Habits | More Than a Rulebook | Sunday Service

You look good today.

You sound great.

Who's ready to get in the Word this morning?

Let me ask that a question again who's ready to get in the Word this morning?

That's better.

Who's ready for another snow day this week?

I'm going to ask all the parents who's ready to have the kids home all week?

No, no, no, no, get ready, it's going to get cold.

I don't know if you've seen the forecast, but tonight the wind chill is like zero.

Obviously, the weather doesn't know where we live.

We're in Alabama.

We ain't ready for zero.

Anybody else ready for zero?

Oh, some of y'all.

Yeah, good for you.

What's that address?

We'll come hang out, hang out with you tonight.

We are in a series that I kicked off at the beginning of the year and we are exploring the 2025 theme that the Lord laid upon my heart back at the end of last year.

We're exploring the theme of crossover.

Everybody say crossover, and last week I gave the first key to crossover and that key was let's try that again.

That key was Patience, patience.

How many of you guys had an opportunity this week to demonstrate some patience?

I just want you to know, as your pastor, you're welcome for preparing you for the test.

It was such a resounding response, I've decided to do patience 2.0 today.

I'm just kidding, I don't leave.

Some of you may say I'm done with patience.

We need to move on.

We are today.

We're going to look at our second key this morning, but before we do that, it's been a few weeks and I think we need a dad joke to get us going this morning.

How many of you guys are like, yeah, I need a dad joke or two to get us going?

Here we are, number one.

Here's the first dad joke this morning.

What bites.

You're so good, caleb.

I'm just telling you You're a gift from God.

Just so good, so good.

Now, here's the bad part.

If he keeps doing that, I'll be here all day.

What bites, what bites, but doesn't have teeth.

A baby, no frost, of course.

Oh yeah, that's pretty good, wasn't it?

It's free of bites.

It doesn't have to.

Here's oh yeah, that's pretty good, wasn't it?

It's free of bites, so it doesn't have to.

Here's number two.

Why was the little snowman sad?

Why was the little snowman, the little snowman so sad?

Because he had a meltdown.

Last but not least, everybody say thank you, jesus.

Why was the snowman rummaging through a bag of carrots?

Why was the snowman rummaging through a bag of carrots?

Well, he was picking his nose.

Is that pretty good?

Is that a good one?

Good one, you're welcome.

I'll be here all day.

Stand with me where you are this morning as we jump into God's Word.

So the second key that we're looking at this morning in the theme of Cros crossover is the key of habits.

Everybody say habits.

Look at your neighbor and say habits.

This morning we're going to look at habits that we need to embrace and apply to our lives so that we can cross over into the destiny of God for our lives.

How many of you believe this morning God has more?

Well, if God has more and there's more in our future that he has for us and we want to cross over into that future, there's some habits that we need to embrace and apply to our lives.

If you know that to be true, just say amen this morning.

Joshua, chapter three, starting in verse one, the Bible says early in the morning, joshua and all of the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan where they camped before crossing over.

Everybody say cross over.

After three days the officers went through the camp giving orders to the people.

When you see the Ark of the Covenant.

When you see the Ark of the Covenant, when your eyes see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, your God, and the priest carrying it, you are to move out from your position and follow it.

Does everybody see the instruction there?

When you see the ark of the covenant begin to move, you need to move and follow it.

Everybody say see, move, follow.

When you see the ark of the Covenant and it begins to move, then you need to move and follow it.

Why Verse 4 tells us Then you will know which way to go.

I mean, you guys know God gives the direction for your future.

You will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before, can I tell you, in 2025, you're crossing over into a new territory that you've never been before that God's taking you into a new place, that he's taking you into a new authority, a new anointing, a new freedom, a new influence.

He's taking you into an arena that you have never been before.

And if you want to know how to walk in that new place, you need to see the Ark of the Covenant and follow it.

Keep a distance of about 2,000 cubits between you and the Ark and do not go near it.

