Soul Fitness

But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.

I Timothy 4:7-8

Just as training the body for physical strength and endurance requires commitment, time, perseverance and growth, so does spiritual strength and endurance training.

Soul Fitness Requires Commitment

First, you must commit your whole life to Christ through salvation. Wellness apart from Christ is impossible. Then, commit to allow Christ to change you into His image. This means to allow His truth to direct your choices in every area of your life.

Soul Fitness Requires Time

As with exercise, many people use the lack of time as an excuse to avoid or skip spiritual training. We all have the same 24 hours in a day. Unfortunately, we waste time doing unimportant, less valuable activities such as mindlessly watching TV or surfing the internet for useless information or worse. Plan your day and schedule time to spend alone with God.

Soul Fitness Requires Perseverance

Even as a believer, life is difficult. Distractions, disasters, trials and tests are all part of life. Staying faithful to your spiritual training may not change your circumstances but it will always change you. When we are spiritually fit we think clearer, have more patience, make wise, godly choices, relate better to other people, control our temper, act lovingly, and exhibit self-control. Spiritual fitness directly impacts emotional, mental, and physical health throughout life.

Soul Fitness Requires Growth

Just as muscles strengthen and grow when challenged with a weight, we mature spiritually as we exercise our spiritual muscles. Growth, both physically and spiritually, takes time, commitment and perseverance. As you learn more about who Christ is through His Word, you begin to think like Jesus. As you think more like Jesus, you begin to act more like Jesus. And as you act more like Jesus, you reflect His love, glory and power to others through your every day life. Then, and only then, are you on the path toward spiritual fitness.

So, what is your soul fitness level right now? Use these soul fitness markers to check your progress. Ask God to show you where you are weak and where you are stronger, where you are growing and where you are on a plateau. Then, commit, invest time, persevere and grow in your spiritual fitness level!

Stop Stress Before It Stops You

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

The uncertain times we live in can cause us to experience the effects of stress and stress-related illnesses or complications. Stress is the wear and tear our bodies experience due to the changes that occur as a part of living. Whether the changes are global, work/ministry-related or personal, our bodies respond physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. We can reduce the wear and tear on our bodies by recognizing your body's response to stress and employing stress management techniques to ward off its harmful and long-term effects. Stress management is a personal process to discover the techniques that work best for you. Here are a few proven strategies to help settle our mind, change our attitude, quiet our spirit, and calm our body’s response to stress:

Stop and Listen!

In times of stress, one natural response is the keep going and feverishly work ourselves into a panic, therefore increasing the stress response. Instead, try the opposite. When we feel pulled in many directions, stop everything. Find a quiet place without TV, people, or activity. Do nothing for at least five minutes. Take this time to allow your mind and heart to open to the Holy Spirit. Remember when Elijah was stressed in 1 Kings 19? God told Elijah to go to the mountain and He would pass by. Elijah did not hear the voice of the Lord in the wind, earthquake, or fire but in a still whisper. Elijah had to be still and quiet to hear from God.

Breathe Deeply

Another common response to stressful times is shallow breathing. When we do not breathe deeply we deprive the body of adequate oxygen to think clearly and function properly. Instead of shallow breathing, actively take five to six long, full deep breaths. Inhale through your nose for a slow count to five and exhale through your mouth for a slow count of five. When we breathe deeply our bodies will respond with a lower blood pressure, slower heart rate, and reduced tension in muscles, therefore reducing the pressure we feel from a tense situation.

Find the Positive

When life gets out of hand, another typical response is to think of the worst. Negative thinking leads to a higher stress level. When faced with stressful events, immediately begin to speak the positive about the situation. Example: You are rear-ended by another car. The damage is relatively minor. Positives in this situation may be no one was seriously hurt, the damage is repairable, and you have insurance to cover the cost of repairs. When we have challenges finding the positive in a situation, we need to ask God to change our outlook so we can see things more clearly through His eyes.

Laugh

Proverbs 17:22a says, A cheerful heart is good medicine. Laughter reduces stress by releasing endorphins into our bodies that lower our blood pressure, release tight muscles, increase our oxygen intake, stimulate our brain, and change our emotional outlook and thinking. Take a "laugh break" when things are stressful. Keep comic strips, funny photographs of family or friends, comedy movies, a funny book, or a video on hand to use during your laugh break. Laughter therapy is gaining in popularity for treating everything from stress to cancer.

