Spiritual personal trainer

1 Peter 1: ⁶ In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. ⁷ These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

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“Are you going to the general graduation” a friend asked me. “You better believe it” I exclaimed! I wanted to sit and savor every moment because I was finished! My college experience was now complete and I didn’t have to face sleepless nights studying again.

I could now look back and see how painful it was to go through many situations and failures. Whatever went wrong actually helped prepare me for “the real world.”

• When I am in pain I only want relief.
• When I am in a circumstance I can’t see anything else but that circumstance.
• When I am in a world of hurt I beg for liberation and want to give up!

Each trial I have faced seemed like it would never be over but looking back at them I can honestly say I needed them.  Struggles don’t feel good but, just like exercise, builds me up in ways I can’t express.

• GOD knows how much pain I can handle and motivates me to hang in a little longer.
• GOD knows how much suffering I can take and says to me keep going you’re almost there.
• GOD knows how much anguish I can face so and HE uses difficult circumstances to develop spiritual muscles.

Faith is like a muscle, the more it’s used the stronger it gets. Trials, while uncomfortable and unwelcome, build my character, perseverance, endurance and patience. GOD has placed HIS HOLY SPIRIT in me to comfort me and lead me “through” trials, refining my faith so it shines as bright as purified gold.

• Are you going through trials?
• Is it difficult for you to keep going?
• Can you stop looking at the trial for a moment and ask “what am I being prepared for?”
• Won’t you begin seeking the new ministry GOD is giving you no matter how young or old you are?

I believe in prayer

James 5: ¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.

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“My shift is almost over” I thought to myself. Some guys entered the bowling alley with surly attitudes and summoned me “around the corner” to ask a question about an item we were selling. With glass case separating us I sort of felt safe but something was wrong this time.

Some guys distracted my coworkers at the front while I, the lone sheep, remained split from the flock. When they pulled out the gun I knew I had no place to run. I hadn’t been to church in a while, nor had I talked to GOD very much but that was the first thing on my mind!

• It’s amazing how fast I run towards GOD when I’m in trouble.
• It’s amazing how much I beg GOD for help when I’m sick.
• It’s amazing how much I seek GOD when something is wrong.

Prayer is exactly what GOD wants on a regular basis but I have used it simply to get out of situations. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with praying during dire situations. In fact that’s exactly what I should be doing. What I’m saying is prayer shouldn’t be the last thing I do rather in most instances it’s the “only” thing I should be doing.

• I should pray when I’m in trouble and GOD will calm me in the midst of the storm.
• I should pray when things are going well and GOD will keep me from temptations that easily tear me from HIM.
• I should pray when others are sick or down and GOD will heal them and forgive them.

Prayer is extremely powerful when used unselfishly. Prayer coupled with the right motive and right attitude outdoes any action I can conjure up. When I pray I’m actually saying to GOD I accept whatever outcome YOU choose rather than trying to manipulate HIM. HE always answers a prayer where HE is the center and that’s a good thing!

• Are you in trouble?
• Are you happy?
• Are you sick?
• Can you pray a prayer of praise before you ask HIM to fix your problem?
• Won’t you use prayer more often just to have a nice conversation with GOD?

Wait a minute or maybe a few years

James 5: ⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. ⁸ You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. ⁹ Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

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“Dark, dinky, dank road” I thought to myself. As the highway curved and curved it seemed like the cars in front of us were not only getting slower, they seemed to be going backwards! It was early so it was still somewhat dark and I could probably see the glow of headlights coming at me.

I know what I’ll do, I will take a chance and pass all these cars in the no passing zone! As I moved into the oncoming traffic lane I revved the engine and we took off! I can make it, I thought… then a car was headed in our direction but I hadn’t finish passing all the cars. Fortunately for us, the drivers let me back in and we avoided a collision! My coworker said “don’t do that again!”

• When I am impatient I actually make mistakes.
• When I am impatient I sometimes make rash decisions.
• When I am impatient I don’t wait on the result of what others can do or become.

