November 6, 2022 - Exercises for Staying Spiritually Fit - Pastor Paul Vallee

Hebrews 10 One of the problems of church life in North America is a misunderstanding of what the bible reveals as true community. We often judge others far more severely and expect others to meet our needs rather than understanding that part of being in community is what we contribute to others. It's all part of the consumerism of our age. I've also been struck by an interesting parallel between our spiritual condition and the growing problem of physical conditioning. Many medical people are concerned about the lack of physical exercise many children receive. With so much to entertain us, we are becoming physically unhealthy. Overweight people are increasing in our culture. But it's not just being physically out of shape. As a culture, we are struggling with being emotionally, relationally, and even spiritually out of shape. There are things we know and don't practice, or we should know but think that these exercises are optional. To be spiritually fit, you must discipline yourself. As a matter of fact, the apostle Paul tells Timothy that we must train to be godly. "...rather, train yourself to be godly." (1 Timothy 4:8b). Another translation uses the word, discipline yourself to be godly. What will it take to get in good spiritual shape? What kind of exercises should we practice for us to be spiritually fit? In Hebrews 10, we discover three things that will help us stay or get spiritually fit. These three things are at the core of our faith and have eternal qualities. "...and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. And the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor. 13:13) How do these qualities develop in our lives? In the tenth chapter of the book of Hebrews, we find how they can be applied to our daily lives to remain spiritually fit.