Monday, June 20, 2011

FITNESS AND FAITH GO HAND AND HAND

Today, we hear a lot about how we should be physically fit. Just what does fitness mean and how does it relate to our faith?
Being fit means that we are healthy and in good physical condition. Which encompasses every area of our lives including eating and drinking healthy, getting enough sleep at night and exercising. Because the more fit that we are the better we will feel physically, emotionally, and spiritually. When we are physically fit it makes it easier for us to do our daily task at home or at work. And it is especially beneficial to be physically fit for the special work that God has assigned for us through the exercising of our special talents and spiritual gifts.
God sends missionaries to foreign countries where they have to walk for miles and miles before they reach the next village. If they are physically fit then their legs and feet will be strong enough to keep mobilized for the long journeys ahead. Pastors know that preaching is not only spiritual, but it also involves a lot of physical work to stand up and deliver a sermon. Which is why many pastors take Mondays off after preaching on Sunday to rest and get refueled. Therefore, ministers have to take care of their physical health to continue to be used of God. Those that God has graciously bestowed upon the spiritual gift of helps may require a lot of hard physical work. And without being physically fit most of the task that they are assigned will never be accomplished.
A weak physical condition can also cause depression as in the case of the Prophet Elijah who was running for his life according to 1 Kings 19:1-4. After a day’s journey he was hungry, exhausted, and wanted to die. When our physical state is depleted things have a tendency to seem worse than they really are. And we feel helpless and our faith in God fails. And if we act on our feelings in a depressed state, we will regret it when we are revived. But thankfully Elijah’s wish was not granted and after he nourished his body with food, water, and rested, he was no longer depressed, his faith in God was renewed and he was able to fulfill what God wanted him to do.
Prayer is an activity that takes us into the spiritual realm, but it involves a lot of physical work. Prayer warriors know that they have to be physically fit just to stay awake in order to pray for hours in intercessory prayer for all of saints. Especially when they add fasting to their prayers along with the agony and travailing that accompany extremely intense prayers for more serious situations. In fact, operating in the spiritual realm can sometimes ware down the physical body more than any other activity. Especially our spiritual battles against the devil and his demons (Ephesians 6:12). This is why we must take the time out to keep ourselves physically fit so that we do not become vulnerable and susceptible to yielding to the temptations of the devil. And fulfill God’s calling for our lives.

Published 6/8/2011 for: http://fitforfaith.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Is Judgment Day Saturday, May 21,2011 ?




Will Jesus Christ return this Saturday?


Will this Saturday be the end of the Christian Olympics, the most enormous and longest competition the world has ever seen?


There are many groups claiming that on May 21,2011, what is known as the Rapture, the return of Jesus Christ for His followers, will take place this Saturday.


Could this be true? Is it possible to predict the day that Jesus Christ will return?


Answers to questions about the return of Jesus Christ can be found in the Bible’s analogy of a Jewish marriage in biblical times. Jesus Christ is called in the scriptures the bridegroom. And the Church, the spectacles in the Christian Olympics, or Christians are known as the bride of Christ.(St. John 3 :29, Romans 7:4, Ephesians 5:22-32,2 Corinthians 11:2 ,Revelations 19:7). In the Jewish custom, the bridegroom had to leave his father’s home and travel to the potential bride’s home. In order to purchase his bride from her father for a price. Jesus came from His Father’s home in heaven, to earth the home of His potential bride. He died on the cross and purchased His bride with His own blood from Satan the brides father(St. John 8:44, 1 John 3:8-10,1 Corinthians 6:20, 1 Peter 1:19). Then the bridegroom left and went back to his father’s house. After Jesus rose from the dead, He went back to His Father’s house in heaven (Acts 1:11).


The bridegroom would now start preparing a place in his father’s house for his bride. Before Jesus went back to heaven, He said that His Father’s house had many mansions and he was going to prepare a place for His bride.(St.. John 14:1-2)


Time would elapse while the bridegroom prepares for his bride. In the meantime the bride would prepare for marriage. When the bridegroom was ready he would travel to his bride’s home with his wedding party to take his bride to live with him. Although the bride knew that the bridegroom was coming to get her, she did not know when, so she had to be ready at anytime. When Jesus Christ finishes preparing a place for His bride, the Church He will come back for her in the sky with His heavenly host (St. John 14:3, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18).So the Church, the bride of Christ has to be ready at any time.


The analogy of a Jewish wedding is also used in the parable of the ten virgins. To further illustrate and to emphasize that no one will ever know the day or the hour that Jesus Christ will return. Our only instructions are to be prepared to go and to watch. (St. Matthew 25:1-13).


Are you prepared ? Are you watching? Are you looking for Jesus Christ to return ?He could return any day, any hour, any minute, or any second.


It could be today, tonight, or while you are reading this. You can prepare yourself right now to go with Jesus Christ when he comes back by praying this prayer:


Dear God:


I believe that I am a sinner. I am sorry. Please forgive me for my sins. I do not want to go to hell when I die, but have eternal life in heaven with you. I believe in my heart that Jesus Christ is God, who became a man to die in my place. I receive His death and the blood that He shed to wash my sins away as payment for the penalty of my sins. I believe in my heart that you raised Jesus Christ bodily from the grave. I now receive your gift of eternal life. Thank you for saving me from hell because of Jesus. In His name I pray. Amen.










 




 




http://www.sounddoctrineministries.org/salvationprayer.html