The Box
Greetings all! March is here
and spring is
just around the corner! I cannot
believe
how fast time can fly by and
how things seem
out of my control. Sometimes
I wish I could
keep everything nice and tidy.
Just keep
it all ordered and aligned. Nice
and neat
in a little box! Yea, that’s
the ticket.
What about you? Ever feel that
way? However,
often we have think outside of
the box if
we want to accomplish something.
Things never
grow and thrive inside the box.
So that being
said, are you in or out of the
box?
We are going to challenge your
thinking process
this month so bare with me and
think "outside
the box!" You don’t have
to agree with
this thought process at all,
but just try
to break down those mental barriers
that
keep us from potential growth.
OK! Chest
today! 4 sets, 10 reps! Let’s
go! I have
often subscribed to this method
of thinking
when training. True the reps
and sets change
but the mindset didn’t. I will
bench press
X amount of weight for ten reps.
I will do
this for four sets. When I can
accomplish
that, I will increase the weight.
Can you
see a pattern here? I have boxed
myself in.
I am restricting myself to so
many reps per
set regardless of the fact that
I may be
able to do more reps for a particular
set.
What if I can do 12 reps? Do
I just do the
10 and complete all four sets
of 10 and THEN
go up? Am I really challenging
my body that
way? Will I encourage the muscles
to grow
that way? I think perhaps not.
There is no
taxing of the muscle to the point
of forcing
it to grow to adapt to the new
stress. If
we use a particular poundage
that we know
our body can handle and stay
there until
we complete the four sets, do
we REALLY challenge
the muscles? Think about it.
Does staying
at one particular weight for
3-4 weeks just
to get out those last 2 reps
on the final
set force your body to grow?
I don’t think
so. You see, your body has already
adapted
to that weight by easily knocking
out the
first 3.8 sets. Getting those
final 2 reps
is just a waste of potential
growth energy.
How about trying this on for
size. (Yes,
pun was intended there!) For
one particular
cycle, don’t plan to do any particular
amount
of reps; just do as many as you
can for each
set. Raise the weight by 5 pounds
each session
and continue to do as many reps
as you can
per set, setting up a specific
amount of
reps that will be the minimum
per set. When
you cannot get the minimum amount
of reps
out, then it is time to change
out the exercise.
Sounds a little unconventional,
but what
have you got to lose? Better
yet, what have
you got to gain? Think outside
the box!
Mark 10:27 - But Jesus looked at them and
said, "With men it is impossible,
but
not with God; for with God all
things are
possible." I could leave this section right now, walk
away, ‘nuff said but I won‘t;
I can‘t. I
do wonder however, how often
have you heard
this statement? "God is
just so amazing!
I can’t believe He did (fill
in the blank).
To be honest, I know that I have
uttered
this phrase quite a few times
myself. After
saying this one time, it dawned
on me. Why
is it amazing? He IS God, after all and as Jesus plainly said
"with God all things ARE
possible!"
There is nothing that God cannot
do yet we
are always trying to define what
He can do,
to box Him in so to speak. Can
you imagine?
Be honest, do you put God in
a box? That
is why we utter the phrases like
"I
can’t believe God came through
with…"
God’s abilities are so beyond
our thinking.
Faith my friends, ya gotta have
faith! Maybe
you say, but when I prayed and
asked God
for this or that, I didn’t get
it! Well let
me ask you this: When was the
last time you
prayed in faith? When was the
last time you
prayed in line with the will
of God and not
your own? We were not put on
this earth to
serve our own needs. We are here
to serve
Him, friends. Don’t put God in
a box, act
and pray in faith, serve Him
and you won’t
be sorry. Does that mean all
of your troubles
will go away? Certainly not.
You are on the
winning team, the bull’s eye
is on your back
and you need to armor up! (Ephesians 6:10-18) Again, I say act and pray in faith , serve
Him in all that you do (Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or
whatever you do, do all to the
glory of God.
- 1 Corinthians 10:31) and don’t put God in a box!
And now our prayer. We aren’t
asking for
anything Lord. Instead God, we
praise You.
We praise You in your sanctuary.
We praise
You in Your mighty firmament!
We praise You
for Your mighty acts. We praise
You according
to Your excellent greatness!
We praise You
with loud cymbals! Let everything
that has
breath praise You! Amen!
Now, go with God and lift that
iron!
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