When my kids were younger, my wife and I made the executive decision to forbid the word “stupid.” We did not want that word to be a go to adjective describing another person. We taught our kids it was a “bad” word and inappropriate to use. In our declaration I never envisioned a day this would backfire on me.

One day, our precious kids were hanging out with their cousins and my wife’s parents. I overheard a conversation where the cousins mentioned to my in-laws that they heard their father say a bad word. It was the ultimate tattle tale moment. Not to be outdone, my sweet little princess offered up this nugget to her cousins and grandparents, “Well, my dad said the “S” word!” Enter shocked faced emoji. She was of course referring to the word stupid, but I knew not everyone understood our vernacular.

There is another “S” word that has a poor reputation. It’s a word that at one point in your life would cause a sudden outbreak of the sweats. If someone would drop the “S” word, immediately you would feel a little uncomfortable. Yes, I’m talking about studying.

Being in spiritual shape always involves Studying the Word of God. That is the “S” in Shaped. If you remember in Acts 2 where the first church is formed… 42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching… The Apostles were teaching Jesus and echoing what He taught. They helped these new believers understand the Law and the Prophets and the connection to our Savior. The new believers were hungry to hear the very word of God. If you want to grow in your relationship with Christ and be shaped more into His image, you must discipline yourself to consistently dive into God’s Word.

I know for some that makes you cringe. Studying can feel like a dirty word. I can remember back in college and seminary there were certain subject requirements to officially graduate. This meant that I needed to take some classes that didn’t quite stoke the learning fire. Studying in those classes felt more like a chore than a passion. I was being forced to study topics that really held no interest in my life. For all of us that have had educational efforts, there are times studying seems to equate to academic hoop jumping.

This pertains not only to the academic world. For a season in my life, I was a junior high basketball coach. To be hired I had to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License so I could drive the team to tournaments and away games in a school bus. Passing the test was a lengthy process because it involved 3 intense exams and a driving test. I hated studying the 152 page CDL manual. Coaching was definitely a passion I held, but learning the ins and outs of air brakes was on a totally different spectrum. However, I had to study and read every word in that manual to pass to get to my license. And thankfully I did on the first try.

When it comes to God, some of you hear the phrase “study the Word of God” and you immediately want to check out. The Bible looks like a 152 page CDL manual to you*. You are nervous about understanding the information and the Bible appears complicated and overwhelming. Plus, you feel worried you will not pass the final exam. That’s the wrong perspective. There is not a test at the end as far as God asking how many Bible verses you know. He will not go all “Bible Drill” on you. What will be determined is if you have a relationship with Jesus and if you surrendered your life to Him. Jesus did not tell the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with me in Paradise…after you memorize the Law.”

Head knowledge is never the primary goal of studying the Word of God. Life change is. We read the Word of God to know who our God really is and how our lives should look as a result. With the proper perspective, we see that studying God in His Word really is a treasure and not a chore. Our God is so immense that the layer peeling effort by studying His Word leads to a glorious end.

Have you ever been snorkeling? My wife and I had the wonderful opportunity to snorkel on a trip to Cabo San Lucas. We saw some beautiful fish as we stayed near the water’s surface. These fish were far more beautiful than the lake fish that I knew. However, I hear from scuba divers that is just the tip of what beauty lies beneath.

There is a big difference between snorkeling and scuba diving, right? We can get a glimpse of glory snorkeling, but there is a whole other world the deeper you go. And to go deeper is going to take some studying. When you go further and further into the depths of God, the more glory that is revealed. The deeper you go the more majestic you find Him.

I love how Paul puts it, Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. - I Cor 2:6-10

There is a depth to God, and He is deeper than we could ever imagine. The word Paul uses for depths is from the Greek word bathos, which can mean deep water. I was given a snorkel with no experience. However, I was not given an oxygen tank. I hadn’t studied the subject.

When I was a church planter, we didn’t have our own building, so I didn’t have my own office. This was a positive for me. It forced me to be in my community more than normal. Once I was sitting at “my office,” a local coffee shop, and I was in a conversation with the barista. We were talking about spiritual matters when she said something that set my radar off. She basically told me that what God said was subjective. She communicated that we couldn’t really know what God wanted because we were dealing with man’s interpretation of God’s Word.

