faith

Devotional for February 20

February 20, 2023February 20, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

I Will Walk in the Presence of the Lord

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.
6 The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he helped me.
7 Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
8 For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 116:5-9 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing; Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer

The Morning Exhortation

Some days will be nice and easy, others will be rough and tough. Push hard when you feel strong, ease up when you don’t. Rest when you must, but never quit doing what is right whether you feel like it or not. Doing what is right is always a matter of faith, never feeling. Feelings belong to sight, but obedience to the commands of God are done by faith. Hold to the narrow path that leads to eternal life. The selfish pursuit of happiness leads only to moral decay and much suffering. Let us seek the Lord and His righteousness instead. Let us be diligent in the pursuit of holiness to please Him, and happiness will follow. Happiness is a fruit along with contentment, gratitude, and peace produced by a tree rooted in the love of God. Even the elementary principles of this world affirm this teaching of Jesus Christ our Lord: good fruit comes only from a good tree. Not that we can make ourselves good by our own efforts. This impossible work has to be done for us by God and requires our consent and submission. Pray for the grace to do your part.

Question

What can you do when you are being crushed by worrisome thoughts and overwhelming circumstances?

Answer

Fall down on your knees under them and cry out to God for strength to fight.

faith

Devotional for February 19

February 19, 2023February 20, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Lord Takes Pleasure in His People

1 Praise ye the Lord. Sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
4 For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Psalm 149:1-5 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

The Morning Exhortation

The spiritual disciple of joy requires contentment and gratitude. God is not nearly as concerned about you being kept comfortable as He is about you being made holy. This is because without holiness we cannot participate in the divine nature. The temperature outside may be dropping. You may be cold, hungry, and sore. Be thankful and happily go to work anyway. Be comforted by the knowledge that even one small step in the right direction is never taken in vain. Doing the will of God, though it may sometimes be hard work, is always profitable when it is proceeded by prayer. Seldom can we see the way far ahead clearly, but that’s okay. It is enough to be able to see the next right step, and then to take it in faith. Make sure whatever you do is to please God rather than to please self or someone else. Do this, and you can be sure that your steps, no matter how big or small, will always be to the glory of God. Only those who lose their life for the Lord’s sake ever find it.

Question

How do we make the joy of the Lord our strength?

Answer

Know that God loves you, that He will never leave nor forsake you. That He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Because God is, nothing else is needed. Therefore, we can be content and grateful regardless of the circumstances.

faith

Devotional for February 18

February 18, 2023February 18, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Toddler standing by holding on to a stool

Renew a Right Spirit Within Me

10 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. Psalm 51:11-14 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept my prayers; and because in my weakness I can do nothing good without you, give me the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments I may please you in both will and deed; through Jesus Christ my Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Book of Common Prayer

The Morning Exhortation

Eliminate worry, hurry, and fear. Whatever will be, will be, because the providence of God has woven it into His divine plan of salvation. There is liberty in that profound truth for all who can accept it. The fact that life seems to be getting more complicated every day hardly needs to be stated. The great robber of our peace comes from worrying about the multitude of things we cannot possibly control. We surely grieve the Holy Spirit with our discontentment caused by unbelief. Rather than worry, fret, murmur, fear, or be discouraged, pray for mercy and hold to the one needful thing of trusting God. Let worry and the like roll off your mind like water off the back of a duck. Otherwise worry becomes a burden that makes us too heavy to fly and too tired to swim. Enter into the rest of the Lord by faith. Let your one desire be for Christ to dwell in your heart, and He will take care of all the multitude of other needful things.

Question

What is the old leaven that must be purged?

Answer

Unbelief is the old leaven. Deciding to trust the Lord in sincerity and truth is the new.

faith

Devotional for February 17

February 17, 2023February 17, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Let Them Offer a Sacrifice of Thanksgiving

20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. Psalm 107:20-22 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

The Morning Exhortation

We must first come to understand who we are called by God to be. Next we must be obedient to the heavenly vision given to us in Christ Jesus. Your motivation to be conformed to the image of Christ will always be hindered by the measure of belief you yield to all the naysayers around you. He who keeps our inheritance in heaven for us, will surely keep us here on earth for our inheritance. Thus, He has commanded that we be holy in this life. Whether you should believe the naysayers or the written word of God, choose for yourselves. Have faith in God. God alone is completely trustworthy, therefore we can trust that what He commands He will also enable us to do. Almighty God has created us anew in Christ Jesus for no other reason than He loves us. Catch fire, and be all that God means for you to be.

