You wouldn’t think about exercising and then not eating. Well, you might do it on occasion, but your body needs the energy – especially when you exercise hard. You have to fuel it to sustain it. AND – if you want growth, leaner muscle and improved physical strength and wellness you have to fuel it well. It’s the same for your spirit. You have to fuel it well too. How? Get the truths of the Bible inside of you, nourishing your spirit. It’s not just a good book. The Bible is fuel.
THIS AIN’T NO DIET – EAT WELL!
So, you read a few Bible verses during the Sunday sermon at church. Maybe you wake to that verse-of-the-day from K-Love radio. Perhaps you draw inspiration from the Bible passage at the end of each daily devotional you read on your lunch break. That’s all good – if you’re on a diet and intentionally trying to restrict your spiritual calorie intake. What you really need, if you want to grow strong in Christ, is to eat well. You need to consume good nutrition not just regularly but frequently – lots of it. It’s kind of like bodybuilders who keep eating all kinds of clean lean protein over and over and over. Get familiar with it and make it a habit. If you’re going to have a compulsive addiction – this is it.
NOW YOU CAN TRAIN AND FEAST AT THE SAME TIME
To improve your appetite for the Bible and bulk up on God’s truths we have 3 spiritual meal prep tips for you:
- Increase your liquid diet. Drinking your nutrition always gives you more – more quickly. There are all kinds of Bible apps. Many of them include an audible version. That’s right, someone reads the Bible to you while you go about life. You can pick from multiple translations. You can listen to it when you’re meal prepping the food you’ll eat. You can play it as part of your evening wind-down and bedtime. Opt in to Bible listening while driving or cardio instead of your podcast or playlist. AND when you’re exercising for 30 to 45 minutes play a few select chapters of the Bible repeatedly. It sinks in better that way.
- Sets and reps. Time to replace the counting you do for 3 sets of 12 with some Bible memorization instead. For example if you’re used to doing 10 reps of a bench press counting each completed execution … 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 then instead say one word of the following 10-word verse for each completed execution: I, can, do, all, things, through, Christ, who, strengthens, me. Once you have them memorized then add new ones. Pick your own verses or use the ones listed below.
- Do both: Memorize the short verses during your sets and reps then use the link, tap on “read full chapter” then tap on the speaker icon to listen to the entire chapter.
BIBLE VERSES YOU CAN REPEAT AND MEMORIZE WHILE EXERCISING
- Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time. (set of 8 words)
- If my goal was popularity, I wouldn’t bother being Christ’s slave. (set of 11 words)
- The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. (set of 12 words)
- Never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus. (set of 14 words)
- For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (set of 20 words)
ELEVATE & WORSHIP
Worship by definition is the reverent love, devotion, and ardent admiration accorded to God. It is the ceremonies, prayers and other religious forms by which this love is expressed.
Ready to practice some intense devotion for and ardent admiration to God? Take 6 minutes to do non-stop cardio in this seriously elevated “other religious form” of expressing your love to God. It’s going to elevate your heart rate as corporately in your group, you (together) elevate God.
ELEVATE YOUR HEART RATE: You’ll need any or all of the following: A dumbbell, kettle bell, med-ball, and sand bag. Consider keeping ‘em relatively lighter in weight than you’d normally lift because 6 non-stop minutes is a long time! Use the song Worship, by Chris Howland, in the Worship & Exercise Combined Playlist below and for the physical exercise just follow your group X leader.
WORSHIP GOD AS YOU ELEVATE YOUR VOICES: At the same time while doing the cardio exercise above, in responsive format your other group X leader will call out the following short Bible passages one at a time. Then the entire group together repeats the same Bible passage. You’ll repeatedly work through these passages during the entire 6 minute workout. Louder is better.
[NOTE: These passages are from a variety of translations and in a few instances have been abbreviated to help make them easier to repeat by the group. The passages are in different colors to make it easier to follow.]
