Created by Jessica H. Chambers for Team ROCKSTAR FIT

To build up to the challenge, I did some posts with my own personal testimony. I also created an event and posted an image with a verse each day for the two week period building up to the order deadline date. I thought these things were more personal and less generalizable but if you would like for me to create and share a document with those items I will. The plan is to also do an afternoon post that gives a nutrition or exercise tip each day. Those posts are not included in this document and would be something like your typical challenge posts. I have a coach who will be helping me post those each day.

Each daily scripture post will be called “daily bread.” I will use this image daily with that day’s scripture written on the bread.

Example:

Daily Bread Day 1

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”Romans 12:1-2

We cannot know the will of God until this happens. We must focus on God to know His plan for our life. We cannot just drag Him along in the life we planned. During the next 21 days, we must spend time worshiping and praying. In return, our life will change because of it. If we are truly sorry, we can change, but if we are not, we cannot make change happen. Are you sorry for the way you have treated the body God gave you to serve Him? Are you ready to make change happen? Are you willing to spend the next 21 days focused on God in pursuit of His plan for you?

Daily Bread Day 2

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”Hebrews 12:1

Long-distance runners work on endurance and strength when training and then on race day are sure to wear lightweight clothes on their lean body. If we want to run the race for God, we too must also get rid of that extra weight that weighs us down. What weighs us down varies from person to person. Maybe you actually have excess weight that causes you to lack confidence in serving or sharing your testimony. Maybe you have a secret “weight” such as overeating or laziness. Focusing on God requires a lot of hard work and requires us to give up our earthly desires in order to serve Him better. Are you surrounded by friends who are committed to running the race with you or are they pulling you off course? What are the weights that are slowing you down in the race God has set before you?

Daily Bread Day 3

“Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me.”Luke 9:23

If you were reading this verse from you red letter Bible, these words would be red. Jesus [he] is telling the crowd and us, his disciples to turn away from our selfish desires. We must understand that we belong to Him and that we must live to serve Him. Sure, I desire to eat an entire pack of Oreos every day and pile up in front of the TV for hours. Yet, if I give in to my human, selfish desires, I am no longer living to serve Him. I am living to serve myself. Do you ever look at your relationship with God in terms of what you can do for Him, instead of what He can do for you? Are you willing to deny yourself excess unhealthy foods and 30 minutes of TV time to work out? Are you willing to take up your cross daily and follow Him? Are you truly a disciple or are you just all talk?

Daily Bread Day 4

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”1 Corinthians 6:19-20“And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”2 Corinthians 6:16

Many people say it’s my body, I will eat what I want, not workout if I want, just do what I want…such freedom. Unfortunately, this is so far from the truth. We are enslaved to our sinful desires. In these three verses, Paul is explaining once we become a Christian and give our life to Christ, our body is the dwelling place for the Spirit of God. Therefore, our body no longer belongs to us for us to do with and treat how we want. God willingly paid the price to free us from all sin. Because your body belongs to Him, you must not violate His standards for living. How does your behavior reflect on God? What habits and behaviors do you have that need to change?

Daily Bread Day 5

“This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: The people are saying, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the LORD.’” Then the LORD sent this message through the prophet Haggai: “Why are you living in luxurious houses while my house lies in ruins? This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes! “This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies says: Look at what’s happening to you! Now go up into the hills, bring down timber, and rebuild my house. Then I will take pleasure in it and be honored, says the LORD.”Haggai 1:2-8

We studied yesterday that our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Today, we expose how our current behaviors of spending time on beautifying things like our home, car, and work, are causing us to neglect the temple, our body. The more time we spend focusing on worldly things, the less fruitful we become. These verses remind us to pick up our tools and start work on the temple. Are ready to start focusing on God and begin working on the temple of the Holy Spirit?

Daily Bread Day 6

“So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”Galatians 5:16 “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!”Galatians 5:22-23 “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”Galatians 5:25

To have the qualities stated in verses 22 and 23, we must be willing to let the Holy Spirit guide us. We must desire to hear and desire to obey God’s Word in order to overcome our selfish desires. We must know, love, remember and imitate Him, if we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us. A life that is Spirit filled is a life that is in harmony with the law of God. God has an interest in every aspect of your life. Every aspect of our life needs to be submitted to God, including our health and fitness. Have you submitted your nutrition to God? Are you willing to submit your body to the requirements to live a healthy Spirit filled life?

Daily Bread Day 7

“You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.”Colossians 2:20-23

Christian growth is a lifelong process. I mean that’s why you’re here right? To grow? If we continue to listen to God, we will continue to change and grow. This change may come slowly but over time with trust in God, the change will be significant. As you look over the past week, what changes have you seen in your life? How have you already seen God working and you growing? Over the next year, how do you foresee this challenge growing your relationship with God?

