y our birth and our life diet and exercise privilege and responsibility upward and outward maturity...

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Our Our birthbirth and our and our lifelife

DietDiet and and exerciseexercise

PrivilegePrivilege and and responsibilityresponsibility

UpwardUpward and and outwardoutward

MaturityMaturity and and dependencydependency

A Fools’ Guide to Following A Fools’ Guide to Following JesusJesus

Our Our Birth Birth and our and our Life Life Luke 1, 3 Luke 1, 3 & 4& 4

Jesus Jesus healedhealed by the Holy by the Holy SpiritSpirit

Jesus was Jesus was bornborn of the Holy of the Holy SpiritSpiritJesus was Jesus was filledfilled with the Holy with the Holy SpiritSpiritJesus was Jesus was ledled by the Holy by the Holy SpiritSpiritJesus was Jesus was empoweredempowered by the Holy by the Holy SpiritSpiritJesus Jesus preachedpreached by the Holy Spirit by the Holy Spirit

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andandDietDiet

ExercisExerciseeHebrews 5 Hebrews 5 11-1411-14; 1 Timothy 4 ; 1 Timothy 4 7-127-12

A Fools’ Guide to Following A Fools’ Guide to Following JesusJesus

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Diet Diet and and Exercise Exercise Hebrews 5 Hebrews 5 11-1411-14; 1 Tim. 4 ; 1 Tim. 4 7-127-12

When we are When we are bornborn of the of the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit, we are , we are

adoptedadopted into into God’s familyGod’s family and given the and given the living living

resourceresource of the of the Holy SpiritHoly Spirit within us to live our within us to live our new new

lifelife in Christ … in Christ …

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… … the the sortsort of of ChristianChristian we we become will depend in become will depend in

large part on the large part on the choiceschoices we then we then

make: make: what we what we choosechoose to to

consumeconsume, and what we , and what we choosechoose to to dodo


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“The system you are currently operating is perfectly designed to

achieve the results you are currently producing”

Hebrews 5 11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12 In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13 Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14 But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

The New International Version - Anglicised, (London: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd.) 1984.

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““You You areare what you what you eateat””

Judgement warning!Judgement warning!different people have different people have

different metabolismsdifferent metabolisms and different and different

health problems!health problems!

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What are the four major food groups?What are the four major food groups?

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What are the four major food groups?What are the four major food groups?five

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What are the four major food groups?What are the four major food groups?

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Diet decisionsDiet decisions made on the made on the

basis of basis of sensationsensation rather than rather than sense sense

will have a will have a different effectdifferent effect!!

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““Rubbish in …. Rubbish Rubbish in …. Rubbish out”out”

Philippians 4 8 “ …whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.”


Romans 12 1 …. I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. 2

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.


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National Statistics Office, 2001 Census

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16% read something from the Bible every day.

A further 9% read the Bible several times a week.

11% read something from the Bible about once a week.

9% read the Bible about once a month.

16% read the Bible several times a year.

7% had read something from the Bible once in the past year.

14% had not read anything from the Bible in the past year.

A further 18% have never read anything from the Bible

Survey conducted by Taylor Nelson AGB, commissioned by Bible Society in May, 1997

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What do What do youyou feed on? feed on?

TV? Dreams

?

Escapist

fiction?

Music? Porn

?Work?

News?

“Action” vids?

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In the spiritual realm, what you consume directly affects what you become

In the spiritual realm, rubbish in results in rubbish out

Ungodly input validates ungodly thoughts, attitudes and actions

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Anger, insult

Unrealistic expectation

s, foul language

Racism, lewd or violent

language

Lust, unrealistic expectatio

ns

Materialism

Godless world view

Aggression

The “right” to a

relationship

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Scripture?

Worship?

Prayer?

Caring?

Spiritual reading?

Godly input grows godly character, thoughts and attitudes

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Just to be clear on what I’m saying …Just to be clear on what I’m saying …

I’m not talking about how much time you should have, but what you do with the time that you do have e.g. young mum with new-born child!

Godly input can be consumed for ungodly reasons (remember the Pharisees!)

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Some unsavoury input is not simply to be outweighed by godly input – it is to be dumped!

Some “inputs” are not inherently wrong – but care must be taken that they don’t eclipse godly input e.g. good to watch news; good for youth workers to track “soaps” … but critically!

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Our diet changes with growing maturity. It is most unlikely that our diet now should be the same as it was a year, or five years, ago

Our calling is not isolation from all ungodly environments, but a godly equipping to enter them safely and effectively for Jesus

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Is yourIs your Father Father happy happy

with yourwith your dietdiet??

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““UseUse it or it or loselose it!” it!”

1 Timothy 4 7b Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we’ve thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We’re banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.

Get the word out. Teach all these things. And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by

integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed - keep that dusted off and in use.

Peterson, Eugene H., The Message, (Colorado Springs: NavPress Publishing Group) 1997.

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““UseUse it or it or loselose it!” it!”

Paul frequently refers to the Greek “gymnasia” (1 Corinthians 9; Galatians 2,5; Philippians 2)

… with images of hard training, perseverance, pursuing the goal

“ develop a spiritual exercise programme that will develop godliness”

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With a purpose - not for With a purpose - not for “posing”“posing”

Timothy’s targets:Timothy’s targets:

• godly speech

• godly conduct

• godly love

• godly faith

• godly integrity

• godly gifting

strength?

endurance?

suppleness?

specific sport?

health?

convalescence?

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Personal programme – not pre-packagedPersonal programme – not pre-packaged

shaped for own personal targets

at agreed appropriate times and intervals

with accountability to a personal trainer

with periodic assessment and review

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Personal programme – not pre-packagedPersonal programme – not pre-packaged

Timothy’s programme:Timothy’s programme:

• overseen by Paul

• to develop a young pastor

• … with teaching duties

• … caring for an older congregation

• … and specific, recognised, god-given gifting to be nurtured

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Pain, perseverance and promisePain, perseverance and promise

costly – time, effort, money, endurance, sacrifice, choices

a week off costs a month’s gain

results soon visible – to self and to others

encouragement of those ahead of you

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Pain, perseverance and promisePain, perseverance and promise

For Timothy:For Timothy:

• possible disdain from older church members

• called to “be diligent”, “give (himself) wholly”, “persevere”

• aware that he is being watched!

• promise of benefits both for himself and his hearers

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The inward disciplines: The inward disciplines: meditation, prayer, fasting, meditation, prayer, fasting, studystudy

The outward disciplines: The outward disciplines: simplicity, solitude, simplicity, solitude, submission, servicesubmission, service

The corporate disciplines: The corporate disciplines: confession, worship, confession, worship, guidance, celebrationguidance, celebration

Recommended exercises:Recommended exercises:

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Is yourIs your Father Father happy happy

with yourwith your exerciseexercise??

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do you belong to a gym or a viewing gallery?

what are your personal training objectives?

who is your trainer?

when did you last review?

which specific gifts are you developing?

is your understanding of the benefits clear enough for you to push through the pain barrier?

who do you want to become like?

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