The Abundant Life Blueprint: Recent Episodes
Daniel Foley
Here is today's communion meditation.
Ezekiel 31:13 says, "“But as for you, say to the Israelites, ‘You shall most certainly observe My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, so that you may know [without any doubt] and acknowledge that I am the Lord who sanctifies you and sets you apart [for Myself]."
The Sabbath rest is meant to be a sign that it is God who is really doing the work in our lives. We have a Sabbath rest in Christ and God wants us resting in Him, so that he can show us without a doubt, that it is him doing the work.
Today's communion is a time to examine how well we have been resting, and we are asking God to help us rest the way he says is best.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Our physical bodies need a balance of work and rest. How has your rest been? A great way to both be active and recreate yourself is to do recreational activities you enjoy.
Daniel
Here is the Message for September.
Our message for 2023 is, " God Saved the Best Until Now," and our message for September is "Doing What's Best in God's Eyes."
To do what's best in God's eyes means seeing things from God's perspective. Every decision we make has unintended side effects, whether good or bad. And when we do what's best in God's eyes it helps us make decisions that create a ripple effect for good.
Proverbs 21:3 says, "The Lord is more pleased when we do what’s right and just than when we offer him sacrifices."
And in the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:42 Jesus told Martha, "only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen what is best, and it will not be taken away from her."
When we choose what's best it also has a lasting impact.
Our monthly filter for September is...Doing What's Best in God's Eyes
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Yesterday we talked about Psalm 32:10 which says, "Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD's unfailing love surrounds the one who trusts in him."
And we talked about developing the practice of breathing in and imaging God's unfailing love surrounding you, then exhale and imagine his love flowing through you out into the world. This is a very simple but powerful exercise to do throughout the day.
While doing this I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, "For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."
In today's communion we are asking God to be compelled by Christ's love to be a blessing.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
You can also implement the breathing exercise into your workouts.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Yesterday we talked about deep waters.
Proverbs 20:5 says, "The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out."
And Proverbs 18:4 says, "The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook."
After recording yesterdays communion meditation on deep waters I came across Psalm 33:7 which says, " God gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses."
God puts the deep into storehouses. When Jesus told Peter to launch out into the deep, that's where he caught all of the fish, but where did the fish come from? They may have come from a storehouse God had in the deep.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand what him putting the deep into storehouses means for us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Deep waters remind me of the lymphatic system in our body, which has no pump. Our muscles are the pump that activates the lymphatic system. Consistent light exercise serves to circulate the lymphatic fluid and keep the body clean.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Lately I've been thinking about deep waters.
Proverbs 20:5 says, "The purpose in a man’s heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out."
And Proverbs 18:4 says, "The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook."
Notice the connection between our purpose and our words both being likened to deep waters.
The other day I was draining the water out of an above ground pool with a pump. There was a hose hooked to the pump that sent the water out of the pool. On the other end of the pump was the cord that plugged into the electrical outlet.
I felt like God was showing me that we have a pipeline of living water on the inside of us full of God's love, energy, peace, joy, kindness, faith. self-control, finances, health, and so much more. But it must be pumped or drawn out of us.
On the other end the pump must stay plugged in, and I think the way we keep the pump plugged in is with the Confident Expectation for Good, because we trust that God is with us.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us about the deep waters within us, so that we can see all of the good things hidden in them, flowing in our life.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The lymphatic system is the water system of the body, and it doesn't have a pump other than the muscles. When we move, it circulates the lymphatic system, which keeps the body clean and free from inflammation.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Both James 4 and Proverbs 27 tell us not to boast about all the things we are going to do. It says that all such boasting is actually evil.
Jeremiah 9:24 says, "but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight."
In today's communion let's examine ourselves to see if we've been doing any boasting about ourselves or if our boasting has been about the Lord. And we are asking God to help only boast in him moving forward.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
When it comes to workouts, boast that you have God with you when you work out. Our confidence is to be in him.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
The other day I came across Romans 8:28 TPT which says, "We are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together for good."
Lately I have been thinking about the word, "hope." The Amplified Bible describes hope as "the confident expectation of good."
In Hebrew one of the words for hope is "tiqvah," which is also translated as a "cord." Think of a cord as a collection of fabrics woven together.
We can have hope(confident expectation) that God is weaving every detail of lives together for good. This confidence is not in ourselves, but in God, who never changes.
In today's communion let's take a moment to examine whether we are approaching our day with confident expectation for good, or are we walking in fear, dread, and uncertainty. Then we are going to activate this promise so that we start walking in confident expectation that God is working every detail together for our good.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The Bible says our bodies are knit or woven together. God knit them together for good. Sometimes we do isolation movements that only work one muscle at a time, such as a bicep curl, but it's also good to do bigger movements that knit everything together.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
We are in the 40 days of Teshuva, which means turn or repent, and it's time to examine ourselves and change our ways. And recently I was feeling the nudge to ramp up my Bible reading. For many years, my pattern was to read a Proverb, a Psalm, and 10 pages of reading the Bible like a book every day. Lately my Bible reading had fallen back to about 4-6 pages per day instead of 10, and I felt like God was nudging me to increase it to 10 pages per day again.
After only a couple of days of this it's hard to describe the difference it made, but it does make a huge difference. I could tell a difference in my body almost immediately, and I began to get flooded with new insights and revelation.
Proverbs 4:21-22 says, "My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. 21Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart. 22For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh."
And Proverbs 1:23 says, "If you had repented at my rebuke, then surely I would have poured out my spirit on you; I would have made my words known to you."
I find these verses interesting because his rebuke to me in this case was a very gentle nudge that could have been missed, which reminds me of the importance of paying close attention to his leading, because it can be easy to miss.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us keep his word consistently in our eyes, ears, and heart the way he desires, so that they are life and health to us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
His word is like medicine to all our flesh.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Have you ever felt like you were stuck in the rut of the daily grind? Like it's just another day you are trying to get through?
Something I feel like God has been teaching me lately is the power of confident expectation in God to break us free from the ruts, and truly make today a masterpiece, because this is the Day the Lord has made, and we are supposed to be glad and rejoice in it.
Isaiah 30:18 AMPC says, "Therefore the Lord [earnestly] waits [expecting, looking, and longing] to be gracious to you; and therefore He lifts Himself up, that He may have mercy on you and show loving-kindness to you…. Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are all those who [earnestly] wait for Him, who expect and look and long for Him."
Rather that today being just another day, let's set our expectation on God eagerly desiring to be gracious and do good for us today.
We are in the 40 days of Teshuva, which is time to examine ourselves and change our ways.
Let's let today's communion be a time to activate walking in confident expectation in God for walking in the fullness of what he has for us today.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Let's also work on our confident expectation in God for our workouts. He is waiting to help us!
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
We are in the 40 Days of Teshuva
( Teshuva = turn or repent).
These are the 40 days leading up to the Day of Atonement, which in the Jewish culture was the holiest day of the year, because it was the one day of the year when the High Priest could enter the holy of holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Part of Teshuva is examining ourselves and making adjustments.
Ephesians 2:1-2 says, "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience."
And Romans 12:2 says, " Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."
In today's communion we are asking God to help us identify any areas where we are conforming to the ways of the world or the prince of the power of the air, and to help us turn those areas around.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Make sure to coordinate your movement and breathing. Your breathing should lead your movement.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Recently we started the 40 Days of Teshuva( Teshuva = turn or repent), which are the 40 days that lead up to the Day of Atonement. In the Jewish culture the Day of Atonement was considered the holiest day of the year, because it was the one day of the year when the High Priest could enter the holy of holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Part of Teshuva is examining ourselves and making adjustments. And one of the most important areas to examine is if we are walking in love.
1John 4:11 says, " Delightfully loved ones, if he loved us with such tremendous love, then “loving one another” should be our way of life!"
In today's communion we are asking God to reveal to us any areas where we are not loving well, and to help us turn it around, so that loving one another is our way of life.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The scriptures tell us we should be nourishing and cherishing our body, because they are the temple of God. These 40 days are also a good time to examine how well we are loving ourselves. If you are off track, give yourself grace, and get back on track.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Recently we started the 40 Days of Teshuva( Teshuva = turn or repent), which are the 40 days that lead up to the Day of Atonement. In the Jewish culture the Day of Atonement was considered the holiest day of the year, because it was the one day of the year when the High Priest could enter the holy of holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Part of Teshuva is taking action consistently. Which reminds me of Luke 12:35-36
“Be dressed and ready for active service, and keep your lamps continuously burning. Be like men who are waiting for their master when he returns from the wedding feast, so that when he comes and knocks they may immediately open the door for him."
In today's communion we are asking God to help us be dressed and ready for active service with our lamps continually burning like he intended us to be.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
You never know what a day may bring, which is why it's important to train your body to move in all different ways, so that you are prepared for whatever comes your way.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Recently we started the 40 Days of Teshuva( Teshuva = turn or repent), which are the 40 days that lead up to the Day of Atonement. In the Jewish culture the Day of Atonement was considered the holiest day of the year, because it was the one day of the year when the High Priest could enter the holy of holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Part of Teshuva is taking action and steps of faith. Which reminds me of Joshua 3:13 & 15.
And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the Lord—the Lord of all the earth—set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap.”
Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, 16 the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off.
In order for the people to cross into the promised land, the priests had to take a step of faith into a river that was at flood stage. But as soon as their feet touched the water, God began to part the river.
In a similar way we have some steps of faith that God is leading us to take, and those steps might look impossible, but when we take the step God goes to work, clearing the path.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand how to apply these scriptures today.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
There will be some days when you don't feel like eating right or exercising, but on those days take the first step, and trust that God will go to work to help you from there.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Recently we started the 40 Days of Teshuva( Teshuva = turn or repent), which are the 40 days that lead up to the Day of Atonement. In the Jewish culture the Day of Atonement was considered the holiest day of the year, because it was the one day of the year when the High Priest could enter the holy of holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.
Part of Teshuva is getting things in order and Colossians 2:5 says, " For although I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit, and I delight to see your orderly condition and firm faith in Christ."
In today's communion we are asking God to help us be ordered and firm in our faith in Christ.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The order we use in our workouts makes a difference. The order that I have found is best is... Mobility, then strength, and then do the work.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Recently we started the 40 Days of Teshuva( Teshuva = turn or repent), which are the 40 days that lead up to the Day of Atonement. In the Jewish culture the Day of Atonement was considered the holiest day of the year, because it was the one day of the year when the High Priest could enter the holy of holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.
In Revelation 2:5 Jesus said, "Repent and do the things you did at first."
For many of us, when we first believed, there was a level of excitement and energy about our relationship with God, and in all relationships there is a tendency for things to fade. But, we should remember to maintain the excitement and energy we had at first.
In today's communion we are asking God to show us any ways where we are not doing the things we did at first.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Keep working on your mobility, because it is a great form of protection for your body, while also making your joints feel better, and increasing your ability to perform at higher level in your workouts.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Yesterday we started the 40 Days of Teshuva, which are the 40 days that lead up to the Day of Atonement. In the Jewish culture the Day of Atonement was considered the holiest day of the year, because it was the one day of the year when the High Priest could enter the holy of holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.
In Acts chapter 3 people asked the disciples what they should do after the good news was preached to them. And the disciples said, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ( Acts 3:19)
In today's communion we area asking God to help us walk in the refreshing he has for us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Is there any area of your health and fitness that needs to be turned around or righted. If so, let's bring it to God and ask him to help us turn it around.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Today we start the 40 Days of Teshuva, which are the 40 days that lead up to the Day of Atonement. In the Jewish culture the Day of Atonement was considered the holiest day of the year, because it was the one day of the year when the High Priest could enter the holy of holies to make atonement for the sins of the people.
This time of year is a reminder that Jesus is our great High Priest.
Hebrews 4:15-16 says "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that we have a great high priest in Jesus.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Keep going for walks with God.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Lately we have been talking about walking in the fullness of everything God has for us.
John 10:10 says, " The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."
Jesus came so that we can have "zoe," life, which is the life of God or said another way, life connected to God, and have it to the full.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk in the fullness of the zoe life Jesus came to bring us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
When we increase our mobility it increases the amount of light in our body, so make sure to keep training your ability to move like a little kid.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
1 Peter 2:9 says, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."
This is an amazing promise for us! We are God's special or treasured possession, and he has called us into his wonderful light.
Lately the phrase "his wonderful light," keeps coming up to me. Walking in the light is truly a wonderful place to be.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for this amazing promise, and we are asking God to help us walk in the fullness of this promise.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
When we increase our mobility it increases the amount of light in our body, so make sure to keep training your ability to move like a little kid.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
John 1:16-17 says, "From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.…"
We have fullness in Christ, whenever we are feeling unfulfilled it is because we are out of position because we are out of the fullness. When we are in his fullness we receive grace upon grace, think of it like one wave right behind another.
Jesus was also full of grace and truth. These two things are a pair... grace and truth go together, because they are Jesus.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us stay consistently in the fullness of Christ.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Execute your workouts from a place of fullness.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
John 21:25 says, " Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written."
This is pretty amazing to think about! How could Jesus do so many things in such a short amount of time? God has ordained or written about every moment of our day, and I think Jesus walked in the fullness of every moment God wrote about him.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk in the fullness of every moment he wrote about us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Make the most of every rep in your workout. If you are doing 8 reps, think of it as one rep 8 times. This causes us to get more present in each rep.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Yesterday we talked about John 4:35 which says, "Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest."
In the next verse John 4:36 it says, "Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together."
One of the themes in the Bible is that when God blesses people can have so much harvest that they will still be harvesting when it's time to sow.
One of the blessings for obedience to God in Leviticus 26:5 is "Your threshing will continue until the grape harvest, and the grape harvest will continue until sowing time; you will have your fill of food to eat and will dwell securely in your land."
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand how his blessing can cause us to both sow and reap at the same time, and to walk in this consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In your workouts reap the harvest by becoming more present and making the most of each day, while also sowing toward the future by working toward the next level of fitness. You can do this by practicing small amount of movements/etc. that would be the next level up for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
There are a lot of Bible verses about lifting up our eyes. When we lift up our eyes we become more present and aware of all of the amazing opportunities God is bringing our way, but we often miss those opportunities because our eyes are down.
Here are a few verses to meditate on today:
Genesis 13:14, "And God said to Abram after Lot had separated from him, "Now, lift up your eyes and look from the place where you [are] to the north, and to the south, and to the east and to the west."
John 4:35 "Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest."
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the importance of lifting up our eyes and to apply this consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Everything is connected to the head. Where you are looking when doing an exercise makes a difference. Lifting up the eyes seems to align the body and increase strength and balance.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Lately the topic of "lift up your head," keeps coming up and the Bible has a lot to say about this phrase.
Here are some verses to meditate on today.
But You, O Lord, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head. Psalm 3:3
And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; - Psalm 27:6
Lift up your heads, O gates, And be lifted up, O ancient doors, That the King of glory may come in! Psalm 24;7
The Hebrew word used for "lift up," in these verses can also be translated as offering. There is a connection between lifting up our heads, an offering, and God's glory coming in.
And Jesus said in Luke 21:28 when the end time signs are taking place to, "straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand what he is trying to teach us about lifting up our head, and the connection between offerings and his glory coming in.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Everything is connected to the head. Where you are looking when doing an exercise makes a difference. Lifting up the head seems to align the body and increase strength and balance.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Matthew 22:36:40 says, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
Everything hangs on or depends on love, and faith works through love.
As I was thinking above this, I was reminded of Colossians 2:19 which says, "They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow."
God is love, and he is the head, and everything depends on and connects to the head. When we stay connected to him, by walking in love, everything grows effortlessly and beautifully.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand how everything hangs on love and that he is love. And we are asking him to help us walk in love consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Everything is connected to the head. If you are experiencing joint pain during an exercise, try changing your eye position by looking slightly up, because it aligns the whole body.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
In the book of Ezra, the Jewish people are working to restore the temple of God. And in Ezra 6:14 it says, "So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah."
So if the people continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai and Zechariah... what did they preach?
The book of Haggai is all about putting God first. The people were working on their own houses instead of God's and all of their work wasn't amounting to much. Haggai 1:9-10 says, "“Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops."
We are told in the New Testament that when we seek first the kingdom of Heaven, all of the things we need will be added to us.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us prioritize his things ahead of our own, and to show us any areas where we are not walking in this, so that we can correct them, and continue to build and prosper.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Keep working on your mobility. What is a movement you have a hard time with... Start to practice this movement in an easy way and make steady progress over time.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
This year our message is "God's Saved the Best Until Now," and this comes from when Jesus turned water into wine. Turning water into wine is amazing, because wine takes a long time to make, but God can collapse time frames.
Amos 9:13 MSG says, "“Things are going to happen so fast your head will swim, one thing fast on the heels of the other. You won’t be able to keep up. Everything will be happening at once—and everywhere you look, blessings! Blessings like wine pouring off the mountains and hills.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us shorten time frames and have blessings pouring like wine off the mountains and hills.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Something I have seen over and over is that if we give the body what it needs, the body responds very quickly. Timeframes can also be shortened.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Yesterday we talked about blessing our spouses, and recently I came across a saying that it's the intangible things in relationships that really matter. Things like energy, connection, presence, honor, peace, and gratitude are much bigger factors in our relationships than the tangible things.
I once heard someone say that spiritual things are things that cannot be measured, and even though they can't be measured, their forces can be felt.
Romans 1:20 says, "For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse."
This verse tells us that the invisible or intangible things can be seen and felt.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the importance of intangible things in our relationships, and to help us become masters of the intangibles.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
It's also the intangible parts of health that are the most important. Nutrition and fitness are important but things like energy, presence, emotions, attitude, purpose, and connection have a much greater impact on our health.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
During August, it is hot, and a time of increased pressure. We are approaching the Day of Atonement( Yom Kippur on Sept 24/25), which is the deadline for the year on God's calendar. As we move toward the deadline pressure increases, but time also seems to slow down, which allows us to get more done.
During this time of the year, there is often a passing of leadership, and during the passing of leadership there can be pressure.
If the pressure is on keep your eyes up and focused on God. In sports, when an opponent applies pressure, it opens up the ability to pass to a wide-open teammate.
Here is our filter for this week... Handle Pressure.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
In 2 Chronicles chapter 32 King Hezekiah was healed by God and then in 2 Chronicles 32:31 it says, "But when envoys were sent by the rulers of Babylon to ask him about the miraculous sign that had occurred in the land, God left him to test him and to know everything that was in his heart."
I came across this verse the other day and asked God why he left Hezekiah to test him, because God has promised to never leave or forsake us.
After asking God about this my answer came pretty quickly. I was listening to a guy talking about being training to be a fighter pilot. He said that every time he was ready for the next level his trainer would leave him alone to do a solo flight, to prove that he was ready.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 says, "On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts."
A theme all throughout the Bible is that God tests our hearts. He does this so that he can promote us to the next level, because our confidence in him will be increased.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand how he tests us and to help us be prepared to pass the test, so that we go to the next level.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Lately I have been working on my mobility quite a bit, and increased mobility seems to speed up the metabolism. In my book, "Cracking Heaven's Code," mobility is on the pathway for increasing light in the body. The more light energy we have in the body, the faster the metabolism burns.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
In 2 Chronicles chapter 32 King Hezekiah and Jerusalem are being attacked by the King of Assyria, but God miraculously delivers them and in 2 Chronicles 32:22 it says, "So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the people of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all others. He took care of them on every side."
Our lives have a lot of sides... Family, friends, work, health, fitness, finances, time, etc.
And God can take care of us on every side so that we have peace and rest on every side.
In today's communion we are asking God to take care of us on every side
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Health and fitness also has a lot of sides... Nutrition, fitness, sleep, energy, joint health, body composition, etc. And God can also take care of us on every side in our health and fitness.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for this year of 2023 is "God Saved the Best Until Now."
And our message for August is, " The Best Never Expires."
Luke 6:27-28 MSG says, "“To you who are ready for the truth, I say this: Love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the supple moves of prayer for that person. If someone slaps you in the face, stand there and take it. If someone grabs your shirt, giftwrap your best coat and make a present of it. If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life. No more payback. Live generously."
Part of walking in God's best is learning to walk in love all the time, even when people push our buttons or do something unfair. This is supposed to bring out the best in us. We can do this because we trust that God will take of us, which frees us to live generously and walk in love all the time.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk in love all the time so that it brings out the best in us and we live generously.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Make sure to bring your best in your workouts. This causes us to be more present, which accelerates results.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
The other day I had an address plugged into my GPS, but then decided to stop at a different location first. Since I was going in the wrong direction, every time I passed an opportunity to stop my GPS would recalculate and tell me to turn around. This happened over and over.
As this was happening I felt like God was showing me that when we get off track, he constantly speaks to us, telling us to turn around, but we often override his leading.
Jesus said that his sheep know his voice.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is constantly helping us stay on track and turn things around, and we are asking him to help us know his voice and be responsive to his leading.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
A great skill set we can develop is making quick adjustments and turning things around whenever we get off track.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is "Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
Romans 12:2 says, " Do not conform 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."
The world wants to conform us to the ways and pattern of how everyone else does things, but God's kingdom works differently, which means we must unlearn a lot of things while also having the boldness to do things in a different way.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us break free from the pattern of the world and to be transformed by the renewing of our mind.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
God didn't intend for health and fitness to be a miserable thing, but the pattern of the world has twisted into something that is hard and overly complicated. Our minds must be renewed to doing things God's way.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
John 8:32-32 says, "To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Notice the progression in this verse. First, we hold fast to the teaching of Jesus, then we'll be disciplined, and then we'll know the truth, and the truth will set us free.
If we take the reciprocal of this verse, we learn that lies can bind us. When we build our lives on lies it causes us to frame the world with the wrong lens, and it takes us captive, but the truth sets free.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us know the truth so that we are set free, and to speak the truth in love to others so they can also be set free.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The world has taught us all kinds of things about health and fitness that are not true. These things typically tell us that health and fitness has to be a miserable experience, but the yoke of Jesus is easy and his burden is light. When we learn the truth it also sets us free in our health and fitness.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
August is a time to refocus. Sometimes there is a tendency during the summer to get a little off-track, and August is a time to both expand and recommit to the vision. The deadline for the year ( Yom Kippur - Sept 24/25) is approaching, and as the deadline approaches you may experience two things... An increase in pressure and the feeling that time is moving slower.
As we refocus on God's plan the pressure and slower time gives us the ability to get more done before the deadline.
Here is our filter for this week... Refocus
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Psalm 139:16 NLT says, "Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed."
This is an amazing thought... God wrote a book about each day of our life before we were ever born. He planned very moment. The Hebrew of the word "laid out," can also be translated as ordained, fashioned, and like molding pottery.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for God's thoughts for our life, and we are asking him to help us step into and walk out the moments he has planned for us each day to the fullest.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
I think part of the plan for today is moving our body. We are meant to move with God each day... and it is supposed to be fun and enjoyable.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Psalm 118:24 says, "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
The Bible often stresses the importance of today, but it can be easy to think, "it's just another day."
But God has a plan for each one of our days, and our part is to rejoice and be glad in it.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand how this is the day he has made, and to help us make the most of TODAY.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Something I have been thinking about is that it's the reps we do with presence and joy that really produce the best results. But, it can be easy to go through the motions.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is... Being Bold Leads to God's Best.
Deuteronomy 30:19 says, "This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."
But, how do we choose life...
Proverbs 18:21 says, "Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."
We choose life with our mouth, and we can boldly choose to declare God's word over our life.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the choice he has given us, and to understand how to choose life and blessing with our mouth.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Over the next week pay attention to the words you use when speaking about your health and fitness. Anything you speak that is not the result you want, ask God to help you change your speech in this area.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is... Being Bold Leads to God's Best.
Recently I switched things up and started reading my morning Proverb from the MSG version, because sometimes reading different translations can provide some good insights.
Proverbs 22:17-18 MSG says,
"Listen carefully to my wisdom; take to heart what I can teach you.
You’ll treasure its sweetness deep within, you’ll give it bold expression in your speech."
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks, and when we treasure the sweetness of God's word deep within us, eventually we'll speak it boldly.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us listen carefully to him and treasure his word within us so that we speak it boldly.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Stretching before bed is a great habit that helps you feel great when waking up.
Psalm 3:5 MSG says, "I stretch myself out. I sleep. Then I’m up again—rested, tall and steady."
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is... Being Bold Leads to God's Best.
1 John 5:13-15 MSG says, " My purpose in writing is simply this: that you who believe in God’s Son will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have eternal life, the reality and not the illusion. And how bold and free we then become in his presence, freely asking according to his will, sure that he’s listening. And if we’re confident that he’s listening, we know that what we’ve asked for is as good as ours."
In the Old Testament great precaution had to be taken to come into the presence of God. But because of what Jesus did, we can come into God's presence boldly and freely.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the gift that we have of being able to boldly and freely come into his presence, and that he hears us, and answers our prayers
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Getting our body free is an important part of fitness, because our bodies can get bound up and restricted. One of the keys to getting your body free is to work on your mobility regularly.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
During July, it seems God always reminds me of his favor. His favor surrounds us like a shield and is on us for a lifetime. And Jesus grew in favor with God and man. Favor is something we can grow in.
The way we grow in favor is by doing good continually and looking for opportunities to be a blessing. And sometimes the greatest opportunities to grow in favor are disguised as problems.
Problems we can help other people with are great opportunities to grow in favor.
Here is our filter for this week... Grow in Favor
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is... Being Bold Leads to God's Best.
Part of being bold is being strong and courageous.
Joshua 1:9 says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”
And Isaiah 41:10 says, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
We can be strong and courageous because we trust that God is always with us, he will strengthen us, help us, and uphold us. But we have to keep remembering this because it can be easy to forget, especially when we are fighting against issues and problems.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us be strong and courageous the way he intended because we trust that he is with us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Make sure to prioritize being strong in your workouts, because when you are strong everything else becomes easier.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Luke 6:45 AMP says, "The [intrinsically] good man produces what is good and honorable and moral out of the good treasure [stored] in his heart; and the [intrinsically] evil man produces what is wicked and depraved out of the evil [in his heart]; for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.
Whatever we store up, value, and treasure in our heart is going to overflow out of our mouth, especially when the pressure is on.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us produce good consistently out of the overflow of our heart.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Every time you do a workout think of it like building equity in your body. Think of it like a small investment into your body, and the equity will be there later to draw from.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Today, July 19th is a reminder of God's favor. His favor is on you for a lifetime, and it surrounds you like a shield.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
And there is a very close connection between boldness and confidence, but one of the biggest things that can steal our confidence is condemnation.
Romans 8:1, says "therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
And 1 John 3:20-22 says, "Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. 21Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God, 22and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight."
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is greater than our hearts and we are asking him to help us walk free of condemnation so that we have boldness and confidence.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Watch out for condemnation in the area of your health and fitness. This looks like beating yourself up for eating something, missing a workout, etc. Make sure to give yourself grace, rather than condemnation. That's what God does for us.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
And there is a very close connection between boldness and confidence, because confidence leads to boldness.
2 Corinthians 5:5-9 says, "Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it."
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand how he has fashioned us for a purpose and given us the Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come, so that we can be always confident in him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
When we get to a place of confidence in our workouts it leads to a surge of progress. Part of the challenge is practicing enough to get to a place of confidence, which creates a surge of progress to the next level. Then we repeat this process again to go an even higher level.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
Recently I was thinking about the boldness of Jesus to proclaim his purpose in Luke chapter 4:18-21.
It says, "“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
2 Timothy 1:9 says, "God has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began."
In today's communion we are asking to help us gain clear understanding of his purpose for us in Christ, and to boldly proclaim our purpose.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Make sure to keep working on your mobility. Being mobile is a great defense for your body while also opening up the ability to increased levels of performance.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
The other day we looked at Ephesians 6:19 which says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel."
And 1 Corinthians 4:1 says that God has made us to be stewards of the mysteries of God.
In my book "Cracking Heaven's Code." there is a chapter on the mysteries of God and how they serve as the rules that govern the way our bodies work.
The 8th mystery in "Cracking Heaven's Code," is the mystery of the Jubilee.
Leviticus 25:10 says, " You shall thus consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim a release through the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you, and each of you shall return to his own property, and each of you shall return to his family."
In the Old Testament Law every 50th year was the year of Jubilee, which was a great reset. All debt was forgiven, and people were set free to return to their inheritance and their family.
