Which of the following are similar to the ways you've served Christ in your family? [check all that apply]
• Taught your kids to see God's glory in nature
• Washed the dishes without being asked
• Played a board game with your kids
• Encouraged your wife to finish her master's degree
• Attended a child's open house at school
• Worked fewer hours to be with your family
• Set an example of a godly prayer life for your children
• Held a crying child
• Swung on the tire swing with your daughter
• Told your wife why you're still in love with her
• Told your son he's got what it takes
• Coached soccer
• Let you child correct you now and then
• Fixed the vacuum cleaner
• Taught your sons to ride a bike
• Listened patiently to a complaint of your wife
• Taped your child's artwork to your office wall
• Admitted to your kids that you were wrong
• Told your children how Christ entered your life
• Cleaned up vomit
• Taught your children to love books
• Been romantic without expecting sex
• Told your daughter she's smart/beautiful
• Set standards for your kids and stuck to them
• Dealt graciously with a busybody neighbor
• Peeled carrots
• Watched movies together
Mr. Universe Theme of the Week: A Spiritual Workout Tuesday, April 13, 2004
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Men of IntegrityMarch/April 2004Mr. UniverseTheme of the Week: A Spiritual WorkoutTuesday, April 1372
Key Bible Verse: "I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should" (1 Corinthians 9:27). Bonus Reading:1 Corinthians 9:24–27
After I graduated from college and until I was 24, I was "skinny as a bean pole," as my grandmother used to say. Then I began weight training and within a couple years had built a muscular body.
I learned over time that it was essential to really push the muscles in order to build them. Consistency was also a huge key, as I had to lift weights three to four times a week. Without consistency I would lose the fruit of my previous efforts.
When I became a Christian in 1994, I found that building my faith in Jesus was remarkably like weight lifting. If I only opened my Bible at Sunday services, I would remain a 98-pound spiritual weakling. However, as I read and meditated over God's Word every day and prayed that the Holy Spirit would speak to me through the Bible, I built a muscular spiritual body.
Becoming a Mr. Universe in the spiritual realm requires daily training to build up the faith muscles. I train at least an hour every day in the Word and in prayer.
Now that I'm middle aged, I don't have that muscular body any more, but in the spiritual realm I'm a real contender.
—Rod Nichols, Washington pastor
Thought to Apply: Care for your body as though you were going to live forever. Care for your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow.
—Augustine of Hippo
My Response: How healthy is my workout regimen of Scripture reading and prayer?
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