WELCOME
Good morning First Baptist. We welcome you to worship this morning. Be sure to remember your brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the week as you pray for them, and as the Holy Spirit brings their faces to your mind. Be sure to also connect with them in the ways that are possible. And if you have any questions or would like to talk to someone, please don’t hesitate to contact the church through the church telephone and leave a message. (519-733-4144)
Songs
Call to Worship
Come, all who seek rest for your souls. We gather here today to find our strength in God alone. “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” (Psalm 42:1) In this place, we set aside distraction and hurry, and open our hearts to the steady, renewing presence of our Saviour. Here, we begin again, rooted, grounded, and transformed by His love.
Let’s worship the One who never changes and who invites us to abide in Him.
Songs
Prayer
CONFESSION:
God, we come before You honestly, knowing that sometimes we chase the highs but neglect the steady ways You call us to walk. We confess that we get distracted by busyness, hype, and quick fixes. We admit that we often drift from You without even realizing it, trying to build our lives on things that don’t last. Forgive us for forgetting that true transformation happens in the daily, quiet moments with You. Help us to lay down our distractions, to renew our minds, and to train ourselves in godliness. Draw us back to the foundation of Your love, grace, and presence. Amen.
WORDS OF ASSURANCE:
Friends, hear this good news: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.” (Lamentations 3:22–23) Because of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven and made new. Because of Jesus Christ, we get to walk forward in the grace and strength He provides, steadied by His unchanging love.
Following Jesus in Real Life
Habits > Hype
Today's Message: Pastor Marlee Page
Scripture Reading: Romans 12:1-2, 1 Timothy 4:7-8
Romans 12:1-2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
1 Timothy 4:7-8
7 But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
THE SPIRITUAL CRASH
Let’s start with something that might hit close to home:
Have you ever walked out of a powerful moment with God, like a conference, worship night, camp, or Sunday message, absolutely fired up?
You were ready to change your life. You even said something like: “That’s it. I’m waking up at 5 a.m. from now on. Bible before phone. I’m starting a prayer journal. I’m cutting out social media. New me. Let’s go!”
And for like, two days, you’re on fire.
Then what happens?
You oversleep.
You reach for your phone before your Bible.
Your inbox is stacked. Your kids are screaming. You’re already late.
And suddenly that mountaintop spiritual moment feels like a distant memory.
Here’s what I want you to know: You didn’t fail but you may have been trying to live off of hype, when what you really need is habit.
LAST WEEK — LOST THE PLOT
Last week we said: “If your soul feels distant, distracted, or dry, where is your foundation? You may have lost the plot.”
And the plot is this: You were made to be with Jesus, not just work for Him.
We read Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 3:11:
“No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
We reminded ourselves that transformation isn’t about performing for God, it’s about staying connected to the only foundation that lasts Jesus Himself.
But now the question becomes how do we stay connected?
How do we rebuild a life on Jesus in the middle of meetings, stress, scrolling, and schedules? This thing we call LIFE!
The answer?
Not through a flash of hype, but through the rhythm of habit.
TRAINING > TRYING
Let’s get this in our bones, spiritual transformation isn’t about trying harder. It’s about training wisely.
This is the message Paul is shouting in 1 Timothy 4:7–8:
“Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things…”
Let’s stop there.
That word train is where we get the word “gymnasium.” This isn’t about dabbling in discipleship. It’s about committing to the slow, repeated, sometimes boring, but deeply forming process of becoming more like Jesus. Trying is what we do after a conference when we’re motivated. Training is what we do when we’re committed, even when motivation fades.
THE GYM MEMBERSHIP YOU NEVER USE
You ever sign up for a gym membership in January? You’re like, “New year, new me!” You buy the membership. Get the cute water bottle or gym bag. Download a fitness app. Watch a YouTube video on macros. You’re pumped. Then you go to the gym, twice. By February, that membership is just a $40 donation to Movati or Goodlife.
That’s trying.
But training? Training looks like waking up early when you don’t feel like it. It looks like showing up on the days you’d rather sleep in. It looks like building strength over time.
Now apply that to your spiritual life.
You don’t get spiritually fit by going to church once in a while. You don’t experience deep transformation just by attending a powerful conference or workshop. You grow when you train. When you build habits that keep you close to Jesus every day, not just on the highs.
ROMANS 12:1–2 — BE TRANSFORMED, NOT CONFORMED
The Apostle Paul also said this:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…” Romans 12:2
Paul is saying this, You are always being formed. The question is by what?
Let’s be honest, culture is discipling you more than you think.
- Your screen time is forming your values.
- Your scroll habits are shaping your attention span.
- Your inputs, what you read, watch, consume, are forming your priorities.
And Paul says, don’t conform to that. Instead, be transformed.
How?
By the renewing of your mind.