In the New Covenant, Jesus is our Jubilee.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the Jubilee and what it means for us today.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Part of the revelation of the Jubilee is that we are all unique. God is the master designer and it is amazing the way he created our bodies so that we are all unique. DNA only has building blocks ( imagine only having 4 kinds of blocks to build with) and it is the way that those 4 blocks are stacked and sequenced that makes us unique. Stacking and sequencing things the correct way is a huge part of health and creating order in our life.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
The other day we looked at Ephesians 6:19 which says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel."
And 1 Corinthians 4:1 says that God has made us to be stewards of the mysteries of God.
In my book "Cracking Heaven's Code." there is a chapter on the mysteries of God and how they serve as the rules that govern the way our bodies work.
The 7th mystery in "Cracking Heaven's Code," is the mystery the unity of one body.
Ephesians 3:6 says, "This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel."
There is tremendous power in unity and becoming one... and we have the amazing opportunity to be part of the body and one with the Lord.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the power of becoming one with him and one body and to walk in this insight.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Our bodies are spirit, soul, and physical body, and all three of these function as one. The spiritual and mental/emotional aspects of health impact our physical body because they are all connected. In fact I would say that the spiritual and mental/emotional aspects are even more important.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
During July, God seems to always remind me of something I wrote in “7 Dates With Jesus.” On July 19, 2014, Psalms 121:7-8 jumped out at me. The verses say “The Lord will keep you from all evil, he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”
Then that night, God woke me up around 3 a.m., and there was a sermon that I felt I was supposed to listen to. The first words out of the pastors mouth were: “The Lord’s favor is on you and it surrounds you like a shield.”
That day, I had also read another passage in Psalm 125:2-3: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous.”
When I wrote “7 Dates With Jesus,” God instructed me to make sure I recorded the date of July 19 and its link to favor. God’s favor is on us for a lifetime and it surrounds us like a shield. Favor equals opportunities. Be on the lookout for favor, opportunities, and divine appointments in this season. The New Testament tells us that TODAY is the Day of God's Favor.
Here is our filter for this week... The Day of Favor
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
The other day we looked at Ephesians 6:19 which says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel."
And 1 Corinthians 4:1 says that God has made us to be stewards of the mysteries of God.
In my book "Cracking Heaven's Code." there is a chapter on the mysteries of God and how they serve as the rules that govern the way our bodies work.
The 6th mystery in "Cracking Heaven's Code," is the mystery of making two into one
Mark 10:8 says, "and the two shall become one flesh; so they are no longer two, but one flesh."
Whenever we are faced with two opposing things, they are really meant to work together as one. They are really just opposite ends of one spectrum.
But, whenever we make two into one, the key is to slow down. Think of two streams of traffic merging together into one lane. Both streams must slow down and yield to each other in order to safely merge.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the mystery of making two into one, and to apply this the way he intended.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Our bodies are built with opposing pairs. For example, the bicep moves the arm one direction while the triceps do the exact opposite. But the two sides of the arm are meant to work together as one. One of the best ways to make these connections in our mind is by slowing down the tempo of our lifts. When we slow down we can feel how all of the muscles move together.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
The other day we looked at Ephesians 6:19 which says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel."
And 1 Corinthians 4:1 says that God has made us to be stewards of the mysteries of God.
In my book "Cracking Heaven's Code." there is a chapter on the mysteries of God and how they serve as the rules that govern the way our bodies work.
The 4th mystery in "Cracking Heaven's Code," is the mystery of rhythm.
Matthew 11:28-30 MSG says, " Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
In the Old Testament the temple had a rhythm of things that were to be done every day, week, month, and on the yearly cycle feasts. Our bodies are God's temple now, and rhythm is still very important.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the mystery of rhythm and how to apply the unforced rhythms of grace to our life the way he intended.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The cells in our body actually move to a rhythm all the time, making rhythm one of the most important aspects of health. If you get into a good rhythm with your health habits make sure to keep the rhythm.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
The other day we looked at Ephesians 6:19 which says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel."
And 1 Corinthians 4:1 says that God has made us to be stewards of the mysteries of God.
In my book "Cracking Heaven's Code." there is a chapter on the mysteries of God and how they serve as the rules that govern the way our bodies work.
The 3rd mystery in "Cracking Heaven's Code," is the mystery of Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:26-27 says, "the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory..
God planted Christ in us as a seed, and the seed must progress and grow from our spirit, through our mind and emotions, and out into the world. We have unlimited ability on the inside of us, but we must learn how to tap into this power and release it through us.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand and apply the mystery of Christ in us to our lives.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Part of learning to apply the mystery of Christ in you is starting small and growing over time.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
The other day we looked at Ephesians 6:19 which says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel."
And 1 Corinthians 4:1 says that God has made us to be stewards of the mysteries of God.
In my book "Cracking Heaven's Code." there is a chapter on the mysteries of God and how they serve as the rules that govern the way our bodies work.
The 2nd mystery in "Cracking Heaven's Code," is the mystery of God making us male and female, and Christ and the church.
Ephesians 5:31-33 says, " “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
God created a world full of opposites, but the opposites are meant to work together as one rather than compete with each other.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the mystery of Christ and the church, and how opposites are meant to function together as one in everything.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Our physical bodies are built on the power of opposites, and the opposites are what allow work and power to happen. As an example, we have a bicep that moves the arm one direction, and triceps that moves the arm in the opposite direction. The goal is not to only be strong on one side, but for both the bicep and triceps to be strong and work together as one.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
Yesterday we looked at Ephesians 6:19 which says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel."
And 1 Corinthians 4:1 says that God has made us to be stewards of the mysteries of God.
In my book "Cracking Heaven's Code." there is a chapter on the mysteries of God and how they serve as the rules that govern the way our bodies work.
The 1st mystery in "Cracking Heaven's Code," is Hebrews 13:9... Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever
The mystery in this scripture is that God has patterns, and he never breaks the pattern because everything in the pattern points to Jesus. All of creation was built on this pattern... All of nature, music, our emotions, food, exercise, movements, and even every single cell in our body was built with this pattern.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand his pattern and apply it to our lives the way he intended.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our fitness there are different fitness qualities that make up God's pattern. They are mobility, work capacity, long-strength, coordination, strength, control, power, and flexibility. Each of these qualities send different signals to our body and understanding the different parts of the pattern can help us get better and fast results in our health and fitness.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
Ephesians 6:19 says, "Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will boldly make known the mystery of the gospel."
One of the things for us to be bold in is making known the mystery of the gospel( the good news).
1 Corinthians 4:1 says that God has made us to be stewards of the mysteries of God.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us his mysteries, so that we can boldly declare and steward those mysteries.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In my book "Cracking Heaven's Code." there is a chapter on the mysteries of God and how they serve as the rules that govern the way our bodies work. Understanding and applying the mysteries of God can have a very big impact on our health.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
During the summer light is increasing and the temperature is heating up. During this time of the year, you may experience an increase in pressure. But when challenges come our way we can trust in the all-surpassing power God put within us.
He made us to be more than conquerors and overcomers. When we face challenges, we can run toward them rather than away from them because we trust that God is more than enough, and he is fighting for us. When David faced Goliath, he ran toward him.
Here is our filter for this week... Embrace Challenges
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
Numbers 33:3 says, "On the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians."
The word for boldness in the original Hebrew language can mean, " triumphantly, defiantly, exalted, rise, lift, and one different meaning is remove.
A few years ago we did a message called, "Lifted up by the Spirit."
In that message we shared how one of our partners had a tree with limbs hanging down, making it hard to walk underneath the tree. Rather than completely cutting the branches off, an arborist simply trimmed the smaller branches, which removed weight off of the bigger branch. And when enough weight was removed from the branch it would immediately lift up.
In John 15:2 Jesus said that branches that produce fruit will be pruned. But the word for pruned can also mean lift up. God does both at the same time. He prunes us and lifts us up at the same time. He does this by removing the small things that are weighing us down.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk in boldness so that we are lifted up.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In your health and fitness what are the little things that can be removed to simplify what you are doing?
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
2 Corinthians 10:1-5 says, "By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 2 I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."
There is a connection in this scripture between being bold and demolishing strongholds.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us demolish strongholds, arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God. And we are asking him to help us take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Sometimes in our health we have some strongholds to demolish. In today's communion we are also asking God to help us demolish any strongholds in our health and fitness.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
2 Corinthians 3:10-12 says, "For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold."
This passage of scripture refers to the Old Covenant and the glory that was fading on the face of Moses compared to the glory that we have in the New Covenant, a glory that is better and truly lasts. And because of the hope we have in the New Covenant we can be very bold.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the hope that we have in this New Covenant, so that we can be bold.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
A big part of hope is staying encouraged. Getting discouraged is one of the biggest things that can steal your results. I have seen it over and over in the gym that when people start to get discouraged, they throw away their hope of a better future and start letting their good habits slide. Keeping ourselves encouraged and stirred up is an important part of results in anything we do.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for July is, " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
Acts 28:31 says, "He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!
Paul got to a place where he proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about Jesus without hindrance, but it was in connection with boldness.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us proclaim his kingdom and teach about Jesus with all boldness so that all hindrance is removed.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Boldness and confidence are very related, and in our workouts, it seems that when we get to a place of confidence it causes a surge of progress.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is the Message for July.
Our message for 2023 is, " God Saved the Best Until Now," and our message for July is " Being Bold Leads to God's Best."
There seems to be a pattern in scripture that when we boldly speak God's word that God begins to do amazing things. And it is confidence and trust in God that allows us to be bold.
Here are some scriptures on boldness to meditate on.
Proverbs 28:1 - Righteous are bold as a lion.
Hebrews 4:16 Come boldly to the throne of grace
Acts 4:30 Disciples prayed to speak God’s word with boldness
Acts 14:3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders.
Acts 28:31 He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!
2 Corinthians 3:12 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold.
Our monthly filter for July is... Be Bold
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Psalm 119:133 says, "Establish my footsteps in Your word, And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me."
And Psalm 37:23 says, "The steps of a man are established by the Lord, And He delights in his way."
In today's communion we are asking God to establish our footsteps in his word."
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the best ways to get established in strength is by doing an initial easy set and then repeating the movement again at a slightly higher level and continuing to move forward like this. Each set establishes the current level and opens the body up to the next level.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
During the summer light is increasing, and during this time God wants to expand our vision. He has given us purpose and grace in Christ Jesus before time ever began, and he wants to show us a bigger glimpse of his plan for our life.
The key is to keep walking with him, and he will show you a bigger glimpse. And when he shows you something bigger make sure to say yes, because it will take faith to walk it out.
Here is our filter for this week... Expand the Vision
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
This month our message is "Walking in God's Best Today."
Yesterday we talked about 1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 which says, "But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children . Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well."
And a few verses later in 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 says, "For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory."
Notice the balance here. Paul was gentle like a nursing mother cherishing her children while also encouraging, comforting, and challenging like a father. This was how he walked among the people.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us balance being gentle and cherishing like a mother while also encouraging comforting, and challenging like a father.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our health and fitness we must stay encouraged and develop the ability to encourage ourselves in the Lord. One of the biggest things I have seen get people off track is discouragement.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
This month our message is "Walking in God's Best Today."
1 Thessalonians 2:7-8 says, "But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children . Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well."
Notice the way that Paul walked among the people... He was gentle like a nursing mother who cherishes her children.
And he was delighted to share his life with them.
I believe this is part of walking in God's ways.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk with people in a gentle a cherishing way.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our health and fitness we must nourish and cherish our bodies gently, but this must be balanced with challenging and progressing consistently.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
This month our message is "Walking in God's Best Today."
Galatians 5:16-18 says, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
It's an interesting thing, that when we focus on walking by the Spirit or said another way walking with God, that the desires of the flesh seem to fade away. It's a matter of focus... If we focus on the Spirit the things of the Spirit grow, but if we focus on the flesh, the desires of the flesh grow.
We often try to discipline ourselves to develop better habits, but in many cases the answer is not stopping something. The answer is to start something else. Start walking by the Spirit and the desires of the flesh fade away.
One of my friends says... When we focus on the light darkness disappears.
In today's communion we are asking God to help walk by the Spirit the way he desires so that we do not fulfill the desires of the flesh.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Keep walking with God. Walk in the Spirit by praying and talking with him each day.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
This month our message is "Walking in God's Best Today."
In Matthew 21:16 it says, "“Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”
Jesus is quoting Psalm which says, "From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.
This verse is translated in several different ways. For example, "established strength," is also translated as "ordained/perfected praise."
Recently we talked about how God told both Abraham and Solomon that if they would walk before him and be complete/whole/perfected that he would establish them.
And the word for praise in Matthew 21:16 comes from a word that also means, "story."
So it could read, out of the mouth of babes and infants You have perfected our or your story.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand these scriptures and how to apply them personally to our life.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Kids have a lot of the secrets to health. If you watch kids play they have great flexibility and endurance. They run, jump, and throw things endlessly without seeming to get tired. One of our goals should be to restore our ability to move like little kids.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
This month our message is "Walking in God's Best Today."
Psalm 8:2 says, "From the mouth of infants and nursing babes You have established strength Because of Your adversaries, To make the enemy and the revengeful cease.
This verse is translated in several different ways. For example, "established strength," is also translated as "ordained praise."
But something interesting I found is that the Hebrew word for silencing the enemy or getting him to cease uses a word that can mean cease, desist, or rest.
This month we have been talking about walking in God's ways, and Proverbs 16:7 says that whenever a man's ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies be at peace with him.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand Psalm 8:2 and how to practically apply this verse to our lives so that God causes the enemy to cease and desist from anything he has been up to so that we have rest on every side.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
We also need to get established in strength in our physical body. To get established in strength requires consistent practice, but it doesn't have to be with overly heavy weights. We can become established in strength using medium level weights.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
This month our message is "Walking in God's Best Today."
Amos 3:3 says, "Do two men walk together unless they have made an appointment?
This verse could also be translated as... Do walk in unity unless they are in agreement?
We have been talking about walking in step with God, but this means being synchronized with him and his timing.
Which means we need an appointment. Something simple we can do is set an appointment to go for walks with God. Life has a way of trying to throw all kinds of things at us to disrupt our appointments with God.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us have set times to walk with him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our workouts I think we also need a non-negotiable appointment with ourself, because it can be easy to push this aside if it's not prioritized.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
This month our message is "Walking in God's Best Today."
Psalm 1:1 says, "Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked."
And Galatians 5:25 says, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit."
Walking in step with God makes me think of rhythm or dance. We can walk in rhythm and harmony with him. Our life is like a beautiful song and when we walk in step with God, we walk in his beautiful timing, that we can't make happen on our own.
In todays communion we are asking God to help us walk in step with him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
through the years of working with clients in the gym one of the biggest things I saw that derailed people was getting out of rhythm. Once you get into a good rhythm make sure to defend your rhythm and get back on track quickly if you fall out of rhythm.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
During this season of the year, God wants to prove to us that his timing is perfect. He will not be too early or late, but always right on time. In late June and early July, God wants to expand your vision—and his timing will be perfect. Make sure to stay tuned in by continuing to walk with him. This time of year has a lot to do with understanding his timing.
One day in this time period several years ago, my daughter was playing the piano, using an app that lights up in green when she played the correct note at the correct time. Playing the note early or late isn’t good. Imagine listening to your favorite song, but the timing of the beat is off. When we listen to music, it is obvious when someone plays the wrong note at the wrong time.
Our life is like a song. And God wants to help us play the right note at the right time. He will make sure that the timing is perfect, but this takes trust. Here’s the take-home message for this week: Stay in rhythm and tune in. God wants to expand our vision and put us in the right place at the right time.
Here is our filter for this week... Always on Time
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
This month our message is "Walking in God's Best Today."
Isaiah 30:21 says, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
God is faithful to show us the way to walk in, but we have a choice of whether to follow his way.
The other day we talked about how God can transform our life very quickly, and I think one of the keys is to walk in the way he shows us.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God shows us the way to walk in.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
If you are doing 10 reps of an exercise, think of it as 1 rep 10 times. This keeps you focused on the present rep and actually makes it easier to get to 10 reps.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
If we thought about it, we could probably think of all kinds of ways we could destroy our life in one day. But, when we think of transforming our life for the good, we think of the process and steps that are needed rather than an instant transformation.
But, never forget that change can happen in a moment. God can change our life for the good in one moment.
1 Corinthians 15:51 says, "Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye."
This verse is talking about when Jesus returns, but it's also important to remember that God can make change happen in a moment.
This month we are talking about "Walking in God's Best Today," and don't forget that it can happen "today."
In today's communion we are asking God to walk in such a way that we him transform our lives rapidly.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
It's good to be disciplined, consistent, and trust the process but we must also remember change can happen really quickly. The body can transform very very quickly when we give it what it needs.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message in June is... Walking in God's Best Today.
The other day we talked about the Call of Abraham and how God told Abraham "Go," which can be translated in Hebrew as go, walk, flow, follow, or continue.
And we get the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham.
Genesis 17:1-2 says, "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty. Walk before Me and be blameless. 2 I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you exceedingly.
In 1 Kings 9:4-5 God told Solomon something very similar, "As for you, if you walk before me faithfully with integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, and do all I command and observe my decrees and laws, I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever."
These verses say almost the same exact thing and they both came after Abraham and Solomon had been walking with God for a number of years.
Let's break down these verses a little...
What does it mean to walk before God and what is the difference between walking with versus walking before God? The word "before," in Hebrew means God's face.
While researching this a couple of analogies came up. One was a military or political parade with people marching before the king and putting on a show for him. This made me think of teaching my kids to ride a bike. It starts with me walking or running along with them. But eventually we change to them riding on their own and me watching. I can sit down and watch as they show me what they can do... They can ride before me.
The other concept that came up was running toward the father, running toward his face. Picture a kid performing and doing well before their father, and then running to celebrate with their father.
The word for blameless can be translated as "complete, whole, innocent, and perfect."
The other part of these verses is that in both scriptures God says he will establish the people after they walk before him.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us and teach us to walk before him the way he desires, so that he can establish us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Make sure to stir yourself up every day. Body transformations take a little time, which means we must stay encouraged consistently.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
The other day we talked about the Call of Abraham and how God told Abraham "Go," which can be translated in Hebrew as go, walk, flow, follow, or continue.
And we get the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham.
In Matthew 22, Jesus told the parable of the wedding feast. Many people were invited or called to the feast, but most of them didn't accept the call because they were too busy. When it came time for the wedding feast, one of the guys who accepted the call didn't have his wedding clothes on, and he was kicked out. Then Jesus went on to say that many are called, but few are chosen.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for God's call to walk with him and we are asking God to help us walk with him in such a way that we are chosen, and that we would clothe ourselves in the righteousness we have in Christ.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation, we only focus in 2 things in fitness... Power and Walking with God
One of the challenges to walking with God consistently is making it a priority because it will often seem like a waste of time. But I have found that if we'll prioritize walking with God, he will make us more efficient during the rest of the day.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Psalm 149:4 NIV says, "For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.
The word "crowns," can also be translated as beautify, glorify, or honor.
And the word "victory," is the Hebrew word "Yeshua," which is the name of Jesus. Yeshua can be translated as salvation, deliverance, victory, welfare, and prosperity.
So this verse could read... God beautifies the humble with Yeshua (Jesus).
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God delights in us. And we are asking God to beautify is in Christ, as we walk in humility.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation, we only focus in 2 things in fitness... Power and Walking with God
For power development, research shows that the highest levels of power are actually produced with lighter to medium level amounts of weight or resistance. When we lift too heavy it reduces power. Therefore, if we take a humbler approach to weight lifting it usually produces a better result, because God gives grace to the humble and we can produce more power.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for June is, "Walking in God's Best Today.'
So far this month we've talked about how David charged Solomon to walk in God's ways and how Solomon showed his love for God by walking in his ways.
In Genesis 12:1 is the call of Abraham. It says, "The LORD had said to Abram, “Go (halak) from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
In Hebrew the word "Go," is the word "Halak," which is the same word David uses to charge Solomon to walk in God's ways and when Solomon showed his love for God by walking with his ways.
The word "halak," means to go, walk, flow, continue, or follow.
God's call to Abraham was go walk with him continually, or as Jesus said to his disciples... Follow me!
Romans 4:12 says "Abraham is then also the father of the circumcised who not only are circumcised but who also follow in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised.
God's gives us the same call today. We can walk with him and follow in the footsteps of Abraham.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God would ask us to walk with him. And we are asking him to help us honor the call the way he desires.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the keys to our faith is that we must be able to slow down and apply the brakes while also being able accelerate when God says. This is something we can practice in our workouts, because our bodies also need the ability to both slow down and accelerated. A way to practice this is by controlling the lowering portion of an exercise and then accelerating on the way up. For example, on a push-up or squat, slow down and control as you lower to the bottom and then accelerate back to the top.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not to late to join our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation.
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for June is, "Walking in God's Best Today.'
1 Kings 3:3 says, Solomon showed his love for the LORD by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David.
Jesus said in John 14:15, "if you love me, you will keep my commandments.
It is walking in God's commandments that shows our love for him.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk according to his instructions, the way he desires.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
On those days when you are tired, low on energy, sore, etc keep asking the question... "What can I do."
If you'll keep doing what you can do... you'll keep making progress.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not to late to join our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
In the summer, light is increasing. This is a time when God often begins to expand the vision and give us a bigger glimpse into his plan. During this time it's important to stay coordinated with His plan. Going for walks with God consistently is a great way to stay coordinated with him.
Here is our filter for this week... Coordinate with God's Plan
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Our message for June is, "Walking in God's Best Today.'
In 1 Kings 2:3 David gives instructions to his son Solomon, who is about to become king and tells him, And keep the charge of the LORD your God to walk in His ways and to keep His statutes, commandments, ordinances, and decrees, as is written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you turn.
The word for walk in the Hebrew means to "walk, go, continue, or flow." Continually walking or flowing with God leads to prospering. This is very similar to Joshua 1:8 where God told Joshua to keep His word in his mouth and to meditate on it so that he would do according to all that was written, and then he would prosper and have good success.
Meditating and walking seem to be connected, and it is one of my favorite things to do... Go for a walk with God while meditating on a scripture.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk in his ways consistently so that we prosper in all we do.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the challenges in life is balancing the spiritual and physical parts of life. On one side we want to meditate, pray, and read scripture but on the other side we have practical things we have to do like go to work, clean, exercise, spend time with friends and family. I think the key is to make them into one by bringing God into the practical things we do. Do them together with God, and physical exercise or going for walks with God are one of the best ways I know to practice this.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not to late to join our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation.
Here is today's communion meditation.
As Joshua was about to lead the people into the promised land God told him in Joshua 1:8...
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Notice the progression in this verse... First we keep God's word in our mouth and meditate on it consistently, then we take action on what we have been meditating on, which will cause us to prosper and be successful.
In the original Hebrew language of this verse the word for prosperous is very interesting. It can be translated as rush, push forward, breakthrough, or prosper. It is the same Hebrew word that is used when Samuel told Saul that the Spirit would "rush," upon him.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us meditate on his word the way he intended so that we are careful to do what is written in it, and we prosper and are successful.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Meditating means constant repetition. In our fitness and nutrition, we need some constant reps and consistency to see results. We need a blend of variety and consistency to make fast progress that is sustainable.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not to late to join our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation.
Here is today's communion meditation.
One of the themes all throughout the Bible is that God continually gets his people out of troubled situations, and Jesus said that we would have trouble in this world, but to be of good cheer, because he has overcome the world.
Proverbs 11:8 says, "The righteous person is rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead.
Proverbs 12:13 says, "An evil man is ensnared by the transgression of his lips, but the righteous escapes from trouble."
The word for "trouble," in the Hebrew can mean distress, anguish, tribulation, and affliction.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for God's faithfulness to protect us, love protects. And we are asking God to help us escape any trouble, distress, anguish, tribulation, or affliction we experience.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Sometimes in our workouts we will have issues. This could be joint pain or tight/restricted movement. The best solution I have found for these is "Touchpoints." Whatever area hurts, give it a light touch with your finger, then repeat the movement again. Most times it will improve in only a few seconds.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not to late to join our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation.
Here is today's communion meditation.
One of the subtitles in Hebrews 6 is "The Certainty of God's Promise."
Hebrews 6:17 says," So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath."
Then it goes on to say that it's impossible for God to lie, and because of that we can hold fast to his promises, because they are certain.
But, to enter into His promises takes faith and trust in his unchangeable character.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for the certainty of God's promise, and we are asking him to help us hold fast to his promises.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our fitness, when we get to a place of confidence or certainty with an exercise it often leads to a big surge of progress.
Lately the idea of escape velocity keeps coming up. When a rocket is launched into space a large amount of acceleration and speed are needed to break free from the Earth's gravitational pull. As the rocket approaches escape, it shakes, but once it breaks free, everything smooths out. In a similar way, in our health and fitness we must accelerate and build some momentum until we get to a place of confidence or certainty to really see progress. Sometimes as we approach big surges of progress, things get a little shaky, but in those times keep moving forward because everything is about to smooth out.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not to late to join our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation.
Here is today's communion meditation.
This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.
Recently we looked at Ecclesiastes 9:10 which says, "whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.
There is a connection between these 2 verses because some of the same Hebrew words are used.
And it is often in the balance of scriptures that we find the truth. I think what these scriptures are telling us is that we are do to everything to the best of our ability to glorify God, but the real results don't come from our strength, power, or ability, but from God's Spirit.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the connection of these scriptures and what he is trying to show us. And we are asking him to help us apply what we learn so that we get results by His Spirit.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The word for Spirit in both the Old and New Testament translates as wind or breath. Our workouts offer one of the best opportunities to practically understand the connection of these verses. In our workouts our breathing is supposed to lead our movement. We can use all of our might and power, but only after the Spirit gives the leading. We are to be led of the Spirit and then use all of our might and power.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not to late to join our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation.
Here is today's communion meditation.
2 Corinthians 11:3 says, "But I am afraid, lest by any means, as the serpent in his craftiness deceived Eve, your minds might be corrupted from the simplicity and the purity in Christ."
Notice in this verse that the enemy's tactic is to corrupt our minds away from the simplicity and purity we have in Christ. The context of this verse is about being devoted to God. The simplicity we have in Christ, is that we can simply walk in love and abide in Christ.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us guard our minds with his peace so that we walk in the simplicity and purity we have in Christ.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
We can also focus on a few simple things in our health and fitness. In our new program God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation we only focus on a few simple things:
- Hydration
- Balanced meals
- Power
- Walking with God
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle update.
We are in the middle of the year, which is a reminder to trust. And when we trust it makes life much simpler, because when we trust we can rest. But we must trust on 3 levels... Trust God, trust ourselves and become trustworthy, and find people we can trust.
God gives us the ultimate example of being trustworthy... He always keeps his word/promises, has great intentions for us, knows what he is doing, and is always on time. We can learn to become more trustworthy and to trust ourselves by becoming more like God in these things.
And when we talk in trust is everything is much simpler.
Here is our filter for this week... The Simplicity of Trust
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Ephesians 3:20 says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,
God can do immeasurably(abundantly) more than we ever ask, think, dream, or imagine and the method he uses to do this is His power being put to work within us.
Recently we talked about Ecclesiastes 9:10 which says, "whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might."
The Hebrew word for might is "koach," which can also mean God's power. I think we have a role to play in putting God's power to work. He has given it to us, and when we put it to work, he does more than we could ever ask or imagine.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God can do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, and we are asking him to help us understand His power within us and how to put it to work.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the best ways to practice putting God's power to work is in our fitness. We can practice relying on his strength and power within us to do the work rather than our own.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
Lately I have been thinking about what people really want out of life, myself included. I think we all want to feel like we are making progress, moving forward, and that all of the areas of life are working together harmoniously. There are so many different facets of life... purpose, connection, freedom, security, finances, health, nutrition, fitness, family, relationships, keeping things in order, etc.
To get all of these areas moving forward together can be quite the feat.
Romans 8:28 says that "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."
God is the one who sustains all things by the power of his word, and he is the one who can help us juggle everything and get it all working together in a beautiful way.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us work everything together for good in a beautiful harmonious way.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Health and fitness also has many facets... Energy, sleep, nutrition, fitness, strength, flexibility, endurance, speed, power, joint health, body fat, gaining muscle.
In today's communion we are also asking God to help us work all of the areas of our health together in a beautiful way.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation
Here is today's communion meditation.
Recently I was thinking about how busy and complicated life can get and God reminded me that it is community that simplifies life. Life isn't an individual sport but a team sport. We are meant to do life together in community, because it has the ability to simplify life and multiply our capabilities.
