Day 8
Ephesians 2:8-10 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Commentary: Today I want you to take some time to think about how you are God's masterpiece. When you put your faith in Jesus, God saves your soul. It's a beautiful gift from God and He wants you to know how much He loves and cares for you. God has plans and when He looks around to see if anyone is willing to be a part of His plans He is looking right at you. You were made to participate with God and do good things during this life. The Full 40 is to support the work of God in your life. When you take care of yourself you should feel better, have a great attitude and not be too busy when The Holy Spirit asks you to do something. Prayer: God, thank you for calling me your masterpiece. I am humbled by this. Thank you for my salvation and your grace. Help me to walk each day in this revelation and blessing. When you need someone to do the work of the ministry and fulfill the plans you have, I am here and I am willing. - Amen. Tip: Take a few minutes today and schedule some "you time" in your calendar. Time for you to rest, exercise, go food shopping and cook some healthy meals. The old saying is, "If you fail to plan, plan to fail." Christians are planners. We will not fail. Love, Max
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Day 7
Today is Sunday. At church I read 1st Peter 4 (msg) Verse 1 - Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Verses 12 - Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner. Commentary: I usually read the NLT (New Living Translation) of the Bible. Sometimes it helps to look at other translations to get the most out of what God is saying. Here in the message I like how he says, "This is a spiritual refining process." The Full 40 is a Spiritual Refining Process. We are about to start week 2. Pray for a clear vision for this new week ahead. Prioritize Rest. Plan time for Exercise. Re-commit to good Nutrition. Educate yourself with God's Word each day. Last but not least is Wellness. Make time for yourself. I just got done playing guitar and now I am so relaxed and ready for a peaceful night of sleep. Hope you are too. Prayer: Jesus thank you for what you went through so I can live with the peace that I am saved. Thank you for your love. Help me to embrace the spiritual refining process. I want to be more like you. - Amen. God Bless you with strength and peace this week. Check out what God said to Joshua after his leader Moses died. This is some of the most powerful scripture in the Bible.
Joshua 1:7-9 (The Message Version) "Don’t get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.” Commentary: By Day 6 you probably have heard the negative voices. The voice of doubt. Joshua was surrounded by people that didn't think it was possible to do what God wanted them to do. Thankfully he had Caleb. In the book of Numbers chapter 13 when everyone was being negative and doubting Caleb told the people to be quiet. So when the voice of doubt speaks again, tell it to be quiet. You are trusting God today. Joshua listened to Caleb and together they led the people to victory. Prayer: Help me God to listen to you and not the voice of doubt. I trust you and need your help to overcome negativity and frustration. Today and tomorrow I will live with my eyes on the victory that is ahead. - Amen Tip: The next time you go to the grocery store, try to shop the perimeter and do very little shopping in the isles. On the perimeter of most stores you will find living food. Fruit, vegetables and meat. Fill your cart with this good stuff. Maybe take a stroll down the spice isle and get some Tarragon. (My new favorite spice to put in my chicken and egg salad.) Stay Strong. Love, Pastor Max Today we will take this moment to define what our body is and why we should treat it right.
1st Corinthians 6:19-20 Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. Commentary: God gives us the Holy Spirit and we carry it wherever we go. When I feel healthy it’s a lot easier to do the work of the ministry. Out of the 5 things that are focus points in The Full 40 program Rest (Sleep) is my biggest factor. It's a challenge for me to get rest, but when I do, everything else goes well. There have been times when I feel convicted by The Holy Spirit that I am not honoring God and following His instructions on Rest. Rest focus points:
Matthew 11:28-30 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Prayer: Thank you for the cross. You bought me with your life. I want to live my life and honor You. I’m tired or being tired and weary. Help me to take better care of myself. -Amen. Do you feel free? Free from addiction and negative thoughts.
