"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord..." -Psalm 33:12 (NIV)
"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all."
Well, tomorrow marks the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. In those ten years we have experienced many ups and downs as a country. We have been in a seemingly never ending war in the middle east, watched as the housing market bottomed out, elected a new president, and bit our nails over the stock market. We have also begun to rebuild a new World Trade Center- bigger and better than ever before and have proceeded to still lead the world in so many ways that only the USA can- for the better. But, have we REALLY changed as a nation?
I remember when that awful day unfolded. I was on my way to a job interview and wondering if World War III was beginning. I also remember in the days that followed the radio commercials, the fund raising, and how this nation all of a sudden came together. We truly were ONE nation, and God was our center- for about three months. American flags flew off of every house top, car, and building- no one was going to divide us! Then the emotion started to fade off in so many ways and all of a sudden there were attacks on Muslim citizens, gang shootings, and back to the usual mayhem that we were accustomed to. Here's my point: if God truly IS our center, not just as a nation, but as individuals- why would we fall back to our old ways? Simple, we are fallen people living in a fallen world. As the Body of Christ, we are to RISE up over these circumstances to lead and evangelize- not wait for a national tragedy to bring them to us.
Jesus cleared the path for us to not only have complete freedom from our sins, but to bring a love to this world that the world itself does not recognize. I'm challenging any and all so-called "Christians": do not wait to act, be the hands and feet NOW! America loves to still call itself a Christian country, built on a rich heritage with God stamped right in the middle. Yet, we back off on certain topics and issues, or we don't stand up the way we should. I am speaking, of course, of approaching these circumstances in a Christ-like way, built solely on the Word of God. John Hagee said it once before, "If the Body of Christ would rise up and stand together, we would be an unstoppable force!" Everyone, the clock IS ticking, and time is running out. We watch as the end times prophecies unfold before our eyes, yet often fail to grasp the severity of the situation and start winning souls. If we want to truly be one nation, we must be ONE Body- functioning on all levels.
Pray. Spend time in God's Word and ask Him to place you where He wants you to be. Remember Jesus' words, "If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom can not stand." -Mark 3:24 (NASB) Let's keep this nation as great and strong as ever before- but it MUST be built on the Rock of Jesus Christ, any other way and we will divide ourselves. GOD BLESS THE USA...AMERICA BLESS GOD!!!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Once Saved, Always Saved? -Part 3
"And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God." -1John 5:11-13 (NKJV)
We are going to finish up the discussion of whether someone can or can not lose there salvation today, for now. I'm sure I will be adding more to this discussion as time goes on. In the previous post, I brought up the question of why do we still continue to struggle with certain sins, even after we are saved? Galatians 5 tells us that the flesh and Spirit constantly wage war on each other, and 2Cor 10 tells us that we have the ability to demolish "strongholds"- something that is much harder to break off that other parts of the flesh. The absolute best answer I can give in response to breaking free from any of this bondage is CONSTANT submission and quality time spent in the Lord's presence. One thing is for sure- you can always count on the assurance of God's Word and His faithfulness!
We know God's Word to be true and the standard by which we should live from several key verses: John 1:1-2, 14; and John 14:6. Jesus is the Word Who has been with God from the beginning, became flesh, and dwelt among us. He confirms both the Truth of God and the one and only way to salvation in 14:6. If He's the Truth and the Word, then God's Word is absolute truth- period. (I will be writing a blog on this soon as well.) Another assurance of salvation is found in John 10:27-30. We belong to Christ, follow Him, and He gives us eternal life. Jesus and God are one, and no one will snatch us out of Their hand. We can not be stolen, but I DO believe we can make the conscious decision to forfeit our eternal home- even if it's so gradual (one of the enemy's specialties), we don't even notice it. That's the part that scares me for so many Christians. They are so convinced that they are "in", the give up on their walk. Salvation is very real and is given for everyone, that part is true. However, do I think it can be lost? Yes, at what point I do not know. The question is- God has done everything to already clear the way for us and give us the abundant life Jesus speaks about in John 10:10, so why would we ever want to let it go in the first place?!? Once again, constant time with God will reveal so many questions and answers that only He can provide.