I, of course, couldn’t let that go and began a discussion and debate on the validity of God’s Word. This is an important issue because if you don’t think you can truly know what God meant in the Bible, then it becomes really easy to pick and choose what you want to believe. In essence, you become your own God making up your own standards.

Obviously, there are many things written in the Bible that don’t fit today’s narrative. It is far easier to explain passages and verses away, or toss them in the trash, so that it would fit our culture better. However, this is not an option for the Christian. As tough as a verse or passage might sound, we can’t, nor should we want, to change God’s Word. Our goal should be to figure out what God meant in the hard verse or passage.

In fact, I don’t know if you have ever heard this in a Bible Study setting, but I’m not a fan of asking “what did the passage mean to you?” Typically this phrase declares there are multiple ideas God meant when the Bible was written. I certainly believe God can apply a verse or passage differently to people, however, there is a correct interpretation of what God was communicating. The application can look different, but the truth is constant.

Truth is an interesting topic because we demand truth in almost every area of our lives. You want to receive the truth and I do too. You want it from your family, friends, teachers, Pastor, author, the local meteorologist (let that one go though, it’s not going to happen). We especially want truth if it’s going to affect us financially. You don’t want to be charged any more than necessary. I want the truth so bad in that area I don’t even trust gas pumps. I see those numbers rising before the gasoline ever gets in my car. What about the auto mechanic? Don’t you want to hear the truth there? My car engine knowledge is less than zero. I think each one is trying to rob me blind. I want the truth.

We want the truth when it comes to safety. The bungee cord better be secure and able to hold. We want to know that the airplane has been thoroughly inspected and is cleared for blue skies. What about our health? We want to know why Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is in a lot of our food. We want to know what is actually in McDonald’s meat. On second thought, it’s probably best we just don’t know.

But it sure seems many people aren’t interested in truth when it comes to morality or religion. Why? Because most people don’t want to be held accountable to any moral standards. St. Augustine once said, “We love truth when it enlightens us, but we hate it when it convicts us.” Christians are notorious for arguing and dissecting God’s Word, not to understand what He meant, but to keep us so busy we don’t actually do what it says. It’s as if debating and appearing intelligent is better than denying our self and picking up our cross.

Atheists and Agnostics get around moral standards by declaring there is no truth, which is illogical. The proclamation of no truth is a self-defeating statement. The argument that is being made is based upon a statement that is supposedly based upon fact, truth. He or she in essence is saying, “The truth is, there is no truth.” Well, if there is no truth, then that statement isn’t true, which would mean there is truth. 

What did Jesus say about truth? In John 17, the prayer Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane before His arrest and crucifixion, He prayed a prayer that was thankfully recorded for us.

Jesus voiced, “Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.” - John 17:17

I believe Jesus is referring to the Old Testament AND to the words He taught in the flesh.

Jesus also said, “…I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6b

Jesus says the Word of God is truth and that He is truth, which means what He taught is truth. The truth is what will sanctify us, what will help us get in spiritual shape.

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. - Psalm 1:1-6

To be the healthiest we can be, we need to treat the Word as a treasure. We should be at the place where we are meditating on it day and night. The Psalmist writes about delighting in the Law and focusing on it day and night. Now remember, this isn’t the Old Testament and New Testament. The author is talking about the Law. What an exceptional privilege that we have the whole Bible. We have the entirety of God’s Word and if we would dive in, we would experience spiritual fruit, life, and vitality. That’s why a big part of getting in good spiritual shape is Studying the Word of God.

Jesus once said Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. – Matt 6:33

In fairness, Jesus didn’t say specifically “get in the Word.” However, the heart behind His statement is for His followers to passionately pursue the Father. There are different ways to do this, but probably the easiest is to study the Word of God.

I want to be as practical as I can to help you Study the Word of God. I’m going to give you the acrostic S.E.E.K. to use to remind yourself to study!

S- Set Aside Time

It has been said that the greatest evidence of love is TIME. This is understandable because we make and create the time for the things we love and for the things we feel are important. We make sure we have the time to post that cute selfie. There are TV shows we enjoy, so we carve out the necessary minutes in our schedules to watch them. We plan watch parties for the big game. There are certain things we make time for every day because we have placed a priority on whatever it is.