Sometimes I just want GOD to be done with the lessons HE has for me.  I mean can’t HE just zap wisdom, knowledge and understanding in me and be done with it already? Can’t I skip the trial? Can’t I just leap into a life of luxury without having to endure life’s pressures?

• My view on life should include the understanding that my situation is temporary.
• My view on life should include the knowledge that life will be a little uncomfortable but GOD’s “valuable crop” is worth the wait.
• My view on life should include the wisdom to recognize when I’m judging others harshly versus looking at my life and its crop.

GOD is extremely patient with me. HE watches me sin every day and doesn’t just zap me to hell rather HE shows mercy and grace. HE expects me to show the same patience to others.

• Is there someone who is annoying in your life?
• Do you find yourself irritated at what “that” person says or does?
• Can you show a little patience today?
• Won’t you slow down or even stop to wait on the LORD and watch HIS deliverance?

My plans mean nothing without GOD

James 4: ¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil.

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“Business plan” check… “Service to sell” check… “Business Cards” check… “Tools” check… “Customers” a few so “CHECK!” As I halfheartedly proceeded in my first business venture I began with what I thought were the right components. With baby on the way and a very demanding job, I wanted to strike it out on my own to “be there” for the family so my intentions were honorable.

Weekends were now spent away from the family and with my band of one I had no time to grow my business plus my job was sending me out of town next week. The business failed before it got started. What went wrong?

• When I plan without GOD my plans are headed for failure.
• Even if I have reached a level of success that is recognized by many, if the achievement was without GOD my plans are headed for failure.
• When I look into the future and develop contingency plans to thwart catastrophe, without GOD my plans are headed for failure.

Now that I am in business again I recognize something very important, GOD has the ability and the right to say “NO” or “not at all” to my plans. I could have, what I think are the best intentions but when I have not accepted the fact that my plans may not be aligned with GOD’s plans then I am prone to pout “when” they fail.

• GOD has a plan for me that is complex, purposeful and perfect.
• GOD’s plan will always be done; my plan can be done more if aligned with GOD’s plan.
• GOD knows the future of my plan and its success hinges on my dependence on HIM.

Saying “if it is the LORD’s will” means I am willing to accept “NO” for an answer. I am not rolling over and dying and preparing for a crash and burn blamed on the LORD rather my eyes are wide open to the fact that GOD has all I own. I can’t protect my family, stuff or business. GOD owns it all and has a right to do with it as HE pleases.

• Do you believe your abilities came from you?
• Do you have plans for yourself, thinking you can control your situation?
• Won’t you start your next plan by asking GOD what HE wants to do?
• Can you stop bragging about “your” accomplishments and credit them to GOD?

What I really want is my way!

James 4: ² You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. ³ When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.

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⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up

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“That sure is a nice suit” I said to my boss. I couldn’t think of anything else to say but I needed to make small talk because I wanted to get that promotion. Of course I didn’t get the promotion so I stuck my mouth out and started to act like a very deserving employee.

I ranted and threatened and do you know what… I never got promoted there.

• My fake compliment is quickly seen through by GOD.
• My wrong motive for whatever I desire is easily thwarted by GOD.
• My false humility trying to act “churchy” is effortlessly noticed by GOD and HE doesn’t like it.

GOD knows exactly what’s good for me and says “NO” to me quite often. In fact I look back on some of the things I’ve wanted and I am extremely grateful I didn’t get them. Believe it or not, I am also grateful for some of the turmoil I have been put through as well.

Getting “my way” means getting my way and I really don’t want my way when I get my way. I usually end up on a path that’s really bad for me and then I can’t find “my way” out of it. GOD has a remedy.

• HE wants me to submit “my way” to HIS way which means I can resist temptations and the Devil will leave me alone.
• GOD wants me to take a step toward HIM first and HE will come near to me.
• HE wants me to sincerely desire for things to be better for “that” person rather than trying to manipulate them to get “my way.”

GOD wants me to truly be humble, not false humility where other people tell me I’m humble. It means admitting I’m “still” a sinner and my plans will lead to the wrong place.

