On last week, our Thought of the Week was on the need to EXERCISE! Now while we all know and try to focus on the importance of our physical health, that is not what we will focus on. Our focus is going to be on the importance of exercising for the sake of our spiritual health. We don't realize that there is some stress, some strain that we find ourselves in that even the best cardio routine or a walk around the track won't help us to sweat off. At many times, we find that when we workout, it brings about a sense of accomplishment, it soothes us, it releases some of the weight that we may feel. It helps to alleviate the load that we were carrying. However, after cooling down, you find that the same issues that you used working out as an attempt to ignore are still saying, "Hey, Hey, Hey!". They are still cha-cha sliding all over your faith, your hope, and your ability to trust God. You move left and they cha-cha to the right, you move right and they cha-cha to the left, you move to the front, and they slide to the back, because those trials want to keep you cornered. Every time you think you have slid away from them, when you try to move in the next direction, they are right there waiting. Well seems to me that this is going to take a different type of workout. You are going to have to EXERCISE for the PRIZE!

 

We sometimes find ourselves in need of some spiritual cardio. First, let's talk about cardio in a natural sense:

 

What exactly is cardio exercise?

 

Cardio exercise is also known as aerobics. The term aerobic is defined as:

• requiring of or the use of oxygen

• using oxygen to meet energy demands during exercise via aerobic metabolism

 

Cardio exercise is:

• when one repeats sequences of light to moderate intensity for set periods of extended time

• cardio exercise involves using the repetitive contraction of large muscle groups to get your heart beating faster

 

Cardio helps to strengthen our heart and blood vessels and improve the flow of oxygen in our body.

 

Now Let's Explore our Spiritual Health

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"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."                                                                                                                                           -Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV)

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Running is seen as one of the best forms of cardio but let's be honest. While running is known to be beneficial, it sometimes feels like it sucks all the air out of us. If we are to be truthful, in the same sense, keeping our eyes on God in order to win the race, feels like it sucks all of the air out of us. However, we know for a fact that it is beneficial.

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No matter where we look or where we turn it seems like something is always in the way. It at times feels like we can't catch a break. And because of the persistence of these distractions, our faith is weakened, our trust in God is weakened, our ability to not waver is weakened, and our resistance to temptation and sin is weakened. We lose our endurance to give all things to God. We lose our ability to cast all of our cares upon Him. We bend in whatever direction our situations take us. We must train ourselves to be just as persistent as the distractions and trials that taunt us. WE MUST RUN!

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RUNNING WITH PERSERVERENCE

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Now while physical running is a form of natural cardio, spiritual running involves a different type of running. Spiritual running is a cardio exercise in itself as it requires a repeated step of sequences of the large muscle groups. It requires a repeated sequence of:

• Praying

• Fasting

• Praising

• Worship

• Reading the Word

• Relationship with God

• Believing 

• Trust

• Faith

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It is through these things and these things alone that we are able to persevere as Hebrews instructs us. It is through these things and these things alone that enable us to keep our eyes on God. It is through these things that we can better resist the sins, temptations, and distractions that come to attack us and weigh us down.

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Body Goals?

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Now we all have that person that we may look at and go, "That's the type of body I want." We call them Body Goals. There are people whose workout regimen you might follow if there are particular physical features that they have that you want to develop your physique into looking like. Whether it be the definition or muscle tones of someone's arms or legs, or maybe a waist size, or overall build, you notice the physical features of that certain individual and it may either make you want to get in shape like them and if you were to be honest may even make you blush. We may put a picture of this individual on our phone, on our vision board, or our screensaver as inspiration for what we are trying to accomplish as it concerns our own body and physical health goals.

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As it concerns a person with an outstanding Spiritual Physique, we have one of the greatest examples of spiritual strength to follow. He is the greatest runner of all time. The only REAL G.O.A.T. although everyone wants the claim to the title. You don't have to have a social media account to follow him. You can look at his workout plan and discover his bio simply by opening not a fitness magazine but by opening the Word of God, by opening the Holy Bible. And in case you still don't know his name, his name is Jesus, Emmanuel, the Son, Savior.