Question

What is meant by Christian perfection?

Answer

Not that we are flawless or never make mistakes. It means that we have been forgiven, that we have forsaken the vain ways of the world, and that we are pressing forward toward the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

faith

Devotional for February 16

February 16, 2023February 16, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Your Throne, O God, Endures Forever

1 My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer.
2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
3 Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.
4 And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things.
5 Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; whereby the people fall under thee.
6 Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.
7 Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
8 All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad. Psalm 45:1-8 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

The Morning Exhortation

Mysteries are to be expected when finite man relates to the infinite God. It is also not required that we completely understand all the mysteries of God. All the fundamental knowledge about God has been provided for us in the Holy Scriptures. It is far more important to worship God as He is revealed in the Holy Scriptures than it is to know all mysteries beyond our understanding. Knowing God as He has revealed Himself to be is a grace that is even more essential to the spirit than sleep is to the body. Sleep is an essential component for health and fitness that can’t be stored or earned. You either accept the need for 7-8 hours of sleep out of every 24, or you will eventually have to pay and suffer ill effects for it. Fear not. God has promised to give His beloved sleep, so pray for it. The One who has chosen you to be in Christ Jesus has predestined you to bring forth His fruit. Submit yourself therefore to God, and willingly choose to do His will. When our will is to obey, God provides the way.

Question

How do we grow up in our salvation?

Answer

Receive the words of the Lord in Mark 5:36: “Be not afraid, only believe.”

faith

Devotional for February 15

February 15, 2023February 15, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Jesus Christ the Messiah

1 The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.
2 The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.
3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.
4 The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. Psalm 110:1-4 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

The Morning Exhortation

Only those who have experienced weakness ever learn to truly appreciate strength. Long periods of uninterrupted strength, beauty, sunshine, and the like are so easily taken for granted until they are taken away. Too much ease and comfort are the enemies of progress. Growth requires a willingness to step outside of the ease and comfort zones in order to reach higher and dig deeper. This is a requirement for physical progress just as it is for growth in the Christian life. The way higher up in the spiritual life is lower down in humbleness of soul. Submit yourself to God. Choose to be conformed to Jesus Christ, who humbled himself and suffered death on the Cross to do the will of the Father. God, who did not spare His only Begotten Son, will certainly do the necessary work in your heart that only He can do. We are responsible for the choice of asking for it in faith, and God is responsible for the result. Our part is to trust in God and God’s part is always everything else. God alone is forever faithful and completely trustworthy. Happy is the one who trusts God to be God.

Question

How do you learn to trust God?

Answer

By holding firm throughout the ups and downs of daily life to the belief that God can be trusted to work in you to will and to do what is pleasing to Him.

fitness

Throw Away the Scale

February 14, 2023March 5, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

Women standing on scale bound at the ankles with measuring tape — Obsessing?

Consider getting rid of your scale

How often to check our body weight when we are trying to get leaner depends on who you ask. Some will say once a week is good enough. Others say everyday and then take a weekly average. I don’t know of anyone recommending weighting yourself more than once a day though. If you find yourself jumping on the scale every time you walk pass it as one would check their reflection in a mirror, it may be time to ditch the scale altogether.

I’ve tried weighting myself daily. Even when weighting at the same time each day, the daily fluctuations make it hard to get any sense of progress. I’ve also tried weighing myself weekly, but still some weeks will see it go down and the next it will sometimes go up. Then I tried once a month, but that to me seemed like a high stakes test that either fuel motivation if it was lighter, or caused me to have to fight getting discouraged if it was the same or heavier.

I question the value of tracking body weight and body fat percentage too frequently. I’ve come to believe this because body weight and body fat percentage are lag indicators. By lag indicators, I mean that they will change, but only after you have changed those things that determine them over a period of time. It takes time. Happy is the one who stops looking for shortcuts. Make small changes, keep them consistently, and the body will change. It will adjust to the new eating or exercising without pushing back if it is done gentely enough. Eating just 300-500 calories less per day should be enough to register a decrease in weight in a month to six weeks. At that point, another gentle adjustment to food intake or exercise may be needed keep things going in the right direction.

Since bodyweight is a lag indicator, don’t focus on it to fuel the daily motivation you need. It is much better to focus on sticking to the diet and exercise plan. That is where the success on the scale comes from. Getting the diet and exercise done for the day is a small victory you to use to motivate you to do it again tomorrow. Keep doing this and the scale will take care of itself in due time.

