A great diet

I read about this great new diet plan the other day. For breakfast, you could have four pop tarts and a cereal breakfast bar. Chocolate milk is your drink. Lunch consisted of a can of ravioli, some Doritos or potato chips, and a candy bar, with pop for your drink. Dinner is the best. You eat all the pizza you want along with ice cream. The best part is that this diet requires no exercise. You can sit on the couch with a bag of chips all night long. You are guaranteed to lose 2-5 pounds a week.
How many of you really believe me?
If most of us actually ate this way expecting to lose weight, people would think we are crazy.
As crazy as that sounds, many Christians are doing this very thing spiritually and expecting to become a stronger, more dedicated follower of Jesus.
They might start their morning out listening to music that glorifies violence, the objectification of women, greed, or other ungodly desires or actions. Then they go to work or school and engage in conversations that are filled with gossip, hateful words, pride, and more. They jump on the Internet and look at images that make women sexual objects instead of daughters of God. Or they might go to social networking pages where they create profiles that are at best, flirty, often laced with sexual overtones or pictures that do the same.
The day is not done yet. Now it’s time to listen to some more music. This music might reinforce the fact that life is hopeless or that life is not complete without a boyfriend or girlfriend. Then it’s time to sit in front of the television and watch a few shows whose messages say that premarital sex seldom has consequences, treating your parents with disrespect is a funny thing, and morals and integrity are optional.
It’s almost bedtime now, so there is time to chat online or text message. (Which has probably been going on most of the day.) Again we find gossip and slander. But this time it’s even more dangerous because the friend might be texting the very person being gossiped about. There could be a dozen interrelated text conversations going on where no one knows the whole story.
Wait. Forgot about Bible reading. Well, it’s late and time for bed. That can wait for tomorrow. Plus, I’ll hear about God in church on Sunday. (If I’m not too busy talking and texting during worship and class.)
The apostle Paul wrote, “Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come.” This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it. This is why we work hard and continue to struggle, for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people and particularly of all believers. (1 Timothy 4:8-10)
Unless we’re willing to train for godliness it will never happen. Maybe it’s time to take a long look at what kind of “training” you are doing now and see if it’s time for a new spiritual fitness plan.

shine!
Jason