This message revolves around how if we are to be known by our love, it can’t be focused on what we traditionally think love is. We cannot push God’s word further than it was meant for, often we say if we love something it means we have to speak out against the things that are opposite of it. Today’s society has us drawing into camps or sides. We have to be outraged by the other side otherwise we look like we agree with it. We get ourselves in trouble because we are adding fruits of the flesh to what the Holy Spirit has provided us in fruits of the Spirit. We have to choose between being known by our outrage or our love.

To end this sermon series, Psalm 1 embraces many of the habits we discussed and how to live a successful life that is obedient to God. The ultimate goal habit is for us to focus on God and His word. By doing that we will produce fruit for others to feed on.

There are a million hard things we have to do in life. Our natural tendencies are to overthink, avoid, or only do it halfway. And these are just worldly things! How much harder must it be for us to do the hard Spiritual things for a God we can not see? Jesus, God in the flesh, struggled as well. We don’t talk about it often, and it can be hard for us to think about, or even grasp. However, being fully God and fully man, there was a struggle within him right before he went to the cross. He struggled with his destiny and being obedient. BUT… He did it! Jesus did the hardest thing anyone could ever have to do. So, why should we feel shame when we are faced with doing hard spiritual things? We shouldn’t, but we should do them if they are what God has commanded us to do. And when we are obedient to do these hard things, the power of the Holy Spirit will allow us to be more than conquerors.

When we think of many things that would make us happy in life, most are no more effective than sugar- including religion. We get our “fix of happiness,” for one moment, and then it goes away. True happiness comes from Jesus, in both our wants and needs - our brokenness.

We as followers of Christ need to be aware of those we allow to have influence in our lives. We have control and get to pick those people (friends) who would best for us - we know our weaknesses. Our friends should push us closer to Christ: purpose partners. A friend is different from a brother or an associate. We need to be aware that if we aren’t intentional in positioning the right people in the right places in our lives that we have the chance to be led astray. Jesus picked the people that sat around his table; each all had their weaknesses but Jesus still chose to love and serve them despite that. Are we being the kind friend Jesus was and wants us to be?

We want people to develop the habit of Fasting. However, we want people to understand that fasting should come from an internal hunger for change, and not an external desire to bend or manipulate God’s will.

We need to turn our prayers from one request to a conversation with God that helps us see God move, understand the importance of praying together, and allowing the transformation of our souls to come out of conversations with God.