Mark 12:30 (NLT)
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.
The highlights from week 2:
1. Love GOD first. No matter which
translation we read, this principle is crystal clear. Place Jesus first and everything else falls into place. When we put all we are- our whole person (body, mind, heart, spirit)- in Jesus, He will add innumerable things, including a greater natural energy to worship Him and serve others.
2. Whatever we give the LORD, whether large or small, he multiplies it and gives it back in greater quantities. Over and over again. I believe if we take an honest look at our lives, we’re witness to this.
3. Much like sin destroys the soul, toxins wreak havoc on the body. More than ever, our environment- no matter how positive we are- is contaminated with all sorts of unhealthy toxins. The good news, however, is this: Jesus wipes away the sin from our soul, and we can rid ourselves of many of the toxins affecting our health now. Start by using a portion of your next paycheck or the remaining balance on that Wal-Mart gift card to invest in a Brita water filter.
4. The LORD blesses us with these bodies (and time and talents) not so that we’ll cling to them tightly until we return to him the same way. Jesus made it clear that we are to invest our time, talents, and bodies into Kingdom work. So, then, by being good stewards over our bodies we are fulfilling part of our calling. Being a good steward has everything to do with taking care of that gift.
5. We have not because we ask not. GOD is ever faithful to deliver our needs. So then, let us return to our example prayer. Although rippling abs or a flat stomach for a bikini may not be necessities, the overall health and wellness of the body is. In optimal health, the body functions as it should, as it was designed to do. So here’s a thought. Maybe we should pray something along the lines of “ GOD, please allow me to enjoy the greatest health possible, so that I can serve you, savor activity time with my family, and use my body to help others.
Applications: spend your energy focused on GOD and others, give GOD the best part of your day (whatever time that may be), water the body and soul daily, remember you only get one life to live, ask GOD (and others) for help with your goals
Nutrition Tips: fuel your natural energy with a balanced diet and exercise program, substitute organic and whole foods when possible, sip on water all day long to stay hydrated, go nuts by eating the (good) fat in nuts, unless fasting, never skip breakfast
Exercise Tips: exercising in the morning will keep you naturally energetic all day, get plenty of sleep every night, implement intense interval training into your regimen for growth, find a sport your passionate about and play it, worship GOD throughout your workout
