PRAISE BEFORE MY BREAKTHROUGH!

VERSE: 1 From inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God. 2 He said: “In my distress I called to the Lord and he answered me. From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help, and you listened to my cry. 3 You hurled me into the depths, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me. 4 I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.’ 5 The engulfing waters threatened me,  the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. 6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But you, Lord my God, brought my life up from the pit. 7 “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. 8 “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from God’s love for them. 9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” 10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. -Jonah 2:1-10

If we truly were to take a moment and reflect upon our lives, would we find that our love and our worship for the Lord is based upon the things He gives us or the things He does for us or would it be simply because He alone is worthy? Here, we see Jonah hopeless and lost in the inside of a fish. He’s in a place where he never wanted to be; a place where he never prayed or even thought he would be. He’s at a low in his life and it’s here that he again cries out to the Lord in prayer. Jonah prays and prays and guess what, God doesn’t do a single thing. For 9 verses Jonah cries out to God and then in verse 9, even though God has yet to answer Jonah’s prayer he prays, “But I, with shouts of grateful praise, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. I will say Salvation comes from the Lord.” Jonah praises God in the midst of probably one of the darkest points of his life and he does so not because God answered his prayer, but simply because he knows that God is worthy of his praise. I want to encourage you today. It’s often the darkest and lowest points of our lives where we end up not only seeing God but experiencing His presence the most. It’s where we are reminded that without Him we are nothing. It’s where we are reminded that He alone is God and we are not; that He is the one who has been good and faithful to us even though we’ve continually wavered in being faithful to Him. It’s where we are reminded of who He truly is and what He has done for us and it is then that we begin to allow Him to restore and rebuild us from the inside out. But what happens when we turn back to God and we cry out to Him and we don’t see Him move? What do we do then? My prayer for you today is that when you’re in that place, you don’t give up. I pray that when you are in that place, you do what Jonah did; you begin to worship! It’s often your obedience and your worship that will recenter your heart with the heart of God and will be the very thing that brings about the miracle and the breakthrough you’ve been crying out to God for.

Wherever you are at today, if you have been crying out to God for breakthrough in your life and you have not yet seen it, it doesn’t mean that God isn’t working. Maybe you need to get your praise on. Don’t praise Him just when He answers your prayer, praise Him before the breakthrough and I promise you, at just the right time, He’ll lift you up and put you exactly where He called you to be in the first place. God will accomplish His plans and purposes in your life. How do I know this? Because verse 10 says, “And the Lord commanded the fish and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.” You might think you’ve missed out on God’s timing or purposes in your life because of your sin or your disobedience but if you turn back to Him, God is amazing at redeeming what the enemy has stolen and getting you back on track to the destiny He created you to walk in. Don’t give up today, get your praise on and what God move.

PRAYER: God, again I humbly come before you today and I open up my heart to You.  God, restore my spirit today and fill me with peace that only comes from You! God you know my heart today. You know all the details of my life. God I give it all to You and I praise You not just for what you do for me and for what you have done for me, but I praise You today because of who You are! You alone are worthy of my praise; You alone are faithful and good all the time. Your love and Your compassion is never ending and Your plans are perfect. Your timing is perfect. You hold my life in Your hands and You hold the universe in the palm of Your hand. You are seated in the heavenly places and You are in control and sovereign over everything. Who am I to question You and who am I to complain and sulk. God You have been so good to me. You have blessed me with life and You continue to breathe life into my lungs. God right now in this place I choose to trust You. God I might not see You and I might not feel You but I choose to trust You today and say over my life that I worship the Lord. Salvation comes from You alone. God make a way where there is no way and again show me, that you are able to do so much more than I can ask or imagine. I love you Lord, and again, I give you my life and yield to Your plan and Your purposes today. In Jesus Name, Amen. 