- I have strength for all things in the One strengthening me. Philippians 4:13
- This is the day Jehovah hath made, We rejoice and are glad in it. Psalm 118:24
- Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, LORD, because you are my mighty rock and my protector. Psalm 19:14
- No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9
- My word shall not return to Me void, But will accomplish what I please, And prosper in the thing for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11
- Have nothing to do with the worthless things that people do, things that belong to the darkness. Instead, bring them out to the light. Ephesians 5:11
- God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7
- The whole earth will worship you. It will make music to praise you. Psalm 66:4
- I’m singing at the top of my lungs, I’m so full of answered prayers. Psalm 13:6
- As far as the east is from the west, that is how far he has removed our sins from us. Psalm 103:12
- Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. Ephesians 6:11
- Thank God that he gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:7
- All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s. 1 Samuel 17:47
- Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. Psalm 24:8
Worship & Exercise Combined Spotify Playlist
When listening in Spotify be sure to tap ⊕ and add this playlist to your Spotify Library then share it with others.
El Es (song lyrics English translation)
El Es (He Is) is a song by Resonant Force (Sergio Vladimir, Hidalgo, Mexico). The lyrics appear to be a recording of a preacher giving a fiery sermon about how the entire Bible speaks (gives evidence) of Jesus. The translation in English below was done for Lifestyle Media Group’s Faith & Fitness Magazine by Mario Escobar, owner of DY2M/(Dare You to Move) Reto A Moverte Gym in Cancun, Mexico. You’ll find the song in our Worship & Exercise Combined Spotify playlist in blue above.
THE ENTIRE BIBLE SPEAKS OF HIM.
In Genesis, Jesus is the Creator, Abel’s Lamb, Noah’s Ark, Abraham’s Ram, Jacob’s Ladder, and Joseph’s Dream.
In Exodus, He is the Tabernacle and Priesthood.
In Leviticus, He is the Palestinian Covenant.
In Numbers, He is the Cloud by Day and Fire by Night.
In Deuteronomy, He is the Apple of His Eye.
In Joshua, He is the Scarlet Thread.
In Judges, He is the Jawbone of an Ass.
In Ruth, He is the Reward.
In 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel, He is the Sweet Singer of Israel.
In 1 Kings and 2 Kings, He is the Temple and the Holy of Holies.
In 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles and Ezra, He is Restoration.
In Nehemiah and Esther, He is the Feast of Purim.
In Job, He is Patience.
In the Psalms, He is the Poet, the Shepherd, and the Great Choir.
In Proverbs, He is Wisdom.
In Ecclesiastes, He is the Preacher.
In Song of Solomon, He is the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the Valleys.
THE ENTIRE BIBLE SPEAKS OF HIM.
In Isaiah, He is the Wonderful, Mighty God.
In Jeremiah, He is the Balm of Gilead.
In Lamentations, He is Faithfulness and Consolation.
In Ezekiel, He is the Wheel in the Middle of the Wheel.
In Daniel, He is the Stone Cut Without Hands.
In Hosea, He is the One Who Gathers Israel.
In Joel, He is the Spirit Poured Out.
In Amos, He is the Eternal Kingdom.
In Obadiah, He is the Day of the Lord.
In Jonah, He is Forgiveness and Mercy.
In Micah, He is the Millennium.
In Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah, He is the Day of the Lord.
In Haggai and Zechariah, He is the Lord Who Comes.
In Malachi, He is Healing in His Wings.
In Matthew, He is the KING.
In Mark, He is the SERVANT.
In Luke, He is the MAN.
In John, He is GOD.
In Acts, He is the HOLY SPIRIT.
In Romans, He is GRACE.
In 1 Corinthians and 2 Corinthians, He is the GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT.
In Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians, He is the NEW COVENANT.
In 1 Thessalonians and 2 Thessalonians, He is HOPE.
In 1 Timothy and 2 Timothy, He is the PREACHER and the DEACON.
In Titus and Philemon, He is CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.
In Hebrews, He is the HIGH PRIEST.
In James, He is the HEALER.
In 1 Peter and 2 Peter, He is PRECIOUS BLOOD.
In 1 John, 2 John, and 3 John, He is LOVE.
In Jude, He is ORIGINAL FAITH.
In Revelation, He is THE VISION OF THE 7 CHURCHES, THE 7 SEALS, THE 7 TRUMPETS, THE SEALED BOOK, AND THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
SERMON-BASED DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: “Woman Behold Your Son” Seven Last Words Part 3
- What Do Jesus’ actions and words on the cross show us about the significance of relationship in our llives?
- What can we learn from the loyalty from those who stood by the cross, such as Mary and John?
- How can you apply the themes of humanity, loyalty and identity to your relationships?