Paul reminds us in 1Cor 6:20 that we have been "bought with a price", meaning the shed blood and death of the Son of God. He follows it up in his letter to the Ephesians: "And you were also included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked with Him in a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of His glory." -Eph 1:13-14 (NIV) Take your salvation and run with it; live the life God had predestined for you before time even began. Yes, you will experience trials, testing, and temptations- but NO weapon that is formed against you will prosper, you will stand against any judging tongue, for this is your inheritance from God and your righteousness is from Him! (See Isaiah 54:17)
We are going to finish up the discussion of whether someone can or can not lose there salvation today, for now. I'm sure I will be adding more to this discussion as time goes on. In the previous post, I brought up the question of why do we still continue to struggle with certain sins, even after we are saved? Galatians 5 tells us that the flesh and Spirit constantly wage war on each other, and 2Cor 10 tells us that we have the ability to demolish "strongholds"- something that is much harder to break off that other parts of the flesh. The absolute best answer I can give in response to breaking free from any of this bondage is CONSTANT submission and quality time spent in the Lord's presence. One thing is for sure- you can always count on the assurance of God's Word and His faithfulness!
We know God's Word to be true and the standard by which we should live from several key verses: John 1:1-2, 14; and John 14:6. Jesus is the Word Who has been with God from the beginning, became flesh, and dwelt among us. He confirms both the Truth of God and the one and only way to salvation in 14:6. If He's the Truth and the Word, then God's Word is absolute truth- period. (I will be writing a blog on this soon as well.) Another assurance of salvation is found in John 10:27-30. We belong to Christ, follow Him, and He gives us eternal life. Jesus and God are one, and no one will snatch us out of Their hand. We can not be stolen, but I DO believe we can make the conscious decision to forfeit our eternal home- even if it's so gradual (one of the enemy's specialties), we don't even notice it. That's the part that scares me for so many Christians. They are so convinced that they are "in", the give up on their walk. Salvation is very real and is given for everyone, that part is true. However, do I think it can be lost? Yes, at what point I do not know. The question is- God has done everything to already clear the way for us and give us the abundant life Jesus speaks about in John 10:10, so why would we ever want to let it go in the first place?!? Once again, constant time with God will reveal so many questions and answers that only He can provide.
Paul reminds us in 1Cor 6:20 that we have been "bought with a price", meaning the shed blood and death of the Son of God. He follows it up in his letter to the Ephesians: "And you were also included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked with Him in a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of His glory." -Eph 1:13-14 (NIV) Take your salvation and run with it; live the life God had predestined for you before time even began. Yes, you will experience trials, testing, and temptations- but NO weapon that is formed against you will prosper, you will stand against any judging tongue, for this is your inheritance from God and your righteousness is from Him! (See Isaiah 54:17)
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Once Saved, Always Saved?- Part 2
Read 1Cor 6:9-11
Today we are continuing the discussion of whether or not someone can lose their salvation. The questions are: If someone accepts salvation, but does absolutely nothing with it, are they still saved? Or what about someone who is saved early in life, but lives a life of sin and immorality- do they still go the Heaven? Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:14 that it is not God's will that anyone should perish; and Paul follows it up in Romans that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ (Rom 8:38-39). God loves us more than we could ever comprehend- that it clear. However, can we still lose our eternal home with Him through our own actions?
Today's reading makes it very clear of who will (or will not) inherit the Kingdom. He warns us not to be deceived- thus illustrating the point that just because we are a "Christian", we should never assume we are not required to live righteously. Once again, we all fall (Rom 3:23), but a deliberate rebellion against God and disgracing the Cross is a different story! Let's say someone gave their life to Christ in their mid-teens, mostly because life was going good and that was the "right" thing to do with youth group and such. But, once they graduated, hit college, and fell into the world- Jesus was shoved all but out of mind and a lifetime of sin and immorality followed. Is he still sanctified from a confession and repentance decades earlier? Maybe he simply loses many of the "rewards" we are promised, such as in 2John 8 or 1Cor 3:15? Or, is there a defining line where the ultimate Judge declares him to be unholy, thus resulting in eternal separation from God? A good example of this is found in Matthew 7:21-23. In this example, Jesus is discussing the dangers of false teachings and the pits they can cause one to fall into. Just because someone is proclaiming the Name of Jesus and performing miracles, does not mean it's always coming from God. These works are no substitute for relationship- the Word of God and being in Christ through the Holy Spirit triumphs all of the above, thus giving proof to true discipleship.