Get Out and Move

During stressful times our bodies produces hormones that are ready to help us protect ourselves or get away from a "predator". This is called the "fight or flight" response. When these hormones are not used by our bodies to fight or flee, they hang around, keeping our heart rate elevated, muscles tight, blood pressure up, and cholesterol levels high. Exercise safely uses these hormones and limits the damage they can cause to our bodies. When stress is at its peak, get out and move. Walk around the neighborhood. Go on a run through a park. Hit the beach and go surfing for a few hours. Play an active sport like basketball or tennis. Finding a physical activity will help you manage the harmful effects of stress.

Tips On Saving And Investing

Wealth comes from long-term investing and using a strategy of diversification. Einstein has been reported to have said that “compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe.” We don’t have to earn a lot to necessarily accumulate wealth. The key is to be consistent in saving, wise in any investing, and to trust God to provide what is already ours.

The following are a few Biblical principles that ought to govern our savings and investing:

A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished (Proverbs 28:20).

Principle: The world says, “Get rich quick”, but the Bible says, “A faithful man will be richly blessed”.

Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? (Luke 14:28).

Principle: Plan and take a long-term perspective on all investment decisions.

Divide your portion to seven, or even to eight, for you do not know what misfortune may occur on the earth (Ecclesiastes 11:2).

Principle: The Bible speaks of diversify out investments.

Here is a five-step sequence to invest wisely… let’s take a look at each step:

1. Pay Off Consumer Debt- Paying off credit card debt is one of the first priorities in saving and investing. Sometimes big sacrifices need to be made, or even a lifestyle change in order to attack the problem of consumer debt.

2. Set Money Aside For An Emergency Fund- Although this is step 2, it should be done in conjunction with step 1. If setting aside money for an emergency fund is difficult, one can set a goal to save just a few hundred dollars. Even a few hundred dollars can be a comforting buffer when working to get out of debt.

3. Save For Major Purchases- The next step is to set goals and save for major purchases. Whether saving for a down-payment or a house or new car, creating a savings plan can help attain our goals.

4. Diversify Investments To Meet Long-term Needs- This next step is a must-do for both short-term and long-term investments. It is true that we shouldn’t put all of our eggs in one basket.

5. Begin Taking Calculated Financial Risk- This step can be applied any time. As we begin to invest and save for the future, the amount of risk should depend primarily on our time frame of investing. If we have a long time horizon, we can be willing to take more risk. But if our time horizon is short, we don’t have the luxury to risk losing money. Our investment choices should be more conservative with less time in most cases.

It Is Playtime

It seems kids today aren't so lucky to have playtime. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, recess is the time for learning creativity, social skills, conflict resolution, negotiation and even leadership. Trouble is, thanks to government testing requirements and concern about lawsuits, recess has dwindled to almost nothing for kids in public schools. The Department of Education says between 21 and 30 percent of children in first through sixth grades get 15 minutes or less of recess each day.

Some schools actually cut free playtime to spend more of the school day on reading and math—two subjects closely monitored by government tests. In typical government style, to compensate for the loss of unstructured running-around time, some states are passing laws mandating physical activity in light of the child obesity problem. And even the United Nations is getting in on the action with its affiliated group the American Association for the Child's Right to Play. (Oh, please! Yes, kids need time to play, but we should be able to figure that out without the aid of the UN).

Whatever the outcome of the debate about how much free play is enough, one thing is certain; it's not just little kids who need it. A few years ago, journalist David Brooks wrote "The Organization Kid" for The Atlantic, an article about the overscheduled college kids at Princeton who become "the young men and women of America's future elite [who] work their laptops to the bone, rarely question authority, and happily accept their positions at the top of the heap as part of the natural order of life." Trouble is, all that activity comes at the expense of their character, according to Brooks.

I know from my own hectic schedule that without down time, or margin, as Richard Swenson put it in his book by the same name, I'm less likely to be creative, thoughtful and in touch with what God's trying to say to me. I think that's why some of my best ideas come to me in when journaling, painting, or out on a run. Those activities are among the few that I do daily and without interruption.

Writer and speaker Peggy Noonan talks in her book, On Speaking Well, about the power of the nap to help break loose a mental log jam. I remember her writing that sometimes, when an idea's stuck, the best thing one can do is simply walk away from the computer and lay down for a nap. It's the mental downtime that often gets the creative juices flowing again.

