Archive for July, 2007

This week, as an extension of Sunday’s message, (link will be posted later) we continue talking about taking care of our physical body.

One of the things that can really help you to stay committed to your decisions is accountability. Regardless of what you have committed you need someone that can ask the question, "hey, what about ___________?" This is never more necessary than in the area of consistent exercise.

My workout time of choice is early AM for a number of reasons, biggest of which is it is the only time that I can consistently KEEP in my schedule (and if you can’t be consistent, what’s the point?). Consistency is key in developing good habits so find something that really works for you.

(side note: I HATE getting up in the 5am range during the school year to work out – I JUST HATE IT! However, there is no other time that fits into the busy schedule that I keep. Any other time, at least in this period of my life, cuts into something that is more important to me; ie: my family, you, my ministry, etc…)

Because of the time that I have to work out, I have a hard time finding (and then keeping) workout partners. Most people don’t have to work out that early and thus, when it gets real hard to continue, will quit on me (for a variety of reasons) which makes attending EVEN HARDER. I like having a partner for the purpose of accountability; On those mornings that I am having a hard time rolling out of bed, it makes it easier to make it happen when I know that I am standing someone up.  But even though I can’t seem to find a consistent partner I continue, because as I said Sunday, I DO have a plan for my body. It’s important to me so I sacrifice time that I would rather be in bed to do what I know is beneficial for me both physically AND (in many ways to me, most importantly) spiritually.

This is part of my plan along with trying to make better eating choices daily – QUESTION: Do you have a plan designed yet for you? What does your plan look like?

if I ask you that question, how would you answer? Most everyone who reads me is a follower of Christ, so naturally they will answer with the "stock" answer, "Jesus is my master". Of course – I would expect you to say that.

"where there is no vision the people perish" Proverbs 29. You know, I can honestly say that when it comes to my body and health, the word vision has never entered into my thinking prior to Life Development Plan. Do you have a vision for your health?

But really, who’s pulling the strings in your life – you or JESUS? In your physical life, who is in control of your body – have you allowed it to become a spiritual issue yet? What if I told you that, if you struggle with doing the right things with your body, neither JESUS or you are in control?

"Then who do you think is, mike p?" Thanks for asking; most people are slaves to their desires. There’s a word that brings up pictures, huh? Most of us are slaves to our pleasure – our likes and habits – living a life that constantly craves to fulfill our wants. Many people would rather do "what they feel like doing" than to do WHAT THEY KNOW THEY SHOULD and will make conscious decisions to do the wrong thing to fulfill that desire.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 6:12, "Everything is permissible for me-but not everything is beneficial… I will not be mastered by anything." To be mastered by something refers to you being a slave to something – in other words, you have no control over what ever you are mastered by – almost as if you have NO say-so in the matter. What is it you just can’t get a grip on?

• maybe it’s saying no to that late night snack (you know, the small one I gave in to last night – I was "STARVING"!)
• maybe it’s turning off that tv and deciding to read your bible for a while…
• maybe it’s pushing away that last little bit on your plate ("but I’m not "stuffed", I could eat that!" Yeah, you could OR you can be in control of your body, telling your desire, "I’m in control here, and I feel fine.") An exercise in self-control.
• maybe it’s praying instead of surfing the net or playing that video game…
• maybe it’s talking to your spouse and/or your kidz INSTEAD of checking out the game.

Honestly, Who would you say is your master? Surrender your desire to JESUS – it IS a spiritual issue – if you do this in your power you will get YOUR results; do it in God’s power and you can get more than results – you’ll get power, strength, mercy, love, forgiveness and a better direction for your life. Most importantly, you can find His vision for your body.

…whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control. (Proverbs 25:28)

How’s the Life Development Plan actually coming for you? Are you doing something? Followin’ through on the suggestions made? Gradually making changes that are going to impact your life? Are you praying your way through this, keeping it a spiritual issue and not an issue of "will-power"?

Today, we’re talking about you – well, your body to be exact; here’s my question for you today:

Where do you think God wants you to be physically?

For me, this is an issue that I really struggle with. Many years of bad choices with my body have me personally feeling like I’m fighting an uphill battle. It seems that, in many areas of life, I just don’t know when to stop and you know the old saying, "too much of even a good thing can be bad." Although today I’m talking about our physical body, truth is, this is really an issue of self-control.

We have to realize that the way we take care of our body IS a spiritual issue – I have noticed a direct correlation between my management of my body and the depth of my prayer and bible reading schedule – ie. when I’m consistently working out, my spiritual life is better. Why?

I think it’s because I’m making myself do something that I don’t wanna do, and as I do it I purposely make it a spiritual issue, praying to God and saying something to the effect of, "Lord, I’m doing this to take care of Your body; I know that I have allowed ME (the spiritual word is my flesh) to be too strong, often allowing the ME side of me to be dominant over You and Your Spirit in me. I pray that You will increase in me, that I will decrease…" Self-Control IS a fruit of the spirit – He gives it to us as a tool; the problem is that we have to actually use it. According to the scripture above, the person who lacks self-control has no protection; self-control is the wall that keeps "bad things" out. Think about that…

Question: HOW MIGHT YOUR LIFE BE AFFECTED IF YOU MADE THE CARE OF YOUR BODY MORE OF A SPIRITUAL ISSUE THAN A VANITY/SELF-ESTEEM ISSUE? HOW MIGHT YOUR LIFE BE CHANGED, BEGINNING TODAY, IF GOD WAS INVITED TO HELP YOU IN THIS AREA? I look forward to hearing from you.