Americans today have more access to the Bible than any previous generation. Most us have several copies in various versions. We even Bible apps on our phones. Yet according to recent polls the overwhelming majority do not actually read those Bibles regularly, much less study or deeply engage with the Bible. In the apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy, he charged him to remain faithful to the study and preaching of God’s Word that God’s people might be thoroughly equipped for every good work. We can practice the spiritual habit of Bible study that we might be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

This time of year, school’s back, sports are back (travel ball never left), maybe work is ramping up your work load, the holidays will be here before you know it. We live in a state of stress … an overwhelmed sort of just getting by until the next weekend, the next vacation, the next glass of wine, the next night of doom scrolling, or sadly until next summer. But these “nexts” are not real rest but merely distractions. Many of us are trying to numb the problem with distractions but the problems remain. True rest is not living for distractions but walking in Jesus. What if we could find rest in the midst of our work, what if we could even live, work and play out of a state of spiritual rest? In Matthew chapter 11, Jesus invited the crowds to find rest for their souls not in laws or rituals but in relationship with Him. When we build the habit of rest in Him, we can discover rest for our souls.

You might easily be able to see why you need a habit of personal devotion to Jesus like we studied week 1 and you may see the need for fellowship as we studied last week. But service, why would service be a spiritual habit or discipline? How does a spiritual habit of service help me to connect with the Holy Spirit and grow in Christlikeness? That’s the right question and the right motivation! As we will see today, service moves us towards Christlikeness in powerful ways. In the Gospel of Matthew chapter 20, Jesus taught His disciples that the greatest among them would become servants like Him. We can follow the call of Jesus by becoming servants through the spiritual habit of service.

Over time isolation leads to loneliness, weakened support systems, and deeper disconnection. The short-term gain creates long-term pain. What we really need spiritually and even physically is fellowship. God’s word teaches us that fellowship is an essential habit to connecting with God. In Hebrews chapter 10, the author concluded his instruction about drawing near to God and holding fast the confession of hope without wavering by teaching the spiritual habit of faithful fellowship as the Day of Christ drew near.

Spiritual habits act as a conduit that connects us to the power of the Holy Spirit. We not only open up and ask the Spirit to fill us, we create habits that give Him a conduit to fill us and use us to do God’s will. We can be passive with our faith, just waiting for the Holy Spirit to move while we coast through life. “Fill me”, we say, but then we don’t physically do anything. Today we will be kicking off this series by learning to apply the foundational habit of devotion. The goal of this habit is to get alone with God, spend time talking to and hearing from Him, and be recharged His power. It is during this time that you will be prepared by the Spirit to do the work that God has called you to do. A time of personal devotion is key to many of the other habits we will talk about and is important to our spiritual growth. In the gospel of Mark, Jesus demonstrated His habit of devotion to His disciples. By studying and applying the practices seen in this story, we too can practice Jesus’ habit of deliberate, daily devotion.

We all know the pain of broken communication—harsh words, unresolved conflict, silence that grows like a wall. Whether in our homes, marriages, friendships, or church family, we’ve all experienced the damage that unforgiveness causes. But God has given us the way to restoration: Christlike forgiveness. Without forgiveness, communication breaks down and relationships fall apart. So how do we move from brokenness to restoration in our communication? In a word: forgiveness! In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he exhorted believers to put away relational sins and practice Christlike forgiveness as a Spirit-led expression of their new life and oneness in Christ.

Today, we’re talking about a topic that every family—and every believer—must face: anger. Let’s be honest, anger shows up in every home, every relationship, and even in the church. It can flare up with a harsh word or simmer beneath the surface with a cold shoulder. But left unchecked, anger can wreak havoc on the relationships God has called us to nurture. Uncontrolled, sinful anger is a danger to our family communication and ultimately our unity. Whether we’re talking about your family or the church family, the way we deal with anger will either strengthen or sabotage our relationships. Anger itself isn't always sin, but what we do with it often is. We need God's power and wisdom to respond in a way that builds up rather than tears down. In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he exhorted believers that they must control their anger as members of one another in Christ Jesus.

In families and churches alike, conflict and the need for correction are inevitable. But how we speak the truth, and how we receive it, makes all the difference. Without spiritual preparation, correction can wound instead of heal. We need Christ to shape us into people who can both give and receive correction with grace, truth and love. Real peace doesn't come from avoiding truth, it comes from speaking and hearing it in love, with hearts transformed by Christ. Paul knew that correction was essential for unity in the church, but it had to come from hearts shaped by Christ. In today’s text, he shows us how to prepare our hearts for those challenging, but necessary conversations. In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he taught believers how to spiritually prepare themselves to truthfully give and receive correction in unity.

We often think of good communication as just getting our point across or being heard. But God's vision is bigger: He wants our communication to lead to oneness. In both our families and our church family, the goal isn't just to express ourselves—but to grow together in Christ, building unity through our words and attitudes. Yet so often, our communication leads not to unity, but to division. Good communication for the Christian is more than hearing and being heard, it's being at one with the Lord and with one another. Hearing and being heard is good start, but being at one is better. That’s the real goal of communication: oneness. In the apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he called believers to pursue oneness in the Lord as the goal of their communication.

Throughout this series, Jesus has described what life in His Kingdom looks like—what it means to live under His rule and reign. He has called us to a righteousness that surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees. And now, He closes His sermon with a sobering warning and a gracious invitation, a call to examine whether we truly belong to His Kingdom. There are many today who assume they are right with God simply because they try to live a good life, say the right religious words, got baptized, and joined the church. But not everyone who claims to follow Jesus truly knows Him and are known by Him. The question is this: Do I have real assurance that I belong to the Kingdom of God? Can we have real assurance of our salvation? As Jesus brings His sermon to a close, He contrasts those with a superficial faith with those who have a sincere and saving faith. He warns of self-deception and shows us how to be certain of our place in His Kingdom. In Matthew 7:21-29, Jesus closed His Sermon on the Mount by both warning and inviting people to pursue a sincere faith that brings real assurance in God’s Kingdom.