Here's the title of my message this morning.

The title of my message this morning, title of my message is walk this way, walk this way.

When I say that some of y'all that used to not live for the Lord Obviously there's a lot of y'all that didn't live for the Lord, including your pastor Everybody say walk this way.

Turn to your neighbor and say walk this way.

Turn to your other neighbor and say walk this way.

Turn around and tell the person behind you walk this way.

All kidding aside, how many of you know there's a way the Lord has called you to walk and we're going to explore this morning how we walk the Jesus walk.

Father, we thank you for your word.

Your word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.

It shows us the way to go and how to arrive there safely, and I pray this morning that we wouldn't just be hearers of your word, but that we would be doers of it In Jesus' mighty name.

And everybody said Amen, amen and amen.

You may be seated, caleb.

Thank you so much.

In the last hundred years or so, there has been some discoveries in the field of biological indicators.

That is really interesting.

In the last hundred years, science has discovered there are things that are unique to each and every one of us, that each of us have a unique fingerprint.

Each of us can be identified uniquely by retinal scans or by face recognition software or by face recognition software.

Even our voice and how we speak, our inflection and everything is quite unique to each and every one of us.

But one of the most interesting biological indicators that has been discovered most recently is the indicator of how we walk.

That our gait, our pace, the way a person walks is an indicator that has an accuracy rate of 99.3% accurate.

That your walk, your gait, your pace, how you move is uniquely you.

Science has even discovered that there are certain demographics of people that all tend to walk the same way.

They have found that athletes tend to have a little bit of bounce in their step.

They have found that runway models have a way of sauntering.

Models have a way of sauntering.

Some of y'all are like what is that word?

Hip hop artists have a tendency to glide a little bit and CEOs have this very stern stride.

You know what's interesting when you study that and look at it.

You know churches and denominations tend to have a particular kind of walk.

If you look at it, you find that Methodists tend to shuffle a little bit, baptists tend to skip.

Lutherans just stand still.

Fundamentalists have a tendency to stomp.

Fundamentalists have a tendency to stomp.

Presbyterians promenade I don't really know what that means.

Pentecostals they jump and they dance.

Anybody know what I'm talking about?

This morning I got to thinking about this.

You know, coc has a particular walk and our worship team is a great illustration of some of the ways that we walk and we move.

Have you noticed at all how Michael Sutton has a tendency to sway a little bit?

A tendency to sway a little bit, and if the spirit's really moving, his arms get out like this.

Am I right?

Anybody know what I'm talking about?

Yeah, meg has up, she's back and she's a softball pitch.

Am I right?

I'm preaching?

This morning Dakota has this lean back, if you know what I mean Lean back.

I think it's from her Pentecostal roots, where she was used to catching the Holy Ghost.

From her Pentecostal roots where she was used to catching the Holy Ghost.

And you know she's got this lean back.

Megan Princewell is all the way swinging and then Eunice where's Eunice at?

Where's Eunice?

Is she here this morning.

She puts that hand up on that hip.

Listen, a lot of y'all didn't realize.

You know where the rest of that goes.

I'm just going to leave it there.

And then you have Joey who just stands.

Still, there is a walk that is uniquely you.

Really, our walk says a whole lot about who we are.

Did you know that Jesus had a walk?

There was a way that Jesus walked.

Actually, there were four ways.

The scripture indicates that Jesus walked and I have those for you this morning, the four ways that Jesus walked.

What I call the Jesus walk involves a sacramental wandering through life.

You know, jesus had this unique ability to pull himself away from society and he would wander in the wilderness and connect with that.

Jesus would take long walks by himself in nature to connect with his father.

It was a way for him to slow down and hear the voice of the Lord.

I think, church, we need to learn how to embrace some sacramental wondering in our lives.

I don't know how you pray, but I tend to pray best when I'm walking.

Some of you are great at sitting still or kneeling for extended periods of time.

