There was an episode of the Andy Griffith Show where Aunt Bee had to be gone for a few days. I can’t recall, right at the moment, where she went. She probably went to help some kin that was ailing. Anyhow, she was returning, and the boys had made a mess of the house. They decided they had better get it cleaned up, and they do a first-rate job.
But then Andy goes to figuring that maybe Aunt Bee won’t feel needed if the house is all clean when she gets back. Well, they proceed to wreck the place again. Then, they go down to the bus stop to pick her up; meanwhile, Clara enters the house, sees the mess and quickly cleans it again.
Aunt Bee gets home, and she is disappointed to find the house so clean. Andy and Opie are perplexed. Opie runs upstairs and quickly re-trashes his bedroom all so she will feel more needed. Meanwhile, Andy runs downstairs and trashes the kitchen. The funny part is that Clara’s feelings are hurt when Aunt Bee tells her what a mess the house was. Left to our own, there are some bad habits we can fall into. We often need a little nudging by a loved one so that we begin to move away from such behavior. That’s what happens when the Lord Jesus comes into our heart and we have a real relationship with him. If we follow Christ, we have been forgiven. Then He starts in right away changing us for the good! The old creature we were before with all our bad habits dies and the new person in Christ is born!
A feller once told me, “Oh, religion…I had that once. Singin’ hymns and prayin’ and helpin’ people while not getting’ paid for it. I guess God is okay for some folks but not me. I had my fill of religion!” Yep, religion is empty without a relationship with Christ!
When we confess Jesus as Lord, Jesus becomes Lord. He is boss! And He begins to change our desires, our want to’s, our habits.
Just what is a habit? Well, it’s anything you do without having to think about it. And there are good habits and bad habits. Good Habits: Putting others ahead of yourself, praying for others, having a daily time with Jesus.
Bad Habits: Picking your nose (a worse habit is eatin’ boogers), being negative, a “colorful” vocabulary, causing strife, and if you’re a Christian, never readin’ the Word, and never praying.
Is a bad habit also a sin? Yes, if it contradicts God’s word. If it controls you, and Jesus don’t!
Why don’t we change our bad habits? Maybe we don’t see them as bad or wrong. Maybe we don’t want to change them. Or we want to change, but we really like to just fail over and over.
Well, I’d encourage you to go wipe the dust off the Bible and read Ephesians 4:21-32. Good stuff about getting’ rid of bad habits and getting’ new ones through the power of Jesus. When you become a new creature in Christ, you begin to feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
Your start asking questions: Is this right or wrong? Does God approve, no? then is it sin? What does the Bible say about this habit I have?
But some insist on lookin’ for a way out. Jesus isn’t in charge. They think things like: Well, it doesn’t hurt anybody. And what if it does, I don’t like ‘em anyway.
So, seek what God wants. What would Jesus do? What does the Bible say about this habit I have? If you have been changed by a personal relationship with Jesus Christ – then you’re changed on the inside, you’re a new creature in Christ and you are droppin’ your bad habits left and right.
We must live not to the old self, but according to the Holy Spirit that lives in us! Choose Jesus, choose life and let your light shine! And find a Bible believin’ church where you “fit in” and know, grow, and follow Christ! Tell others! See y’all at church and keep PRAYIN’ for HIS HARVEST! Pray for the rain! Amen!