Chapter One
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO GOD?
The Bible tells us that someday every knee will bow
and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
We're also told that every single one of us will stand
before God on a great Day of Judgment. Have you
ever wondered what that will be like? What will God
be concerned with? What will he ask? Let's think
about that for a moment.
· God won't ask what kind of car you drove, but he
might ask how many people you drove who didn't
have transportation.
· God won't ask how big your house was, but he
might ask how many people you welcomed into
your home.
· God won't ask about your social status, but he
might ask what kind of class you displayed.
· God won't ask what your highest salary was, but he
might ask if you compromised your character or his
will to obtain that salary.
· God won't ask how many promotions you received,
but he might ask how you promoted others-how
you encouraged them and considered them more
important than yourself.
· God won't ask how many material possessions you
had, but he might ask if they dictated your life.
· God won't ask what neighborhood you lived in, but
he might ask you how you treated your neighbors.
God is concerned with the status of your heart. He's
also concerned about your actions. And the truth is, our
actions usually reflect our heart. Are your actions representative
of Christ? It all starts with your heart. Is your
heart totally dedicated to him? Are you more concerned
about becoming all he wants you to be than
seeing how much you can get? Let that be your goal
this year. Instead of thinking, How can I become more
popular? How can I get so-and-so to notice me? focus
instead on, Whom can I help who can't give back?
Ask God to transform your thinking from How can
I make the most money? How can I be the most
successful? to Dear Father, where I can serve you
best? What can I do to help build your Kingdom?
When your heart has that kind of focus, your
actions will reflect Christ himself.
January 1
BREW IT!
God commands that we imitate
him (see Ephesians 5:1).
How's your imitation coming?
Remember, it all begins
in the heart. This week, do
something for someone who
can't return the favor. Is
there an elderly shut-in from
your church you can visit?
Contact your pastor about
someone in your church who
has specific needs that you
can meet: perhaps someone
who's short of cash and
needs groceries, a child from
a single-parent home who
needs some extra attention,
or someone who's handicapped
who needs help
with chores.
POUR IT!
Drink in the flavor from
the following Scriptures:
1 Corinthians 13; 2 Corinthians
5:10; Ephesians 5:1-2.
SAVOR IT!
Ask God to break you and
reshape you in his image.
Tell him you want to focus
on making a difference for
eternity.
SPIRITUAL IRON
Maybe you're familiar with the Ironman Triathlon. It's
a grueling athletic event held each fall in Hawaii that
involves running, swimming, and biking. Here's how
it began: In 1978 Navy commander John Collins
wanted to settle an argument about who was more
fit-runners or swimmers.
He combined the three toughest endurance races:
a 2.4-mile rough-water swim, a 112-mile bike race,
and a 26.2-mile run. Competitors would start at
7 a.m., and the first to finish would win the title
of Ironman.
Only fifteen participants showed up at the first triathlon.
Commander Collins finished the course, but he
didn't win. The Ironman title went to a Honolulu taxi
driver.
Today more than 1,600 athletes compete in
Hawaii's Ironman Triathlon each year, and more than
100 million people watch the event on TV. It takes
7,000 volunteers, 600 bottles of sunscreen, 100,000
gallons of fluids, and 12,825 bananas to make the
annual competition a success.
God wants to mold you into a spiritual iron man.
Think of him as a heavenly coach who wants to help
you get into top spiritual shape. How can you develop
spiritual muscles?
1. Establish a routine. Each triathlon competitor has a
consistent physical workout schedule. Do you have
a regular spiritual workout with God? Devour his
Word and talk with him. This will strengthen you
spiritually.
2. Make yourself accountable. Training-whether
physical or spiritual-is always easier with a
partner. Grab a friend and set some spiritual goals
together. Hold one another accountable to having
a quiet time with God each day. Connect with your
friend in person, through e-mail, or over the phone
and pray with each other. Ask questions about
what God is teaching each of you.
3. Memorize Scripture. There will be days when Satan
tempts you to throw in the towel. When he does,
memorized Scripture will provide ample ammunition
against the enemy.
January 2
BREW IT!
Spiritual discipline, like physical
discipline, is a process.
Your muscles don't take shape
overnight. Consistency is the
key! Determine to take your
spiritual training seriously.
