GOD'S MARINES

Daily PT

Exercise is an activity requiring physical effort, carried out to sustain or improve health and fitness.  Exercise demands an exertion of strength or energy against a source of resistance which as a result builds strength, stamina or endurance.  It is upon this understanding that Marines are to maintain a standard of fitness.  This standard of fitness is maintained by performing daily PT (Physical Training).  Paul said bodily exercise profiteth little.  To the child of God, bodily exercise profits us spiritually.  How so?  When you run or exercise and your body tells you to stop or quit but your inner man or your will or desire to keep going kicks in, it is a test of the will that is on full display even for you to see.  You are able to see even in physical training that the body and the soul and spirit are separate parts of you that can overcome the body’s weaknesses and will.

1 Timothy 4:7-8 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Why Daily PT?  Because the United States Marine Corps demands a certain standard of fitness.  If you do not train your body daily, then your body will not be able to keep the physical standard.  Is daily PT necessary in the life of God’s Soldiers?  How long do you think it would take for you, as a Marine, to fall beneath the standard of fitness required for U.S. Marines if you failed to PT on a daily basis?  God has a daily exercise routine.  As a Christian, you must find yourself a daily PT for your inner man.  If you don’t, you will not last long as a Christian.  The standard to walk victorious in this fallen and sinful world is no different than your fitness as a Marine.  If you intend to stay fit as a soldier, a Daily Routine for your Christian life will need to be set and maintained.

Resistance training is a vital part of growth.  Weight lifters gain tremendous strength through adding weight to their body building routine.   When Paul exhorted Timothy to “refuse profane and wives’ fables” he was speaking to the fact that refusing to sin, walking in godliness is that exercise that God’s Soldiers need.  Godliness is the resistance training to build us into strong Christians.  The more you fall into sin, the weaker you become as a Christian.  The more you refuse worldliness, the stronger you become.  The stronger you become, the easier it is to resist temptation.  But you must work out daily.  Just like your body didn’t like daily PT when you first started it, your inner man won’t like it either.  You’ll slowly put your inner man into submission through daily godly exercise. 

Why are you not strong in the Lord?  Because you aren’t doing daily PT; it’s that simple!  How much do you pray and trust God for His help and strength?  How much do you read the Word of God?  How much do you “Resist Sin” or “Refuse” to walk in the ways of the world?  You may say that sometimes you don’t feel like doing those things…Well, you may not always feel like getting up and running 5 miles a day, doing 50 pull ups, 100 jumping jacks and 200 push ups either, but you do it by orders from your commanders.  After you PT daily for so long, you start to see the changes it brings forth.  Then when the changes are seen, it motivates you to Daily PT without being told to do so. 

We exercise to get into shape to meet the standard, but we also exercise in order to maintain that standard.  What does your daily PT consist of?  Do you “exercise godliness” daily?  The more you exercise in godliness, the stronger you will get spiritually.  You’ll start to see your spiritual muscles starting to show.  You’ll begin to get stronger and bolder in your walk with God.  You won’t become timid or ashamed when others ridicule the Christian life.  You’ll start to defend your faith.  After this daily PT becomes a part of you, everyone will see God’s Soldier fit and ready to battle.  All of this is due to daily PT. 

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