I hear the voice of the Lord much better when I'm just moving.

All right, where are all the prayer walkers in the house this morning?

Let me see, yeah, where are all the rest of you that I just need to be still?

That's right, some of you there.

Here's the point.

You need to find whatever works for you.

We're all different, but I really enjoy taking a walk.

We have some dogs and I tend to take them for a walk almost every day and I love that time because it's time where I'm just able to block out the world around me and focus on my time with the Lord and recalibrating my life to his life.

Jesus took sacramental wanderings.

He was also Jesus' walk is a humble hastening to those in need.

When you read the gospels, what's interesting is that Jesus wasn't hardly ever in a hurry, but he was always on purpose.

There was this humble hastening and in one account in particular, jesus is headed to Jerusalem and he takes a roundabout way and he tells his disciples we need to go through Samaria, jesus.

That's not the best direct route, that's not the best intentional, that's not the best purposeful way to go, but he had a purpose that they didn't know and his purpose was a woman at a well that he needed to touch and change her life, and it was a humble hastening to those in need.

Can I tell you, church, we should be purposeful in our walk, but we should not be blind.

I want to be purposeful in the day and the plans that God has for my life.

I want to have a plan and a purpose and move towards that, but I should not be so focused on that plan that I miss those around me that are in need.

I think far too often in our lives we are so busy and so set on a particular purpose that we walk by people every day that need a touch from God.

Jesus, even though he was purposeful, there was a hastening in his step.

There was also an acknowledgement and a recognition that every person that he walked by may need something from him.

Jesus' walk is a deliberate step of service and sacrifice.

The last two walks of Jesus' life were in the Garden of Gethsemane and along the Via Dolorosa.

And along the Via Dolorosa, just before he took these two sacrificial walks, the Bible tells us that he met with his disciples in the upper room and he told them you need to understand something about following me.

I didn't come to be served, but I came to serve and give my life as a sacrificial offering for everyone.

This was a deliberate step that Jesus took.

I've noticed in my life that service and sacrifice have to be deliberate, that I don't just naturally choose those things, that those things are choices, that they are deliberate decisions that I make to serve and to sacrifice.

Serve those around me and to sacrifice for them, because God has something in me that he wants to give them.

I don't think we ever serve and we ever sacrifice without a deliberate decision that we make.

And then, finally, jesus' walk is a marching orders to spread the good news of Jesus.

To spread the good news of Jesus In Matthew, chapter 28,.

Matthew 28 · chapter mention

Some of Jesus' last words to his disciples were go.

Everybody say go.

Hey, you know what your charge is, you know what the command of God is.

Go and make disciples.

How many of you guys know we're not called to be consumers.

We're called to be contributors.

We're not called to consume things.

We're called to contribute things, that our lives are supposed to be lived in such a way that it makes an impact for him, for those around us, that this is the walk of Jesus and we need to learn how to walk this way.

Everybody say walk this way, walk this way.

In Matthew, chapter 11, jesus actually invites us to walk this way.

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

It's a familiar passage of scripture.

You probably could quote it yourself.

In Matthew, chapter 11, starting in verse 28, jesus says come to me all you who are weary and burdened.

Matthew 11 · chapter mention

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Can we just pause there and say thank you, jesus.

What an invitation.

Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

And then he says this in verse 29, take my yoke upon you and learn from me.

What is Jesus saying?

He's saying walk this way, take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke.

Let me translate that for you, my walk is easy and my burden is light.

Turn to your neighbor and say walk this way.

So this phrase that Jesus uses here in Matthew 11, verse 29, take my yoke upon you and learn from me.

Matthew 11:29

This phrase had both a physical illustration and a spiritual application.

In Jesus' day, agriculture was the predominant economy of the day.