Daily Bread Day 8

“Teach me your ways, O LORD, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you. With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever,”Psalms 86:11-12“Let all that I am praise the LORD; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!”Psalms 103:1-5

Don’t let that fire from the first week go out. Let us feel renewed as we begin week two. It doesn’t matter how tough life gets, there are always blessings to count. Take time today to thank God for the progress we made this past week and ask Him for strength, awareness, and help us improve our obedience as we enter into this second week. Let us praise the Lord with ALL that we are as we begin

week two of this challenge. Are you giving Him your ALL? Are you praising Him through your nutrition? Are you worshiping Him with your workout?

Daily Bread Day 9

“Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.”2 Corinthians 7:1“By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires.”2 Peter 1:3-4

When we cleanse ourselves, two things must take place. We must turn away from sin and turn toward God. We cannot be perfect and sinless but can mature by becoming more Christlike. The power to do that comes solely from God. His Spirit empowers us! Are there sins you need to turn from? Do you need to call on the Spirit for power to overcome addictions or bad habits?

Daily Bread Day 10

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”Ephesians 2:10

We are not worthy of the salvation provided by God through His son Jesus Christ but intends us to serve Him because of that salvation. Salvation is not just about benefiting ourselves, it is about serving Christ. God considers us to be His masterpieces. Thus, we cannot treat ourselves with disrespect by not caring for our bodies. Are willing to serve Christ by takin care of God’s masterpiece? Are you willing to sacrifice unhealthy foods and 30 minutes of your day to be more Christlike?

Daily Bread Day 11

“For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.”Psalms 107:9 “Then Jesus explained: “My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work.”John 4:34

Satisfaction of knowing that you have Christ as your Savior and the Holy Spirit as your guide is enough to overcome those daily human desires to satisfy your sweet tooth. Jesus is speaking of His spiritual nourishment here, but when our body is being nourished both spiritually and physically, cravings for unhealthy things are removed and energy for exercise is provided. Spiritual nourishment comes from doing what God asks of us, which is sharing our love, having a strong testimony and living a life that allows others to see Him in us. Are you making those changes that need to be made for your testimony to be stronger? Are you sharing your journey for others to see?

Daily Bread Day 12

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”2 Corinthians 12:9-10

As we recognize our limitations, our dependency on God should increase and will become more effective when this happens. Limitations help develop our Christian character. We must be willing to recognize our weaknesses and overcome them with God’s strength. If we try to overcome them on our own or become prideful, our relationship with God suffers and our effectiveness is decreased. It is important to be glad we have and are certain to recognize difficult areas in our life. Through His power we overcome them and become effective. What areas in your life that you are struggling with? What weaknesses and limitations do you have? Where do you need to turn things over to Him? What do you need to do be more effective?

Daily Bread Day 13

“If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols.”1 Corinthians 10:12-14

Every single person in this challenge group is tempted every day! You are not alone. Others resist temptation and so can each and every one of us. When we are tempted, God will show us a way out and help us resist the temptation. Find specific areas in your life that give you trouble and run from those things that you know are wrong. Yep! That’s right! DON’T BUY THE OREOS!!! Make a conscious effort to do what you know is right and use prayer to help you do these things. Friends who love God can also help support you through these choices. Tear food off that pedestal. When you turn to food in a time of stress or crisis, this is idolatry! Trusting that some chocolate, cake or ice cream will help us overcome a difficult situation is replacing God with food. Paul is telling us here to flee from those idols and trust God to get you through these temptations. Do you have some contemporary idol worship that is taking the place of God in your life? What areas do you need to trust God more and idols less?

Daily Bread Day 14

“The faithful love of the LORD never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning. I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance; therefore, I will hope in him!””Lamentations 3:22-24

There is hope for every one! God willingly helps those who call upon him. His mercy and love is greater than any sin and He promises forgiveness. Starting fresh each day knowing that God is faithful can give us that hope that we will overcome any sin that has a hold on us. So, maybe you had a bad day, a cheat meal that turned into a cheat day that turned into a cheat week, don’t let that turn into the end of what God wants for you. Don’t give up on yourself, because God doesn’t give up on you. You can start

fresh each morning! Are there days you felt like you would never recover from? What are some things you can do to keep you bad day from turning into a bad life?

Daily Bread Day 15

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.”2 Corinthians 4:16

When we fail, make a bad choice, or lose sight of what’s important, it’s easy to want to give up, quit, and throw in the towel. Paul focused on his inner strength rather than quitting when times were tough. We are beginning the last week of this challenge and it will be tough to maintain your momentum. Concentrate on your inner strength, the Holy Spirit. Do not let pain, fatigue or your busy schedule throw you off course. Today, let’s renew our commitment to serve Christ. Let’s allow our weaknesses to be strengthened moment by moment through the power of Christ! Have you thrown in the towel? Do you need to focus on your inner strength as Paul did?

