New Year New You | Holy Habits

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As we step into a new year, many of us feel inspired to set resolutions. It’s a fresh start, a chance to reevaluate and refocus. But let me ask you: Have you invited God into your plans for 2025?

Top Five New Year’s Resolutions

According to studies, the top resolutions include:

    1.    Save money.

    2.    Lose weight.

    3.    Spend more time with family.

    4.    Travel more.

    5.    Quit a bad habit.

-Best week of selling Bikes and Gym memberships!

These are good goals, but they become even more meaningful when God is at the center of them.

The Importance of Goal Setting (God’s plan is for you to set goals)

Proverbs 21:5 (ESV):

“The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.”

The Bible encourages planning and diligence.

Setting goals aligns with God’s desire for us to live intentionally. But why do so many resolutions fail?

Why Goals Fail

    1.    Lack of Discipline – Goals require consistency.

    2.    Forgetting the Why – We lose sight of the purpose.

    3.    Neglecting Habits – Goals without habits are like seeds without soil.

Point 1: Without God’s approval and guidance, even the best-laid plans fail.

Have You Sought God About Your Goals?

Before committing to your resolutions, ask:

    •    Has God approved my resolution?

    •    Have I prayed about it?

Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV):

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

Psalm 20:4 (ESV):

“May he grant you your heart’s desire and fulfill all your plans!”

God wants us to dream, plan, and succeed—but in alignment with His will.

Word of the Year: Listening for God

We tend to alway ask in prayer, when do we listen?

4 minutes to hear from God by Me Ra Koh

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Podcast content for you

What is God saying about 2025 for you?

James 1:19 (ESV):

“Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger.”

This isn’t just about relationships; it’s about prayer. Spend time listening to God before finalizing your resolutions.

Faith -Definition

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Faith secures your salvation, BUT watch in….

James 2:26 ESV

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

What does that mean?

POINT 2: Faith Alone wont change your physical Life, Holy Habits will.

HOW ARE YOU ALLOWING GOD TO USE YOU?

Practical Example: The Plane Illustration

Imagine a plane flying from LAX to NYC. If it veers off by just 3.5 degrees, (18 CM) it’ll end up in Washington, D.C. Small changes matter.

How do we constantly check to make sure we are on course?

HOLY HABITS

Similarly, small spiritual habits—fasting, praying, reading Scripture—can keep you on the right path toward your God-given goals.

DANIEL’s HABIT

-in 587 BC, King Nebuchadnezzar and Babylonians attacked the people of Jerusalem

Destroyed everything to humiliate the people of God.

when he took the prisoners into Babylon, he made them enter in the town nude

Then he took the best prisoners captive to try to convert them to be leaders.

Hence Daniel, king Nebuchadnezzar liked him

Looking at the situation Daniel had no chance at all…

The king had some weird dreams and his people couldn't interpret them.

Well Daniel was able to interpet them.

HOW DID GOD DO SOMETHING SO BIG IN DANIEL!?!?

GOD OFTEN DOES BIG THINGS THROUGH SMALL HABITS!

-Daniel found favor with the king

-kingsmen got jealous (looked for a weakness)

-They couldn't find any flaws….

Maybe look spiritually.

Daniel 6:5 ESV

Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

-Make a law, if anyone worship another God you through them in Lions Den

Daniel 6:10 ESV

When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

-Prayed Three times a day just as he done before….

-Tricked the King and Daniel gets thrown in!

-The King visits and Daniel is just fine!

Faith is built through Holy Habits!

WHAT DO HOLY HABITS LOOK LIKE?

    1.    Fasting

    2.    Prayer

    3.    Bible Reading

    4.    Worship

    5.    Generosity

  MAKE IT OBVIOUS

HABIT CYCLE

-CUE - You see something then you begin to …

-CRAVING - Desire

-RESPONSE - Action

-REWARD- The Good stuff!

Lets do a check to see the habits of the people

(Krispy Kreme Photo)

Red light is a little cue!

*If you want to change what you do, you have to change your cues!

  1.    Fasting – Dedicate your time to seeking God’s clarity. (Meal Prep)

    2.    Prayer – God wants us to ask Him and spend time with Him. (Set ALARM)

    3.    Bible Reading – Living word, God has laid it out for us! (Put your bible in the middle of room or on your bed)

    4.    Worship – Focus on God’s greatness, not your obstacles. (Driving time keep on worship music) Its hard to not come back to worship while worship music is playing!

    5.    Generosity – Offer your resources to further His Kingdom. (Set it in your budget and allow space for God to move)

OUR PRAYER IS THIS!

Psalm 25:4–5 (ESV):

“Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation.”

God desires to lead us in every step, but we must seek Him first.

-Before the Resolution comes, all we have to do is create Holy Habits!

The key to their success? Dependence on God.

SMALL HOLY HABITS create space for God to change YOUR Life!

Closing Challenge

Why can’t this be your best year yet? Commit to spiritual disciplines first, and watch how they impact your physical and personal goals.

Let’s make this year not just about achieving goals, but about growing closer to the One who holds our future.

Remember this one habit at a Time we can become more like Jesus…

Hope is good, but hope alone wont change your life. Habits will

You have no idea what Jesus can do when we create small habits..

Call to Action:

RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU SAY, “I want to Honor God with a Holy Habit.”

•    Commit: Join the 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting. (Change a cue to create space for Holy Habits)

    •    Share: Text “Year” to 972-210-0701 to engage with this series.

WORD OF THE YEAR:

Content creating off the Word of the Year. (Podcast talking about the submitted word of the years)

2025 can be the year God moves powerfully in your life. Are you ready?