Regular Exercise

My gym has recently changed management, and they have refurbished all the equipment. Its all brand new, looks great, and it works! While the old equipment was adequate for the task, some of it was getting well worn and there was generally at least one machine out of order at any one time.

The main positive of the new equipment is that you are able to exercise more easily and work more of your body, therefore reaching your goals quicker. The down side is you ache a lot more the next day!!

  

Keeping fit by regular exercise is something we all know is good for us and we should aim to do. Unfortunately, not many of us do all we should. While I’ve been talking about the gym, I’ve not been very often in the past few months.

But with the new equipment, I’ve recommitted to trying to go to the gym every few days for at least an hour. For the past week, that’s been going well. But I will need to remain motivated and focus on the end result if I want to stick to this commitment.

It can be the same in our spiritual lives. We all know daily prayer and Bible reading is good for us, but how many of us manage to do it? I’m talking about a quick daily verse off the internet and a quick ‘Hi God’ prayer in the car, but the real, deep searching for God’s voice and spending a significant amount of dedicated time in prayer. I know I don’t.

Often we will buy new Bible reading books, or download flashy Bible reading ‘apps’, but how often do we manage to stick with them to the end? And even if we do, how long is it before they become just a quick 5 minute activity in-between rushing from one thing to the next?

Just as with committing to regular physical exercise, we need to commit to regular spiritual exercise. The same motivation and focusing on why we are undertaking the activity can help us keep our commitments in the tough times.

Some days, I don’t want to go to the gym as I feel too stressed or busy, but I remember that by exercising I work out those issues as I work out my body and feel better at the end of it.

Some days, I don’t want to read my Bible for the same reasons, but by remembering that through prayer and study I am inviting God to make a difference and speak to me that I will be in a better state of mind and know God’s presence with me, I am able to focus my mind on Him.

As I’ve mentioned above, there are lots of aids to help us read our Bible and pray regularly. These can be great helps, and a great place to start! But remember we must commit and motivate ourselves in those tough times to stick with it, and we will see results!

Youth Councils 2013

On 24^th February, over 50 young people and their youth leaders gathered together to share in the Anglia Division Youth Councils 2013. The day was spent looking at the Holiness, and how this can be applied to our lives in the 21^st Century.

Major Cliff Allchin (Divisional Director for Evangelism, Anglia) spoke to the young people about the 2 parts of holiness, and how it can be like a horse and cart. First comes the horse – accepting Christ as saviour and receiving the Holy Spirit make us holy before God. Then the cart can follow, full of acts of holiness. The young people were reminded how important it is to get the horse and cart the right way around; performing the acts of holiness are meaningless if we have not accepted Jesus. The young people were given ideas on how they can undertake these acts of holiness which included reading scripture, praying and actions.

In the afternoon, there were a number of seminars for the young people to attend. Deeper Lives allowed them to ask explore the mornings teaching to a deeper level and find ways of putting the acts of holiness into practice when they got home. Anglia Youth Band and Youth Chorus taster sessions gave young people an opportunity to sing and play before they joined, increasing interest in the groups, which also performed with the new attendees in the evening session. Young people also had the opportunity to relax in the Café Zone, and Youth leaders where given space to meet and get to know one another.

In the evening worship, the young people spent time at various prayer stations based on the ALOVE theme of ....Water. Each prayer station focused on one of the different 'streams' of the theme; Refreshing water (to be refreshed), Pure water (holiness), Hard water (tough questions), and Deep water (theology). God’s presence was felt by many and allowed young people to experience new ways of prayer. A time of testimony after the prayer stations showed how they valued this experience and has enjoyed the day. One young person said “I really didn’t want to come today. I just didn’t feel like coming. But I’m so glad I did and it’s helped me become much closer to God and better in my faith”.

Did you come to Youth Councils? Make sure to fill in the survey to give your feedback!