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WORKOUT: (Week 1)

Home Functional Workout (1hr)

30min of HIIT Cardio (295 active cal/357 cal)

*2min low intensity cardio/1min of high intensity cardio for 30 minutes

Functional Strength Training (2 rounds)

30min (200 active calories/261 cal)

-25 Air Squats

-25 push-ups

-25 triangle push-ups

-25 Crunches

-25 reverse crunches (leg raises)

-25 calf raises

-25 forearm squeezes

(Approx:  500-750 calories) depending on intensity

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

MEAL PLAN (Week 1): Do your best to eat clean whole foods today.  Stay away from processed foods and sugar.  Read the labels! Drink at least 1 gallon of water today and make sure to eat your body weight in protein.  (example: if you weigh 150lbs then do your best to eat 150lbs of protein today) Eat at least 1 cup of vegetables 3 times today (they could be steamed, raw, sauteed or whatever, it’s your choice) NO SOFT DRINKS! If you absolutely have to, then drink drinks with no sugar or carbs.  Drink electrolytes (no sugar gatorade, LMNT, or the like) And make sure you get a good night's sleep (8-10 hrs).  You’re going to need it as you go through this FIT2SERVE Journey.

OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART!

VERSE: 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. -Ephesians 1:18-19

All the time at The Bridge we emphasize the reality that there is a massive difference between “knowing about God,” and actually “Knowing Him!” God’s heart for you and me is that we would not just know about Him; have knowledge of who He is and and His Word, but instead, God desires us to truly know Him! His heart is that we would walk with Him, and commune with Him; that we would know His Voice and know His intimate love. Why is that significant? Because when we actually know God, it’s then that our lives truly reflect what it is that we say we actually believe. That’s why Paul in his letter to the church of Ephesus says “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you…”

As you begin each and every day let that be your starting place. As you faithfully come before the Lord and give Him the first fruits of your day, get on your knees and may this be your prayer, “God, open the eyes of my heart and give me the wisdom and the revelation to truly understand Your Word. Let me know You and may I know the never-ending hope that comes from You alone so that I am able to withstand the schemes of the enemy and will fulfill your plans and purposes over my life.” When you begin each day with your heart posture in humility and hunger before the Lord, I promise you, He will do more than you can ever ask or imagine, and it’s then and only then where you will begin to see the power of God and the abundance of His glorious riches and blessings displayed in your life so that others may see you and give Him glory.

PRAYER: God, again I humbly come before you today and I open up my heart to You.  God, give me a deeper hunger and thirst for Your Word and for Your presence in my life. God teach me Your ways and let everything I do and say bring honor and glory to Your Name. God today I ask that You give me supernatural wisdom and revelation so that I might truly know You and not just know about You. God may I never settle for just knowing about You, but may I passionately pursue an intimate relationship with You Jesus. Fill me today God! Fill me with Your Holy Spirit and fill me with the hope that only comes from You. Fill me to overflowing so that again, when others see me, they will see You, Christ in me! I love you Lord. Make me the person You created me to be. In Jesus Name, Amen. 

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WORKOUT: (Week 1)

Home Functional Workout (1hr)

30min of HIIT Cardio (295 active cal/357 cal)

*2min low intensity cardio/1min of high intensity cardio for 30 minutes

Functional Strength Training (2 rounds)

30min (200 active calories/261 cal)

-25 Air Squats

-25 push-ups

-25 triangle push-ups

-25 Crunches

-25 reverse crunches (leg raises)

-25 calf raises

-25 forearm squeezes

(Approx:  500-750 calories) depending on intensity

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

MEAL PLAN (Week 1): Do your best to eat clean whole foods today.  Stay away from processed foods and sugar.  Read the labels! Drink at least 1 gallon of water today and make sure to eat your body weight in protein.  (example: if you weigh 150lbs then do your best to eat 150lbs of protein today) Eat at least 1 cup of vegetables 3 times today (they could be steamed, raw, sauteed or whatever, it’s your choice) NO SOFT DRINKS! If you absolutely have to, then drink drinks with no sugar or carbs.  Drink electrolytes (no sugar gatorade, LMNT, or the like) And make sure you get a good night's sleep (8-10 hrs).  You’re going to need it as you go through this FIT2SERVE Journey.

TAKE INVENTORY OF WHO’S IN YOUR BOAT?

VERSE: 10 This terrified them and they asked, “What have you done?” (They knew he was running away from the Lord, because he had already told them so.) 11 The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?” 12 “Pick me up and throw me into the sea,” he replied, “and it will become calm. I know that it is my fault that this great storm has come upon you.” 13 Instead, the men did their best to row back to land. But they could not, for the sea grew even wilder than before. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, “Please, Lord, do not let us die for taking this man’s life. Do not hold us accountable for killing an innocent man, for you, Lord, have done as you pleased.” 15 Then they took Jonah and threw him overboard, and the raging sea grew calm. 16 At this the men greatly feared the Lord, and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord and made vows to him. -Jonah 1:10-16

This passage contains something that many of us need to remember and that’s that the Lord is sovereign and He does as He pleases.  That should give us great comfort today if we know who the God of the Bible truly is based upon the truths of scripture. For those that don’t, this  can often be a fearful thing.  There are multiple things to learn in this passage and the first one is, 

“Be careful who you let in your boat.”  

