Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas!

Annually, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Christmas is a joyous holiday celebrated by both Christians and non-Christians alike!

Christmas season is truly the most joyful time of year, marked by festivities, gatherings with loved ones, and exchanging gifts and well wishes.

But what are we so joyful about during this time of year? From where do we obtain our desire to give gifts and show love to others?

Woman smiling at Christmas decorations

Let us rejoice over the true meaning of Christmas!

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:1-5

A Prophecy

 Moreover the Lord spoke again to Ahaz, saying, “Ask a sign for yourself from the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above.”

But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, nor will I test the Lord!”

Then he said, “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.

(Isaiah 7:10-16)

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Matthew 1:23
Matthew 1:23

The Birth of Jesus

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her,

“Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”

But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.”

Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

And the angel answered and said to her,

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

(Luke 1:26-38)

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”

Nativity scene of birth of Christ

So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.

(Matthew 1:18-25)

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

close up of hanging an angel ornament on a Christmas tree

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them,

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

(Luke 2:1-20)

And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

(Luke 2:21)

News of the Prophecy Fulfilled

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:

‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
Are not the least among the rulers of Judah;
For out of you shall come a Ruler
Who will shepherd My people Israel.’ ”

Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.”

When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

(Matthew 2:1-12)

So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

(Luke 2:39-40)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 (NKJV)

Christ is The Fulfillment of Prophecy

Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed,
As when at first He lightly esteemed
The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
And afterward more heavily oppressed her,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
In Galilee of the Gentiles.

The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light;
Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death,
Upon them a light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation
And increased its joy;
They rejoice before You
According to the joy of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

For You have broken the yoke of his burden
And the staff of his shoulder,
The rod of his oppressor,
As in the day of Midian.

For every warrior’s sandal from the noisy battle,
And garments rolled in blood,
Will be used for burning and fuel of fire.

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

(Isaiah 9:1-8)

Behold The Christ

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:9-13 (NKJV)

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

(Colossians 1:9-20)

Why Celebrate Christmas?

The birth of Jesus Christ is God’s greatest gift to humanity. Through His Son, God has given us the opportunity to receive Salvation, that is eternal life.

When we celebrate Christmas, we remember God’s gift of redemption and everything that comes with it: life, joy, peace, love, and healing!

Learn more about Salvation through Jesus Christ:

Salvation

Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.

The Truth

Seize your wellbeing through bold confidence in the Truth. 3 John 2

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Be Fearless

In this time, we must be fearless.
With crime and violence rising, economic woes increasing, and the very foundation of society crumbling, it is normal to have concerns. But despite all that we see, we must resist the urge to worry.

Jeremiah 51:25-26

anonymous female warrior with bow and arrows in mystery forest

The Bible declares that the Lord God Jehovah is creator of all things and that all things are within his power. No temptation has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience; but God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability to resist. Also, nothing is that has not already been done, and that will not occur again. What this means is that God has already seen everything that will take place before it happens.

Genesis 1:1-2:7; Psalm 139:16; Isaiah 41:4; 44:7,24; 45:18;
Joshua 11:6,9; Matthew 24:25; Mark 13:23;
Luke 1:37; 18:27; 1 Corinthians 10:13, Hebrews 2:18

So choose a side. Are you on the side of the wicked, who will stumble and fall into their own trap? Or are you on the side of Almighty God, who can do all things?
Nothing is impossible for God.

Psalm 141:10; Proverbs 11:5; Malachi 4:1;
Matthew 19:26; Mark 14:36; Luke 1:37; 18:27

You may think, ‘I am alone.’

He who created time and life itself, can he not intervene in the walks of men? Why do you think that he can’t see you, when he knows the number of hairs on your head? After all, we cannot escape God. If we go to Sheol, he is there. If we go to Heaven, he is there.

Genesis 1:14-15, 20-25; 2:7; Numbers 11:14; Psalm 27:10; 125:2; 139:7-10;
Isaiah 40:27-31; Luke 12:6-7; John 14:16-18,23

I would rather spend a day acknowledging God’s presence all around me than a day ignoring him or pretending that he isn’t there.

Psalm 16:11

However, regarding fear.

God spoke and said “Do not fear.” He spoke again and said “Do not be afraid.” And again he said, “Do not worry.” He told us that there would be guaranteed hard times ahead.