For a community to be functioning properly there must be diversity with different gifts and roles. And when people are functioning in their gifting we take the pressure off of one another, and set each other free. When we then use our freedom to multiply our abilities even more it creates a virtuous cycle.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the important role community plays and for him to help us get is right.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
My favorite breakfast for fat loss is not one that most people would expect... it is French toast.
Lately I have been doing God's Plan for Accelerated Body Transformation, and I have been eating French toast with a side of eggs and fruit for breakfast every day.
Here is what I have been eating...
French toast - 2 slices of whole wheat bread, 1 egg, splash of milk, cinnamon to taste topped with honey and a little whipped cream. I have one egg and some fruit on the side.
Many people think you can't have bread, gluten, dairy, or sugar and lose fat, but this is not the truth.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
1 Corinthians 11:27-32 says, "So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment. 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be finally condemned with the world."
Lately we have been developing a workbook/journal for our program, and the other day our partners suggested a way to examine ourselves should be a part of the workbook. And I agree, especially since we are taking communion often, it's important for us to examine ourselves regularly. After seeking God about how to examine ourselves, he reminded me of some things we have discussed previously on our communion meditations. In today's communion we are asking him for the way he wants us to examine ourselves when taking communion.
Here is the process I am thinking will be part of our workbook/journal...
- Did I Seek God today?
- Did I Walk in the Light?
- Did I Bring My Best?
- What pushed my buttons?
- Symptoms of buttons being pushed include...
- Snapping, Stress/frustration,
- Heaviness/Pressure,
- Lack self-control
- Harshness/Anger
- Depressed/Down
- Complaining/Venting
- Ungrateful
- Toiling in mind
- Prioritizing money over people
- Retaliating at people, Silent treatment, Avoiding people
- Focused on lack
- Unfulfilled - something is missing
- For any buttons that were pushed go through the following...
- Receive forgiveness from God
- Forgive myself
- Forgive others
- Ask God to help you grow the fruit of the spirit he put within you.
- Ask God to help you respond to those situations in a beautiful way.
- This would be a process to go through at the end of each day.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is today's communion meditation.
Zechariah 11:12-13 says, "Then I told them, “If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” So they weighed out my wages, thirty pieces of silver. 13 And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—this magnificent price at which they valued me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter in the house of the LORD."
Jesus was valued at only 30 pieces of silver. He was undervalued by his people, but God paid a huge price for us, and I think we wants us to see our value and not undervalue ourselves.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that Jesus was undervalued so that we can be fully valued. And we are asking God to help us understand this and walk in our true value consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the ways we can value ourselves is to invest into our health. Investing time, energy, and focus into our health is a way to value and honor our bodies.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
This is a time of year when some doors close and new doors open. What often seems like the end of something is really just a new beginning. As these shifts and transitions take place, we must watch our habits. We’ll be tempted to fall back into old patterns and habits. A good example of this in the Bible is Peter. After the death and resurrection of Jesus, Peter goes back to his old way of life and starts fishing again.
In times of change, there will be the temptation to return to old ways. God wants to make all things new, including our daily habits and patterns. If shifts are occurring, the key to successfully making these shifts is being willing to embrace a new way of life and making changes in our daily habits and routines. One of the reasons God built change into the world is to keep pushing us forward to a higher level. Why? Because he loves us too much to allow us to stay the way we are.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Why Change?
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
Here is today's communion meditation.
The other day I read the Beatitudes in the Amplified Version and it really blessed me to see all of the different definitions of 'Blessed," that are used in this scripture. Today's communion is a time of gratitude for God's blessing in Christ, and we are asking him to help us walk in the fullness of his blessing.
Here is the passage from Matthew 5:3-12(AMP)
3 “Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].
4 “Blessed [forgiven, refreshed by God’s grace] are those who mourn [over their sins and repent], for they will be comforted [when the burden of sin is lifted].
5 “Blessed [inwardly peaceful, spiritually secure, worthy of respect] are the [gentle [the kind-hearted, the sweet-spirited, the self-controlled], for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed [joyful, nourished by God’s goodness] are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness [those who actively seek right standing with God], for they will be [completely] satisfied.
7“Blessed [content, sheltered by God’s promises] are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
8 “Blessed [anticipating God’s presence, spiritually mature] are the pure in heart [those with integrity, moral courage, and godly character], for they will see God.
9 “Blessed [spiritually calm with life-joy in God’s favor] are the makers and maintainers of peace, for they will [express His character and] be called the sons of God.
10 “Blessed [comforted by inner peace and God’s love] are those who are persecuted for [c]doing that which is morally right, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever].
11 “Blessed [morally courageous and spiritually alive with life-joy in God’s goodness] are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of [your association with] Me. 12 Be glad and exceedingly joyful, for your reward in heaven is great [absolutely inexhaustible]; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Some of these definitions of blessed have direct application into our health and fitness. Being present, joyful, refreshed, and at peace all bring life to our bodies.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is December's Message
Over the last couple of months, we have been working on developing our calendar and workbook/journal for 2023, and we are getting close to having them ready. This month Romans 11:33 keeps coming to mind, which says, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!"
This month we are asking God to help us develop a system to clearly define the path in our program the Abundant Life Blueprint so that we help people keep making progress on God's path. Something I have learned in my walk with God is that he has a path, I think we all have our own path, but there are certain milestones that are common to all of us. The goal this month is to clearly define the milestones in our program and help build in accountability to help all of us stay progressing on God's path.
God's paths are also beyond tracing out, in that there is always another level. We are also asking God for the next levels/milestones in our program.
Here is this month's filter... Paths Beyond Tracing Out
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Convergence is a word that describes when everything God has prepared and called you to do comes together into one simplistic and beautiful thing. Pastor Lance Wallnau has researched this topic and found that a very low number of people, including those in ministry, ever step into convergence.
After years and years of research, Wallnau found that the No. 1 factor that determined whether people stepped into convergence was whether they endured the contradiction. The contradiction of feeling like you are doing all the right things, but life is pressuring you to quit, and things are going the wrong direction. The contradiction of doing all the right things, but not seeing a breakthrough. When a contradiction occurs, what do you do? One of the biggest keys to fulfilling our purpose is enduring the contradiction until we hit convergence and things break through.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us endure any contradictions and accelerate us stepping into convergence.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Yesterday we talked about the internal journey and our physical results coming together as one, and this is a process that often takes some time. In today's communion we are also asking God to help us step into convergence in our health and fitness.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
The other day we watched the new Lion King movie as a family. During the movie the hero Simba is supposed to be the king, but after his father's death he fled to another place where he has "no worries," and he is enjoying life.
But then he finds out that his uncle who stepped in as king, has destroyed the land and made life miserable. The hero is faced with a choice, he can keep living for himself or he can go back and save his kingdom. When he has a vision of his father telling him to "remember who he is," he develops the courage to go back.
In Hollywood they call this the Heroes Journey, and it is one of the biggest keys that makes us like stories and movies. During the heroes journey it is said that the hero is on 2 journeys. One journey is the external journey to the goal and the other journey is the internal journey of growth in the hero as he moves to the goal. He/she must become the person who can get to the goal. When the internal and external become one that is when the hero becomes the hero.
In the Bible Joseph, David, and Jesus all go through the Heroes Journey.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that Jesus is our hero. And we are asking God to help us understand how the heroes journey applies to our life and to help us step into what he has called us to do.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
A big part of the Heroes Journey is when the internal and the external come together as one, and this is a process that often takes some time. This is also a part of our health and fitness journey, because we often must grow internally as a person before we see the external results showing up, and the process can take some time.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
The other day we watched the new Lion King movie as a family. During the main turning point of the story the "hero," hears his father tell him "Remember who you are!" This statement gives him the courage to do what he knows he needs to do.
In a similar way for us to fulfill all God put us here to do it's important for us to remember who we are. We've talked a lot this year about remembering who God/Jesus is and communion is supposed to be something that helps us remember, but it can also be a time to remember who he made us to be. He made us to be his children, righteous, holy, anointed, overcomers, more than conquerors, and so much more.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for who God made us to be. And we are asking him to help us remember who we are.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
As we remember who we are let that remembrance carry over into our health and fitness. Our identity and who we see ourselves as plays a big role in the actions we take.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
We have all come to different conclusions in our heart about what is really true in life. These conclusions shape our perspective on life, and they have usually been developed through our experiences and things people have told us. The problem is that sometimes we can believe something is true that is really not true, and this leads to blind spots. Blind spots are areas where we can't really see the truth because we are filtering it out with the perspective we have on life, that is based on our beliefs. The symptoms of these blind spots can be a lack of results, self-sabotage, problems, and pain.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us about blind spots and to open our eyes to any blind spots we have so that his truth occupies every area of our heart.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In health and fitness, I think these blind spots would look like having a constant struggle with health, self-sabotaging ourselves, falling back into old patterns consistently, etc.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This time of year is a reminder that God gives us free will or free choice. Every day we get to decide if we will be thankful or magnify the problems. We also get to decide how we will respond to things in life. The same thing can happen to two different people, and they can respond in totally different ways.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the power of how we respond and to help us respond consistently in the way that he says is right and best in both the ups and downs of life.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
With health and fitness, I have seen the power of how we respond. I have seen some people not lose as much weight as they hoped which caused them to get discouraged and quit, while others viewed it as a signal to make some adjustments. I have also seen people be really excited about their weight loss only to respond by celebrating and stopping what they were doing because they had lost weight, versus other continuing to do what helped them make progress.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
We are in a time of the year when God likes to shift and reposition his people. He does this because he loves us. If he is shifting and repositioning us, he is trying to move us to a higher level, but it may be uncomfortable. This is a time where he may be stretching us so that we grow. He must put enough tension on us for enough time to create the change that he wants to see. He knows how to put just the right amount of stretch on us so that the results come and nothing tears.
In this season, we must be comfortable with being uncomfortable, because we know that he is leading us to a higher level. If an uncomfortable situation is happening right now, know that the discomfort is actually keeping you from pain down the road and is serving to move you closer to the desires of your heart, even if it seems like you are moving in the wrong direction.
The key to getting through this season successfully is to relax and let him stretch us. If a massage therapist found a restriction in your body, they would probably ask you to relax in order to let them work on the area. God knows the areas that are restricting his power from flowing in our lives. He will remove those areas if we will relax and yield to him as he does his work.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Stretching
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
This time of year is a reminder that God gives us free will or free choice. Every day we get to decide if we will be thankful or magnify the problems. Every day we also get to make decide if we will just survive and go through the motions or bring our best.
Recently, I found myself going through the motions of the day. It seemed like the weight of all that needed to be done was causing me to just get through the day and check all the boxes. But then I stopped for a moment and made a decision to bring my best into everything I did the rest of the day. This simple decision made such a difference. I am learning that the choice to bring our best helps us walk in the light at a greater level.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us about the importance of bringing our best. And to help us remember to make this decision every day so that we walk in the light at higher levels.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
A great way to practice bringing our best is in our health and fitness. Did we bring our best to our nutrition and workout today?
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today is a reminder that God gives us the choice to be thankful. Every day we get to decide if we will focus on what we are grateful for or complain about the problems. And being thankful is the shortcut to walking in the light where we have fellowship with God and one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that we can walk in the light, and we are asking God to help us choice to be thankful every day.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
During the holidays or whenever we are out of our normal rhythm, try to win the early part of the day, because otherwise the day has a way of getting away from you. If you get off track, give yourself grace, and get right back on track the next day.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
We are in a time of year when God likes to transition us to the next level. But part of transitions is that pieces are moving around and during transitions it's important to keep our priorities in the right order because they will be tested regularly, especially during transitions.
Here is the order of priorities we discuss in the Order Blueprint
- God
- Health - spirit, then soul, then body. It's hard to give out of an empty cup. We need to stay filled up and feeling good so that we can better serve others.
- Spouse
- Kids
- Business and ministry - and it's important to prioritize people over money and stuff in all interactions.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us about the importance of our priorities, the order of priorities that is right and best in His eyes, and to help us defend our priorities when they get tested.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
An interesting thing about order, is that when things are in their correct place or order it frees up both time and space, and it causes God's grace to flow on a new level. Something I have observed in my own life and while training others is that even when it seems like we are too busy, if we will prioritize our health and fitness God has a way of making us so much more efficient during the rest of the day that we still get it all done. The same is true of any of our priorities.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path."
This time of the year is often a major time of transition as God shifts things around. It's also a time of year when it gets dark early. During these times his word is a lamp for our feet.
Job 29:3 also says, "When his candle shined upon my head, and when by his light I walked through darkness," and Psalm 18:28 says "For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness."
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God's word is a light that illuminates our path. And we are asking him to help us understand how His word light's our path and leads us through darkness.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our health and fitness lets work on increasing our self-control, which is a fruit of the spirit. We can do this in our nutrition by eating the food that is needed to nourish our bodies but put the brakes on all the extras. In our fitness we can practice training under control and by doing the work that builds our body but stopping before we get into training that is overly taxing on the body.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Psalm 119:130 says, "The entrance of God's word gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
Lately this verse keeps coming to mind. Some versions say "entrance," while others say "the unfolding," of His word gives light.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God's word is a light unto our path and gives us light and understanding. And we are asking him to help us understand how his word gives us light and understanding.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In my book "Cracking Heaven's Code," we talk about the connection between light and blood in the body. Recently, I overheard an infomercial in the background somewhere saying that good circulation or blood flow increases memory and remembering is a very important part of communion. A couple of ways that the Daily Communion Workout helps with circulation are by doing calf raises and the Daily Mobility Routine every day. These 2 exercises open circulation in the body.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Ezekiel 44:5 says "The LORD said to me, “Son of man, look carefully, listen closely and give attention to everything I tell you concerning all the regulations and instructions regarding the temple of the LORD. Give attention to the entrance to the temple and all the exits of the sanctuary."
Our bodies are God's temple now and I think it's importance to give attention to the entrance and the exits. What is coming in through our eyes, ears, etc consistently? And what is the output or behavior that is coming out of us? If we will give attention to what we are feeding on and the impact it is having on our behavior, it gives us the opportunity to make quick adjustments.
The concept of inputs and outputs also applies into many other areas of life.
In today's communion we are asking him to help us give attention to the entrances and exits in our life the way he intended.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our health and fitness, we can give attention to our nutrition and the results it is producing in terms of energy, workout progress, bodyweight, bodyfat, etc.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Lately my level of Bible reading had dropped off for what was normal for me, and I could tell a difference. I had gotten too busy, and my times of Bible study were pushed to the side or rushed. For many years my normal Bible reading was a Proverb in the morning, reading about 10 pages a day like a normal book from front to back, and a Psalm at night. And when this level began to fall to about 4 pages a day instead of 10, I could tell a difference.
Proverbs tells us to keep God's word in our eyes and ears because it is like medicine for our body.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us delight in His word, study it diligently, prioritize it, and to be consistent.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Sometimes when we get busy it can also be easy to prioritize things other than health and fitness. This also needs to be a priority, but our priorities will be tested at times.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
We are in a season of the year where God likes to pivot, change directions, and reposition things—including people. If you are experiencing a shift or feeling a nudge that God wants you to make a shift, this feeling is probably from him. These shifts take place because God always wants to have people functioning in their highest capabilities. He will often shift things to bring out the best in us... but he will always give us a choice as to whether we will reposition or not. All along God’s path, there are forks in the road where we will be given the choice as to which direction we will go. This time of the year is a pivotal decision-making time. As decisions are made, follow a sense of peace on the inside.
One of the biggest keys to shifts and repositioning is free will. Once, I was on a field trip with my daughter to a historic plantation home, and one of the kids asked what happened to the slaves when they were freed. The tour guide said that the slaves were given a choice: They could stay with their masters and get paid, or they could leave and be free. Then the tour guide talked about one slave who was the nanny for all the children of the house. She decided to stay and help with the children, and she ended up being considered part of the family and was even buried in the cemetery with the family.
The lesson here is that whenever we lead people through change, we must always give them free will, just like God gives us. We must always give them a choice. In leadership positions there will be opportunities to lead people through change and into new things, and we must always give them the free will to buy into the change or to go free on their own.
If we let them go free, our actions must come from a heart of wanting to help them find a situation that is better than they are currently in and wanting to set them up to be great. If they choose to stay with us through the change, then they will probably be with us for life. They will be considered family.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Free Choice
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
One of my favorite scriptures is 2 Corinthians 9:6-12. This passage has changed the way I approach so many interactions with people, because we can trust that God's grace is abounding to us so that we can be generous in every way.
Here is the passage for us to meditate on today:
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,
“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for these amazing promises, and we are asking him to help us walk in these promises consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
A reminder today to make your workout beautiful and bring your best. These two things make His grace flow. One of the goals of physical exercise is to learn to allow God to do the work through us.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
One of my daughters is in my middle school and we have been talking about how to handle those times (which seem to happen a lot in middle school) when other people are not so kind. I told her that the only way I have found to put a stop to it is to respond by doing something good for them, which is very counterintuitive. If we retaliate it just adds fuel to the fire, and if we do nothing it will continue.
1 Peter 3:9 says "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."
When we bless those who wrong us it turns the tables, and we inherit a blessing.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk in blessing others continually so that we inherit a blessing.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Just a reminder today to be consistent. Even when it's not convenient show up with presence and bring your best.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Sometimes on our journey with God, he will take us on the gentle path that curves around toward the target. For example, when he took the people to the promised land, he took them on a curved route rather than a straight line, because they would have had to fight a bunch of wars, they weren't ready for.
But other times on our journey with God there will be obstacles to overcome and giants we must defeat. God has also made us overcomers and more than conquerors, meaning we have some things to overcome.
I have been thinking about the duality of the path of least resistance. Sometimes the path of least resistance is the best path, but other times we must avoid taking the easy way out and be willing to embrace challenges.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us discern His path and the times when we are supposed to take the path of least resistance and the times when we have things to overcome.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The duality of the path of least resistance is something we can practice in our workouts. We need to take a gentle approach that allows us to be consistent over a long period of time but also balance it with showing up and bringing our best each day.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
1 Peter 1:15-16 says... But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
This verse can seem a little daunting, which is why I think it's important to remember we don't become holy on our own... It is God who makes us holy and he has given us His Holy Spirit to make us holy
Leviticus 20:7-8 says... Be holy, because I am the LORD your God. 8 And you shall keep My statutes and practice them. I am the LORD who makes you holy.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God has given us the Holy Spirit and that he is makes us holy. And we are asking God to help us be holy in all we do as he is holy.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
If something every is painful or restricted in your movement remember to ask the following question... What can I do? Many people do nothing when something hurts but I have found that if we will apply our faith by doing what we can do, it seems to accelerate the progress in our body.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
In the Old Testament God often commanded the people to create memorials of their victories and the miraculous things he did for them so that they would remember and not forget. This month we asked God to help us develop a systematic way to record our journey and I believe memorials are part of this.
Memorials can serve as a source of encouragement when we get down and to help us teach future generations what God has done for us.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the importance of memorials and consistently apply memorials into our life the way he intended.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Recording our journey with health and fitness is one of the most important things we can do for success. And in today's communion we are also asking God to help us create memorials to remember breakthroughs in our health and fitness.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Romans 2:4 tells us that God's kindness is intended to lead us to repentance. In our minds we often think that criticism, getting back at people, and discipline leads to repentance but when someone really needs a change of heart it is kindness, goodness, and grace that leads to a change of heart.
Then once we are willing to change.... Discipline can help us get it right.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for God's goodness and kindness that leads us to repentance. And we are asking for his help to understand his grace and goodness to us and to help us keep being kind and good to others when they wrong us so that it causes a change of heart in them as well.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Sometimes our bodies have stubborn areas that don't want to lose fat, gain muscle, or change and the tendency for most people is to try to force these areas to change, but I have found these areas respond better to a gentle approach.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Lately we have been talking about calling on the Lord. And this year we have also talked a lot about filling up the basket of praise. Something I feel like God has been showing me is a progression for how we fill up the basket of praise.
I think it starts with calling on the name of the Lord. He is love, light, our healer, our provider, more than enough, the God of all hope, the God of all peace, the God of all grace, and so much more. When we have a problem, we can start calling on the name of the Lord that aligns with whatever we are facing and praising him for who he is. For example, if we need help in our health, we can call upon the God who heals us. If we need help financially, we can call upon our provider who is more than enough. if we need help with a bad habit, we can call upon God who is our righteousness and the one who makes us holy.
Then we can start filling up the basket of praise for God's promises to us in Christ. For whatever problem we are facing there is a promise, and we can start calling upon God for His promises and praising him for them.
After we have called upon and praised God for who He is and what he's promised us then I think there is an important step we must take, which is calling things that are not as though they were. What are you going to call your situation?
God gave us an example of this in the Bible with Abraham and the promised child. God promised Abraham that he was going to have a son, but for 24 years nothing happened. Then God changed Abram's name to Abraham, which means the father of many nations. Think about this for a moment... The guy who had no children had to go around calling himself the father of many nations.
Was Abraham lying? No, he began to get into agreement with what God had said and the promised child was born in less than a year.
We have probably all learned that talking about the problem constantly, venting, and complaining doesn't help anything, in fact it usually makes things worse. Let's try a different approach and learn to imitate what God did with Abraham. It was God who began to call him the father of many nations, even when he had no children.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us about what we call things and how to get our words into agreement with his.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Working with clients in the gym for years, I have seen this principle working in people's health. It's pretty common to hear people say things like they can never make progress, they can't do certain things, etc. They put labels on themselves that are usually not true.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
This is a time of year when God likes to shift things around. Shifting has to do with positioning. He may reposition us because he wants to move us into a role that uses a higher level of our gifting. If we have grown a lot over this last year, he wants to move us into a higher level of what he has called us to do.
When things shift, it can seem scary because of the uncertainties, but the changes are needed to bring out our potential. God will often shift us into a role that requires a higher level of self-management paired with serving people on a higher level. It will take courage to step into a higher level of our gift, because it will require a higher level of transparency of who we really are. It will take courage to really give our gift to the world.
If you are a leader of people, this is a time to be seeking God, to make sure that all of your people are positioned properly. All the people need to be in the right seats in order for the individuals and the body to reach its full potential. Does anybody need to be repositioned in order to better utilize their gifts?
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Reposition
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Many people in the world view growing closer with God as isolating themselves from everything and getting still and quiet in a peaceful place. But recently I came across some Jewish teaching that had a much different perspective. Their goal was to go interact with the world and reveal God in the world... to reveal what he created things for. Their view is to reveal God in their marriage, parenting, health, business, ministry, finance, and every aspect of life. They want to reveal what God created everything for... its intended use.
As I was thinking about this Romans 8:18-21 came to mind. Here is the passage:
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand this passage and to help us reveal him in everything he created, including us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Let's take some time this week to think about how we are revealing God in our physical bodies. Are we revealing how he intended nutrition, fitness, rest, energy, health, etc to be.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This month our focus has been on recording our journey and the goal is to develop a system for recording our journey that helps us stay on track consistently while also documenting the process. As I was thinking about this the word "simplify," kept coming to mind and while discussing this with some of our partners this week, the one thing that came up was seeking after God... or delighting in the Lord.
Psalm 37:4 says that if we delight ourselves in the Lord he will give us the desires of our heart.
In today's communion we are asking him to help us keep things simple, and to teach us to delight ourselves in Him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Physical exercise should be a delight. It should be something we look forward to every day rather than something we dread.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Lately I have been thinking about the authority of Jesus. He was gentle and gracious but in Matthew 7:28-29 it also says that the people were astonished at His teaching because he taught with authority. He wasn't timid because he taught with authority.
Recently my daughter had a soccer game and the referee for the game was a young kid who didn't have much experience as a ref and he wasn't using his authority. Because he was very timid and quiet the kids often didn't know what has happening.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us become more like Jesus by growing gentler and functioning in the authority we have in him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Authority and confidence are very closely related. And when we are confident in our workouts it often leads to a surge in progress. We must grow from a place of being timid in our workouts to a place of confidence to really see progress.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
The concept of "Calling to God," kept standing out to me in Psalm 86 the other night.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us about calling on him.
Here is Psalm 86 - A Prayer of David:
1 Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
2 Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God;
3 have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy.
7 When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds; you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
12 I will praise you, Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths, from the realm of the dead.
Arrogant foes are attacking me, O God; ruthless people are trying to kill me— they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me; show your strength in behalf of your servant; save me, because I serve you just as my mother did.
17 Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Let's make sure to keep our fitness balanced with flexibility, mobility, endurance, strength, control, speed, and power. Too often people focus too much on one of these at the expense of the others.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
A phrase that is all throughout scripture is, "Calling on the name of the Lord."
In the Psalms God tells us to call upon him in the day of trouble and he will deliver us and strengthen us. And God has a lot of names... Healer provider, savior, God almighty, more than enough, God of all peace, God of all hope, God of all comfort. our righteousness, our sanctification, our banner, and much more.
When we have problems, we can call upon his name and he will answer our call.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for who God is, and we are asking him to teach us about the importance of calling on his name and to walk in this consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
For our health let's start consistently calling on God our healer and our peace. Proverbs 14:30 says a heart at peace gives life to the body.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
An important part of our walk of faith is staying in rhythm with God. There is a balance in the course of the year with some periods of time when things move fast and others when things slow down. During this time of year, I have found that things tend to slow down a little, and there may be unexpected delays. During these times it's important to keep making adjustments to stay in rhythm with God.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us be people who consistently stay in rhythm with him. Matthew 11:30 MSG says there is an unforced rhythm of grace.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Through the years of helping people with their health and fitness I have seen many people miss a workout or get slightly off track with their nutrition and very quickly they are completely out of rhythm. Making quick adjustments to get back in rhythm is an important part of making progress over time.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
November is a time when God often initiates transitions in our lives to move us to the next level. As we transition there will often be important decisions to make and we should follow what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:21 when he says he is, " taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of man.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand and know how to make decisions that are right in His eyes but also in the eyes of man.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
It's important to walk in love in the area of nutrition. Sometimes when we are trying to eat well we can become too strict and step out of love when someone graciously makes food for us. In these times I have learned to eat what is set before me, and then get back on track with the next meal.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
We are moving into the wintertime, a season of the year when many transitions happen. Don’t be surprised if God starts shifting things around. If you are in a leadership position, there will often be some shifts in people during this time. During transitions, be patient, God transitions things slowly so that nothing tears or breaks.
We just finished going through the heat of the year, and now we are moving into the colder season. We can’t just move from hot to cold. Imagine putting hot glass in a freezer. It would break. In this season, God will often slow things down and cause some unexpected delays.
This is a time when things just seem to sit on the shelf and cool for a while. If you have been through the fire this year, don’t be surprised if it seems like you are just waiting for a season. If this happens, be of good cheer—because it means that God is actually lining things up perfectly. These delays and slowdowns may be frustrating, but God knows the perfect timing, and a few months from now you will actually look back and be grateful for the delay.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Cooling Down
I am praying for you.
Daniel
November is a time when God often initiates transitions in our lives to move us to the next level. As we transition there will often be important decisions to make. And when we make those decisions it's important to pay attention to our conscience, because decisions that override our conscience can shipwreck our faith.
1 Timothy 1:18-19 says, "Timothy, my child, I entrust you with this command in keeping with the previous prophecies about you, so that by them you may fight the good fight, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and thereby shipwrecked their faith.
When we override our conscience I think it shipwrecks our faith because we lose confidence in our relationship with God.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us about the importance of our conscience and to help us walk follow the leading of our conscience as we make decisions.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The conscience is not often talked about when it comes to our health, but it plays a major role. Today we are also asking God to help us understand the role our conscience plays in our health.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
November is a time when God often initiates transitions in our lives to move us to the next level. As we transition to new levels there is often some unlearning that we have to do. The world has taught us a lot of stuff that isn't true, and as we walk with God there will be some unlearning that must happen along the path, where we let go of some beliefs that we really thought were true.
In today's communion we are asking God to reveal any areas where we need to do some unlearning and to help us replace those old beliefs with his truth.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Our bodies are amazing, and they have a memory. If someone has taken a break from training for a while their body will still have a memory of how to train and will usually respond to training much faster than someone who has never trained. This is good, but it can also mean at times that we need to do some unlearning. Sometimes we get movement patterns that are not good. In today's communion meditation we are asking God to help us unlearn any movement patterns that are not helping us.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
November is a time when God often initiates transitions in our lives to move us to the next level. These transitions can be scary and overwhelming because things are changing, but it's a reminder to trust him in the transitions.
