Be On Fire!

2.27.23  Be on fire! Revised from Stoke the fire, June 14th, 2021

Do you ever feel behind your day before it even starts - too busy, too exhausted, too stressed?  Or that your life is a toxic mix of the above making you impatient, irritable, or unfocused?

When was the last time you did something purposefully to feel cozy. 

If you answer yes to the first question or have been there at times in your life and cannot remember when to my second question, I encourage you to read on.

The last couple of years have isolated us and now movements to be kind are everywhere, like it’s a chore to be kind now and that we need a sign and a challenge to give grace, show empathy and be decent.   Well, Covid has turned our world upside down, and the lack of a foundation on God’s Word as well as people practicing common decency is no longer common as we are forced to take sides about the vaccine – are you in or out?  Are being indoctrinated that you can choose a gender and that the moral majority is now a minority in this lovers of self-culture.

We live in a society of constant distraction, we can feel beaten before we even stepped out the door, and it can weigh heavy on us and attempt to extinguish our fire.  According to the guardian, “In an eight-hour day, (we have) about 60 interruptions. The average takes about 5 minutes. Public schools are being forced to have liter boxes for kids who think they are “furry”, and people can now choose their gender, despite the fact that our DNA says male or female. God is NOT going to re-write the Bible for any generation, so stop trying to change scripture when it’s written to change you. Your opinion doesn’t matter.

Society also makes us feel that we need or feel we need to always being “connected”. Checking our mobile devices too many times to say out loud in a day;” God forbid there’s a Wi-Fi dead zone or no phone service! Why do we seem to ask people, “How was your weekend, followed by what did you do?”  Why can’t we rest on the seventh day like the Good Lord told us to do?  He so strongly knows our human nature that he had one of the Bible superhero’s named Moses put His command in stone…it’s called the fourth commandment…remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy.  What does that mean?  It means God put a rest day into our lives for a reason; we are to have a Sabbath or rest day and keep it holy or set apart. Why? It seems so counter intuitive.  To spend time with God and rejuvenate a weary soul. Don’t believe that stuff?  Well, are you tired, stressed and longing for true peace? Maybe there’s something to those words from ages ago we need to put back into our practice of living life to get that fire back…

I just read an great article from Derek Deprey in 2016 on LinkedIn about managing your energy and not your time. I loved the focus change or is it change in focus? Instead of looking at your over-crowded schedule and then trying to squeeze movement into your schedule, look at how you can add movement to the schedule as it is. We all have 24 hours in a day, and we all need to prioritize our time. Adding rest doesn’t seem right, but it is.  Sleep deprivation is a torture used around the world so why intentionally torture yourself with a 25/8 lifestyle? Why not stand and talk on the phone, or stretch at a meeting, or do calf raises standing in line?  You have the time…you just need to prioritize it. Trade in the screen time for movement time…do a fast of electronics for a week and see how much time you waste on meaningless distractions that you could have “free” to use in a way that is good stewardship of your time and the treasure of the one body God made for you.

Derek talked about poor eating habits he developed as a child – eating candy bars, Burger King and visiting a candy store frequently.  He also said after spending over 10,000 hours in my life enjoying tasty treats, 10,000 hours in the gym because of these poor childhood habits and 10,000 hours as a health club leader, “I’ve developed the following acronym and formula to help improve energy levels: FEW (Food + Exercise + Water = Energy). Stop complicating wellness and start simplifying it. Always plan the FEW fundamentals and you’ll be on fire every day.”

Basically, what he is saying is be a good steward of your body. Garbage in = garbage out.  We are what we eat…eat crap; look feel and be crap. If you view food as fuel for your body and not entertainment – eating clean and what your body needs – my plate eating; then add movement AKA exercise and proper water intake (up to half your body weight in ounces of water is a good rule) you will have energy.  You will maintain a healthy weight and great numbers barring any family history that may need some additional intention. Add rest to that formula and you have the recipe for well- being that we all crave. Simple…yes, simple.

Don’t tell me you don’t have time to make a healthy choice…there are fast healthy foods, so don’t give me the “I don’t have time” excuse…fruit is wrapped by the good Lord and is a grab and go food, so are many veggies. Chips and pizzas are expensive – put that money towards healthy foods …it’s not “too expensive.” Hard boil a few eggs while you’re taking a shower as a time savor, and you have a grab and go source of protein that’s easy and pre-packaged. Put together some overnight oats or chia pudding for the week in the frig and have a power packed breakfast to kick start your busy day that is grab and go to eat in the car, for kids on the bus or when you get to work…when there’s a will there’s a way.

If you want to be on fire every day, stoke that fire with good “wood” AKA fuel using the “FEW” principles from Derek plus God’s command for adequate rest and time with Him to restore the soul. Life can be simple and enjoyable…today is your day to start living well and enjoy rest as God intended by tapping into the eternal source of power and fire, Him.

Don’t get caught up in the “don’t offend” group when society is telling you to be quiet, and they try to offend nobody but God, who is the one that matters. Without a moral compass, the human mind will justify anything. What we feel seems right Proverbs 14:12. People only want their ears tickled, 2 Timothy 4:3 AMP version, “For a time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction (that challenges them with God’s truth); but wanting to have their ears tickled (with something pleasing), they will accumulate for themselves (many) teachers (one after another chosen) to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold. Verse 4 and 5 goes on to say in the NIV, “They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”

Be on fire for God, stand for what is right - in His eyes, in His Word and not your deceitful heart. Jeremiah 17:9. 2 Timothy 3:1-3 also warns us not to be lovers of self…