Priority is the key word. There are specific things we have labeled important in our minds, so we make sure we accomplish them daily. Do you have a habit of brushing your teeth? Let’s hope so! What about eating? We find this necessary so we don’t skip this part of our day. You might think, “I have to eat to survive.” It’s time we view the Word of God with this level of importance. We have priorities that have been designated with time. God is deserving of our time. You must make Him a priority.  

Seeking God begins with a decision on when you will meet with Him. Set aside the time each day when you know you will sit and meet with Him in His Word.

E- Eat God's Word

In ancient Jewish culture, formal education began at 6 years old. Jewish boys would go to the local synagogue school called house of the book (beit sefer). When they graduated at 10, they would have memorized the first 5 books of the OT called the Torah. Every word memorized. Wow!

According to Jewish tradition, the rabbi would cover their slate with honey on the first day of class. Then the rabbi would instruct his class to lick the honey off their slate while reciting Ps 119:103 - How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey.

That was their first and perhaps most important lesson. The rabbi wanted them to fall in love with the Word of God. He wanted them to taste that God’s Word is good.

When we study God’s Word we must chew on it as we would a delicious delicatessen. You have a favorite food. You know it’s your favorite when you savor the bites. Make sure you don’t fly through God’s Word. Savor each bite.

How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word. I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Ps 119: 9,11

Part of eating God’s Word involves memorization. When we hide God’s Word in our heart, the Holy Spirit brings His words to our minds and uses them to encourage us and to give us victory over temptation. When Jesus faced temptation, He defeated it with the Word. After each time the devil tempted Him, He would say, “The Scriptures say…”

Repeatedly we see Jesus knew Scripture. When he was a young boy in the Temple, He amazed the teachers of His understanding. He also quoted Scripture often in His teaching. Even when He hung from the cross and said, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” He was pointing the listeners, and us, back to Psalm 22.  

If Jesus used the Word, we should too. We need to eat it to know it.

E- Engage In Conversation

We will talk more about prayer in Chapter 3, but the idea here is to pray the Word of God. You should view your time in the Word as a conversation, not a monologue. God speaks to you through His Word, but as in any conversation, deeper understanding and levels of communication occur in the context of a back-and-forth dialogue. As you study, interact with the Word of God by having a conversation with Him. Pray promises. Pray Scripture. Be still in those moments and know that He is God.

There are times I will read something in the Bible and say to God, “This is my heart too.” I will then pray verbatim what was written. As you read the Word, use it as a conversation starter with Almighty God.

K- Keep God's instructions –

Have you ever been given a letter or note that you kept because it was special to you? If God places anything on your heart as you study His Word, it is worth holding onto. I recommend for followers of Jesus to take part in some sort of journaling. Some people are more naturally gifted in this area and some aren’t.

Since we are already using acrostics, I’m going to give you the best one I have ever seen in journaling. I spent a year with Pinelake Church in Brandon, Mississippi, learning the ropes of church planting and I picked up this incredible tool while there. I’ve never been good at journaling and this outline really helped me do a better job of processing what God is speaking to me through His Word. Once you seek God, it is inevitable you will REAP spiritual health. This is how you can keep track of what God is doing.

R- Read

More often than not, when you read God’s Word, a word or phrase or passage will prick your spirit and jump off the page. In your journal you are going to write the verse or verses that stick out to you. So you need to read with a pen in hand or an app that allows you to make notes. I’d encourage you to write comments, ask questions, and mark highlights in your Bible. Underline keywords. Circle things that jump out at you. Draw arrows to show correlation. As you talk with God and converse with Him in your heart and with His Word, spiritual truth and the voice of God come alive.

After you have read you will take your journal and write or type or copy and paste the part of the passage that was the most intriguing or impactful. Then you are ready to move on.

E- Explain

In your journal, this is where you are going to give yourself as much information as possible about the passage you are focusing on. You will try to answer key questions: What is the context, who is talking, who are they talking to, what issue is being addressed, etc.? Ask the basic questions of who, what, where, when, why and how. This will help you remember what is the background to the verse or verses when you come back to it later in life, whether that’s a month or a year.

Once you have a good idea of the context and what the author was trying to communicate to his audience, you will move to the next phase…

A- Apply

This might be the hardest aspect of Bible Study. Application is the personal digging. How does this apply to my life? How do I need to live because of what I read? You need to take the time to write or type this answer. Be very specific about how your life should look after encountering God’s heart in His Word. Remember that Bible reading isn’t about accumulating knowledge. The ultimate goal is life change. The application process will help bring this to light.