But he assured us that our Father takes care of the birds, and we are much more valuable to him than those. He provides food, shelter, houses that we didn’t build, harvests that we didn’t sow. And what does he ask from us in return?

Exodus 14:13; Deuteronomy 6:10-11,13-24; 20:1-4; 31:6;
Joshua 1:9; 24:13; 2 Chronicles 20:15; Isaiah 41:10,13;
Matthew 6:25-26,31-34; 24:6-7,21-22

And about our safety. He says, nothing shall by any means harm you. You can tread on serpents and scorpions. Sleep with lions. Walk through Seas. Walk on water. Run and not faint.
We endure. We get up. We arise. We are healed. Dry bones live.

Exodus 14:21-22,29; Ezekiel 37:5; Daniel 6:16-22;
Psalm 107:20; Isaiah 40:31; 43:16; 53:5; Malachi 4:3;
Matthew 14:29; Luke 10:19; Hebrews 6:15; 2 Timothy 2:12

photo of man in military uniform

How could God say all of these things if he did not intend on protecting us? Even restoring us after tragedy?

Joel 2:25,32; Hebrews 6:17-18

art background brick brick texture

Pick a side.

You could choose the side of fear. Live every moment wondering if it will be your last. Be worried about how you will feed your family. Or even survive.

Proverbs 1:32-33; Matthew 6:31-34; Hebrews 2:14-15; Revelation 22:11

Choose God.

Proverbs 3:33-35; Isaiah 44:6; 45:22

Scripture References

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
14 Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; 15 and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so.
21 So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
25 And God made the beast of the earth according to its kind, cattle according to its kind, and everything that creeps on the earth according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 1:1,14-15,21,25-27 (NKJV)

7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

Genesis 2:7 (NKJV)

13 And Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. 14 The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace.”

Exodus 14:13-14 (NKJV)

21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. 22 So the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.
29 But the children of Israel had walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand and on their left.

Exodus 14:21-22,29 (NKJV)

10 “So it shall be, when the Lord your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, 11 houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant—when you have eaten and are full— 12 then beware, lest you forget the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage. 13 You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name. 14 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are all around you 15 (for the Lord your God is a jealous God among you), lest the anger of the Lord your God be aroused against you and destroy you from the face of the earth.

Deuteronomy 6:10-15 (NKJV)

1 “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. 2 So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. 3 And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; 4 for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’

Deuteronomy 20:1-4 (NKJV)

6 Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV)

6 But the Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid because of them, for tomorrow about this time I will deliver all of them slain before Israel. You shall hamstring their horses and burn their chariots with fire.” 7 So Joshua and all the people of war with him came against them suddenly by the waters of Merom, and they attacked them. 8 And the Lord delivered them into the hand of Israel, who defeated them and chased them to Greater Sidon, to the Brook Misrephoth, and to the Valley of Mizpah eastward; they attacked them until they left none of them remaining. 9 So Joshua did to them as the Lord had told him: he hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots with fire.

Joshua 11:6-9 (NKJV)

13 I have given you a land for which you did not labor, and cities which you did not build, and you dwell in them; you eat of the vineyards and olive groves which you did not plant.’

Joshua 24:13 (NKJV)

11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice! Have mercy also upon me, and answer me. 8 When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, Lord, I will seek.” 9 Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger; You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation. 10 When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the Lord will take care of me.

Psalm 27:7-10 (NKJV)

18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the most high over all the earth.

Psalm 83:18 (KJV)

19 Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. 20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. 21 Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!

Psalm 107:19-21 (NKJV)

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

Psalm 139:7-8 (NKJV)

8 But my eyes are upon You, O God the Lord; In You I take refuge; Do not leave my soul destitute. 9 Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, And from the traps of the workers of iniquity. 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, While I escape safely.

Psalm 141:8-10 (NKJV)

32 For the turning away of the simple will slay them, And the complacency of fools will destroy them; 33 But whoever listens to me will dwell safely, And will be secure, without fear of evil.”

Proverbs 1:32-33 (NKJV)

33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the home of the just. 34 Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble. 35 The wise shall inherit glory, But shame shall be the legacy of fools.

Proverbs 3:33-35 (NKJV)

5 The righteousness of the blameless will direct his way aright, But the wicked will fall by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, But the unfaithful will be caught by their lust.