I'm not saying we need to shirk responsibilities and take up extreme sports. But a little mental R N’ R, along with some physical exertion, can be good for the body, mind, and spirit—young and old alike.

What Can We Do With $100 For The Kingdom

And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money.

Matthew 25:15-18

Having recently come across a challenging and inspiring article on finances, it seems fitting to challenge us to consider setting aside $100—even if it takes a whole year to save this amount of money—and come up with a way to use it creatively and productively for the Kingdom.

Sounds like an intriguing challenge, right?!

A few suggestions for the use of the $100 include giving money to a ministry, buying supplies for a non-profit business, and purchasing Bibles or other reading material to give away.

So let us ask ourselves: If we were able to set aside $100, how might we invest this money into the Lord's work?

Do not just read this and agree with what a great way to further the work of the Lord, but honestly consider actually setting aside $100 and acting on. There are many ministries and individuals that we can and should be investing in financially—just as is done daily in the business world.

God Knows All Things

I know that You can do everything,

And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.

You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’

Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,

Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know

Job 42:2-3

So often we forget that our God is awesome and mighty and all-powerful, and so we have to remind ourselves that actually He can do all things. Ephesians 3:20 tells us that God is able to ‘do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]’.

So why do we ever doubt God? Why does our belief waver? Our Lord is King of all the universe and His plans will always succeed. So let’s stop doubting Him and start believing that in any situation we are facing, God is with us and He has great plans for us.

And if this is God's perfect will for us at this moment, can we not thank Him for it? If this is precisely where He knows we must be in order to know Him more fully and glorify Him with our lives, how can we complain? Do we really think we know our needs better than the all-knowing, all-loving Creator of the universe knows them?

The Will Of God About Prosperity

The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy. I have come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

God's will for our lives and for all the people in the world is that we may all have an abundant level of life. The word for life used in this passage is 'zoe', which refers to divine life. God wants us to have an abundance of divine life. That's one reason why He so much desires that we be "full of the Holy Spirit", "praying always", with "the Word of Christ dwelling richly in you." He just wants us to enjoy Him. Not only that, He wants all people everywhere to enjoy Him. That's His will, and He has a plan to accomplish that will and purpose. One of the keys to prosperity is to link up our will, our desires, and our plans with God's! But for now, remember, that the level of God's provision in divine life is abundant.

It’s so enjoyable to be full of God's Holy Spirit. Paul the apostle wrote so much about the "joy" of the Lord! Joy is a form of spiritual prosperity, and you can have it directly from God whether we have material abundance or great hardship. God wants us to have this joy, but remember, He wants that joy to go "to the world" through the gospel. Acts chapter 8 records that when Philip preached Christ in Samaria many signs and wonders were done, and there was great joy in the city.

God Wants Us to Prosper to the Extent that Our Souls Prosper

The apostle John, known for his closeness to the heart of God, wrote, Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (3 John 2). He then went on to describe some of the good works Gaius was doing for the Lord's evangelists and fellow workers. Gaius could not have done much here had he been homeless, or poverty stricken.

Now this verse shows that God wants us to prosper in all things. John would not pray for something that was not the will of God. He prayed for Gaius because it was God's will that he prosper. And not Gaius only, for it is a general truth that the Lord takes pleasure in the prosperity of his servant (Psalm 35:27).

There is another key to prosperity and that is the state of the mind, body, and spirit. God wants us to renew our minds (See Romans 12:2). If our minds are carnal and our desires wicked, then prosperity would not do us much good. "The wages of the wicked are spent on sin", the Book of Proverbs says, but the labor of the righteous leads to life.

If our minds are sufficiently renewed then it is definitely in God's interest to prosper us in all things, including material things. There is a purpose! However, many times we flatter ourselves that we have God's perspective on things when we really lack it. We need to go after God's wisdom if we are to prosper—that includes the gaining of both spiritual and natural knowledge and applying ourselves diligently to our work, whatever God has given us to do. We need to learn to obey the Holy Spirit concerning our money. I don't believe that tithing in itself, for example, is a guarantee that God will pour money on us. It certainly proves as a learning tool. However, it is to the extent that we seek God for wisdom, and live righteously according to His kingdom principles that God will cause material prosperity to come upon us, and all these things will be added unto us (Matthew 6:33).