P- Pray

Literally take the time to record a prayer in your journal. This prayer should directly relate to what you just processed in the R.E.A. section. It is easy to talk to yourself as you read and explain and apply and forget you need to spend time with God talking about what has been illuminated in your spirit.

If you SEEK the Lord, you will REAP intimacy and health. If you SEEK God, you will REAP a changed life. I have had many mountain top experiences with Christ but when I look back over my life what really changed me was early on, I made meeting with God a spiritual discipline in my life.

Let’s end this chapter with a game changing principle. The beauty of the Christian life is that this workout isn’t meant to be done alone. Our studying God is not a solo effort. I’m not saying we never read the Bible on our own. On the contrary, that is a great gift that we have so much access to the Word of God. We must read it by ourselves, but we must also find a way to be in the Word of God with like-minded believers.

In your school days, did you ever participate in a study group? For those of you that went to college, or maybe you did this in high school, but it was much more enjoyable to study with someone else. If the group wasn’t focused, it could be counter productive, but if the group was on task, there could be a great synergy in your efforts to learn the lesson correctly.

Look at the life of Jesus. There were many people who followed Jesus, but there were a group of 12 guys who were close to Him. These 12 men came from different towns and backgrounds and even different occupations. But Jesus approached each of these men and invited them to do life with Him - to travel with Him, interact with Him, live with Him, and learn from Him at a very personal level. This was a group of everyday people living everyday life together for the sake of the Gospel. A Gospel that they embraced along the way.

It must have been incredible for these guys to not only hear Jesus teach, but they also saw Him live out His teachings. They heard Him speak about loving and serving others and then they themselves experienced being served by Jesus as He washed their feet. That’s what special about community. Being real, hearing truth, and applying it and growing together and watching that happen in each other.

That’s the thing about studying God. When you study God on your own, it’s too easy to only learn what you see on the pages of the Bible and not get another vantage point from a unique set of eyes. That’s not how studying happened in the New Testament. It was a group project.

Living an isolated life is the exact opposite of the way we see life lived in the Bible. You miss out on the wisdom from others and the strength of others. The enemy’s MO is to isolate us, get us alone so he can take us out. Don’t let him! Get together. Jesus didn’t want His disciples, and He doesn’t want you and me, to live the Christian life alone.

You might think you are old enough and wise enough and mature enough to go about this your way. Being mature doesn’t equate to being able to handle all things by yourself. Being mature means you now know how to turn to the right people. So let’s check out the next workout.

“The Bible is a remarkable fountain: the more one draws and drinks of it, the more it stimulates thirst.” – Martin Luther

*For the rare person that gets excited about manuals, you must imagine something else.

INTRO:

I recently watched a video of myself preaching and I couldn’t help but notice how out of shape I am. If the camera adds 10 pounds then I must have had 10 cameras recording me*. As the old joke goes…I’m in shape, it’s just the shape of a pear. This was not always the case. When I was a teenager, I was in the shape of a stick. I was so skinny I heard many jokes like, “I brought you a cheerio John. I thought you might want to hula hoop.” Nowadays, people are more likely to hand me a tire.

There is good news though. Despite the ageing process, I possess a certain amount of authority and power over my physical health. I can choose, change, add, subtract specific elements from my life and reap a better physical shape. I can eliminate certain unhealthy habits and partake in healthier choices that would with certainty result in an enhanced physical body.

I’m eager to achieve this because I have a recollection of a time in my life when I was in better shape. I can vividly remember at one point in my life being able to look down from a standing position and see my feet. I can recall wearing a “smedium” more than a “marge.” I have a memory of running and not having to stop after 10 seconds to catch my breath. Those might be fading memories because they are from an era long ago, but I have not hidden them too far in the recesses of my mind. I’m confident that a better physical shape is within the realm of possibility, thus I want to put forth the effort to get in shape!

Many people have a similar desire. Last I checked, gyms and exercise classes, whether online or in-person, are still packed full of patrons and diets are still in vogue. Getting in physical shape is considered a positive and admirable activity. January is typically a time where people consider their health and well-being more. Gyms will tell you that a peak time is the first of the year. The fresh beginnings of a new year inspire the non-regulars to set and act upon new health goals. Physically, we need to take care of ourselves. That is important.

