James 2:12-26 As we start the new year with reviewing, repenting, and finding at least one thing new to do for God, we must first look at "how" to do it. The key as James tells us is the "doing." If 2023 looks just like 2022 for us, we have missed the chance to make a difference in ourselves and those around us.

Saying we want to "do something" for God this year sounds easy, but doing anything that is pleasing to God requires us to do it with the help of the Holy Spirit. When we put our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes into our life to help us focus on Jesus, which then allows us to do things in this life for others that is evident by our fruit (Galatians 5: 16-26).

Prayerlessness is a big problem for Christians today. There are many reasons we might fall away from prayer, but losing this connection to God affects every other part of our life. Even when we do pray, we often miss the point... mindless words and worldly requests... when Jesus gave us a clear example to follow. God already knows our needs. The prayer is our acknowledgement that we need Him for everything. We need to get back to the basics and honor Him.