We may have to get rid of traditional religious thinking that would say that poverty is a blessing, in order for God to fully renew our minds in the area of divine abundance. God's level of provision is abundance, so that we can be generous on every occasion (See 2 Corinthians 9:8). May God deliver us from hypocritical teachings on the blessing of poverty and such. Poverty in the Old Testament was considered part of the curse of the law (See Deuteronomy 28:15). God is pleased to entrust us with the resources necessary not only for our own lives, but also to be involved in the spread of His Kingdom in the world. The Bible says that in Christ we have been redeemed from the curse of the law (See Galatians 3:13-14).

The Nature of God

God is generous. There are more than enough resources on this planet for everyone. It’s the evil systems of the world that many live in poverty. Note the connection between those words—"evil" and "poverty". When God made the world, Adam and Eve had an abundance to enjoy. The new earth similarly, will be an abundant source of blessing for its inhabitants. In the time in between, there is a battle for the rule of God's Kingdom. This is where we live, and if we harmonize with God's purposes and seek first His Kingdom and righteousness, we are going to find that material abundance starts to come after us in ever increasing measure.

Consider how rich God made some of His servants. The Bible said of Abram that he was "very rich". King David gave tens of millions of dollars worth of gold out of his personal fortune to the construction of the temple. Most people know that Solomon was even wealthier than David. Joseph, Job, Esther, Hezekiah and many more were all remarkably wealthy people. The Bible says that. How can we reconcile these Bible facts with a view of God which sees Him as stingy and mean. It can't be done.

The Purpose of God

What is the purpose of God? The Bible says that, for whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29). God's purpose is to have many sons like Jesus! We all have our unique personalities and differences, and that is a blessing of God. God does not intend to obliterate our personalities or differences. Yet God wants all to have the nature, purpose and character of Jesus. It’s even plainly declared that God wants believers to do the works of Jesus, and greater, but that is another subject! (See John 14:12).

God wanted so much to rescue people from the dominion of Satan that He gave the best He had—His only begotten Son. He did not send an angel or just another prophet, but His dear Son—part of Himself really. God gave His best. If we are to imitate God, as Ephesians 5:1 instructs us to do, we also ought to give our best. But what should we give to? We should give to God's purposes. And what is God's purpose? God's purpose is that no one should perish, but all should come to the knowledge of the truth of God. God's purpose is that His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth, as it is in heaven! God wants people to be saved. Jesus gave His blood for that! God poured out the Holy Spirit for that. The church exists on earth today, for that. If all God wanted was a few chosen ones to talk with all day, He would take all His children to heaven now and damn the world. But He's not like that… He is a loving caring God who wants you to be in abundance and prosper.

Does God want you to prosper?

If you are God's servant, God takes delight in the prosperity of His servant (See Psalm 35:27). We should choose this day who we will serve. Will it be God, or will it be mammon? Are we interested in Kingdom purposes, or in our own purposes?

Some Christians say, "I am content to just have little, as long as I have enough to get by.” Or “I will always be in debt for the rest of my life.” Or “I don't believe in prosperity". That can be an incredibly selfish point of view. So don't be content to have just a little or believe that you will always be in debt, and unable to bless God's big Kingdom work. That could be laziness, or selfishness. Listen, we may be called upon to deny ourselves many comforts and luxuries to give more to what is truly important, but only do it if you can stay grateful. I say it is better to give generously and abundantly, even if one "enjoys all things which God richly gives us to enjoy" than it is to be poverty-stricken or even mediocre in both our personal quality of life and our level of Kingdom involvement.

Then there is such a thing as "false economy" in life. For example, we can refuse to catch a cab, taking public transport instead, and lose time in our day which could have generated far more income than the difference between the cab and the bus fare. Also, what is the use of having a car which is always breaking down? If you have a car that is paid for, worth about $1500, but it is blessed by God, and has cost about $500 in repairs in the last year—then use it. If the car started acting up, get a car that does not waste time. Let's spend money wisely according to the measure that God has already blessed us with. ! Again, on the issue of false economies, we don't want to wear out our bodies eating poor quality food because God has enabled us to enjoy healthy food when it is time to eat. And, we don't want to draw attention to ourselves either by wearing poor clothes or excessively revealing clothes. Our dress is to be nice and appropriate in reflecting who we are and who we live for.

