Getting My Spiritual Weight Up!!!

I reposted this entry because it was the one that inspired me to start this new blog exclusively dedicated to my daily devotions. It originally appeared March 23rd on http://ajwoodson.blogspot.com/2006/03/getting-my-spiritual-weight-up.html

for those who haven't seen it yet enjoy and post feedback in the comment section, thanx and have a blessed day!!!

I was reading The Upper Room, my daily devotional guide (which I have to admit I rarely read daily, a couple time a week sometimes is saying something but I'm working on it). Anyway I was a day or two behind and I was turning to today's devotion (slipping past the days I missed as usual) and for some reason I stopped at yesterdays, message titled Good Intentions.

It started off with Matthew 7:21

Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he one who does the will of my Father in heaven."

Then it went of to talk about standing on the scale in the morning and acknowledging that you need to lose weight and actually meaning it when you say it but not following through on it through out the course of the day. Giving in to cravings you know you shouldn't have, and especially now since I'm working part time at a local supermarket around the corner at night, I'm surrounded with everything I shouldn't eat. And to make it worst its usually a lot cheaper than the foods I should be eating or snacking on.

Anyway it went on to compare that to reading your daily devotional message and attending weekly church services and agreeing 100% with the message but again not following through with it through out the course of the week.

Now what struck me the most is I just had this conversation with Reginald, a friend of my mine from my church, via email no more then 10-15 minutes before. We serve in the Media Outreach Ministry (also known as the sound or audio ministry in some other churches) together, were discussing what moves we need to make to enhance the sound and make the ministry more efficient, overall. I was just telling him the same thing that I need to exercise more both Physically and spiritually daily. To be an more effective and efficient soldier for Christ I need to get my spiritual weight up and arm myself with His word (something I know I should do but don't do enough of.)

The daily devotional message talks about how all of this seem relatively easy when surrounded by fellow believers but agreeing with God's message doesn't mean a thing unless I follow through with it daily. I need the power of God to help me through the everyday struggles of day to day life especially when God decides to use you in any capacity to do his work. My dad use to say the enemy never saw me as a threat before I gave my life over to Christ and decide to live better and do the right thing. I was running wild and, well that's another rant for another day. But now that I have made the decision to do Gods will, whether it be the various ministries I'm involved in at church or praying with or being a blessing to someone God puts in my path to help, the enemy seems to try to beat you down and make you forget Gods message unless you arm yourself and surround yourself with it daily. Even in my marriage, one of my weaknesses God is helping me to work through praying daily with my wife, who He has blessed me with the spend the rest of my days. One of the best way for the enemy to attack you is through those closest to you.

Anyway before I go off in another rant, the moral of this lengthy entry is Today I will try to be the person God wants me and has created me to be. Today I ask all of your reading this, how many of you need to get your spiritual weight up???