1Timothy 4:6-16 KJV 6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. 7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. 11 These things command and teach. 12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. 13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. 16 Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. When did Olympic games begin? It was 775 years before Christ and 22 years before Rome was built. The games ceased during the Christian era in Rome. The reason they were probably ceased during the Christian era because they were games dedicated to the Roman god jupiter. Olympeans neither race for a time period, before the games began again not in the form of worship of a deity but in global sport competition for summer and winter. Nothing wrong with healthy competition or exercise. In fact exercise and sports is a good way to promote healthy competition. Yet it also ends for some to life time injury or physical disability. As football season is already underway for high school and college teams it is clear that many players do a fair amount of exercise. Doing my own workout only instills in me how much discipline it takes to compete in a competition. My exercise program will hopefull enable me to go back to full time work. Building my endurance level is my goaled. I am able to currently able to lift enough weight and always have a few areas to improve upon. The point is to be consistent enough to build up the ability to endure. For the Olypean the goaled is not endurance but ability to compete every two to four years. To build up and to be able to become that star performer to get the gold. For football players they want those trophies and hopefully a scholarship for college. Yet most high school athletes perhaps do not fully understand that scholarship thing until they reach their junior and senior year of playing. That is when all those colleges come buzzing around looking at players that appear to be good and strong athletes. What is strength but the ability to achieve the goaled before you, what is endurance but the strength to last to the finish. What is it to have muscles and no power in which to use it. Those that have permanent or severe disability look at those muscles they gain only to wonder if this is really going to help me, or is it waste of my time. Exercise is only valuable if it has a purpose of staying healthy, maintaining weight or enabling one to do something more with it. Yet the goaled may take longer then expected, but as long as nothing major happens the over all goal should be achievable for most if they discipline theirselves to meet the goaled. Discipline is not always a good spanking or even correction, it about consistency, doing what needs to be done. Bodily exercise profits little scripture says. One might ask how come the Bible would tell you it profits little. Will think for a moment our body was made for decay. It was made to age, it was made to have flaws and tares, muscles to grow old and frail. Skin to loose their elasticity, and our hair to thin and to fall out. Our bones become brittle and our teeth if they make it into old age, you took care of them well. Point is our bodies are aging, and not built for endurance of a life time. Our spirits on the other hand are made for endurance and for a life time and beyond. Our spirit is meant to out last our bodies, yet where is that soul spending eternity? With faith in Christ your eternity is secure in him, yet you need to exercise the spirit. How does one exercise their spirit. Spiritual exercise comes with discipline of taking time in prayer to God the Father, by reading the word and learning it. It is also learning to get back up and do it all over again even when one fails to take time with God. Spiritual discipline is learning to follow in Christ example, by setting the example of faith despite your age. Paul writting to a young Timothy, who is still learning to be a good Christian. Setting the example of a believer in the way we live. I think of my own failings in not always doing the right thing. Not always setting the example of faith and realize my short fall is my own humanity. My short fall not listening to God. Not running the race set before me. Where I failed I often wonder what would of happened if it been different. No I have not been watching It's A Wonderful Life or GroundHog Day, by the way those two movies are out of season. That is the point when one is out of season of the ministrying their still learning to set the example. If one ministers to early despite their call it does not given them time to make those stupid mistakes that one regrets. If you returning to school and hoping to one day be in ministry you must remember the course of faith which brought you to that point of deciding why education was important, but is it necessary to minister. Ministry begins one on one to a group and even beyond to perhaps church ministry, or even different street type ministries for needy and young people. It does not stop there. Maybe it is to the old folks, or business people. Maybe it is reaching those in need that are around you, or maybe someone just needs to hear the word of God and to be encourage someone else in faith or to have faith. Once I heard someone say what does that minister do for us. The minister preached on Sunday and was involved in ministry in the church. Yet his outreach was limited by financial obligation of a sick wife. He gave with his heart financially, and helped with counseling. Yet in general he did no more then that. Some people that come to church are only looking for what they can get not thinking on what they can give. How could these people have helped with ministry, by sharing the gospel, sharing a sermon, reaching out in Christian love with what they had to offer. When a church is only seen as one person being the giver and no one else giving, it soon is a closed door and a worn out minister. What is the point to learn to be a good minister it starts with prayer and seeking God's direction, and so you need the word of God in your life. It is also about working under leaders in certain areas of ministry and sometimes it means branching out on your own to reach those in need of the Gospel of Jesus. Is your calling to give out food, and other substance or is it to give out the Gospel. Does the giving of food help attract people in need of the Gospel to the church. I am sure it does. What is the point? Ministry is more then giving out food bags. It can be found in every walk and life style out there. It finding that common bound and reaching out to those in need of the Gospel. No one does it necessarily the exact same way, but reaching out begins with your own salvation, being ready to learn something about yourself and others and simply praying for people and witnessing as God directs. One must exercise one's faith and be discipline in faith so those you witness to can see Christ in you. People want to know how Christ has changed you, and so they watch and observe you. You might not be the one that leads them to Christ, but you may be the person that helps on their road to salvation. God is going to get the goal, you just part of the team that going to win. Do your part in ministry and if God has a higher calling in the sense of occuptational ministry then He will reveal it in due time. Jesus had seventy disciples he sent out to minister to surrounding villages. When they came back some were amazed that even the demons fled. Yet Jesus was clear to tell them don't rejoice on the demon that fled but that your name is writen in the Lamb's book of life. Jesus was teaching his disciples to bring them in. They were still under Christ leadership, but they were learning to step out in faith and do the work of ministry. Dear Heavenly Father, enable us to reach out to those around us in faith, to spread your Gospel of faith. In Jesus precious name, Amen. Continual Scripture Study for Devotion: Luke 10:17-21 KJV 17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18 And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19 Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven. 21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. http://www.turtle30cshell.com