God is not against us having some reserves, or living in a better place or whatever. It all depends on what God has called us to do. Personally, few material things excite me, but if God calls me to live in a wealthy neighborhood in a big Spanish-Mediterranean style house with a lot of land, a pool, and a garage with a black EB 110 Bugatti in it, I'll do it with great joy!

Let us live now in the abundance and prosperity that is ours. Not only that, God wants us—His people—everywhere to enjoy Him. That's His will, and He has a plan to accomplish that will and purpose. Again, one of the keys to prosperity is to link up our will, our desires, and our plans with God's! The other key to prosperity is the state of the mind, body, and spirit. We need to go after God's wisdom if we are to prosper—that includes the gaining of both spiritual and natural knowledge and applying ourselves diligently to our work, whatever God has given us to do. We need to learn to obey the Holy Spirit concerning our money and in all matters of life.

Prosperity is NOW!

Reflection

And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there

Matthew 14:23

The evening is a great time of day to take time to look back, take stock, and reflect on the events of the day—whether good or bad. A time of the day that we can look over what we have accomplished. And it is a time for careful thought and evaluation, for thanksgiving, and for prayer.

Jesus had a similar practice during His earthly ministry. At the end of a wearying and demanding day, He went up on a mountain by Himself for a few moments of reflection and prayer in the presence of His Father (See Matthew 14:23).

The value of the quiet presence of our heavenly Father and the careful examination of how we have engaged life on a given day has great significance. Perhaps this was the goal of the apostle Paul’s challenge for us to redeem the time (See Ephesians 5:16); that is, to make sure we are making the best use of the time God gives us for living and serving.

As the day winds to a close, take some time for quiet reflection. In the serenity of the evening, we can, in God’s presence, get a more accurate perspective on life and how we are living it.

The Heart Of The Words We Speak

When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Mark 7:14-23

According to Jesus, the food we eat is not such a big deal compared to the words we speak. He said that things entering a man from the outside can't defile him—because they pass through the digestive system and are eliminated. But the words we speak show what is truly in our hearts.

In Jesus' day, people ate healthy food, and the God-given elimination system was enough to get any toxins and impurities out of the system. Today however, we might eat highly processed food that leaves plenty of toxins in our system. This food can defile our bodies because our livers, kidneys, bowels, lungs and skin can't eliminate the toxins fast enough. In this way, we might poison the body, but its nothing compared to the poisoning of the soul that happens when our words are unhealthy.

Let us realize that to speak unhealthy words is a lot more damaging to us spiritually and eternally than to eat unhealthy food here and now. I am not recommending we eat unhealthy food—far from it. But the very speaking of unhealthy words defiles our heart, and makes us more likely to speak them or even put them into action next time. On the other hand, training ourselves to speak words of truth, of faith, of love, if mixed with humility, can and will change our hearts.

Get Blessed!

... knowing that you were called for this purpose, that you may inherit a blessing

1 Peter 3:9

It is really important to God that we inherit a blessing! It’s not something to be ashamed of or to apologize for. On the contrary, it is central to God's purpose for our lives! The Scriptures declare it, and so when we as one of God's people are blessed, then God Himself is glorified.

God wants us to be blessed, even in ways we have never known before. We can get more of an idea of God's purpose when we consider one of the main reasons Jesus died on the cross and suffered for us. It was:

so that the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:14).

God's blessings include forgiveness, acceptance, friendship with God, righteousness, the Holy Spirit, prosperity, supply, healing, deliverance, fruitfulness, long life, favor with men, joy, peace, love, nobility of character, capacity and heart to give, spiritual gifts, wisdom, faith, hope, protection from danger and evil and even favor with men. God wants us to enjoy all of these… have you seen the blessings of God on your life today?

Excellence In The Workplace

Do you see a man who excels in his work?
He will stand before kings;
He will not stand before unknown men.

Proverbs 22:29

In recent years, numerous books have been written extolling the value of quality and excellence in the workplace. By and large, these studies have been based on the premise that quality work doesn’t just lead to higher profits—it is what makes a great business.

