12 Help, Lord; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.
2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
3 The Lord shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.
6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
7 Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.
8 The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted. Psalm 12 (KJV)
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer
The Morning Inspiration
It is impossible to live without trust. Only question is who or what we’re going to trust? Physical beauty and strength may fade, mental beauty and smarts can be lost, and cash flow often goes faster than it comes. Here is the knowledge and trust that saves from all vanity: JESUS CHRIST LIVES! And He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Our attention represents the eyes of our spirit. When our spiritual eyes are fixed on Jesus, our default way of thinking will be conformed to His image. It is unwise to neglect the command to renew the mind with the Word. Like all the commands of God, they are given for our benefit. Truly His yoke is easy and His burden light. His commands are not burdensome, so make your calling and election sure. God is holy and heaven is a holy place. Therefore, let us by the grace of God be willing to be made fit for it. Choose the good part like Mary the sister of Martha. Sit at the feet of Jesus. Open your Bible and hear His word (Luke 10:38-42). His every command is also a promise. All that He commands, He has promised to work in us to will and do (Philippians 2:13). All things are possible if we are willing to believe. The Almighty God of heaven and earth has spoken, and it is written in the Holy Book for our understanding.
Today’s Question to Consider
What does it mean to sup with the Lord (Revelation 3:20)?
I suppose it was a little over 20 years ago since I went through one of those special military training courses that only a few dare to volunteer to attend. It’s the kind of course that requires you to sign a wavier stating in effect that if they break or kill you, your family can’t sue the government. I was the senior enlisted one, so I stood out front and received the lion’s share of the beat downs. The beatings are mostly forgotten now, but one thing that this one particular bad guy would say has been coming to mind repeatedly over the last couple of days. He was built like a NFL linebacker and his favorite catch phrase before he knocked me down was “you shouldn’t have let me know you got the small victory.” He would say that in English with some kind of weird accent that was unrecognizable, and then wham! He would strike me right up side my head. Nothing says realistic training like a few good stiff blows to the face and head.
I’ve been thinking about small victories a lot lately. Not the unrecognizable ones that I suffered for way back when, but the ones that I’m racking up right now. Fruit, both spiritual and physical, need both cultivation and time. It can sometimes seem like forever before that first tiny blade pops through the top soil, but the watering and vigorous weeding with the rake and other garden tools is needed daily. First the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn in the ear (Mark 4:26-29). It is easy to become impatient and discouraged unless you learn to focus on the small victories. Completed actions, no matter how tiny the step in the right direction, are small victories. It’s unlikely that anyone will celebrate putting in today’s work when they’re totally focused only on results. Consider today’s work a small victory though, and it will keep your motivation high to continue working for the harvest. The farmer who digs up the seed or stops watering because he doesn’t see any evidence of corn, will only be disappointed. Better to just take care of the little day to day things, and the bigger victory will take care of itself.
My Workouts this Week
Monday and Thursday are still my kettlebell workout days. I’ve divided up my full light dumbbell routine into two workouts instead of one. So, I’m still hitting the same exercises twice in the week, but now they are spread over four days instead of just two. Light dumbbell work is now scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. It looks like the same amount of work on paper, but the effect has left me sore all over. Not complaining. Just a sign that this new split has increased the intensity even though I haven’t increase the weight, sets, or reps. I have added a few new exercises, but these are to improve my one leg squat strength. I have also taken my calf routine and split it up doing one superset at the end of each workout. Again, no change in volume, but now I’m hitting my calves six days a week.
I was really sore when I woke up yesterday morning. I was sore when I went to bed, and I felt sore each time throughout the night when my sleep became light with tossing and turning. I adjusted my morning wake up time from 2:15 AM to 2:00 AM this week. I haven’t always gotten up so early. I would much rather sleep in and get up at a nice normal 4:30 AM, but then that would require me to have a new job that I wouldn’t have to start at 7 AM. Does it really take me six hours each day to get ready for work? No, not at all, but it does take me at least six hours to do what I do before I go to work. The first hour of the day I spend reading the Bible followed by prayer. This has been my first small victory of each day for over 15 years now. I spend the next hour getting my daily devotional blog ready to post. Sometimes it takes a little more time. Sometimes it takes a little less. I set it to auto publish at 4:30, and that’s small victory number 2. I then move straight into my physical workout for the day. I schedule 90 minutes for my workouts. It usually takes me closer to two hours on non-work days, but I try really hard to finished by 6 AM on days when I will be going to work. That gives me an hour to take care of personal hygiene, get dress, eat breakfast, and be ready to go by 7. And that’s small victory number 3. Who knows what the rest of the day may hold, but at least if you start the day with a small victory of your choosing, you are much more likely to win the entire day.
