HOT DOGS

It’s triple digits here in south Texas.   Much hotter than that in a parked car, and yet I found myself needing to go into the grocery store but I had my German Shepherd puppy, River, with me.   I’m not an animal abuser and not even remotely related to one.  In fact River is my new Emotional Support dog.  We’re training and playing and have already developed a very close bond.  With all the tragedies in the news these days about children (and pets) being left in cars and not living to tell about it, I’m sure some of you are going to be appalled over the fact that I left River in my car while I ran into the store.

Being a man of common sense I put all the pieces together before proceeding.  The a/c had been running for over an hour and the car was very cool.  I’m only going in for a bag of cat food for the office cats.  I’ll be in and out in just a few minutes.   If I get delayed for some reason I can always abandon the mission and run out to the car.  I cracked the car door windows and off I jogged across the parking lot.

I reached the cat food in no time, grabbed a bag and headed to the check out.  Of course I choose the lane that has problems with the register two people in front of me.  I wait patiently but start wondering about River in the back of my mind.  After a couple of minutes (it seemed much longer) my eyes lit when I spotted an empty lane down the way.   Off I went.  I quickly got to the register and put my bag up for scanning.   Things are moving along quickly enough but my mind still tries to play tricks on me.  I’m wondering about River and hoping she’s not barking and causing a scene.  I’m sure someone would think she’s been in there too long and call the cops, LOL.

After checking out I hustled out the door and back across the parking lot towards my car.  As I get closer and can tell there’s no barking.  Okay, cool.  As I get closer still yet, I can see the profile of the car from 50′ away.  Hmm, no River.  I know she’s fine, but still.  My imagination says, “Gosh, I hope she’s not already having a heat stroke.  Way to go Russ.”

Well, all was perfectly fine.    As I reached the car and opened the door to put down the cat food, there she was.  Laying down on the floor board of the passenger seat right where I left her.  She looked up at me as she raised her head from her paws.  Not even panting.   I had only been gone about 4 & 1/2 minutes.  The car was just now starting to warm up.  I hopped in the car and started her up.  The cold air gushed out of the floor board vents and we took off without ever missing a beat.

As I drove away, God gave me a little lesson out of all that.  My sweet little River dog never doubted me.  The a/c had stopped blowing, her master had left and yet she remained calm.  I knew that she was not in any jeopardy.  She never left my mind.  I knew that at any minute I could return to the car if I felt I was being delayed too long.  I was in control.

Then I thought about the times I have been in River’s situation and how God wants me to have the same peace in disconcerting situations that she demonstrated.   How many times have I looked around at my circumstances and thought to myself, “Where is God in this one?”   When really, I should know that he is never gone and that I am safe.  If I am going through a trying time I can rest assured that He is aware of it and allows it.  It’s my job to trust and obey.  If I’m doing that then I know I am in good hands.

(James 1:2-4 – Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy.  For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.  So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed you will be strong in character and ready for anything).

Whatever you have going on, you’ve read to the bottom of this short post for a reason.  Whether you have a spiritual struggle or a physical one (maybe they’re one in the same) I want to encourage you and remind you that God is still there.  Just keep doing the next right thing.

Part of doing the next right thing is to be as prepared as possible for whatever we may encounter and even though we may not have any foresight on all the things we will face we can certainly do our part to be as spiritually and physically fit as possible.  Whatever storms we face, whether spiritual or physical, we will weather those storms better when we are spiritually and physically fit.  Christ Fit.  We will also perform at a higher level when God shines on us.  Getting Christ Fit is simple and the Christ Fit Fusion journal walks you through the entire process.  Eat a healthy spiritual and physical diet.  Exercise spiritually and physically.  Do them both consistently.

It is easier said than done but we are here to help you and support you along the way.  Get a copy of the 30 day Christ Fit Fusion book and start your journey to a strong, fitter, healthier you both physically and spiritually. We’d love to hear from you as you do and answer any questions you may have along the way.  You can connect with us on Facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/ChristFitFusion ) or through our website, http://www.ChristFitFusion.com where you can also find a link to the book.

