5 Better Habits – Better Life Script

 

We are talking about building better selves through building better habits. Better habits help you and others. Everyone wins. In the 1st video in this short series, we noted how the correct foundation is necessary. You may need to go back and watch it first.

But now we are going to give you 5 habits that are guaranteed to make life much better for you, your family, and so many others. But understand, these habits are not easy. They are not a quick solution. Like anything of great value, it will demand your dedicated efforts. The rewards are tremendous.

Are you ready to change?

INTRO

Let’s get right into it.

The first, and maybe the easiest to do, is simply getting involved with God’s word, the Bible. Reading it is not too hard. Studying it is more rewarding. Meditating on it during your day is also important.

If you don’t have a Bible, don’t despair. Call the number you see on the screen and leave a voice message telling us that you want a FREE Bible. That’s right, FREE with no obligations. Just give us your mailing address so we can ship it. You could also send a text to the same number with the same information. We will get it to you quickly.

The Bible itself tells us it is profitable to you. 2 Timothy 3:16-17  “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  (17)  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

And we can achieve these benefits through consistent, deliberate efforts. 2 Timothy 2:15  “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”

Frequency is important with any habit. Read / Study and Meditate on a Bible passage every day. If you want to read the Bible through, consider using our Bible Reading Schedules on TimelessTalks.Net. The link is below. You could read a story from Jesus’ life, or one of his short teachings, in the morning or evening. But meditate on it for 24 hours. This is a great 1st better habit.

#1, Read / Study the word of God every day

#2, Pray often.

When you are reading and studying God’s Word, you are, essentially, listening to God. In Prayer, we are talking with him. And not just ANOTHER person, but El Shadai, The Mighty One, the creator, the sustainer. So we approach God with awe and reverence. He may be your Father, but he is not your dad. Talk to him with respect.

Tell God WHATEVER is on your mind. He is a great listener. Paul told us, Philippians 4:6 “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

And when is the best time to pray? Well, there is a good video on the subject ready for you. The link is down below. But the short answer is in 1 Thessalonians 5:17  “pray without ceasing,” Pray anytime. Pray anywhere you are comfortable. Pray anywhere you can concentrate. Silent prayers are powerful. Pray often.

And what do you pray? Again, there’s a video for that. Look below. Some people think the “Lord’s Pray” in Matt 6 is to be recited. But Jesus was teaching his disciples how to pray. It is helpful for you to incorporate the elements of his prayer in yours.

The first Better habit is to Read and Study the Bible.

Better habit # 2 is to Pray often.

Better habit #3 is practicing humility.

This one is more challenging. But it comes from our Foundation for Better Habits. We are NOT promoting ourselves. We are living based on the value of other people. In that previous video, we saw how Jesus valued others and cared for them. We also noted that self was being denied.

Do you remember what Jesus did a few hours before his death? He put a towel around his waist, got a bowl of water, and began washing the feet of every disciple, even those of Judas who would shortly betray him. Jesus told them, John 13:12-14  …“Do you understand what I have done to you?  (13)  You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.  (14)  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” Jesus was showing them how humble people act.

One of my favorite passages about Jesus was written by Paul in Philippians 2. It is about Jesus’ habit of humility. He said, Philippians 2:5-11 “HAVE THIS MIND AMONG YOURSELVES, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  (6)  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  (7)  but EMPTIED HIMSELF, by taking the form of a SERVANT, being born in the likeness of men.  (8)  And being found in human form, he HUMBLED HIMSELF BY BECOMING OBEDIENT to the point of death, even death on a cross.  (9)  Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,  (10)  so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,  (11)  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father”.

Like I told you at the beginning of this video, some are simple to hear but more challenging to do.

Join me in working on habit #3, Practice humility.

Better Habit # 1: Read/study the Bible daily.

Better habit #2: Pray often.

Better habit #3: Practice humility.

And now, better Habit #4: SERVE others.

This one is almost an extension of being humble, but Jesus said “Matthew 20:26-28  …But whoever would be great among you must be your SERVANT,  (27)  and whoever would be FIRST among you must be your SLAVE,  (28)  even as the Son of Man came NOT TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Serve someone every day. And how did Jesus serve others? Some days, he healed them, taking care of their illness. Some days, he fed the hungry. Some days, he gave hope to the hopeless, like the Woman who had been married 5 times and was just living with #6.  Sometimes he challenged men to follow him and be what God the Father wanted them to be. Sometimes he took his disciples and warned them about how badly people would treat them as they kept following him. Sometimes he served the stubborn and hard-headed by plainly telling them what God the Father expected from them. And one time, he took all mankind’s sin, carried them to the cross, and died for those people. He did that for you, too.

Better habit #1. Read / Study the Bible daily.

Better habit #2: Pray often.

Better Habit #3. Practice humility.

Better habit #4: Serve others every day.

And now, Better habit #5, Add the Christian virtues.

This habit is best for those who have already followed God’s Plan of Salvation. And yes, there is a series of videos on this topic too.

So building this better habit may be the most difficult, but the most rewarding. What should a Christian be adding to their life? What habits should they be growing?

Peter wrote, “2 Peter 1:5-10  For this very reason, make every effort to SUPPLEMENT YOUR FAITH with VIRTUE, and virtue with KNOWLEDGE,  (6)  and knowledge with SELF-CONTROL, and self-control with STEADFASTNESS, and steadfastness with GODLINESS,  (7)  and godliness with BROTHERLY AFFECTION, and brotherly affection with LOVE.  (8)  For IF THESE QUALITIES ARE YOURS AND ARE INCREASING, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (9)  For WHOEVER LACKS these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins.  (10)  Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you PRACTICE THESE QUALITIES you will never fall.

Can you picture yourself walking up a set of stairs, each one bringing you closer to your goal? Each step is based on the one below it. Christians begin with an active, obedient faith that Jesus is God’s Son. With that as the foundation, they add other great qualities, like virtue, knowledge of God and his will, self-control, steadfastness, Godliness (or God-ward-ness), brotherly affection and love. Each one built on the basis of the former achieved qualities.

And the rewards for this difficult habit are, just WOW. You will be making your relationship with God so stable and lasting that you will become certain of your “mansion” in heaven, and how that each virtue prevents you from going back to sin-filled, self-destructive ways.

Yes, people who incorporate Christian virtues are always striving to build better habits.

Habit #1: Read / Study the Bible

Habit #2: Praying often

Habit #3: Practice humility

Habit #4: Serving others

Habit #5: Adding Christian virtues.

At Timeless Talks, we are here to help you build those better habits. Now, select a link from the list below and go become more than you are now.

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Thanks for watching today. We will be looking for you again, tomorrow. Until then, goodbye for now.