Highly Motivational ... A Must See.

After watching this ask yourself, "What's my excuse for not getting FIT?"


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Live OUT LOUD!
Mark Harrell - Habakkuk 2:2

Is Satan Freely Frolicking In Your Church?

Excerpt From Book:  RU FIT - Curing Spiritual and Physical Obesity in the Body of Christ (A ministry of RU FIT Ministries - www.rufitministries.weebly.com

RUNNING TIP: Nehemiah’s response to this was that he could not come down and cease the work. They (his enemies) sent four more letters of this sort in order to sidetrack Nehemiah from putting the doors on the temple walls.

 

Nehemiah 6:6-9 - They sent a fifth (open letter to all Israel) letter accusing Nehemiah of conspiring against the King. It was a blatant lie, but Nehemiah cared for the people and would not let them quit the task of repairing the wall.

Nehemiah 6:10-13 - I believe the following verses show us what is happening in the modern church. Many spiritual leaders have brought the “dragon’s propaganda campaign” into the church, and covered the heresies with religious tones and human reasoning. Listen to the following dialogue out of Nehemiah 6:10-13 very closely:  

 

Afterward I came unto the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabeel, who was shut up; and he said, Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us shut the doors of the temple: for they will come to slay thee; yea, in the night will they come to slay thee. [11] And I said, Should such a man as I flee? and who is there, that, being as I am, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in. [12] And, lo, I perceived that God had not sent him; but that he pronounced this prophecy against me: for Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. [13] Therefore was he hired, that I should be afraid, and do so, and sin, and that they might have matter for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

 

Satan (Other names for him are: The dragon, serpent, leviathan, and the devil) is alive and well on planet earth and is freely frolicking in the corridors of many churches. He is subtle and he is cunning. He comes as an angel of light in order to deceive those who don’t know his tactics. He is the creator of religion (man-made works of righteousness); whereas fellowship with God comes by way of a relationship with Jesus Christ by ingesting the red pill (the choice of pills in the Matrix Trilogy that gave entrance to reality) of salvation.

 

The way to determine if a church is endorsed by God is by using the following acrostic which God laid on my heart about ten years ago.  Is every believer encouraged, and given the opportunity to participate in each letter of the word REAP:

 

R-each people with the truth

E-stablish people in the truth

A-pply the truth to our daily lives

P-roduce warriors to share the truth with other …

 

And do this again, and again, and again!  It never gets tedious because every person is unique and special to God and His purposes.  The primary purpose of the body gathered, the ecclesia, is to equip people in the Truth (John 17:17).  The ecclesia (the body gathered) is for the believer; it is not for the unsaved. 

Live OUT LOUD!

Mark Harrell - Founder: RU FIT Ministries

Are Fat Pastors Hypocrites?