• Are you trying to manipulate GOD by acting good or by only listening to “godly” stuff?
• Do you think GOD can’t see through your efforts to be good for a moment and turn away from HIM when you get what you want?
• Can you let go of that thing you desire so much and let HIM decide if it is good for you or not?
• Won’t you back down and examine yourself and admit your stubbornness to GOD?

What kind of wisdom do I have?

James 3: ¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

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Conflict seemed to be the center of discussion between our departments. There was no love lost between our group so when one of my employees complained about what “they” were doing I immediately sprang into action hoping I could flex a little muscle to get the issue resolved.

Little did I know “they” had already brought in the big guns and had swayed senior management toward their posture. The fight was over before it had started.

• My warring wisdom reaps a crop of conflict.
• My combative wisdom reaps a harvest of struggles.
• My confrontational wisdom reaps a defensive stance from that person rather than promoting unity.

“I’m right” and “they” are wrong leaves me seeking a much smaller group who wants to follow “my” thinking. Unfortunately I usually end up with a group of people with the same flawed thinking and we don’t go anywhere. I stand around looking at “them” blaming “them” for all the problems “I” am facing. Is my thinking too low?

• GOD says “ask ME for wisdom and I will give more than you can handle.”
• GOD says “MY wisdom seeks peace rather than being right all the time.”
• GOD says “MY wisdom seeks what the other person wants rather than blindly serving self.”
• GOD says “MY wisdom is full of mercy, submissive and good fruit rather than judgment and depletion.”
• GOD says “MY wisdom is impartial and sincere rather than thinking one group is better than another.”

GODLY wisdom says mankind is not changing rather it has always been in a fallen state and desperately needs a savior. Communities and neighborhoods do not “change” rather a new face that needs GOD appears and I must serve them the way GOD wants me to serve them, with GODLY wisdom.

• Do you think your country or neighborhood is “changing?”
• Do you see a big problem or a large opportunity to harvest more people?
• Have you looked at yourself to see if your heart needs to change toward other people?
• When have you actively sought to understand “that” person to win them over rather than trying to get them to conform to your ways?

Cuts you like a knife!

James 3: ⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

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Being laughed at was the norm when I grew up.  I had messy hair, clothes with holes in them that were too short and I was skinny. Oh yes, I forgot to mention I had thick framed black glasses. If you looked up the word ridicule you would have seen my picture. I spent an enormous amount of time and money trying to fit in.

After amassing my small fortune of eight hundred dollars, I bought some clothes, glasses and joined a health club. Soon I got on the other side of ridicule.  It felt good laughing at those broke weaklings who weren’t in style!

• My praise of GOD is faulty when I complain about other humans.
• My praise of the FATHER is broken when I look at other humans as the problem.
• My praise of our LORD and SAVIOR is defective when I think other humans have problems and “I’m okay.”

My tongue can be full of poison and is potentially a dangerous weapon. From slander to degradation my words can be quite harmful.  I don’t even have to be speaking directly to a person to harm them.  I can have side conversations that slam the person even when I have never met them nor understood them. GOD hears every word I say.

• My purpose is to spread GOD’s message of love and this is tainted when I dog the person out.
• My purpose is to show love so others will be drawn to GOD and this is spoiled when I use slander instead of praise.
• My purpose is to sow a good message of salvation but if my attitude towards other people is bad then my message is useless.

How in the world can I love people and hate people with the same tongue? “Hate” is such a strong word, maybe I should say “dislike” or maybe use “annoyed” to make myself feel comfortable. All I know is that I am not praising that person and GOD is not excited about my words. HE wants me to be able to speak well of my friends AND my enemies.

HE wants me to be single minded and focus my tongue with love.

• Are you complaining about “those” people or “that” person?
• Are you engaged in conversation that is pleasing to GOD or pleasing to a specific group?
• Can you try to tame your tongue enough to speak about the LORD to “that” person?
• Won’t you cut off the source of your poison so that you can learn to speak well of others?