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this blog, there is one sin that IS unpardonable- that is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, found in Mark 3:28-30. This is not just a one-time event, but a series of willfully chosen actions that claims Satan is the power behind Christ's work, not the Holy Spirit. This is an abomination, and no forgiveness will be given in this case. On the flip side, we DO see salvation at the last minute for those who have lived a life of sin, but show true repentance. (i.e. the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-43) So why do we get pulled back in the first place? What is it that often draws us (not succumbs, though) to sin even more once we are saved? In other words, why would we willfully walk back into prison once we've been freed? These are some more points and questions we will explore in the next session. Until then, I pray you would take an inventory of where you may be falling short in your walk, and ask God to help you restore it. Also, ask Him to bring any unconfessed sin to the surface and allow Him to work on that as well. Be open and transparent- that's when He can do His best work in us. Allow His refining fire to cleanse you, thus building an even stronger foundation in Jesus Christ!
Today we are continuing the discussion of whether or not someone can lose their salvation. The questions are: If someone accepts salvation, but does absolutely nothing with it, are they still saved? Or what about someone who is saved early in life, but lives a life of sin and immorality- do they still go the Heaven? Jesus tells us in Matthew 18:14 that it is not God's will that anyone should perish; and Paul follows it up in Romans that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ (Rom 8:38-39). God loves us more than we could ever comprehend- that it clear. However, can we still lose our eternal home with Him through our own actions?
Today's reading makes it very clear of who will (or will not) inherit the Kingdom. He warns us not to be deceived- thus illustrating the point that just because we are a "Christian", we should never assume we are not required to live righteously. Once again, we all fall (Rom 3:23), but a deliberate rebellion against God and disgracing the Cross is a different story! Let's say someone gave their life to Christ in their mid-teens, mostly because life was going good and that was the "right" thing to do with youth group and such. But, once they graduated, hit college, and fell into the world- Jesus was shoved all but out of mind and a lifetime of sin and immorality followed. Is he still sanctified from a confession and repentance decades earlier? Maybe he simply loses many of the "rewards" we are promised, such as in 2John 8 or 1Cor 3:15? Or, is there a defining line where the ultimate Judge declares him to be unholy, thus resulting in eternal separation from God? A good example of this is found in Matthew 7:21-23. In this example, Jesus is discussing the dangers of false teachings and the pits they can cause one to fall into. Just because someone is proclaiming the Name of Jesus and performing miracles, does not mean it's always coming from God. These works are no substitute for relationship- the Word of God and being in Christ through the Holy Spirit triumphs all of the above, thus giving proof to true discipleship.
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this blog, there is one sin that IS unpardonable- that is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, found in Mark 3:28-30. This is not just a one-time event, but a series of willfully chosen actions that claims Satan is the power behind Christ's work, not the Holy Spirit. This is an abomination, and no forgiveness will be given in this case. On the flip side, we DO see salvation at the last minute for those who have lived a life of sin, but show true repentance. (i.e. the thief on the cross in Luke 23:39-43) So why do we get pulled back in the first place? What is it that often draws us (not succumbs, though) to sin even more once we are saved? In other words, why would we willfully walk back into prison once we've been freed? These are some more points and questions we will explore in the next session. Until then, I pray you would take an inventory of where you may be falling short in your walk, and ask God to help you restore it. Also, ask Him to bring any unconfessed sin to the surface and allow Him to work on that as well. Be open and transparent- that's when He can do His best work in us. Allow His refining fire to cleanse you, thus building an even stronger foundation in Jesus Christ!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Once Saved, Always Saved? -Part 1
"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord' and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." -Romans 10:9 (NIV)
Today I'm going to begin a discussion on the always popular question: "Can you lose your salvation?" In other words, once a person is saved, are they always saved? Let's lay some groundwork...