Dear Spiritual Leader,


3 Reasons Why So Many Ministers are Fat
By: Paul Beasley-MurrayPosted: Thursday, May 1, 2014 6:22 am
Section: Columns on Church and Theology
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A 2001 "Pulpit and Pew” study of 2,500 American clergy found that 76 percent were overweight or obese compared to 61 percent of the general population at the time of the study, Beasley-Murray writes. In the week that dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer in Britain, declared that obesity is now so common that society is "normalizing being overweight," I attended a ministers' meeting where two-thirds of those present were grossly overweight. I was shocked. Before I begin, however, let me make three preliminary remarks: 1. Although my belly does not sag over my trouser waist, I am not svelte in shape. I could certainly do with losing weight, but I do exercise. Every Friday morning, I do penance on the treadmill. At 7 a.m. on Monday and Thursday, I go for a three-mile walk; if I am feeling energetic, I'll add a third morning. 2. I accept that God has made us all different. My father-in-law could eat all the wrong food, but to his dying day remained fit and lean. Others only look at food and begin to put on weight. But genes are not the only factor. Most of us through exercise and self-discipline can compensate, at least in part. 3. Some of my overweight fellow ministers may have medical conditions, and I trust that they will ignore my comments. So, why are so many ministers (in the West) fat? I have no objective evidence for the British scene. However, a 2001 "Pulpit and Pew" study of 2,500 American clergy found that 76 percent were overweight or obese compared to 61 percent of the general population at the time of the study. In October 2010, Erik Raymond, lead pastor of Emmaus Bible Church in Omaha, Neb., blogged: "One thing that has always intrigued me is overweight pastors. If you want to get a gauge on how prevalent this is, you just have to visit a pastor's conference. I am not saying that everyone is rockin' the elastic waist pants but, there are a lot of guys that, well, are fat." Raymond goes on: "Let's face it, the bottom line for the expanding waistline for some guys is that they are lazy. They sit around at their computer, drink soda, eat chips, then go out and eat burgers and fries every day. … Fat pastors unwittingly let the air out and deflate the gospel tire of its power by rocking their own spare tire." Clearly, obesity is a problem both within and without the church, but are there particular reasons why some of us ministers have particular problems with our weight? Three possible reasons come to mind: 1. So many church activities include eating. Prayer breakfasts, seniors' lunches and Alpha dinners are but the tip of the iceberg. Eating together is part of the Christian lifestyle. Every church celebration involves food. 2. Pastoral visiting inevitably involves drinking a cup of tea or coffee – and almost always there is an offer of a cake or biscuit. 3. The demands of pastoral life cause tiredness. When we are tired, we "graze." The fact is that after a busy day most of us need to make time to switch off before we go to bed – and food can be a form of comfort therapy. It's a tough life being a minister – but so, too, are other jobs. Raymond accuses pastors of being hypocrites: "Being a fat pastor is probably a symptom of a bigger spiritual issue. Pastors preach and teach about being disciplined and self-controlled. … However, we compartmentalize our lives to exclude food." My mind goes to 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, where Paul speaks of the need for "self-control" by drawing upon the analogy of the athlete's self-control. The Christian life is by definition a disciplined life. For many Christians, one of the classic spiritual disciplines has been fasting. Martin Luther, for instance, wrote: "The pious Fathers declared that whoever desires to serve God, must root out, above all, the vice of gluttony. That is a prevailing vice which causes much trouble." "If this vice is not altogether extirpated, it makes the soul dull even for divine things, even if it should not lead to unchastity and debauchery as among aged men," Luther continued. "Hence fasting is a most excellent weapon for the Christian while gluttony is an outstanding pit of Satan!" Is fasting a discipline that ministers in particular need to recover? What about the modern discipline of dieting? What difference would it make if churches were to offer their ministers a free gym membership? One dietitian had her doubts. Based on her experience with pastors, she wrote, "They tend to be some of the least motivated and most resistant to making changes. These aren't guys who can blame it on genetics or age, they simply are eating too much, eating unhealthy foods and not exercising." Obesity is not just a cosmetic problem. It affects energy levels in the here and now; and it significantly increases the risk of such things as coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes and Type 2 diabetes. We need to be good stewards of the bodies God has given us. Paul Beasley-Murray recently retired after 21 years of ministry as the senior minister of Central Baptist Church in Chelmsford in the United Kingdom. He is currently serving as the chairman and general editor of Ministry Today U.K. and as the chairman of the College of Baptist Ministers. He is the author of numerous books and articles; his writings can be found at PaulBeasleyMurray.com, where readers can register to receive his weekly blog post. A longer version of this article first appeared on his website and is used with permission.