As we go through transitions, we can trust that God is working all things together for our good.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God keeps moving us to new levels. And we are asking him to help us stay in faith and love as we keep trusting him in the transitions.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our workouts as we transition to new levels there may times when it seems like we are going backwards. During these times keep showing up and executing, because it's only a matter of time until you are at a new level.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
In November our focus is going to be on recording our journey. Several months ago, on one of our partner's zoom's we came to the conclusion that one of the keys to growth is recording our journey so that we have a record of our progress.
Last month we focused on Understanding the Times and developing our calendar for 2023. This month we are going to focus on developing a system for recording our journey. I envision this looking something like a workbook/journal that will go along with our calendar.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us develop the system he has in mind for recording our journey.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the simplest and most overlooked ways to increase progress in our health and fitness is to record our journey. A workout journal and food log can do a lot.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
We are in a time of year when many transitions occur. And during this time, I think it's important to remember the choice that God made to love us. Even though we had all missed it God made the choice to make a covenant commitment to love us unconditionally. God is love, and love gives free will and choice. He had a choice. He could have wiped us out or left us on our own, but he chose the way of love.
As we go through transitions in our life we will be faced with choices about which way to go, and we should follow God's example of choosing to love. Love is not a feeling it is a choice.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God chose to love us. And we are asking him to help us understand the choice he made, to receive it, walk in it, and learn to imitate him in our choices.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Our health and fitness is a great place to practice free choice. There will be many days when we don't feel like doing what we know we should do. On these days we must learn to not be led by feeling but make the choice to commit to doing good each day.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Yesterday we discussed the water being deep in Ezekiel 47 and right after that passage the next section discusses the boundaries of the land. All throughout the Old Testament God was very precise about the boundaries for the promised land.
This is a time of year when God often begins to transition us to new levels, and I believe one of the first steps at new levels should be to establish boundaries. One of the most important things for us to establish boundaries around is our priorities. We must commit to and establish our priorities in our heart, because they will be tested.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us about the importance of boundaries and we are asking him to help us establish boundaries around our priorities the way he intended and says is best.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Our physical bodies operate with boundaries. For example, our blood sugar and blood pressure both have boundaries for what is too high and what is too low. When the thresholds are crossed, a healthy body signals to release hormones that bring the levels back within the boundaries. One of the keys to establishing boundaries is establishing signals for when we go across the boundaries.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Recently I have been flooded with what seems like more to do than can be done in a day, even several days, which brought to mind the passage of scripture in Ezekiel 47 about the water being knee deep, then waist deep, then too much to cross. If you look at the end of this passage the water that was too much to cross ultimately led to the trees producing fruit every month and leaves on the trees that are for healing.
Being flooded or overwhelmed can lead us to a place of life, fruitfulness and healing, even though it might seem unpleasant at the time.
In today's communion we are asking for insight into the passage in Ezekiel 47(which is down below) and we are asking him to help us handle times when we are flooded with too much gracefully so that it turns into life, fruit, and healing.
Ezekiel 47:1-12
The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.
3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits[a] and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5 He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”
Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.
Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
When we are flooded with a lot to do it can be easy to let our health and fitness slide. Keep making it a priority even though it may seem like there isn't enough time.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
We are in a time of the year for transitions. It is during this season that God often opens doors to transition to new things. If there is a sudden change during this time, be assured that it is God shifting things around for our good. Sometimes it doesn’t look good on the surface, but ultimately it is for our good.
When new doors open, it always takes faith and courage to go through the doors. And be prepared, because on the other side of the door is some work. When doors open, make sure to check that you have peace before going through.
Open Door, But Lacking Peace
In 2 Corinthians 2, the apostle Paul says that God opened a door to work in Troas, but he didn’t go through the door. Paul said that he lacked peace because Titus wasn’t there to go through the door with him. This was very interesting to me, because although God opened the door, Paul did not go through. Some doors we are only supposed to go through when we have others who will help us. Some doors we are not meant to go through by ourselves. Paul followed peace in this example. Peace is supposed to be the umpire, letting us know which way to go.
The take-home message is that when doors of opportunity open, make sure to check on the inside to see if there is peace. If it is a good opportunity but there is no peace, it may be because we need someone else to go through with us. If those people are not able or willing to go through the door with us, then God will have another door that will work.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Transition
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
The 28th of October is always a reminder for me the God wants to initiate miracle transfers in our lives, where he solves problems, makes a way, and opens new doors of opportunity.
In quantum science there are some interesting principles of duality. For example, light can be both particles and waves but you only see the one you are looking for and the other one collapses. Quantum science is also showing it's possible to be two places at one time, but you can't see both. You see the one you are looking for and the other one collapses. Where does the other one go?
I don't know the answer to this, but I know something very similar happens in our lives. For example, you could have some symptom in your body, but then the symptom disappears and we forget it was even there.
As an example of this, when everything was dark, God didn't speak to the darkness, he said... "Let there be light." He focused on light even though there was darkness, and the darkness disappeared.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us about this principle of what we focus on and how it makes the opposite disappear.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Much of health and fitness is focused on what we don't want. Instead let's try focusing on what we do want.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This time of year is a reminder of a fresh start and new beginnings. Part of this new beginning is understanding God's grace. Even when we had fallen short, God chose to cherish us rather than reject us.
In the Bible the words cherish, and understanding are often linked together and something God has taught me is that we must understand that he cherishes us as the apple of his eye. Recently I came across something that said the words "reject," and "cherish," are antonyms or opposites. To reject something is the opposite of cherishing. God chose to cherish us rather than reject us. It's this grace that changes our hearts and empowers us to do the same for other people.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God has chosen to continually cherish us rather than reject us and we are asking Him to help us understand this and let it flow through us to others.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Ephesians 5:29 says for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church. The world has taught us to treat our bodies harshly, but we are supposed to nourish and cherish our bodies, which means taking a gentler approach.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This time of year is a reminder of a fresh start and new beginnings. This is a time when God often starts to move us to new levels. This time of year is a reminder to grow in the fruit of the Spirit.
Galatians 5:22-23 says But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
I once heard someone say that these are 9 not different types of fruit, but one fruit with many flavors. I think all of these should come together as a package when we are truly in step with the Spirit. During this time of year, important decisions often need to be made and we can use the fruit of the spirit as a filter to guide our decision making.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God planted a seed in our hearts that contains everything we need, including the fruit of the Spirit. And we are asking him to help us cultivate the fruit of the Spirit he put within us to a new level.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
We can also use the fruit of the spirit to guide our workouts. Are we taking an approach that is patient, gentle, self-controlled, etc.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This time of year is a reminder of a fresh start and new beginnings. This is a time when God often starts to move us to new levels and new levels usually means we need to grow. But we can rest assured that God will be gentle with us to help us grow. It is his gentleness that makes us great.
In 1 Thessalonians 2:3-8 Paul says...
For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 5 For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. 6 Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. 7 But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is gentle with us and we are asking him to help us be gentle with others in any times of mentoring and discipling.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Gentleness is also a key to fitness. Many people think that we have to destroy our bodies in our workouts but taking a gentle approach produces great results if we are willing to be patient.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This time of year is a reminder of a fresh start and new beginnings. This is a time when God often starts to move us to new levels and an important part of moving to new levels is growing in confidence before God.
1 John 3:19-23 tells us how we can be confident before God. It says...
This is how we know that we belong to the truth and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence: 20 If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we keep his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is greater than our hearts. And we are asking God to help us set our hearts at rest in his presence and get rid of any condemnation so that we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask because we keep his commands.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the keys to new levels in our workouts is growing in confidence. When we get to a place of confidence at a level in our workouts, it seems to cause a surge to the next level, and then we must grow confident at the new level.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This time of year is a reminder of a fresh start and new beginnings. This is a time when God often starts to move us to new levels. Part of moving to new levels is an increase in numbers.
In Leviticus 26:9-10 God promised the people who were in right standing with him ( which we have in Christ) the following...
“‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. 10 You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new.
In today's communion we are asking God to make us fruitful and increase any numbers in our life that need increasing.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the areas where it's important to see an increase in our numbers is in our workouts. Paying attention to and tracking the numbers in our workouts is an important part of progress.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This time of year is a reminder of a fresh start and new beginnings. This is a time when God often starts to move us to new levels. But sometimes starting new levels can feel overwhelming. New things usually mean there is learning to do and lots of new things coming at us that we are not as efficient at handling yet.
But, we can handle the overwhelm by God grace. He has grace available today for whatever is coming at us.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us handle overwhelm in a beautiful, graceful way by relying on him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
For many people, when they get overwhelmed their health and fitness takes a backseat because they are focused on other things. Health and fitness must be prioritized in these times, because it can be very easy to get off track when overwhelmed with other things.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
Last week we finished up the yearly cycle and started again. This time of year is a reminder of a fresh start and a new beginning. I have also found that during this time of year God initiates miracle transfers. He often opens big doors of opportunity and breakthrough during this time of the year.
When God opens doors it will take faith and courage to go through, and work on the other side, but his grace will carry us through.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Miracle Transfer.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
Lately I have been thinking about the concept of unbelief and doubt vs belief and confidence.
I think of unbelief or belief as the conclusion we have come to in our heart. Sometimes we are indecisive about what we believe, and as long as we are indecisive nothing happens. But when we make a decision to either believe or disbelieve, things start happening really fast. God gives us the choice as to whether we will believe his promises or not. And we could be undecided, which is also not good.
One of our first steps is to examine God's promises and decide whether they are really true or not. This is something I learned from Billy Graham. There is a story told at the Billy Graham Museum about a time when Billy was undecided about whether some of the promises in the Bible are really true, because people were trying to talk him out of believing that they were true. But he took his Bible out in the backyard, put in on a tree stump, and decided that everything in the book was true. He said that was the day that his life and ministry truly changed.
Once we have belief in place, then we must deal with doubt, because circumstances will arise that can cause us to doubt. I think the way we deal with doubt is to keep magnifying God, who he is and what he has promised us until we get to a place of confidence in his word.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for God's promises in Christ. And we are asking him to help us remove any unbelief and doubt that shouldn't be there, and to replace it with belief and confidence in him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the best places for us to practice belief and confidence is in our health and fitness. Start finding what God has promised us about health and keep putting those scriptures in our eyes, ears, and mouth.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
One of the names of God is El Shaddai, which means all sufficient one, or the God who is more than enough.
Recently we had some boards on our deck that needed to be replaced. When I went to Home Depot to buy replacement boards there were composite decking boards right above the wood, that matched the color of our deck exactly. As I was looking at the composite decking I felt like God was nudging me to redo our whole deck with composite, even though it would be more money.
So I called a friend who does decking and asked him for a quote to redo our whole deck with composite decking and the quote was just under $4,000. I wasn't sure if I wanted to spend that much money at the time, but it seemed like the best thing to do for our house.
Over the last several months I have been helping manage properties for other people and whenever work is needed, I usually don't do the work or pay for it. But I function in a type of trustee/manager role to see what needs to be done and organize the work.
Through this time God has been teaching me, that the things that he has given us, he sustains, but we manage in a trustee type of role. We take action to do what needs to be done, and trust that he will pay for it.
With all this in mind we had our deck redone. Once the work was done, I paid with a check. But before the check cleared, I received notice that we were getting an unexpected tax refund of around $7,500.
When God pays for something he is always more than enough. Isaiah 40:2 says that Jesus paid double for what our sins deserve.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand that he is more than enough. And to help us convert our understanding into knowing what to do.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
God is also more than enough in our health and fitness. If we will function as a trustee over our bodies and take action he will supply more than enough grace, energy, and strength to do the work.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
A scripture that is in both the Old and Testaments is that if we would see with our eyes, hear with our ears, understand with our hearts, and turn then we would see healing. The word for turn can also be translated as convert.
To convert is to transform or turn into. This month our message is understanding the times so that we know what to do. First comes understanding but, then we must convert that understanding into knowing what to do.
Conversion is an important part of our walk with God, but also really important in many other areas of life as well. For example, good ideas must be converted into action, money that comes in must be converted into things that put money to work, and in business leads must be converted into clients and customers.
In today's communion we are asking God to be great converters of the understanding that he gives us into knowing what to do, and great converters in every area of life.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our physical bodies nutrition that comes into the body must be converted into energy and then action and movement. Healthy digestion paired with physical exercise helps us convert this energy.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
The other day I was watching my daughter's youth soccer game and noticed that every time the ball would start coming to one of the girls they would stop running, and then the ball would go past them. Whenever someone would pass the ball to them, there was the tendency to hesitate and stop. But since the ball was moving, when they stopped, the ball would go right past them and usually to their opponent.
They haven't learned yet how to receive the ball in stride where they never break their momentum.
In a similar way I think God always tries to send things our way in stride, where it is seamless, and we keep moving without any breaks in the action. Recently I have seen a few people have some good opportunities come their way, but they hesitated, and the opportunities were missed. In some cases, I think we hesitate because we doubt or are unsure, but in other cases I noticed people hesitated because of greed and trying to make the situation even better for themselves, and they get in the way.
In today's communion we are thanking God for the amazing opportunities he sends our way, and we are asking him to help us receive what he has for us in stride without hesitation.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Through the years of working with people in the gym I have noticed that people also hesitate in their health and fitness. They wait for the perfect time to get started or they wait until they have the perfect diet or workout program to get started. Just get in motion and things will start happening.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Today is the 8th Day of the Feast of Tabernacles, which is a time to rejoice in the harvest and remember Jesus wants to give us rest in our soul. The 8th Day is like a new beginning, and it was referred to as the great day. Yesterday was the final day of the yearly cycle and it starts new today.
As we are reminded of a new beginning and a fresh start today it's a good time to ask God for his ancient paths.
In Jeremiah 6:16 is says, "This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls."
In today's communion we are asking God for the ancient paths and to walk in the good way, so that we find rest for our souls.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In the time we are living in health and fitness has become very complicated and even stressful. This is also a good time to ask God for the ancient paths and the good way for our health and fitness.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Today is Day 7 of the 7 Day Feast of Tabernacles, which is a time to rejoice in the harvest and remember Jesus wants to give us rest in our soul. Tomorrow is the 8th Day, which is like a new beginning, and it was referred to as the great day.
James 3:9-12 says...
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come blessing(praise) and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
In today's communion we are asking God to forgive us of any times when we have cursed other people, who were made in his image. And we are asking us to help us walk in praise and blessing consistently from this point on.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The yearly cycle is coming to a close today. This is a good time to look back at your progress in your workouts over the last year.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Today is Day 6 of the 7 Day Feast of Tabernacles, which is like a fall harvest festival, and it's a time to rejoice in the harvest. Tabernacles is a reminder of the Sabbath, and that Jesus wants to give us rest in our soul.
In Matthew 11:28 Jesus said that if we come to him he would give us rest. One of the biggest areas we must learn to rest in, is in our soul. The opposite of resting in our soul is toiling, worrying, trying to figure things out, and being frantic and out of control.
Something I have observed is that when I am toiling, frantic, or even rushing it steals time and actually makes me less productive. It's counterintuitive but resting in our soul allows us to be more efficient and productive while enjoying the process much more.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for rest in our soul. And we are asking God to help us receive his rest and live in his rest continually.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the ways to practice resting in our soul is during our workouts. While we are doing exercise we can practice staying at rest in our soul, which means totally calm, present, and under control. One of my goals in training is to be able to do more while being at rest in my soul.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
We are still in the 7 Days of the Feast of Tabernacles, which is a time to remember that God is tabernacling with us. Monday 10/17 is what is called the 8th Day, also known as the last great day. In John 7:37-38 it says "Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink. He who believes in Me [who adheres to, trusts in, and relies on Me], as the Scripture has said, ‘From his innermost being will flow continually rivers of living water.’”
The 8th Day is like a new beginning. The yearly cycle has come to a close and is starting over. It is a reminder of God's grace gives us a fresh start in life. As we cross through this day be prepared because new beginnings mean open doors to new opportunities.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... New beginnings.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
Today is Day 5 of the 7 Day Feast of Tabernacles, which is like a fall harvest festival, and it's a time to rejoice in the harvest. Tabernacles is a reminder that God is living within us, and he fills all in all.
This month we have been focusing on understanding the times so that we know what is best to do. Part of understanding the times, is understanding that the world is constantly changing. I believe God built constant change into the world so that it keeps nudging us to grow, expand, and become who he made us to be.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us be people who handle change in a beautiful, graceful way by relying on God tabernacling with us. We access grace by faith, and I always think of faith as making us adaptable to change.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our health and fitness we must also be adaptable to change. There will be times when we don't have access to our normal meals or workout equipment. In those times we must be adaptable and able to stay on track. I have found that these times can propel us to a new level if we handle them correctly, because they can help us break through plateaus.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Today is Day 4 of the 7 Day Feast of Tabernacles, which is like a fall harvest festival, and it's a time to rejoice in the harvest. Tabernacles is a reminder that God is living within us, and he fills all in all.
This month our focus has been on understanding the times, so we know what to do. Think about how much the world has changed over the last 100 years. The way we live, travel, communicate, do business, and so much more has greatly changed. Part of living a life of faith is how we respond to and handle change. The world is going to continue to change, and God can help us stay ahead of the rate of change, by understanding what is happening, and knowing what to do.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us keep up with and stay ahead of changing times.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Part of exercise is balancing consistency and variety. We need to be both highly consistent but also include some variety to keep things fresh. Little changes to grips, hand positions, the amount of weight lifted, reps, the tempo of exercises can all be ways to change things up and trigger new progress.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Today is Day 3 of the 7 Day Feast of Tabernacles, which is like a fall harvest festival, and it's a time to rejoice in the harvest. Tabernacles is a reminder that God is living within us, and he fills all in all.
Lately I have been thinking about mastering the moment. A big key to our walk with God is learning to become more present and aware of his presence, since he is tabernacling with us. It can be easy to become overwhelmed with our to-do lists, overwhelmed by all that needs to be done tomorrow or next week, overwhelmed by all of the demands of today, or even bogged down by reliving things from the past. And sometimes when we take action we are trying to speed through the moment, just to get to the next one.
Something that has helped me is understanding that I don't have to do everything at one time, just master the moment I am in. Then as we string together one moment to the next it helps us win each day. If you have some giants or mountains in the way, just focus on mastering the moment over and over again. It takes so much pressure of.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is tabernacling with us. And we are asking him to help us become masters of the moment so that we win each day.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the best ways to practice mastering the moment is in our exercise. Instead of doing 8 reps think of it as 1 rep 8 times, and master each rep.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Today is Day 2 of the 7 Day Feast of Tabernacles, which is like a fall harvest festival, and it's a time to rejoice in the harvest. Tabernacles is a reminder that God is living within us, and he fills all in all.
Lately I have been thinking about the verse from Romans 4:18-21 that says Abraham was fully persuaded that God was able to do what he promised. Part of God filling us is that he wants us to be fully persuaded in him. Here is the scripture...
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” Without weakening in his faith, he acknowledged the decrepitness of his body (since he was about a hundred years old) and the lifelessness of Sarah’s womb. 20Yet he did not waver through disbelief in the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God was able to do what He had promised.…
In today's communion we are asking God to help us become fully persuaded that God is able to do what he promised.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Abraham was strengthened in his faith. Faith can be weak or strong. One of the most important aspects of our fitness is strength.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Today is Day 1 of the 7 Day Feast of Tabernacles, which is like a fall harvest festival, and it's a time to rejoice in the harvest. Tabernacles is a reminder that God is living within us, and he fills all in all.
Acts 13:52 says, "the disciples were continually filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit." This was not a one time thing... they were continually filled.
In today's communion we are asking God to fill us continually with joy and the Holy Spirit.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The joy of the Lord is our strength, and being continually filled with joy, leads to faster progress in our workouts. Find the joy in movement.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Tonight starts the 7 Day Feast of Tabernacles, which is like a fall harvest festival, and it's a time to rejoice in the harvest. Tabernacles is a reminder that God is living within us, and He wants to fill us to a new level this year.
Luke 10:21 says "At that same time Jesus wasfilled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way."
In today's communion we are asking God to fill us to a new level with His joy.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
At my gym we used to have a special day during the Feast of Tabernacles called Play Like a Kid Again Day. We would play dodgeball, hopscotch, four square, double dutch jumprope, etc. This time of year, is a reminder that kids have many of the secrets to health. When was the last time we played like kids?
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This month we are focused on understanding the times, so we know what is best to do. The other day was the Day of Atonement, which was a day of fasting with no food or water. As we went through the day of fasting we emptied ourselves. I think of atonement as a deep cleaning and a reminder that Jesus emptied himself so that God can fill us with his spirit, wisdom, and joy.
Phillipians 2:6-8 says "Who(Jesus), existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross..."
Luke 10:21 says "At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way."
Today's communion is a time of gratitude emptied himself but was also full of the Spirit. And we asking God to fill us to a new level with His Spirit, joy, and wisdom.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
On the evening of 10/9/22 we start the 7 Days of the Feast of Tabernacles, which is like a fall harvest festival, and a reminder to rejoice because God is tabernacling with us. During this time the tradition is to eat stuffed foods like stuffed peppers, stuffed cabbage leaves, or things with filling as a reminder that God is filling us.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
One of our partners once told a story of being on a long hike and being totally exhausted. But then a song by Tobymac started playing and it reinvigorated him. In the song were the words, "empty never felt so full," and they took on a new meaning for him.
We just passed through the Day of Atonement and the 7 day Feast of Tabernacles starts on the evening of 10/9. During atonement we empty ourselves through fasting so that God can fill us to a new level with his Spirit and joy during Tabernacles.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Tabernacles: Empty never felt so full.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Recently we passed through the Day of Atonement, which was like the close of the year on God's calendar. As we think of the circle of the year coming to a close, it's important to remember that the circle is not meant to be empty... but filled.
Isaiah 45:18 says, "For this is what the LORD says— he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited— he says: “I am the LORD, and there is no other.
In the Old Testament God promised to make the people clean on the Day of Atonement. But we are not meant to be clean and empty out but rather filled with the power of the Spirit.
In Luke 4:14 after Jesus went through the 3 temptations in the wilderness it says "Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country."
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God wants to fill us with the power of His Spirit. And we are asking him to fill us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
On the evening of 10/9/22 we start the Feast of Tabernacles, which is like a fall harvest festival, and a reminder to rejoice because God is tabernacling with us. During this time the tradition is to eat stuffed foods like stuffed peppers, stuffed cabbage leaves, or things with filling as a reminder that God is filling us.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Today is the Day of Atonement, which is a reminder that Jesus is our High Priest. The Day of Atonement is like the major deadline for the year, and whenever a deadline approaches pressure increases, and time slows down.
Today is typically a total fast with no food or water until about 6pm. As I was thinking about this, I was reminded of the scripture Jesus uses during the 3 temptations in the wilderness, when he tells Satan that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
Jesus was quoting from Deuteronomy 8 and here are verses 1-3 for context.
Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God's word sustains us. He sustains everything through the power of his word. If you are doing the fast today, roll the pressure over onto God, as a remembrance that he can sustain us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In the Jewish culture they break the fast with bagels. Bagels are symbolic of the yearly cycle coming full circle.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
The Day of Atonement starts tonight at sunset. This is a time of year when there is often an increase in pressure. The Day of Atonement is like the major deadline for the year, and whenever a deadline approaches pressure increases, and time slows down. This time of year, is a reminder for us to persevere. And in Hebrews 11:27 it says that Moses persevered because he saw him who is invisible.
In today's communion we are asking God to open our eyes to see the invisible. There is so much happening in the unseen world and Moses was able to see with the eyes of faith what God was up to in the unseen world.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today is Day 9 of the Daniel Fast and the Day of Atonement starts tonight. The Day of Atonement is typically a total fast with no food or water from around 6pm tonight until 6pm tomorrow. In the Jewish culture they break the fast with bagels tomorrow night. Bagels are symbolic of the yearly cycle coming full circle. If you plan to do the total fast, then make sure to hydrate well beforehand and most importantly roll the pressure of it onto God. Rely on him to sustain you.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Hebrews 1:14 says "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"
Lately it seems that God keeps bringing to mind the concept of the spiritual world. In science it has been shown the visible spectrum of what we can see is only one billionth of the spectrum. We only see a tiny fraction of what is really happening in the world. Part of this unseen world is that God sends angels to minister to us.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God sends us his angels to minister to us. And we are asking for wisdom and understanding of how angels minister to us and for God to open our eyes so that we are more aware of what all he is doing for us in the unseen world.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today is Day 8 of the Daniel Fast. When we reach the 10th day which is the Day of Atonement, I do a total fast with no food or water. This year the total fast will start on the evening of Oct 4th and go through the evening of Oct 5th. If you plan to do the total fast, then make sure to hydrate well beforehand and most importantly roll the pressure of it onto God. Rely on him to sustain you.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
In October our focus is going to be on Understanding the Times and Knowing What To Do.
In 1 Chronicles 12:32 it says that the people of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do and the best course of action to take.
When we have understanding it leads to knowing, and as times change it takes understanding the times so that we know what to do in any given situation.
This month our prayer is that God would help us be people who understand the times, and His calendar, so that we always know what to do and the best course of action to take.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. A few months ago on one of our partner's zoom calls we discussed developing our calendar for the year of 2023. One of my goals is that we would be developing our calendar this month as we understand the times.
This is a time of year when there is often a lot of pressure. We are getting close to the Day of Atonement(Oct 4-5), which is like the major deadline for the year. There were times in the Bible when Jesus was under a lot of pressure such as his temptations in the wilderness and in the garden before going to the cross. In these times angels came and ministered/strengthened him.
The other day I had a busy pressure filled day and I didn't record a communion video that day because, other stuff kept coming up. I was getting ready to try to record a video, but I felt like God wanted me to have a personal time of communion with him. In that time, he began to show me that even Jesus needed to be ministered to. Hebrews 1:14 says "Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?"
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God sends us his angels to minister to us. And we are asking him to send his angels to minister to us and strengthen us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today is Day 7 of the Daniel Fast. When we reach the 10th day which is the Day of Atonement, I do a total fast with no food or water. This year the total fast will start on the evening of Oct 4th and go through the evening of Oct 5th. If you plan to do the total fast, then make sure to hydrate well beforehand and most importantly roll the pressure of it onto God. Rely on him to sustain you.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
The word communion makes me think of "common union." Something I feel like God has been showing me is that communion should be a time to celebrate our union with him, that we are one with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 says whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
One of the dictionary definitions of communion is the sharing or exchanging of intimate thoughts and feelings, especially when the exchange is on a mental or spiritual level.
1 Corinthians 10:16 says "Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?" Communion can be a time to celebrate our union with him and a reminder of our participation. We are not sitting on the sidelines watching God do everything, we get to participate and be part of what God is doing.
In today's communion we are asking God to remove anything that is blocking our oneness with him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today is Day 6 of the Daniel Fast. When we reach the 10th day which is the Day of Atonement, I do a total fast with no food or water. This year the total fast will start on the evening of Oct 4th and go through the evening of Oct 5th. If you plan to do the total fast, then make sure to hydrate well beforehand and most importantly roll the pressure of it onto God. Rely on him to sustain you.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
Today is day 5 of the Daniel Fast and the 10 Days of Awe that lead up to the Day of Atonement (evening of Oct 4-evening of Oct 5th).
The Day of Atonement is like a major deadline on the calendar. It was the one day of the year when the High Priest could go into the Holy of Holies and make atonement for the sins of the people. So a big emphasis was put on getting everything righted before that day. This time of year, is a reminder to be searching our hearts, following God's promptings, and taking action on what we know to do.
The Day of Atonement is a reminder that Jesus is our faithful high priest and he has cleansed us.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast & 10 Days of Awe
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Atonement or At-One-Ment
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Sometimes God puts us in disordered situations with the expectation that by his grace, power, and leading we can create order. Order is about being in the correct position at the correct time.
This time of year, I have found that sometimes we end up in some disordered situations, and as we take action and do what we know to do, God begins to put things in order. Things begin to fall into place, but we must take action.
In today's communion we are asking God to empower us by his grace to be people who create order out of disorder.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today is Day 5 of the Daniel Fast. If you have been doing the Fast, look how far you've already come. Looking forward to how far you have to go can be discouraging but looking back how far you've already come is encouraging.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
The other day I rolled my ankle really badly and I was in a fair amount of pain, so my wife suggested wrapping it in a bandage for compression before bed. After sleeping with my foot/ankle bound up I was woken up by these words running through my mind, " I came to bind up the broken hearted."
And thankfully my ankle was 80-90% better when I woke up in the morning.
