Cross Training
Hi all! You know, there is something I have
noticed about life in general.
The more you
know, the more valuable you are.
In our Christian
walk, it is what brings us wisdom.
I haveseen
that as you get older and if
you are in the
workforce, you need to diversify
yourself
to become more valuable to your
given company.
You may ask WHAT IS HE TALKING
ABOUT?!? Glad
you asked! That diversifying
your talents
is called cross-training! Becoming
knowledgeable
in more than one area. It also
lends itself
to our weight training and our
walk with
the Lord. Are you a cross trainer?
Two guys are getting ready for a contest.
One seems to be shedding his
fat layer by
layer with ease while the other
struggles
with every ounce he tries to
get off his
body. The secret of the one shedding
the
fat with what seems like great
ease? "Cross-training,"
he will tell you. Plain and simple.
"It's
not easy," he will say.
Lifting the
weights is the easy part, it's
what we love
to do! The hard part is the effort
required
to shed those fat layers. It's
not the pumping
out of mega-squats or bench pressing
small
vans. It's quietly putting on
your headphones
as you climb aboard the stationary
bike,
eliptical trainer or treadmill,
whatever
your choice of machinery. It's
jogging along
the beach in the surf, roller
blading at
the park or just walking the
dog at a good
crisp pace. It's all the things
that nobody
notices that distinguish the
first place
winner from the pack. It all
comes down to
cross-training. Stepping outside
of what
you normally do to achieve the
desired result.
Bodybuilding is much more than simply going
to the gym, lifting weights for
so many sets
and so many reps. It is, or should
be about
total body conditioning. Yes,
you can get
the heart rate up with a good
round of squats
or some heavy duty intensity,
but is that
enough? You want the six-pack
abs and not
the keg? You have to get the
bodyfat down,
no other way; no magic tricks.
How does that
happen? Well, unless you are
tremendously
gifted in the genetics department,
you will
have to cross-train!
Cross-training. Well, that's
a no-brainer
for this section isn't it? Well,
isn't it?
Ah, but I ask you: Are we cross
training?
Does Christ live in you as stated
in Galatians
2:20?(I have been crucified with Christ; it is
no longer I who live, but Christ
lives in
me; and the life which I now
live in the
flesh I live by faith in the
Son of God,
who loved me and gave Himself
for me.) Do we still live for self and continue
to lives as we did before we
gave our lives
to the Lord, translating the
Bible as we
see fit to fit OUR needs? When we give our lives to the Lord we are
supposed to put away old things,
not carry
on as we once did. (Therefore put to death your members which
are on the earth: fornication,
uncleanness,
passion, evil desire, and covetousness,
which
is idolatry. Because of these
things the
wrath of God is coming upon the
sons of disobedience,
in which you yourselves once
walked when
you lived in them.
But now you yourselves are to put off all
these: anger, wrath, malice,
blasphemy, filthy
language out of your mouth. Do
not lie to
one another, since you have put
off the old
man with his deeds, and have
put on the new
man who is renewed in knowledge
according
to the image of Him who created
him, where
there is neither Greek nor Jew,
circumcised
nor uncircumcised, barbarian,
Scythian, slave
nor free, but Christ is all and
in all. Col 3: 5-11) We are supposed to become more Christ-like
in our walk as we mature. It shouldn't be what can You do for me, but what can I do to further Your
kingdom?
(Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and
beloved, put on tender mercies,
kindness,
humility, meekness, longsuffering;
bearing
with one another, and forgiving
one another,
if anyone has a complaint against
another;
even as Christ forgave you, so
you also must
do. But above all these things
put on love,
which is the bond of perfection. Col 3:12-14) What we need to do is put into pratcice the
things of Christ ( But you have not so learned Christ, if
indeed you have heard Him and
have been taught
by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
that you
put off, concerning your former
conduct,
the old man which grows corrupt
according
to the deceitful lusts, and be
renewed in
the spirit of your mind, and
that you put
on the new man which was created
according
to God, in true righteousness
and holiness. Ephesians 4:20-24) The New Testament is full of commands on
how to be more Christ-like and
how we can
better our walk wih the Lord.
So the question
is: How's your cross-training
coming? Are
you trying to crucify the flesh
every day
in practice by living a holy
life?
And now for our prayer. Lord, You gave us
commands on what we should do
in our daily
walk and yet we often fall victim
of the
flesh and fail. When we are weak
Lord, be
our strength. It is in You we
place our trust
and faith. Thank You for Your
sacrifice so
that we may have eternal life
because we
could never make it on our own.
In Jesus'
name we pray. Amen!
Now go with God and lift that
iron!
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