- See more at: http://www.ethicsdaily.com/3-reasons-why-so-many-ministers-are-fat-cms-21756#sthash.qDCTrNRx.dpuf


Live OUT LOUD!
Mark Harrell - Founder: RU FIT Ministries - www.rufitministries.weebly.com

Qualifications for RU FIT Ministry

Mark’s Running Resume (Qualifications)

2013 Running Statistics:

     -1,043 miles run / 160 hours of prayer / 148, 624 calories burned

2014 Running Statistics:

     -1,157 miles run / 182 hours of prayer / 152,611 calories burned

Beginning weight (230 lbs)

Current Weight (183 lbs)

Races Run:

1.  Easter Bunny Run 5K – Clemson, SC – 4-2012 – Time: 24:30 (1^st in Age Group)

2.  King Tiger 5K – Charlotte, NC – 6-2012 – Time: 23:51

3.  River Bound 5K – National Whitewater Center, NC – 9-24-12 – Time: 24:1 – (2^nd in age group) 

4.  Hog Jog 5K – Charlotte, NC – 10-27-2012 – Time: 22:56 – (2^nd in age group)

5.  Beach Blast 5K – Albemarle, NC – 5-12-12 – Time: 22:52 – (2^nd in age group)

6.  Ring in the New Year Trail Run 5K – Fort Mill, SC – 1-1-2013 – Time: 25:17 (1^st in age group)

7.  Cooper River Bridge Run 10K – Charleston, SC – 4-2013 – Time: 49:27 (finished in the top 30% of 45,000 runners)

8.  Streetlight 5k – Concord, NC – 7-2014 - Time: 22:33 (PR) – (2^nd in age group)

9.  Chick-fil-A 5k – Charlotte, NC – 4-2013 – Time: 23:03 (1^st in age group)

10. Clemson Half Marathon – Clemson, SC – 4-2013 – Time: 1:51:32 (3^rd in age group)

11. Shamrock Half Marathon – Va. Beach, Va – 3-2012 – Time: 1:51:36 (1^st half marathon)

12. BB&T Half Marathon – Charlotte, NC – 3-2013 – Time: 1:53:14 (50^th Birthday Run)

13. Run the Mountain Half Marathon – Baden, NC – 9-2013 – Time: 1:54:23 (2^nd in age group)

14. Run the Mountain Half Marathon – Baden, NC – 9-2014 – Time: 1:53:16 (3^rd in age group)

15. Polar Bear Run 5k – Florence, SC – 1-2014 (Ran with my sister – Christy – in her first ever 5K)

16. Thunder Road Half Marathon – Charlotte, NC - 11-2013 – Time: 1:50:36

17. Run Like a Nut Half Marathon – Florence, SC – 11-2014 – Time: 1:44:37 (PR @ 7:59 pace)

18. Nutrition 5k – Kannapolis, NC – 6-2014 – Time: 22:41 (1^st in age group)

19. Freedom 5K – Oakboro, NC – 7-2014 – Time: 23:33 (1^st in age group)

20. Ring in the New Year 5k – 1-1-2014 – Time: 24:07 (1^st in age group)

*Involved in running the race of Ministry since 1980 and began physically running in 2012.

RU a Spiritual Hobbit

RU A Spiritual Hobbit

One of the reasons I love running is the time it affords me to meditate, pray, and think through issues.  On today’s 8 mile run I had many thoughts coursing through my mind, but the thought I kept coming back to was how much believers have become like the Hobbits in the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  The comparisons are uncanny.

If you have not had the opportunity to watch the movies or read the books, allow me to give the comparison.  At the beginning of Frodo’s quest (not his uncle, Bilbo Baggins … that is the original book – The Hobbit), He and his three friends, Sam, Merry, and Pippen, are thrust out of the Shire (the comfy homestead) and into the battle for Middle-Earth.  Evil is sweeping the land, and the fate of man is at stake.  Unknown, at the time, to Frodo, he is going to be pivotal in the salvation of mankind from the throes of evil that has been building in Mordor, which was just outside of Ministereth (a type of the church).

The quest takes them on many adventures that, otherwise, they would have never experience.  These events gave them a greater appreciation for the blessings of the shire (when they would eventually return). 

My point in the comparison is that only 3 (4 if you count Bilbo) Hobbits became intimately involved in the battle for the salvation of mankind.  During their quest they realized that it was necessary to give up niceties and comforts if the quest was to be successful.  They could not be selfish.  They had been used to breakfast, early lunch, lunch, afternoon lunch, and supper.  They had a set schedule (back in the Shire), and would not let anything get in the way of accomplishing that schedule.  It was the same thing day in and day out. 

