God’s Workout Plan

By Cheri Cowell –

Most of us have some form of health goals for the New Year. It seems that every other commercial on television is about losing weight or getting healthy. I’m told that gym memberships increase by over 60% the first six weeks of the year, but decline to their normal numbers after that. Just this week I heard a fitness expert say we need to spend at least three hours each week on some form of physical exercise, and double that if we want to lose weight. He said that for most people, simply walking more is a good place to start in order to create an exercise habit that will stay with us throughout our lives.

How many of us have similar goals for our spiritual exercise? The goal of living longer, being healthier, and possibly looking better this time next year propels us towards making these lifestyle changes. But what image or goal is going to drive us to make the commitments needed for our spiritual exercise?

Each of us has the job of discovering how we can labor and strive for the kingdom of God. Some of us will labor this year by working on a particular area of weakness, some by surrendering an area of life to God, and still others by seeking more of God’s face and less of His hand.

And what will we get when we do this? We will experience the hope of the Living God, who will give us the desires of our hearts. Strive and labor on God’s workout equipment and He will provide the “body” in Christ you are looking for.

PRAYER: God, thank You for never allowing my work to go unnoticed or unheralded. Help me exercise more consistently on Your workout equipment so I may be all You need me to be in the body of Christ.

“But reject those myths fit only for the godless and gullible, and train yourself for godliness. For “physical exercise has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8 NET).

Sharing the Gift

By Cheri Cowell –

My husband loves to shake the boxes under the Christmas tree and try to guess what they are. It is a lot of fun when he is so far off base. I feel as if I’ve done my duty when I can trick him into thinking about one thing when I’ve actually bought him something else.

It is not much fun, however, when he guesses correctly. What is the fun of giving a surprise gift if there is no surprise? One year when Randy was a little boy, he guessed his gift correctly and his brother picked up the gift and walked out the front door with it. “What are you doing?” he asked in bewilderment. “You guessed it so I’m taking it back,” was the reply.

Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about God returning His gift. Yes, we already know what it is, but it doesn’t change for us the excitement that builds knowing we are getting the best Christmas gift we could ever receive.

The Jewish people should not have been surprised when they finally received this gift. Some, like Mary, recognized it right away. Mary knew the Scriptures, and had probably prayed each night for the Messiah to come and save them from their oppression. Little did she know that she would play such an important role in the giving of this gift to the world. We know the gift that is coming, and we, as well, have a role to play in sharing this gift with the world.

So shake some packages, get excited. The greatest gift is ready to be shared.

PRAYER: I praise You God for the planning that went into the giving of this precious gift. Thank You for the hundreds and thousands of people who played a role in passing this gift down through the ages so I might receive it. Thank You for trusting me to be a part in sharing this great gift with others.

“Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:13-14 NIV).

Are You Like Herod?

By Cheri Cowell –

I hate to admit it, but sometimes I am like Herod. Yes, Herod.

I fall into the trap the devil sets before me by expecting the Savior to be a military-type ruler. Sometimes I fear that somehow He has a list of all my wrongdoings and is waiting for me to make a wrong move.

Now, before you get all worried about me, I know this is not true. I know that Jesus is a loving, compassionate, and just ruler. I know this, but sometimes those doubts creep in, mainly when I am feeling low, persecuted, and threatened or when my expectations are not met.

Herod felt the same way. He had expectations that the newborn King would usurp his power. Herod knew that he was not the rightful heir to the throne of David, and thus he was fearful of a military uprising. So he devised his own plan. He invited the Magi to his palace and asked that when they found this newborn King they would return to him with the news “so he might go and worship him also.” This was a lie. He planned to kill the child and thus get rid of his problem.

How familiar this reaction to an obstacle is for me, and maybe you too. We see that our wrongdoing might be revealed, someone might see the real us, or our mistake might be made public and we devise a plan. Our plans probably don’t involve murder, but they do involve a cover up or a “softening” of the truth. The real truth is that God is willing to forgive and forget the whole thing. He can even take the bad we have done and turn it into good. Herod completely misunderstood the reason for Christ coming. Christ didn’t want Herod’s throne, He wanted to be King of Herod’s heart.

PRAYER: God, I praise You for coming as a loving and compassionate Savior and not a military ruler. Help me to see Your love for me when my own plans have gone wrong. I’m sorry for wanting to take your throne and ask You to be the King of my heart today.

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him” (Matthew 2:1-3 NIV).

Prepare the Way

By Cheri Cowell –

My husband has learned what I mean by getting the house ready for company. He is okay with everything being put away or picked up, but I want to go a little further including mopping and sweeping, dusting and cleaning, and all the little touches like lighting candles. My definition is not the same as his, so when he prepares our home for guests according to my standards, I know he is telling me he loves me.

One reason I feel a need to go to such lengths when company comes is because I believe it tells the person coming that they are special and valued in my eyes. They may never know the difference, but I will know I have done everything I can to prepare the way for them to feel it and possibly see it.

In Matthew we hear John the Baptist quoting from the prophet Isaiah who was also telling his people they needed to prepare for God’s coming. Likewise, we can help those who have not met Jesus by making their paths straight. How can we do this? We begin by becoming their friends so they can know our hearts and see that we are genuinely different. Then when we enter desert times in our lives they can watch how we rely on a strength that is beyond our own. People who don’t know Him need to be prepared to meet Him through seeing Him in us.

“In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him’” (Matthew 3:1-6 NIV).

PRAYER: Thank You Lord for those who prepared the way for me to know You personally. Help me befriend those who need to see You making a difference in someone’s life. I want to be used by You to prepare the way for Your coming in someone’s life today.

The Blessing Bunch

By Cheri Cowell –

Henry Ward Beecher is quoted as saying “a proud man is seldom a grateful man because he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves”. I struggle with this on a daily basis. My personality is prone to the weakness of pride and I tend to agree with the Apostle Paul that although I know what I want to do, I can’t seem to do it (at least not all of the time). I’ve discovered that pride slips up when I feel unappreciated, unnoticed, overwhelmed, taken advantage of, and self-righteous. All of these are traits of a self-focused person.

Are you like me and need a remedy? If so, God has given us one.

He tells us we should get our eyes off of ourselves and onto our blessings. It is easy for us to let our feelings become hurt, our pride to take over, and for us to demand our own way. When I see that my eyes have moved to myself, I call to God to help me have a just view. He then gently shows me what I am without Him and who I am because of Him. I can then lift someone else up, knowing it won’t cost me, because God has given me my place with Him.

I recently read about a group of people who are called the Blessing Bunch. All of us are called to join this club. We are to turn our eyes from ourselves and on to others, blessing them because we’ve been so richly blessed.

“Love each other like brothers and sisters. Give each other more honor than you want for yourselves” (Romans 12:10 NCV).

PRAYER: Thank You, God, for helping me to take my eyes from myself and to place it on those whom You send my way today. Help me have a just view of myself and to take the oath to join the Blessing Bunch club today.

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