First of all, we know God's Word to be the one and only true and living Word, which according to Hebrews 4:12, is "living and active" and it "penetrates", "judges", and "divides". If we are truly living as Christ-followers, than there is no other substitute. God's Word is final- period. This is not said to scare or intimidate any of you, in fact, we should rejoice that our guidebook for life is so clearly laid out for us! The problem isn't Scripture, no, it's us. We tend to want to bend, break, and water down the Bible- when in fact we should be studying, meditating, and OBEYING it daily. We know that God sent Jesus to die for us so that we could have eternal life (John 3:16), but the next verse (v 17) states, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (NASB) With that being said, let's explore our conversation.
For those of you who don't understand what being "saved" really means, let me give you the short, short version. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered into the world and cursed all of humanity. We were forever separated from God and His perfect plan for us. Through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for us, He restored that eternal covenant between God and man- thus bringing His original plan back into being. (See Romans 5:11 & 19) Our flesh is naturally sinful, and nothing less than pure holiness will enter into God's presence in Heaven. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His blood washes us clean spiritually, and erases our sinful being. Do we still fall? Absolutely, every day. But the important thing to remember is not how "good" we can be- but the fact that we recognize that the blood spilled at Calvary covers all of humanity completely, if we just accept this free gift. I use these words "free gift" because that is exactly what it is: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." -Eph 2:8 (NASB) For today, I would like you to go back to the basics. If you have given your life to the Lord already, think back to that day and rekindle the fire that was lit in your heart. Are you "working out your salvation" as Paul describes in Phil 2:12? Or, are you coasting day by day, not really doing much for the Kingdom? For those of you who have not made the decision to accept Jesus as your Savior, I pray that you really begin to examine your heart and ask yourself what you're holding on to. Salvation was designed for everyone, and there is NO sin that it does not cover (excluding Mark ch 3- which we will discuss soon). If you don't believe me, have you read my testimony yet? I was one of the worst- yet God did a 180 on my life and here I am today, bringing others to Jesus.
Pray. Read the Gospels and the rest of God's Word. Open your heart and let it penetrate you- not for painful purposes, but for an eternal cleansing that nothing on this earth can match. When you do, His promises will begin to manifest themselves in your life and you can begin (or continue) a new life in Christ!
Today I'm going to begin a discussion on the always popular question: "Can you lose your salvation?" In other words, once a person is saved, are they always saved? Let's lay some groundwork...
First of all, we know God's Word to be the one and only true and living Word, which according to Hebrews 4:12, is "living and active" and it "penetrates", "judges", and "divides". If we are truly living as Christ-followers, than there is no other substitute. God's Word is final- period. This is not said to scare or intimidate any of you, in fact, we should rejoice that our guidebook for life is so clearly laid out for us! The problem isn't Scripture, no, it's us. We tend to want to bend, break, and water down the Bible- when in fact we should be studying, meditating, and OBEYING it daily. We know that God sent Jesus to die for us so that we could have eternal life (John 3:16), but the next verse (v 17) states, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." (NASB) With that being said, let's explore our conversation.
For those of you who don't understand what being "saved" really means, let me give you the short, short version. When Adam and Eve first sinned in the Garden of Eden, sin entered into the world and cursed all of humanity. We were forever separated from God and His perfect plan for us. Through the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for us, He restored that eternal covenant between God and man- thus bringing His original plan back into being. (See Romans 5:11 & 19) Our flesh is naturally sinful, and nothing less than pure holiness will enter into God's presence in Heaven. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, His blood washes us clean spiritually, and erases our sinful being. Do we still fall? Absolutely, every day. But the important thing to remember is not how "good" we can be- but the fact that we recognize that the blood spilled at Calvary covers all of humanity completely, if we just accept this free gift. I use these words "free gift" because that is exactly what it is: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God." -Eph 2:8 (NASB) For today, I would like you to go back to the basics. If you have given your life to the Lord already, think back to that day and rekindle the fire that was lit in your heart. Are you "working out your salvation" as Paul describes in Phil 2:12? Or, are you coasting day by day, not really doing much for the Kingdom? For those of you who have not made the decision to accept Jesus as your Savior, I pray that you really begin to examine your heart and ask yourself what you're holding on to. Salvation was designed for everyone, and there is NO sin that it does not cover (excluding Mark ch 3- which we will discuss soon). If you don't believe me, have you read my testimony yet? I was one of the worst- yet God did a 180 on my life and here I am today, bringing others to Jesus.