Today’s Workout
I got up when the alarm went off at 2 AM as usual. I started getting dress, but I was really feeling like I needed more sleep. I set my alarm for 30 minutes and got back in bed. I lay there in a half-awake-half-asleep state for about 15 minutes. I finally admitted that wasn’t working, turned off the alarm, got up and got busy with my morning routine. Surprisingly, once I got things moving, I felt much better than yesterday. Not as sore and stronger. It saw surprising, because it has been a long tiring week and I wasn’t even sure if I was going to be able to complete every session of this new training plan outlined above. I got a tremendous pump though. Small victory achieved. Rest day tomorrow, then look to repeat next week.
Here’s what I did today:
PLANNED
ACTUAL
COMMENTS
Start/Finish – 4:30/6:00am
about 5:00-7:00am
No rushing to the finish, and no wasted time.
Daily Min. (Floor)
long version
Vitalizer
about 11 mins
Ab Wheel
as planned
Getting better at control and focus
Light Dumbbell (5lbs.)
as planned
Shoulders: 5 moves, 30+1 reps each move Traps: 2 moves, 30+1 reps each move Back: 4 moves, 30+1 reps each move
Patrick Step-down
as planned
15 reps on right, 15 reps on left, and 5 more reps on right (right felt much weaker so I gave it a few extra reps)
Calf Superset
as planned
Squatting Calf Raise/Tiba Raise 30/30/20
Mandatory Poses
as planned
First time this week when I still felt strong while hitting these
The purpose of this blog is to encourage, inspire, and connect with other like-minded Christians. Subscribe with your email. Leave some comments pertaining to the faith, fitness, bodybuilding, and working out. Praying that all who find this blog may be blessed by it.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Psalm 91:8-13 (KJV)
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer
The Morning Inspiration
Half-stepping in the Christian life, in eating right, or in working out consistently will hinder our ability to model the gospel to a world that so desperately needs to see it. Worry is for unbelievers and is a sure indication of not knowing God well enough. Keep your mind fixed on who God is. Worry will flee from you when you remain in His presence, and His peace which surpasses all understanding will protect your heart. A doubleminded man should expect none of this however. The heart of the doubleminded is tossed about by winds that sometimes blow hot and sometimes blow cold. Being wishy-washy creates a lukewarm commitment and an incomplete consecration to Jesus Christ. The full blessings are reserved for those who place their all on the alter before God and leave it there for all selfishness to be consumed by God’s holy fire. Do not be content with merely arranging and re-arranging the pieces of the sacrifice on the altar. Pray for fire from above! Believe and receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire. He who promised is faithful, therefore He will surely do it.
Today’s Question to Consider
Choice, decision, will, or feelings, which of these is totally unnecessary in order to receive any blessing from the Lord?
115 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
9 O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
11 Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
14 The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
15 Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth. Psalm 115:1-15 (KJV)
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer
The Morning Inspiration
All confidence in wonder pills, breakthrough powders, premier programs, technological marvels, quick-fixes, short-cuts, and self-effort must be shaken. Only with a burning desire for truth is the dross removed from the gold. Convince yourself once and for all of the truth of the gospel: All the promises of God are yes in Christ Jesus. You have been set apart to love the Lord God with all your heart. And you know that no matter what happens, everything works out for good for those who love the Lord. Start with being content with what you have and where you are right now. Though things may be difficult for you right now, give all to God and do not take a backward step. Hold fast your faith while God fits you for greater works. Knowing that all God has foreordained concerning you will come to be. Because God is God, you shall be exactly as God wants you to be. It cannot be otherwise for a willing heart that trusts in God.
Today’s Question to Consider
Why does James 1:2 instruct us to consider the testing of our faith as pure joy?
106 Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
2 Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord? who can shew forth all his praise?
3 Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.
4 Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;
5 That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.
6 We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.
7 Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.
8 Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.
9 He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.
10 And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
47 Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.
48 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 106:1-10, 47-48 (KJV)
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer
The Morning Inspiration
Strength is not renewed by diet, exercise, and rest alone. Strength is also a spiritual fruit. Make the spiritual tree good and the fruit will be good as well. Do not be content with a secondhand knowledge of God. Taste and see that the Lord is good for yourself. Working out our salvation has to do with willfully demonstrating the change God has created within us into our everyday life and way of living. This is the working out of what God has worked within. The greatest gains are made by standing firm in the face of the resistance provided by the wickedness of this fallen world. Faith grows strong with testing, with preservice, and with patience. Trust in God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He asks each of us just as He did the blind men: “Do you believe I am able to do this?” We must first choose to believe that God is able, and then to acknowledge the fact that He is also willing to grant all that He has promised. The chief of our faculties is the will. The will must hold the default meditation of the heart to the rule of faith. It is natural for the emotions to respond automatically to what the eyes see, which will often leave us suspectable to evil thoughts from within. Still, being born again by the Spirit makes us free to exercise our will in order to keep the heart firm in faith. Assurance of the truth comes in time. The essence of the Gospel promise is this: come to the Lord just as you are, be transformed, and all things will become new. Trust the Lord. Be strong and courageous. The God who has commanded us is almighty and forever faithful. The promise ask and you shall receive belongs to those who choose to please God.