We all understand that our physical health largely comes down to two important issues: what we eat and how we exercise. We, of course, can try to cheat the system, but what we pour into our body and how we use our body will largely determine our physical shape.

How’s your shape? Are you satisfied with your current condition? However, I’m not actually asking about your physical well-being. I’m more concerned with your spiritual shape. Paul wrote, “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” – I Tim 4:8

We all possess power over our spiritual shape like we do with our physical shape. The very words that precede I Tim 4:8 are “…Instead, train yourself to be godly.” – I Tim 4:7b. We can change, add, subtract from our spiritual life and reap a healthier spiritual life. We are told under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to train ourselves to be godly. No matter what season of the year it may be, we need to understand how important it is to take responsibility for our own spiritual health.

We can and should train ourselves to be the godliest person we can be. We must work out to get in spiritual shape, or inevitably, we deteriorate. Paul also wrote, “Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.  I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. - 1 Cor 9:24-27

Most of us would just prefer a magic pill that would get us in excellent spiritual shape, but that does not exist. It really comes down to a choice. Do we really want to follow Jesus or not? If we follow Him, there will be energy and effort spent. There will be sacrifices to make. Jesus said to a crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me.” – Luke 9:23 Giving up your own way, picking up a cross, following Jesus, is not for the faint of heart. But it is for those with a new heart.

There is no way around the fact that it will take effort to be all that we can be in Jesus. However, I want to be extremely clear, this effort doesn’t join you in a relationship with Jesus. We know that is a gift from God to us. ^“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Rom 6:23

You don’t get in shape to get to Jesus. He takes us as we are. We just receive the gift. But once we have the gift, we realize what an incredible gift we were given. We should now want to see our relationship with Jesus grow and flourish. To grow and flourish, it’s going to take good ol’ fashioned hard work and effort through spiritual disciplines. Dallas Willard wrote, “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning. Earning is an attitude. Effort is an action.”

The question is…do you want it? Do you want to put forth the effort to be healthy? If you do, keep reading. This book is for you. But like any manual on physical health, you have to put into practice what you learn. I’m believing God will use this book in your life to help you be all that you can be in Jesus.

In the immediacy of our culture, we need to hear this on the front end. Getting in shape takes time. No one who is “out of shape” wakes up after one work out suddenly in pristine health. Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither was Mr. or Mrs. Universe. Consistent choices will bring change. Faithfulness over the long haul is what we are looking for.

The Christian life is not a sprint. The mission Jesus has for us isn’t for one moment, it is a lifetime journey. It is a spiritual journey of *26.2 miles. For us to be successful, it is going to take discipline one day at a time. The most successful people aren’t only successful in a singular situation. A follower of Christ does not reach his or her full potential by being obedient in one moment. A healthy follower of Jesus is obedient in consecutive small moments that link to produce a healthy life. We need our workouts to happen consistently to produce the result that we desire.

The ultimate goal of a disciple is to live a life worthy of our calling, not a moment worthy of our calling. Which begs the question, what does the life of a believer look like? I am a firm believer that not every follower of Christ’s journey will be the same. Each man and woman who puts his or her trust in Jesus is called to be a disciple, to be shaped into the image of Christ, but we will not all be a cookie cutter image of one another. God did not create us to look like the *Real Slim Shady video.

Discipleship is not linear, it’s messy. It’s not a step 1, then step 2, and then by step 10 you have it all figured out. However, there are proven principles that will make you more like Christ. We can find in Scripture a guaranteed track record of healthy discipleship. These 6 exercises will, without a doubt, shape you more into the image of the Son of God, Jesus Christ.

For the purposes of this book I will use Shaped as an acrostic portraying these principles.

Each letter represents a spiritual discipline that will help shape you and me to be more like Jesus.

S - Studies the Word (Bible reading)

H - Hangs with Believers (Community)

A - Abides in Christ (Praying and Fasting)

P - Provides for Others (Giving, serving)

E - Exalts the Lord (Worship)

D - Delivers the Gospel (evangelism).

I want us to know as we start this journey through this book. This effort isn’t a do-it-yourself effort. This effort is a group effort. Doctors and fitness experts tell us that having a workout partner helps us stay in better physical shape. There have been studies that show your workout becomes more effective with a partner because you burn more calories and the likelihood of quitting lessens. The same is true spiritually. This is how the first Christians got in shape…

All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. – Acts 2:42-47

The first church was about 3000 people. I would have loved to plant my church with 3000 people. We had 12 on our launch team. Even with a small group of 12, we had a variety of personalities and preferences. Imagine the smorgasbord of opinions you would have with 3000 people. I’m sure there were a plethora of temperaments and tastes, but even through the diversity they experienced a togetherness that few of us have ever known.