Resolve Not To Resolve in 2016. Here’s Why.

88% – 92% of New Year’s Resolutions fail!   It’s for the same reason that most “Diets” fail.  You don’t need a resolution and you don’t need to start a diet.  In fact it’s the last thing you need.  What you need is a transformed lifestyle.  A style of life that you can live day in and day out for the rest of your life that will result in the changes you desire.  The lifestyle can bend and flex and adjust with your life’s circumstances, but the fundamental principles are anchored in “Principle.”

The 3 Christ Fit principles that will absolutely give you the results you have so longed for are 1).  Eat a Healthy Spiritual and Physical Diet.  2).  Exercise Spiritually and Physically and 3).  Do Them Both Consistently.  Simple.  Challenging.  Effective.  Live the right lifestyle and the results will take care of themselves.

If you put your emphasis on Christ and live by the principles that He demonstrated and that God inspired throughout the Bible you will succeed.  Don’t believe it’s that simple?  Try it and prove me wrong.  If you’re reading the same book I am, and living by it you are going to encounter God’s wisdom and counsel for every area for your life including taking care of your body.  How cool is that?  The God of the universe and creator of all things as your personal life coach.  Uh huh.  Awesome baby!    But most won’t pursue it.  Not faithfully anyway.   They may have a basic belief, but they are ultimately lazy, distracted, weak, cynical, and ultimately selfish.  It’s easy to say “I believe in God.”  It’s another to be a disciple and follower of Jesus.  And this is why diets and resolutions in general FAIL.  Again; if you’re doubtful prove God wrong.

It’s easy to get motivated to do something healthy or otherwise good for the new year.  But what is motivation, really?  Think of an athlete.  I’ll use the example of a sprinter, but you can envision whatever trips your trigger.  Visualize a sprinter pacing back and forth before a race.  Jumping up and down and pounding his chest.  He focuses with that eye of the tiger on the finish line at the end of the track.   He takes in some deep breaths and psychs himself up to get his adrenaline pumping.   He is “motivating” himself.  That’s what you do when you pump yourself up to start a diet or exercise program or anything else that you think you “ought” to be doing.   “Inspiration”,  however, is what the sprinter had in order to be able to push himself to go out and train every day in sun or rain; heat or cold.  It’s what he had to have in order to discipline himself to eat in such a way that would promote the goals of his training.  Even when he wasn’t motivated to eat right or train he was inspired inside, and over -came the lack of motivation in order to do what he had to do.

Motivation is psyching up for an event.  Inspiration is what you have to have in order to put yourself through everything necessary to get to that point of the event.   My event comes in the after-life so my training on earth is never done.  My inspiration is knowing that God Almighty has created me for something in the after-life and that gives me will to train even when I am not motivated.  I just know that I know that one day I am coming back on a horse with Jesus riding at full throttle wielding a sword and I’m going to get to do righteous butt kicking with Jesus.  Even if I’m wrong it’s part of what  gives me inspiration to press on in my personal training and in my pursuit of spreading the message of Christ Fit. It’s easy to get discouraged and lose hope, but when you are inspired you can overcome that.

So don’t set a New Year’s Resolution.  Seek God and set a New Year’s Inspiration in Him.  Live a lifestyle that will result in the changes you want.  You can do this.  He can do it in you.  It’s the hardest thing in the world to do, but how many times are you willing to fail at a something that you’re trying in your motivation and flesh before you are finally willing to invest some spiritual sweat equity into this thing and do your life God’s way?

