This is the conclusion of a series that was started on this site a few years ago.
- SERMON ONE: THE ART OF SURVIVAL
- SERMON TWO: S.PIRITUAL GOALS
- SERMON THREE: U.NDERSTANDING GOALS
- SERMON FOUR: R.ELATIONSHIP GOALS
- SERMON FIVE: V.ISION GOALS
- SERMON SIX: I.NVESTMENT GOALS
- SERMON SEVEN: V.OCATION GOALS
- SERMON EIGHT: A.SSET GOALS
- SERMON NINE: L.EISURE GOALS
- We have discussed many important issues pertaining to our daily lives.
- We have done our best to approach these subjects from a Biblical perspective.
- Tonight we are going to close with a subject that I am sure that we can all be passionate about – LEISURE (fun, health, fitness). There are three things we will discuss about L.eisure:
1) OUR LIVES MUST HAVE BALANCE
- As we dig into this lesson tonight, the first thing we must realize is that our life must have balance.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven”
- Consider another verse with me – I understand it’s original intent, but think about this verse in the context of balance in our daily lives.
- Proverbs 11:1 A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.
- I understand that in Biblical times people would fix the weights and rob from people and this was considered an abomination from the Lord.
- Let’s think about this in a broader context. If we represent a false balance of:
- The family only and no church
- All church and no family
- All focus on our physical condition and not on our spiritual condition
- All work and no play
- All play and no work
- All education and no practical experience
- All practical experience and no education
- Isn’t this representing a false balance
- Aren’t we robbing from God, when we come to church to tired to worship because our work is not balanced?
- Aren’t we robbing ourselves when whenever we DO NOT take time to relax?
- Aren’t we robbing others if we relax 24 –7?
2) BALANCE IN OUR EMOTIONS
DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY!
Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5. Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Ecclesiastes 11:10 So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body, for youth and vigor are meaningless.
In his book Laugh Again, Charles Swindoll suggests three common “joy stealers”—worry, stress, and fear. Resist those “joy stealers” by renewing your confidence in God each morning. Then relax and rejoice.
JOY STEALERS – There are various causes of stress and today, I’m going to show you 5 causes of stress that people believe to be the major contributor to stress.
1) MONEY – Many people are stressed because they lack money to pay their bills, their necessities, and many others.
2) WORK – Working under someone has always been a cause of stress. You need to do your job well, you hear gossips about you. You are worried whether the boss will fire you or not after that mistake you made.
3) FAMILY – The daily chores you have to do, fulfilling the needs of your kids, arguments with your spouse and family members.
4) PERSONAL CONCERN – Too many tasks at hand, getting all the bills paid and you’re concerned about your kid’s health and why bad things happened to you.
5) PERSONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY – They are worried about their health and safety. They are worried about all the diseases that strike them.
3) BALANCE IN OUR HEALTH
I Timothy 4:8 instructs us, “For bodily exercise profiteth little.” Many people want to use this verse saying that there is no need to exercise at all. The verse does not say exercise does not profit you AT ALL, it simply says that “Godliness is profitable unto all things.” However, exercise does profit you a little.
Admittedly, I have NEVER been a healthy person. I haven’t had any health problems, I simply do not eat right. I have become very lethargic and don’t sleep well. I received an electronic ad for Tom Rath’s new book EAT MOVE SLEEP. As I read the reviews, I knew I needed to make some changes. I purchased the book and reading it has changed my everyday life. I will let you read the book on your own, but here are my main takeaways and personalizations of the book:
- EAT – Tom states, “Making a commitment to eating the right foods every day is a lot easier than jumping from one diet to the next. The body takes a long time to react to these dietary changes, usually a year or more, according to experts.” PERSONAL ACTION STEP: Tom talks about “impulse eating.” We eat what we see. I’ve been intentional about keeping healthy snacks at eye level.
- MOVE – Rath warns, “Sitting is the most underrated health threat of modern times, inactivity now kills more people than smoking.” His research concludes, “10,000 steps per day is a good target for overall activity. This equates to roughly five miles. On the other end of the continuum, people who walk fewer than 5,500 steps are considered sedentary.” PERSONAL ACTION STEP: I have made a habit of walking 10,000 steps a day and already feel better.
- SLEEP – “Sleep is not a luxury. It is a basic necessity. Every extra hour of sleep is a positive investment. It is not an expense.” Tom cautions, “If you do not get enough sleep, it can lead to a cascade of negative events. You achieve less at work, skip regular exercise, and have poorer interactions with your loved ones.” PERSONAL ACTION STEP: I am implementing a consistent time to go to bed and get up.
- SMALL CHOICES LEAD TO BIG CHANGES – Rath concludes by saying, “Choices count. You can make decisions today that will give you more energy tomorrow. The right choices over time greatly improve your odds of a long and healthy life.” He continues, “Small Choices Change Everything. Making better choices takes work. Movement comes in small changes. Small changes equal large growth.” PERSONAL ACTION STEP: Follow the “30 Days Challenge” and other tools to use with friends, groups, and teams.
CONCLUSION
Take some time to write down all of your LEISURE goals on this page. We are much more likely to complete these goals when they are set before us.
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LEISURE GOALS COULD INCLUDE:
1) Go Canoeing
2) Visit Seven Wonders of the World
3) Attend opening ceremonies at the Olympics
4) Visit the Sistine Chapel (Vatican)
5) Visit the NBA, MLB, NFL, and NCAA Hall of Fames
6) Visit Mt. Rushmore
7) Visit the Smithsonian
8) Visit the Holy lands
9) Visit the Wailing Wall
10) Visit Alcatraz
LIFE SURVIVAL SERIES
- SERMON ONE: THE ART OF SURVIVAL
- SERMON TWO: S.PIRITUAL GOALS
- SERMON THREE: U.NDERSTANDING GOALS
- SERMON FOUR: R.ELATIONSHIP GOALS
- SERMON FIVE: V.ISION GOALS
- SERMON SIX: I.NVESTMENT GOALS
- SERMON SEVEN: V.OCATION GOALS
- SERMON EIGHT: A.SSET GOALS
- SERMON NINE: L.EISURE GOALS
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