Proverbs 11:5-6 (NKJV)

9 That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. 10 Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new”? It has already been in ancient times before us.

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 (NKJV)

27 Why do you say, O Jacob, And speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, And my just claim is passed over by my God”? 28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40:27-31 (NKJV)

10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand,Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

Isaiah 41:10,13

16 Thus says the Lord, who makes a way in the sea And a path through the mighty waters,

Isaiah 43:16 (NKJV)

6 “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. 7 And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, Since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, Let them show these to them. 8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’ ”

Isaiah 44:6-8 (NKJV)

18 For thus says the Lord, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: “I am the Lord, and there is no other.

Isaiah 45:18 (NKJV)

20 “Assemble yourselves and come; Draw near together, You who have escaped from the nations. They have no knowledge, Who carry the wood of their carved image, And pray to a god that cannot save. 21 Tell and bring forth your case; Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord? And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. 22 “Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.

Isaiah 45:20-22 (NKJV)

4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Isaiah 53:4-5 (NKJV)

25 “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, Who destroys all the earth,” says the Lord. “And I will stretch out My hand against you, Roll you down from the rocks, And make you a burnt mountain. 26 They shall not take from you a stone for a corner Nor a stone for a foundation, But you shall be desolate forever,” says the Lord.

Jeremiah 51:25-26 (NKJV)

4 Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live. 6 I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”

Ezekiel 37:4-6 (NKJV)

16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.” 17 Then a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signets of his lords, that the purpose concerning Daniel might not be changed. 18 Now the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; and no musicians were brought before him. Also his sleep went from him. 19 Then the king arose very early in the morning and went in haste to the den of lions. 20 And when he came to the den, he cried out with a lamenting voice to Daniel. The king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” 21 Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! 22 My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” b23 Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.

Daniel 6:16-23 (NKJV)

25 “So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, The crawling locust, The consuming locust, And the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. 26 You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, And praise the name of the Lord your God, Who has dealt wondrously with you; And My people shall never be put to shame. 27 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.
32 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

Joel 2:25-27,32 (NKJV)

25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV)

21 “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.

Matthew 10:21-22 (NKJV)

26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26 (NKJV)

6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.
23 “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.

Matthew 24:6-8,21-25 (NKJV)

27 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

Mark 10:27 (NKJV)

23 But take heed; see, I have told you all things beforehand.

Mark 13:23 (NKJV)

“For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Luke 1:37 (NKJV)

17 Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.”
18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

Luke 10:17-20 (NKJV)

6 “Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. 7 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

Luke 12:6-7 (NKJV)

But He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Luke 18:27 (NKJV)

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

John 14:15-18 (NKJV)

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

John 14:23 (NKJV)

No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy].

1 Corinthians 10:13 (AMP)

14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 16 For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. 17 Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.

Hebrews 2:14-18 (NKJV)

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, because He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 14 saying, “Surely blessing I will bless you, and multiplying I will multiply you.” 15 And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. 16 For men indeed swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is for them an end of all dispute. 17 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, 18 that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.

Hebrews 6:13-18 (NKJV)

5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NKJV)

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. 11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

Revelation 22:10-11 (NKJV)

“Scripture quotations taken from the Amplified® Bible (AMP), Copyright © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.lockman.org”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Get Back Into Shape!

Has it been a while since you’ve worked out?

Maybe you can relate to one of the following statements:

  • You can remember a time when you had more energy than you do today.
  • You feel hindered by a sore back or stiff joints.
  • You feel tired or sluggish during the day.
  • You feel overwhelmed or stressed.
  • You want to feel healthy and enjoy life.

If you agree with any of the above statements, then you can benefit from starting an exercise program.

Whether it’s been a few weeks, months, or years since you last exercised, you can start getting back into shape! You will have more energy and will find activities of daily living easier to complete when you are active compared to when you are sedentary. Exercise can relieve pain through improving your alignment, flexibility and quality of movement.

When you start and continue a consistent exercise program, you will experience:

  • An increase in maximal strength
  • An increase in muscular endurance
  • Reduced body fat
  • Improved cardiorespiratory fitness – which is related to a reduction in premature death from all causes
  • Lowered risk for coronary artery disease

And here’s even more good news: if you’ve ever been in good shape, then it will be easier for you to regain your athleticism than for a true beginner to exercise.