Agriculture was the predominant economy of the day, and so every person in that culture was familiar with a yoke of oxen, and how you develop them to work to the highest extent possible was to take an older ox that had been trained, that was used to plowing the field, and you would yoke an older ox that had been trained, that was used to plowing the field, and you would yoke an older ox with a younger ox, and so the older ox would teach the younger ox how to walk the right way.

See, the younger oxen tended to be overzealous just a little bit, and they would start the day with a little bit too much vigor and by the time they got to the end of the day they wouldn't be able to finish the day because they were wore out.

So they would hook up the older ox with the young ox and say the old ox would look at the younger ox and say walk this way.

And it was a beautiful illustration in Jesus's day for partnering with God and learning how to walk the pace of life the right way, so that when we get to the end we have enough to finish.

Well, how many of you guys know, this is not a sprint, this is a marathon and we need to know how to walk the right way so that when we get to the end of our journey, we finish strong.

So this was a beautiful illustration and everyone got it in their culture.

But there was also a spiritual application that is often overlooked and forgotten, application that is often overlooked and forgotten.

There was a rabbinical meaning to this phrase to take on the yoke of a rabbi.

To take on the yoke, the yoke of a rabbi was the teaching of a rabbi, and there were five ways that you were to submit to the yoke of a rabbi, the teaching of a rabbi in Jesus's day.

And these five ways were number one to memorize his word.

So Jesus, when he's saying, take my yoke upon you, he's not just given us a physical illustration for what we're to do, he's given us a spiritual application, and that spiritual application involved five things that, if I'm going to take on the teaching, the yoke of a rabbi, if I'm going to take on the teaching, the yoke of Jesus, I need to learn how to memorize his word.

How many of you guys know, memorization of scripture is important.

The early church was phenomenal at memorizing scripture.

Most of the culture at that time was 90% illiterate.

They could not read, so how did they get the word in them.

They had to memorize it, and the beauty of memorization as it comes to scripture is that I don't have to figure out how I'm going to respond to a situation when it arises.

I don't have to go to the Word to figure out the answer.

I have memorized Scripture so that when I walk into a situation, scripture starts going off in my mind.

I think we need more of that today.

I think far too many believers wait for situations to arise and then try to go find a Scripture when we should be putting the Scripture in us and then, when we walk into it, it arises from us.

Memorization of scripture.

Number two it was to adopt their interpretation of scripture.

So to take the yoke of Jesus was to adopt his interpretation of scripture.

When you read the New Testament, there's this phrase that Jesus uses over and over again.

That's interesting.

He makes this statement.

You have heard it said and you fill in the blank.

But I say to you do this.

What is Jesus doing?

He's helping us to interpret his way of living life.

You've heard it said hate those who hate you.

But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

But I say to you love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

Jesus is imparting to us his interpretation of how we live out this book.

How many guys know there's a lot of interpretations for how to live this book.

I need't, I need his interpretation.

And the only way I get his interpretation is to get in the word and identify areas where he says hey, I know the world says this, but I say this and we need to learn how to interpret that.

But it wasn't just interpreting scripture, it was imitating and initiating his style of ministry.

And what was the style of Jesus's ministry?

Can I tell you what the style of Jesus's ministry was?

He loved God and he loved people.

It was very common for the religious leaders of Jesus' day to have a style of ministry that was by the letter of the law.

But Jesus' style of ministry wasn't the letter of the law, it was the spirit of the law, and we see him elevating people throughout Scripture.

If you remember, there's this woman that's caught in the act of adultery and she's thrown at Jesus' feet.

In those letters of the law people say the law says she's to die.

And they were right.

And they were right.

The Bible says that Jesus bent down on a knee and began to write in the sand.

And as he wrote, all those that live according to the letter of the law began to drop their stones until each one of them had left.

Jesus rises and looks at her in the eye and says where are your condemners?

She says they're all gone.

And he looks at her and said I forgive you too.

Go and sin no more.

Can I tell you?

That's the kind of Savior I want the spirit of the law.

And the spirit of the law is always this it's about salvation, it's about healing, it's about hope and freedom.

