Who Are You Today? by Chris and Grace Hansen

DESCRIPTION Are you the same person you were when you couldn’t see Jesus?

John 9:1-8

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 

In this story, the blind man’s neighbors ask an interesting question: “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”

Do you think the people who knew you when you were younger, when you were more naive, before you knew Christ, would they see you as the same person? Would they be confused in trying to connect the person you were before with the person you are now?

And how would you answer the question? Are you the same person you were when you couldn’t see Jesus?

I Am a Child of God by Ron Moore

DESCRIPTION
As believers, our identity cannot be found in clothes, houses, cars, or jobs. Our identity must be found in Christ alone.

John 1:12-13

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

In his song, "Identity," Lecrae raps, “I’m not the shoes I wear. I’m not the clothes I buy. I’m not the house I live in. I’m not the cars I drive. I’m not the job I work. You can’t define my worth by nothing on God’s green earth. My identity is found in Christ, is found in Christ.” You may or may not appreciate Christian rap, but you can’t deny the biblical truth found in this song.

The world tries to sell us something different. “Come on,” the voices say, “You know you feel a heightened sense of self-worth when you slide onto the leather seats and behind the wheel of this fantastic driving machine.” Even believers say, “Why, yes; yes, I do.”

But as believers, our identity cannot be found in clothes, houses, cars, or jobs. Our identity must be found in Christ alone. Because of Christ, I have been accepted as a child of the living God.

My identity is in Christ. Nothing can change that. It never goes out of style. It never rusts or decays. It never gets old or breaks down. I am a child of God and will forever be!

Father, please don’t let me believe the lies of the world that possessions, position, and appearance are the things that provide a sense of worth. Don’t let my identity be found in my ministry or my calling. Remind me often that I am your child…and will be your child forever. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Day 6 - Weight Loss God’s Way

PRAYER: Father, I want to know you better because you know me best. I give you full access to the deeper, hidden places in me. I am not afraid of what might be found in those places because you already know. I know you love me. Help me to truly KNOW you love me. Help move my understanding of your love for me from my head into the deepest places of my heart – into my inmost being. I want to live, love and move from my inner being where you are making all things whole and new. – Amen.

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• October 6, 2014
• Alisa Keeton

Workout Of The Day (WOD)

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:17-20

Today we are going to train our “inmost” place. Our “inner being”. Physically, we could call that our TVA, something you learned about in your very first WOD. Spiritually, our inmost being is the place where God has made you solely for himself. A place where “God only knows” what’s going on with you. It’s a place where he holds everything about you, together.

Since we are agreeing here that He is the BEST personal trainer, we want to let him get after our deepest of places. It’s from those unattended places that odd cravings and unexpected thoughts and emotions spring up from.

TRAIN: Do this video. Take a post workout pic and post using #hisway31days so we can check in with you!

TIME: 35 minutes

FREQUENCY: You can do this 2-3x before your next WOD

INTENSITY: Be intentional about all movement. Don’t disconnect from the movement and take breaks as you need. Refuse to quit. Be totally present and feel everything. Give God any doubts, fears or insecurities as they rise up. Be intentional about moving from a grace space. And when in doubt…smile! 😉

Day 5 - Weight Loss God’s Way

PRAY: God, come and take away my swinging from the vine of obsession to the vine of neglect about my body and what I put in it. Lord help me to discover the nutrition plan that you have created for me that will set me FREE to follow you in and out of the seasons of my life. Thank you for my daily bread both physically and spiritually. You are good to me!- Amen.

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• October 5, 2014
• Alisa Keeton

Today, in Weight Loss God’s Way, we cut to the chase. Let’s talk food.

For those of you who have been anxiously wondering, “What about food? Please…just tell me what to eat!” Today’s the day we start cracking open the hidden motives and truth behind food.

Since you are here reading this, it’s safe for me to assume that you either eat too much food or too little of it. You either abuse it; eat it without concern for the consequences of the choices you make. Or you fear it; are overly concerned with how much you eat and obsess incessantly about it. There’s also the crazy train of swinging back and forth between the two. There’s no freedom there. Throw your hand up in the air right now if you are just downright exhausted by chasing the ever-moving target of what to eat.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. – Psalm 73:26

One of our students, Diane, who has struggled with overeating for most of her life, changed that verse and put it on her refrigerator door to read, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my PORTION control forever.”