Through the ups and downs of life, they stayed together and got in spiritual shape together. This idea will permeate each principle we cover - we are better together. It is crucial that every Christ follower doesn’t do life alone. So as you read this book, don’t forget that getting in the best shape of your life is a group effort.

If you have ever experienced the love and grace that Jesus has to offer, it transforms you and inspires you to take the journey. The journey to spiritual health was never promised to be smooth and effort-free. The journey can be hard, but oh, it is worth every drop of sweat along the way.

Paul wrote, “18 And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. 19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” - Eph 3:18-19

God loves you and has an incredible purpose for your life. You can trust that He is good and that He is for you. But to achieve a rich intimacy with God, it will take exercising our spiritual muscles to be all that Jesus wants us to be. We will have to decide. We will have to make choices.

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (emphasis mine). - Rom 8:29 Jesus was Mr. Universe in the spiritual health world. He is our ultimate goal. If we are to look like Him, we will need to get to work. We will need to be ready to put in the time.

Are you willing to work out? Are you ready to get in shape? Let’s get started, let’s work out together. Let’s get shaped into the image of Jesus Christ.

• * An old “Friends” joke.
• * Metaphorically speaking.
• * Old pop culture reference. Not an endorsement! Put down the pitchfork.

“I want the Giver, not just the gift.” That line wrecks me - in the best possible way.

We are full on into one of the most wonderful seasons of the year. Christmas is filled with lights, music, traditions, memories, and moments that stir something deep inside us. And yet, maybe more than any other time of year, I find myself praying this simple prayer: Lord, let me be more in love with Christ than with Christmas.

Because if I’m honest, this season makes it incredibly easy to become more enamored with the gifts than The Gift.

The older I get, the more I realize how easily the tinsel-covered materialism of Christmas can begin to resemble Herod in the Christmas story. We may appear interested in the Savior, but our hearts can be driven by something else entirely - whether that’s greed, or pride, or prestige.

And yet, that’s not what Christmas was ever meant to be. Christmas is all about the One True God, the God who is all-powerful and the Creator of the Universe, who humbly came to us in the form of a baby, born amongst the barnyard animals.

So this Christmas, I find myself praying for a deeper joy - one that is beyond receiving and focused more on giving. I want to delight in watching my family and loved ones open gifts. I want to celebrate generously and gratefully. And let me be clear: I am truly thankful for what I receive, and I count those gifts as blessings. This isn’t a call to guilt or gloom. I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer about presents.

But I do want something more. I want this season, and the new year, to be primarily focused on Christ. An era where we worship the Savior, not just the blessings He gives. A posture of heart that says, Jesus, You are enough.

May this be a season where we want the Giver more than the gift. Because in the end, He is the greatest gift Christmas has ever offered - and He is still offering Himself to us today.

Everyday,

John

https://open.spotify.com/track/0g13D3D87Cw1OVlEyZg1TD?si=a76bff28b61a4f91

More than likely, you were very young and it was to a parent. I can’t remember the first time I said “I love you” to my mom or dad. Honestly, I don’t even remember the first time my own kids said it to me. (Though for the record, both said “Dadda” first. I may have coached that one a bit just so I could brag about it!)

But I do remember the first time I told Kim that I loved her.

I was sitting in my apartment, waiting for her to come visit me. We were long-distance dating - she lived in Alabama, and I was in Tulsa. As we talked while she was at the airport, we started to wrap up the call. Without really thinking, as we were saying goodbye, I said for the very first time, “I love you.” It was if it just accidentally spilled out

Her response?
“Okay… bye.” And then we both ended the call.

Oops. Not exactly the most romantic moment to drop the “L-word,” and she definitely didn’t reciprocate the sentiment. I remember sitting there thinking, “Did I just screw that up?” I immediately prayed that she would still got on the plane to come see me!

But as I processed it, I realized something. That “I love you” wasn’t an accident. It wasn’t just a casual phrase you throw out of habit like when you hang up with a friend or family member. I said it because I meant it. I felt it.