Isaiah 61:1 says, "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners."
Psalm 147:3 says He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that Jesus came to bind up the broken hearted. And we are asking for understanding of this and to help us receive and walk in the work he wants to do in our hearts.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today is also Day 4 of the Daniel Fast. Years ago when I first started the Daniel Fast I was extremely strict... probably too strict. I was looking at labels on everything and checking the ingredients. Now I don't worry about any of that. The most important thing is that we do it from the heart. If we are seeking to honor God that is the most important thing.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Here is the replay from last night's zoom on the Financial Stewardship Challenge.
In September we are focusing on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Last night we did a recap of what we have done this month and we looked at finding investments that meet the criteria of growing in value, producing cash flow, and also being a blessing to people.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
We started this month by looking at the parable of the talents where the guy who multiplied the most money took action immediately.
Today is day 3 of the 10 Days of Awe, and these days are a reminder to take action. I have found that these 10 days can be some of the most productive days of the year. God has a way of slowing time down during this season, allowing us to get more done, but we must take action. When we take action and clear out our mental to-do list it helps us become clearer mentally and increases our ability to hear more clearly from God.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us be people who take consistent action and get things done so that we are clear to hear and clear mentally.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today is also Day 3 of the Daniel Fast. Jesus said his meat was to do God's will. This week is a reminder that our meat is also to do God's will.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Today is day 2 of the 10 Days of Awe. The other night as our family celebrated The Feast of Trumpets with apples and honey, I was reminded of a scripture from Song of Solomon 2:5 which says... Strengthen me with raisins, refresh me with apples, for I am faint with love.
During this time of year God wants to refresh us, and the apples with honey is a reminder of this. God gives strength to the weary and refreshes us.
In today's communion we are asking God to strengthen and refresh us so that we keep walking in love.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today is also Day 2 of the Daniel Fast. Something I have learned about the Daniel Fast during this time of the year is that it helps to remove excess pressure from the body so that our bodies are prepared for the change in season to the fall. This time of year there is often an increase in pressure, especially time pressure with deadlines and busy schedules. The Daniel Fast helps our body handle the pressure more efficiently.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
The Feast of Trumpets(also known as Rosh Hashana) was last night and today starts the 10 Days of Awe that lead up to the Day of Atonement. This feast is a reminder for us to live a resurrected life, by putting off our old ways and walking in newness of life. The Feast of Trumpets is a reminder that at the blast of the trumpet the dead in Christ will rise. Yesterday when I woke up, the words from Revelation 22:12 kept running through my mind... I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.
The words "I am coming soon," are the very last words of Jesus in the Bible, and they are meant to encourage us.
We started this month by looking at the Parable of the Talents, and when the master returned the good stewards were rewarded and given more.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that Jesus is coming soon, and his reward is with him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today starts the 10 day Daniel Fast.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
The Feast of Trumpets(also known as Rosh Hashana) is tonight. This feast is a reminder for us to live a resurrected life, by putting off our old ways and walking in newness of life. Tonight the typical tradition is to eat apples with honey to symbolize a sweet new year because tonight is like New Year's Eve in the Jewish culture. The Feast tonight also starts the 10 Days of Awe, which are 10 days to increase our awe of God for his majesty and splendor.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for the reminder we have in the Feast of Trumpets. And we are asking God to help us make any adjustments needed to walk in the new life Jesus paid for us to live.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The 10 Days of Awe are also starting. Tomorrow morning, I will start a 10 day Daniel Fast.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Yesterday we talked about writing what you want. In John 15 AMP Jesus says that if we abide in him that we can ask for whatever we want, so that God would be glorified and our joy would be full. In the AMP version one of the phrases that is used for abide is... vitally united.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us stay vitally united with Christ.
Here is John 15:5-9 AMP
]I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him bears much fruit, for [otherwise] apart from Me [that is, cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown out like a [broken off] branch, and withers and dies; and they gather such branches and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you [that is, if we are vitally united and My message lives in your heart], ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified and honored by this, when you bear much fruit, and prove yourselves to be My [true] disciples. 9 I have loved you just as the Father has loved Me; remain in My love [and do not doubt My love for you].
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The evening of September 25th is the Feast of Trumpets and starts the 10 Days of Awe. During this time every year I do a 10 day Daniel Fast. During these 10 Days of Awe let's also use our workouts as a way to stay vitally united with God.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) is coming up on the evening of September 25th. This night is like New Year's Eve in the Jewish culture and they typically celebrate with apples and honey to symbolize it being a sweet new year. Rosh Hashanah starts the final 10 days of Teshuva, which are called the 10 Days of Awe. It is during this time that I do a Daniel Fast every year.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast & 10 Days of Awe
This is a time of year to grow in our AWE of God.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... 10 Days of Awe
I am praying for you.
Daniel
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Recently I was reminded of something God has taught me to do in the area of finances... which is writing out prayers. The process of writing out what we are believing God for helps us to clarify our thinking, and the written document creates a marker in time of our prayer.
Here are a couple of ways to apply this into financial stewardship...
- At the start of the month review your forecasted income and expenses for the upcoming month and write out what you want.
- If there is something specific you are believing for, write out very precise details of what you want.
- In investing something I feel God is prompting me to do is write out the criteria of what I am looking for in investments.
After writing our prayers like this I like to print them, sign them, get in agreement with someone who will also sign, and take communion over the prayer.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The evening of September 25th is the Feast of Trumpets and starts the 10 Days of Awe. During this time every year I do a 10 day Daniel Fast. During the Daniel Fast I do typically workout each day. Depending on the day I do what I can do. The more we rely on God's grace to do the Daniel Fast the more we can typically do in our workouts. But the more we do it out of willpower the harder the workouts usually are.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Recently I feel like God has been prompting me to do a communion meditation on Ecclesiastes 11, where Solomon says to cast your bread upon the water. To be honest I am not sure what God is trying to show us in this passage, but many people relate these verses to investing.
In today's communion we are asking God for wisdom and insight into the following passage, and for help to walk out whatever he shows us.
Here is the passage from Ecclesiastes 11:1-7:
Cast your bread upon the waters for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.
If the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves on the earth, and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.
4 He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.
5 As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb[a] of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.
6 In the morning sow your seed, and at evening withhold not your hand, for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The evening of September 25th is the Feast of Trumpets and starts the 10 Days of Awe. During this time every year I do a 10 day Daniel Fast. To celebrate the Feast of Trumpets the tradition is to eat apples with honey on the evening of September 25th to symbolize it being a sweet new year, because this is like new year's even in the Jewish culture. After the apples with honey, I start my Daniel Fast the next morning.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
Here is the replay from last night's zoom on the Financial Stewardship Challenge.
In September we are focusing on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Last night we discussed multiplying money. Here is some of what we discussed.
- The key is to steward our resources together with God and our partners. Steward and make investment decisions in agreement with one another. This is the most important thing
- When investing look for both appreciation(growth in value) and cash flow (getting paid consistently)
- Money isn't supposed to sit doing nothing. One of the goals is to put money to work so that it is generating streams of income and growing in value over time.
- Invest in things you know and understand.
- Invest in people. Our scoreboard in life is to make other people great. God will lead us to investment opportunities that not only multiply the money but also are a blessing to others.
- Be looking for opportunities. In markets things get mispriced, either undervalued or overvalued. When things become undervalued that is the time to be aggressive.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
This week we are going to focus more on the multiplication aspect of stewardship. An important part of multiplying is multiplying our abilities to help, serve, and earn more. And the best way I have found to do this is to find a mentor. Find someone who is skilled in what you want to do and go learn from them. You can read their books, take their courses, spend time with them, or even work with them. This used to be the way people learned skills, they were mentored by actually doing the work with someone who knew how.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us multiply our abilities and if needed open doors of opportunity with mentors.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The evening of September 25th is the Feast of Trumpets and starts the 10 Days of Awe. During this time every year I do a 10 day Daniel Fast. While doing the Daniel Fast if for some reason you get off track, just get right back on track. There have been times when I've been doing the Daniel Fast and while eating at another person's house, they served something that wasn't on the plan. In those cases, I don't say anything about it and eat what is served. Then I get right back on track with the next meal.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
As we spend time with God and get to know him, he's going to teach us a new way to live. But then we must learn how to apply what he teaches us and walk it out consistently. One of the biggest areas that I wrestled with this was in finances, and I have observed that many Christians wrestle with how to walk out God's ways in their finances. It took me several years to understand how to apply what God had taught me into my finances consistently, and I am still learning.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk out what he is teaching us and to apply it consistently. And we are asking him to help us accelerate the process.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The evening of September 25th is the Feast of Trumpets and starts the 10 Days of Awe. During this time every year I do a 10 day Daniel Fast. In years past I have done the Daniel Fast out will power and self discipline, but this makes it pretty challenging. Over the last couple of years I have learned to roll the pressure of doing the Daniel Fast over onto God and rely on his grace. this makes it so much easier.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Sometimes God calls us to things that may look impossible financially, but he is not asking us to pay for it, he is asking us to trust him for it. Something I have learned is that when something is on God's plan for our life, God provides and will continue to provide to sustain it as well. So, a big question I have learned to ask, when facing bigger financial decisions is... Is this on your plan God? Because if it is then we can trust that he will provide for it and sustain it.
Recently I have started managing several properties for other people. With these properties I didn't pay for them, and I don't pay for any of the maintenance or improvements. My responsibility is to manage the property and multiply the returns for the owner. When something is needed financially, I make the arrangements, but I don't pay for it. We are in a similar situation with God.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that Jesus paid it all for us. And we are asking for understanding of how this principle impacts on our financial stewardship.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The evening of September 25th is the Feast of Trumpets and starts the 10 Days of Awe. During this time every year I do a 10 day Daniel Fast. One of the most challenging parts of the Daniel Fast for many people is removing caffeine. Recently I started cutting back my caffeine to about half the amount and will taper it down until the start of the Daniel Fast. Another thing that is helpful with removing caffeine is increasing vitamin C. In the body vitamin C detoxifies caffeine, and can make it less likely to get caffeine headaches.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
When it comes to money, an important concept is to keep it circulating. There can be times when there are things that we need and we may have the money, but we don't spend the money for what we need because we are fearful of running out of money in the future. We must learn to circulate money by faith, that God supplies our needs.
Money is relational, and our decisions with money impact other people. If we were to live on a remote island by ourselves and have all of our own food, shelter, etc we wouldn't need money. But in a community other people have skills that can benefit us and save us time. But if we try to do everything ourselves it limits us, wastes time, and also blocks the flow to other people.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God supplies all of our needs. And we are asking him to help us the understand the circulation of money and how it impacts our economy and community.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Circulation is also very important for health. To increase circulation, I do calf raises at the start of every workout. It's also important to circulate our lymphatic fluid, which has no pump other than our muscles, because it keeps our body clean and free from excess inflammation. Bodyweight exercises such as squats, pushups, situpts, etc are a great way to circulate the lymphatic fluid.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Many people associate hard work and money, but the two are not always related. There are some people who work really hard but don't make us much money as others who work less. Also, consider that a good or bad investment can make or lose a lot of money very quickly with little or no work.
This is not to imply that we should be lazy... because we have work to do. We are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. We are to work to fulfill his plan and purpose for our life and to be a blessing. And we can do so trusting that he will take care of us.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that we can trust God to take care of us financially. And we are asking for his help to understand money and effort.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
If something hurts one of the best ways I have found to rehab is to find what you can do with no pain and start there. Then gradually build it back up to full range of motion and then full strength.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) is coming up on the evening of September 25th. This night is like new year's eve in the Jewish culture and they typically celebrate with apples and honey to symbolize it being a sweet new year. Rosh Hashanah always starts the final 10 days of Teshuva, which are called the 10 Days of Awe. It is during this time that I do a Daniel Fast every year.
Download the Guide for the Daniel Fast & 10 Days of Awe
Teshuva = turning or repenting. This is an amazing time of year for answered prayer and making adjustments.
These 40 days are a reminder to make adjustments and course correct any areas that are off track. Part of making adjustments is that it starts with a decision. This time of year is a reminder to be bold and decisive. When we waver, we can't expect to receive anything.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Teshuva - Be Bold and Decisive.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Proverbs 23:6-7 says, Do not eat the food of a stingy man, do not crave his delicacies; for he is the kind of man who is always thinking about the cost. "Eat and drink," he says to you, but his heart is not with you. You will vomit up the little you have eaten and will have wasted your compliments.
Part of us becoming great stewards is getting rid of stinginess. We are called to be generous, but not wasteful. When Jesus multiplied the fish and loaves, he had the disciples pick up the leftovers.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us remove any stinginess we may have. And we are asking him to help us become more like him by becoming generous but not wasteful.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
It's important to get regular consistent training, but it's also important to play and have fun. Make sure to take a little time to walk, hike, or play sports, or do other physical activities you enjoy.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Proverbs 23:4-5 says, "Do not toil to acquire wealth; be discerning enough to desist. When your eyes light on it, it is gone, for suddenly it sprouts wings, flying like an eagle toward heaven."
We are not to be toiling to acquire wealth... We are to seek first the kingdom of heaven and His righteousness. But when we do this God promises to add things to us. Proverbs 10:22 says it is God's blessing that makes rich, and he adds no painful toil to it. We have work to do, but our work is to walk out God's plan and purpose for our life, and trust that he will add things to us.
I was reminded of this the other night while reading Bible stories with my kids. We read about Peter lending his boat to Jesus and then Jesus telling Peter to cast his nets into the deep waters. Peter had toiled all night and had no fish to show for it. But when he followed Jesus, he had more than he could handle and had to get his partners to help. God's blessing added to him without any painful toil.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God's blessing makes rich with no painful toil. And we are asking for his help to seek him first and to trust in his blessing to take care of us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The key to progress in our fitness is mastering the fundamentals. And an easy way to add some variety into the fundamentals is to change grips, stances, body position, or which equipment we use. For example, a simple bicep curl can be done standing, seated, kneeling, one arm at a time, alternating arms, with different grips and hand positions, and with dumbbells, barbells, bands, etc. All of these little changes can add a lot of variety.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
Here is the replay from last night's zoom on the Financial Stewardship Challenge.
In September we are focusing on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Last night we discussed management or making the most of the resources we have. Here is some of what we discussed.
- The key is to steward our resources together with God and our partners. Steward in agreement with one another.
- One of the first steps is to protect with emergency funds, insurance, business entities, and estate planning.
- How can income be raised? Expenses can only be cut so far but income can be raised exponentially.
- What expenses do everyone agree can be cut or changed?
- Can money be moved around to a better place?
- Can anything be restructured, refinanced, consolidated, etc?
- When making large purchases cash is not always the best option... Consider opportunity cost, debt, and cash flow.
- Develop the habit of consistently setting money aside every time income comes in.
- Use the partnership model whenever there is surplus. 10% to save, 10% to invest, 10% to give and split the remaining 70% with partners.
- Whenever there is a deficit stay in love, keep trusting, and give a memorial portion(just a small amount) as a reminder that God is with us and to keep us externally focused.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
One of the ways we steward what God has entrusted to us is by increasing income and the best way I have found to increase income is through ideas and relationships. There is a saying in the business world that you are just one idea and/or relationship away from a breakthrough.
As we spend time with God every day, he is going to give us creative ideas and our relationship with him will open doors. Then we must take action on those ideas and cultivate relationships by loving people well.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for God ideas and the doors of opportunity he opens for us. And we are asking for the ideas and relationships we need for breakthroughs to new levels.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Simple reminder today... results come through consistency. Nothing fancy needs to be done. Show up with presence every day and make a little progress and keep repeating until the breakthroughs come.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Isaiah 55:1 says, "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost."
This phrase "Buy Without Cost," has always intrigued me. How do we buy without cost? One way is that Jesus paid for us. We get to buy what he paid for. The other way we can buy without cost is if we purchase something of value and it makes more money than you paid for it.
Something I have learned is that whatever is on God's plan for our life he will sustain and pay for. We can buy without cost.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that because of Jesus we can buy without cost. And we are asking God to give us wisdom and understanding of how to buy without cost.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Workouts need to be prioritized because it is too easy for other things to get in the way. One of the things that has helped me the most is having a scheduled workout time that I think of as an appointment. And if you have a workout partner meeting you at the scheduled time it also ensures it gets done.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Revelation 3:17-18 has a passage that has always been interesting to me. Jesus tells the church of Laodicea...
You say, ‘I am rich; I have grown wealthy and need nothing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich,
Notice he doesn't give it to us... we buy it from him. How do we buy gold refined by fire from Jesus? My first thought is that we buy it from him with the currency of faith.
In today's communion we are asking God for wisdom and understanding of how to buy gold refined by fire from Jesus. And to help us buy it from him.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
One of the most important keys to health is rhythm. Our bodies love rhythm. How are you doing with your rhythms of connecting with God, eating healthy meals, getting your rest, and exercise.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Proverbs 8:18 says, with me(God and Wisdom) are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity.
Part of stewarding well is having the longer term in mind. There are many people who have come into a lot of money, only to lose it all a few years later. But God has enduring wealth, that lasts.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that with God and Wisdom are riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity. And we are asking Him to help us steward in a way that endures.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
We also want results in our health and fitness that last. It's also pretty common to see people make progress in their health or fitness and then fall of the wagon. We create lasting results by taking a gentle approach that builds our body over time so that the results last.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September are focusing on Financial Stewardship...becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
In my book "Pockets of Prosperity," one of the concepts is that in all of the different areas of life we need a personal breakthrough that progresses into the community so that it benefits others. But, often for this to happen there are some giants to take down.
There can be financial giants in the way of us stewarding well. These can be limiting beliefs, opposing forces, or tough circumstances.
To take down these financial giants we must learn to keep resting and trusting in God, even when we have pressure. Eventually HE will create the breakthrough, because we can't do it on our own.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us take down any financial giants we may be facing.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
There can also be giants in our health. Today, we are also asking God to help us take down any health giants we may be facing.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
We are in the 40 Days of Teshuva. Teshuva = turning or repenting. This is an amazing time of year for answered prayer and making adjustments.
These 40 days are a reminder to make adjustments and course correct any areas that are off track.
Acts 3:19 says, Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
When we repent and make adjustments it leads to refreshing from God's presence. This is a time of year when God wants to bring some refreshing or fresh energy to us.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Teshuva - Times of Refreshing.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
In September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
We are focusing on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
One of the keys to financial stewardship is protecting what God has entrusted to us, because love always protects.
As we look over what God has entrusted to us an important question to ask is... What risks are there in my finances?
Do you have insurance in place such as health insurance, car insurance, umbrella policies, life insurance, wills or trusts, business liability insurance, etc.
Also, if you have businesses or ministries are they structured properly with the right kind of entities?
Let's take some time over the next week to analyze how well everything is protected, because love always protects.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is love, and he always protects us. And we are asking for his help to show us how we can better protect all that he has entrusted to us.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
In our fitness, mobility helps to protect our bodies from injury. The goal is to restore our ability to move like little kids. The other big thing that helps protect our bodies is speed. Many injuries that occur have a speed component, where the body wasn't prepared for something that happened quickly or didn't have the ability to brake quickly. Mobility, speed, and a good set of brakes are all important for protecting the body.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
We are focusing on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
When I was writing my book 7 Dates With Jesus, there was a time when the word "Yield," kept jumping out at me for several days. And then one day I heard these words... Yield to the anointing for wealth.
Yesterday God reminded me of this. The reminder came in the form of one of my daughters resisting my wife and I while trying to help her with her homework. She had the ability to get the homework done in just a few minutes, but she was fighting us on it and refused to do the work.
She would not yield to the ability God placed within her and she was making life hard on herself.
God has given us an anointing for wealth, but we must stop resisting it and fighting against it because we are often making life harder on ourselves. We must be willing to yield to God and allow him to do the work through us.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for the anointing for wealth he has given us. And we are asking him to help us understand this anointing so we can yield to it.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
There is also an anointing for health that we must yield to. We must learn to stop fighting and rebelling against it and yield to it by allowing God to do the work in our bodies.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
Here is the replay from last night's zoom on the Financial Stewardship Challenge.
In September we are focusing on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Here is what we discussed last night...
- Part of stewarding with God is using our money according to His will... which is to do good, build others up, and build relationships.
- Money is relational... We can't buy, sell, give, or receive alone.
- Jesus tells us to use money to make friends.
- In all financial transactions (including giving), how we make people feel matters.
- 4 Keys to finances are... Being decisive and taking action, staying in a rhythm with God and understanding money has a timing component, trusting God and becoming trustworthy, and paying attention to the flow of money.
- Partnership is the table turner for finances. It takes the pressure off and makes everything easier.
- If we get anything out of this challenge it should be to steward finances with our partners. Partner with God, spouse, business and ministry partners and make all decisions together.
- Set up a basic financial structure with an operating account, savings account/emergency fund, and a storehouse.
- Get tracking and accounting in place so that we can manage together and make good decisions.
- Implement a financial rhythm of daily tracking income/expenses, weekly review of cash flow with partners, monthly accounting and decisions with all partners agreement, yearly cycle big picture decisions and vision.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
We are focusing on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
An important key to stewarding finances is understanding the flow of money. There are several levels of financial flow to consider...
- When people are fearful, they tend to hoard money and hang onto it which slows down the flow of money in the economy because money is relational. We must learn to keep circulating money out of faith and trust in God.
- Cash flow is really important. We must learn to make financial decisions with cash flow in mind, and a big part of cash flow is the timing of when money is coming in and going out.
- The flow of money through our financial accounts or structure is also important. How can we set up the flow of money to provide for better accounting while also reducing liability and taxes.
In today's communion we are asking God for wisdom and understanding of the flow of finances. And we are asking for his help to become highly skilled in managing the flow of finances so that we increase the capacity for more to flow our way.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Lately we have talked about bringing our best to the workouts while also making them beautiful. These two concepts when put together really increase presence. And presence is what I call the grace table turner that allows God's grace to flow at a new level.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
We are focusing on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Trust is one of the biggest keys to both finances and stewardship. All financial transactions require trust, and when trust is high money flows. When we exchange money with others, we want to know that they are going to do what they said, are skilled and knowledgeable, are not going to rip us off, and that they have good intentions.
Part of our role in being stewards is becoming highly trustworthy... which means we need to keep our word, be highly skilled and knowledgeable, and have good intentions to be a blessing in all transactions. The more trustworthy we are the more money flows to us.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is the ultimate example of someone who is trustworthy, and we can put our full trust in him. And we are asking for his help to become highly trustworthy people.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
I once heard a high-level bodybuilder talking about the importance of his body trusting him, which meant he would take a gentler approach with his health and fitness rather than trying to force the body to change. If we think about our bodies being symbolic of the body of Christ this makes a lot of sense. Jesus wants his body to trust him, and he is gentle with us.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
We are focusing on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Stewardship means we are managing God's resources, and he wants his will done with his resources. One of the tests I believe we must pass is learning to walk in love consistently even when people wrong us financially. Emotions are one of the strongest drivers of emotions for most people. If you mess with people's money, they will usually let you know pretty quickly.
But, as stewards of God's resources he has called us to a higher standard of walking in love consistently. When someone wrong's us financially, we can let it go and forgive, because we trust that God will make it right.
In today's communion we are asking God for wisdom and understanding of why walking in love by trusting God is so important. And we are asking him to help us walk in this at higher and higher levels from this point on.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
About once every 7-10 days I have been doing a very short workout that alternates between calf raises and farmers walks for 3-6 rounds. This workout is great if you are pressed on time or if your body is a little tired and needs to be refreshed.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
Over the next month we are going to focus on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
An important step in finances is to build some margin into our budget, where things are not so tight all the time. Something I have learned is that when we build margin into the budget, God's grace seems to flow. Margin allows you to handle the unexpected in a graceful way.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand the connection between margin and grace. And we are asking for his help to build margin into our budgets consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
We can also build margin into our workouts. Do your best and make your workouts beautiful but leave a little margin.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
In September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
We are going to focus on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Our first step was taking accounting by listing out all of your current assets, liabilities(debts), and expected expenses and income for this month.
Yesterday we talked about taking quick action on the things we know to do because... Money Likes Speed.
But how we make decisions with our finances is very important. I view partnership as the table turner for finances. It is the one thing that can turn finances around faster than anything else. But this means that all financial decisions need to be made in full agreement with all of the partners.
Our first partner is God. If you are married, your spouse is the next partner that must be in agreement with all decisions. If you have business partners, partners in ministry, etc then decisions need to also be made in agreement with the partners.
If you get anything out of this Financial Stewardship Challenge, I believe the most important thing is to make stewardship decisions with your partners. Make Decisions Together!
For example, in my family's finances all decisions need to be made by bringing God and my wife into the decisions. If one of us doesn't agree, then we don't take that action. I have learned that a whole lot of financial issues can be avoided, and breakthroughs start happening if we get this right.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God wants to be our financial partner. And we are asking for his help to get this principle of partnership and agreement right, and to walk in this consistently from this point on.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
When travelling, bodyweight exercises are great. Calf raises, the mobility routine, stretching, squats, pushups, sit-ups, lunges, burpees, and mountain climbers can all be done with no equipment. If you are a beginner one set of squats, pushups, and some kind of ab exercise every day can keep you on track. If you are more advanced, try a 10-15 minute circuit of rotating through various bodyweight exercises with shorter rest breaks between exercises.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
We are almost a week into the 40 Days of Teshuva. Teshuva = turning or repenting. This is an amazing time of year for answered prayer and making adjustments.
These 40 days are a reminder to make adjustments and course correct any areas that are off track. It's also a reminder to DO WHAT YOU KNOW TO DO. What are you procrastinating on? This is the time to take action
One of the areas of focus on taking action is in the area of finances. This month our focus is on financial stewardship. Are there any financial steps that you know to take... specifically any relationships that are being strained because of financial reasons. If so, how can you take a step to make it right?
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Teshuva - What do you know to do?
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
In September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
Over the next month we are going to focus on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
One of our first steps is to take an accounting of what has been entrusted to us.
Here is an action step to take sometime over the next couple of days...
List out all of your current assets, liabilities(debts). Then list your expected expenses and income for this month.
We will talk more about what to do with these this month.
While we are working on this step, here is an important principle for Financial Stewardship... Money Likes Speed.
Having had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with millionaires and a few billionaires these people make fast decisions when they know what to do. They don't drag their feet.
This month we are going to be looking at the Parable of the Talents and the Parable of the Minas as examples of stewardship.
In the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:16 it says that the guy who received the most talents... Went at once and traded with them.
The other guys didn't go at once.. they waited around.
In today's communion we are asking God for understanding of this principle of money liking speed. And we are asking for His help to walk in this consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Today's principle also applies to health and fitness. Many people know what to do but they procrastinate. Are we taking consistent action on what we know to do in our health and fitness?
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
n September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
Over the next month we are going to focus on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
One of our first steps is to take an accounting of what has been entrusted to us.
Here is an action step to take sometime over the next couple of days...
List out all of your current assets, liabilities(debts). Then list your expected expenses and income for this month.
We will talk more about what to do with these this month.
For some people looking at financial statements is not their thing.. so in today's communion we are asking God for help to become consistent in tracking our finances.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Let's take an accounting of our health and fitness. How are we doing in our fitness... Where are we currently on basic things like ability to do pushups, pullups, squats, situps, endurance. Also, if your not doing so already let's start tracking the weights and reps in your workout.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
This month our challenge was to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
Here is what we have worked on so this month.
- Bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God
- Connecting spirit, soul, and body
- Connecting with our loved ones.
- Connecting with our community.
Here are a few of my key takeaways from this month...
- Connecting spirit, soul, and body helps to see God's beautiful solutions show up in our lives. His solutions are the perfect seamless fit.
- Don't force connection take a gentle natural approach.
- Think of catching and throwing bids as playing defense and offense. When we catch bids from others, we are playing defense and defending them from hurt, frustration, anger, etc. We can play offense by proactively looking for a way to be a blessing.
- A connected community takes the pressure off of one another and increases the capacity for more to be done.
At the end of our session last night, we took communion as a time of gratitude and celebration for the ways we saw God show up this month. And we asked for his help to stay in the rhythm of connection moving forward.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
In September we are starting a new focus with The Financial Stewardship Challenge...
Over the next month we are going to focus on becoming great stewards who manage, multiply, and greatly increase all that God has entrusted to us.
Here is the schedule for our live zooms on Tuesdays at 7pm EST...
