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Exercising our Spiritual Muscles

2/26/2017

Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please!
                                                                               I Timothy 4:8(Message Bible)
Hello Friend,
            I’m wondering—do you make time to go to the gym? Or do you walk three times a week for 30 minutes to keep your heart healthy? If you answered yes, good for you. For many years, I faithfully worked out at a gym. Ok, I know what you’re thinking—she doesn’t look it. Well, that’s because I got lazy and my workouts became less and less frequent and then I quit. Hence, I don’t have the endurance that I once had, or the shape either. Flab has replaced muscle. And I am not as strong as I used to be.   Physical training is important especially as we age.
            Now about our scripture for this week, are you exercising your faith? According to the Word, “Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever.” Are you training for a godly life? If so, what are your routines?   Do you read a daily devotional—they call it a “daily” devotional for a reason.   Do you have a regular prayer time? We need a disciplined spiritual life to keep us strong so that when we are put to the test, when trials and temptations come (and they surely will) we are ready for the challenge. I have a neighbor who is in training for a mini-triathlon. Every day he is either running, swimming in the Gulf, or riding his bike—every day. He knows that his body will be put to the test. He needs physical stamina and endurance for the long haul. Waiting for the day of the race and then shouting up a prayer, “Lord, help me,” seems ludicrous, but just as silly is not exercising your spiritual muscles until an emergency comes and being caught with a weak faith.
            Are your spiritual muscles strong? Paul says in Philippians 3:14, “I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running and I’m not turning back.”    Friends, don’t make excuses. Today is the day to start your spiritual training.   Make the commitment to exercise your faith; the prize is yours for the asking.
My personal trainer is the best. His name is Jesus and He has room on his schedule for you,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Linda
Prayer: Lord, I choose to grow my spiritual muscles. Train me. Amen

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Building the Temple

2/19/2017

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Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.                                                                             Zechariah 4: 10    (NLB)

Hello Friend,
            Zerubbabel was given the responsibility of rebuilding the new Temple in Jerusalem. Many of the older Jews were disheartened when they saw this new Temple would not match the size and splendor of the previous Temple built during King Solomon’s reign. The Lord spoke to Zechariah, the prophet, and said “It is not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit. Nothing, not even a mighty mountain, will stand in Zerubbabel’s way” (verse 6).
            How does this scripture speak to your heart? It is not your responsibility to build a temple. Really? Listen to what Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 3:16. “You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple” (Message).
            You are given the responsibility of building the temple. Have you laid the foundation? You need to begin somewhere and small beginnings are ok. God will be delighted to see the work begin. Perhaps you need to pick a church and make a commitment to attend regularly. Do you have a special prayer time set aside each day? Are you faithful in reading Scripture? We all want to have a faith that will move mountains—a faith that will support us when life brings us a Mount Everest. Yet, we are often consumed with building our stock portfolio, with pumping up our resume, with creating a lifestyle that our paycheck can’t support. But we cannot force or muster enough strength to maintain these outward manifestations of wealth. It is God who promotes and in due season, he will reward the faithful. In our small beginnings, we are developing character and laying the foundation for future promotions. Too often people become famous or achieve career goals and their character cannot sustain them. You have seen their fall in the news.     A Chinese Proverb reads, “The person who removes a mountain begins by carrying away small stones.” So, get your pick and shovel and start the process of building your temple. God is watching and is cheering you on in your efforts.

Prayer: Lord, remove my hardhat of stubbornness and allow your Spirit to infuse my mind. Make your home in my heart, I pray.
                        Becoming a good architect by following God’s blueprints.                                                                                  Linda

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Love doesn't keep score

2/12/2017

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Love doesn’t keep score of the sins of others.                                                                                                                                                                              1 Corinthians 13:6 (Message)
Hello Friend,
            All of us are in relationships; we can’t hide or seek solitude on a deserted island, you and I are surrounded by people. When we leave our beds, we are greeted by our family. At work, the market, the gym, or the beach, we are forced to have interactions with people. They encircle us and entangle us in an intricate web. Some relationships are healthy and encourage us to grow and use our God-given talents and abilities. Then we encounter “those” people who have issues causing us to be miserable. Of course, if we are well adjusted, we learn to set healthy boundaries. Having been married for 50 years, I’ve often thought I would be a better Christian if I lived alone.   Just kidding!
            Do you keep score of the sins of others?   I call this practice “Holy Bookkeeping.”   Jim used to say I had the memory of an elephant because I could remember way back to some incident that happened in the first year of our marriage and bring it up in an argument 10 0r 15 years later. Seldom do I recall the hurt I may have caused another. My side of the balance sheet looks pretty lilywhite. Perhaps we all need to do a “loving check-up.” Look through the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians and see where you are on God’s loving scale.

            “Love never gives up.    Love cares more for others than for self.
            Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others.
Here are a couple extra hard ones: Isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle.
            Puts up with anything, always looks for the best.

            I think if you are honest you get the idea. Maybe instead of keeping score of other’s wrongs, we need to monitor our hearts, our mouths, and our actions. Perhaps our weighing machine will be more in balance; perhaps those wobbly relationships will achieve stability. Wouldn’t that make God smile.
Prayer: Lord, I know that you love me unconditionally; you forgive my sins and encourage me to grow in grace.    Help me to love others as you love me.
                                    Learning to love in a kinder, gentler way,                                                                                                                                                                                                             Linda

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Exercising our Spiritual Muscles

Building the Temple

Love doesn't keep score

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