What does love really mean?

When I said those words to Kim, I felt love, but as we approach 20 years of marriage we now know that love isn’t always a feeling. In fact, love is more of a choice than a warm-fuzzy. It is an intentional choosing to put another person’s needs above your very own. See as a believer in Jesus, I know love goes deeper than feelings.

The Bible tells us that Jesus is the very definition of love. We can read and learn about love in the Bible but we can also see that Jesus lived a life of love and showed us what real love looks like - a choice that puts someone else’s good above your own, even when it costs you something.

Paul clearly states this…But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. – Rom 5:8 (NLT)

God came to us in the flesh and laid down His life for us that we might truly live. He faced the agony of the cross to make a way for us to God the Father. He did all that even though we can be pretty lousy people. What incredible and amazing love! However, this love is not designed for us to just experience, but also, to compel and propel us to then love others with the same intensity.

That’s why John, one of Jesus’ disciples, reminds believers: “This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” - 1 John 3:11

John likely wanted his readers to recall what Jesus Himself said again and again in His Gospel: “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” - John 13:34

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.” - John 15:12

“This is my command: Love each other.” - John 15:17

Or maybe John was reminding them of that moment when Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself.

Either way, the reminder is simple and clear: Love one another.

So my question for us today is…

How loving are you? Who in your life might need to experience that kind of love from you today, the kind that acts, sacrifices, and chooses to put others first?

If you’re like me and you want to love more, ask God to deposit His love into your heart. That’s where it starts. Then pray that the love He gives you would move you into action - with no conditions, no strings attached. That’s how we become more loving.

Then maybe, just maybe, no matter what’s going on in your world you will let love spill out into any relationship you have!

I guess that’s it for now, until next time…I love you!

The challenge for me now is that I just don’t use math that often. And when I do, I usually ask Siri. I’ll literally speak the problem out loud, and she (it) just gives me the answer. Thank you technology.

But don’t even get me started on how math is taught today. You can’t just add 12 + 18 anymore. No, you have to take away 2 from one number, add it to the other, round to 20, and then do a backflip while reciting the steps in Hebrew. I’m exaggerating… kind of. When my kids ask me for help with their math homework, I glance at the problem, nod like I understand, secretly use AI, and then deliver the answer like I totally knew it all along.

A long time ago I had a season in my life where I was a substitute teacher. One day I was subbing in a 5th grade math class and they were multiplying fractions. I thought I remembered how to do it - spoiler alert: I didn’t. Pretty sure I gave the whole class the wrong answer. Sorry about that Mrs. Busby.

However, despite all that confusion, one of my favorite things in math class was the alligators. At least that’s how I learned the greater than and less than signs: > and <. For some reason, those little gator mouths just stuck with me.

One time Jesus used the phrase “greater than” in a way that no one could have ever expected and it for sure stuck with me too. He said this:

John 14:12 – “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.”

Hold up. Jesus said what?

He said we’d do greater works than Him? That’s not just a math problem - that’s a spiritual equation that’s hard to wrap your head around. Jesus healed the sick, calmed storms, raised the dead. And He’s saying we’ll do greater things? Excuse me while I sit down for a second.

It sounds overwhelming, like He just handed us an impossible test without giving us the answer key. But here’s the thing: He’s not putting the pressure on us. He’s reminding us that He’s leaving, but He’s not leaving us alone. You with me?

Jesus went to the Father, but He sent the Holy Spirit to live in every believer. And through the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to do what we could never do on our own. It’s not about us solving the problem - it’s about letting God work in us and through us.

So maybe life is kind of like math. It’s confusing, the formulas change, and sometimes you give the wrong answers. But with the right guide and the ultimate answer key, the Holy Spirit, you’re going to be okay. God is going to be with you and use you to change lives in the here and now and for eternity.

If Jesus believes we can do “greater than,” maybe it’s time we started believing it too.

And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, He identified you as His own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom He promised long ago. The Spirit is God’s guarantee that He will give us the inheritance He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify Him. - Ephesians 1:13-14 

Let’s be honest - it’s natural to want to be liked. Who doesn’t want that? Even the most secure people don’t wish for people to hate them. Deep down, we all long for acceptance, for community, for connection. But here in John 15, Jesus makes something very clear: if you follow Him, you should expect to be hated. Not because of who you are personally, but because of who you represent.

