New Habits for a New Year

New Habits for the New Year

1 Timothy 4:7

This is the time of the year we hear the word “exercise” thrown around. Exercise was an important part of the Greek culture in Paul’s day. Our modern-day Olympic games can be traced back to the Greeks and the Romans.

Boxing

Racing

Wrestling

These things required physical strength and stamina.

Paul acknowledges that bodily exercise does profit.

Little- we will all get old and weak eventually.

In this world- “that now is”.

I’m afraid many Christians overlook the importance of health. We should not make health a god but a goal. We need Christians on this earth for as long as they can be here. We need your witness and influence.

Paul’s point is that exercising ourselves unto godliness is of much more value than physical exercise. He gives us two reasons why:

Godliness is a benefit to us in this world. Better spouse, better parent, better worker, wiser decisions.

Godliness is a benefit to us in the world to come.

Winning others to Christ, rewards

There are great earthly and heavenly benefits to growing in the Lord. If we are going to grow in the Lord we must exercise ourselves unto godliness.

Exercise only helps if:

It is consistent.

It is strenuous (we can feel it).

How do we begin? There are things we must push to the side.

“Have nothing to do with irreverent silly myths” This refers to the false teaching spread by Paul’s enemies.

We can get interested in the silliest things. We get passionate about these things:

Politics

The shape of the earth

UFO’s

Bigfoot

Sports

Celebrities

A series of books

Is what I am passionate about making me more godly? That’s the question. Paul says our goal is godliness. We may have to remove some things we’re passionate about to become more godly.

Illust- Want to lose weight may have to remove some things we consume.

Refuse

Replace

Questions for the new year:

Could you possibly be godlier than you are?

Do you have a plan to become godlier than you are?

“Train yourself” No one can do this for us.

God saved us

God gave us the Bible

God gives us preachers/teachers

But there is a part we must do for ourselves. Here are some things that may help us.

1) Ask yourself how much you are profiting from your current strategy of Bible reading.

Are you reading the Bible privately and consistently?

Are you reading it but feel as if you are stuck in a rut?

Change things up.

Study one book this year. (We have tools)

Read the same chapter every day for a week this year.

Read and listen to the Bible this year.

Memorize portions of the Bible this year.

2) Take a hard look at your prayer life.

Am I praying privately?

Am I praying for things the Bible says I should pray for?

Souls, laborers, government, enemies, etc.

Am I praying in faith?

Am I seeing prayers answered and praising God for it?

3) Take an inventory of your friends.

Do they encourage me in godliness?

How many new Christian friends have I made?

Who in my church am I trying to intentionally get to know better?

Friends are one of the biggest influences.

4) Where are you serving?

Committing to service is an act of discipline.

We must be there.

We must be on time.

Others are depending on us.

So thankful our men have stepped up and helped with the door. There will be many more areas we need help in as we grow.

The godlier we become the more areas of service open for us.

Questions like these are important. They give us objective information. It’s like stepping on the scale. Of course, no one wants to but if we want to know the truth we need to.

Godliness will not happen without discipline. Just as physical health will not get better without discipline. If by this time next year you want to:

Know more of God’s Word

Practice more of God’s Word

Have a better prayer life

Have more relationships with godly people

Serve God through His church effectively

It will take discipline.

Most of us would admit we could be godlier. Let’s consider another question: Do we want to be godlier?

There is a level of humility we must be willing to sink to if we want to become godlier. Let me illustrate.

If I say I want to be a godlier dad I must admit I’m not being the best dad I could be.

Mom

Worker

Church member

Preacher

Illustration: Our lists as a family. They are public. They are reviewed in the presence of family. I did the worst this year. It’s humbling but I need it.

Are we willing to hold ourselves to a standard and admit when we don’t reach it? Do we want to be godlier? That’s the important question. If we do we will:

Set goals.

Discipline ourselves to keep those goals.

Be honest with ourselves when we fail.

No person ever grew in grace through pride. All growth is through humility.

It is a new year. If you are happy with the spiritual growth you have seen in the past year by all means keep doing what you are doing. If you see a need to be more godly do some things differently. Train yourself in godliness.

How do I know I am growing in godliness?

I’m not sinning as much.

I am serving God more.

I am praying more.

I have learned more about God.

I am blessing others more.

I am more content.