Hello my friend Dr. Brad Miller here with the Daily Bible Refresh.

This is your daily reading of the Bible from a progressive point of view.

In a bit I will read the New Testament lessons selected from the Revised Common Lectionary for this very day.

The reading is understandable.

I use the Message version Relatable.

Please listen to the points to ponder and applicable to with action steps you can take.

We pray and are done in less than 10 minutes.

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Subscribe here's today's reading the reading is from 1 Timothy 4:6 16 reading from the Message.

You've been raised on the message of the faith and have followed sound teaching.

Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus here, there and you'll be a good servant of Jesus.

Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion.

Exercise daily in God.

No spiritual flabbiness here, please.

Workouts in the gymnasium are helpful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you both fit for today and forever.

You can count on this.

Take it to heart.

This is why we've thrown ourselves into this venture so totally.

We're banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers.

Get the word out.

Teach on these things and don't let anyone put you down because you're young.

Teach believers with your life by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity.

Stay at your post reading scripture, giving, counsel, teaching and that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed.

Keep that dusted off and in use.

Cultivate these things.

Immerse yourself in them.

The people will see you mature right before their eyes.

Keep a firm grasp both your character and your teaching.

Don't be diverted, just keep at it.

Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.

Well, that's the end of the reading.

Let's get into some little bit a better understanding of spiritual fitness here.

Now that is finding some balance and faith in your life.

And My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'm really glad you're joining me today on our progressive look at Scripture.

And as we do so, I want to share with you something that happened with my granddaughters last recently we took a walk in a wooded area and I tried to tell them a dad joke, why don't trees like going to the gym?

Because they're afraid of their bark getting worse.

And they were kind of groaning, you know, as it is.

But they were delighted nonetheless.

I want to speak to you here today about exercise and spiritual growth.

And Today's passage from First Timothy 4, 6, 16 actually has something fascinating to say about that topic.

The message translation gives us a fresh perspective on some really practical wisdom about spiritual fitness and authentic living.

So let's explore some key points that I think are relevant for us today.

The first point is that spiritual fitness is a daily practice.

This passage talks about exercising daily with God.

And you know what?

That's really important.

That's why we do this daily Bible refresh.

This also resonates with me as someone who's been married for over 33 years and just like my relation with my wife, it requires daily attention and care.

Same thing our spiritual life requires daily attention and care.

It's about regular exercise.

It's not about rigid rules or religious performance, about staying spiritually fit, flexible and strong enough.

And we do that through consistent practice.

A second point to ponder is authenticity is greater as we age with age and experience.

There's this beautiful reminder in the text about not letting anyone put you down because you're young.

You know, I host a podcast about cancer, foreign cancer, impacted people, and I've learned that wisdom and impact aren't about age.

I've learned great things from aged people and from people in their 20s, 20 to 80 and beyond.

On both ends of the spectrum are people that we can learn from when they have an authentic voice and experience that matters.

A third point is about living out your teaching.

This passage emphasizes teaching through our lives through word and demeanor, love, faith and integrity.

This reminds me of raising our three kids.

They they learned far more from watching my wife and I and our lived a life than from really what we said or what we taught them.

They learn by seeing and what we did.

In progressive Christianity, this alignment between beliefs and actions is crucial, especially in working for justice and inclusion.

Here's your reaction Step I challenge you to create and what we might call a spiritual fitness journal.

Take a few minutes, five minutes or so to reflect on what ways you've exercised your faith through some action, serving others, praying, showing compassion to someone, standing up for justice, or practicing just a mindful attitude of gratitude.

And you might track this, write something down, make it a statistical type of thing.

Track your spiritual growth to keep yourself accountable.

We'll pray here in just a minute, but I always want to remind you that we have a resource for you.

It's called the Daily.

It's called the ABC 123 Bible Study Method.

You can pick it up at our website, voiceofgoddaily.com let's pray.

Divine Love we come to you as we are sometimes spiritually energetic and sometimes feeling a bit out of shape.

Help us find that daily rhythm of spiritual exercise that keeps us growing, loving and serving like good like a good workout partner.

Stay with us as we practice living our faith authentically.

Guide us to be people who don't just talk about love, but demonstrate it in tangible ways.

Thank you for being present in our journey, whether we're on the mountaintops or in the valleys.

Amen.

My friend, I am delighted you chose to join me for today's reading.

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Thanks much.

My name is Dr. Brad Miller and I'll be right here tomorrow with your Daily Bible Refresh.

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Remember, God's loyal love doesn't run out.

His merciful love hasn't dried up, it's created new every morning.