Train Yourself

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  Truth and wisdom are always a little surprising, not what you would expect, not what you would normally think.  God’s Word always has two-sided benefit... advantage for this life, and advancement for eternity.  God always says interesting things.  I Tim 4:7 – Have nothing to do with worthless, silly myths and fables; rather, train yourself to be godly.  For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.  First, why did God say the first sentence?  Because the previous verses warned of the last days – where people would abandon the faith (which means they once knew and followed Christ, but turned away) to follow deceptive teachings taught by demons, perpetuated by hypocrites with a seared conscience.  They forbid certain things, and tell people to abstain from them, even though God created them to be received with thanksgiving by those who know the truth.  This creates a false virtue, virtue signaling, not sincere godliness or holiness which is consecrated by His Word and prayer.  That’s why God said to have nothing to do with worldly teachings that have a form of godliness but deny the power thereof.  Instead, train yourselves in godliness.  Train yourselves to be Godly.  Be in training.  How do you do that?  How do you train yourself in Godliness?  Training is simply forming habits that build skills so they become natural reactions, and the way you do things.  Training changes your DNA – it prepares you for the task at hand, the goal ahead, and the unexpected that will challenge you.  You’re not doing this just for eternity, Godliness benefits you in this life.  What is Godliness? – God-like-ness.  Jesus was the example of Godliness. How?  He did only what His Heavenly Father wanted him to do, and he did it with all his heart.  Train yourself to be Godly.  How do you do that?  1) Know what God instructs – to be Godly – what He has instructed His people to do.  PRISM will really help you.   2) Self-Assess.   God, are my actions, and my fruit, the actions you instruct, and the fruit you produce?  Am I Godly or am I falling short?  3) Set Your Training Course - Get God’s Plan (Action and Schedule), and pursue it with diligence and perseverance.  What should your training course contain?  #1  A Baseline – Steward what you have been given.  Does what you have honor him?  Do your physical possessions look like He owns them?  Do you even know what you have financially, do you have a tool, to give an account?  Once your baseline is set, your training course should also contain - #2) A Daily Workout – the Daily Habits God has for you (Get His Plans, Read His Word, Obey with His Money, and Exhort One Other Daily).  The third thing your training course should contain – #3 Life Pursuits - Next Life Steps (Work, Preparation for the future, and Relationship Investments).  Train yourself to be Godly: Get to the baseline, Get His plans and habits, and do what He told you to do next to honor Him today and prepare for the future.  You’ll walk in wisdom, you’ll walk in His purpose for you, and you’ll walk in His blessing.  Know what He wants you to do, and do it.  So God will say of you, like He said of David, I have found you! (Your Name Goes Here) a man after my own heart, a woman after my own heart, he will do everything I want him to do, she will do everything I want her to do.   God said an interesting thing.. Physical training has value.  Not as much as Godliness, but it has value – likely for the disciplines and habits, and consistent effort it requires.  It’s stewardship of your physical body, even though it is aging and wearing out.  Stewarding your physical body still has benefit.  It keeps you in training mode.  So training is familiar.  And if you are faithful physically, you can also be faithful in godliness.  People in training have a mindset of progress over pleasure.  It applies across the board.    Praying that you will ask God what training program you should be on - Spiritually (your relationship with Him)  Responsibility (that your job requires to honor him, and prepare for the future) Physically – starting with stewarding the possessions, and money He has entrusted to you, and your physical body – so your health enables you to do what He is calling you to do, and Relationally – investing in the most important life relationships, spouse, children, family, true Godly friends, and reaching out to others.  So God can bring your entire life to become an offering of worship, a testament of His greatness, and a legacy that will remain long after you are gone. 
 
Love you all,
dad