I don't want to be controlled by anything except the Holy Spirit and Love. 2nd Corinthians 3:16-17 Whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Commentary: Choose to usher the Spirit into your life each day. I do this by praying. Thanking God for His presence in my life. For the freedom and peace that He blesses me with. Throughout the day take some short breaks from what you are doing and pray. Prayer: Thank you God for your personal presence in my life. I’m growing each day because of your love and guidance. Help me to say no to temptation and yes to doing the right thing. - Amen. How about taking a walk today? Get outside and thank God for the freedom he gives you to move and live on this beautiful planet. Much Love. Max Day 3 of The Full 40
I was reading in the New Testament and this verse got me thinking. Romans 15:4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. After reading that I thought about one of the most amazing human beings I have ever heard of - Daniel. His story of being captured and taken as a slave is incredible. I encourage you to study his whole life at some point but for now let us look at how he ate and the effects of good nutrition and dedication to God. Daniel 1:8-20 8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. 9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.” 11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. 16 So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables instead of the food and wine provided for the others. 17 God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams. 18 When the training period ordered by the king was completed, the chief of staff brought all the young men to King Nebuchadnezzar. 19 The king talked with them, and no one impressed him as much as Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. So they entered the royal service. 20 Whenever the king consulted them in any matter requiring wisdom and balanced judgment, he found them ten times more capable than any of the magicians and enchanters in his entire kingdom. Commentary: God’s Word gives us hope when we slow down and hear the inspiring stories of how God helped real people with real challenges. Daniel’s determination to do the right thing should give us strength. He only ate vegetables and water for 10 days. The result was he looked healthier and better nourished than the other men. Daniel’s mind was clear and he could understand things that others could not. My hope is that this will inspire you stay away from foods that slow you down and fuel yourself with the healthy stuff. Prayer: God, give me self control like Daniel had. Help me to eat clean and think clearer. -Amen Day 2 of The Full 40
I love how the Bible tells us to fill our minds with truth and good things. Check out this beautiful scripture found in the book of Philippians chapter 4. (The Message Version) You will do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies. Commentary: You decide what you fill your mind with. Do not listen to negativity. Focus on the best of things, not the worst. This takes practice. Each day we will look at helpful scripture to strengthen our mind and our spirit. When those are strong, it is easier to do the right things. Prayer: Dear God, help me to meditate on truth. The beautiful and compelling teachings that you share with me through your Holy Word. I want to be in harmony with You and what you are doing all around me. Give me strength to eat smart today and have a good attitude. – Amen. Not Giving Up: If you didn't eat perfect yesterday or you missed a planned workout, please don't give up. This is a challenge to improve ourselves. It is not a contest to see who is perfect. Each day will get easier. Proverbs 24:16 The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. I am here to help so reach out. - Max Good Morning Team.
24 people have signed up for The Full 40. Between now and Friday June 21st we are going to wait upon the Lord and He is going to R.E.N.E.W. Our strength. Here is what my plan looks like for Monday. Rest: For sleep I will be in bed at 9:30. Exercise: For exercise I will do 2 miles on the treadmill. Nutrition: Here is what I will eat today: Breakfast - 2 scrambled eggs on one slice of toast. Black coffee. Lunch - Homemade chicken salad. Diced up chicken breast mixed with Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo, Tarragon, 6 red grapes, a half of an avocado. To drink I will have green tea. Afternoon snack - Apple sliced up with some Almond butter. Green tea. Dinner - 1 cup of brown rice, mixed with steamed broccoli and topped with salmon. To drink I will have decaf green tea. No snacks after dinner. Education: I will meditate on this scripture throughout the day. Especially when I get hungry. Philippians 4:12-13 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Commentary: The Apostle Paul inspires us to seek out the secret to living in every situation. Paul fully trusted Jesus. I often think about Paul in prison. He had the most amazing attitude. Singing and praying while he was chained up. Paul knew that Jesus faced many challenges and so would he. His faith remained strong and probably got even stronger as he made it through many challenging days. He was a mission minded person. Prayer: During these 40 days help me to have the mindset that Paul had. Keep me focused on the mission no matter what tries to hold me back. I can do this challenge because of my faith in Jesus, who gives us strength. - Amen. Wellness: For Wellness I will play guitar for 20 minutes. I hope that this look at my plan for today inspires you to make a clear plan for your day. Reach out if you need any help or have a question. - Max elevateyourlife@gmail.com |