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Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbors Pecs

When I was a little boy I had an uncle named Freddie. Freddie was not in particularly great shape, but he could pop his pecs (flex his chest muscles individually and make his man boobs dance). It was sooo cool and I had to be able to do it. Later it was Hulk Hogan and Sylvester Stallone that caught my attention and they had the total package to go along with the bouncing bulges of sex appeal.
Years later after countless hours in the gym I achieved my goal of the peck popping (I know, TMI). I even competed in and won a state bodybuilding competition. However, I just never could get my chest as thick and round looking as the other Brutus Beefcakes. My bounces were just not as impressive. I was in great shape, but I wasn’t content. I wanted what the other guys had. I wanted “their” pecs. The trouble with that desire was the fact that I just didn’t have the genetics to build those kinds of muscles. I could make what I had bigger and stronger, but I was limited in the way my muscles were shaped and in my ability for obtaining a body builder’s physique. My genetics were actually predisposed for endurance running and cross training type sports.
Enough about me; the point I want to make with the story is that we’ve all been given a shape and a genetic propensity. We can improve upon that shape and even a 98 lb. weakling can grow some muscles. Even a defensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys can get in shape to run a 10K. Neither will be as good as the other because of the way they are made. The 98 lb. weakling will run circles around the big guy and the big guy will use the 98 lb. weakling as a warm up set in the gym. It’s fine to do whatever you want to do as physical exercise, just realize that not everyone is going to look like a movie star.
Another point is that there truly are genetically gifted freaks of nature. Some people can get away with murder when it comes to diet and exercise. Some do get amazing results compared to the efforts they put in.
Don’t covet your neighbor’s pecs. Learn to have realistic goals and expectations. “The secret to a dancers body” is not a dance video or special diet. The secret is genetics, dancing your butt off for hours and sometimes starving. Focus on your personal progress, not perfection. And remember, fitness is more than what you look like on the outside. Jesus called the Pharisees white washed tombs because they had spiritual six pack abs and could pop their religious pecs, but their cholesterol was over 400.
We all have spiritual predisposition. We all have our gifts and were specifically designed by God. We can’t all be spiritual weight lifters. Just because someone has the gift of preaching or tongues or whatever else doesn’t make them any more spiritually fit than anyone else. The truth is it’s best for us all to do a little cross training both spiritually and physically. Runners should lift a little weight. Weight lifters should do a little cardio. But when it comes to our God given shape, design, gift, purpose and spiritual genetics we can only maximize on what we’ve already been blessed with.
Don’t covet your neighbor’s pecs. Maximize the talent God has given you and no matter what that is, you will become Christ Fit. Eat a Healthy Spiritual and Physical Diet. Exercise Spiritually and Physically. Do Them Both Consistently. Simple. Challenging. Effective. Live the right lifestyle and let the results take care of themselves.

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Do Two Wrongs Make Millions?

Two unsuccessful weight loss track records unite to make millions.  I truly feel sorry for people that consider themselves intelligent, but will drink the Kool-Aide anyway.  Less than 30 minutes of reading and educating yourself could save you a lot of money and disappointment.

So, about this Weight Watchers and Oprah thingamajig.  What do you think?  Good or bad for fitness?  Before I go on my rant let me be very clear about a few things.  Please pay attention to this statement.  I believe in capitalism, free enterprise, strategic mutually beneficial relationships and the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Weight Watcher and Oprah Winfrey both have the right to be successful if they have the ability to do so and I don’t fault them for it.  I would love to be as financially successful as either of them and I work hard at making my mark and my living.  BUT… (you knew it was coming) I will not exploit people’s weaknesses in order to do it.

Do a quick search and you will find a “butt ton” (pun intended) of information on the long term failure rate of Weight Watchers.  Will you lose weight on WW?  Yes. Will it last?  No.  There’s a variety of reasons why.  In consideration of time I won’t discuss it here but if you do just a tiny bit of digging you will discover truck loads of scientific information as to why.

Now, I’m no fan of Oprah but I certainly don’t wish her any ill will.  Factually though, her track record on weight loss is extremely poor.  Pretty much non existent.  I feel for her, really.  I know how it feels to struggle.  Not with food, but I’ve definitely struggled with my own addictions and vices.  I have extreme empathy for people with food issues etc.  That’s part of what makes me such a great fitness coach.  I get it.

The fitness industry as a whole has been guilty for years (and is guilty now) of preying on people’s emotions.  It’s a trait that I hate and refuse to follow.  Where else can two proven fitness failures team up to make millions of dollars?  I mean seriously, would you seek medical, mechanical, financial or relationship advice from a source that had a less than 10% success rate?  Holy cow!