Let’s connect that back to last week.
Remember John 15? Jesus said:
“Abide in me, and I will abide in you… apart from me you can do nothing.”
That’s transformation.
It’s not from doing more.
It’s from staying connected to Jesus.
But how do we stay connected?
Habits.
- Not hype.
- Not emotion.
- Not spiritual highs.
- But quiet, consistent, ordinary habits.
THE PIANIST VS. THE FAN
Here’s a picture for you. Imagine two people, one is a huge fan of piano. They watch YouTube videos of pianists. They follow accounts on Instagram. They listen to concertos while driving. The other person practices the piano every day for 20 minutes.
Who’s going to grow? The one who practices.
That’s the difference between inspiration and formation. It’s easy to love the idea of following Jesus. It’s harder to build rhythms that form us into His image. But let me tell you, that’s where the real change happens.
THE UNGLAMOROUS PATH TO SPIRITUAL DEPTH
Let me be honest, this path? It’s not glamorous.
- No one’s clapping for your 5-minute of silence before your phone in the morning.
- No one’s Instagramming your half-Sabbath day off.
- No one’s giving you a standing ovation for turning off Netflix to read the Gospel of John.
But Jesus sees it.
He sees every hidden habit.
Every small step.
Every quiet prayer.
Every page turned in your Bible when no one’s watching.
And He’s saying, “That’s where I meet you. Not in the hype, but in the habit.”
Build One Habit This Week
So, what do we do with this?
Remember last week we said, “let’s not try to overhaul everything.” That’s how you burn out.
Just rebuild one habit. That’s it.
Pick something simple. Sustainable. Small.
Here are some ideas:
- Silence: 5 minutes with God before checking your phone.
- Scripture: Read one Psalm or Proverb a day – just one.
- Sabbath: Protect one evening this week to rest, be still, and reflect.
- Prayer: Pray out loud while you walk. Don’t overthink it.
- Community: Text one friend and ask, “Want to read through a book of the Bible together?”
Don’t wing it. Plan it.
Put it in your calendar. Set a reminder. Tell a friend.
BACK TO THE FOUNDATION
Let me tie it back to last week’s foundation verse:
“No one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11
Here’s the beauty:
The foundation is already laid. You’re not starting from scratch. You’re just returning to what matters most.
If you’ve drifted, like we said last week. If you’ve been “charging your phone” but never actually plugged in. If you feel weary, distracted, or lost, Don’t panic.
Just start rebuilding. Not with hype. Not with pressure. But with a habit.
THIS IS THE WAY
If Jesus has a pace, it’s not sprinting.
He walks. He invites. He says,
“Come to me, all you who are weary… and I will give you rest.”
Church, we don’t need more hype. We need more faithfulness. More presence. More quiet, rooted, Spirit-filled practices that keep us near the heart of God.
So, choose one.
Just one.
And keep showing up. That’s the way.
Prayer
God of steady love and patient grace, We come before You today, thankful that You are the rock on which we stand, unshaken, unchanging, and ever faithful. We confess that at times we have sought quick bursts of inspiration, chasing the excitement of the moment, only to find ourselves weary and worn when the hype fades. Forgive us for the times we have neglected the daily rhythms You invite us into the small habits that shape us into the people You created us to be.
Lord, teach us to train ourselves in godliness, not by rushing or striving harder, but by leaning into the quiet, consistent practices that draw us closer to You. Help us to remember that transformation isn’t about perfect performance, but about steady connection, abiding in You day by day. Renew our minds and hearts, so that we might not be shaped by the noise of culture, but by Your Spirit’s gentle guidance.
We lift up those here today who feel distant or disconnected, who wonder if they’ve lost the plot on their faith journey. Meet them where they are. Gently draw them back to Yourself, the foundation that never fails. Give them courage to rebuild, to start small, and to keep showing up.
For those weighed down by busyness, anxiety, or distractions, grant peace and the gift of rest; rest that only You can give. For those longing for transformation, give them the strength to persevere in the daily habits of prayer, Scripture, silence, and community.
Lord, we also pray for our community and world, for healing where there is brokenness, for hope where there is despair, and for Your kingdom to come, Your will to be done, in every heart and every home.
May Your Spirit empower us all to live lives marked by intentionality, grace, and faithfulness, reflecting the love and character of Jesus in all we do.
We pray all this in the name of Jesus, our sure foundation.
Amen.
Song
Benediction
May the God who calls you to a new rhythm of life give you strength for the habits that shape your soul. May His Spirit renew your mind day by day, guiding you beyond the hype into steady transformation. May you find rest in His presence, and courage to keep showing up, even when it’s hard. And may the love of Jesus, the unshakable foundation, hold you firm now and always.
Go in peace, rooted, grounded, and renewed. Amen.