See, the spirit of the law is all about salvation, it's about healing, it's about hope and freedom.

See, the spirit of the law is all about restoration for people that are far from God being brought back to him and being made whole.

See, our ministry should be focused on being a bridge of reconciliation and restoration to every person that we come in contact with.

That was the style of ministry that Jesus had.

And number four was to multiply and apply his teachings in disciples of his own.

By the time that a disciple was 30 years old, they were expected to get disciples of themselves and then to teach them their way.

This whole idea that we are to be consumers and not contributors has to be dispelled in our culture.

I don't know if you know it or not, but you're not just a disciple, you're a disciple maker.

There's a call upon your life to go and make disciples.

Each of us should be looking for somebody to invest our lives in.

Every one of us should be aware, have eyes that are up and saying who around me can I pour myself into and make their life better.

How different would the church be if every one of us not just at CLC, but every person that calls Jesus Savior and Lord would say God, it's not about what I get from others, it's about what I give to others.

It would change, change everything, and then finally to submit to the yoke of a rabbi meant to walk like the rabbi walked.

Everybody say walk this way.

See, there's a way of Jesus that we are called to emulate.

There's a walk of Jesus, there's a gate of Jesus that my life needs to emulate in every way possible.

That is what we are called to do as followers of Jesus.

The question then becomes how do we learn to walk the Jesus way, how do I learn to walk as Jesus walked and to do ministry as Jesus did.

Ministry to love people as Jesus loved people.

How do I learn how to take sacred wanderings in the wilderness, where I can just be with my father?

How do I learn to hasten to those who are in need?

How do I learn to take the deliberate step towards service and need?

How do I learn to take the deliberate step towards service and sacrifice?

How do I walk the Jesus way?

It's really two things we set our eyes on him and surrender to his ways.

How do I walk the Jesus way?

I set my eyes on him and I surrender to his ways.

Let's go back to the story Joshua, chapter three.

The children of Israel are at the precipice of the promised land.

400 years of hope is about to be filled, 400 years of dreaming is about to become reality.

They're about to cross over the Jordan River and to begin to walk on the very land that Abraham walked and God promised that he would give it to him.

And as they are crossing over, under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, joshua tells them hey guys, you're getting ready to walk into a land that you've never been.

You're getting ready to walk in a way that you've never been before.

You don't know what this territory is like.

You don't know what this land is like.

You don't know what the hills and the territory is like.

You don't know what this land is like.

You don't know what the hills and the valleys are like.

You don't know what the giants are that you are going to encounter.

You don't know what kind of fights you're going to have to face and you're not going to go whether to go to the right or to the left.

You're not going to know whether to go forwards or backwards or to stand still.

You're not going to know, but you serve one who does and he says here's the key to your success, here's the key to crossing over effectively and laying hold of the promises of God.

You got to set your eyes on the ark.

We have to learn how to set our eyes on things above, not below.

I've got to learn how to set my eyes on Jesus and not allow the things of this world to distract me.

Not allow worry and fear and anxiety and people and everything else around me Distract my focus from the one who has the power to direct my path.

He says set your eyes upon the ark, set your eyes on Jesus.

And when he moves here's the strategy.

It's very complex.

When he moves, here's the strategy.

It's very complex.

When he moves, follow it.

If he don't move, don't move.

Far too many of us are in such a hurry that we move before God moves.

It's very popular today to have a vision board.

Anybody know what I'm talking about this morning A vision board.

It's a very millennial thing to do, to have a vision board, and at the beginning of the year you lay out this strategy and this plan and this dream.

And it's this board.

Can I tell you, the best laid plans don't matter if God's not in them.

And even in the best laid plans, if God says don't go, you don't go.

When you see the ark move, follow it.

I don't move till he moves.

And when he moves, I move.

If he goes to the left, I'm going to go to the left.

If he goes to the right, I'm going to go to the right.

