Keith Battle - Habits Matter

[spoiler]Here’s my subject; I’m going to give you the subject right now: habits matter. Whatever you are frustrated about in your marriage is a result of your habits. You will always end up where your habits take you. But you say, «It’s my spouse’s fault.» I’m saying, «What can you contribute?» Are you nice to each other? Are there acts of kindness when you go out and get something to eat? Are you taking care of yourself? Do you ever think, «Maybe I should get them something too?» That’s an act of kindness that creates an environment that blesses the relationship. Or are you just mean to each other? When you first get married, you get each other stuff from down in the kitchen, but now you say, «What’s wrong with your legs?» I’m saying, that’s an environment. So we’re mad at the results, but the results are always a result of the habits. Habits matter. Do you share? Do you converse with each other? Are there conversations where you can talk about your feelings and what’s going on inside? Do you share? Do you talk? Do you get together on decisions and dreams, or do you make decisions independent of one another? One person feels like they’re a child and doesn’t have any say in it. «I’m grown; I do what I want to do.» Well, I’m saying, if you operate like that, you don’t share dreams together. Do you give each other gifts? Sharing gifts, words of affirmation, and physical touch—are those happening? You got my money; you told me to say that, and you broke me off. He said, «Don’t forget sex.» So I’m saying, where can this go? This is creating the environment. Instead of being mad and frustrated at the results, be happy that the results aren’t lying on the habits. Wow, that was a good statement right there: the habits are a manifestation of the results. That’s faith. I want a better faith without immaturity. «God, I’m just believing in what you’re going to do.» How about doing something? An act of kindness—how about doing something nice? See, people want to be mad in marriage; they don’t date right. So they say, «All right, this is what we’re going to do: we’re going to go on a getaway.» They haven’t been on a date in two years. Now they want to go to Cancun for a whole week and then get mad when Cancun doesn’t save the marriage. Now you have to overcome all this distrust, all this tension, all these problems, and then you think Cancun is going to fix it for five days. But if you leave Cancun and go back to being mean to each other, Cancun was a good move, but it’s an investment because you know habits—you have to do something consistently, not perfectly, but consistently. It is what you do consistently that gets you the kind of relationship you want. Are you all tracking with me? I know y’all don’t talk much; just talk to me, all right? If you don’t talk to me, just nod your head. Be good. All right, so now the next area, where did I say we were going? I started with marriage; I was supposed to start with finances. I forgot. Anyway, it doesn’t matter; we’re going to talk about all of them anyway. Now, there’s a way you can erase this whole board without doing all this, but because I didn’t do well in school, I just had to do it like this. You know what I mean? It ain’t going to even get it all. How are we going to do that? Man, touch your neighbor. All right, the next thing you talk about is finances; you got to put the thing back up—finances. And somebody’s saying, «Well, I’m frustrated about my finances.» How do you spell frustrated? You got me, Mike? I’m frustrated about my finances. Well, I’ve got a question: do you have consistent income? You’re frustrated, and you don’t work? Yeah, I started—I’m about to drop a CD on these people, man! Watch that sucker drop. That’s a habit. Do you save money, or are you impulsive with your spending? You see a red light; you see a sign in the store, and you’re gone. You said, «Pastor, I don’t know if that’s Satan or the Lord. I just know I can’t handle it. 40%? I saw 40%, Pastor, that’s saving right there!» That’s not saving; that’s spending. You call it saving? «Yeah, I saved 40% on the whole outfit I bought. That’s how I save.» You need counseling. So do you spend? Do you invest? What about your debt management? See, we’re frustrated. Do you even have a budget? Do you have a spending plan? So I’m saying, look at one of these things instead of just being frustrated about your finances. What can I do differently and consistently to change the results? Because habits matter. They matter. You will always end up where your habits take you. You cannot have poverty habits and expect a wealth result. That’s crazy! You just want something to drop on you—"God, drop it on me!» Jesus, there’s no need to drop anything on you because you…
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