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He has the greatest title in heavyweight history and is the only one to receive the title. We call it a CROWN. He is known for his overcoming the greatest fight of all time. They thought that they killed him, they thought it was a TKO, but in 3 days, he made HIStory. He simply ROSE! What would have been impossible to man, became "simply" to him (although gained through turmoil and persecution) because of who he is and who his Father is.

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Many people downplayed the ability of the Son. They did not think he had it in him to do what his Father did. His Father was a record breaker. His Father was known to be unmatched in almost every aspect of life. Actually, He was labeled and rightfully so, an undefeatable champion. He did not play the game, but He invented it. And while others try to pretend that they are greater than He is, they always lose.

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See Jesus' Father holds all titles. Therefore, it was hard for people to believe that the Son could do the same. His Father was always known as the greatest and not everyone had access to Him. But the Son, Jesus came along and from humble beginnings begin to become known to man. Because of where he was born and who he rolled with, many could not understand how he could possibly be powerful like the one whom he claimed to be his Father. They believed him to be merely the son of Joseph, but him being the Son of God, the one who created the heavens and the earth, many could not accept.

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Through being mocked, degraded, tested in the wilderness, persecuted, blasphemed, shamed, betrayed, ostracized in his own hometown, disowned, and rejected, he stayed focused. He kept his faith, he kept fighting, he kept trusting, he  kept believing, kept running, he kept training. He prayed, fasted, praised, worshipped, rooted himself in the Word, did not turn away from God but nurtured their relationship and most importantly HE BELIEVED IN WHO HE WAS AND WHO GOD CALLED HIM TO BE.

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No matter what man said, his sight, his attention, remained fixed on what God said, on what God commanded of him, on what God desired of him. He endured intense training, gaining discipline, and maintaining and perfecting a regimen that allowed him to endure the cross.

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Even when he felt persecuted, he forgave. When he for that very brief moment felt like God abandoned him, felt like God had forsaken him, he still submitted to God's will. He was going to follow God's plan even if his life depended on it (which it did).

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In Matthew 27:45-46 (NIV) we read, " From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eli, Eli,lema sabachthani?'(which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)".

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Sometimes even when we do all that we are supposed to do, when we partake in our full spiritual regimen, we may find ourselves in an afternoon of darkness. We might find ourselves in a place where we are so wrecked with pain, despair, and discouragement, because it feels like God has left us, it feels like God has done that thing that He promised us He would not do if we stood, if we exercised our faith, if we believed, if we submitted. It feels like God has forsaken us.

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We see that even Jesus, the "perfect" one had this moment where this very natural emotion hit him. As he hung, the agony penetrated him. And it was not because of what man had done to him, but it was because for the first time, he felt like God was not with him. For the very first time he felt separated from God.

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Jesus never had it easy, but he always had his relationship with God. Through his relationship he felt the connection, he felt God's warmth, he felt God's assurance, he felt God's love, he felt God's covering, but in this moment because he was the ultimate sacrifice for all of our sins, although he was perfect, God had to allow him to feel what any "true sinner" would have felt had they been the one hanging on that cross. He had to feel separated from the very one who chose him to become heir to the throne.

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God had to allow Jesus to feel what it meant to be separated from Him. And if you've ever been there, it is not a pretty feeling. You see Jesus had mastered the opinions and persecution of men in his natural life as he walked the earth, and although before arriving to the cross all the way up to being hung, although beaten and bruised this was indeed painful but even so, that is not what moved him. What wrecked him was feeling like God had left his side. He called out to God not from a point of Son to Father but from a perspective of person to God. At this point he had become "sinner" crying out to God as such.

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Yet, here's what we must understand, and this is why we must not lose sight of what's at work in our darkest hour. If we read Luke 23:44-46, examine the following details:" It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last" (NIV).

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First of all, if we examine this account of the crucifixion, it does not just describe darkness, but it states that the sun stopped shining. Why is this significant? Well in Genesis 1:3-5 it states, "And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.  God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day" (NIV).