As a Christian I read my Bible very avidly.  I do not expect to become spiritually stronger and fitter (Christ Fit) just because I “go to church…”  I don’t expect to get physically fit just because I go to the gym.  You’ve got to live the process.  It is my personal relationship with Jesus Christ that keeps me growing stronger in my faith.  As I nurture my relationship with Jesus and read His Word I find things like, “work out your own salvation…,” “broad is the way that leads to destruction and many find it… narrow is the way that leads to eternal life and few find it.”  It’s clear, according to the Bible, that those who truly believe and follow Christ are in the minority.  The Bible talks clearly about people who fake Christianity or are deceived into thinking that they are a real Christians, only to find out in the end that they really did not have their “heart” right with God but were more of a “religious” person.

The point?  Many people are deceived both spiritually and physically or worse yet they don’t even try to work anything out for themselves at all.  They just follow the masses straight to hell and failure.  Sorry if that sounds harsh but it’s true.   Spiritually and physically the human race will buy a false promise and lie much sooner than they will buy truth that involves them having to flipping work hard.  Oh, they’ll work hard for something they really want like a promotion, boat, purse, career, degree, car etc., but when it comes to spiritual and physical fitness it’s a totally different story unfortunately.

If you are serious about wanting to get and/or improve your spiritual and physical fitness then I encourage you to seek the truth.  My book, Christ Fit Fusion – The Fusion Of Spiritual And Physical Fitness, is a good place to start.  It’s not the only way, but it is a way and it will certainly guide you into making wise decisions pertaining to your spiritual and physical fitness.  When Christ Fit Fusion becomes “The Next Big Thing” it will be because it is NOT claiming to be “The Next Big Thing” but rather the voice of one speaking truth from the wilderness.  He who has ears to hear let him hear.

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How To Deal With The Inevitable Christmas Weight Gain

Let’s be honest with each other.  I’ll go first.  I’m a fitness trainer, fitness boot camp leader, fitness speaker, fitness coach, and fitness author of Christ Fit Fusion – The Fusion Of Spiritual And Physical Fitness and I have gained body fat over the Christmas season.  I don’t know how much because I go by the mirror and not the scale, but I can tell I’ve put on a few pounds.  Okay, now it’s your turn.  How much have you gained?  Not “have you?”  “How much?”  Even if you don’t know how many pounds, you know if it’s a little or a lot or somewhere in between.  Unless you are part of a tiny fraction of people, you will gain weight (body fat) during the holidays.

Our “Why” for doing and sharing Christ Fit Fusion is because, “Spiritually and physically you will weather the storms of life and perform much better when the sun shines when you are spiritually and physically fit (Christ Fit).”  For most, the holiday season is a storm when it comes to all the food around. From Thanksgiving through Christmas there is a plethora of parties, pies, cookies, and general overeating.  So what to do about it?

Honestly, it’s too late to do anything about this year unless you’ve already been proactive going into it.  It is what it is.  New Year’s Eve is right around the corner and most likely many of you reading this are already contemplating your New Year’s Resolutions.  Please stop. Have you ever stuck with a N.Y.R.?  Less than 10% ever do.

Your only resolution should be to live a life that produces positive results, both spiritually and physically.  When your goal is lifestyle you don’t have to have any other goals.  Living a “Christ Fit” lifestyle will help you fade the heat of the holidays and any other spiritual or physical storm you encounter.

Let me be your example.  Yes, I’m a fitness trainer and yes I’m in shape, but I’m not your typical hyper focused “check out my abs” fitness trainer. I’m in shape but I live in the real world and love real food including burgers, fries, and Cokes and even the Christmas cookies this time of year. However, I don’t eat like I’ve been eating lately all year round.  There’s lots of good food to eat during the holidays but there’s also plenty of sugar and fattening snacks and deserts as well.  I partake and I gain a little weight.  I don’t sweat it.  I train year round and eat well year round as well.  I have my cheat moments throughout the year but for the most part my “Dominant Characteristics” are healthy.  By living that way I can weather the holiday storm much better than if I eat like crap more than I should day in and day out.  I don’t have to worry about trying to lose weight after the holidays because my normal way of living and eating will naturally cause me to lose whatever body fat I’ve gained.