What to Expect

In this article, I will show you how to safely begin an effective exercise program after a period of inactivity.

This exercise program may benefit you if you are new to exercise, or you have not been working out consistently for three months or more, or you have taken a break from regular activity for six months or longer.

If you have any chronic health conditions, injuries or surgeries, then you may need to consult a medical or exercise professional before following these general recommendations. Regular exercise and increased physical activity have been shown to improve numerous types of musculoskeletal dysfunction and chronic disease.

This foundational exercise program has three goals:

1) You will strengthen your base level of fitness, which is important to health and to performance of almost all athletic events.

You will improve all components of fitness (muscular strength, muscular endurance, body composition, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance).

Muscular strength is the ability of your neuromuscular system to produce internal tension to overcome an external force. Your strength determines the total amount of weight that you can move.

Muscular endurance is the ability to produce and maintain force production for prolonged periods of time. Your endurance dictates your ability to move a weight repeatedly.

Body composition describes the amount of body fat you have compared to your lean body mass.

Flexibility describes the ability of your joints to move through their full range of motion. Flexibility has a major influence on mobility during dynamic motion.

Cardiovascular fitness reflects the ability of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems to supply oxygen-rich blood to skeletal muscles during sustained physical activity.

2) You will prepare your body for more intense work to come.

3) You will learn proper form and technique while exercising.

Duration of this Workout Program

If you previously maintained a high level of fitness but you have taken some time off from exercise, then you can follow this workout routine for 1-2 months to get back into shape. After consistently following this program for 2 months, you should have a sufficient foundation to move on to a routine that will be even more effective for fulfilling your personal goals, such as weight loss, building muscle or sports performance.

If you are not used to exercise, then you will benefit from following this program for 2-3 months or longer.

What to Do

Workout Program Guidelines

Exercise 2-4 times per week.

Your workouts will be a blend of resistance (strength) training and cardiovascular (aerobic) workouts.

Each workout should include a warm-up and a cool-down.

Warm up your body at the beginning of each workout to prepare the body for exercise. A warmup consists of 5-10 minutes of low-intensity movement. If you have any knots or tightness in your muscles, then incorporate foam rolling and stretching into the warmup.

Learn more about the Warm Up
Learn more about Foam Rolling

At the end of each workout, cool down to gradually return your heart rate to normal levels. Take time to stretch after each workout to increase your joint range of motion, decrease muscle soreness, and to reduce your risk for injury.

Resistance Training

Perform resistance training 2-3 times per week.

During each session, perform a total-body routine. Total-body means that you will exercise all of the major body parts during each workout.

Choose 8-12 resistance training exercises per workout.

You should include one or two exercises for each body part.

The following table lists some of my favorite exercises that you can include in your routine.
You are not limited to these exercises. There are numerous ways to modify any given exercise according to your mobility, stability, strength, and preferences.

Resistance Training Exercises

Body PartBodyweight or Free-Weight Exercises Cable or Machine Exercises
LegsSquat
Lunge
Step-Up to Balance		Leg Press
ChestPush-Up
Dumbbell Chest Press
Bench Press		Cable Chest Press
Cable Chest Fly
BackDumbbell Row
Inverted Row
Negative Pull-Up		Standing Cable Row
Lat Pull-Down
ShouldersShoulder Press
Lateral Raise
Core
(Abs, Lower Back)		Floor Bridge
Plank
Quadruped Arm/Opposite Leg Raise
Crunch		Cable Rotation
Arms
(Biceps, Triceps)		Dumbbell Curl
Tricep Extension		Cable Curl
Cable Pushdown

Complete 10-15 repetitions of each exercise.

Perform each repetition slowly in order to build your muscular endurance and stability and to lay a foundation for more intense training. Focus on completing the movements slowly and correctly rather than quickly or explosively.

I recommend that you start with one set of each exercise per workout. As your muscular endurance improves, then you can add an additional set for each exercise. When you add additional sets of an exercise, the subsequent sets will be more challenging than the first as you become tired. If you lift the same weight for each set even when tired, then you will improve your muscular endurance.

Rest for 30-60 seconds between exercises.

Rest time is the time that you take to recuperate between sets or exercises. The purpose of this rest time is to allow your muscular energy resources to replenish. If you do not rest, then you may become overly fatigued and unable to complete the workout safely. However, short rest periods are more effective than longer rests for building endurance and for stimulating muscle growth.