Today’s Question to Consider
God has given us a spiritual credit card in the name of Jesus Christ that has no limit. What is it then that hinders us from using it?
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
12 I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: and I will glorify thy name for evermore.
13 For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from the lowest hell.
14 O God, the proud are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men have sought after my soul; and have not set thee before them.
15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, long suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.
17 Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me may see it, and be ashamed: because thou, Lord, hast holpen me, and comforted me. Psalm 86:11-17 (KJV)
he Prayer Appointed for This Week
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer
The Morning Inspiration
There is only so much that can be achieved by working to strengthen the physical body alone. We certainly have need of our physical strength and our bodily functions in this life, but these things profit little unless the inner life is set right before the eyes of God as well. Funerals and the grave are stark reminders of our physical limitations in this life. Go first to God, but not for His gifts. Seek God simply as a child desiring to know his Father. Our first priority must be in restoring our proper relationship with God. This will bring healing for the inner life as well as provide health to the body and nourishment to the bones. Only in Christ Jesus does life have true hope and death loses its sting.
33 Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
2 Praise the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
4 For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee. Psalm 33:1-4, 18-22 (KJV)
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer
The Morning Inspiration
Whenever we make the decision to get fit, we must resist the temptation to look for shortcuts. Lasting fitness doesn’t happen in a few weeks, and working out doesn’t get easier in only a few days. Just consistently do the work and fruit will grow with faith and patience in due time. God has granted all spiritual blessings to those who are in Christ Jesus. It has already been granted. First seek the leading of the Spirit to know what you should ask. Then ask God in faith, go to work, and at just the proper time you will receive. That order is important to understand. Faith must come first and what can be seen will always come after. Ask God and wait with an eager expectation of seeing your prayer’s fulfillment. God has promised, and there are no details too small, nothing too big, nor anything too hard for the Lord. No good thing will He withhold from those who love Him.
Today’s Question to Consider
It has been said that sometimes the way up is further down. How can this be so?
Swinging a sledgehammer under the morning moonlight.
Every Man Needs a Sledgehammer
I bought a sledgehammer a couple of days ago. In the process of using it, I discovered quite unexpectedly an additional bonus use for the tool. I was so happy about it that this blog seemed to popped out.
Use 1:
I bought this sledgehammer to solve the difficultly I was having splitting wood from the tree in my backyard that was trimmed last spring. I’ve never split any wood to make firewood before, but I’ve seen it done in the movies. I remember the little girl in the last Jurassic Park movie doing it with ease. And then there was Captain America who was ripping firewood apart with his bare hands in the last Avenger movie. With his bare hands! Granted, lots of your typical Hollywood special effects, but I had no idea how hard it actually was to do it until I tried it.
My first mistake was in buying the least expensive axe I could find. They had bigger, heavier, and much more expensive axes at the local home improvement store. I just didn’t see the need until I came home with my basement bargain wood handled axe and went to work. I don’t think I got a single piece split that day. I went back to the store a day or so later still not suspecting it was the poor choice of the axe that was the problem. I thought that maybe the wood wasn’t dry enough yet, and what I needed was a wedge to get the splitting started. So, I bought a 4 pound wedge and used the flat side of the axe to hammer it into the wood. Slow going, tough, and frustrating is probably the best way to describe my results thus far.
I have skills and experience though. Frustration made me decided to fall back on some of my more practical advice learned in the real world: If it doesn’t move when you hit it, hit it harder. I went back to the store looking for the biggest, baddest, heaviest hammer I could find. Came home with a 10 pound sledgehammer. I banged the wedge into the wood with the axe, and then used the sledgehammer to pound it though. It wasn’t a whole lot easier than what I been doing with just the axe and wedge, but it was a whole lot more effective and much more satisfying. Splitting wood by pounding a 4 pound wedge with a ten pound hammer is really satisfying. Use number 1 for a big hammer: use it for hitting stuff that needs to be hit hard.
Use 2:
A few years ago when I was living in Thailand, I decided that I wanted to try macebell training. A macebell is a big iron ball on the end of a big iron rod. These things are fashioned after the medical mace weapon. Something very primitive about swinging one of these things. The only one I could find in Thailand at the time weighed 10 kilos (that’s like 20.2 pounds). I was routinely tossing up 100s of pounds back then, so a took a mere 20 pound macebell lightly. It didn’t take me long after trying to swing that thing to change my mind though. You have to be able to manhandle a mace bell, and that 10 kilos was definitely manhandling me. I put that thing down and decided to make me a lighter version, or I would never be able to learn the technique. I ended up taping a couple of 2 litter bottles of water on the end of a bamboo broom stick to simulate a macebell. This worked and allowed me to learn the mace bell 360 and 10&2 moves. I loved using that macebell, once I could handle it. Real warrior training. I never thought about just buying a sledgehammer when I was making my bamboo water bottle mace trainer. It did when I was splitting wood last weekend. Use number 2 for a 10 pound sledgehammer: use it as a learning aide/warmup for macebell training.