There is a whole list of spiritual and physical storms that we face during the course of our lives.  Spiritually we face personal spiritual battles and struggles.  For some it’s addiction, gossip, materialism, relationships, divorce, rebellious kids, the death of a loved one… and you can fill in your own blank.  Physically our storms can be anything from an injury, disease, flu, and again you can fill in your own blank.

Here’s the thing about storms.  Some are little showers and some are flat out frog stranglers.  Storms come in varying degrees of severity.  No matter what though, being Christ Fit allows me to weather any storm better than if I were not Christ Fit.  So whether it be a sprained ankle, a broken bone, a little weight gain, or a major spiritual attack I am ready.

So back to the title of this blog post, “How To Deal With The Inevitable Christmas Weight Gain.”  Don’t make any harsh resolutions.  Don’t get on some unsustainable “diet.”  Just start living right.  If you do you will naturally get into better shape and by this time next year you will be weathering this storm much better and gaining less body fat and loosing what you do gain much much faster.

It’s truly as simple as that.  Simple doesn’t mean easy.  It will definitely require discipline, sweat equity, accountability and some “sticktoitiveness” but the process is not complicated.

All you have to do is 1). Eat a healthy spiritually and physical diet 2). Exercise spiritually and physically and 3). Do them both consistently. That is the Christ Fit Fusion lifestyle and we’re happy to help you with the process if you want it.  Get your copy of Christ Fit Fusion – The Fusion Of Spiritual And Physical Fitness to get started.  If you’re in San Antonio we encourage you to get involved in one of our Christ Fit Fusion boot camps or personal training.  If you are not in the San Antonio area you are encouraged to contact us about our online training and coaching.

God bless you and get in touch if we can help in any way.  Even if you just want to be placed on our prayer list you are more than welcome to get in touch.  We look forward to hearing from you and working with you and hopefully you will be blessed from our blog posts and the Christ Fit Fusion journal.

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Why Is The Church So Overweight?

First of all let me say that this is a new platform for us.  We’ll be in the process of  switching from blogspot to wordpress.  I’ll transfer some of the blogspot content over time if we end up liking wordpress better, but the addy for it is http://www.ChristFitMe.blogspot.com if you’re interested.

Why is the church so overweight?

I don’t have all the answers but here’s one thing we do know.   Northwestern University published an 18 year study in 2011.  They tracked 3,433 men and women for 18 years and found that young adults who attend church or a Bible study once a week are 50% more likely to become obese compared to those who don’t attend.

There are other studies as well that have equally disturbing health statistics.  My question is why?  We’ve heard for years that divorce rates in the church rival the secular divorce rate.  The church also has it’s fare share of addicts and I get it.  The church is full of regular folks with regular problems and struggles.  The church is a hospital for sinners.  We’re sick with the disease of sin and that is why we need Christ and His church.  Is the church full of hypocrites?  Sure.  But not going to church because of the hypocrites is like not going to the gym because of all the out of shape people.  That’s why they’re there in the first place.  To fix it.

But why?  Why is the church getting so overweight?  Is it because gluttony, “one of the seven deadly sins,” has fallen off the radar?  Is it because overeating and poor stewardship of our body is not viewed as a serious sin or at least not as serious as poisoning it with drugs or alcohol?

I don’t have all the answers but I’m doing my part to shed light on and help fix the problem.  I’ve been involved in health and fitness since about 1990.  I’ve been walking with the Lord since August of 1998.  My business and ministry, Christ Fit Fusion, is the Fusion Of Spiritual & Physical Fitness.  We’re not here to point fingers and judge anyone for being out of shape.  That’s not our place.  We are wired for fitness and Jesus and this is just how we serve and make disciples.  If you have felt convicted about taking better care of yourself then go to our website, http://www.ChristFitFusion.FIT, order our book Christ Fit Fusion – The Fusion Of Spiritual And Physical Fitness and get in touch with us.  If you’re local in San Antonio we’d love to meet with you but if you’re not we would still love to work with you remotely.  Getting fit spiritually and physically is not complicated.  It’s difficult, but not complicated.  We’re happy to help you learn the process and walk with you through it.