If he goes backwards, I'm going to trust him and I'm going to go backwards.

I have found that in my life, what seems like a retreat sometimes is actually a pause.

That's a preparation for a greater move forward.

Here's the strategy for crossing over for walking the Jesus walk is I'm going to set my eyes on him and when he moves, I'm going to move.

2025, church is the year of crossover.

It's the year that I believe that you're going to cast off fear and regret and disappointment and step courageously into the future that God has for your life.

This is the year that you're going to slay the habit, the addiction and the negative patterns in your life that have held you back for far too long.

This is the year that you're gonna taste the fruit of your labor and experience God's bountiful provision.

This is the year that you're gonna receive the revelation that solves the problem that you've been facing.

But you will not go there until you see him and follow him.

He has great plans and he has great purposes for your life, but the strategy to walk the Jesus walk is to see him and to follow him.

The question then becomes what habits help us walk this way?

What habits help us walk the Jesus way?

I want to give you three habits in conclusion this morning that help you walk the Jesus way.

These things are not rocket science, they're not overly complex, but I do believe that the things that the enemy fights you the most on because he understands the power these things hold to transform your life and to help you to cross over and lay hold of the promises of God for your life.

Three habits that you need to embrace for 2025 to walk the Jesus way.

You need to learn how to consume the word.

You need to learn how to be in godly community and you need to learn how to give generously.

You need to learn how to consume the word, be in godly community and to give generously.

These three things the enemy attempts to stop you in.

I think, more than anything else I know in my life, I've had to fight through consistency in these three things.

Why?

Because the enemy understands the power they hold in your life to change your life In every area of your life.

We need to learn how to consume the word.

Everybody say consume the word.

The Institute for Biblical Research recently released some interesting findings.

They found that if you read the word one to three times a week, its impact upon your life is honestly negligible.

But when an individual crosses over to reading and consuming the Bible a minimum of four times a week, everything changes.

When you cross over and begin to consume the word of God four times a week.

They found that you are 228% more likely to share your faith, that you are 400% more likely to memorize Scripture and that you're 30% less likely to struggle with loneliness, depression and anxiety.

What's the point?

The point is this and hear me, when the Word begins to shape your perspective rather than the world, when the word begins to shape your perspective more than the world, it changes everything else in your life.

When this becomes the filter through which I see life and I view life and I see people and I do relationships with people, it changes everything else in my life.

And in order for this to become the perspective and the filter the crossover point they found is four times a week.

Four times a week I'm in this it starts to change everything else in my life.

It's the reason, church, that we encourage you to have a Bible reading plan.

We have those on our website.

We recommend those.

Find a plan.

I'm not saying you've got to read through the scripture in a single year.

I'm just saying get in it daily, get in it daily, memorize it, allow it to begin to shape your perspective in every area of your life and watch it change your life.

Number two we've got to learn how to make godly community a priority in our lives.

Godly community has to become a focus for our lives.

Let me tell you church.

You cannot successfully live this life alone.

You cannot successfully walk the Jesus walk alone.

You need to be in godly community.

Research has found that if somebody is in church, in godly community, once a week, once a week here's the impact that mortality rates declined by 30%.

Life expectancy in general, just by being in church once a week, is extended by 15 years.

Did you hear that 15 years?

If you want to live longer, just get in church.

15 years.

If you want to live longer, just get in church.

Some of you said I don't want to Get in church or live longer.

Get in church.

33% reduction in depression.

30% reduction in alcohol abuse.

50% reduction in suicide.

Just by being in church once a week.

35% that are in church weekly report a higher satisfaction in life.

30% lower stress.

Lower anxiety.

Economically it impacts you by being in church once a week.

You know that if you're in church once a week that your household income on average is 20% higher than the culture around you, around you, 18% more likely to have stable employment.

30% more likely to save regularly for retirement Bankruptcy rates are down by 25% just by being in church weekly.

Why am I saying all of that?