Daily Bread Day 16

“Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.”Romans 6:19

We all have a master. It’s either God or sin. We cannot live a neutral life. If sin is our master, God is not. Yet, if God is our Master, God is not. When we become a Christian, we don’t magically stop sinning. We do however overcome the slavery of sin. We belong to God which allows us to overcome sins that hinder our relationship with Him. It is possible for our relationship with food to enslave us. We can break this bondage but only through our relationship with Christ. What sins have had you enslaved? Over the past 15 days, what sins have you been able to conquer?

Daily Bread Day 17

“We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.”2 Corinthians 10:5

The war against sin is no different than the war against obesity. God must be the commander and chief. We must be willing to submit even our thoughts to His control. When we are exposed to wrong desires, we have a choice! You can see the danger in it and turn from it or allow those unhealthy thoughts to captivate and control you. Be honest with yourself and God about your unhealthy thoughts and desires, and He can help redirect your thinking. The spirit of discernment can be provided by God and will allow you to stay focused on His truths. Are you still struggling with selecting healthy vs unhealthy choices? Have you sought the spirit of discernment from God?

Daily Bread Day 18

“Do not carouse with drunkards or feast with gluttons, for they are on their way to poverty, and too much sleep clothes them in rags.”Proverbs 23:20-21

One of the main purposes of the book of Proverbs is to teach people how to attain discipline. Discipline is so important in living a healthy spiritual and physical life. Gluttony by definition is overeating and/or overdrinking. When we lose control, and our flesh gets what it desires rather than what God desires for us we become a glutton. With long term gluttony comes obesity, an unhealthy physical and spiritual lifestyle. For us to be successful in our journey to fix our eyes on God and overcome these earthly desires, we must have a support system! We must surround ourselves with people who have the same goals and standards for their lifestyles. If we have a friend who always encourages us to over eat or over drink “just this one time” every time we are together, we probably need to consider if they are truly our friend. Do your friends support you in your goal to fix your eyes on God? Do you have friends that need to be weeded out because they encourage a life of gluttony?

Daily Bread Day 19 “LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered— how fleeting my life is.”Psalms 39:4 “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”Psalms 90:12

We’ve heard wait not for tomorrow what you can do today and there is no time like the present many times. These verses reiterate the point that life is short and we should not procrastinate on the things in life that are important. Now is the time to take control and deal with the undisciplined areas in our life. We need to change our lives in a way that can bring change to the lives of others. Then, when we have an opportunity to share our story and bring God the glory we must share! Ask yourself, what kind of legacy will you leave? Will your families and friends be impacting in a positive way because of the life you are living? Is God being glorified by the life you are living? What do you want to see happen in your life before it comes to an end?

Daily Bread Day 20

“We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you to share in his Kingdom and glory.”1 Thessalonians 2:12

This challenge is coming to an end and hopefully, it has encouraged us to live our lives differently than we did prior to this challenge. Hopefully, the daily lessons will live in our hearts long after the challenge has ended and we will live a life more focus on God and His will for our lives. Are there any other things that need to be dealt with in order for you to live the life He has called you to live? Is there anything in your daily life that would embarrass God? What do others think of God from watching you?

Daily Bread Day 21

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.”Philippians 3:13-21

This final lesson has to be the most powerful of all! Paul is such a great example of transformation and great example for us to follow. He was the first Christian martyr and had every reason to forget the past and with God he was able to do just that! We too can forget the selfish, unhealthy lifestyle we lived before. Like Paul, we all have things we have been ashamed of, yet, our hope in Christ allows us to let go of the guilt and focus on the person God will help us become. Now, let’s concentrate on our relationship with Him by putting the past behind us.

We have studied that we can live a life of faith and obedience by having that relationship with Him. Remember, the goal is not perfection. The goal is maturity. This maturity is obtained through the power of the Holy Spirit. We have learned a lot over the past 21 days. We could make excuses that we have so much more to learn before we can live a mature life. Yet, we are instructed to live up to what we already know. As we mature, we put into play the things we learn as we learn them. We don’t just hold on to knowledge and wait to use it until we have gained it all. Let this challenge be a stepping stone for our mature lives.

We cannot fall back into our old habits and throw away the progress we have made in the last three weeks. We have become more Christ like and will continue to do so as we build on these days. Self-sacrifice and servanthood is a must to become more Christ like. Our appetite for earthly things, including Oreos cannot be our god. This appetite cannot be more important than the relationship we have with God.

Thank you for taking time to join me on my journey. I hope you feel your eyes are more fixed on God. I hope you feel more confident in the person God created, feel more obedient in your nutrition, and are getting those workouts in. Now, Together, Let’s Serve Him Better!!