It happened again this week! There seems to always be gossip and things that are not true on social media and in the world. Yet I see a lot of brothers and sisters reposting and re-sharing those things. Paul told Timothy to not get wrapped up in the old wives tales and godless myths of the time. Instead, Paul told Timothy to train for godliness in first Timothy 4:7.
Let’s read: 1 Timothy 4:7-16
New International Version
7 Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8 For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 9 This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance. 10 That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
11 Command and teach these things. 12 Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
In the same way, we are challenged by the Holy Spirit to spend less time watching TV and being more in prayer.
I want to challenge you this week too instead of watch TV Pray.
In fact, I was at a staff development and I felt out of place and old. The new teachers were going around the room and answering different types of questions in a game format. And the question were: what is your favorite TV show, what is your favorite singing group, What do you do in your spare time? What type of music do you listen to?
I told many of them that instead of listening to the radio I find myself listening to sermons; therefore, I couldn’t really give them a group that I liked. I don’t really watch TV; so, I really couldn’t think of an appropriate response. As I began to feel sorry for myself; then, the Spirit spoke to me and said it’s OK to be peculiar and different.
What does training for godliness look like? Paul compares it to physical fitness.
Here, Paul compares physical training for an athlete with spiritual training for godliness. He states that physical conditioning is of some importance, but is less important than a godly life.
If you’re a sports fan, you know that to be a top athlete, it requires daily practice. Pretty much every day, you have to be practicing the skills necessary for that particular sport. Exercising to improve or maintain your strength and cardiovascular fitness and monitoring what you are eating and drinking matters.
The reason godliness is more important than physical fitness is due to its eternal value. Physical fitness is a good thing. At the very least, it means taking care of the body God gave us. But physical fitness only benefits us while we have this physical body. On the other hand, spiritual growth impacts eternity. Paul often speaks of the “next life” as the true focus of the believer. Colossians 3:2 Paul reminds us to “Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”
Many believe the words, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good,” are in the Bible. They are not, though it is true that we cannot ignore the earthly realities around us. However, a person with a godly perspective on the good things God has given us (1 Timothy 4:4) can be completely “heavenly minded” and still of much “earthly good.” Paul sees the promise of heaven as a reason to live a godly, effective life today.
What does it mean to be “Spiritually Fit”? And how do you get there? Well, I don’t think it’s that difficult. In fact, I would like to suggest a very simple approach. And although I don’t plan on developing an “infomercial” any time soon, I think the following three steps can help you get spiritually fit.
Three Steps to Spiritual Fitness
(1) Spiritual Fitness Requires the proper Spiritual Nutrition.
Just as the body needs the proper daily nourishment of food, spiritual fitness requires the proper daily nourishment of spiritual food. In Matthew 4:4 Jesus stated:
4 “It is written: ’Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4
In other words, man is more than just a physical being. He or she is a spiritual being as well as a physical being. And just as the physical side needs nourishment, so does the spiritual nature.
In the Old Testament there is an example about how God miraculously provided food for the Israelites during their forty year journey from their slavery in Egypt to their entering the promised land.
11The LORD said to Moses, 12″I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ’At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God.’ “
13That evening quail came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. 14When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost on the ground appeared on the desert floor. 15When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was.
Moses said to them, “It is the bread the LORD has given you to eat. 16This is what the LORD has commanded: ’Each one is to gather as much as he needs. Take an omer for each person you have in your tent.’ “
17The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. 18And when they measured it by the omer, he who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little. Each one gathered as much as he needed.
19Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”
20However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell. So Moses was angry with them.
21Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. 22On the sixth day, they gathered twice as much–two omers for each person–and the leaders of the community came and reported this to Moses. 23He said to them, “This is what the LORD commanded: ’Tomorrow is to be a day of rest, a holy Sabbath to the LORD. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’ “
24So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. 25″Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a Sabbath to the LORD. You will not find any of it on the ground today. 26Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath, there will not be any.”
27Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. 28Then the LORD said to Moses, “How long will you refuse to keep my commands and my instructions? 29Bear in mind that the LORD has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where he is on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” 30So the people rested on the seventh day.
31The people of Israel called the bread manna. It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey.
Exodus 16:11-35
Notice some of the stipulations on the Manna or the “Bread of God that came down from heaven”:
(1) It was to be gathered once a day.
2) It was to be consumed for that day and not to be kept over … it would spoil if kept.
(3) On the sixth day, they were to gather twice as much for the Sabbath.
In the New Testament, Jesus referred to this manna while talking to some religious leaders:
48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:48-51
Notice what Jesus is saying: 1) “I am the bread (manna) of life that came down from heaven.”
(2) Whoever consumes this bread will live forever.
(3) This bread is Christ’s Body which is given to save the world from their sins.
66From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. John 6:66
“How do you ‘consume’ Jesus, the Bread of Life?”
1. By believing in his death, burial & resurrection … that He is God who came down from heaven.
2. By inviting Christ into your life (Partaking in his Body – Communion).
3. By daily reading His Word the Bible.
All three of these points are vital, but it’s this third aspect that I want to focus on concerning Spiritual Nourishment.
One of, if not the greatest step to get yourself spiritually fit is to learn to feed yourself on God’s Word, the Bible.
Job . . .
Job 23:12
12 I have not departed from the commands of his lips;
I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.
Jeremiah . . .
Jeremiah 15:16
16When your words came, I ate them;
they were my joy and my heart’s delight,
for I bear your name,
O LORD God Almighty.
David . . .
Psalm 119:103
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Hebrews 4:12
12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
- I would like to submit to you that reading God’s word
- and combining it with faith is food for the soul!
It’s better than Oprah, Rosie, Jay Leno, David Letterman and Jerry Springer all put together! It’s better than a Romance Novel! It’s better than a John Grisham Classic! You can surf the internet … You can surf the oceans waves, but you will never find anything better as food for your soul than the Bible, The Word of the Living God!
When You’re Down It’ll Lift You Up!
When You’re Lost It’ll Help You Find Your Way!
When You’re Fearful It’ll Give You Courage!
When You’re Weak It’ll Give You Strength!
When You’re Hurting It’ll Give You a Healing!
Ok! In order to experience proper growth, you must regularly read God’s Word and listen to his voice.
Now let’s look at the number
(2) way to become Spiritual Fit!
Like being physically fit we also Requires Regular Spiritual Exercise.
Faith is like a muscle; it must be utilized and exercised in order for it to grow.
How do you exercise your “faith muscles”?
· Well, God has the following scripture for us today on Saving Faith
Let’s check out Romans 1:17
17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Ephes. 2:8-9 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith–and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God– 9not by works, so that no one can boast.
Now let us consider A Sustaining Faith
Hebrews 11:1
11:1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Now let us consider A Serving Faith
Romans 12:3-8
3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
Finally, let’s look at the third part of Spiritual Fitness! In this step we must consider Spiritual Renewal
Ezekiel 37:1-10
9Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ’This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” 10So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet–a vast army.
· Rest & Relaxation
· Recreation
· Relationships
One of the most relaxing things is a good bath. I think the same could be said of our spiritual state. Sometimes we need to allow Jesus to give us an internal cleansing or “bath” if you will.
Divert Daily
Withdraw Weekly
Abandon Annually
