This week's sermon: 1 Tim 4- Being Spiritually Fit!

Here is a little snippet from the sermon I have been working on this week:

First Timothy 4:7-8 says:7Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8For 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. 1 Tim. 4:7-8

I like how the Phillips translation states verse seven:“Take the time and the trouble to keep yourself spiritually fit.”1 Timothy 4:7 (Phillips Translation)

In other words, it’s good to be physically fit, and it’s even better to be spiritually fit. But just how do you get spiritually fit? Funny, but I haven’t seen too many “infomercials” on spiritual fitness. Hey, who knows? Maybe we’re on to something here! We could develop some training videos on spiritual fitness: · “Real World/Lord Rules Challenge”· “Dance Your Sin Off”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 3 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 4:4In other words, man is more than just a physical being. He is a spiritual being as well as a physical being. And just as the physical side of him needs nourishment, so does the spiritual nature.In the Old Testament there is a story 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:

This is still a work in progress, but this is the way the Lord has been leading me this week. Hope to see some of you Sunday for the full sermon!!