I'm saying all that so that you know that what God has been telling us since the beginning of time is true and science is just now figuring it out.

Can I tell you the sad reality about those things?

The average American Christian and when I say that I'm saying someone who's actively engaged in their church is only in church 50% of the time.

If you want to walk the Jesus, walk and allow it to affect your life, consume the word, be in church on a weekly basis and then, finally, give generously.

Give generously of your time, of your talent, of your treasure.

The Bible is clear from beginning to end Whatever man sows, that's what he's going to reap, and he who refreshes others himself will be refreshed.

When I make it my ambition to serve and to give and to share all the things that God has given me, the promise of scripture is, god says.

I'm going to return it to you 30, 60, and a hundredfold.

I saw a report this week among economists and I'm wrapping this up.

They did a study on charitable giving and what they found is for every dollar somebody gives to charity in a single year.

In subsequent years it returns to them as a dollar and 60 cents.

I give a dollar but I get a dollar 60 back.

I give a dollar but I get $1.60 back.

You know there's a scriptural promise.

God just doesn't return.

He multiplies.

He says test me in the tithe and see if I don't throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing on you that you cannot contain.

See, hear me, church.

See.

The enemy wants to keep you out of the word.

He wants to keep you out of godly community and he wants to keep you from giving.

Why?

Because those things steal your destiny.

They keep you from crossing over into the destiny and the purpose and the plans of.

They keep you from laying hold of the promises of God.

But when I cross over, and if I'll make the word the filter through which I see life and godly community, the place that I live and breathe and do life through, and then I give generously, I am posturing myself to move into an inheritance that I could never earn nor that I could ever deserve.

It becomes just a gift from God.

I've got to embrace these habits and as I do, I'm preparing myself to cross over and walk the Jesus way.

Will you stand with me where you are this morning?

Forgive me, I've preached too long today.

Just a piece of advice.

Pastor Noah alluded to it just a moment ago.

Small groups are kicking off in just a couple of weeks.

If you're not in godly community, get in it so that you can grow into the person that God wants you to be.

Don't miss that.

In the seat in front of you is a connection card.

On the backside of that connection card is a prayer request section and I want you to take that out this morning, just across the congregation.

Take that out this morning and we're going to have a time of response today.

And I just really have two questions for you as a response this morning.

Number one is this what has been the focus of your eyes?

What's had your focus?

Is it Jesus?

And if it's not, I want you to write that on that card this morning.

Whatever has been distracting you from focusing on Jesus, I want you to write that on that card today.

And today, in just a moment, I'm going to give you an opportunity to come forward and lay it down and say I am laying down this distraction and in 2025, I'm resetting my focus on Jesus.

My second question is what habit in 2025 do you need to embrace so that you can cross over?

Do you need to consume the word more effectively?

Do you need to get in godly community?

Do you need to start giving generously of your time and your talent and your treasure?

What habit do you need to embrace so that you can cross over into the future that God has for you?

I imagine, as I was preaching that and sharing that with you this morning, there was one or two of those that just leapt off the page and they resonated with your heart, and that is the witness of the Holy Spirit, and you need to write that thing on that card right now.

Here's the habit I know that I need to embrace so that I can cross over and walk the Jesus way.

I've asked Meg to sing a song in conclusion this morning and, as she sings, I want you to respond Turn the front of our stage into your own altar and lay your prayer card here and say, jesus, forgive me for the distraction.

And here's the habit that I'm embracing in 2025, believing that this is indeed the year of the crossover and I'm beginning to move into the future that you have for my life.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I pray over every person gathered here today and every person joining us online.

I pray, lord, this morning that you would speak and we would respond, that we would refocus our eyes and our attention on you and trust that you are faithful and good and true, and, god, that we would lay our lives upon your altar and embrace the habits that we need so that we can walk the Jesus walk in 2025.

And now we respond to you this morning.

Would you come and lay your cards on the altar?