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God created light and darkness. He and He alone controls it. Let's not take this account lightly. It states that the sun stopped shining. Now we know it was day because the accounts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, tell us so. However, God brought about the darkness although it was day. This darkness was not just symbolic of God's anger and wrath against those who persecuted Jesus. This darkness also reflected Jesus' suffering. His feeling of what he was enduring. However, we must also realize that this darkness represented purpose. It was within this darkness that prophecy was fulfilled.  While this darkness filled the land, the curtains of the temple were torn in two. It was during this darkness that the purpose was fulfilled. The veil was torn in two which meant that we were no longer separated from God. It meant that God no longer dwelled in manmade temples, but He now dwelled within us. We now had personal access to God. It was in this darkness that the ultimate sacrifice, the one and only final sacrifice was made on our behalf.

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Understand that darkness is not always a punishment. Sometimes your darkness is nothing more than God separating you from the things that bind you so that you can be purposed. So that you can fulfill what He has called you to do. And just as Jesus yielded and submitted to God's will, just as he exercised his devotion, just as he exercised his faith and trust in God to complete what God called him to do, we must do the same.

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Jesus had every reason to feel forsaken in that moment. As he walked the earth, from our human perspectives, we could understand if he became discouraged, tired, angry, disappointed, and every other emotion that he felt because he was in a space in which he constantly was expected to "prove" who he was. He was constantly tested by man. He even much like us had a wilderness experience. However, he did not lose sight of his purpose.

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You find moments in the bible when his discipline caused him to separate himself to rest, to pray, to be alone so that he could focus on what he was called to do. He had to bear a cross before physically bearing the cross. Even his disciples who moved alongside him had their issues which could have caused him to walk away from it all. Even his own disciples did not always get what he did or why he did it. They were human. They were not perfect. And Jesus accepted that. He understood their human error and tried to correct them as much he could and teach them what they needed to know so that they too could be contenders. Regardless of his human emotions, he stood in the midst of it all. He recognized man for who man was and kept his focus on his purpose. If there is anybody's workout regimen that we should follow as it concerns our spiritual health, Jesus' is the first to follow. He is our example without flaws.

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Now for those who still have a hard time seeing Jesus as human because we all know he was perfect, being that we all know he was without sin, let's talk about some other individuals with cardio plans that might be beneficial to you.

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When it comes to praying and praise there is a Hebrew boy by the name of Daniel whose cardio plan helped him to enter a lion's den and walk out without blemish or harm.

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When it comes to worship and believing in what we ask God and believing in the power of God, we have the undefeatable team known as the Hebrew Boys. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abendego whose faith in God allowed them to go through fire and not be burnt.

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Praying, praise, relationship with God, and believing was the regimen of that little shepherd boy, but MIGHTY WARRIOR, that we know as King David. And if Jesus seemed too perfect for you to relate to, David was an adulterer and murderer. However, he repented and never turned back from doing God's will. Even in the midst of his mistake, he acknowledged who God was. No matter what David faced, he praised his way through. No matter how distressed he found himself, he trusted God to do what he knew man could not do. He trusted God to guide his paths. He never wavered from his calling. He knew if he fell how to grab hold to God, repent, and get back in the game and simply WIN!

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And consider Paul the Apostle, once a persecutor to the saints. However, after choosing to follow God and dedicating himself to God, he was disciplined. He stayed in his word. He stayed in fasting and prayer. He nurtured his relationship with God, and he intently disciplined and nurtured his spirit. He understood the importance of spiritual nourishment.

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Our spiritual cardio, our spiritual running, is going to vary depending on what we are training for and what obstacles we must overcome. Depending on the particulars of our race, our focal areas may be different. However, they will all consist of some of the same use of muscles listed above. And depending on what we are facing, there are certain muscles that must be strengthened and exercised more than others.  

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How Bad do you Want It: THE PRIZE

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We all have celebrities we admire. Many of us have individuals whose physique we would like to have. Many of us have characters from movies or literature who inspire us, but what about biblical heroes? Who in the bible are you crushing on? Who in the bible would you like to be like. And here comes the a-ha moment!

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The truth is, not too many people want to be like anyone in the bible because they had to go through TOO MUCH to become who they were. We all flock to being like the superstars of the world, whose real lives we won't ever know unless they end up on the local news, and even then, are their full stories ever really told?  Many of us admire the fame of celebrities and the access that they have. And social media far too often shows us that there are many who will do whatever it takes to become like these said celebrities.

