with me that we are living in a time when the word ‘honesty’ is generally regarded as old-fashioned. Men in our time will stand for anything but the truth. For some, being crooked is the only way to benefit from the prevailing circumstances. The truth is, the gains of dishonesty may look attractive but they hardly endure the test of time. Of all policies, honesty is still the best.

Fundamentally, honesty is fairness and straightforwardness of conduct. It is integrity, truthfulness or sincerity. It has been said that honesty is the thing that keeps you from turning to the end of the book to see how the story ends.

Honesty is undoubtedly the most enduring and rewarding of all human qualities. In the words of George Washington, “I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles: the character of an honest man.”

The story is told of General Ulysses Grant, a former American president, who had an unusual knack for absolute truthfulness. He seemed to have an actual dread of deception. One day while sitting in his bedroom in the White House where he had retired to write a message to Congress, word of an unscheduled visitor was brought in by a servant. An officer, seeing that the Chief of State did not want to be disturbed, said to the attendant, “Just tell him the President is not in.” Overhearing the remark, General Grant swung around in his chair and cried out, “Tell him no such thing. I don’t lie myself, and I don’t want anyone else to do so for me.”

The gains of dishonesty may look attractive butthey can hardly endure the test of time.

In our text, the entire nation of Israel had sinned. The people were so deep in dishonesty that the judgment of God was about to fall. They swore indiscriminately and falsely. Yet God was ready to forgive them if only He could find one honest man amongst them. But He could not find any.

It is amazing that men always want to be believed even when they live a life of dishonesty. And often they turn round to wonder why people do not trust them when it matters most. The truth is that people often forget your achievements too quickly but never forget what you are made of.

People often forget your achievements tooquickly but never forget what you are made of.

It is often said that honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. According to Joseph Sugarman, every time you are honest and conduct yourself with honesty, a success force will drive you toward greater success. Each time you lie, even with a little white lie, there are strong forces pushing you toward failure.

God cherishes honesty; in fact, honesty is His very nature. The Bible says it is impossible for God to lie (Titus 1:2). And, because He made us in His image, He does not expect anything less of us. That is why He always rewards honesty.

God cherishes honesty; in fact, honesty is Hisvery nature. That is why He always rewards

honesty.

Do you remember Joseph, the slave-boy-turned-ruler in Egypt? I believe God elevated him partly because he refused to cut corners to get to the top. He had all the opportunity to be dishonest and enjoy some fleeting favour with Potiphar’s wife, but he chose to live a life of honesty. And God rewarded him with unusual promotion. In fact, both Potiphar and his wife had to bow to Joseph later in life.

That reminds me of the story of a young apprentice spare-parts dealer who refused to get involved in the dishonest practices of people in his line of business. He served his apprenticeship with a man who did not fear God and so was very unscrupulous in the charges he made to his unsuspecting customers. Any time this apprentice dealt with his customers fairly and honestly in his absence, he would frequently call him a fool and tell him he would someday die homeless. Eventually, the apprentice got his freedom and started his own business. He was so successful and never suffered any major financial difficulty. In fact, his unscrupulous instructor had to run to him again and again for financial assistance. At the end it was the dishonest instructor who died homeless.

You can live an honest life. Just dare to be different! There is a sure reward ahead. Unusual promotions will colour your path in life. Those who know you will admire and honour you. Even those who do not know you will serve you. You will live a life of favour everywhere you go. Posterity will never forget you. Besides, your place in eternity is secure and, let me assure you, it is glorious.  

CONFESSION

God does not lie. I am created in His image. Because His Spirit dwells in me, I have the capacity to live an honest life. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. He is my Lord and Master and I follow Him. I do only what he does. And my reward is a life of favour everywhere I go. In Jesus’ name. Amen.