The sailors were not disobeying or running from the Lord, they were simply accommodating a man who was in need of a ride to Tarshish.  However, because that man was disobeying and running from the Lord, the consequences of his sin now became those of the sailors and almost cost them their lives.  What people have you let into your life that may be bringing into your life unwanted calamity, drama, division, gossip, anxiety, anger and the like?  Is there a chance that your heart might be in the right place but now their influence is beginning to rub off or change you?  In life it’s important to seek the Lord on everything.  We tend to seek the Lord for big decisions in life and often end up making poor decisions when it comes to the little things.  Remember little compromises and little sin often leads to even greater compromises and greater sin over time.  

Psalm 1 says:

“Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,  and who meditates on his law day and night. 3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers. 4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,  nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. 6 For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. 

-Psalm 1:1-6

Take a moment today to stop and take inventory of the people in your life; those who love you and who care about you and whose lives truly show the fruit of someone who not only says they love the Lord, but who are walking it out as well.   Now take inventory of those in your life who are not walking with the Lord and whose fruit is the exact opposite.  Are there any people in your life right now that are pulling you away from the Lord or helping you justify or rationalize the sin and compromises in your life?  If there are, pray and ask the Lord what He wants you to do.  Should you give them up into the Lord’s hands so that they do not lead you to destruction, or does God have a purpose for you being in their lives and is there visible fruit of your influence over them instead of them influencing you away from the Lord?  Either way, God’s purpose and His will will be accomplished.  He will never be too early, and He will never be late.  Whatever His will is you won’t be able to speed it up and you won’t be able to stop it.  Just like Psalm 1 says, “For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”  

I pray today you seek the Lord on who you’ve allowed into your life that is bringing about destruction and pulling you away from the Lord.  I also pray that you seek the Lord to see if the person disobeying the Lord and running from him who is bringing destruction on others may be you?  Again, ask the Lord, “God search me and show me if there is any area of my life where I have yet to surrender to You.  Show me if there is any area of my life where I am walking in disobedience before You?” Whatever it is He shows you, I encourage you to once and for all, surrender it to the Lord. Ask forgiveness where you are wronging others and sinning against the Lord, and once again lay your life before Him.

PRAYER: God, again I humbly come before You today and I ask You to please speak to me.  Holy Spirit, show me those who I’ve allowed into my life that are pulling me away from you; that are taking your place as priority in my life.  Search my heart and show me still if there are any areas in my life where I am sinning against You.  Show me any areas where I am giving in to compromise and deceit.  God I acknowledge that You are a Holy God and that You discipline those You love.  You expose the lies of the wicked and bring to light the plans of the enemy.  God cleanse my heart.  Give me the courage and the conviction to lay down the things in my life that are turning me from You.  Forgive me for justifying my sin and compromises and for leading others into destruction due to the consequences of my own sin.  Bring my heart back to You.  Keep me on the path of righteousness and let me live for You in all that I say and do.  May Your will be accomplished in my life and may I surrender my will to Yours.   In Jesus Name, Amen.

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WORKOUT: (Week 1)

Home Functional Workout (1hr)

30min of HIIT Cardio (295 active cal/357 cal)

*2min low intensity cardio/1min of high intensity cardio for 30 minutes

Functional Strength Training (2 rounds)

30min (200 active calories/261 cal)

-25 Air Squats

-25 push-ups

-25 triangle push-ups

-25 Crunches

-25 reverse crunches (leg raises)

-25 calf raises

-25 forearm squeezes

(Approx:  500-750 calories) depending on intensity

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

MEAL PLAN (Week 1): Do your best to eat clean whole foods today.  Stay away from processed foods and sugar.  Read the labels! Drink at least 1 gallon of water today and make sure to eat your body weight in protein.  (example: if you weigh 150lbs then do your best to eat 150lbs of protein today) Eat at least 1 cup of vegetables 3 times today (they could be steamed, raw, sauteed or whatever, it’s your choice) NO SOFT DRINKS! If you absolutely have to, then drink drinks with no sugar or carbs.  Drink electrolytes (no sugar gatorade, LMNT, or the like) And make sure you get a good night's sleep (8-10 hrs).  You’re going to need it as you go through this FIT2SERVE Journey.