http://www.ChristFitFusion.FIT

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HOW BOUT DEM COWBOYS – SHAKE IT OFF

It’s easy to be a fan, but it’s hard to be a follower sometimes.  I’ve loved and rooted for the Dallas Cowboys since I was old enough to know what football was.   It was before the Dead Sea got sick and Roger Staubach was still quarterback.   Today they lost to the Packers and with it the chance to play for the NFC Championship.   There was a questionable call by the refs regarding a crucial catch (or the lack thereof) by Dez Bryant, but I certainly won’t blame the loss on it or go much further into it than that.

Hey team.  News Flash.  We don’t win them all and sometimes it truly isn’t fair.  The game of life we play if full of disappointments.  Not always, but full nonetheless.

During a game in any given sport there are things that can potentially shake an athlete up.  It goes the same on life’s playing field.  We miss.  We drop.  We choke in any number of ways.  Sometimes things happen outside of our control.  Fair or not other people around us make decisions that affect us and challenge us.  The clock keeps ticking and trying harder doesn’t always help.

When a choke or a bad call happens it can shake up a player and possibly an entire team.    There’s an expression that coaches use a lot.  “Shake it off.”  If a player is focused on a choke moment or a bad call he can’t well focus on the next play.  Can you shake it off?  Can you be patient and way for the game to develop?  Can you move on and go back to training for the next season that is months away.   I hope so.  Don’t live in the past.  Focus on the hope of the future.

In Christ we have hope and in Christ we can “shake it off.”  Keep doing the next right thing.  Eat a healthy spiritual and physical diet.  Exercise and train spiritually and physically.  Do them both consistently.  It will be ok.

http://www.christfitfusion.com

BLOGGING 101: WHO I AM AND WHY I’M HERE

Rusty Nokes here.  I hope everyone out there is doing great today.  I am the author of the 31 Day Journal, Christ Fit – The Fusion of Spiritual & Physical Fitness.  I have a few reasons for blogging and joining this 101 class.  I have been posting for about a year now but still have a lot to learn in terms of aesthetic presentation and casting a broader net to reach more people so that is reason number one.  I have a divinely inspired message to share and I want to share it with as many people as I possibly can.  My last primary reason for being here is that I want to network (find editing and publishing) and promote the sale of my journal.

I am a personal trainer and I lead local boot camp classes here in San Antonio, Tx.  As mentioned, I have also written a 31 day journal.  The journal is part of my boot camp classes but it stands alone and can be used by anyone anywhere, by themselves or with a friend.

The fact is that we have a problem in the church.  That problem is that we are human and because of that we are flawed.  I do not judge anyone inside or outside the church, but I do shed light on a particular area of stewardship simply because I am wired and geared towards fitness.   Sermons about substance abuse, promiscuity, anger, giving, stewardship etc are prevalent.  What about stewardship of our bodies, which if you are a believer is the temple of God’s Holy Spirit.  It’s easy to laugh off and joke about our pot bellies and double chins as we fellowship around a table of deserts at a potluck, but honestly it is just another form of abuse, it is out of hand, not taken seriously and needs addressed just like any other issue we face.  We’ll never be perfect here on earth, but that’s no reason to not take decent care of the bodies we have been blessed with.  I don’t attempt to make hard bodies, but rather lead people to a lifestyle that will produce a spiritually and physically fit body.

Studies have shown that fundamental Christians are by far the heaviest of all religious groups.  They have demonstrated that young adults who attend church or a Bible study once a week are 50% more likely to be obese.  The stats go on and on.

I have written Christ Fit based on three key principles:  1).  Eat a Healthy Spiritual and Physical Diet.  2).  Exercise Spiritually and Physically and 3).  Do Them Both Consistently.   Simple.  Challenging.  Effective.  Live the right lifestyle and the results will take care of themselves.

