#Blessed Counter Habits
From Pastor Robert
On Sunday, John Thompson reminded us that living under Jesus’ rule and reign is the blessed, truly good life, but Jesus’ kingdom often turns the world’s values on their head. Sunday night I put it this way: if we at High Pointe are going to live as blessed subjects of Jesus’ kingdom in our current cultural climate, we will need to adopt and practice counter habits.
In this article, I simply want to begin that conversation. In the weeks ahead, we will gently explore some of these counter habits together. These practices may feel awkward or costly at first but we develop these habits by trusting Jesus and taking his Word seriously. I know that we don’t need another list of things to do; hear this as an invitation to us as a church family to consider how the Lord might reshape our everyday reflexes into blessed counter habits in light of his good kingdom.
One of the ways following Jesus runs against the grain of our culture is that we know that it can be #blessed to be the ones who talk about the “awkward stuff.” Most of us would rather avoid conversations about death, sin, our weaknesses, systemic evil, and relational hurt. Yet Scripture speaks honestly about all of these, and it does so for our good. “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” says Proverbs 27:6 and sometimes love means saying what is hard to say. Speaking encouragement to others may feel awkward too, but that’s for next week!
In fact, avoiding awkward topics is usually less loving than we might think. When we stay silent about what is broken, confused, or painful, we may spare ourselves an uncomfortable moment, but we also miss the chance for healing and change in our lives and in others. Awkward but honest, humble conversations can become turning points; places where a relationship begins to mend, a hidden burden is finally shared, or someone takes a first step toward hope in Christ. “Speaking the truth in love” is one of the ways the body of Christ grows up into Jesus (Ephesians 4:15, ESV). It’s one way to be #blessed in living under Christ’s rule.
Here are a few action steps for our High Pointe family:
For any of us: ask one trusted friend a deeper question than usual… share a burden, a fear, a personal weakness or failure, a doubt, or a struggle you normally keep to yourself, and invite prayer and honest feedback. Then listen.
For families: set aside a few minutes around the table or at bedtime to talk about something real; a hurt, a fear, a conflict; and practice listening, confessing, and forgiving in light of Jesus’ grace. End with prayer.
For our youth: choose one conversation where you resist the pressure to joke past the serious stuff; instead, speak kindly and truthfully about what is right, what is wrong, or where you need help.
For any of us: Sit quietly for 2-3 minutes and ask the LORD to show you if there is anyone whose forgiveness you need to ask. If so, plan to do that. Simply say this: I was wrong [to do, say, act this way], please forgive me.
As we keep taking small steps in this direction; learning to talk about what is awkward and hard, to confess when we’ve sinned against others, and to seek forgiveness where there has been real offense; we will find that Jesus is leading us into a #blessed life, even when it runs against the grain of our world.
In the next few weeks, we will take up some of these counter habits one by one and consider how the Lord might be inviting High Pointe to live more openly, more honestly, and more gently for his sake.
NOTE:I first read about counter habits in a book by Justin Earley.
Helpful Resources
Opportunities to Serve
(For Opportunities to Serve at High Pointe, click HERE)
Volunteering in nursery or children’s ministry is a great way to get to know others at High Pointe and to serve our parents on Sunday mornings and other church gatherings. Reach out to Erin at erin@highpointeaustin.org
God has blessed each of us with unique gifts and talents, and at High Pointe, we believe serving is how we use those gifts to bless others and advance His kingdom.
Whether you have 30 minutes a week or several hours, there's a place for you to serve in our children's ministry, as greeters, with the hospitality team, media/tech support, building and grounds, safety, community outreach efforts, and through administrative support. Reach out to find out more today: info@highpointeaustin.org
Life at High Pointe
Want to know what’s happening at High Pointe? Check out our weekly announcements and upcoming events to stay informed and connected with the life of our church!
Sunday AM Preaching Schedule: Pray regularly for the ministry of the Word at High Pointe. Also, prepare for our gatherings by reading the sermon text, thinking it through, and asking questions about the text before Sunday. Here is our (tentative) preaching schedule designed to help you prepare for Sundays:
July 19 | 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 | Strength in Weakness | Pastor Mark Cambranis
July 26 | 2 Corinthians 1:12-24 | Precious Promises | Austin Burns
August 2 | Psalm 73 | Refuge: What Worship Does | Pastor Craig Horton
August 9 | New Series: 2 Peter 1:1-11 | Grace Gives Godliness | Pastor Robert Cline
August 16 | 2 Peter 1:12-15 | Essential Pastoral Reminders | Pastor Robert Cline
August 23 | 2 Peter 1:16-21 | Trustworthy Witness and Word | Pastor Robert Cline
August 30 | Luke 18:18-30 | What Must I Do to Inherit Eternal Life? | Pastor Juan Sanchez
September 6 | Luke 18:31-43 | The Joy of Spiritual Sight | Pastor Juan Sanchez
September 13 | Luke 19:1-10 | Salvation and the Fruits of Repentance | Pastor Juan Sanchez
September 20 | 2 Peter 2:1-10 | Don’t Be Deceived by False Teachers | Pastor Robert Cline
Begin praying as you prepare to join us this Sunday at 10:00 a.m.
Gospel Partner of the Month: Reaching and Teaching International Ministries – B.M. Reaching & Teaching International Ministries (RTIM) seeks to advance the gospel by partnering with local churches as they send qualified missionaries to make mature disciples, establish healthy churches, and train local leaders around the world. You may know of RTIM because we sent the P family through this sending organization. This month, we want to highlight our support for B.M. B and his wife served for seven years as missionaries in Central Asia, working in evangelism, discipleship, and church planting. After returning to the US, B spent six years as a global trainer, traveling around the world to equip international church leaders for ministry. He desires to see the gospel spread and churches established among the nations of Central Asia. B is a graduate of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife have three children.
On-Call Pastor To better care for you, High Pointe, we have an “on-call” pastor available for emergencies after office hours. To reach the on-call pastor, call 512-837-7725, extension 1.