- 9/6/22 - Understanding Stewardship and Systemizing our Finances
- 9/13/22 - Money Management
- 9/20/22 - Multiplying Money
- 9/27/22 - Wrapping it Up & Sharing our results.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for all God has entrusted to us. And we are asking for his blessing on this challenge and for his help to become highly skilled stewards who are very consistent and trustworthy.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Our bodies are another thing we can steward. As we meditate on financial stewardship, lets also take a moment to evaluate how we are doing in stewarding our health.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Register for the Financial Stewardship Challenge Here - If you are already a partner you don't need to register.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
Here is what we have worked on so far...
- Bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God
- Connecting spirit, soul, and body
- Connecting with our loved ones.
This week we are focusing on connecting with our community.
Today's communion is a much shorter and very simple one... but also very powerful. Today we are focusing on peace and joy during our time of communion. Something I have learned is that when we are truly in faith, peace comes right along with it. The two go together. And when we are present there is joy. Therefore, peace and joy can be our indicators of taking communion with faith and presence.
As we take communion today, let's ramp up our gratitude for the body of Jesus, which should lead to a great level of peace immediately during and after taking the bread. Then while taking communion let's rejoice that his blood has washed us and cleansed us and given us a fresh start today.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
When this peace and joy is flowing it will do amazing things for your health.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
Here is what we have worked on so far...
- Bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God
- Connecting spirit, soul, and body
- Connecting with our loved ones.
This week we are focusing on connecting with our community.
At the start of The Connection Challenge a client shared some new research with me about how when we take a moment to think of other people our hearts begin to entrain with one another and beat on a similar rhythm.
There have been times where I would bring people I knew to mind while praying and it would start a chain reaction of bringing someone else to mind, then someone else, etc.
And praying like this seemed to build a connection with those people because after praying our paths would often cross in unexpected ways.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that by thinking of God our hearts can get into rhythm with his. And we are asking for understanding of why he created this principle and for help implementing this concept consistently the way he intended us to so that we better connect with him and others.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Lately we have talked about the concept of bringing our best to the workouts while also making it beautiful. It seems there is a grace that comes on the workouts when this is implemented that allows for better performance in the workouts while also recovering much faster.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
Here is what we have worked on so far...
- Bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God
- Connecting spirit, soul, and body
- Connecting with our loved ones.
This week we are focusing on connecting with our community.
One of the verses that started off The Connection Challenge this month is 1 John 1:7 which says that if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with God and with one another. One of the biggest shortcuts to walking in the light is simply to be thankful. But thankful for what?
Colossians 1:12 says we should be... Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.
Today's communion is a time of joyful thanks to the Father for qualifying us to share in the inheritance in the kingdom of light. And we are asking him for understanding of why giving joyful thanks is such an important part of walking in the light and for help to walk in this consistently.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Lately we have talked about the concept of bringing our best to the workouts while also making it beautiful. A way I have been thinking about this is by implementing a cycle of varying reps in the workouts.
Here is the cycle of days I have been using...
Day 1: Do 1 set of the prescribed reps on the Daily Communion Workouts
Day 2: Do 2 sets of half the reps. For example, instead of 8 reps do 2 sets of 4 reps. Set 1 uses a lighter/medium weight. Set 2 is aims for the best set of 4 reps.
Day 3: Do 3 sets. First set is half the reps of day one. Set 2 and 3 are a quarter of the reps. For example, 8 reps becomes 4, 2, and 2. Aiming for the best set of 2 reps.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God, connecting spirit, soul, and body, and connecting for our loved ones.
This week we are focusing on connecting with our community.
One of the verses that started off The Connection Challenge this month is 1 John 1:7 which says that if we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship with God and with one another. We have talked a lot about walking in the light over the last year and one of the biggest shortcuts I have found to walk in the light is simply to be thankful.
Being thankful in all circumstances helps us stay positioned in the light so that we have fellowship with God and with one another. It takes a decision each day to stay positioned in thankfulness.
Today's communion is a time of thankfulness for the sacrifice of Jesus. And we are asking God for help to quickly turn around any areas that we have been unthankful.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
The hands were made to secure things. Whenever you have a weight in your hand focus on gripping it firmly and securing the weight. This also helps strengthen the hands, which is shortcut for strengthening the whole body.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
The 40 Days of Teshuva start tomorrow 8/27/22. Teshuva = turning or repenting. Teshuva is an amazing time of year for answered prayer and making adjustments.
The next 40 days are a reminder to make adjustments and course correct any areas that are off track. Something to pay attention to is anything that is knocking us out of thankfulness. If you find yourself stepping out of thankfulness turn it around quickly.
These 40 days are also a reminder of God's standard for our lives... To do good all the time.
We all have a tendency to retaliate, avoid people, or give others the silent treatment when others wrong us, but this time of year is a reminder that God has gave us grace even when we didn't deserve it and we are to do the same for others. We can turn tough situations around by choosing to handle them in a beautiful, graceful way.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Teshuva - Turn it Around
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
P.P.S. It's not too late to join the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God, connecting spirit, soul, and body, and connecting for our loved ones.
This week we are focusing on connecting with our community.
One of the keys to effectively connecting with our community is developing our communication skills. Communication involves reading, writing, speaking, listening(probably the most important), and body language. Also, how we communicate is just as or more important than what is said.
One of the best ways I have found to develop communication skills is scribing and reading out loud from the Bible. Hand copying a paragraph or two of scripture every day helps us become better writers and thinkers. And it is ancient Jewish wisdom that the best way to become a better speaker is to read out loud from the Bible. It is also important that we pay attention to our tone and always season our words with grace.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us grow in our communication skills so that we can better connect with our community.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Recently I was moving some dumbbells from the gym to a truck. That day was a very busy day and I wasn't able to do my normal workout. But I carried heavy dumbbells back and forth several times... also called farmers walks. The next day my body felt very refreshed, and I had a great workout that day. So something I have started doing, is once in a while to do a bunch of farmers walks for my workout. Pick up medium to heavier weights and walk around with them for a while. This seems to have a refreshing effect on the body.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God, connecting spirit, soul, and body, and connecting for our loved ones.
This week we are focusing on connecting with our community.
I always think of purpose and community being linked together, because our purpose is meant to serve our community, and our community helps to bring our purpose to pass... It can't happen in isolation.
One of the concepts in business, real estate, and investing is...The highest and best use. Often evaluations will be done to determine if there is a more optimal use of resources, time, energy, etc. In order for us to truly serve our community at a new level we need to be functioning in the highest and best use that God designed us for.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for God's plan and design for our lives. And we are asking him to help us gain clarity on our highest and best use and to start functioning in it from this point on.
Today's Health and Fitness Tip
Yesterday we talked about... the best and most beautiful. We have reinforced quite a bit the importance of making our workouts beautiful, but it's also important we bring our best. Combining our best with making it beautiful brings a whole new level of presence to the workouts.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
Last night we started part 4, which is to connect with our community, and we started with a verse from Ephesians 3:10-11 about God's intent.
His(God's) intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.
God's intent is that the church(the body working together in unity) would make the manifold or multifaceted wisdom of God known.
One of the ways this happens is through building a culture of unity and working together, and the key to culture is coming around the table, doing life together. When we work together we see the manifold wisdom of God show up, because we have access to other people's gifts, knowledge, experiences, and network and it becomes multi-faceted.
But the key to making all of this work is trust. To work with God or one another we must trust. When we don't trust we can't rest and stay focused on our role. When we don't trust we feel like we have to do everything ourselves, which can be overwhelming.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God, connecting spirit, soul, and body, and connecting for our loved ones.
This week we are focusing on connecting with others and our community.
Lately the phrase keeps coming to mind... The best and most beautiful.
Jeremiah 3:19 says...
How gladly would I treat you like my children and give you a pleasant land, the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’ I thought you would call me ‘Father’ and not turn away from following me.
In Ezekial chapter 20 it also says that God searched out the best and most beautiful land in the whole world for his people. God's heart is to give his children the best and most beautiful.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God wants to give us the best and most beautiful. And we are asking for wisdom and understanding of what he has in mind for us and to help us receive all that he has for us.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
We have talked a lot about making our workouts beautiful, but we haven't talked much about the "best" part of this phrase. I feel like something God is showing me is that these two concepts need to be combined and we can practice this in our workouts. How can we do our best while also making it beautiful? Hopefully there will be more to come on this soon.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God, connecting spirit, soul, and body, and connecting for our loved ones.
This week we are focusing on connecting with others and our community.
I once heard a business coach say that the key to having full schedule or thriving business was to become a connector... or person who connects others to what they need. How can we become people who connect others with God, answers they need, or the right people? Becoming a connector means being present, listening, and developing understanding and then helping connect people to things that would be helpful for them.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us become amazing connectors for other people.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Something I have been thinking about with the workouts is having a single goal for the day, and the goal may rotate. This goal gives purpose and direction for the day and keeps things new and exciting.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God and on connecting spirit, soul, and body.
This week we are focusing on connecting with our loved ones.
As we seek to better connect with others there may be times when others don't reciprocate the connection, which can be frustrating because connection takes 2 sides working together. If others are connecting with you even though you are trying, watch out for frustration and magnifying the disconnect, because it can be easy to build this into something bigger in our mind.
Something I feel like God has shown me about this is to focus on our connection with God and bringing our connection with God to others. This way we are focused on our connection with God and building a bridge to others, rather than magnifying when others don't connect with us.
In today's communion we are asking for wisdom and understanding of how it takes two sides to connect. And we are asking God to help us take our connection with him into connecting with others.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
We have talked about the difference between working out and training. Training means having a purpose and plan rather than going through the motions. The other day I was playing tennis with my daughter, and we were hitting back and forth with no real structure. Then I suggested we see how many times we could hit the ball back and forth without having a break in the action. As we did this it caused both of us to focus on a new level. All of the sudden we were training rather than just hitting back and forth. Be thinking of ways we can apply this concept into our workouts and other areas of life.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God and on connecting spirit, soul, and body.
This week we are focusing on connecting with our loved ones and one of the best ways to do this is by eating meals together. There is something about eating meals together that helps build connection. I think it goes back to the principle of communion, which is sharing a meal with God. But it is important that when we eat meals together, we are present, and actually connect.
In today's communion we are asking God for help to eat meals consistently with our families and for his grace to multiply the connection we experience in those meals.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
A very simple thing that can make a big difference in our workouts is having a good workout partner. A good workout partner will help to bring the best out of you in your workouts.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
The 40 Days of Teshuva are coming up soon starting on 8/27/22. Teshuva = turning or repenting. Teshuva is an amazing time of year for answered prayer and making adjustments.
August is a time of increased heat and pressure. You may notice an increase in pressure in your life, especially in the area of time, where it seems like a lot of demands are coming at you. The pressure helps to remind us that in Christ, God has taken the pressure off of us. The increased pressure is a reminder to simplify and roll the pressure onto him. And we are supposed to be doing the same for other people.
This week we are focused on connected with our families on a new level. An important concept I am learning for connection is... Pressure blocks connection.
As we focus on connecting with our families this week here is a great question to ask... Am I adding demands and pressure to my family members or taking pressure off of them?
The world is not lacking for people who will put demands and pressure on us. Therefore, it is very refreshing when someone takes the pressure off of you. Let's be people who refresh others by taking some pressure off of them, just like God does for us. But be careful that you don't absorb the pressure... Roll it over to God. It comes as an act of his grace.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Take the Pressure Off My Family
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God and on connecting spirit, soul, and body.
This week we are focusing on connecting with those closest to us by honoring their attempts to connect with us. When loved ones ask you to do something with them or start a conversation with you these are bids(opportunities to connect). Our goal this week is to catch at least 80% of all their bids. And we also want to become great at throwing bids.
To throw bids means we are going to proactively look for opportunities to do good for our loved ones. How can we keep them from problems and give them the desires of their heart. Yesterday we said God always catches all of our bids. He also throws bids our way. He tries to connect with us and he looks ahead into our life to prevent problems and give us the desires of our heart.
One of the best ways to throw bids is to use our imagination before bed to envision other people's day. As we do this, we can see opportunities to be a blessing and overwhelm them with good. Another great way to do this is becoming an excellent listener. As we listen intently, our loved ones will give us clues about the things they really desire in life. When we hear their hopes and dreams, we can make a note and find a way to help bring them to pass.
Today's communion is a time that God catches all of our bids, and he is always looking for ways to connect with us, keep us from pain and problems, and to give us the desires of our heart. And we are asking for help to become more like him in this and to continue to grow in this starting today.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
If you are ever having a day when you don't feel like exercising, try the following... Do one very easy set of an exercise. After this first set the body will usually wake up a little and then you can do a 2nd set with a little more intensity. Doing 2-4 rounds of this is a great way to start small and ease into the workout on days when you aren't feeling it.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God and on connecting spirit, soul, and body.
This week we are focusing on connecting with those closest to us by honoring their attempts to connect with us. When loved ones ask you to do something with them or start a conversation with you these are bids(opportunities to connect). Our goal this week is to catch at least 80% of all their bids and throw some bids their way.
As we improve at catching bids it helps us become more like God, because he always catches our bids. Imagine going to God and him ignoring you or telling you to come back later because he's busy...He doesn't do this to us. God is also not scrolling on his phone pretending to listen as we talk to him. He is ever present.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God always catches our bids and we are asking him to help us grow to a new level in catching bids with our loved ones.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Sometimes there will be pain or tightness in the body and the more it is stretched it just becomes worse. This is usually a signal that the tissue is bound up and has some knots in it. During these times light massage and touchpoints to break the area free are the first step and then stretching will help.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
Last night we started part 3 of the Connection Challenge which is to connect with our loved ones.
Here are a few ways for us to better connect with our loved ones.
- Share meals together
- Spend a few minutes before bed imagining their day and looking for ways to be a blessing.
- Catch 80% of all bids they throw your way. Bids are their attempts to connect with you such as asking you to do something with them or starting a conversation with you. When they attempt to connect, and we don't catch the bid it is dishonoring and discouraging.
- Throw bids their way in a style that they like. What makes them feel cherished... Quality time, acts of service, physical touch, etc? How can you connect with them in the way they prefer?
A couple of key things to remember about connection is to be more present and to use a gentle approach. Often, we try to force connection... Instead take a more natural and gentle approach. Initially these things will take a little effort to implement but the goal is that eventually they will become a natural part of our day. Also, keep in mind that if you try to connect with others and they don't catch your bid, to stay encouraged and keep doing good, because there will be the tendency to get discouraged.
One last concept to think about... How can you be a person that takes pressure off of others rather than applies more. Applying pressure to people often blocks connection.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God and on connecting spirit, soul, and body.
This week we are focusing on connecting with those closest to us by honoring their attempts to connect with us. Catch at least 80% of all their bids and throw some bids their way.
Psalm 44:2-3 says...
With your hand you drove out the nations and planted our fathers; you crushed the peoples and made our fathers flourish. It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them.
Our theme for this year has been The Year of the Beautiful Land. And recently God has given me some greater insight into the beautiful land, which is the inheritance he has given us in Christ. We don't possess this land through our own efforts. The victory comes as an expression of God's love for us, from his right hand and the light of his face.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for the inheritance God has given us in Christ, given to us through his great love for us. And we are asking for a greater revelation of his love and the light of his face so that His love can flow through us to others, starting with those closest to us.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Our bodies have an amazing ability to be restored. If an area of the body needs to be restored the key is to take consistent action on what you know to do and can do safely without pain. When we start small and keep taking action it is amazing how the body can be restored. The hardest part of this is humility and staying encouraged because we often want to push to make it happen faster which only slows down the progress, and we get discouraged because it takes a little time.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
So far, we have worked on bringing a new level of awe and presence to our time of connecting with God and on connecting spirit, soul, and body.
This week we are working on connecting with our loved ones and those closest to us.
We are going to do this with remembrance and using our imagination to cherish them. The definition I use for cherishing is... To keep people from pain and give them the desires of their heart.
This week we are going to use our imagination and remembrance to better cherish our loved ones.
In Hebrew the word "zakar," means remembrance in action. It is remembrance that stirs to action. For example, imagine a man's anniversary is coming up. If he remembers the anniversary but doesn't do anything for his wife, she will think he forgot. But, if the guy remembers and buys flowers, takes his wife on a date, etc then his remembering was paired with action.
Jesus said as often as we take communion to "remember," him. I think the remembrance he is looking for is remembrance with action. He wants us to remember him so that we live in a way that rests and trusts in him.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us walk in a greater level of remembrance with action from this point on in our lives.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
In the workouts there will be high and low days. Low days are days when we don't feel like working out or have a busy schedule and have to find a way to get it in. These low days are often the key to better high days. Keep showing up with presence and joy on the low days and it will lead to new bests and breakthroughs.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
This week we are connecting Spirit, soul, and physical body with 10 minutes each day of combining journaling, listening to music, praying in the Spirit, and physical movement all at the same time.
Some people believe that living a life of faith means we will never have problems, but this is not the case. Jesus said in this world we would have troubles, but to be of good cheer because he has overcome the world.
Psalm 34:10 says "The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all."
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God delivers us from all troubles.
The other day I was reminded of the story of when Melchizedek(who is symbolic of Jesus) brought bread and wine to Abraham after winning a battle. When we are facing issues and problems, it's good to take communion as a way to remember that God delivers us from all troubles. And it's also good to take communion again after he delivers us from troubles as a time of gratitude and giving him the glory.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
The other day I was practicing connecting spirit, soul, and body in my workout. One of the ways to connect these three is through our breathing. I began to notice that sometimes my breathing was forced. And I began to focus on making it more natural, which made everything feel easier. Whenever connect spirit, soul, and body be gentle with it and make it more natural. Don't try to force it.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
This week we are connecting Spirit, soul, and physical body with 10 minutes each day of combining journaling, listening to music, praying in the Spirit, and physical movement all at the same time.
Yesterday was a jam-packed day for me, so today's communion is a little simpler. Since it was a busy day, I did what I would recommend for anyone with a busy schedule. When life is busy it's important to take at least a few minutes to slow down and simply remember God is with us. A few minutes of connecting spirit, soul, and body or taking communion during a busy day can be a great way to keep us on track.
Today's communion is a time to remember the sacrifice of Jesus and that because of him we have been connected to God.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Because of the busy schedule I shortened my workout. Here is what I did...
- 1 Set of Calf Raises
- The Daily Mobility Routine
- 1 Set of 50 seconds of Burpees
- 1 Set of 4 reps of power clean + front squat + shoulder press
- 16 steps of walking lunges with dumbbells. As I stood up from the lunge I curled the dumbbells to my shoulders and pushed them overhead.
- 6 Broad Jumps
- 1 farmers walk carrying dumbbells.
This took 10-15 minutes and my goal was to connect as many movements as possible into one movement to shorten the time.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
August is a time of increased heat and pressure. You may notice an increase in pressure in your life, especially in the area of time, where it seems like a lot of demands are coming at you. The pressure helps us to remember to turn these areas over to God. This week we are focusing on connecting Spirit, soul, and body by taking 10 minutes each day to journal, put on music, praise, and pray in the Spirit, and move our physical body all at the same time.
This 10-minute exercise teaches us a new way to handle the demands and pressures of life as it teaches us to turn it over to God, with something physical we do. When we have a lot of pressure this 10-minute exercise is one of the best things to do, because it will make us so much more efficient and fit everything together seamlessly.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... How Do I Handle Pressure?
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
This week we are connecting Spirit, soul, and physical body with 10 minutes each day of combining journaling, listening to music, praying in the Spirit, and physical movement all at the same time.
Lately the word "fitting," seems to keep standing out to me.
The other day we talked about how fitting it is to praise God(Psalm 147:1). And yesterday we looked at Proverbs 10:32 which says, "The lips of the righteous know what is fitting."
Today we are looking at 1 Corinthians 14:40 which says everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
As we connect spirit, soul, and body each day I think it helps us fit everything together in a seamless beautiful way.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is a God of order and peace. And we are asking him to help us do everything in a fitting and orderly way.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
The order of our exercises in our workouts makes a big difference. There is a pattern in the Bible which says, "Be strong and do the work." I try to follow this pattern when designing workouts. After warming up it is usually best to start with strength focused exercises because they wake up and activate the body, which makes it easier to do the work.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
This week we are connecting Spirit, soul, and physical body with 10 minutes each day of combining journaling, listening to music, praying in the Spirit, and physical movement all at the same time.
Proverbs 10:32 says, "The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked is perverse."
There are many scriptures talking about the lips of righteous.. for example the lips of the righteous nourish many and are like choice silver.
Yesterday we said that praising God is fitting meaning that it helps to bring into our lives God's beautiful solutions that are the perfect fit.
If we are in Christ, then he has made us righteous, so this promise in Proverbs 10:32 is for us.
This verse tells us that our lips always know what is fitting, meaning we know the perfect thing to say in a given situation.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that Jesus has made us righteous. And we are asking God to help us walk in this promise of always knowing the right words to say.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Our goal this week is to connect spirit, soul, and physical body. Our daily workouts are another way to do this. Use physical exercise as a way to honor God with your body and learn to rest while he does the work.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
Last night we started part 2 of the Connection Challenge which is to connect our Spirit, Soul, and Physical Body.
For many of us who are seeking after God in our lives there is often a disconnect. We see all of the amazing promises that have been given to us in Christ, but we don't see the result of these promises showing up in our lives.
It is through connecting Spirit, Soul, and our Physical body that we see accelerated results.
The Spirit is the inner core of who we are, and the soul is the mind and emotions. Much of what God has done for us has taken place in our spirit and we must build a bridge in our soul to connect our physical bodies and see the results showing up in our lives.
Here is a 10 minute exercise to do each day this week to practice connecting Spirit, Soul, and Physical Body.
- Grab a pen and paper or something to take notes with.
- At the top of the paper write down a problem you need help with, an area where you have stress, or a question you need an answer to.
- Then put on music that you enjoy.
- While the music is playing pray in the Spirit or praise God while also moving your body. To move your body you can walk, dance, or do your workout.
- While praying in the Spirit to the music and moving your body start to take notes on whatever comes to mind.
- Do this each day for 10 minutes. My indicator that I really did this well is feeling more energized and a sense of flow by the time I am done.
This short exercise is very simple but it is one of the best things I have found for increasing energy, improving health, increasing productivity, and it helps connect Spirit, Soul, and Physical body.
This is also training us with a different way to solve problems instead of toiling and stressing.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
This week we are connecting... Spirit, soul, and physical body. One of the best ways for us to connect spirit, soul, and body is through praise.
Psalm 147:1 says Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
The Hebrew word for "fitting," in this verse can also be translated as beautiful, seemly, or lovely.
I believe something God is showing me is that when we praise him it helps us to connect and fit everything together in our lives seamlessly and beautifully. Praising him expands our capacity to receive beautiful solutions to problems we face. Beautiful solutions are ones that we can never make happen on our own. They come from above and they are the perfect fit at the perfect time.
The word seamless reminds me of the clothing of Jesus at the cross. His clothing was seamless, woven from top to bottom. The word for top to bottom is the same word used when Jesus says we must be born from above.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God has beautiful solutions that he sends from above and they are the perfect fit... seamless. And we are asking him to help us expand our capacity to receive these beautiful solutions through praising him.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Let's focus on making our movement seamless and beautiful. This is one of the shortcuts I have found to experience God's grace flowing in our lives.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
Over the last week we have been prioritizing connecting with God. Tonight at 7pm EST on our live zoom in the Connection Challenge we are going to discuss how we are a 3 part being... Spirit, soul, and physical body, and how these three are meant to be connected and function as one.
1 Thessalonians 5:23 says, May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I think of our spirit as the inner core of us or the inner person of the heart and our soul being our mind and emotions. The soul is the connector between the spirit and the body. Renewing our mind and learning to rest in our soul can be one of the greatest ways we create a bridge that allows all of the good things God has put in our spirit to flow through us.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us understand how we are a 3 part being and how the 3 parts are meant to function as one.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
In our physical exercise breathing is a connector. Coordinating our movement and breathing helps to unite our entire spirit, soul, and body during exercise. Inhale through the nose during the recovery part of movements and exhale through the mouth through the exertion.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. If you have already registered for the Connection Challenge the zoom link for tonight will be sent out later today.
If you haven't registered yet, you can use the link below to join us tonight.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
This week we are prioritizing connecting with God.
In Job 36:3-4 a young man named Elihu is speaking to Job, and at the end of the book of Job, Elihu is the only who God doesn't rebuke for his words. Elihu says, "I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker. 4 Be assured that my words are not false; one who has perfect knowledge is with you."
God is perfect in knowledge. I always think of knowledge as knowing what to do at the perfect time. Sometimes situations change and the right thing to do changes as well. Knowledge gives us the ability to know what to do in any situation. And God is perfect in knowledge.
Colossians 2:2-3 says My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is perfect in knowledge and in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And we are asking God to help us connect with the perfect knowledge that is hidden in Christ and walk in it from this point on in our lives.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Most people know what to do when it comes to health and fitness. Inside we know, but we often have trouble walking it out. Nothing fancy is needed, basic fundamentals practiced consistently with focus and presence.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
This week we are prioritizing connecting with God.
The other day one of our partners sent me a YouTube video with a song about the majesty of God. Then later that night I was reading Psalm 145 which is about the majesty of God. Majesty is beauty, dignity, or being worthy of praise. Here are a few verses from Psalm 145:3-6
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. 4 One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. 5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works. 6 They tell of the power of your awesome works— and I will proclaim your great deeds. 7 They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
These verses reminded me of a few scriptures from the book of Revelation.
Revelation 4:11 -“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
Revelation 5:12 - “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
To connect with God on a new level I think it's important to bring a higher level of honor for him to our times of connection. And the more we understand his majesty and how worthy he is of praise the more we can honor Him.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for the majesty of God and that he is worthy of praise. And we are asking God to give us a greater revelation of his majesty.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Our bodies have many parts, but they are meant to work as one. As you go through your exercise pay attention to the oneness of the body and to coordinating your movement and breathing as one.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
This week we are prioritizing connecting with God.
Romans 12:10-11 says... Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another. 11 Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.…
Honor leads to connection. When we have honor for God and other people it makes connection much easier, because pride and arrogance block connection.
As we seek to connect with God this week, let's bring a new level of honor into our time with Him.
Today's communion is a time to honor God for who he is and all that he's done. And we are asking Him for help to walk in a higher level of honor for him and one another from this point on in our lives because honor leads to connection.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 says... You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. 20 God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God.
One of the ways we can honor God is with our physical bodies. Let's use physical exercise to honor God.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
As we move into August, kids are going to back to school and new rhythms and routines often start. This is a time of new beginnings. Over the last couple of months there may have been the tendency to drift away from the fundamentals. This is a time to get back to the basics and refocus. All through this week if you find yourself drifting off track keep reminding yourself to refocus. it is a skill to learn to make fast adjustments. This month we are focusing on connection, so this is a time to refocus on prioritizing connection.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Refocus.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
P.P.S. It's not too late to join the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge
This month our challenge is to connect on a new level... With God, our purpose, our loved ones, and community.
This week we are prioritizing connecting with God.
In every opportunity for connection, we are either trying to connect or we are trying to get away. We have all probably had those times when someone is trying to connect with us, but we want to be doing something else, or our mind drifts, and we pretend to be listening even though we aren't present. We are there physically but we are really in another world. We aren't really connecting, because we are trying to get away.
Busy schedules, distractions, fear, insecurities, and all kinds of other things keep us from connecting because we want to get away.
This week our challenge is to connect with God on a new level. Here is a way to practice connecting this week...
While reading the Bible, praying, listening for God, and connecting with him pay attention to any times you feel like you are trying to get away. As an example, I have had times when I sped through my Bible reading or prayers in order to check them off the list for the day rather than for truly connecting with God. Part of creating a deeper connection with God is approaching him with deep honor and reverence. Each day take a moment to think about who God really is before reading the Bible, prayer, etc and bring a sense of awe into your connection with him each day.
In today's communion we are thanking God for his help in connecting with him on a new level. And we are asking him for help to identify all of the ways we are trying to get away from and avoid connection. We are also asking for his help to bring a greater level of awe to our connection with him,
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
We can do our workouts with the goal of getting it over with or checking the box to say we did it. But the goal is to connect with God and experience him doing the work. This means being more present with him in the workout. When the workout is done this way, it is so much more enjoyable, and it produces better results.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This week our challenge is to connect with God on a new level. Something I have been doing to help with this is to have a journal by my side while reading my Proverb every morning and taking notes. Yesterday I was reading Proverbs 3 and verses 7-8 really stood out. Here is what they say...