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There are people who will sacrifice whatever they have to sacrifice to become social media verified, to become known and accepted by man. However, while we may admire the story of some of the biblical men and women, while we may admire and honor their faith, their courage, their strength, their sacrifice, their perseverance, their trust in God, not too many of us want to be like them.

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Now it is quite easy to understand why none of us would want to choose to have to go through the turmoil that these individuals went through, but my question is why is it so easy for people to endure to be like the celebrities of the world and receive social media verification yet no one wants to endure for the sake of pleasing God and becoming verified by God? The truth is, even those who find themselves choosing celebrity life over biblical life may not know the answer.

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One difference is that celebrity life even when faced with scandal and undeniable drama still paints a picture of success, wealth, and things that appease us. Things that nurture those fleshly desires. People who are struggling won't mind celebrity drama versus the drama of trying to figure out how to pay for tuition, mortgage, doctor bills, car insurance, and all the other expenses that it seems like everyone is struggling to pay. There are many who still think that even if money can't make you happy, they still want a personal attempt to test it out.

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From our human perspective, those biblical examples don't satisfy our flesh although they nurture our spirits because we see that they had to sacrifice, they had to lose some things, give up some things, overcome some things, be torn apart by some things and then they received thrones, land, pastures, and all kinds of reward from God. God blessed them above measure. And while we all want to be blessed like them, not many want to take the chance to test it out. We want the inheritance of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with a test that could be passed by the Three Little Pigs. However, we can undergo some huffing, and some puffing, but by the time our houses get blown down we are in our feelings and find ourselves one step from walking away from God telling him to "kick rocks". Which will get us one step closer to "the belly of the whale". Even if in all honesty it does not feel like it's worth it, when God turns things dark for His purpose, it is always worth it even if we truthfully never want to endure again what we had to endure to overcome it. Jesus now has all power in his hands and no matter what any of us will ever have to endure it will never compare to Christ's bearings.

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Another thing that we must understand about spiritual cardio is that just as with our natural bodies, our natural workout plans, we will not always see instant results. Jesus did EVERYTHING RIGHT! Yet, he still had to go through. Jesus was around 30 years old when he started his ministry. Reflect on that. God promised the coming of a Messiah and from the time that he made that promise to the time that He spoke to Mary through an angel, from the time Joseph accepted Jesus as his son, from the time Mary gave birth to Jesus, and by the time Jesus started his ministry this was nowhere between a skip and a hop. We are talking about time that many of us would not have had the ability to count or keep track of. Promise does not happen overnight. You are not going to see instant results as soon as you become dedicated to prayer, praise, worship, relationship with God and all those other things that are part of exercising your spiritual health. Jesus had to walk the earth, go through trials, be crucified, die, rise, and now he sits on a throne. His reward was not instant although the promise was automatic.

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Just as natural cardio strengthens our heart and helps our oxygen to flow, our spiritual cardio, our Praying, Fasting, Praising, Worship, Reading the Word, Relationship with God, Believing, Trusting and Having Faith, strengthens our spirit when it becomes weak. It helps us to breathe when we feel like we are being suffocated by life.

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Committing to exercise for the sake of our natural health is never easy. Neither is committing ourselves to God for the sake of our spiritual health. However, while it is not easy, it is indeed possible. And you have a bible full of spiritual fitness experts to look to for inspiration. However, God and God alone is the one who you must allow to lead and guide you. Allow His Spirit to lead yours.

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Life is rough in itself. And trying to survive life without God is even worse. Whatever you do, don't become complacent as it concerns your spiritual health because while you might be able to make it throughout life without working out, without having an exercise regimen for your physical body, you MUST nurture your spiritual health. You must nurture your spirit with the things of God, or it will become vexed, weakened, and confused, which will eventually cause you to yield to the sins, temptations, and distractions that are auditioning to take the lead role in your life.

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No matter how much easier it is to throw in the towel, REMEMBER THE PRIZE and adjust your focus ACCORDINGLY. I can't make you any promises, but I can tell you with the upmost assurance that ANYTHING THAT YOU DO FOR THE WILL OF GOD will always result in a WIN WIN! You do want to win, DON'T YOU? Then what are you waiting for, WORK IT OUT! We are HEIRS of the one and only G.O.A.T.