Yesterday’s Body Scan

I had a body scan done at 5 Star Nutrition yesterday. It’s been about 5 weeks since my last one. I’ve lost 5 pounds and reduced my body fat by 1.2%. That’s about a pound a week. I’m okay with that. Going to stick to my current diet plan for a little bit longer.

One last word

Anything that causes you to become discouraged, is not from the one who has called you (Galatians 5:7-8). That includes the scale. Stick to the course.

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.

faith

Devotional for February 14

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

up raised hands at a church worship service

Let Us Praise the Name of the Lord

7 Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 148:7-15 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

The Morning Exhortation

Hardly anyone ever thinks they have too much money, too much strength, too much beauty, or too much influence. These things are desirable, but to pursue them for their own sake is like vainly pouring more and more water into a broken container. The end result is a life filled with less and less satisfaction. On the other hand, the pursuit of the righteousness, faith, love, and peace in Christ Jesus leads to ever increasing satisfaction. Just how satisfied a soul can become from drinking deep of the living water no one really knows; for the triune God of creation is like a boundless sea of infinite depth.

Question

What is the purpose of money, strength, beauty, and influence?

Answer

To glorify God.

faith

Devotional for February 13

February 13, 2023February 13, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Acceptable Time is Now

12 They that sit in the gate speak against me; and I was the song of the drunkards.
13 But as for me, my prayer is unto thee, O Lord, in an acceptable time: O God, in the multitude of thy mercy hear me, in the truth of thy salvation.
14 Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters.
15 Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me.
16 Hear me, O Lord; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
17 And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily.
18 Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it: deliver me because of mine enemies. Psalm 69:12-18 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

The Morning Exhortation

The effect of most poisons are dose dependent. A little may be tolerated without much harm, but too much is often fatal. Just because it tastes good doesn’t mean it’s not poison. Just because it looks good, doesn’t mean it is harmless. Therefore, wisdom requires us to be quick to limit, restrict, and unplug regularly. Limit the amount of what is pleasing to the taste, but void of any nutritional value for the body. Restrict the programed cool, sexy, and glamorous by turning off the TV, or little by little it will conform your affections after the things of this world. Unplug and get fresh air from the constant stream of information feed to you by an the Internet driven by billions of tiny bits of collected personal data designed to manipulate and influence you. These are but a few examples of our necessary outside work though. Inside the cup must also be made and kept clean. That is to say, we need sanctification by the Holy Spirit in our inmost being where our will, thoughts, and affections live. We have been cleansed at the new birth, but to stay cleansed requires turning from our former sinful ways. A steadfast spirit comes from renewing the mind with the word of God constantly. God is gracious. He knows all of our weaknesses. Cry out to Him in prayer and faith. Now is the acceptable time. True freedom is the ability to choose what is right. Not just doing what is right in the eyes of the world, but also living what is right within the hidden inner parts of the soul. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Let this be the loudest and most frequent message you allow yourself to hear in this world. Be blessed and fare thee well.

Question

How does belief in Jesus Christ change us?

Answer

From the inside-out.

faith

Devotional for February 12

February 12, 2023February 12, 2023 Bruce ColemanLeave a comment

The Lord Has Ordained a Blessing

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. Psalm 133 (KJV)

The Prayer Appointed for This Week

The Morning Exhortation

Let us move onward to who we are in our Lord Jesus Christ. Know that He who has begun a good work in you will also see it to completion. The God of all hope and patience will certainly fill you with all joy and peace in believing. Abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and pray for guidance when standing before any fork in the road. No one is surprised by the blind man who drives himself over a cleft. Get out of the driver seat and trust God. Only by faith do we understand what cannot be understood otherwise. God is the source of all blessings small and great. All His spiritual blessings flow into our life by grace through the golden pipe of our obedience to His will. Obedience is the conductor and the sin of unbelief only hinders the flow of grace. Give the grace of God its free flow. Hold fast what is good and shun even the appearance of evil. Let us break down all that hinders grace by trusting God and having a willingness to do the work set before us.

Question

How do we increase our joy and peace in believing?

Answer

By asking the Holy Spirit to show us any unbelief we harbor in the heart. If nothing is pressed upon our soul, then believe there is nothing. If after such a prayer though, we become aware of any hinderance, take immediately action. Repent. Then choose to rejoice in the hope of the gospel, which is a confident expectation of all the promised blessings of righteousness in Christ Jesus. Thus believing, our joy and peace will be made full.