Crossfit Murphy

Jesus knew no sin.  How many times during the day do you sin?  Can you imagine, no sin, a perfect person, Jesus.  He became sin on the cross so that we could be forgiven.  Take the time to thank God for sending his only begotten Son for us.  We really cannot comprehend his love for us.

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

Have you ever started praying and all you could say is, “HELP”.  You have no strength, you feel as is your burden is so heavy you can’t breathe. The times we live in are trying.   The Psalmist wrote, do not delay.. “Yet I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God. You are my help and my deliverer; O LORD, do not delay. ” Psalm 70:5

Do you feel like you can’t go on one more day.  Ask God to not delay.  Your word, O LORD, is eternal, it stands firm in the heavens, Psalm 119:89.  God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.  Psalm 46:1

But I will sing of your strength,
in the morning I will sing of your love;
for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.
O my Strength, I sing praise to you;
you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God.  Psalm 59:16-17

Most everyone has heard the song Jesus Loves Me..  It is such a simple song about Jesus love for His children.

Jesus loves me! this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong;
they are weak but He is strong.

His strength is made perfect in our weakness.  He loves us and wants us to lean upon Him, not our own self or anyone else.  Our heart might be broken or empty but He can repair it.  Know that you are loved despite your circumstances today or tomorrow.  If you read His word it will give the insight of his love. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Psalms 147:3

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.  Isaiah 40:28

Nutrition is so important for our bodies.  People don’t realize how little they eat of the right things.  Most of us don’t eat enough.  We get in the bad habit as we get older breakfast becomes brunch, dinner becomes late night snack.  When we are inconsistent is when our bodies feel the worse.  Our digestive system is off and our cravings are roller coasters.

The same is true with our spiritual nutrition.  When we are not eating the word of God every day we starve.  When we are inconsistent are moods are roller coaster and we have no peace.  The words come to mind, keep the pace..Maintain a solid pace with the word of God and you will feel better and your life will run better.

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus.  Romans 15:4-5

Do you think about what you say before you say it?  Our words can make our the world a better place at home and at work.  The book of Proverbs says that,” gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”  Go by this,  If you can’t think of something nice to say…don’t say anything.

To everything there is a season…
  a time to be silent and a time to speak.”  Ecclesiastes 3:1,7

Friends are very important.  When we are young, our friends are important because we are easily influenced by them.  Charles Stanley said,”Your friends help determine the quality and direction of your life.”  As we grow older, more mature and can make our own decisions our friends change.  Some of your childhood friends you remain close to but for the most part you closest and dearest friend are the ones you make as you get older.  “A friend is one who makes me do my best,” Oswald Chambers.  Do you strengthen and encourage your friends?  Surround yourself with people who have your best interest at heart and treat others the way you want to be treated.

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.  John 15:12-15

Don’t take your loved ones for granted.  Take the time to tell each other you love them.  If you are feeling like your life is like ground hog day, be thankful.  Just because you are in a routine doesn’t mean that is bad.  You never know when something unexpected could happen and reshape your family and life forever.

A very dear friend to my family recently lost their son.  The father recently wrote expressing how much he grieved his son.  Reading the words of how much their life has changed and will never be the same.  His place at the table is empty, his seat in the car is empty, the silence of him not being there is always present.  None of us are promised tomorrow.  How do you treat those around you?

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.  James 4:14

We like Max Lucado a lot and highly recommend his books.  The one we are reading right now is, It’s Not About Me.  We often get wrapped up in the mindset that it is all about us.  We are born selfish and until we break from our sinful selfish nature do we truly worship and honor the Lord.  This particular chapter speaks on how we treat our bodies.  It relates it to if you had a house sitter and they did what they wanted to do in your house while they were there.  One person changing the furniture, changing the paint colors.  Or, the other that did nothing.  They totally neglect the house and don’t clean or take the trash out.  How would you feel in either of these situations?  Both treating the house as if it were theirs. So, how do you treat your body like one of these house sitters?  It is not yours it is the Lords.  Do we take of ourselves so that we honoring the Lord?

” Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;  you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”  1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Life is not trouble free.  One misconception is when you become a Christian your life will be easier.  Often your struggles seem harder because we are of the Lord and this world is not.  The spiritual battles we face are because we are his, and the world rejects Christ.  It would be easy to live a life with no guidance and do what you want to do.  Bur, living by the Word hold us accountable when we have the Holy Spirit within us.  The ultimate victory of eternal peace outweighs the struggles we face for a short time.  

Whoever digs a pit may fall into it;
   whoever breaks through a wall may be bitten by a snake.
 Whoever quarries stones may be injured by them;
   whoever splits logs may be endangered by them.
Ecclesiastes 10:8-9

How do we have peace in difficult situations?  Do your problems overwhelm you and there is no strength in how to possibly overcome? The Lord promises to never leave us.  He is always there and encourages us to give our burdens to him.  God never changes and he is always there for us.  Whatever is laying heavy on you today ask God to take it.  Trust in his power and believe in his Word.

“I the LORD do not change. So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.  Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the LORD Almighty. Malachi 3:6-7