"Keep thy heart with all diligence;
for out of it are the issues of life."
- Proverbs 4:23

If there is one thing that most all physicians will agree on it is this...

...exercise does a body good.

In order to keep our physical hearts in shape, to stay fit, it requires a regular exercise plan to strengthen and maintain good cardiovascular health.

What is exercise?  Glad you asked.

Exercise is "any activity performed to develop or maintain fitness."  For our physical bodies it consists of a multitude of activities ranging from walking to tennis, from aerobics to weightlifting.

And it seems like all around us people are wanting to lose weight, tone up and get in shape.  There are literally thousands of health related products, medicines and programs designed to get us all physically fit.  But, I wonder...

...how many are taking the time to "workout" their spiritual hearts?  How many are enjoying a spiritual exercise program?

After all, exercise does a spiritual body good, as well.

So, how do you "work out" spiritually?  While, just like in a physical fitness program, there may be a multitude of activities involved, I'll give you a simple definition...

Exercise is "any activity performed to develop or maintain fitness."

Spiritual translation?  Live to please the Lord Jesus.  That is what keeps your heart healthy!

I remember hearing about a small boy who was pulling an even smaller neighbor along the sidewalk in a little wagon.  He looked up beaming when a watchful face appeared at the doorway.  "I'm trying to make Janie happy, Aunt Mary," he said.

"What a beautiful spirit for the child to have," exclaimed the admiring aunt to herself.  

But, presently, it seemed to her that the boy's effort was not very 
successful.  Wee Janie was evidently afraid to ride in the wagon and 
was trying to climb out.  "She doesn't like riding, Bobby." exclaimed the aunt.

"But I want to keep pulling her," little Bobby replied.

"I thought you wanted to make her happy," Aunt Mary continued.

"I do," Bobby answered.  "But, I want to make her happy doing the things that I want to do."

You know, all of us who are truly born again want to please the Lord Jesus.  But, if we're not careful, sometimes we...

...want to please Him by doing the things that we want to do.  
Sometimes we want to make Him happy, but we want to make Him 
happy our way.

We want to please Him, but we want to please Him by pleasing 
ourselves.

And, quite often, pleasing the Lord will involve doing those things that we enjoy.  God is so gracious to allow us the privilege of living for Him in activities that we might deem as "fun."  As most of you know I am writing a book entitled, "It's a Wonderful Life, in Christ"  because I believe wth all of my life that the Christian life is wonderful.  It's a blessing to be a child of God.  

But, there are also times that pleasing the Lord means sacrifice and obedience to things that we don't find enjoyable.

There were many people who followed Jesus when it meant feeding 5,000 and seeing the blind and deaf healed and being a part of a great many miracles...

...But, only a few stuck around when Jesus said, "Take up your cross and follow me."

Oh yes, it we are going to exercise our hearts, sometimes it requires the hardships and struggles that Stephen, Paul, Peter and James went through. Pleasing the Lord sometimes requires being unpopular among the world and being an outcast because of an unwillingness to compromise on on what the Word of God says.  It requires a commitment to stand for the Lord when the whole world turns its back, a faithfulness to keep His commandments in the face of ridicule and mockery, and a determination to live for Him no matter the cost.

Who are we going to try to please this week?  Our family, our friends?  Are we going to try to please our boss, or our co-workers?  Are we going to try to please ourselves... or, are we going to stand with Joshua and say from our hearts...