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For the last several months I have been doing a new workout that takes about 20 minutes( more on this to come soon) and in this workout I do the same exact thing everyday. For many this might sound boring but it has actually been a lot of fun to see the consistent progress. And if you bring energy, presence, and focus each day it is not boring at all. In each section of the weight lifting I have a rep goal, for example it might be 4-8 reps. In this case I select a weight that allows me to do 4-8 reps with medium effort. 

My goal is to keep practicing that weight every single day until 8 reps can be done easily for multiple days in a row, then its time to increase the weight and start over again. After several months of doing this my weights have increased steadily and the other day I went back and tried some of the weights I started with. Those weights now felt very easy, because I had moved to a higher level.

When we move to a higher level in anything lower leve...

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Here is this week's Yearly Cycle Update 

The eight days of Hanukkah are coming soon, starting on Nov 29th. Hanukkah, known as the feast of dedication and also the festival of lights, is a time when God wants to see a higher level of dedication to our gift. It is a time to firm up our commitment to what he has called us to do. To commit means that we go all in and don’t look back. The number 8 is symbolic of new beginnings, and Hanukkah as an 8-day feast is when we firm up our commitment to what God is calling us to do and embark on a new beginning. 

Hanukkah is not technically mentioned in the Bible, but some Jewish scholars say it is hinted at. The feast is a remembrance of when the Jewish people revolted and took back control of the temple. When they restored the temple, there was only enough olive oil to light the lamps for one night, but God performed a miracle and made the light last for eight nights. 

The miracle of Hanukkah is a reminder that when we dedi...

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The other day someone told me about a doctors appointment they had to prepare for a procedure. After doing a breathing test the doctor said many people don't breathe deeply so their lungs are not fully activated and much of their lung capacity is dormant or unused. 

This goes along with the old principle.... Use it or lose it.

Something I believe to be true about our physical bodies is that we have genes waiting to be activated for good things. Many people talk about having genes for diseases or other bad things that are activated by our lifestyle and environment but I believe God also built good things into our genes that are dormant and waiting to be activated.

In our physical bodies this principle is definitely true, if we don't use our lungs, muscles, etc then things go dormant and atrophy. And on the other end of the spectrum when we make the most of what God has given us we have much more capacity than we thought. 

But, this principle also applies into ev...

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There is a fine line between faith and presumption. Faith is how we receive everything from God but presumption can get us into trouble. In Numbers 14 after the spies came back from the promised land with an evil report and complained, God said they were going to spend 40 years in the wilderness. Then in Numbers 14:44-45 the people in their presumption decided to try to take the promised land on their own without God. They went up to the highest point in the hill country, but they were beaten down. 

This concept of faith and presumption seems to be linked to the phrase, " the highest point." 

When Jesus was tempted by the Devil (Matthew 4) Satan took him up to the highest point of the temple and asked Jesus to throw himself down in order to test God. 

But true faith doesn't test God, it rests in the promises. Jesus didn't need to test the promise out to see if God would do what he said.

It is also interesting that the phrase, " the highest point," is also found...

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Philippians 3:1 says Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you.

Repetition or repeating things over and over is the key to developing mastery in anything and it also keeps us safe. There is tremendous power in repetition. In fact throughout the Bible God often repeats himself, and I believe he does this so we get what he is trying to show us.

Finding things that are really important and repeating them over and over unlocks a depth of insight and mastery that can't be attained any other way. It also helps to develop our self control and discipline. 

But, not just any kind of repetition will do. Repetition needs to be done with joy and energy because we are doing it with God. Many people find repetition boring but I have found this often means they are lacking presence in what they are doing. 

In nature some of the most beautiful things are very simple patter...

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How do we make today a masterpiece? I think it has more to do with the attitude we do things and who we are doing them with than what we are doing. We can be doing ordinary things but turn them into a masterpiece because we are doing them with God and with his grace, joy, and energy flowing through us. 

Notice we are talking about today... Which means we need to live in the present moment and make the most of today. 

Here are some keys we have been discussing that can help us make today a masterpiece...

• Stay positioned in gratitude and praise all day. Watch out for complaining or getting offended. 
• Keep our minds fixed on God's word, his unfailing love, his faithfulness, his power, and all he has done for us in Christ.
• Recognize quickly if we are thinking on the wrong things and get our minds turned around quickly. Our emotions will let us know.
• Be a great listener today by being more present. Stay tuned in for God's leading and direction today.
• Take actio...

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An interesting thing about life is that it often just takes one thing to really change the trajectory of our lives...

It could be one...

• Word from God
• Relationship
• Idea
• Good decision 
• Good break
• Skill you master
• Book or song you write
• Invention or piece of art you create
• Business you create
• Marketing campaign 
• Investment opportunity
• And many other things

I believe this principle applies to our lives because it reminds us of the one sacrifice of Jesus. Hebrews 10:10-14 says...

And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made per...

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In the world of finance there is something called the opportunity cost, which is the hidden cost of taking one choice versus another.

Let's use buying $20,000 car as a practical example...

If you have the cash to buy the car is it better to pay with cash or finance the car? 

You can own the car outright by paying cash but there could be a tremendous opportunity cost that you are missing out on in all the interest you could have been making on the money.

These days car loans are about 2-3% so here is some math...

$20,000 @ 2% over 5 years = Total cost of the car $22,081

If the $20,000 was invested at 5% per year you would have $25,525 after 5 years. This means that by financing the car and investing the money instead you made an additional $3,444 over 5 years. 

If the money was invested at 15% per year, which is possible, you would have $40,227 after 5 years. 

So in this case the hidden opportunity cost of paying cash could actually be $40,227 - $22,081 = $1...

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In Ecclesiastes 3:12 King Solomon writes, " I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live."

Be happy and do good. This is a very simple phrase but often hard for us to do because God is supposed to be the source. 

God is supposed to be the source of our happiness, but we often go searching for it in stuff and achievements. When we have God with us we can rejoice and be content in all situations because he is always with us. Our happiness is supposed to come from the inside not from external circumstances. 

His grace also changes our hearts and empowers us to do good. As he works in our lives he gives us the desire and ability to do good and be a blessing. 

Today's communion is a time of thanksgiving for God being with us and we are asking for his help to be happy and do good at a greater level.  There is always another level of this and there is nothing better than to be happy and do good today!

I am praying for you. ...

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This is a time of year when God is shifting things around and opening new doors, which means that many decisions will often to be made during this time. But, I have found there will be times when we pray and God doesn't give us a clear answer. 

It is during these times that I believe God is training us to make good decisions. Good parents want their children to be able to make good choices on their own and as children grow we typically give them the freedom to make more difficult decisions. 

So if you are praying for help with a decision and hearing nothing, then it may be time to ask God if he is leaving this decision up to you. The good news however is that if you were about to make a big mistake God would let you know. I once heard a preacher talk about this situation and he said he felt God told him... " Make a decision and I will back it. If you are about to make a big mistake I will let you know."

I am praying for you. 

Daniel