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1 Timothy 4:7, 8 - SPIRITUAL FITNESS.

1 Timothy 4:7, 8 (NLT) Do not waste time 
arguing over godless ideas and old wives tales. 
Instead, train yourself to be godly. 8 Physical 
training is good, but training for godliness is much 
better, promising benefits in this life and in the 
life to come. 

COMMENTARY PEARL

The Most Important Habit for Spiritual 
Fitness 
   Weve been learning about how loving 
others the way God wants requires developing habits 
that keep you physically, emotionally, and 
spiritually renewed. 
   The Bible says real love always 
protects, always trusts, always hopes, always 
perseveres. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13:7-8 
NIV). You cant love people that way without 
Gods help. And you cant have that kind of 
power when youre running on empty spiritually. 
   You need to watch for signs that you may 
be headed for spiritual burnout. When that 
starts to happen, you may feel like nothing is 
worth the effort; even loving someone else may 
seem like too much. Or you might start blaming 
God for your problems.  
   These signs arent unique to you. Even 
many of the Bibles great heroes, like David, 
Moses, and Abraham, did the same things when they 
were in burnout stages. 
   How do you maintain spiritual fitness and 
avoid spiritual burnout? Its similar to how you 
stay physically fit: You have to be intentional 
and disciplined.  
   When you develop that discipline, the 
Bible promises that your spiritual fitness will 
reap eternal benefits: Physical training is 
good, but training for godliness is much better, 
promising benefits in this life and in the life to 
come (1 Timothy 4:8 NLT). 
   No discipline is more important in 
developing spiritual fitness than spending regular time 
with God. In fact, the Bible says in 2 
Corinthians 4:16 that, even if outwardly your body 
suffers wear and tear, inwardly you can be 
spiritually renewed by spending time alone with God. 
This can take just 10 minutes in your living room 
chair before your day starts. During that time, 
you can let God talk to you through the Bible 
and you can talk to him through prayer. 
   You need that time alone with God, 
because the quality of your relationship with God 
determines the quality of every other relationship you 
have. 
   Human love will wear out. But Gods 
love never does! To love more like Jesus, make 
your quiet time the number one priority in your 
day. When you do, your relationships will be 
transformed by the power of Gods love through you. 
[Daily Devotional by Rick Warren: 
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]  

CLOSING THOUGHT

   This morning I woke up before the sun 
rose to get in my morning workout. But I didn't 
want to go. The bed was so warm and comfortable. 
I kept lying there thinking about how good it 
would feel to hit the snooze button and go back to 
sleep for about thirty minutes. But a voice 
somewhere in my head kept saying, "Get up! You need to 
get up and go!" 
   I'm sure for all of us, there are days 
when we don't want to do the things we know we 
need to do. But God knows we can't afford to just 
lie there in bed, especially when it comes to 
our spiritual fitness. So when we hesitate, the 
Holy Spirit keeps urging us until we get back 
into our right minds. He reminds us to do the 
following: 
      	Read the Bible, God's letter to us.
      	Spend time talking to our heavenly 
Father in prayer. 
      	Contact members of our Forever 
Family to avoid isolation.  
      	Think of someone we can serve.
      	Start training ourselves to be 
godly. 
   A good place to begin your spiritual 
fitness program is the book of James. It reads like 
a manual for godly living. If we read part of 
a chapter each day and reflect on what we 
read, we are sure to see changes in how we are 
living our lives. 
   Lord, thank you for the Holy Spirit, who 
keeps me committed to doing those things that are 
best for me. In Jesus' name, Amen. [Celebrate 
Recovery Daily Devotional by John & Johnny Baker] 

LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY 

John 3:3 - You Must Be Born Again To Enter 
The Kingdom Of God. 

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200518-0946.html 

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2018/20180715-1129.html 

John 17:17 - Sanctification: Follows 
Justification And Ends In Glorification. 

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2007/20070430-0333.html 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Pray Without Ceasing.

https://www.abible.com/devotions/2023/20230929-0933.html 

LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT

https://abible.com/links/