Proverbs 3:7-8 -Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring healing to your body and refreshment to your bones.…
This verse reminds me of James 4:7 which says, "Submit to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Step one is to fear the Lord, which means to honor and have reverence for him. Then we can resist or shun evil, and it will bring healing to our body.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for having God in our life and that he can bring healing to our bodies. And we are asking him to help us walk out fearing him and shunning evil in our lives so that it brings healing to our bodies and refreshment to our bones.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Our focus is connecting with God this week. Let's use our workouts as a time to connect with him. Practice being more present with him in your workouts this week.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in the Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
This month of August we will be doing the Connection Challenge. In the Connection Challenge we are going to pick one area each week to focus on taking our connection to a new level.
This week our challenge is to connect with God on a new level.
To connect with God on a new level we can do basic things like taking communion, reading his word, praying, praising, listening for him, and thinking about him throughout the day.
What I want us to focus on this week is the way we do these things. We can read our Bible to check it off the list for the day or we can read it to truly connect with God. It is the way we practice these things that leads to connection. In order to connect with God on a new level this week be more present with him, listen to understand, and keep him top of mind throughout the day.
August's Journal Filter (To write at the top of your journal each night)... Prioritize connection
I am praying for you!
Daniel
P.S. If you would like to join next week's live zoom you can register with the link below.
- Click here to register for the Connection Challenge
- The zoom link will be emailed to you every week.
Recently a verse from Hebrews 10:5 keeps coming to mind. Jesus says, "Sacrifices and offering you did not desire, but a body you have prepared for me." I feel like God is trying to show us something about the phrase... A body you have prepared for me.
Here is Hebrews 10:5-7 for a little more context...
Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me;6 with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. 7 Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’’
These verses remind me of Romans 12:1 which says, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
In today's communion we are asking God for wisdom and understanding of these scriptures and what they practically mean for us today. And we are are asking him to help us turn our bodies into a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to him.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Physical exercise is a great way for us to practice turning our bodies into a living sacrifice. Workouts can be a time to connect with God and honor him with our body. For me the goal of physical exercise is connecting with God. The other benefits such as improved health and fitness, getting leaner, gaining muscle are all great side effects.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. It's not too late to join us in The Connection Challenge.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
I used to have a baseball coach who was an excellent hitting instructor, and he would always teach that if the beginning and the end of the swing were in the correct place that everything in the middle would tend to workout. This is a Biblical principle, because Jesus is the beginning and the end. But Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 7:8 that the end of a thing is better than the beginning.
Finishing things is better than starting. Sometimes we are good at starting things but not so great at finishing them. But Jesus is the author and the finisher of our faith, and he can make us great finishers.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that Jesus is the beginning and the end and the author and finisher of our faith. And we are asking for his help to be great finishers by looking unto him.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
In workouts we often do finishers. I think of our Daily Communion Workout as having 3 sections... General fitness, weight training, and recently I have been adding a cardio section at the end. At the end of each phase I like to do a finisher that works the entire body together. In the general fitness section this is 50 seconds of a cardio exercise. In the weight training section this is Farmers walks. And the cardio section at the end is a finisher in itself.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Recently I have been meditating on Ephesians 6:8 which says, "knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive this back from the Lord, whether [he is] slave or free." The context of this verse is doing our work as if serving God rather than people.
This verse says.. We should KNOW that whatever good we do we will receive back from the Lord.
But, when do we receive it back from the Lord? Here are a few verses on the timing of when God does good.
- Psalm 84:11 -No good thing does he(God) withhold from those who walk uprightly.
- Proverbs 3:27-28 - Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act.
- James 4:17 - Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
God doesn't wait to give back to us, that would violate his Word.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that whatever good we do we receive back from the Lord. And we are asking God for insight and understanding of all that he is sending back to us and for help to receive all he is sending our way.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Part of the goal with physical fitness is training our bodies to be more responsive to training. Taking a gentle approach helps our bodies become more responsive to training so that we get better and faster results.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Next week we are starting The Connection Challenge to connect with God, our purpose, our loved ones, and our community on a new level.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
In July our message was Confidence Through Praise. For me personally this was probably one of the most impactful lessons we have done. Through praising God consistently and filling up the basket of praise we can grow more confident in our faith.
Through the month I began to implement a very simple routine of praising God both morning and evening. In the Old Testament temple David said he was given plans in writing from the hand of God for how everything was to run. Part of the plan was the Levites were to stand praising God both morning and evening.
This is something I started implementing for a few minutes in the morning and before bed. I would praise God for who he is, all that he has done for us in Christ, and all that he has done for me personally, including things I am believing for but haven't seen the answers show up yet.
Doing this consistently seemed to greatly increase my capacity to believe God and my confidence in him grew a lot. It felt like my capacity to receive from him was greatly expanding on the inside.
This is a very simple practice that only takes a few minutes per day, but it can be life changing. It's also important to remember that the praise needs to be physically expressed through our bodies and not just thought about. This helps to unite our entire spirit, soul, and body.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for who God is and all that he's done. And we are asking for help to keep growing in our praise of him so that our capacity to receive from him continues to expand.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Expanding our capacity to do more work is a big part of fitness. It comes through consistent repetition at the basic fundamentals.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Next week we are starting The Connection Challenge to connect with God, our purpose, our loved ones, and our community on a new level.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
Recently I have been thinking about a couple of scriptures that tell us to lay hold of what God has given us. Here are the scriptures:
Philippians 3:12 - Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
1 Timothy 6:12 - Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God has given us eternal life. In the original Greek language eternal life is "zoe," life, which is the life and vitality of God himself. And we are asking God to help us lay hold of "zoe," life and that which Jesus laid hold of us for.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
It's important to remember that progress comes in waves, and waves have a top and bottom. There may be times when it seems like no progress is happening, but that just means you are building back to the top of the wave again. We have a teaching called Points, Waves, and Cycles that says if you master the points( in fitness this would be executing the workout with presence) then it leads to waves of progress and sets in motion a virtuous cycle of good.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. Next week we are starting The Connection Challenge to connect with God, our purpose, our loved ones, and our community on a new level.
Register for the Connection Challenge here.
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
Recently we had a Yearly Cycle reminder that God's favor surrounds us like a shield and is on us for a lifetime. His favor produces opportunities. This week is a reminder to be looking for opportunities to connect, help others, and be a blessing. Sometimes these opportunities come disguised as problems or difficult people. But these are opportunities to see God's grace flow. God is sending amazing opportunities every day, but we often miss them because we are too busy doing our own thing.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Look for Opportunities.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
P.P.S. The Connection Challenge starts next Tuesday. This is an opportunity to connect on a new level with God, our purpose, our loves ones, and the community around us.
Register for the Connection Challenge
1 John 4:16-18 says, "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."
The other day I was in a discipline situation with one of my kids. She knew it was discipline time and so she was scared of me and was trying to hide. When I saw this happening, I knew I needed to make a change and approach the situation with gentleness because perfect love drives out fear, fear having to do with punishment.
Taking a different approach to the discipline turned it into a great time of connection, and a noticeable change in her.
God wants us to run to him instead of away from him, when we miss it, and it is perfect love that drives out fear. I have learned that it should also be the same with our children. We should want them to run to us rather than away from us when they miss it. And this requires a different approach.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God is love, and in this world, we are like Jesus. And we are asking God for help to walk in his perfect love from this point on in our lives.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
In fitness there are two thresholds that I think of. The first threshold is the amount of exercise needed to produce results. Which is usually showing up with presence and doing what you know to do, but then there is another threshold that we don't want to cross, this threshold is where we have done too much, and we are into over exerting. The key is to be between these two thresholds. Enough exercise to produce results but not so much that it wears us out.
This principle applies to many other things as well. For example, in nutrition we want to have enough nutrients and food to provide energy, support health, and build/retain muscle, but not so much food that we store body fat.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
In my book "The 8th Date," there is a section at the very end of the book that talks about circles and shadows. To be honest this section of the book is something God taught me and contains some precise math, but I haven't fully understood how to walk in what he showed me yet.
But lately he keeps bringing the idea of circles back into mind because we have been talking about planning. An important part of planning is accounting for all of the variables. And when thinking of the variables I have found it's helpful to think of a circle surrounding the plan and looking for all the different areas that could be problematic.
When we completely wrap the circle, it means we have light shining from every angle and the shadows/blind spots are removed.
In today's communion we are asking God for help to understand this concept of wrapping areas and plans with circles and to help us walk in this consistently.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
One of the ways to start practicing wrapping circles around areas is with nutrition and fitness. For example, in fitness when we see someone who is strong but lacks flexibility, symmetry, or endurance or someone with great endurance but lacks strength and power we realize something is off. To wrap a circle around our fitness is to account for strength, speed, power, mobility, flexibility, endurance, control, coordination, and symmetry of the body. I have learned that when we account for all of these it does make light shine and accelerate results.
The same can be done in nutrition. Are we accounting for water, vegetables, fruit, the emotional state we eat in, meal timing, carbs, proteins, fats, micronutrients, probiotics, and the colors and flavors of food.
One shortcut I have found for all of this is to make it beautiful. Make your workout or meal beautiful and it helps to wrap the circle.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Over the last couple of weeks, I feel like God is showing me that the most important thing he wants with our program the Abundant Life Blueprint is for it to be a thriving community of people. Thinking of community reminds me of doing science homework with my daughter a few years ago. She was learning about the difference between a population and a community. The science book said a population is when everything is the same... For example, a population of deer. But a community implies diversity and an entire ecosystem.
To me a community is a group of people working in unity toward a common vision, contributing their unique gifts, talents, and experiences to help one another and build something that can't be done in isolation. A healthy community makes our lives richer.
In Genesis 48:3-4 Jacob said to Joseph, “God Almighty appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and there he blessed me and said to me, ‘I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers. I will make you a community of peoples, and I will give this land as an everlasting possession to your descendants after you.’
In today's community we are asking God to make us into a thriving community of people.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Regular consistent workouts are important but so is playing. One of the best and most fun ways to increase activity is by finding active hobbies or games like hiking, golf, tennis, raquetball, basketball, etc that you enjoy.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
2 Corinthians 13:9 says, "We are glad whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is that you may be fully restored."
And 2 Corinthians 13:11 says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you."
These verses are translated different ways such as strive or aim for completion, maturity, or full restoration.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that there is fullness in Christ. And we are asking God for full restoration.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Our bodies have an amazing ability to be restored. It starts with believing restoration is possible, then take the first step you know to do. Start small, be patient, and watch it be restored over time.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
In Matthew 12:43-45 Jesus said, “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.
Lately we have talked about how to make sure we keep the gifts and answers to prayer God sends our way. In the scripture above, Jesus said that a person was set free, but then they ended up losing it and becoming worse off. The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable, meaning he won't take them away, but they can be stolen from us. Lately God has been teaching me about holding fast our confession and staying filled up. This means that when we keep remembering what he did by praising him for it, it helps us to keep everything he sends our way. A good practice for us to develop is spending a few minutes every day remembering what God has done in our life and that he won't take it away, because it will help us hold fast and stay filled up. There is fullness in Christ and praise helps us stay positioned in him. It's also important we stay filled up with his word.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for all God has done in our lives and that his gifts and call are irrevocable. And we are asking him for help to stay filled up and overflowing consistently from this point on in our lives.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
After every workout I like to go for a walk with God. This is also a great way to stay filled up with the Spirit. I like to walk and pray in the Spirit as a way to connect with God and stay filled up.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
The other day we talked about how to make sure we keep the gifts and answers to prayer God sends our way. For example, I have heard of many stories where people were healed by God but then the symptoms came back. The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable, meaning he won't take them away, but they can be stolen from us. Lately God has been teaching me about holding fast our confession. This means that when we keep remembering what he did by praising him for it, it helps us to keep everything he sends our way. A good practice for us to develop is spending a few minutes every day remembering what God has done in our life and that he won't take it away, because it will help us hold fast to what we have.
Here are a few scriptures to meditate on today about holding fast...
Revelation 2:25 Nevertheless, hold fast to what you have until I come.
Revelation 3:11 I am coming soon. Hold fast to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Romans 11:29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for all God has done in our lives and that his gifts and call are irrevocable. And we are asking him for insight into holding fast to what we have and help to walk this out from this point on.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Our fitness is a great way to practice holding fast. All kinds of things will come up to keep us from sticking with an exercise routine. Busy schedules, travel, not feeling like exercising, etc can all be reasons to skip workouts. And working with clients for many years I can tell you that it's very easy for people to miss one workout, then two, then the next thing they know they are out of rhythm and out of the habit. Hold fast to your workout schedule. Keep showing up even on the days when it isn't convenient. Do what you can on these days and hold fast.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
This is a time of year when light is increasing. During this time of the year, I have found that God often expands the vision. He helps us see things in a new light which expands the vision of what he has called us to do. I believe his plan unfolds over time because if he showed it all to us at once it would be overwhelming. Spend some time connecting with him this week on the vision and plan he has for your life.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Expand the Vision.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
When God brings breakthroughs or answers to prayer into our life how do we make sure we keep them? For example, I have heard of many stories where people were healed by God but then the symptoms came back. Lately God has been teaching me about holding fast our confession. This means that when we keep remembering what he did by praising him for it, it helps us to keep everything he sends our way. A good practice for us to develop is spending a few minutes every day remembering what God has done in our life, because it will help us to keep walking the answers he sends and not lose them.
Here are a few scriptures to meditate on today about holding fast...
Hebrews 3:6 but Christ was faithful as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end.
Hebrews 3:14 For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end,
Hebrews 4:14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.
Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for all God has done in our lives. And we are asking him for insight into holding fast our confession and for help to walk this out from this point on.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
One of the most important keys to seeing God's grace flow is learning to give grace to ourselves. And this is often one of the hardest lessons for us to learn. We tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves and beat ourselves up when we mess up. Exercise and nutrition is one of the best ways to practice giving ourselves grace. Is the pressure to eat right and exercise on us or on God? When we miss a workout or have a bad meal do we give ourselves grace and let it go or do we beat ourselves up over it.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Recently we have been talking about planning, winning at the game of life, and building community( I think we win as a team). As I was thinking about these things, the phrase "Game Plan," kept coming up to me and then the other night on our Partner's zoom call without me saying anything about the phrase "Game Plan," one of our partners closed out our zoom with prayer and he asked God for the "Game Plan."
When I used to coach college baseball we would review the scouting reports and then develop the Game Plan based on our players strengths and weaknesses and the opponents tendencies.
To develop our Game Plan for Winning at the Game of Life, we need to account for our strengths and who we are in Christ but also account for our opponent. We have an enemy that is trying to stop us and he has tendencies. He likes to bring strife, confusion, doubt, lies, create disorder, and apply pressure to our finances/health/time.
Another big part of developing the Game Plan is how we will make adjustments if needed. In sports the higher up you go the faster you must make adjustments.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God already has the Game Plan. And we are asking him for the Game Plan for Winning at the Game of Life.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
An important part of fitness is being adaptable when traveling or when you don't have access to your normal equipment. It's important to have a game plan for what you will do when pressed on time or you have to make adjustments to your normal workouts.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Recently the phrase "Winning at the Game of Life," keeps coming up to me. As I was thinking about this, I was reminded of playing a card game called Rook. In my family we would always play rook at family get togethers. In Rook there are 2 sets of partners playing against each other for a total of 4 players. Each hand has a possible total of 120 points and each player bids on how many points they think they can win, with the highest bidder being in the lead for the hand. The high bidder gets an extra 5 cards from the "kitty," that can be used to improve their hand. The high bidder also gets to set the trump suit for the hand, which is the suit of cards that beats every other suit.
Earlier this summer we had a family get together and played a lot of rook, and then I wanted to test something out so I found an app I could play online. I started testing what would happen if I won every single bid, even if I had to bid really high and I had terrible cards. I tested this out for a while and found that I would win 75-80 percent of all the games that I played by simply winning every bid. The only time I wouldn't bid was if I was sure my partner was going to win the bid.
I think winning at rook is a lot like winning at the game of life. Here are some of the correlations...
Even when I had terrible cards I would bid and usually win the hand because I had a partner and hidden help from the kitty. In life we get to partner with God and other people and they can be strong where we are weak. We also get the hidden help of God working behind the scenes.
Winning the bid meant getting 5 extra cards from the kitty, but then 5 cards have to be put back into the kitty before starting the hand. In this process I have learned to always simplify my hand. My goal was always to only have 2 suits of cards. For example, it's not good to have diamonds, clubs, and hearts. I was always willing to get rid of really high cards if it meant I could simplify down to 2 suits because having 3 or 4 suits makes you more likely to get beat if the opponent has trump cards.
In life I think we also need to simplify. Sometimes we need to let go of good things for great things.
In Rook and in life the order that we play our cards really make a difference. You can have great cards but play them in the wrong order and lose.
The other big learning lesson is to stay in control and in the lead. In rook whoever plays the first card of each round dictates the suit for that round. Therefore, if your opponent is in the lead it can be really hard to get back into control and the game can get away from you real fast.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God always causes us to triumph in Christ. And we are asking him for help to win at the game of life.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Lately I have been implementing a 4 day workout cycle that alternates between lighter and heavier days. I have found that this works really well. The lighter days help with recovery, but more importantly they provide an opportunity to improve technique on the fundamentals. The improvements in the fundamentals make the heavier days better. I think of it as a day to work on building a solid foundation followed by a day of working toward the next level. The combination of the two seems to work very well.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
When I was writing my book "7 Dates With Jesus," I had a time when God was teaching me about his favor and I felt like he wanted me to record the date, which was July 19th, 2014. Every year since then it seems God reminds me of his favor whenever July 19th comes around. The Psalms tells us that God's favor is on us for a lifetime and it surrounds us like a shield. And the Proverbs tell us that favor is better than silver or gold.
2 Corinthians 6:2 says, "In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation."
In today's communion we are asking God for wisdom and understanding of the favor we have with him and what it means for us. And we are asking for his help to walk in ever-increasing levels of his favor from this point on in our lives.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
After my workouts I like to finish by going for a walk with God. And lately I have been adding some sprinting into these walks so that it turns into a type of interval training. I started with just one slower speed sprint and have been building my way up to more sprints and faster speeds.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Today's video has a little different format to add a little variety into our Daily Communions.
So much of what we experience in life comes down to our daily rhythms.
In today's communion I felt like God wanted me to share my daily rhythm for connecting with him. The key to rapid growth is total immersion and this is what total immersion has looked like for me. I don't pretend to have it all figured out, but I do know that implementing the following on a daily basis will cause very rapid growth in your connection with God and your personal development.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us refine and establish great daily rhythms that accelerate our growth by staying connected to him.
Here is a typical day for me...
Morning
- Upon waking up the first words out of my mouth are... "Let there be light." This is a way we can imitate God's first words spoken and this little thing makes a big difference.
- Then spend a few minutes praising God for who he is and all that he has done. Think through the names of God. He is love, light, faithful, a great king, our righteousness, the one who sanctifies us, our peace, an ever-present help, more than enough, the God of all grace, our healer and provider. Then praise him for all he has done. He created the heavens and the earth, sent us his son to die for our sins, poured the cup of his wrath onto the body of Jesus, raised him from the dead and put the same power that raised him from the dead in us. Then praise him for what he has done personally in your life. Praise him for things you haven't seen the results of yet but have turned over to him in prayer.
- Pray the Daily Prayer we use in the Daily Communion Meditations.
- Next is Bible reading. Start with one chapter from the book of Proverbs based on the day of the month. For example, today is July 18th so today would be Proverbs 18. Then read 2-4 pages of the Bible and read it like a book, picking up wherever your bookmark was left. Then I read 1 page out loud from my own handwritten copy of the New Testament.
- While cooking breakfast listen to faith building messages (this can be a time to listen to the Daily Communion Meditation)
- Then I typically record the days communion meditation.
Middle of the Day
- Execute the plan for the day and pay attention to symptoms... Do I have peace and joy, am I positioned in the light, am I magnifying the right things, am I doing what I know to do or am I toiling in my mind or procrastinating.
- After lunch is 2-4 pages Bible reading again wherever my bookmark was left.
- In the afternoon I do the Daily Communion Workout and finish by going for a walk with God.
- In the middle of the day, look for opportunities to be listening to faith building messages or music while driving, cooking, etc.
Evening
- Scribe and read out loud from the Bible. I started with the New Testament until I had my own handwritten copy.
- Read 2-4 more pages of the Bible wherever my bookmark was left.
- Praise God for a few minutes in a similar way as the morning.
- Stretch before bed.
- Journal - Filters at the top, then gratitude, then magnifying the wins for the day, then recapping what God was teaching me, then planning the next day.
- Read one Psalm before bed.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Lately we have been talking about planning and the concept of plotting vs planning keeps coming to mind. In the book of Proverbs there are several verses on planning but there are also several verses on how evil people spend time plotting.
Proverbs tells us that plans fail for lack of council, so I feel like the picture of planning is something that is meant to be done together, while the Hebrew words used for plotting in Proverbs imply creating a plan in secret or silence.
When thinking of plotting I also think of plotting points on a chart or map. To plot is to pick one spot or destination but to plan is to determine the steps or directions and the provisions that will be needed. The Hebrew words used for planning in Proverbs imply accounting, calculating, and designing. Jesus tells us before we build a tower to count the cost.
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us the difference between plotting and planning and how to practically implement this in our life. Specifically, I am asking God for how we practically apply this into building our community in the Abundant Life Blueprint.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Lately I have been turning the Daily Communion Workouts into a 4 day workout cycle. Here is what I have been doing...
Day 1: The normal Daily Communion Workout - but I use slightly lighter weights than I was using.
Day 2: Everything stays the same except I divide all of the reps into 2 sets and use slightly heavier weights. For example, with shoulder press instead of doing 1 x 8 reps do 2 x 4 reps.
Day 3: The same as Day 1 but do variations of each exercise. For example, I do a slightly different kind of lunge, different hand positions or elevate my feet for pushups, wider or closer stance on deadlifts, etc. On this day I also use a slower tempo and focus on controlling the weights more.
Day 4: The same as Day 3 and I use the same exercises I used the previous day but I cut the reps in half again like I did on Day 2.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Lately I have been thinking a lot about planning. With the Abundant Life Blueprint, I feel like what God wants most is a community of people who are all aligned together. But, this means planning and getting more systemized in what we do so that everyone is coordinated together.
As I was thinking about planning Proverbs 15:22 came to mind... Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
To truly make a succesful plan we also need to plan together because other people will have insights and experiences that contribute to a better plan and help us avoid blind spots.
In the very beginning of Proverbs it tells us that that the Proverbs were given for practical instruction for living. And there are a lot of Proverbs on planning. Here are a few other Proverbs to meditate on today.
Proverbs 16:3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Proverbs 16:9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps
Proverbs 20:18 Plans are established by seeking advice; so if you wage war, obtain guidance.
Proverbs 12:5 The plans of the righteous are just, but the advice of the wicked is deceitful
In today's communion we are asking God to teach us how to plan together and for help walking in this from this point on.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Part of a successful workout is also planning. To truly be successful there needs to be cycles and progressions in place for the longer term. You can't judge a workout by one single day in isolation. It is the series and progression of workouts over time that matters. Something I have also been working on for a few months is phases and progressions for the Daily Communion Workouts. Hopefully, we will have more on these soon.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
This time of year, it seems God always reminds me of something I wrote in “7 Dates With Jesus.” On July 19, 2014, Psalms 121:7-8 jumped out at me. The verses say this: “The Lord will keep you from all evil, he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and coming in from this time forth and forevermore.”
Then that night, God woke me up around 3 a.m., and I knew there was a sermon that I was supposed to listen to. The first words out of the pastor's mouth were: “The Lord’s favor is on you and it surrounds you like a shield.”
That day, I had also read another passage in Psalm 125:2-3: “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous.”
When I wrote “7 Dates With Jesus,” I felt like God instructed me to make sure I recorded the date of July 19 and its link to favor.
God’s favor is on us for a lifetime and it surrounds us like a shield. Favor equals opportunities. Be on the lookout for favor, opportunities, and divine appointments in this season.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... God's Favor is On You.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Lately the word satisfied, or satisfaction keeps jumping out to me. I was reading through Isaiah 53 and verses 10-11 speak about Jesus and say...
It was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. 11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.
Our satisfaction is found in Christ. When we walk in the light there is satisfaction.
Here are a couple of other verses to meditate on today:
Psalm 107:9 -For he satisfies the longing soul, and the hungry soul he fills with good things.
Proverbs 19:23 -The fear of the Lord leads to life, and whoever has it rests satisfied; he will not be visited by harm.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for all that Jesus suffered for us and that in him there is satisfaction. And we are asking God for wisdom and understanding of the satisfaction that is found in Christ and for help walking in His satisfaction at greater levels from this point on.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
For those that are trying to get leaner the easiest way is to cut out the extra snacking and unplanned food. Eat consistently balanced meals in a good rhythm. Eat until you are satisfied and cut out the extras and unplanned food. It can often be this simple. We don't need to cut out a bunch of food groups or do anything extreme.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
I used to do a lot of longer-term planning, but for the last 2 years I feel like God has been teaching me to trust that he has the plan, so I have been more focused on doing what I know to do each day. Over the last 2 years I wasn't doing much long-term planning. During that time I grew a lot in my ability to follow God's lead each day. But, lately I feel like he is prompting me to do some longer term planning again. Planning with God can be a great expression of faith.
I really feel like he has been showing me that the most important part of what we are doing with the Abundant Life Blueprint is building a community of people who are doing it together. And part of building this community is tightening up the systems and calendar to keep everyone coordinated together which means looking out further.
Something new we are going to start doing is having a monthly challenge each month where we pick a topic that we are all focused on together and then we will break that topic down throughout the month and share our progress.
In today's communion we are asking God to help us plan like him. He is the master architect, designer, and planner. Jesus is the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world. God already had the plan in place. And specifically, I am asking him for the longer term plan for the Abundant Life Blueprint to help us build community the way he wants.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Part of a successful workout is also planning. To truly be successful there needs to be cycles and progressions in place for the longer term. You can't judge a workout by one single day in isolation. It is the series and progression of workouts over time that matters. Something I have also been working on for a few months is phases and progressions for the Daily Communion Workouts. Hopefully, we will have more on these soon.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
All throughout the Old Testament there is a pattern that kings became established and then they became strong. In a similar way I believe we must become established in the New Covenant and then grow strong. This is a progression God takes us through. But in 2 Chronicles 12:1 it says that after Solomon's son Rehoboam’s position as king was established and he had become strong, he and all Israel with him abandoned the law of the Lord.
After Rehoboam was established and strong, he abandoned God and forgot about him, which led to battles he had to face. But he eventually humbled himself and turned back to God. It seems that there is a tendency for people to become complacent and forget about God when things are going well, and they are strong. But Jesus tells us in Luke 10:27 to “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”
God wants to take us through a progression of becoming established and strong, but then the strength he gives is meant to be used to love and honor him.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God can establish and strengthen us. And we are asking him to establish us and make us strong, and to help us use the strength he provides to love him the way he designed us to.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Growing in strength is one of the most important goals of fitness. It can be easy to get off track and lured into other things, but one of the main goals should be to get stronger, because when we are stronger it makes everything else easier.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Isaiah chapter 53 gives us many insights into what Jesus has done for us. Verse 2 says he had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. Something I feel like God has been showing me is that just like Jesus became sin so that we could become righteous, and he became poor so that we might be rich, he set aside his beauty and majesty so that he could make us beautiful.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for all Jesus has done for us. And we are asking God for wisdom and understanding of these scriptures and what they mean for us.
Here is Isaiah 53:1-3:
1 Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.
Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
The first thing we eat or drink everyday influences our brain chemistry for the rest of the day. I believe water is supposed to be the first thing we consume each day. This little shift also helps with digestion.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
In Colossians 1:9-14 is a prayer that the apostle Paul says he keeps praying. This prayer must be important if he keeps praying it, and part of the prayer is that the people would be strengthened with power so that they would have great endurance. Notice it is being strengthened with power that leads to having great endurance and patience.
Here is the prayer...