And that He is!

TRAIN:

1.Buy a nice leather journal, or use your smartphone. You are going to begin paying attention to your life. If you are in a cycle of abusing food you will start writing down what you eat and when you eat it. You will promise yourself and God that you will keep track of what’s going in your mouth. Everything you eat gets accounted for for our remaining time together. WARNING: We are not counting calories. No calorie counting apps please. We are just paying attention to what we eat, keeping account, and placing it before God with honest eyes and hearts.Please do your best to track everything. If you forget one day, or one meal, that does not disqualify you. Just get back on track as quick as you can.

If you are in a cycle of obsessing over everything you eat, step away from the calorie counters and the food trackers! Get off the websites that tell you how many calories this or that has. You have been given a sound mind! It’s time to start exercising your freedom to follow God’s voice.

2. Watch this short teaching and apply “The 3 S’s” into your daily intake of food.

TIME:10 minutes, daily logging (ongoing)

Day 4 - Weight Loss God’s Way

PRAY: Jesus, I confess that I have been lazy with my body. I have given into comfort over obedience when it comes to caring for my body. You paid the ultimate price with your body. Please come and be the motivation and inspiration I need to get moving in step with your Spirit. When I am moving, speak to me. I want to hear from you. – Amen

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• October 4, 2014
• Alisa Keeton

Workout Of The Day (WOD)

It’s important that you did the Weight Loss God’s Way WOD from Day 2. Did you? If so, you can proceed to today’s workout. If not, I cannot stress enough how important that teaching will be to your progress. Especially if you suffer with aches and pain when you work out or are prone to injuries.

Now that we have set a healthy foundation for movement, let’s apply that knowledge and dig a little deeper into this holy and whole journey.

Jesus did not come to end our discomfort and our pain. In fact, He told us that things would be hard and that discomfort, pain, and suffering will be a part of our journey.

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

His way is not always easy, BUT it is always better. Can I get an amen? Amen!

It’s time for you to learn and train the art of getting comfortable being uncomfortable.

TRAIN: GIVE ME 10! That’s all you need to do! Ten minutes of movement! You can do this! You must see it as your time to give God what he wants, and get from Him what he says you need. Ten minutes of totally and wholly (heart, mind, soul, and body) devoted movement before a totally holy and whole God. Take a picture of yourself post workout and let us know how you feel. Be sure to #hisway31days so we can find you!

If you very overweight, start here.

If you are moderately overweight and haven’t been moving in a while then start here.

If you are fit and know you have made working out more about you than God, start here.

TIME: 10 minutes

FREQUENCY: You can do this workout 2-3 more times before your next WOD.

INTENSITY: ALWAYS with good form: tall spine, abs engaged and drawn inwards towards the spine. Begin to push past your “comfortable” zone in terms of intensity. It’s only 10 minutes!

Day 3 - Weight Loss God’s Way

PRAY: God, I confess I have given my heart over to treasure that can be stolen and destroyed. Please come and show me the great inheritance, riches, and fullness I have in you and you alone.- Amen

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Day Three: Weight Loss God’s Way

• October 3, 2014
• Alisa Keeton

Have you ever paid for a personal trainer? How did it go? Are you still with that personal trainer? Odds are you aren’t. Probably because you couldn’t afford to keep going and/or you didn’t get the results you were hoping to get.

Has anyone every told you that Jesus is the BEST personal trainer? Well…He is…and it’s true! He will never leave you or forget about you. He will never scold or shame you, And he knows how to get you from where you are to where you are suppose to go. He know what it is like to struggle and overcome. He knows the way through what challenges you. He is the truth the overcomes your lies. And all the life you are hungering for is found in him.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6

God started this whole thing called creation. He will see it to the finish.

It’s all about God. Your body is God’s job. He cares about what you do with your body.

Your weight is not about your weight. Your desire for less body fat is not about fat. Food is not the problem. All of these things are just symptoms to something deeper going on in your heart.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”- Matthew 6:21

It’s best we now confess that we have made other things more beautiful, more lovely, and more worthy than God himself. We have all misplaced our worship. Shoot…what time is it? I have misplaced mine at least a few times today. So guess what? You are in good and safe company.