Pray. Read the Gospels and the rest of God's Word. Open your heart and let it penetrate you- not for painful purposes, but for an eternal cleansing that nothing on this earth can match. When you do, His promises will begin to manifest themselves in your life and you can begin (or continue) a new life in Christ!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Pouring into the Harvest
He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field." -Luke 10:2 (NIV)
I received an update from the Fresh Air Fund (see my post on 6/7/11) the other day. We are SO grateful to God that He has provided 650 out of the goal of 850 sponsor families for the summer! However, with only one week left, we are humbly asking for the remaining 200 families to step up and fill the void. In my previous post, I asked the question "What drives you?" I pray you search deep in prayer and the Word to see if you are led to become a host family for an underprivileged child from NYC. For more information, go to www.freshairfundhost.org.
Thank you SO much to the families that have stepped up already- and I pray that as you read this, the Holy Spirit will begin to stir you up in reaching the greatest harvest Fresh Air has seen yet!
I received an update from the Fresh Air Fund (see my post on 6/7/11) the other day. We are SO grateful to God that He has provided 650 out of the goal of 850 sponsor families for the summer! However, with only one week left, we are humbly asking for the remaining 200 families to step up and fill the void. In my previous post, I asked the question "What drives you?" I pray you search deep in prayer and the Word to see if you are led to become a host family for an underprivileged child from NYC. For more information, go to www.freshairfundhost.org.
Thank you SO much to the families that have stepped up already- and I pray that as you read this, the Holy Spirit will begin to stir you up in reaching the greatest harvest Fresh Air has seen yet!
Monday, August 1, 2011
What Drives You?
Read Revelation 18:1-8
We live in a world driven by power and wealth. Throughout the Bible "Babylon" has been described as an empire against God and built for man's conquests (Genesis 11) to a prophetic city- one described by many metaphors in Revelation. As we read in the opening verses, Babylon has deceived the nations as a harlot, and the spiritual fornication includes many idolatries and abominations against the Lord. As I've been pondering what I would write for this blog, the answer suddenly came to me- and it has been in front of me for years. I'm talking about both my work environment and everyday situations I witness out in public.
At my job I work with several individuals who are driven beyond belief with the unattainable- satisfactory worldly possessions. One guy is so obsessed with work that he has forfeited everything else in life for it- including his personal relationship with the Lord, his wife, and kids. It's a vicious cycle of attaining money that he never spends- only driving himself so far down into an abyss of misery that there seems to be no end in sight. He wants to be "rich", but has sacrificed everything else for it. (See Matt 16:26) Another is sitting on a potential stock deal- and has even self-named the whole thing his "savior". Ouch. Finally, I am observing as another gentleman is watching his marriage corrode before his eyes, but makes no change in direction from his current life- just works, works, works. I asked him one time why he works so much, his answer? To pay all of his bills. He has a $2000/mo mortgage payment, plus a brand new full size truck, and so on. He works approximately 75-80 hours a week to maintain it all. So to sum it up- working while his marriage dissolves to pay for a house he's never in and a car that he rarely drives! In public I see the same thing: parents trying to be "super parent" and fill their kid's lives with toys and objects that many can not afford in the first place. Don't get me wrong, a child is definitely not going to say no to any of the above, but what he or she does not know- simple time and love from mom and dad would trump them all. They don't know- because it's never been presented to them.
The point I'm getting at is this: until we as parents are fully secure in our validation through Jesus Christ, we will not be able to pass it on to our kids. Yes, we must work to pay the bills, but are we living within (or below) our means? Have we ever just said, "No, sweetheart I can't buy that for you right now. But, when we get home I would love to play some hide and seek with you!" Paul tells us in the book of Philippians to "do all things without complaining and disputing" (2:14) and through prayer and supplication, lay it out before the Lord and "the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension" will come upon us. (4:6-7) WE must take the first step- and it begins at the cross. Are you living your life for your God, or for everything else? It's not a half-in, half-out option. You must be sold out 100% to the Lordship of Jesus Christ if you are to experience His full blessings- that starts with prayer and alone time with Him. It may sound difficult, even ridiculous, I know- I've been there. However, I can tell you that now that I'm on the other side- the submitted side, God leads me in every area in my life in ways I never saw before. He will do the same for you..."work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. -Phil 2:12-13 (NKJV)
We live in a world driven by power and wealth. Throughout the Bible "Babylon" has been described as an empire against God and built for man's conquests (Genesis 11) to a prophetic city- one described by many metaphors in Revelation. As we read in the opening verses, Babylon has deceived the nations as a harlot, and the spiritual fornication includes many idolatries and abominations against the Lord. As I've been pondering what I would write for this blog, the answer suddenly came to me- and it has been in front of me for years. I'm talking about both my work environment and everyday situations I witness out in public.