WHO DO I REALLY WORSHIP?

VERSE: 4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. 5 All the sailors were afraid and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the cargo into the sea to lighten the ship. But Jonah had gone below deck, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep. 6 The captain went to him and said, “How can you sleep? Get up and call on your god! Maybe he will take notice of us so that we will not perish.” 7 Then the sailors said to each other, “Come, let us cast lots to find out who is responsible for this calamity.” They cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah. 8 So they asked him, “Tell us, who is responsible for making all this trouble for us? What kind of work do you do? Where do you come from? What is your country? From what people are you?” 9 He answered, “I am a Hebrew and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.” -Jonah 1:4-9

Like we read about yesterday, Jonah heard the word of the Lord and yet instead of obeying it, Jonah disobeyed and ran from God.  God then sent a storm to bring Jonah back to Himself and to realign his heart with God’s, but Jonah didn’t even know how bad of a situation he was in.  It says he was asleep below deck while the others were fearing for their lives.  Sometimes in our lives we can become comfortable or complacent in our sin.  Others who love us and care about us may see the depths and the trouble we are in, but often times we may not.  Often times we tend to be like Jonah; we think we worship the Lord and yet others can see that we are truly far from Him.  As believers we need to remember that our lives are the proof of what it is that we say we actually believe.  Here Jonah says he is a Hebrew and worships the Lord and yet in this moment in his life he is actually running from God in utter disobedience to what the Lord has commanded him to do.  How often do we do the same thing.  

Where in your life are you rationalizing sin and running from the Lord?  What areas of your life are you living in utter disobedience to His commands and His Word?  Jesus tells his disciples in John 14

15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. -John 14:15-17

If Jesus truly is Lord of your life then your life and the fruit of your life will prove that.  But God didn’t just leave us on our own.  He left us the Holy Spirit to help us and guide us to live holy and righteous before the Lord.  Take a moment right now to ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there are any areas of your life that you have not surrendered to the Lord.  Then ask the Holy Spirit to show you if there are any areas of your life that you are running from God or walking in disobedience unto Him?  Maybe it’s something He told you to do; a relationship He asked you to give up, a step of faith He asked you to take, or even someone He asked you to forgive?  Whatever it is today remember, “partial obedience is complete disobedience and disobedience unto the Lord is sin.”  If you’re willfully walking in disobedience unto the Lord, know that God loves you and disciplines those He loves.  A storm or challenge will come and is meant to bring you back the Father.  Repent today.  Ask the Lord for forgiveness and do what He has asked you to do.  If you don’t you may bring pain, hurt, and destruction upon not only yourself, but on others around you that you love.  My prayer for you today is that you choose to repent and surrender whatever it is to the Lord today so that when you say that you worship the Lord, it wil be true.

PRAYER: God, again I humbly come before you today and I open up my heart to You.  Holy Spirit, right now show me if there is any area of my life that I’ve yet to surrender to the Lord.  Show me if there is any area of my life that I am walking in disobedience or running from the commands and voice of God.  (Take a moment to listen-If you are feeling something and  you find yourself saying, “God no, not that” there’s a good changes that that is probably the very thing; the very idol you are placing before the Lord.)  God I choose today to lay (say whatever it is God is asking you to lay down or let go of)  down at You feet, and I surrender it all to You.  I trust You that You know what’s best for me and I submit my life to You.  Forgive me for placing this before You and for sinning against you.  Forgive me for any pain or hurt that I may have caused others.  Forgive me for leading others astray because of my unfaithfulness to obey Your voice.  Fill me with Your Spirit and give me the strength, the self control and the courage to obey You and surrender my will to Yours so that I might be worthy of bringing Glory to Your Name.  In Jesus Name, Amen. 