That might sound harsh, but it’s not a surprise. Jesus said these words 2,000 years ago. This isn’t new. It’s just that, for a long time, especially in the West, Christians have lived in relative comfort. For generations, it was normal, even expected, to respect Christianity. But that season is shifting. More and more, those who take Jesus at His word and believe the Bible as the true Word of God are being pushed to the margins. We’re increasingly seen as out-of-touch, intolerant, or irrelevant.

But here’s the truth: our faith is not outdated - it's eternal. The God who spoke these words sees the full picture. What we’re experiencing today is part of a larger cycle that has repeated throughout history. God's people have always faced pressure to compromise, to conform, or to stay quiet.

That’s why we must shift our focus. Our goal is not to be liked, but to be faithful. Our driving force should be to live for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and not to win the approval of people.

Let’s take Jesus’ words seriously: “Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you.” It’s not comfortable, but He never promised comfort. What He did promise is peace in Him, even in the face of trials.

Look at what He says just one chapter later: John 16:33 (NLT) “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

So today, may we stand firm. May we find our peace in Jesus. And may we take heart, not because it’s easy, but because He has already overcome, and through Him, we will too.

Don’t you love a good story?

A tale, whether fact or fiction, that grabs your attention and takes your emotions, intellect, and imagination on a ride. A journey that inspires all your mental faculties and stirs your senses. Maybe your favorite stories are those of triumph over tragedy… or perhaps you lean toward laughter and love. Some prefer epic action and adventure.

Whatever your preference, I’ve come to believe that the story of Christianity is the greatest story of all. It holds all the drama you could ask for - hope, heartbreak, miracles, betrayal, redemption, and glory. It’s a masterpiece of divine authorship, and like all great works of art, every time you return to it, something new shines forth.

A Chapter from the Desert

I've never been a big history buff but one time I took a trip to the past and studied early Christianity. I found myself captivated by a chapter in church history that I hadn’t paid much attention to before: the Monastic Movement of the 3rd and 4th centuries.

In simple terms, this movement emerged just after a major shift in the Christian world. Persecution had largely come to an end, and for the first time in generations, being a Christian no longer meant risking your life. But this newfound comfort raised concerns for some believers. In their view, Christianity was becoming too easy - too cozy.

Their response? Radical separation.

These followers of Jesus, later known as monks (from the word meaning solitary), withdrew from mainstream society. They moved into the deserts, living simple, quiet lives devoted to prayer, fasting, and deep contemplation of Christ. Their aim wasn’t escape, but deeper obedience. Say what you will about their extreme approach - but you have to admire their hunger for God.

What struck me most was not just their devotion, but their impact.

People began to seek them out, not only fellow believers looking for wisdom, but even the spiritually lost. Sinners would watch these monks from afar, drawn by their lives of purity and purpose. Some would leave behind everything and come to the monastery gates, ultimately surrendering their lives to Jesus… all because a group of people chose to live differently.

The Beauty of a Different Life

That story still speaks today. It reminds me - and maybe you too - that holiness matters. When we live lives that reflect the holiness of God, people notice. The spiritually blind begin to see - not because we preach at them, but because the contrast is undeniable.

We don’t need to conform to the world to reach the world. In fact, it’s the contrast that reveals the light.

Let your life tell a story. Let the way you live be a kind of holy echo, resonating from the heart of God into the world around you.

Let the lost know that we have been found.
Let’s be different.
Let’s exist as an echo of the Holy One.

I’ve been thinking about this because one time I ate some meat that definitely did expire. Not my proudest moment. Let’s just say it ended with me throwing up six times in four hours. Not a great vibe.

Ever since then, I’ve become the guy who obsessively checks expiration dates. Bread? Sniff test. Milk? Shake and pray. Yogurt? Not unless it's within a 12-hour safety window. But here’s what hit me in the middle of all that: God doesn’t go bad. Ever.

There’s no point where His love fades or His truth stops working. The Bible, written almost 2,000 years ago, is still speaking, still relevant, still fresh. That’s amazing, isn’t it?

I love this about God. He never gets old. He still speaks, still provides, still does miracles, still shows up in everyday life. He’s the same yesterday, today, and forever. No mold. No rot. No “use by” date.

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe a bad meat incident makes you start thinking about weird stuff. Either way, I’m grateful for a God who never spoils.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check the fridge… again.