This is when thought of how believers compare to Hobbits come to mind.  I am writing a book called – RU FIT, Curing Spiritual and Physical Obesity in the body of Christ.  It is almost finished.  The main Idea is that most believers are physically obese, and that is a problem.  But just as much a problem is our obesity in the area of spiritual matters.  Let me explain.  The average evangelical believer comes together for 4 spiritual meals at the gathering place each week (Sunday school, Sunday AM, Sunday PM, and Wednesday).  On top of this, hopefully, believers have another spiritual meal everyday day … this is called our daily devotions.  So, the average believer is getting 4 banquet meals prepared by another, and then they each another “meal” everyday.  That is a lot of spiritual eating … if you consider all the doctrine and teaching involved in each of those meals.  That is a lot of spiritual “calories and nutrients” being taken in by our spiritual bodies.

The latest statistics tell us that the average believer does not have anybody (that is unsaved or not growing) that they specifically pray and fast for on a daily and weekly basis.  It is important that our spiritual bodies GIVE OUT what we are TAKING IN so that we do not become spiritually obese.  It is like running … I can only stay healthy as I PURPOSEFULLY USE what I have TAKEN IN on a daily basis or I will become unfit.  If I do not USE what I TAKE IN spiritually I WILL become an obese Christian … and that is unhealthy for you  and the body of Christ.  We need FIT Christians … Christians who are PURPOSEFULLY engaged in the spiritual warfare where they live, work, and play.

Our churches are geared for you to BRING people in so that the PULPIT can influence them.  Let me challenge this … you should pray, seek, and live to influence people yourself … and then bring them in so they can be encouraged to become a spiritual warrior.   If not, they will become an obese Christian that wobbles from service to service while become spiritually unhealthy. 

Hobbits love to talk about the food they are preparing or are eating … it consumes most of their time.  They believe they are good hobbits because of their “stocked” pantries.  Believers can default to this very easily, and talk about how much they have “eaten” this week and how good it was … while their workmates, family members, and friends continue their journey to hell, or continue living unhealthy lives as an obese believer. 

Let’s wake up!  There is a battle for mankind taking place all around us.  Many of us live like Hobbits … oblivious of what others are giving up so that they can take part in the battle for the souls of mankind.  We are like the Hobbits who were merrily going about their business when Frodo, Merry, Pippen, and Sam returned from their quest.  They were aware that no one was even aware of what they sacrificed for their benefit.  They were living in blindness just as always.  But not the four friends … it changed them forever.

RU a Spiritual Hobbit?  Do you eat and eat and eat without purposefully having people in mind for whom you are praying and fasting that God will allow you to influence with the truth?  Don’t just be a good person (like the good ole Hobbits) that eats and talks about how good the “food” is … get involved in the daily battle for souls and make a difference.  Use the nutrients and calories that our “food” affords and get hungry for more because of your activity.  Make “eating food” serve a purpose.  Don’t become one of the many who are spiritually obese.

Live OUT LOUD!

Mark Harrell – Habakkuk 2:2

Run Like a Nut Half Marathon - PR of 1:44:37

It was my goal to try and beat my best half marathon time of 1:50:36 than I achieved during the Thunder Road half marathon in charlotte (2013); however, never did I think that I would be able to run the entire 13.1 miles in 1:44:37, with an average pace per mile of 7:59.  To think that only 2 1/2 years ago I ran my first mile since college (1984) with my daughter is hard to fathom.  I have went from 235 lbs. to 185 lbs, and dropped 150 points off my cholesterol.  At 50, my health and fitness is better than at anytime in my life.  My next major goal is to qualify for the Boston Marathon in 3 1/12 years.  I am so thankful for running and what it has taught me about life and living.

Live OUT LOUD!

Mark Harrell - Habakkuk 2:2

November 1, 2014 in Florence, SC

*PR* of 1:44:37 (Pace 7:59 per mile)