Take at least one day to rest between strength training workouts.

Strength training breaks down tissue fibers in the muscle, which contributes to the soreness that you may experience after a workout. The purpose of taking a rest day is to allow your muscles time to recover from exercise and to rebuild. As the muscles rebuild, they adapt to the demands that you place on them during exercise and become stronger.

Quick Reference: Resistance Training Guidelines

Resistance Workouts per Week2 – 3 workouts
Exercises per Workout8 – 12 exercises
Repetitions of each Exercise10 – 15 repetitions
Sets of each Exercise1 – 3 sets
Rest between Exercises / Sets30 – 60 seconds
Rest between Workouts1 day

Aerobic Training

Perform a cardiovascular or aerobic workout 2-4 times per week.

Start slowly and work up to 30-60 minutes of continuous exercise per workout. The goal of cardiovascular training is improve your heart and lungs’ ability to provide oxygen-rich blood to your body.

To stay healthy, adults need at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week or 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity every week. A combination of moderate-intensity and vigorous-intensity activity is also acceptable.

“Intensity” describes the level of demand that a given activity places on the body. The higher the intensity of an activity, the shorter the duration required to gain similar health benefits.
Moderate-intensity exercise should increase your heart rate and breathing rate, but you should still be able to talk comfortably. As a point of reference, walking briskly could be considered moderate-intensity exercise. Running or jogging could be considered vigorous-intensity.

Your options for cardiovascular training are not limited to formal exercise. Choose an activity that you enjoy, such as dance, swimming, cycling, or group fitness classes.

Examples of Moderate and Vigorous Activity

Moderate-IntensityVigorous-Intensity
Walking BrisklyJogging
YardworkRunning
Shoveling SnowWalking Briskly up a hill
Bicycling on level terrainBicycling uphill
Low-impact Aerobic DanceHigh-impact Aerobic Dance

Move more and sit less.

If you are currently sedentary, then you can drastically improve your health simply by moving more and decreasing the time that you spend sitting. Any increase in your physical activity will benefit your health significantly.

Even if you don’t have time to complete a formal workout, you can make lifestyle changes such as:

Taking the stairs instead of the elevator
Walking or biking short distances instead of driving
Marching in place while watching television
Taking frequent breaks to move

Quick Reference: Cardiovascular Training Guidelines

Cardio / Aerobic Workouts per Week2-4 workouts
Option: Moderate-Intensity Activity per Week150 minutes
Option: Vigorous-Intensity Activity per Week75 minutes
Option: Mix of Moderate- and Vigorous-Intensity Activity per Week75 – 150 minutes, depending upon intensity
Time per WorkoutVaries by Individual

Achieve Results Safely

Participating in physical activity is safe for most people.

Before beginning a new exercise program, you should complete a Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), which will tell you whether it is necessary for you to seek further advice from your doctor or a qualified exercise professional before becoming more physically active. If you have any health conditions or if you are pregnant, talk to your doctor or a qualified exercise professional to help you develop a safe and effective physical activity plan to meet your health needs.

See the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

Stay Hydrated

Water is essential to life. Approximately 60% of your body is water, and a human can only survive for a few days without water. A fluid loss of even 2% of body weight will adversely affect your circulation and performance. You may experience declines in attention, motor coordination, and the executive functioning your brain needs to focus, organize and remember details.

You may be accustomed to drinking fluids when you feel thirsty, but thirst is not a good indicator of your hydration level. Women need approximately 11.5 cups (2.7 L) and men need approximately 15.5 cups (3.7 L) of fluid per day. You should drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated. When you are exercising, you should drink an additional 12–16 oz of fluid every 10–15 minutes for activities longer than 60 minutes.

Intensity

“Intensity” is the level of demand that a given activity places on the body. You may be tempted to resume exercise at the same intensity that you maintained before you took a break from physical activity. However, it’s important to start from your current level of conditioning, rather than from your previous peak level of fitness. Your body adapts to the demands placed upon it and becomes less efficient when it is not challenged. After a period of inactivity, exercise is more difficult because muscles cannot get enough nutrients and oxygen to support increased demands.

