Worship God Alone

King Belshazzar should have known better. He should not have tried to put himself higher than God. He knew his father, (some scholars say grandfather) Nebuchadnezzar, had displeased God by taking all the credit and glory for himself after building up Babylon in all its splendor. (As a result, Nebuchadnezzar immediately became like an animal and grazed with the cattle until he came to his senses and repented. Daniel 4:30-37) His son, Belshazzar, should have learned a lesson from this.

So what did Belshazzar do wrong? Apparently he thought it would be no big deal to use the gold goblets swiped from God’s temple in Jerusalem to serve wine to the nobles, concubines and wives who made up the 1000 guests at his banquet. To take it a step farther in the wrong direction, Belshazzar praised the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone and wood.

Now here’s the eerie part: immediately afterwards, a hand started writing a cryptic message on the wall of the palace. (You can read the account for yourself in Daniel 5:1-31.) Belshazzar’s “face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together.” (Daniel 5:6) Belshazzar called in his top astrologers, diviners and conjurers and offered the reward of a purple cloak, a gold necklace and a third of the kingdom to whoever could read the words. But none of them could, which made Belshazzar even more alarmed. Finally the queen recommended that Daniel be called in. Daniel told the king, you “have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this (what happened to Nebuchadnezzar) but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven…” (Daniel 5:22-23) Daniel was able to read the words on the wall, which stated that God had found Belshazzar to be deficient and that his kingdom would be taken from him. Nebuchadnezzar had returned to God and had his kingdom re-established, but his son Belshazzar did not. That same night, Belshazzar was slain and his kingdom was taken over by Darius the Mede (the kingdom to the north and east), just as the words had indicated. What stands today in Babylon is a mound of ruins (but archeologists have found the walls of the castle).

My “kingdom” is rather small compared to Belshazzar’s Babylon, but I always want to “rule” it my way, according to my schedule, and to take all the credit for what I accomplish. But God humbles me and brings me back into line. God is all-wise, way more powerful, and just. His ways are right and He is loving and merciful and faithful. His kingdom endures forever. (Psalm 86:15, 103:8, 111:7, 115:3) Don’t settle for looking to “gods” made of gold, silver, wood, iron, stone, or anything else. Look to and give praise and honor to the one true God. To God be the glory!

Fear God and give Him glory… Revelation 14:7

One of the rewards Nebuchadnezzar offered to whoever could read the three words was a gold necklace. This week we’re going to pretend to wear a multi-million dollar necklace. You will need to concentrate on sitting tall and lengthening your spine. This will improve your alignment and posture.

You can sit either in a firm chair (which I recommend for beginners) or on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. (You may have your knees bent slightly if you are on the floor.) Place your hands on the seat of the chair or floor on either side of your hips and press down slightly. Now check your alignment: your ears, shoulders and hips should be lined up in a straight line and your upper body is perpendicular to the floor. Keep your chin level. It is important to hold this alignment through the exercise.

Now here’s where the necklace comes in. Keeping your vertical alignment, lift your breastbone, as if you were trying to show off this gorgeous necklace you are wearing. Try to create distance between your hips and your lowest ribs. You will immediately feel more space in your lungs for air to come in. Go ahead and take a couple of deep breaths. Lift your head (but still keep your chin level) and make your spine long, as though you were trying to separate the vertebrae. Keep your abdomen firm (Click here for a review on that.) and feel the muscles in your front, back and sides working to keep you upright. Hold for two or three deep breaths and then relax. You may practice this one every day, but at least three times per week.

An important aspect of this exercise is to be aware of what each part of your body is doing. If you can concentrate on your alignment, the lengthening of your spine, and your torso muscles working, you will benefit more. This awareness and concentration will help you master other exercises too. This one will definitely help you achieve length and strength!

Let the Children Come to Me

Let the children come to me, do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Mark 10:13

As long as I can remember, I have been a worrier. Many a night in grade school I would lie awake at night, fretting about something that happened in school, my mind over-wrought with anxiety, my body unable to relax. On those nights, I would head downstairs and share my worries with my father, who would be reading under lamplight in his big chair in the corner of the living room, his feet propped up on the window seat. Always happy to allow me to sit on his lap and share my worries, he would offer words of comfort as well as practical advice. Sitting close to my dad and pouring out my troubles allowed my body and mind to relax. I could leave those worries with him and head back upstairs to fall asleep.

Possibly you did not grow up with your father in your home. Or, you may not have felt comfortable or safe bringing your worries to him. But you do have a heavenly father who loves you and cares about you. “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) You can bring any worry or situation to Him.

