Tim, Scott,

Thanks for the insights.

I think I might have compartamentalised my life so that I haven't
seen working out as witness and worship. In reality, our whole life
is a witness- and I fall so far short so often that I find that
thought uncomfortable. I was much more comfortable with the idea of
witnessing when I used to think that it was just about being able to
present the Gospel in 3 points- all, of course, beginning with the
same letter.

The other difference is using what we have for God's glory, and
remembering that:

"Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the
victory and the majesty, for all that is in the Heavens and in the
Earth is Yours. Yours is the Kingdom, O Lord, and You are exalted as
Head over all. Both riches and honour come from You, and You rule
over all. In Your hand are power and might, and in Your hand it is to
make great and to give strength to all." (I Chron. 29:11f)

In all we do, it is God who enables us.

I will pray that I will have opportunities to speak to others. The
gym I use is at work, and it is quite a friendly one. I am sure we
all have experienced ones with the strutting peacocks preening in the
mirror, wanting everyone to see them and being like Narcissus.

And the other thing which makes us distinctive is how we use strength-
rather than the worldly way of using strength and power to self-
build, it is to be used to build up and encourage others. I am sure
many of us have encountered in gyms the sort of person who likes to
scoff at and ridicule the man who cannot do much. That is the worldy
way of behaving. For us, it is using what we have to build up others.

Graham

--- In bodybuilderslord@yahoogroups.com, "Tim" <tm_files@...> wrote:
>
> You are RIGHT ON guys. In everything give God the glory. As we do
> that, we have a relationship with God that tends to spill out on
> others. I have a workout shirt with the words "He is not moving
> mountains this time, He's building them." God definitely is my
> trainer,and,your right Scott,praying when your working out is
> like "worship."
>
> Relating to people at the gym is a natural part of the program. We
> all have the same interest-getting stronger and fit. The difference
> is the Christian has a different "Life" attitude which brings God
> into our passion for weight training and body building. With that
> relationship the Holy Spirit moves people into conversations or
just
> being friendly.
>
> I'm, also, not ashamed of who I am in Christ and in the way I look.
I
> personally have future goals to compete some day. And it will not
be
> wanting to compete and win that will be important, but all the
people
> I've met and related to along the way. We are all instruments of
> God's plan to spread His Gospel, and it starts by just being
friendly
> at the gym(and on this website).
>
> I pray that all of you on this website would feel free to share
their
> heart.
>
> --- In bodybuilderslord@yahoogroups.com, Scott Smith <holy_ape77@>
> wrote:
> >
> > Personally, I pray while I work out..sounds corny, but it works.
He
> tells me how many reps, and that's how many I do. I also look for
> signs in others...what they wear how they talk. Be open about your
> faith...you would be suprised on how bold others will get , when
they
> see someone else stand up for what they believe. I have people come
> up and comment on the amount if weight when i bench or do shrugs
and
> my answer is always the same..." I am only doing what God is
blessing
> me to do".
> >