At my job I work with several individuals who are driven beyond belief with the unattainable- satisfactory worldly possessions. One guy is so obsessed with work that he has forfeited everything else in life for it- including his personal relationship with the Lord, his wife, and kids. It's a vicious cycle of attaining money that he never spends- only driving himself so far down into an abyss of misery that there seems to be no end in sight. He wants to be "rich", but has sacrificed everything else for it. (See Matt 16:26) Another is sitting on a potential stock deal- and has even self-named the whole thing his "savior". Ouch. Finally, I am observing as another gentleman is watching his marriage corrode before his eyes, but makes no change in direction from his current life- just works, works, works. I asked him one time why he works so much, his answer? To pay all of his bills. He has a $2000/mo mortgage payment, plus a brand new full size truck, and so on. He works approximately 75-80 hours a week to maintain it all. So to sum it up- working while his marriage dissolves to pay for a house he's never in and a car that he rarely drives! In public I see the same thing: parents trying to be "super parent" and fill their kid's lives with toys and objects that many can not afford in the first place. Don't get me wrong, a child is definitely not going to say no to any of the above, but what he or she does not know- simple time and love from mom and dad would trump them all. They don't know- because it's never been presented to them.
The point I'm getting at is this: until we as parents are fully secure in our validation through Jesus Christ, we will not be able to pass it on to our kids. Yes, we must work to pay the bills, but are we living within (or below) our means? Have we ever just said, "No, sweetheart I can't buy that for you right now. But, when we get home I would love to play some hide and seek with you!" Paul tells us in the book of Philippians to "do all things without complaining and disputing" (2:14) and through prayer and supplication, lay it out before the Lord and "the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension" will come upon us. (4:6-7) WE must take the first step- and it begins at the cross. Are you living your life for your God, or for everything else? It's not a half-in, half-out option. You must be sold out 100% to the Lordship of Jesus Christ if you are to experience His full blessings- that starts with prayer and alone time with Him. It may sound difficult, even ridiculous, I know- I've been there. However, I can tell you that now that I'm on the other side- the submitted side, God leads me in every area in my life in ways I never saw before. He will do the same for you..."work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. -Phil 2:12-13 (NKJV)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Reaching Your Personal Best
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." -Phil 4:13 (NKJV)
I often write and speak about the similarities between physically working out and growing spiritually. In a nutshell, "resistance equals growth". The more resistance (weight) we lift in the gym or at home, the stronger we become. Likewise, as we go through spiritual resistance (trials, tests, persecution, etc...), we grow in strength in our walk with the Lord. Case and point- an experience I had last year sometime when I hit a personal best on squats in the gym...
I always had a set goal in mind when it came to what I wanted to reach in my maximum squat. I had come close several times, hitting a slightly smaller weight total, and even tried my goal- but to no avail. Then I got some great advice from a friend of mine who was a power lifter. I changed a few minor things in my fundamentals- but what a difference they made! Here are 5 key points that will not only help you in working out (should you decide to go that route)- but most importantly, in your walk with Jesus:
1. Confidence. "Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace..." -Heb 4:16 (NKJV)
The word boldly here is the same word that means "with confidence". As I stood and looked at the weight on the bar before I stepped under it, I not only had to have the confidence that I could make the lift, but I had to come strong. That is the same way we should draw near to our relationship with Christ, with confidence- knowing that we are accepted as is and that He will only make us stronger.
