Run Well! - Hebrews 12:1

This morning I got out of bed at 6:20am.  That is a big deal for me because I am not a morning person, I’m not even an afternoon person.  However this morning I got up and went running with a friend.  On top of not being a morning person I’m not a runner. Anyone who has seen me lately can tell that I haven’t been running in a while…a long while.   But I got up this morning and went running, it was horrible; I couldn’t breathe, I felt like I was going to lose the coffee I shouldn’t have had before running and it was altogether miserable.    At least it was for a while.  After I had laid on my couch and recovered, had breakfast and coffee along with a good “Jesus” conversation, followed by a shower, I felt like a million bucks!   It was hard but I had accomplished just a small little victory.  I intend to get up again tomorrow and suffer a little more.

Starting to run when you haven’t in a long time is hard work; you have to press through the pain and the desire to give in and give up.   You have to be committed to work through side pains, lack of breath, shin splints, etc.   It takes time to get in a grove where running is enjoyable (they tell me it gets that way at some point) and what once seemed like an unattainable task is simple.   You have to pay the price to overcome obstacles.

It is not surprising that Paul compares the Christian life to running a race…

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)

Walking with Christ is not always easy, make no mistake it is the best, the most joyful, really the only true way, but it is not always easy.  Sin and guilt creep in and weigh us down, some people step in and try and trip us up (sometimes succeeding).  We fail, we hurt, we cry… but we go on!   The race is already won and like my friend Matt was with me all the way this morning, Jesus is with us all the way. He will direct us, encourage us, chastise us, but never leave us; He loves us!

Start running, keep running, and run well!

Bodily Exercise and Godliness - 1 Timothy 4:7-8

I started thinking a week or so ago about my health and my weight.  I am a youth pastor, so how does the way I take care of my body effect the way people view my ministry? I know that the focus should be on the eternal versus the temporal (1 Tim. 4:7-8) but I believe I should start taking better care of the body (or temple if you will '1 Cor. 6:19') that God has entrusted to me.  I am horrible about eating what I want and trading exercise for slothful, self indulgent behavior; this certainly does not lead to the godliness that Paul was telling Timothy to focus on. What message am I sending my children, my wife, my youth and the families of the Church, or the lost, about the importance of being good stewards of what we have been given? If it isn't important to me, will it be important to them?   It is no secret that not exercising and not eating right leads to bad health, disease and loss of quality of life. I think it is time that I start realizing this now and do my part to be a good steward of my own body so that I may teach others the importance of doing this as well.   If we have to chose between bodily exercise which profits a little 'or' godliness that profits eternal, I will take the godliness every time. But who says we have to chose?  I think Paul was saying that both are good, just don't let the former outweigh or cause you to lose sight of the latter! Now is the time to change!

In all labor there is profit, But mere talk leads only to poverty. Proverbs 14:23(NASB)

Throw it out! - Matt. 18:6-9 & Heb. 12:1

Every Christian can get rid of stumbling blocks (traps) in their lives by asking themselves three simple questions.

1. Is a specific thing in my life (thing, action, person) causing me to sin? (Matt. 18:8-9)
2. Is a specific thing in my life causing me to lose focus on God? (Heb. 12:1)
3. Is a specific thing in my life causing others to sin or lose focus on God? (Matt. 18-6-7)

When you get a yes answer to any of these questions…Throw it out! 

Don’t just place it by the door. Don’t hide it under the bed, or in the back of the closet.  Get rid of it and throw it out.  You will be glad you did!  

30 Hour Famine

2012 30 Hour Famine

FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF PERRYSBURG 104726134

Click Here to Donate!

We are so excited to be doing our Famine this year! During the 30 Hour Famine, our youth group will actually NOT EAT for 30 hours. YES! You read that right. Teenagers? not eating... for 30 hours. Why? Because nearly 8,000 children under age 5 die every day because of hunger-related causes, that's one child every 10 seconds. And we are NOT okay with that, we will NOT stand by while children die from lack of food.

In the time leading up to and during our 30 hours of fasting, the students are going to get a crash course in global hunger and come face to face with the realities of poverty and injustice. We will make a global impact by learning about world hunger and raising money for hungry children around the world through World Vision; a local impact through service projects and raising awareness during our 30 hours; and making an individual impact on us when we will all get a small taste of what it is like for starving kids around the world. 

We will officially begin fundraising  for the event on Jan. 25th.  All the money raised will go to feed our starving neighbors in Africa.  (Rewards will be given based on donations raised).

We will also be starting a food drive on Jan. 25th and all of the food will be donated to the Southside Life Station in Toledo, OH to benefit those in need in our local community.

In our culture today we are pushed toward a me centered mentality. What we need to be happy is to consume, consume, consume.  We as Christian's know that this is not the way, yet we often get sucked into acting this way.   30 Hour Famine is a way that we can separate ourselves (for a time) from both food and technology (that's right cell phones must be checked in at the door).  

It is a time when we can draw closer to God, be good Samaritan's and stewards of His riches and love. 

We have set a group goal, each $30 we raise will help feed and care for a child for a month. Check out our thermometer to see our goal. Will you help us reach our goal this year?  Donate today.

Thanks for sponsoring us to go without-so others can eat.And so our Famine begins.

Want to know where the money raised through the Famine goes?Visit www.30hourfamine.org/about to learn more about 30 Hour Famine and World Vision?s hunger programs.