Low- to moderate-intensity exercise is safe and can be very effective for the majority of sedentary adults. However, if the training intensity is too high initially, then you can experience injuries due to overtraining. If you are not used to regular exercise, then you may have muscle imbalances, limited flexibility, or a lack of core and joint stability. To avoid injury, these conditions should be alleviated through regular activity before you increase the intensity of your workouts.

Pay attention to your body, and don’t ever try to match or to outperform another athlete.

It is important to avoid overworking your muscles when you begin a new exercise routine.
Overtraining can be caused by performing exercise that is too intense for you. Including too many exercises, lifting too much weight, completing too many repetitions, or not allowing enough rest time can all contribute to overtraining. If the muscles are overtrained, then they can become weaker or prone to injury.

Each person’s body has unique attributes, so we respond to exercise differently.

Weights & Volume

The resistance that you choose for each exercise should be challenging but manageable. If you are able to easily perform three sets of an exercise with a particular weight, then you should increase the weight in your next workout. As your muscles adapt to exercise, you must continue to challenge them in order to improve your athletic performance. However, you should not lift a weight that is too heavy. If you reach failure, meaning that you cannot lift the weight with good form to complete the desired number of repetitions, then you should decrease the weight.

Form & Technique

When exercising, you must perform exercises with proper form to avoid injury.

Each joint in your body is held together by small muscles responsible for keeping the joint stable. These small, deep muscles of the joint must be primed and strengthened to allow the joint to safely take an increased load or manage a full range of motion. If you rush through the exercises or allow your form to get sloppy, then it is possible to sprain a joint or strain a muscle.

When you are initially learning a movement or exercise, perform the movement slowly. As you slow down the movements, you improve your body’s coordination and control across joints by focusing on correct movement patterns. If you deliberately perform movements slowly while maintaining perfect form, then your body will learn healthy movement patterns and maintain them when the speed or intensity is increased.

Conclusion

In this article I presented some general guidelines for safely resuming an active lifestyle after a period of inactivity. These guidelines should assist the majority of adults to achieve improvements in their strength, endurance, and conditioning over a period of 1 – 3 months.

Most people can benefit from starting an exercise program. At a minimum, we should move more and sit less. In addition to improving physical health and quality of life, exercise provides several psychological benefits that can enhance overall well-being, including improved mood, better sleep quality, increased self-esteem, improved body image, and fewer depression and anxiety symptoms.

When you exercise, you are training your body for movement. I want to reiterate that no two individuals are built alike, so it is important to listen to your own body. These activity recommendations may not be appropriate for you if you have certain health conditions, injuries, or surgeries, so you should consult a medical professional before changing your physical activity routine.

This is Part 1 of Get Back into Shape Without Hurting Yourself. In Part 2, I will teach you a workout routine to jump start your return to fitness!

References

Archer, Shirley, JD, MA. “Why Being Sedentary Makes Exercise Harder.” IDEA Health & Fitness Association, 2 May 2022, https://www.ideafit.com/personal-training/why-being-sedentary-makes-exercise-harder/.

Filley, Alicia, MS, PT. “Help Clients Return to Training Safely, Smartly.” IDEA Health & Fitness Association, 21 Dec. 2020, https://www.ideafit.com/personal-training/help-clients-return-to-training-safely-smartly/.

Henriques, Tim. NPTI’s Fundamentals of Fitness and Personal Training. Human Kinetics, 2015.

John, Nora St. “Training Muscles for Joint Stability.” IDEA Health & Fitness Association, March 14, 2022. https://www.ideafit.com/personal-training/training-muscles-for-joint-stability/.

Kadey, Matthew, MS, RD. “Why Hydration Should Be on Your Mind.” IDEA Health & Fitness Association, 21 March 2019. https://www.ideafit.com/nutrition/why-hydration-should-be-on-your-mind-0/.

Kravitz, Len, PhD. “Inside the Latest Physical Activity Guidelines.” IDEA Health & Fitness Association, 9 Feb. 2022, https://www.ideafit.com/personal-training/inside-the-latest-physical-activity-guidelines.

Sutton, Brian G. NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training. 7th ed. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2021.

Warburton DER, Jamnik VK, Bredin SSD, and Gladhill N on behalf of the PAR-Q+ Collaboration. The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire for Everyone (PAR-Q+) and Electronic Physical Activity Readiness Medical Examination (ePARmed-X+). Health & Fitness Journal of Canada 4(2):3-23, 2011.