My child, blessed are you when you walk by faith. Blessed aer you when you choose o believe Me instead of doubting. Blessed are you when you have full assurance that I am in control and working everything out for your good. Live in faith and not in fear. You will live a blessed life and you will be a blessing to others.
My child, I hear your cry. I hear the cry of your heart. I am moving in the lives of your loved ones. I am revealing Myself to them. They are having a head on collision with My Holy Spirit that will result in their salvation. Trust Me. Believe Me. It’s coming.
Although an attempt to produce genuine change in man’s behavior through discipline of the body may have some minor value, it ultimately never produces the desired effect.(Colossians 2:22-23) This is because it merely treats the symptoms rather than the disease, and only leads to heaping on a load of guilt when it fails to work. By its very nature, this strategy is doomed to failure because it simply bucks God’s design—His life flows not from the works of the flesh, but from the Spirit of God surging through the panel of our spirit.(John 15:5)
And here’s another prevalent misconception: the belief that we can transform ourselves by acquiring knowledge about the things of God. Can’t we? I hear a chorus of voices shouting, “Of course we can; how else can we grow in the knowledge of God and thus renew our minds?” The fact is that this too bucks God’s design. When Paul admonishes us not to “be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” he doesn’t mean merely the intellect. Rather, he means the transformation of our mind defined as the inner man—our immaterial nature integrated with the physical mind.(Romans12:2)
But doesn’t gaining more knowledge about God mean that our heart will change in the process? Well, in a sense it does, because knowledge of the things of God and His kingdom are certainly vital to our growth. But such knowledge must be pursued from the right motives if it is to be effective. Why? Because true change in the heart does not come from the direction of the intellect. Rather, the genuine source of change in our heart is the result of the indwelling presence of the Spirit of God bringing our spirit alive to Him. Jesus said, “But when He, the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth.”(John 16:3) He does this by disclosing to us—Spirit to spirit—revelatory truth within, as well as spiritually quickening what we learn through our intellect.
Excerpted from: Free from the Power of Sin: The Keys to Growing in God in Spite of Yourself
My child, My Spirit is within you to bring life to your body, soul and heart. My Spirit within you works to conform you to My image. You can’t do this life in your own strength. You can’t do all I’ve called you to do on your own. You can only do what I’ve called you to do in My power and by My Spirit. I have created you for Myself. My ways are so much higher than yours. Don’t put limitations on yourself by trying to do things in your own strength. With Me all things are possible. Surrender all to Me and watch the impossible become possible.
Romans 8:29 Isaiah 55:9 Luke 1:37
My child, run into My arms when you’re weary. Let Me wrap My loving arms around you. Enter My peace and rest as you come to Me with every ounce of your being. Let My Spirit wash over you and fill you with My love. Where you feel incapable, I am capable. Where you lack, I provide. You were not designed to be self-sufficient. You were designed by Me and for Me. I alone provide everything your need to do this thing called life. Stop trying to do it on your own and in your own strength. Let it go. Surrender all to Me and let Me fill you to overflowing. Let Me live through you and experience My love, My strength and my power working through you. This is the true meaning of life.
Paul tells us in Romans 8:10-11, “If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
How can our body be spiritually dead because of sin and alive at the same time? Does this merely refer to our glorified bodies when resurrected? I think that may be part of it, but I believe it also means that our physical bodies are being made alive in the here and now. How? By being given the capacity to fulfill our purpose here on earth, in our flesh, by the power of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling presence. It’s His power that makes it all possible!
My child, in Me there is strong confidence. In Me is a fountain of life. In Me is wisdom, understanding, peace and joy. Those who seek Me will find Me when they seek Me with their whole heart. For I am God and I love you. I am God and I wish that none should perish. I do not give you a spirit of fear, but I give you a spirit of power and of love and a sound and disciplined mind. I provide discipline, self-control, gentleness, faithfulness, goodness, kindness, patience, peace, joy and love. If you live by My Spirit you will walk by My Spirit. You will be an overcomer. You will have victory if you allow Me to live through you.
Proverbs 14:26&27, Jeremiah 29:13, 2 Peter 3:9, 2 Timothy 1:7, Galatians 5:22&23
Summer is upon us. I have been involved in fat loss-muscle building challenges since the fall of 2009. This Summer Challenge is my sixth. Why?, some may ask, and have asked. For me to have a goal and be working toward something brings meaning to my life. It just makes me happy. I’m constantly seeing how I can improve, have more energy, feel better and be stronger than the year before. Since March of 2011, I’ve been eating strictly vegan. Partly as an experiment and partly because it just makes me feel good.
I’ve incorporated some green drinks (Amy’s Hippy Dippy Green Drink aka Green Lemonaide) and some live food smoothies into my nutrition plan. I try to eat at least fifty percent of my food raw. I believe as we put living food into our systems, we will feel more alive and our bodies will be repairing at a much faster rate. Live food in = life. Dead food in = well you get the picture.
One of the goals for this Summer Challenge is to gain muscle. The goal is to gain 5 pounds of pure lean muscle while at the same time lopping off five pounds of fat. Not an task, but it has been done. The main thing to focus on is eating enough calories so you don’t lose lean body mass but not too many as to add unwanted fat. This will be accomplished by eating 5 or 6 mini meals a day and cycling the calories. Shooting for 1600 on my low days and bringing them up to 1950 every fourth day. These numbers are different for every person. You can google Katch McArdle Calorie Calculator to determine what these figures are for you.
My first meal is oatmeal with soy protein. Meal 2 is Hippy Dippy Green juice or live food smoothie. Third is a large green salad with a variety of raw veggies and lentils, beans or quinoa. Meal 4 are protein balls or protein drink, the last meal is some form of protein and vegetables, either cooked or raw. I taper down on carbohydrates during the day which helps a great deal with hunger. I workout early so I bracket my workouts with the highest carbohydrate meals. It’s important to fuel your workouts. I’m logging everything I eat so I know how many calories I’m consuming.
Speaking of workouts, I’m lifting pretty heavy weights 4 days a week doing a split routine. Which consists of one day training chest & biceps, one day of legs & abs, one day of back and calves & abs and one day of shoulders & triceps. For cardio I’m running with my running buddies on Tuesdays and Thursdays incorporating high intensity interval training. On Friday or Saturday I usually get a long bike ride in with Dan.
After just one week I’ve lost 1.67 pounds of fat and gained .07 pounds of lean body mass. for a total of a loss of .83% body fat. Not to mention the half inch off my waist and a quarter inch off my hips!
With a bit of discipline, some hard work and a determined goal, you can reach your health goals. Won’t you join me in getting in the best shape of your life, no matter what age you are?
Recipes listed under the Forums tab.
My child, don’t ever think you’re alone on this journey. I am always right here with you. But I have also placed others in your life to encourage you along the way. You are never alone. Others have gone before you. Still others are going through the same right now and soon, when you are passed this difficult season, you will be the one helping someone else through it. I use everything in your life for My glory and My purpose. I will accomplish what concerns you. All things work together for good to those who love Me and who are called according to My purpose.
Psalm 138:8 Romans 8:28
My child, remember back in each season of your life and look for the gifts I gave to you during those seasons. Look beyond the hard times and the bad memories and see where I was carrying you through. This is a fallen world and had things happen. But My hand is and has always been on your life. I have been leading you and guiding you the entire way. Keep your eyes on Me. I am the giver of every good and perfect gift.
James 1:17