The journal is written using analogies to correlate physical and spiritual fitness.  A quick example for you…  If I told you to eat one meal a week would you think that is good advise as a nutrition plan?  Of course not.  We need to “graze.”  Most “religious” people however, get one spiritual meal per week (if that) via a Sunday morning service.  That is spiritual starvation.   The fact is life is a full contact sport.  We are going to get hit.  Divorce happens, we get sick, our loved ones die, we lose our jobs.  We weather the spiritual and physical storms of life when we are Christ Fit.  We also soar much higher on the updrafts of life when we are spiritually and physically fit.

That’s pretty much me and Christ Fit in a nutshell.  I look forward to meeting some of you through this venue and I certainly welcome input, constructive criticism, and advise.

FOLLOWING GOD INTO FAILURE. WOULD YOU DO IT?

FOLLOWING GOD INTO FAILURE. WOULD YOU DO IT?.

 

Will you continue obeying God when you obey Him and He allows you to fail?

In Judges chapter 20 there is a story about the Israelites going to war with the tribe of Benjamin.  The back story is in chapter 19 when a Levite and his concubine find themselves in the house of an old man in Gibeah, a Benjamite city.  Some bad dudes wanting to have sex with the Levite man have surrounded the house and are calling for the owner of the house to send him out.  Long story short, the Levite shoves the concubine out the door and the gang rapes her to death.  The Levite later tells a skewed version of the story to the Israelite nation and it makes me wonder if the following war has something to do with his actions of being a coward and giving up his woman, taking her as a concubine in the first place, or is it actually due to the evil actions of the thugs in Gibeah where the atrocity took place.   Either way there is consequence to sin and consequences can be a female dog.

I’m sure a Biblical scholar can give great commentary, but sometimes I am left with more questions than answers and that’s ok with me.  Frustrating at times, but ok.  I trust God, His sovereignty and His wisdom in every circumstance.  Even when I don’t understand I can be at peace with His will.  If you believe that then I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona I’d like to sell you.  Sure I wonder sometimes.  Don’t you.  In the grand scheme of things I acknowledge God is in control and working everything out for good and His glory, but at the same time I can fight the urge to second guess my circumstances and why they are what they are.

Israel consults with God twice about going to battle with the tribe of Benjamin and twice God tells them to attack.  Twice, they get defeated before finally tasting victory on the third strike.  Imagine the confusion, doubt, frustration, and possibly anger with God through the defeats.  I can hear them now, “God, didn’t you tell us to attack?”  “God, if we’re consulting you and obeying you then why aren’t things working out for us?  Why are we getting our donkeys kicked?”  “Hey brothers, are we sure we’re hearing God right?  Maybe we’re only thinking we’re hearing His voice.  Maybe we should cut our losses and quit while we’re ahead.”

How many personal battles (spiritual and physical) have you fought and lost, believing in your heart that God was guiding you?  Knowing in your heart that He was guiding you.  Or was He?  Of course He was.  Now I’m not sure again….Did you doubt Him in your defeats?   Don’t forget God is patient and outside of time.  How patient must we be to forgive 70 times 7?   That can take a long time…

I’m obeying you, God.  Why does my job stink so bad.  I’m obeying you, God.  Why is this relationship in the ditch?  What won’t my business take off?  Why did you lead me to write this book if it isn’t even going to sell?  Why can’t I stop picking my nose?  I’ve stopped before when you’ve told me to, but somehow I just can’t stay stopped.

Never ever give up and don’t stop obeying.  You don’t know what’s going to happen next.  You may get your donkey kicked twice (or more) and wonder why in the “h” “e” double toothpicks God is not giving you victory.  You can’t see that He already has because you can’t see past your present circumstances.  You can’t see that moment in time when you do kick butt and you never will see it if you give up now.

So tie a not at the end of your rope and hang on.  Don’t give up.  Consult with God and obey and know with confidence that the victory is already won and by all means do NOT take yourself out of the fight.

