Teachings From The Treadmill

By Cindy Martin –

The cards and presents have all been opened and the decorations are put away for another year. New Year’s resolutions to quit this or start that are aplenty. My determination to drop a few pounds has me heading for the gym.

On the treadmill, as I finish selecting my program, entering my age (sigh), weight (bigger sigh) and time, immediately across the screen scroll the words KEEP HANDS ON SENSORS FOR HEART RATE. Any attempt to take a drink from my water bottle or skip to the next song on my IPod instantly results in getting beeped and the flashing reminder to KEEP HANDS ON SENSORS FOR HEART RATE. I see the STOP button but my pride and insatiable desire to multitask to efficiently use my time keep me from using it. After all, I should be able to take a little sip or make a few little adjustments without consequences.

I learn from a veteran treadmiller that there is a way around this annoying little feature. If you select “Random” as your program you are not required to KEEP HANDS ON SENSORS FOR HEART RATE. I enjoy my new found freedom and the anticipation of not knowing what’s coming next – just taking it as it comes. I tell myself that the safety risks are insignificant.
As my mind settles into a more contemplative mood and I reflect on my relationship with God, some striking parallels came to mind. My “I’ll do it my way” of approaching the design of the treadmill is often the way I approach God. I want all the benefits of the time we spend together, but I want it on my own terms. I don’t want to have to “stop” in the midst of my busyness to drink in the life-giving presence He offers. I want to make random adjustments on the run. I resist keeping my hands on the sensors of His word and His Spirit because I don’t always like what they reveal about my heart. All the while, I do so at the risk of my own spiritual health. Psalm 46:10 aptly reminds us of our spiritual Trainer’s words to us, “Be still and know that I (not you) am God.” (KJV)

The next time I’m at the gym, I think I’ll choose a different program (probably “Fat burn”!) and KEEP HANDS ON SENSORS FOR HEART RATE.

AUTHOR QUOTE: “It’s hard to fill a moving bucket!”

“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10 KJV).

Do You Have a Growth Commitment?

By Peter Lundell –

I often ask people how long their New Year’s resolutions last. Typically they seem to crash and burn sometime by the end of January. So life goes on as it did before.

Positive change must be addressed every day. It happens not by achievement but by habit.

I encourage people to chuck resolutions in favor of what I call “growth commitments” that I establish for each year. I’ve done annual growth commitments since 1986 that have led to major growth and changes in my life, which also makes my wife happy.

Think primarily in terms of personal character growth, not just paying off a credit card or losing weight. Those are fine, but if you relate them to deeper issues of character growth, you’ll go much deeper with the whole commitment and attain more overall results than you would otherwise. Go ahead and have other goals. But if you keep the growth commitment to one main thing, simply expressed, you will do well.

Two keys make it work: 1—Keep it simple and short, then write it on a on a small piece of paper (or PDA), and put it where you’ll see it daily, like on a mirror, in a wallet, as a bookmark, or whatever works for you. 2—Pray it, incorporate it into time you (hopefully) spend with God each day. And do it all year long. When you write it down and keep it where you’ll always see it, you enable yourself to consistently pray it.

Doing this accomplishes two other things: You bring God’s response into it, and you reorient your own thinking around the commitment. Change your thinking and you’ll change your behavior—especially if you seek God’s blessing each day.

What would your 2013 growth commitment be?

“Lord, my life is in Your hands. In this coming year mold me into your image and grow me beyond who I am now….”

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD” (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NIV).

Rain on Me!

By Peter Lundell –

The sky finally dumped rain in Southern California—in October. Through all the years I’ve lived here, I’ve never seen more than spit and drizzle this early in the rainy season. Today it came with thunder and torrential downpour. Kim and I thanked God for it and prayed for more. My daughter texted me with a request for an umbrella.

After a terrible drought across the country in 2012, the Bible would say that the land cries out for rain. A lot of people seem to think that water comes from a faucet and that lawn sprinkler systems somehow produce water out of PVC pipes—and they complain when their picnic or soccer game gets rained on. Others know that without rain we’re in trouble—as people in many parts of the world are.

In the rain I also saw God’s Spirit. And I saw that in the midst of busyness, I have too often relied on the equivalent of faucets and PVC pipes for spiritual vitality. I pray and read the Bible, but I want my soul soaked. I’m thirsty for downpour, for the Spirit of God to pour out on me and my church, and on you too.

Isaiah 44:3 parallels the image of rain with the outpouring of God’s Spirit: “I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.”

Ask Him for that Spirit. It’s life-giving.

I must be honest and ask myself, how badly do I want it? How much will I focus my heart on that? What will I sacrifice for it? God does not take lightly the giving of his Spirit. I invite you to be thirsty with me, not for religion but for God himself.

PRAYER: Lord, pour out Your Spirit on me! Forgive me for times I’ve been like Teflon and not received what You would have given me. I thirst for You. Keep me thirsty.”

“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. One will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The LORD’S,’ and will take the name Israel” (Isaiah 44:3–5 NIV).

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).

Who Says it Doesn’t Rain?

By Michelle Lim –

Today I was grousing about a big disappointment that came my way. After all, shouldn’t I have a corner on the blessings market?

Not hardly. We are all on planet earth. Well, at least most of us.

Life comes with disappointment. There are wonderful blessings we can all be thankful for, but when things don’t go our way we act surprised and offended. At least I do sometimes.

What about those moments when we see others who have done wrong escape struggle, while we do not? It is especially irritating when it is someone who has treated us poorly. We do what Jonah did after preaching to the city of Nineveh. He walked to a hill overlooking the city waiting for God to destroy it. After all, they were enemies of Israel. This would be a great show.

But God didn’t see it that way. The people of Nineveh repented and God forgave them. For Jonah, on the other hand, God sent a worm to destroy the shade from the sun where he rested.

What did Jonah do? He complained. Sounds a bit too familiar to me.

This fall we have seen so many lose all of their earthly possessions, even their homes. Still, when was the last time you complained? I did just this morning about something considerably less significant.

Life isn’t always a stroll through the blessings market. In fact, sometimes it is downright devastating. We may never know on this earth why some of the struggles we face come our way, but none of us are exempt from hardship.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be the children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:43 – 45 NIV).

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