Any sin we commit usually comes in clusters, with one sin enabled by other kinds of sin. After we’ve fallen, can we get out of the pit of persistent sin? Pastor Lutzer strengthens our resolve against temptation by digging down to find the root cause. In the middle of our mess, let’s lift our eyes up in worship.
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Transcript: Welcome to “5 Minutes with Pastor Lutzer.” I’m so glad that you joined us again today. We’re doing a very brief series on my book, entitled, “How to Break a Stubborn Habit.” Now, since I’ve written that book we’ve discovered it has been a help to many and, of course, in these sessions we are only touching the surface, only hitting certain high points in the book.
But nonetheless, I want to also convey my heart to you because I’m thinking of the many of you who are in a mess. As a matter of fact, there are some of you who are listening, it’s not enough simply for you to break a stubborn habit. You have a whole group of relationships that need to be addressed and you might be overwhelmed.
This past weekend, I was speaking in a church and someone told me later that they received a letter from someone who wanted to commit suicide and thanks to the fact that I referred to that in my message and told them why they didn’t have to do, that they didn’t. I mention that because even as we talk about sinful habits, we’re talking about people who are in behavioral ruts. What do you do?
I want to give you a very powerful suggestion that I think will be transforming. And that is would you stop what you are doing right now? Even if you cannot sort out everything that you should be doing or things that you should have done about your habits or other relationships, become a worshipper of the Almighty. Now that might come as a surprise. Maybe you were expecting me to say something different. But I’m thinking, for example, of the woman at the well who had five husbands and was now living with a sixth. How can she sort out her habits? How can she deal with her past? You know what Jesus said? Become a worshipper of the Almighty “because the Father seeks such to worship him.”
Sometime ago I was going through my own time of discouragement and perhaps even depression. And what I decided to do is to go to Revelation 5 where it says that the beasts and the elders were around the throne and they were saying to one another, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and blessing!” And here’s what you will discover. When you take the thoughts off of yourself and you begin to put those thoughts and those praises on the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father, God will begin to give you wisdom as to what the next steps in your life should be.
So this might not be what you expected but even as last time we spoke about the need for repentance and issues that had to do with believing that God is good. Let us remember: Worship is always a part of every victorious Christian. Begin a life of worship and I think what you are going to discover is that God is going to show you direction. And also, worship reminds us of the fact that what we are going through and our situation is not really about us. It’s about the Lord God of Israel and giving him glory. Will you do that?
Now as I like to mention, last time we emphasized again breaking stubborn habits. The first time in this series, we stressed that you must believe that victory is possible. Then we went to a second emphasis and that is to believe that God is good. The third had to do with repentance and the fourth has to do with worship. And if you follow those directives, you’ll discover that victory begins to pour into your soul.
Thanks so much for joining us and by the way, next time we’re going to be adding another brick to the wall against temptation. Be sure to join us but as for today, you just go with God.