The emphasis on excellence has had major repercussions in the corporate world, where many managers and employees have embraced it as a new way of doing business. Yet the theme of excellence in work is as old as the Bible (Proverbs 22:29). In fact, quality is one of the keys to a biblical view of work:

• God does His work with excellence. When He created the world, the end result was “very good” (See Genesis 1:31).
• God equips people with specific skills and abilities that fit them for certain kinds of work (See Exodus 31:1–11; Psalm 33:15). He wants us to use our skills for their intended purposes, thereby serving Him with all our mind and might (See Matthew 22:37–38).
• Christians are to do their work as if Christ Himself were evaluating the effort—because He is (See Ephesians 6:5–8; Colossians 3:22–24).
• Christians are commanded to be “well pleasing in all things” in their work, because doing so makes the gospel of Christ attractive to coworkers and customers (See Titus 2:9–10).

In light of these principles, we need to ask ourselves what kind of quality and workmanship our we putting into our work. Would God be pleased with how we do our job? Would He be pleased with the end product or service? Are we proud of the way we do our job? If not, how could we make improvements?

Disarmed To Victorious

And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians 2:13-15

In this passage we will look at three points that should and need to be addressed, so that as Christians our eyes are opened to a great truth. This truth is that we are complete in Christ having all power of God dwelling in us. We are not to fear the Devil as he has been defeated by Christ and he is no longer a threat to us.

Debt - We cannot pay our debt, but Christ has paid it in full and it can only be received through faith. It is not by works or in our own strength that our debt is paid, but through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the debt has been paid in full and canceled. We have victory, wealth, and life in Christ.

Death - Our deadness of the old self has been paid for by Christ and now we are no longer dead but alive. The world, the Devil, and the old flesh are still there, but we as Christians are no longer subject to them-they are dead to us-and we have all the power of God.

Defeat - We are not to focus on or give such details to the Devil and his work, but we do need to be aware of him. Why are we not to be concerned with the Devil? Because he has been defeated and as Christians we have nothing to fear.

The victory is ours and we need to live in the riches that belong to us as sons and daughters of God. The Devil wants to continue to bring up and plague us with debt, death, and defeat. However, as Christians the Devil has been disarmed and is dead, we are complete and victors in Christ and now is the time that we live in that victory.

How Sleep Affects Your Fitness

One important and often ignored element of a workout regiment is taking a break. Rest and recovery is the most neglected component in a workout schedule, and this component is highly linked to your sleep.

There are four phases of the sleep cycle:

* Phase one starts when the sun sets and hormones release that make you start to feel sleepy in the absence of light.

* Phase two occurs when a person a person lies down to relax. This phase lasts for about ten to fifteen minutes.

* During the Phase 3, the sleeper falls into a deeper sleep—this too lasts about fifteen minutes.

* Phase 4, the last phase of the sleep cycle, occurs about half an hour after the person has laid down. During this part of the cycle, the eyes move back and forth very quickly. This phenomenon is commonly known as REM sleep (rapid eye movement).

During this last part of the cycle, the first dream occurs. When that dream has finished, the cycle restarts. Ideally, this cycle repeats itself five times per night. Studies have shown that uninterrupted; a person generally sleeps for eight hours and fifteen minutes per night.

Sleep deprivation can cause several problems that affect your health, and your body building routine. One such problem is glucose intolerance, which occurs when the central nervous system blocks the pancreas from producing enough insulin, affecting the body's power to digest food. Increased carbohydrate cravings may also occur—brought on by a need for more energy producing calories that can therefore affect your nutrition plan. Sleep deprivation can also cause a weakened immune system, which can lead to colds or flu and prevent you from working to your maximum potential.

A quick test to tell if you are sleep deprived is if you can lie down in the middle of the day and fall asleep within ten minutes, it is likely that you are sleep deprived. If this describes your sleeping patterns, it is important to reduce your sleep debt by catching a few extra Z's every night, though we all know that isn't easy!

In conclusion, you need seven to nine hours of sleep each night for your body to run efficiently. Without this valuable feature, you will have muscle loss, which will lower your metabolism, and affect your drive and focus in working out. Rest and relaxation, though often neglected, is as vital to a healthy body.

Rescue And Response

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.
They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness

Psalm 107

Every testimony for Christ begins with a rescue followed by a thankful response: “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 107:1). Whether our experience of salvation sounds dramatic or not, the reality remains: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (See Colossians 1:13). Because we have been redeemed, we should want to tell others.The best way to thank Christ for saving us is to tell others about Him.