March 23, 2019 -- I Timothy 4:8 -- Work-outs in Faith

for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.

I Timothy 4:8 ESV

Recently I heard someone say “my body is my life-long project”. This is a person who struggled with periodic weight gain and weight loss. As the person talked it was obvious there were all kinds of fad diets and yo-yo dieting. What really grabbed me in this morning’s text is the thought that our spiritual health is our life-long project. Training in godliness is the project of our mind, our soul, our heart and our bodies. The athlete trains physically and mentally, the godly engage everything in every part of life bringing it all into submission to Christ.

The athlete has to overcome excuses for not training; the godly also have to overcome excuses for not training. The motivation for the godly is the awareness of Who Christ is.

The athlete has to be careful with his schedule so that he plans his training; the godly must also guard their schedule so that there is time for Bible reading, prayer, and reflection on the Word of God.

The athlete has to know the rules of her sport; so the godly must know the righteous rules God sets down for holy living.

The athlete willingly gives up certain activities in order to stay “fighting fit”; so the godly choose what to do and what not to engage in so that the heart and the mind, the soul and the reputation are fit for Jesus, the Captain of our Salvation.

The athlete trains in order to get a gold medal, or recognition in a sport; the godly train being coached by the Spirit Who directs us by the Bible with the life-long focus of one-day seeing Jesus Christ face-to-face and knowing Jesus will bring us to our Father in heaven. This is what sustains the godly in this life and motivates us for the life to come: Eternity in the presence of God, in Whose presence already now and infinitely more fully then, is complete and perfect joy.

Tomorrow is Sunday. Plan of going to church. Plan on busting through the excuses and inertia which for so long have kept you from God. Decide now that you will join in with the glad-heated who seek God and worship Him on Sunday and delight in Him all through the week.

God, the Joy of all who seek You, thank You that You reveal Yourself in the Bible. Thank You for the Spirit Who directs us in training for godliness. Thank You for Jesus Christ by Whom believers are new creatures, the old has passed away and the new has taken hold. Thank You that in Jesus each day is a new start, a new opportunity for training in godliness. Thank You that You, O Father, take ruined sinners and totally remake us in Christ. Thank You that as long as we have life and breath, Your Spirit can train us in godliness which has such value now in every way and leads to the blessing of eternity in glorious Presence of the God of Joy. King Jesus, reap the reward for which You came to earth: sons and daughters who belong to God. Amen.