Pick up the bible and read about any of the kings in 1 Kings or 2 Kings. You will see a lineage of good-hearted servants of God who turned away from God to serve other people or things, time and time again.

We must confess, without God’s peace, our hearts are anxious for love and comfort. And we prefer something or someone with flesh on it. Even if that flesh is sponge cake with ice cream on the side. We are also anxious for the peace we think we will gain if there was less of us to squeeze into a pair of pants.

We could use some safeguards to keep us from dumpster-diving into our stinking thinking. We need something (or someone) to help us stay focused and to refocus back on God!

The world talks about “triggers” in negative ways.

“Man, she really triggered me when she said I didn’t do that well.”

“I am so triggered by her selfishness.”

Triggers from the world are all over the place. How about we set our own triggers and traps for Kingdom thinking, acting, and living?

It’s important we set a “trigger” to remind ourselves to refocus back on the One who knows what’s really going on underneath the commotion of our mental and emotional waves. We need new neuropathways burned into our brains. We could all use some right cues so we can begin to respond to old problems in new ways.

Let’s set some holy traps for the next time doubts, lies, and temptation try to steal the free life we have in Christ. God’s word, what he has to say to us, is the ultimate safeguard for a wandering and weary heart.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.- Matthew 6:33

YOUR TRAINING PLAN TODAY:

TRAIN:

1.Create a trigger point! Write Matthew 6:33 (or any bible verse of your choice) on several pieces of paper or 3×5 cards. Hang in the following tripper points: on the refrigerator door, in the pantry, on the scale (covering the numbers), in your car (for my fast-food, drive-thru eaters), or any other place where you know you need to be intersected.

2. Post your picture on any social media site.(Facebook, Instagram, Twitter) Be sure you are following us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. Be sure to put #hisway31day in your comment section of your post, so we can see your good work and give you a shout out, as well as keep you entered to win our 31 day Weight Loss God’s Way giveaway. ***

Day 2 - Weight Loss God’s Way

PRAY: Jesus, I confess that I have made this quest for the perfect body more important than you. Thank you that you are calling me to learn how to move with you. I say, “Yes!” Please come and teach me how my body was designed to move. Do so that I might be freed up to love you with all of me and that I would love people well from my overflow – Amen

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Day Two: Weight Loss God’s Way

Workout of the Day: (WOD)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship.”

Romans 12:1

When I go to the gym, I see worshipers. When you understand the word worship, you will see it too. Worship is not some high holy word. Everybody worships.

The word worship, as used in the Greek language, means “to be devoted to or spend oneself on.” Webster’s online dictionary defines worship as “…a derivative of the old English word ‘worthsip’ meaning, ‘an attitude or action that gives worth or value to something.’”

Everybody is spending themselves on something. Pouring themselves over; working hard at; spending their time, talent, and energy on something at all times. We were all created to worship. It’s God’s way of saying, “I made you for myself.”

I believe there is nothing more whole and all-encompassing of one person’s total self, than when they engage in something physical. Your mind has to continually tell your body how to move, while your heart keeps giving you the fuel, physically (blood & oxygen) and spiritually (soul motivation), to keep moving. Activity and motion that occurs on the surface is the perfect time to train your deepest beliefs and motivations for life! I pray you won’t look at working out the same ever again. We hope to “marvelously ruin” you when it comes to working out. It’s time to let the unrelenting power and force of God’s love train you up.

Today, we are going to move as an act of worship.

But first we are going to learn how to move better before we move stronger or faster. Let’s avoid senseless pain and injury by learning how our body was meant to move.

TRAIN: Watch and train with me in these two foundational workout videos from VIPtv, our monthly online workout subscription. Everyone can and needs to do these videos. Movement without intention is downright silly. These two videos are going to teach you how to move and use the body God has gifted to you. Everybody needs to move better before they move faster or stronger. Remember…your body is not broken, God just needs to show you how it works!

FREQUENCY: You have two days, until our next WOD, to complete this task. Use the #hisway31days when you have completed and to keep you entered into our drawing for free swag!

INTENSITY: Be intentional and learn how your body works.