Eat a Healthy Spiritual and Physical Diet.  Exercise Spiritually and Physically.  Do Them Both Consistently.  If you live the right lifestyle the results will take care of themselves.  Simple.  Challenging.  Effective.  I am urging you to order your copy of the 31 Day Christ Fit Journal (www.christfitfusion.com)  and start your Christ Fit journey immediately.  I know that God inspired me to write it and I know that it will challenge and inspire you to become Spiritually and Physically fit (Christ Fit)!

http://www.christfitfusion.com

http://www.facebook.com/christfitme

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rusty-nokes

Twitter  @ChristFitMe

FOLLOWING GOD INTO FAILURE. WOULD YOU DO IT?

Will you continue obeying God when you obey Him and He allows you to fail?

In Judges chapter 20 there is a story about the Israelites going to war with the tribe of Benjamin. The back story is in chapter 19 when a Levite and his concubine find themselves in the house of an old man in Gibeah, a Benjamite city. Some bad dudes wanting to have sex with the Levite man have surrounded the house and are calling for the owner of the house to send him out. Long story short, the Levite shoves the concubine out the door and the gang rapes her to death. The Levite later tells a skewed version of the story to the Israelite nation and it makes me wonder if the following war has something to do with his actions of being a coward and giving up his woman, taking her as a concubine in the first place, or is it actually due to the evil actions of the thugs in Gibeah where the atrocity took place. Either way there is consequence to sin and consequences can be a female dog.

I’m sure a Biblical scholar can give great commentary, but sometimes I am left with more questions than answers and that’s ok with me. Frustrating at times, but ok. I trust God, His sovereignty and His wisdom in every circumstance. Even when I don’t understand I can be at peace with His will. If you believe that then I’ve got some ocean front property in Arizona I’d like to sell you. Sure I wonder sometimes. Don’t you. In the grand scheme of things I acknowledge God is in control and working everything out for good and His glory, but at the same time I can fight the urge to second guess my circumstances and why they are what they are.

Israel consults with God twice about going to battle with the tribe of Benjamin and twice God tells them to attack. Twice, they get defeated before finally tasting victory on the third strike. Imagine the confusion, doubt, frustration, and possibly anger with God through the defeats. I can hear them now, “God, didn’t you tell us to attack?” “God, if we’re consulting you and obeying you then why aren’t things working out for us? Why are we getting our donkeys kicked?” “Hey brothers, are we sure we’re hearing God right? Maybe we’re only thinking we’re hearing His voice. Maybe we should cut our losses and quit while we’re ahead.”

How many personal battles (spiritual and physical) have you fought and lost, believing in your heart that God was guiding you? Knowing in your heart that He was guiding you. Or was He? Of course He was. Now I’m not sure again….Did you doubt Him in your defeats? Don’t forget God is patient and outside of time. How patient must we be to forgive 70 times 7? That can take a long time…

I’m obeying you, God. Why does my job stink so bad. I’m obeying you, God. Why is this relationship in the ditch? What won’t my business take off? Why did you lead me to write this book if it isn’t even going to sell? Why can’t I stop picking my nose? I’ve stopped before when you’ve told me to, but somehow I just can’t stay stopped.

Never ever give up and don’t stop obeying. You don’t know what’s going to happen next. You may get your donkey kicked twice (or more) and wonder why in the “h” “e” double toothpicks God is not giving you victory. You can’t see that He already has because you can’t see past your present circumstances. You can’t see that moment in time when you do kick butt and you never will see it if you give up now.

So tie a not at the end of your rope and hang on. Don’t give up. Consult with God and obey and know with confidence that the victory is already won and by all means do NOT take yourself out of the fight.

Eat a Healthy Spiritual and Physical Diet. Exercise Spiritually and Physically. Do Them Both Consistently. If you live the right lifestyle the results will take care of themselves. Simple. Challenging. Effective. I am urging you to order your copy of the 31 Day Christ Fit Journal (www.christfitfusion.com) and start your Christ Fit journey immediately. I know that God inspired me to write it and I know that it will challenge and inspire you to become Spiritually and Physically fit (Christ Fit)!

http://www.christfitfusion.com
http://www.facebook.com/christfitme
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rusty-nokes
Twitter @ChristFitMe