Gashugi Yves 
Introduction
One day, while I was in prayer, the Holy Spirit enlightened me to understand that a believer lives a godly life in two aspects: a life of obeying God and a life of upholding God.
The life of obeying God is characterized by doing His will, while the life of upholding God is marked by doing His will among people. In this century, many believers strive to live a life that obeys God, but are less concerned with upholding God among people.
Can one truly obey God without upholding Him among others? Once, while attending a fellowship in my fifth year of secondary school, the preacher taught that when someone’s words do not align with their actions, they are like a person walking on one leg, prone to an easy fall. Using this analogy, just as a person walking on one leg needs another leg to reach their destination, so too, we do need both obedience to God and upholding Him in our communities.
In the kingdom of human will, it is possible to claim to obey God while living a life that contradicts that claim. However, in the kingdom of God’s will, it is impossible to live a godly life without being evident to others. This godly life is reflected in good habits. A habit is the repetition of a certain action until it becomes second nature. When we place our faith in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit resides in us, guiding and teaching us good habits, which is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22b).
After your deeds, your habits will be spoken of
“Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars, and his ways, lo, they are written in the book of the kings of Israel and Judah. And Jotham slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David: and Ahaz his son reigned in his stead. (2 Chronicles 27:7,9)
A king was chosen by the Lord or anointed based on his lineage (monarchy) and was anointed to fulfill many duties.
Looking back at King Jotham, the Bible testifies that he was a king who did what pleased the Lord. However, at the end of his reign, it was recorded not only what he did but also his ways. Although the writer did not specify what those ways were, we as church members should remember that after all our deeds on this earth, our habits—good or bad—will be recorded either on a paper or in the hearts of people. What kind of habits are you cultivating that will be spoken of? (Take a moment to reflect on this.)
As the prophet Paul foretold, in the last days, difficult times will come because people will have a form of godliness but deny its power (2 Timothy 3:5a). Charles Spurgeon once said, “The time will come when pastors will think they are feeding sheep, but the altars in their congregations will be full of goats in sheep’s clothing.” This great preacher, who lived from 1834 to 1892, would clearly see today that his prophecy has been fulfilled. Therefore, be careful not to act merely to conform within church gatherings, for these are the habits that will be spoken of and recorded.
Paul, Esther, Job, and even Jesus left behind records of good habits. However, there were also those who left records of bad ones, such as Cain, Abraham (who lied despite being a friend of God), and David (who, although he did many good deeds, left behind the stain of adultery
Dear brethren, this letter is written to encourage you to walk in good habits as those who walk in the light (Romans 13:13). Remember that the fruit of light consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth (Ephesians 5:9). Keep in mind that one bad habit can undermine all the good works you have done, rendering them a poor example and a missed blessing for others.
As we conclude, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8). Lord, teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12).