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God has qualified us to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. And we are asking God to strengthen us with all power according to his glorious might so that we may have great endurance and patience.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
I have used today's verse many times to help clients in the gym. I have trained a lot of people who were training for endurance events like marathons and tough mudders. And every time we focus on getting stronger and more powerful it always leads to breakthroughs in their endurance. It is a little counterintuitive but the fastest way I have found to improve endurance is to increase strength and power because it increases our top end ability which allows us to cruise at higher level with less effort.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Lately I have been thinking about how our bodies grow healthier through resistance training. Through resistance training we teach our body to stay in position and overcome higher levels resistance. And I think we not only need to do resistance training physically but also spiritually. James 4:7 tells us... Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that if we submit to God, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us. And we are asking God to help us resistance train and increase our ability to resist the devil.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
The goal of resistance training is to be able to maintain body position and overcome increasing levels of resistance over the course of time. Thinking of it this way simplifies resistance training.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
The other day I was thinking about what is often called the point of contact. While thinking about this my kids had left a book on the floor by Oral Roberts called How to Find your Point of Contact with God.
Points of contact are physical things that we do or say that help us release all that God put within us out into the world. As an example, there was a time when I was piling up debt on a credit card because I was fearful of running out of money. I began to turn every transaction into a point of trust by paying with a debit card or cash, trusting that God would supply in the future as I needed it. By doing this his grace began to turn my finances around.
Points of contact also create a memory, because they create a physical marker that we can remember and look back to if our faith is ever wavering. One of the biggest keys to creating a successful point of contact is becoming more present, because presence is the grace table turner that helps all that God put within us to flow.
I consider communion to be the most important point of contact there is. It gives us something physical to do that helps us bring the sacrifice of Jesus into the present moment and make his sacrifice active and relevant in the present moment. Communion is a way to release our faith and remember that God is with us and that all things are possible with him. This takes the pressure off of us and helps us rest and trust in him.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for this concept of the point of contact. And we are asking God to help us understand the point of contact and to function in it the way God intended from this point on in our lives.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Physical exercise is a great way to practice the point of contact. Every workout and every rep can either be done with the pressure on us or we can learn to create a bridge of trust that allows God to do the work through us. One of the biggest keys to this is learning to be more present. As we get more present and aware of God's presence it helps us release our faith into our exercise, which allows his grace to flow. This is one of the best ways to practice the point of contact.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
About a year ago I started something new.
My wife and I had discussed getting into real estate, but I told her I wasn't that interested unless it was for buying real estate for Abundant Life Training Centers. After this conversation I felt a nudge from God to reach out to a former client of mine in the gym who was a good friend and had done well in real estate.
The next day I was sitting at his house, and he told me about how his business had increased, and he was having a hard time keeping up with everything. He had been praying for God to send him someone to help. And a few days later I started working for him. This wasn't in my plans at all, but God had opened an unexpected door to start learning about real estate from someone who is also a believer and an expert in developing land and building, which is what I was interested in for the Abundant Life Training Center.
But, when I got started it was extremely challenging. It was very fast paced, stressful, and I had no clue what I was doing. One day I prayed and asked God if this is what he really wanted me to do, because it was very challenging at first, and I had thoughts of quitting. But then I opened my book The Miracle Year to the section that describes what we experience during the month of July. The title for that weeks devotion was... Embrace Challenges.
God had made us to be overcomers, but this means we will have some challenges to overcome. And we can do so trusting that his grace is sufficient. It is a year later now and things are not perfect, but I am glad I kept going. Things have smoothed out a lot and are a lot less stressful. We have better systems and rhythms in place and God has supplied the grace to do the work.
Something I have learned is that along God's path for our lives we will find ourselves in some challenging situations. If you are being challenged right now I want to encourage you to keep going because a year from now you will look back and be amazed at all the progress you made.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Embrace Challenges
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
Something I have been doing for several months is writing filters at the top of my journal every night. These filters are short phrases or sentences that help me keep important things top of mind and to navigate or make decisions by on a daily basis.
At the top of my journal I use 4 layers of filters to help me stay in rhythm with God. Here are the 4 layers I use...
1) The big picture vision I feel God has given me.
2) Yearly Reminder - Of the direction I feel God gave me for the year
3) Monthly Reminder - This usually comes from our Monthly Message.
4) Weekly Reminder - This comes from our Weekly Yearly Cycle updates.
As an example, here are the filters I wrote yesterday...
- Big Picture -Abundant Life Training Centers all over the world making the Body of Christ healthy and beautiful.
- 2022 the Year of the Beautiful Land
- July - Confidence through praising God
- Weekly - Stay synced up with God
I also use a 5th filter at the end of my journal that helps me plan the upcoming day. The filter I write every night is... Today I want to be doing what is right and best in God's eyes with peace, joy, and confidence in him. Then I plan out the day by listing what I KNOW to do.
As I was thinking about navigating with these filters, I was reminded that when we travel it's also important to account for the speed at which we are moving and how much fuel we have. In cars or airplanes we have dashboards with instruments that give us this information.
In today's communion we are asking for instruments to go along with our filters. We are asking God to help us create a dashboard of instruments we can use to track our speed, progress toward the vision, and indicate when we need to refuel.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
One of the keys to great workouts is having high energy. One of the best energy boosters I have ever found is taking a song that resonates with you and putting it on repeat for 10-30 minutes. Our bodies love rhythm, which is one of the biggest keys to energy. Putting a song on repeat helps our bodies entrain with the rhythm of the music and it increases energy very quickly. This is also a form of meditation.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
The other day I was thinking about the concept of being a fiduciary. A fiduciary is a person that acts on behalf of another person or persons, putting their clients' interests ahead of their own, with a duty to preserve good faith and trust.
A fiduciary needs to be obedient by following the instructions and will of the person they are representing. They must also be faithful, trustworthy, transparent, accountable, and execute their work with skill.
This reminds me of how Jesus said he only did what his father said to do.
It also reminds me of some of the following scriptures...
Hebrews 3:6 Now Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be spoken later. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are His house, if we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope of which we boast.
Hebrews 9:15 -Therefore Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, now that He has died to redeem them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that Jesus is faithful over all God's house, and we are his house. And we are also asking for help to be good stewards, managers, and fiduciaries of all God has entrusted to us.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Find the joy in movement. It is fun to move. Take the pressure off in your workouts and enjoy moving. One of the biggest keys to seeing God's grace flow is learning to take the pressure off of ourselves.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Lately I have been thinking about Hebrews 4 which tells us to labor or make every effort to enter God's rest. Laboring to enter His rest seems like a contradiction, but I have learned that in areas where we struggle it definitely takes labor to enter into His rest.
It can often seem like we pray about something we want to change, but then it takes some serious effort to learn how to completely turn it over to God and rest in that area. When I played baseball in college we would train and practice the same things over and over and over again so that when it was game time, and the pressure was on we could do things automatically without having to think about them. Through training our responses became automatic. In a similar way I think we have to train ourselves to stay at rest, because we all have buttons in our life that can get pushed that make us want to get out of that rest.
Here is Hebrews 4:9-11 to meditate on today...
There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; 10 for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. 11 Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that in Christ, God has given us a sabbath rest. And we are asking for His help to enter into that rest.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
I like to train with the exact same weights in my workouts until I get to a place of confidence with that weight. Another way I think about this is training until I get to a place of rest, where I can keep my body totally calm, under control, and at rest with that weight. Once I get to this place then I increase and train to be able to stay totally at rest in my mind with increased resistance.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Sometimes when we are facing issues or problems it can be easy to forget that we have God with us. Jesus said as often as we take communion to "remember him." Communion is a very powerful way to keep remembering him so that when we face issues and problems we don't forget.
In Matthew 16:8-10 Jesus had just fed the multitudes with a tiny bit of food by giving us an example of communion as he looked up to heaven, gave thanks, and broke the bread. And then right after this the disciples got into the boat and started arguing about how they didn't have enough bread.
Then Jesus says to them...
"You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?
Today's communion is simply a time to remember... We have God with us. And we are asking him to help us keep remembering him.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Physical exercise can also be a way we remember Him. Physical exercise is a way to practice experiencing God doing the work through us. As we do this it helps us stay connected with Him and remember Him.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
The other day we did the communion meditation on No Good Thing Does God Withhold, and we discussed how God is not withholding things from us, but we do have an enemy who is trying to steal from us and delay what God is sending our way. As I was thinking about this I realized that withholding is a symptom of us being out of position. When we are not walking in the light it can feel like God is withholding from us because we are not able to receive or walk in all that he has for us. Also, when we are not walking in the light we have a tendency to withhold things from others because of fear or because when people do things we don't like we don't want to do good for them.
As I was thinking about these things Romans 8:32 came to mind which says, " He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"
God is freely and graciously giving us all things and no good thing does he withhold. Which means we must learn how to receive and walk in all of these good things.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God loved us so much that he didn't spare his own Son, and if he would do that for us how would he not freely give us all things. And we are asking for his help to receive all that he has given to us in Christ and to walk in it consistently.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Physical exercise is an opportunity to practice being more present. One of the easiest ways to do this is by focusing on one rep at a time. When doing 8 reps I think of it as one rep 8 times. This little shift makes a big difference.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Recently my daughter and I were talking about how stagnant water invites bugs, mold, algae, and more to show up. Water needs to flow to be clean and healthy. As I was thinking about this some verses came to mind about how God's voice is like the roar of rushing waters. His voice is not like stagnant water but like the roar of rushing water.
Here are some verses to meditate on today...
Psalm 29:3 – The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.
Ezekiel 43:2 – and I saw the glory of the God of Israel coming from the east. His voice was like the roar of rushing waters, and the land was radiant with his glory.
Revelation 1:15 – His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.
In today's communion we are asking God for insight and revelation into how his voice is like the roar of rushing waters. And if this has any practical applications for us, that he would help us to walk in this consistently.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Our bodies are mostly water which means it's really important for our health to move consistently. Stagnant water in our bodies invites all kinds of stuff we don't want.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Here is July's message with some action steps for the month.
I view every month like an opportunity for a fresh start.
Here is a short summary of what we go through in the video...
- What went well over the last month and what were ways you saw God showing up?
- What did you learn over the last month?
- Examining the fruit from our lives in all of the different areas...
- Pick the one area that you feel led to work on this month and install a filter and table turner for that area.
Here are the different filters to choose from...
- Abundant Life - God is doing continually good for me and I am doing continually good for others.
- Soul - I am growing in positive emotions and using negative emotions as feedback
- Health - My body is God’s temple.
- Finances - I am seeking God’s kingdom first by valuing relationships over money and being a good steward.
- Family - I am bringing out the best in my family.
- Order -I am maintaining everything in position including myself in the light.
- Time - I am focusing on God’s plan and producing things that last.
- Purpose - I am seeking God’s unique plan for my life.
- Community - I am aligned with God’s kingdom, self-managed, doing my special work, and contributing to others.
Once a filter is chosen, write it at the top of your journal every day. This helps filter the decisions we make every day.
After choosing a filter, pick the corresponding table turner to practice each day. Here are the table turners...
- Abundant Life - Daily Communion
- Soul - The Imagination - master the images that are playing on the inside.
- Health - Daily Communion Workout + Have a Song in your heart all throughout the day
- Finances - Partnership - Make God your financial partner and make all financial decisions with God and with spouse/any business partners.
- Family - Cherishing - Step into their shoes and develop understanding to keep them from pain and give them the desires of their heart.
- Order -Honoring authority - It is hard to create order when people are rebellious. Focus on honoring the people around you more.
- Time - Rest in your soul - We are all more productive while at rest on the inside. Being rushed, hurried, frantic, and out of control steals time.
- Purpose - Scribing + Skill development - Scribe and read out loud from the Bible, journal from the heart, and develop new skills.
- Community - Connection - Find ways to connect more with the people around you. Sharing meals together is one of the best ways.
Confidence Through Praise
Last month we talked a lot about the power of praising God for who he is and all that he's done. Lately I have put a new focus on praising him every day and something I have noticed is that the more we praise him, the more our confidence in him grows. Confidence in him is a big deal, because faith is confidence or assurance in the things we hope for.
Here is an exercise for this month...
If you have something, you have been praying and believing God for but haven't seen a breakthrough yet then pray and ask God for what you want. Believe you receive the answer the moment you pray, and then don't pray about it again. Instead, every time you think about that area start praising him for answering your prayer, even if you haven't seen the answer yet. If thoughts of stress, doubt, worry, fear, hopelessness come in that area cast them down immediately and use those thoughts as a reminder to praise him again for that area. Keep filling up the basket of praise in this area until you get to a place of confidence, because when we get to the place of confidence things change.
My filter for this month is going to be... Confidence Through Praise
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
1 Corinthians 14:1-5 says...
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.
But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.
The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for the gifts of the Spirit. And we are asking God to help us grow from this point on in the gift of prophecy so that we can build others up.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
I like to keep the weights I am using in my workouts exactly the same until I get to a place of 100% confidence. This often means practicing with a weight for a while, but as soon as we get to a place of confidence it seems to cause a big surge of progress.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
This is a time of year when light is increasing as we move into the summer. I view July as vision expansion month. It is a time when God seems to give us increased light on his plan for our lives and expand the vision. But we need to stay synced up and coordinated with him on this plan as the vision increases.
I have a smartwatch that does things like track steps, heartrate, etc. And this watch connects with an app on my phone. But if the watch and the app don't stay synced up sometimes my watch will display the wrong time, date, etc. The biggest things that cause this to happen is when the watch runs out of battery charge, or when I haven't connected them in a while.
We can stay synced up with God by praying in the Spirit to charge our batteries and staying connected to him so that we stay in step with Him as His plan expands.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Stay Synced Up.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
The other day during a conversation I had someone speak to me in a tone that wasn't very nice. My initial reaction probably wasn't the best, but then I repented, apologized, and humbled myself in order to make the relationship right.
After it was over, I felt like God was telling me... You just heaped burning coals on their head.
Proverbs 25:21-22 and Romans 12:20 say, "If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. 22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you."
What are these burning coals about?
I started doing a little research on this, and everything that I can find points to repentance. If we will bless when others wrong us it will put an end to it because it will cause others to make a change.
A story that gives us an illustration of this principle is found in 2 Kings 6...
The King of Aram sent an army to surround and kill Elisha. When Elisha’s servant saw the soldiers surrounding them he was terrified , but Elisha asked GOD to open his eyes. Suddenly they could see an army of angels protecting them. Then Elisha asked God to blind the army. Once the army was blinded he took them to the king of Israel. The king asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.
In today's communion we are asking God for insight into what these verses on heaping burning coals mean, and for help to do good and bless at all times.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Yesterday, we said it's time to train. There is a difference between working out and training. One of the easiest ways to turn working out into training is to keep a workout journal and track your workouts over time.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
When I had my personal training gym, I used to always tell my trainers... A lot of people workout, but very few people train.
I would have to constantly remind my trainers of this whenever they had new clients, because new clients would often come in talking about how much they worked out, but usually when it came time to train, they were not prepared.
Training is different. It means being committed and showing up with a plan or purpose to get better. It means being disciplined, sticking with the plan, and having progressions in place.
Lately I feel like these words keep coming up to me... It's time to train.
While thinking about this I was reminded of 1 Timothy 4:8 which says, "Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.”
Training our physical bodies is good, but training for godliness is much better.
This is going to mean taking a different approach for most of us and that can seem unpleasant. But Hebrews 12:11 says... For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude our Heavenly Father is faithful to train his children. And we are asking him to help us understand how to train the right way and to help us train to be godly.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
We can practice training in our workouts. This means being committed to it, showing up with a plan and purpose for the day, keeping records of our progress, and making steady progress over time.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Recently I felt like some things I had been praying about were being withheld. So, I began to seek God about what was happening. I asked him for understanding of the situation and what was really going on. Was God the one withholding things or what was happening?
It didn't take long; within about 24 hours he began to give me understanding of what was really going on. It wasn't him withholding, that is not who he is. We have an enemy who is trying to steal and delay what God is sending our way. As soon as I had understanding of the situation, I knew exactly what to do. God has taught me to never let anything be stolen from me, because if something is ever stolen, I give it away as a seed, rather than fight over it. And I do this trusting that God will make it right. As soon as I did this, I had a great level of peace and rest wash over me on the inside about the whole thing.
As I began to think about this some of the following verses came to mind...
Psalm 84:11 -No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.
Proverbs 3:27-28 - Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you. (Proverbs 3:27-28)
Daniel 10:12-13 -“Do not be afraid, Daniel,” he said, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. 13 However, the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days.
Something else to keep in mind is that in any area where you feel like something is being withheld make sure to check your positioning in the light, because I would be willing to guess that this area is causing emotions to get stirred up to knock you out of position consistently. When we lose our position is causes delays.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that in Christ no good thing is withheld and that if God sent his one and only son to die for us how would he not freely give us all things. And we are praying a very important prayer asking for understanding of what is happening in any areas where things are being withheld so that we know exactly what to do.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
In our fitness we need a balance of the short term and the long term. Too often in the fitness world everything is about the short term with people trying to get results quickly. But this needs to be balanced with an approach that allows us to be consistent for the long term. I think the key is being consistent and making a little progress each day and doing so in a way that sets us up to be consistent over the long term.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
One of the concepts we have discussed with our partners is not letting anyone wrong you or steal from you. Instead, turn it around by forgiving and giving to them and giving cheerfully. Cheerful giving is connected with God making all grace abound to us.
2 Corinthians 9:6-8 says...
The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.
During today's communion we are meditating on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 and thanking God that he can make all grace abound to us. And we are asking for his help to sow bountifully as we have decided in our heart and to do it cheerfully.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
I hope that you are becoming consistent in your workouts. At a certain point in our health the only way to go to the next level is to help someone else. If you are becoming consistent with exercise, how can you help someone else? Maybe find a new workout partner, share what you are doing, or simply encourage someone else.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
In John 16:33 NKJ Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart(be of good cheer) ! I have overcome the world.”
The Amplified version says, "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]"
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that even when we have troubles we can still be of good cheer, because Jesus has overcome the world. And we are asking God for help to be of good cheer consistently.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
In our workouts we will have troubles. There will be days when we are tired or have low energy. There will be days when we just don't have it. There may also be times when you have an injury or pain in your body. But even during these times we can be consistent. The question I always ask during these times is... What can you do? For example, I once helped someone with a broken wrist. This person could still walk, exercise their legs and their other arm. So we asked the question... What can you do safely?
Exercising consistently even while having the broken wrist kept her encouraged and when it came time to use the wrist again, she didn't miss a beat and kept going because she kept training through the whole time. Many things can be trained through by reducing the weight or number or reps, shortening the range of motion, doing a different exercise, or training a different part of the body?
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Over the last year I have done quite a bit of real estate work and recently we have come across several properties that have natural springs as their water source, which reminded me of several Bible verses about springs of water.
Here are a few verses to meditate on today.
Psalm 107:33-35 He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, 34 and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there. 35 He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs;
John 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Revelation 21:6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that the water Jesus gives us will become in us a spring of water welling up to eternal life and that we can drink from the spring of the water of life without cost.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
When I think about springs of water within us I am reminded of the lymphatic system in our body, which is kind of like a water system that keeps our body clean. The lymphatic system cleans out inflammation and toxins but it has no pump, other than the muscles. Only when we move or apply pressure through massage does the lymphatic system circulate so that the body stay cleaned out. If we are sedentary the lymphatic system is stagnant. This is part of the reason why daily exercise is so important.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Toward the end of Ephesians 4 there is a subtitle that says... Instructions for Christian Living, and the paragraphs that follow lay out very simple instructions for us. Today we are taking communion over this passage of scripture and asking God for help to walk this out.
Here is Ephesians 4:17-32
So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19 Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
The Bible tells us that the body is one, it is one unit or piece. This is important to keep in mind while training. We need to train the body as one. There are many parts but they are all meant to work together in unity. Start to pay attention to how little things such as foot position, eye position, and posture impact on our movement.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update.
I view this time of year as a reminder to grow in trust. God is building a body or community, and in his body, trust is the glue that holds everything together. For each of us to be doing the special work he has assigned to us means trusting in God, becoming trustworthy ourselves, and finding people around us we can trust. When we lack trust, it doesn't allow us to rest and do what we need to do, because we are worried others won't come through.
In the Kingdom of Heaven God models for us the laws of trust so that we can also grow in them. Here some of the laws of trust...
- Do what you say... God always keeps his word
- Always be on time
- Have good intentions
- Be knowledgeable
- Be transparent and honest
- Repent and make it right if you mess up.
Here is this week's filter(reminder) to write at the top of our journals each day... Trust is the Glue.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
P.S. The Yearly Cycle Calendar for 2022 is down below.
A few years ago I had a lot of pressure on me so I started journaling at night before bed as a way to navigate through that time. My goal was to journal for 40 days in a row, because prior to that time I had always struggled to journal consistently. I found that journaling before bed was what worked best for me, and since I was shooting for 40 days I kept a record of what day I was on in each journal entry. When the 40 days were over I kept going and recently I crossed 1,000 days of journaling. Here are a few things I have learned about journaling and the approach that I use in my journals.
I always start my journal with filters at the top. These filters are short phrases that help us to remember and to navigate. Something I haven't talked about or taught yet is that I use 4 layers of filters at the top of each journal entry... A 10 year vision filter, a yearly filter, a monthly filter, and a weekly filter(this one comes from our yearly cycle updates)
Here are the filters I am currently writing at the top of my journal this week(this is something we may talk more about sometime soon)...
10 Year Filter - Abundant Life Training Centers all over the world.
1 Year Filter - 2022 The Year of the Beautiful Land
Monthly Filter - More Gets Done in Compressed Time
Weekly Filter - Defend Your Position
After the filters I record the date and what scriptures I was reading that day ( I also record how many days in a row I have been journaling)
Then I start my journal entries with gratitude. And almost all of my 1,000 journal entries start with this sentence... Heavenly Father, thank you for releasing us from darkness and transferring us into the light. This is one of the most powerful lessons God has ever taught me and I want to make sure I remember it every day.
After some more gratitude I move into magnifying the light by thinking back on what went well that day and all the ways I saw God show up.
Then I practice tuning into God. I like to ask God what he was trying to show me that day and then get still and listen/reflect back on the day. Whatever comes into my mind I write it down. I have learned it is very important to write down the things we learn/hear from God because it helps us to remember and not forget. During this time it seems like I am also writing out a lot of prayers, asking for clarification on what he is showing me.
The final thing I like to do in the journal serves as a Daily Filter. I always write the following... Today I want to be doing what is right and best in God's eyes with peace, joy, and confidence in him. Then I plan out the upcoming day with God by listing out what I know to do.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that journaling can be such a powerful way to record our journey with God and our steps of faith. And we are asking for help to be consistent with our journaling and for him to show us ways we can take our journaling to a higher level.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
Keeping a workout journal is also very valuable. It tracks our progress over time and can be a great source of encouragement when we look back at our progress. It's also good to keep notes in our workout journal of how we feel during workouts.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
In Matthew 26:40-43 Jesus had asked his disciples to keep watch and pray with him while he was in the garden under the pressure of preparing for the cross. But when he returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. 41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
God wants us to have willing hearts, that want to do what he asks of us, but our flesh is weak and can keep us from walking out the things that we know to do. We need power from him to walk out the things that we know to do.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that God's grace is sufficient to help us walk out the things that we know to do. And we are asking him to help us not be led into temptation and for him to help is in our weakness, because his power is made perfect in our weakness.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
One of the areas today's verses can apply to is our health and fitness. Often we have the willingness to want to eat better, exercise, etc but we struggle with walking it out consistently. This is an area we can bring to God today asking for his help to be consistent in our health and fitness.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
The other night I was reading Psalm 102 and the last verse seemed to jump out at me.
Psalm 102:28 says, the children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you.”
While thinking about this I was reminded of a few other promises God has made for our children...
Isaiah 54:13 All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace.
Isaiah 61:9 Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the LORD has blessed.”
Parenting is not always easy, so I find these verses to be very encouraging.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for these promises God has made for our children.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
I believe one of the goals of fitness should be moving like a kid again. This can be done through playing games, having fun, and training our ability to move, throw, run, and jump.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Lately we have been talking about the power of praise to turn situations around. Yesterday we talked about praising God for who he is, and I think another important part of praise is praising Him for what he's done. When we praise people, it is usually for their character, abilities, or things they have done. We can do the same with God.
There is so much God has done, but here is a short list to get us started...
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He created everything
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Sent his one and only son for us
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Raised the dead
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Put the spirit of Jesus in our hearts and gave us Holy Spirit
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Made us to sit in heavenly places in Christ
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Jesus humbled himself even unto death on a cross
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He made us new
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He made us righteous
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He forgave our sins
I think this also needs to be made personal. It would be good to spend some time today thinking back on all God has done personally in our lives.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude and praise for both who God is and all that he has done. As we spend more time doing this it helps us to know him more.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
In our health and fitness we need a balance of being able to move fast and slow. We want the ability to move with speed and also a good set of brakes where we can slow down and control the tempo if needed. As we get a little more advanced in our fitness we can start to add some variety to the workout by having some exercises or days when we focus on either going fast or slowing down the tempo. We need both.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
We have been talking about the power of praise and the other day we said the Bible gives us something very specific to praise... God's name.
God has a lot of names in the Bible that describe who he is. As I was thinking about this, I had an opportunity to meet up with a friend I hadn't seen in a while. My friend told me my name had come up in a conversation he was having, and he wanted to verify that it was me, so he said you mean Daniel Foley... the fitness guy, the author, the blogger, the business owner, etc. He started listing things I have done.
When me friend told me this I started to understand why God has so many names, they help us know who he is and what to praise him for.
Here is a short list of things the Bible tells us God is(and there are a lot more)...
- Great
- Good
- Love
- Light
- God of all peace
- God of all grace
- God of all hope
- God of all comfort
- Faithful
Jesus is…
- The way
- The truth and the word made flesh
- The life
- The door, gate
Today's communion is a time of gratitude for who God and Jesus are. And we are asking for wisdom and understanding to know more of who he is and for help to praise who he is the way he intended.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
In our health and fitness we need a balance of consistency and variety. I think the first thing to establish is consistent. Get consistent first then introduce some variety, since variety often triggers new growth and progress.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner with us in the Abundant Life Blueprint
Lately we have been talking about the power of praise and while thinking about this, I came across Acts 2:46-47 which is about the early church. The believers were constantly fellowshipping with one another, breaking bread in their homes, and praising God. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Praise was a key part of this.
Here is Acts 2:46-47... Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Today's communion is a time of gratitude that in the light we have fellowship with God and with one another. And we are asking God to help us walk in fellowship and praise, and for him to add to our numbers daily.
Today's Health/Fitness Tip
One of the exercises on the Daily Communion Workouts is walking lunges. If you are just getting started with lunges, I usually recommend starting with stationary lunges instead of walking lunges and only doing a couple of reps on each leg at first, because they can make you very sore when you first start. Then after you build up to doing stationary lunges each day, progress to walking lunges, but again start with a few number of steps, maybe 6-10 total. Walking lunges are great for improving balance, flexibility, leg strength, and ensuring the right and left leg equally strong.
I am praying for you.
Daniel
Partner With Us
All along the Israelites journey to the promised land God had them create signposts, memorials, and other ways to record their journey. This simple idea of recording your journey with your wins and steps of faith can be life changing. My whole life changed with the very simple commitment to start recording the lessons I had learned and pass them onto future generations.
The goal of the Abundant Life Blueprint is to make other people great, but what does it mean to be great? Jesus said that if we want to be great in the kingdom of heaven we must have childlike faith and humility. To me this means saying YES to God's plan while also realizing we can't make it happen on our own. Another key to greatness is found in Psalm 18:35 where David says that God's right hand supported him and his gentleness made him great. The faith to say YES to making other people great and the willingness to take a gentle approach rather than all or nothing is how we get started. Then Jesus said that if we want to be great we must practice and teach the commandments. In other words, are you doing what you know to do and then at a certain point the only way to keep growing is to teach it to someone else. Finally, Jesus said that if we want to be great in the kingdom we must become the servant of many.
So the path seems to be... say YES to making others great, take a gentle approach, put into practice the things you know to do and begin to teach others, then find a way to scale it up and serve many.
One of the biggest keys to greatness is recording your journey. Recording the journey helps you become great because it helps you teach it to others. It also helps you become more consistent, diligent, organized, and tuned into God, God is taking us on a journey to make us fruitful, multiply us, and increase us greatly and it is important to record the journey.
Here is how I record my journey and the pattern you will see if you study the Abundant Life Blueprint. Everything is based on God's rhythm. In the temple of the Old Testament there was a rhythm of things that happened. The rhythm was daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly. Each day I record what I am learning, then each week I look back and glean/record the lessons learned. The same can be done at the start of each month and on God's cycle of feast days.
To start recording your journey can be as simple as keeping notes and journals or recording audios on your phone. If this is something you are ready to commit to... Then let today's communion be an activation that you are going to partner with God in this.
I am praying for you.
Daniel