If you don’t work out, this is for you! If you do work out, this is for you!

Now you're probably thinking “so it’s for everyone?” Ding ding ding we have a winner! Yes this is for EVERYONE!

Let me ask, do you know what body building is? From what I have seen, learned and heard it’s where people who like tasteless food and lifting a ton of weight call them selves body builders. Do I have respect for these people? You better believe I do! These people work their butts off like literally lol.

By now you might be thinking is Ann about to tell me that I need to put down the cookie and go to the gym? Yes put down the cookies and pick up the most important heavy weight you will ever touch in your life….. The Holy Bible!

The Bible is a weight?

Well let’s dig into this so you can see where I’m coming from.

First we must realize something, what does it take to be a body builder? And how can we use this to strengthen our walk with Christ?

I’m so glad you asked!

Body building 101

1. Putting down the cookie! Or in other words getting rid of all the junk food that make you gain or keep on the weight! Just like when you realize you’re a sinner and you get rid of all that built up sin by asking for Jesus for forgiveness and trying to not sin again! Will you cheat on your diet? Yes. Will you sin again? Yes. But should you strive not to? YES!

“So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17)

2. Next we start to eat the right things, high protein baby! Protein shakes! Carb loading some days! This is just like after we first become a Christ follower we start to read his word, which is feeding us the good stuff that’s going to help us grow in our faith.

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51)

3. Now can you just eat high protein diet and become a world famous body builder? Yeah, No! that’s not how it works. What do you need to do next? If you said start hitting the gym, lifting weights then you would be correct my friend! Body builders build muscle by doing different workouts to make them strong and build muscle. Just like what a Christian is supposed to do!

But I wasn’t literally meaning pick up your great great great grandfathers family Bible that weight’s probably 10 lbs and start squatting and doing curls with it lol. But what I do mean is pick up your Bible and start tuning your spiritual muscles. Like reading about why you believe the rules you do or don’t follow, what God wants from you, what’s right and wrong. And even things out side of just reading the Bible. We are called to serve people in need when’s the last time you served someone? I’m hoping you can say today, but if not then that’s fine, but is it a spiritual muscle that’s weak or strong? I know for me personally it’s a muscle I’m constantly working on to strengthen! Also how about showing Christ like love? That’s a big one that’s the 8 pack I would think!? Never thought you could gain a 8 pack, well start showing Christ like love to people and dude or dude-et you’re gonna be ripped!

“But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4)

4. Daily discipline. I will never forget when I saw, a body builder on social media who was ripped, I mean I think even his eyeballs had muscles and he was a legit no drugs used body builder, and he got hurt in some type of accident, don’t quote me but I think it was a car wreck. Anyways he was down for months but in the first month this guy lost ALL and I mean ALL his muscle! In just a month!. By month two you would never even known he was one of the best. In fact if he told you he used to be a big body builder you would probably laugh at him. Until you saw a photo , but then you probably would think it still ain’t real. Well guess what? The same thing can happen to you as a Christ follower. If your not in his word every single day, talking and praying to him every single day, worshiping him every single day, loving others every single day, then guess what you start losing your spiritual gains man. People will do the same thing to you as they did that body builder!

“Yeah man Jim Bob was telling me how he hopes all of the people who hate broccoli, trips in a hole and dies!” (Please insert other words you have herd before into the places of Jim bob, broccoli and trips in a hole and dies.)

The guy telling this story probably wouldn’t ever believe Jim bob if he sat there and then said “yeah man I’m a Christian! I love God!” Because he doesn’t have the gains to back it up!

5. Just because you say you are a body builder doesn’t mean you physically are. Same as a Christians, just because you say you’re a Christian doesn't mean that spiritually you’re saved and are in fact a Christ follower.

“And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.” (Like 8:13)

Lastly the reward.

What’s the reward for body building? I would think looking good, feeling good, feeling accomplished, going to shows and winning awards, saving money by buying two sizes to small shirts (just kidding, well maybe) and much more I’m sure.

So you might be asking what’s the gains for body building for Christ? Why don’t you tell me on this one? What is the gains? Why would you want to work out hard for Christ every single day to strengthen your walk with him, your knowledge, your witness? Why would you ever want to be weak for Christ? I hope you don’t ever become weak for Christ but keep working and building everyday! If you ever need a body building for Christ workout partner you got Joe and I here, and we are always ready and willing to help and encourage you.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24) “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) “But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit!” (Jude 1:20) “So then let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up” (Romans 14:19)

Pep talk!

You got this! God is your biggest cheerleader! Go for it! Your will never regret it!

Start to day!

Body build for Christ! By: Ann Lester