2. A spotter. In weightlifting, a "spotter" is someone who stands near you when doing a heavy lift to help you just in case you can not do the weight or your own. He or she is there to assist when needed, to help keep you from getting hurt. In life, we can have several types of spotters- primarily our closest friends and family, accountability partners, and mentors. These are people who are in our lives to help us through the resistance when we can't make it ourselves, to keep us from getting hurt. (See Ecc 4:9-12) My friend stood behind me to not only encourage me before I performed the squat, but to stand ready should I need him to help me.
3. Foot positioning. Even though I had lifted for multiple years, I discovered after watching several professional power lifters, that they stood with a wider foot stance than I had done in the past. Turns our when I positioned my feet the same way, it helped my form and technique tremendously! "And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace." -Eph 6:15 (NASB) Back in the ancient Roman empire, the foot soldiers wore hard, studded shoes, able to grip in the dirt and give them a firm stance while in battle. When we stand on the Word of God, we as Christians establish a stance on a foundation that can not be shaken, thus giving us balance and stability to not only withstand an attack, but to fight back and defeat our enemy!
4. Keep your eyes up! When performing a squat, one of the basic rules is to pick a spot out somewhere high or the wall or on the ceiling, and focus on it. This eliminates both the distractions around you and the possibility of falling forward. What do I mean by that? Well, basically, wherever your eyes are focused- your body will go that way. If I'm doing a squat but looking at the floor, my body will want to tend to go where the eyes are looking, thus I would fall forward with all of that weight on my shoulders. Huh, sound familiar? When we keep our eyes downward (focused on worldly things), we tend to lose focus and fall. However, when we keep our eyes fixed upwards on God, we remain still and can fight through the resistance. (Se Psalms 121:1-2 & 123:2c)
5. Keep your "core" tight. Your core is the middle of your body- your abdomen, low back, spine, and all of the stabilizer muscles that are in between. Without a strong core, you will never reach your maximum potential in working out. Think of it like this: if I have very strong legs and a strong upper body, but the middle (trunk portion) of me is soft and unconditioned, how can I possibly expect to handle a lot of weight on my shoulders and reach my squat goal? Could I do it? Probably- but I would be very shaky coming up and could get hurt. The final piece of advice my friend gave me before I performed the lift was to put ALL of my focus and attention on having a strong and tight core when I attempted my lift. I cut everything else out. I focused on my breathing and I tightened my abs- all at the moment of resistance. As followers of Jesus Christ- ALL of our focus, attention, and mind must be focused on Him. When Christ is our core (not our families, money, jobs, hobbies, etc...) and we put the emphasis on our relationship with Him, we will stand strong and firm when placed with that spiritual resistance on our shoulders! Just like He tells us in Matthew 22:37: "You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." (NKJV) Place Him as your center and everything else will stand strong.
Once I had all of these points in place- I placed myself in position to go for my goal. I stepped back from the squat rack, my shoulders supporting more weight than they had ever done before. I was ready. Down I went and without any help from my spotter, I rose strongly and boldly to a new personal best in squats! I had done it, I had finally reached a goal that had only been a dream before hand! Confidently I racked the weight and high-fived my buddy. Since then, I have done the same lift several more times. Did the weight (resistance) change? No- I am now more CONDITIONED to handle it. The same goes in life- some resistance will never change (dealing with difficult people, finances, stress, etc...), we just become more conditioned to handle it as we grow in our walk with the Lord. I pray this has been helpful for you. You may be going through the same trials and tribulations over and over right now, but are you growing or are you just getting beat up? No matter what, it's time to come boldly to the throne; surround yourself with a godly support system; stand firm on the Word of God; keep your eyes on Jesus; and make Him your core. If you do all of these things, you will become your absolute best in Him!
I often write and speak about the similarities between physically working out and growing spiritually. In a nutshell, "resistance equals growth". The more resistance (weight) we lift in the gym or at home, the stronger we become. Likewise, as we go through spiritual resistance (trials, tests, persecution, etc...), we grow in strength in our walk with the Lord. Case and point- an experience I had last year sometime when I hit a personal best on squats in the gym...
