Outlaw Church

Good Christian\Bad Habits: Week Four- You Give Love a Bad Name
Who are we? We're Outlaws. Saddle Up! For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14 This ministry was built to bring the gospel of Jesus to the unchurched, the needy, the broken, the hurt, and the unloved. We believe in ministering to people right where they are and simply show that Jesus loves them. Jesus was considered an outlaw to many. He didn't advance his ministry in a temple, he advanced it on the streets with those who needed to hear about Him. Jesus was crucified for speaking the truth that He was the Son of God. This is a true non-denominational, no-legalistic, no frills, all-about-Jesus ministry! What makes us different? We're trying to develop a Culture for the Kingdom! What To Expect A great worship experience full of jeans, shorts, skirts, suits, and whatever else people feel like wearing. We don't care what you wear, we just want you there. Expect a welcoming atmosphere where you will experience God for around 75 minutes. Our Vision An inclusive gathering of people committed to salvation and doing Christ's work in the world.
Locations & Times
Woodmen Life Building
239 New York St, Bristol, VA 24201, USA
Sunday 6:00 PM
1. Laziness leads to Faithlessness
Man, right out the gate I’m throwing shade. How many of us would classify ourselves as lazy? Now, how many of us would classify us as being lazy with our faith?
Was Jesus lazy when he carried that cross for us? Was he lazy when he was beat and broken? As we transition to the Easter season, I want us to think about that. In the meantime, I want to go over the biggest bad habit Christians have. Laziness.
I’m going to list some bad habits stemming from laziness that will lead to faithlessness:
· Lack of devotions
· Lack of prayer
· Poor stewardship
· Grumbling and complaining
· Being judgmental
· Overcomplicating the love of Jesus
Let’s start with the first two. If we’re not doing daily devotions and praying, we’re not having a proper relationship with God. You see, He wants a relationship with us, but those take work. We can’t just accept Jesus as our savior and then go about our business. No. We have to put in the work.
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NASB)
That means that God has personally inspired every single word written in the Bible. Reading it daily and praying means we’re going to be equipped to handle whatever is in front of us.
Poor stewardship is another one that gets Christians into trouble.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it. Malachi 3:10
Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Proverbs 3:9 (NLT)
God is telling us to give. God tells us to tithe. That is the only scripture where He tells us to test Him on His faithfulness to us. God wants you to support your church. You do this by tithing, by serving, by using your resources first and foremost to give to Him. God will bless those who are good with what they have.
The next point is something we all seem to thrive with. When it comes to grumbling and complaining, Christians do this a lot.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing Philippians 2:14 (NIV)
When we grumble, complain, and just whine- we’re setting a negative mindset. We can’t allow God to operate positively through us if we’re Negative Nelly’s and Debbie Downer’s. Right? We need to be thankful, appreciative, and giving God thanks as often as we can.
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)
Being judgmental. We’ve covered this in the first two messages in this series. Want me to summarize? You’re no better than anyone else. You’re not without sin. Don’t judge. Don’t be a jerk.
The last one on my list is Overcomplicating the love of Jesus
We love, because He first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (NASB)
Pretty simple. We’re to love others because He loved us first. That’s not very complicated. Christians tend to make it complicated because of their own agendas. God hates this or that or God can’t do this or that. Let me tell you something: God can do anything He wants. He’s God. Jesus tells us the following:
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV)
Jesus spells it out as plainly and simply as possible. He even tells them that all of the law and church need to make these a priority. Are we doing this?
Are we lazy and doing these things that create laziness?
2 .Bad Habits Kill Faith
Laziness leads to faithlessness, and we can avoid being spiritually idle and becoming stagnate, but we can also simply walk away from faith through other bad habits.
I’m going to list some bad habits that will simply kill one’s faith:
· Loving the world
· Neglecting the Word
· Trusting your feelings
· Worrying
· Associating with the Wrong People
· Refusing to Hope
Loving the world- God warns us not to love the world or the things in it. Loving this world leads us to be tempted with things of the world. He warns us of wanting possessions and being materialistic.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:15-17 (ESV)
Neglecting the Word- When we don’t dive into the Word and neglect it, we are neglecting God Himself.
how shall we escape, if we neglect so great a salvation? which having at the first been spoken through the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard; Hebrews 2:3 (ASV)
Trusting your feelings- When we trust ourselves over God, we’re leaving Him out of the equation. When we don’t trust God and give Him our problems and burdens, we’re telling Him we don’t need Him and can do things on our own.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
Worrying- The Bible says over 365 times Do not Fear or Do Not Worry. He tells us that in every single situation, give it to Him. Good and bad, give it to God and He will bless it.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 (NIV)
Associating with the Wrong People- When I was growing up, my mom always told me that my friends will influence me and to be careful of the company that I keep. I don’t think I always listened to that, because sometimes we want to see the best in people, but I’ve come to learn that she was right and that instruction came straight from the Bible.
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 (RSV)
Refusing to hope- This is a big one. Sometimes depression can creep in and leave us feeling hopeless. When we refuse to hope, we’re not allowing God to be the hope we need.
My soul, wait in silence for God only, For my hope is from Him. Psalm 62:5 (NASB)
As I said, these things we do as Christians will kill our faith. For non-believers, they further cement their ideology of God and Jesus as being unobtainable and they don’t even bother.
So, how can we turn our bad habits into a faith that glorifies God?
3. Good Habits take work
How can we strengthen our faith and make our minds holy? How can we glorify God?
· Study and apply the Word of God.
· Meditate on the Word and memorize it.
· Write it down. Read a passage of the Bible and write down in a notebook what the Holy Spirit puts in your heart about it.
· Speak the Word of God out loud. Read it and repeat it.
· Listen to Bible teachers, podcasts, and videos. Follow along and study the word with them while you learn.
· Do a daily spiritual or prayer journal.
· Do Bible studies.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
God knows what He wants for us. We don’t clock in for an employer and then go sit down doing nothing. No, we have to work and earn our pay. With God, we have to work in our relationship with Him. He doesn’t want us to go to our day job and then squeeze Him in when we have the time between clocking out and getting the kids to their sports practice.
No, God wants us to remember Him daily, to speak to Him, ask Him for things, consult Him, pray to Him. He asks this so He can guide us, comfort us, bless us, and be there for us. If we don’t rely on Him, He can’t be there.
How is your relationship with God? Do you know Jesus?