96 Days Out from the Charolette Cup
Today was the first week back on my somewhat normal lifting routine. My 20 kilo kettlebell is the center piece of the day. Picked up my new sledgehammer and used it as a warm-up for the kettlebell lifts. Worked great. I didn’t realize how much I’ve been missing my macebell. May look to replace the one I left in Thailand. Great work. I’m feeling a little sore as I type this, but I think that’s a good trade.
The AM Workout
PLANNED
ACTUAL
COMMENTS
Start/Finish – 4:30/6:00am
4:45-655am
Going to set my wake-up time 15 minutes earlier.
Daily Min. (Feet)
long version
Ab roller
10 reps
Sledgehammer Swings
2 minutes
360s, 1 minute to the left, 1 minute to the right, no rest in-between
20 kg Kettlebell
as planned
Goblet Squat 10 reps Australian chin-up 4 sets of 5 reps Double Arm Swing American style 10 reps Dive Bomber Push-up 10 reps Snatch 10 reps each arm
Mandatory Poses
as planned
looking to streamline this to save a little more time
PM Workout
Will post update afterward.
PLANNED
ACTUAL
COMMENTS
Start/Finish – ? before dinner
Jump Rope Tabata
Tai-Chi
Stationary bike
The purpose of this blog is to encourage, inspire, and connect with other like-minded Christian men who are over the age of 40. Subscribe with your email. Leave some comments pertaining to the faith, fitness, bodybuilding, and working out. Praying that all who find this blog may be blessed by it.
147 Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.
2 The Lord doth build up Jerusalem: he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel.
3 He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.
4 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names.
5 Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
6 The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground.
7 Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:
8 Who covereth the heaven with clouds, who prepareth rain for the earth, who maketh grass to grow upon the mountains.
9 He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.
10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
12 Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise thy God, O Zion. Psalm 147:1-12 (KJV)
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer
The Morning Inspiration
Difficult circumstances and physical discomforts are often accompanied with the temptations to fear and doubt. These represent the flames of fire through which our faith must pass if it is to shine to the glory of God. That is to say, there are thoughts which have the appearance of truth in the natural, yet clearly contradict the Word of God. Such thoughts do not come from faith. Such thoughts arise from the best guess of the brain’s emotional center, which automatically produces feelings based off what it sees and has experienced in the past. These feelings are easily used to by inner tempter to produce a leaven of persuasive thoughts that draw us to self and the things of this earth rather than to faith and the things of the Lord. Such thoughts are often attempts to put us in fear so that our faith will be weakened and thereby our work hindered or left undone. Reject and dismiss faithless thoughts without entertaining them. Take heed and refuse the enemy’s bait to trap you running endlessly on a treadmill of human reasoning. Indeed, all the dark forces of this present world conspire to have us live in fear, uncertainty, and doubt. The solution is simple and effective. Trust in the living God and you will be free. Rejoice and trust in God Almighty. He has promised to strengthen your hands to do all He has called you to do. Yes Lord, I believe. Help Thou my unbelief.
Today’s Question to Consider
Is there an area of your life where the inner tempter has been getting the victory over your faith?
92 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O Most High:
2 To shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night,
3 Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with a solemn sound.
4 For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands.
5 O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
6 A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this. Psalm 92:1-6 (KJV)
The Prayer Appointed for This Week
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word, may shine with the radiance of Christ’s glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen. The Book of Common Prayer
The Morning Inspiration
Those things that make us fit and healthy are also the same things necessary for keeping us fit and healthy. Just as the same mustard-seed-size faith required to be born again in Christ Jesus is the same faith necessary for removing mountains. Daily we must stay in the Word of Truth. This is an important lesson from all the saints down throughout the ages. Letting the truth slip through cracks of neglect causes us to have to re-fight battles that have already been hard won. In this way, our own forgetfulness aids the thief that only comes to kill, steal, and destroy what was once known and now left unguarded. The way to slowly lose fitness is to forget the diligence, consistency, and patience it takes to get and stay that way. Forgetting causes us to cry when we should be reaping. Forgetting will leave us stuck in the wilderness when we should be bearing fruit in the promised land. Blessed is the one who diligently guards his heart by always remembering the loving-kindness of the Lord in the daytime, and the faithfulness of the Lord in the night.
Today’s Question to Consider
What was the problem with the church in Sardis? (see Revelation 3:1-6)
The Faith and Fitness Blog 