POUR IT!
Drink in the flavor from
the following Scriptures:
1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Ephesians
3:14-21; 1 Timothy 4:8.
SAVOR IT!
Ask God to help you discipline
yourself daily to his authority.
Ask him to bring to light anything
in your life that's hindering
your spiritual fitness. And
when he does, be willing to
commit that area to him.
INCREDIBLE PROMISE
Sixteen-year-old Rick Hoyt was watching the Ironman
Triathlon on television with his dad. He was captivated
by athletes with sculpted physiques biking
112 miles. Rick sat mesmerized as he watched the
muscular competitors swim almost two and a half
miles. He was glued to the screen as it displayed
determined athletes running 26.2 miles.
Rick was so captivated by the entire event that he
asked his dad, "Can I do that?"
His dad turned to him and said, "Yes. With my
help, you can."
People who knew Dick Hoyt couldn't believe he'd
make such an outrageous promise to his son. You
see, Rick was a quadriplegic. He was born with cerebral
palsy and couldn't walk or talk. The question
he'd asked his dad wasn't verbal; his dad was reading
his son's words on a computer screen. Rick had a
special apparatus that allowed him to communicate
via technology.
His dad had every reason to look at his son and
say, "Rick, I'm so sorry. It's impossible for you to compete
in a triathlon. You can't even speak. You can't
control your tongue. When we feed you, the food falls
out of your mouth. No. Son, you're handicapped.
There's no way you can enter a triathlon."
Dick didn't say that. He was so full of love for his
son that he determined to make the impossible possible.
"Yes. With my help, you can. It's impossible on
your own, but I'll make a way. I love you so much!"
January 3
BREW IT!
God is crazy about you! Even
though you're scarred and
sinful, he has promised to
make you whole. He loves
you so much that he created
a way for you to be forgiven
of your sins. He gave his
own Son to pay the price
you couldn't afford.
POUR IT!
Drink in the flavor from
the following Scriptures:
Romans 3:22-28; 10:10-11.
SAVOR IT!
Thank God for loving you so
much that he was willing to
send his Son-God in human
form-to die for your sins.
Tell him you realize that you
don't deserve that kind of
love. Ask him to help you
show your gratitude by a
lifestyle of service and obedience
to him.
WHATEVER IT TAKES
Now that Dick Hoyt had promised his quadriplegic
son entrance into the Ironman Triathlon, he had to
figure out how to make it happen. It would be one
thing to compete on his own, but how could he swim
2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles carrying
his son?
The first thing Dick had to do was learn how to
swim! After completing his swimming lessons, he
began running and training for the grueling triathlon.
When he had readied himself for the challenge, he
then had to figure out how to complete the event
with his son, who couldn't move.
With the help of others, he was able to devise a
special seat in front of the handlebars of his bicycle
where Rick could sit while Dick pedaled. When he
swam through rough waters, a rope was tied around
his waist and attached to a raft in which Rick lay. And
when he entered the marathon phase, Dick ran while
pushing his son in a special wheelchair.
If you've ever seen the video clip of Dick and Rick's
Ironman adventure, you've undoubtedly noticed the
strain of muscles in Dick's legs, the bulging veins in
his neck, and the determination on his face. It was an
amazing feat!
The average finish time for the Ironman is eight
hours. It took Dick and his son 16.4 hours to cross the
finish line. But they made it! Rick experienced victory
because he had a dad who was willing to do whatever
it took to get him across the finish line.
January 4
BREW IT!
Regardless of whether you
have an earthly dad who's
willing to do whatever it takes
to help you win, you have a
heavenly Father who so desperately
wants you to win that
he's willing to pedal you, push
you, carry you, pull you across
the finish line into victory. He
willingly died for you so that
you can experience victory
over sin. Are you living in that
victory?
POUR IT!
Drink in the flavor from
the following Scriptures:
Romans 5:1-6; 1 Corinthians
1:8-9.
SAVOR IT!
Have you confessed your sins
to Christ and accepted him as
your personal Savior? If you've
never done that, you can do it
right now! Talk to God as you
would your best friend-openly
and honestly. You can
commit your life to him right
now and begin experiencing
spiritual victory.
(Continues.)