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WORKOUT: (Week 1)

Home Functional Workout (1hr)

30min of HIIT Cardio (295 active cal/357 cal)

*2min low intensity cardio/1min of high intensity cardio for 30 minutes

Functional Strength Training (2 rounds)

30min (200 active calories/261 cal)

-25 Air Squats

-25 push-ups

-25 triangle push-ups

-25 Crunches

-25 reverse crunches (leg raises)

-25 calf raises

-25 forearm squeezes

(Approx:  500-750 calories) depending on intensity

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

MEAL PLAN (Week 1): Do your best to eat clean whole foods today.  Stay away from processed foods and sugar.  Read the labels! Drink at least 1 gallon of water today and make sure to eat your body weight in protein.  (example: if you weigh 150lbs then do your best to eat 150lbs of protein today) Eat at least 1 cup of vegetables 3 times today (they could be steamed, raw, sauteed or whatever, it’s your choice) NO SOFT DRINKS! If you absolutely have to, then drink drinks with no sugar or carbs.  Drink electrolytes (no sugar gatorade, LMNT, or the like) And make sure you get a good night's sleep (8-10 hrs).  You’re going to need it as you go through this FIT2SERVE Journey.

MISSING THE CALL?

VERSE: The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. -Jonah 1:1-3

Have you ever wondered what your purpose is in life?  Have you ever dreamed of doing something great? Throughout eternity, God has spoken to people and invited them to be a part of HIS-STORY for His Name’s sake, but if we are honest, many of us miss the call of God in our lives because instead of immediately obeying the call of the Lord, we tend to disobey the Lord and run from it.  It might be due to our own insecurities, rationalized sin, compromise, fear, or just believing the lies of the enemy that we are unqualified to do the very thing God is asking of us. These things ultimately hinder us from walking in the freedom and the fullness of what the Lord is calling us to do.  

This passage tells us that “The word of the Lord came to Jonah.”  What does that mean?  That means that God not only called Jonah but He chose Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach against it.  The call from God wasn’t based upon who Jonah was and his strengths or talents, it was based upon the very God who called him.  Instead of obeying the Lord, Jonah disobeyed the Lord and ran in the opposite direction.  

What is God asking you to do today?  Where is He asking you to go?  Is He asking you to give up something in your life; a relationship that’s causing you to sin against Him, the way in which you are stewarding your finances, or the way you are treating others?  What word of the Lord has come to you that you’ve yet to be obedient to? We need to remember that the Lord desires obedience over sacrifice, and that partial obedience is complete disobedience.  You have a choice today to seek the Lord, and obey the very thing He’s asking of you.  If you want to run from God, the devil will always offer you a ride.  Don’t take it!  Choose today to obey the voice of the Lord and the truths of His Word, and watch as He not only takes you to places you’ve never dreamed you’d go, but watch as He uses you to do great things in His Name which He prepared in advance for you to walk in!  

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. -Ephesians 2:10

PRAYER: God, I humbly quiet my heart before You today and I ask You to speak to me?  Today, I choose to lay before You my life.  Be the Lord of my life.  What You tell me to do, I will do.  Where You tell me to go, I will go.  Give me the courage to fix my eyes on You and remind me that You have chosen me and prepared for me good works.  Let me not miss Your call upon my life, and give me the courage to be obedient to You in everything I say and do.  Give me a deep hunger for Your word and Your presence in my life, and keep me on the path of righteousness for Your Name’s sake.  Thank you for Your love for me.  May I live my life in a response to that love with every breath You give me.  In Jesus Name, Amen. 

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WORKOUT: (Week 1)

Home Functional Workout (1hr)

30min of HIIT Cardio (295 active cal/357 cal)

*2min low intensity cardio/1min of high intensity cardio for 30 minutes

Functional Strength Training (2 rounds)

30min (200 active calories/261 cal)

-25 Air Squats

-25 push-ups

-25 triangle push-ups

-25 Crunches

-25 reverse crunches (leg raises)

-25 calf raises

-25 forearm squeezes

(Approx:  500-750 calories) depending on intensity

———————————————————————————————————————————————————

MEAL PLAN (Week 1): Do your best to eat clean whole foods today.  Stay away from processed foods and sugar.  Read the labels! Drink at least 1 gallon of water today and make sure to eat your body weight in protein.  (example: if you weigh 150lbs then do your best to eat 150lbs of protein today) Eat at least 1 cup of vegetables 3 times today (they could be steamed, raw, sauteed or whatever, it’s your choice) NO SOFT DRINKS! If you absolutely have to, then drink drinks with no sugar or carbs.  Drink electrolytes (no sugar gatorade, LMNT, or the like) And make sure you get a good night's sleep (8-10 hrs).  You’re going to need it as you go through this FIT2SERVE Journey.