I always had a set goal in mind when it came to what I wanted to reach in my maximum squat. I had come close several times, hitting a slightly smaller weight total, and even tried my goal- but to no avail. Then I got some great advice from a friend of mine who was a power lifter. I changed a few minor things in my fundamentals- but what a difference they made! Here are 5 key points that will not only help you in working out (should you decide to go that route)- but most importantly, in your walk with Jesus:
1. Confidence. "Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace..." -Heb 4:16 (NKJV)
The word boldly here is the same word that means "with confidence". As I stood and looked at the weight on the bar before I stepped under it, I not only had to have the confidence that I could make the lift, but I had to come strong. That is the same way we should draw near to our relationship with Christ, with confidence- knowing that we are accepted as is and that He will only make us stronger.
2. A spotter. In weightlifting, a "spotter" is someone who stands near you when doing a heavy lift to help you just in case you can not do the weight or your own. He or she is there to assist when needed, to help keep you from getting hurt. In life, we can have several types of spotters- primarily our closest friends and family, accountability partners, and mentors. These are people who are in our lives to help us through the resistance when we can't make it ourselves, to keep us from getting hurt. (See Ecc 4:9-12) My friend stood behind me to not only encourage me before I performed the squat, but to stand ready should I need him to help me.
3. Foot positioning. Even though I had lifted for multiple years, I discovered after watching several professional power lifters, that they stood with a wider foot stance than I had done in the past. Turns our when I positioned my feet the same way, it helped my form and technique tremendously! "And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace." -Eph 6:15 (NASB) Back in the ancient Roman empire, the foot soldiers wore hard, studded shoes, able to grip in the dirt and give them a firm stance while in battle. When we stand on the Word of God, we as Christians establish a stance on a foundation that can not be shaken, thus giving us balance and stability to not only withstand an attack, but to fight back and defeat our enemy!
4. Keep your eyes up! When performing a squat, one of the basic rules is to pick a spot out somewhere high or the wall or on the ceiling, and focus on it. This eliminates both the distractions around you and the possibility of falling forward. What do I mean by that? Well, basically, wherever your eyes are focused- your body will go that way. If I'm doing a squat but looking at the floor, my body will want to tend to go where the eyes are looking, thus I would fall forward with all of that weight on my shoulders. Huh, sound familiar? When we keep our eyes downward (focused on worldly things), we tend to lose focus and fall. However, when we keep our eyes fixed upwards on God, we remain still and can fight through the resistance. (Se Psalms 121:1-2 & 123:2c)
5. Keep your "core" tight. Your core is the middle of your body- your abdomen, low back, spine, and all of the stabilizer muscles that are in between. Without a strong core, you will never reach your maximum potential in working out. Think of it like this: if I have very strong legs and a strong upper body, but the middle (trunk portion) of me is soft and unconditioned, how can I possibly expect to handle a lot of weight on my shoulders and reach my squat goal? Could I do it? Probably- but I would be very shaky coming up and could get hurt. The final piece of advice my friend gave me before I performed the lift was to put ALL of my focus and attention on having a strong and tight core when I attempted my lift. I cut everything else out. I focused on my breathing and I tightened my abs- all at the moment of resistance. As followers of Jesus Christ- ALL of our focus, attention, and mind must be focused on Him. When Christ is our core (not our families, money, jobs, hobbies, etc...) and we put the emphasis on our relationship with Him, we will stand strong and firm when placed with that spiritual resistance on our shoulders! Just like He tells us in Matthew 22:37: "You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind." (NKJV) Place Him as your center and everything else will stand strong.
Once I had all of these points in place- I placed myself in position to go for my goal. I stepped back from the squat rack, my shoulders supporting more weight than they had ever done before. I was ready. Down I went and without any help from my spotter, I rose strongly and boldly to a new personal best in squats! I had done it, I had finally reached a goal that had only been a dream before hand! Confidently I racked the weight and high-fived my buddy. Since then, I have done the same lift several more times. Did the weight (resistance) change? No- I am now more CONDITIONED to handle it. The same goes in life- some resistance will never change (dealing with difficult people, finances, stress, etc...), we just become more conditioned to handle it as we grow in our walk with the Lord. I pray this has been helpful for you. You may be going through the same trials and tribulations over and over right now, but are you growing or are you just getting beat up? No matter what, it's time to come boldly to the throne; surround yourself with a godly support system; stand firm on the Word of God; keep your eyes on Jesus; and make Him your core. If you do all of these things, you will become your absolute best in Him!
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