How is it possible that we can comfortably and confidently bring our concerns to our heavenly Father? It is because God loves us so much, more than any earthly father could, that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for all of us, to accept the punishment for our sins. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Because we are cleared of our sins, we have access to our merciful and gracious, loving God.

Perhaps you have children or grandchildren who have a less than optimal relationship with their earthly father. Do they know their heavenly Father who is always available to help them? Have you told them about Him? The Bible has a number of verses about God the Father’s love and care for His children. You might look at these verses for encouragement: Mark 10:13-16, Romans 8:14-17, Psalm 68:5, 2 Corinthians 1:3 and Matthew 6:25-34. The young and the old can find peace and comfort in bringing their concerns to their loving, heavenly Father.

The more I study the mechanics of the human body, the more I am impressed by how interdependent our limbs, joints and muscles are. Our muscles are designed to be in balance. If a muscle in the front is much stronger than its partner in the back, this can set off a cascading disruption in the position and performance of surrounding joints and limbs. Unfortunately, people don’t realize this has happened until they lose flexibility or feel pain. Stretching helps bring muscles into balance and restores proper functioning of the limbs and joints.

So this week we are going to stretch two muscle groups on the front of the leg and hip: the quadriceps or “quads,” which run down the front of your thigh, and the hip flexors, which connect the top of your thigh to your hips. If either of these muscles are tight, it can cause pain in your low back or your knees.

To stretch your quads, either lie on your side, or stand (holding on to a chair for balance). Keep your thighs next to each other and bend one knee to bring your heel toward your buttocks – but only as far as you are able to. (Remember that if you are not sure if an exercise is appropriate for you, check with your doctor first.) Feel the stretch down the front of your thigh. Hold for 30 seconds, or you can time it by taking three deep breaths.

Now, keeping your knee bent, pull your leg backward slightly until you feel a stretch on the front of your hip. That is your hip flexor. Hold again for 30 seconds or three deep breaths. Then repeat the stretches on your other leg. Your hip flexor can also be stretched while sitting in a chair: Sit toward the front of the chair, and with one knee bent and pointed toward the floor, pull your leg back and hold. Our hip flexors tend to be overly strong because we spend so much time sitting. So you can perform the hip flexor stretch as a work or study break.

You may do these stretches every day if you wish, but it is advisable to stretch the quads and hip flexors after doing your leg strengthening exercises (Click here to see those.) and the squats (which we did last week). Bring your muscles into balance by strengthening and stretching. This will help you become stronger and more flexible, adding to your overall length and strength!

The Righteous Advocate

He (Jesus), having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God. Hebrews 10:12

Hebrews 10:12 above says it clearly. By way of His agonizing death on a cross, Jesus was the do-all, end-all sacrifice for every sin on earth for all time. No more slaughtering perfect, first- born goats or bulls, or striving to do good deeds to gain entrance to heaven. Eternal life is a free gift given to those who believe in Jesus. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8)

Having completed His assigned task - to die on the cross - God made Jesus come alive again and He was “received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19) Jesus sat down. What this tells me is that He has a fully-resurrected, real body. (Wouldn’t a spirit just hover or float around?) And, Jesus is sitting at a place of highest honor and dignity: at God’s right hand. (This is stated also in Ephesians 1:20, Luke 22:69 and Colossians 3:1.) To the people of Biblical times, sitting at the right hand signified might and great power. In this position at God’s right hand, Jesus is reigning until all enemies have been subjected to Him. (1 Corinthians 15:25)

But there’s more. In heaven Jesus is also our advocate before God. Hebrews 7:25 says “therefore He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” When someone who believes in Jesus confesses a wrongdoing, it’s as if Jesus says to God “I died for him or her. I’ve paid the penalty.” No charge can be brought against you in heaven once you’ve been forgiven. (This is not to say that there aren’t earthly consequences for wrongdoings, such as punishment for a crime, etc.)

We do not need to bring sacrifices as the Old Testament people did, because Jesus was the sacrifice for all of us, for all time. Now He is our advocate. “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin, and if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” (1 John2:1) Jesus Christ is your righteous advocate sitting in heaven at God’s right hand. His death and resurrection have put you in good standing with God. May this give you peace and hope.

Now let’s talk about sitting down…

Strength training exercises should prepare you for normal, everyday activities, and this is definitely the case for this week’s move: the squat. Every time you lower yourself into or rise up from a chair, you are doing a squat. The muscles used are your gluts (last week’s exercise – click here to review) as well as the front and back of your thighs. Proper technique is essential for safety and to get the most benefit, so pay close attention to the instructions. If you are unsure if an exercise is appropriate for you, check with your healthcare provider first! These instructions are for beginners, but in the future, I will explain how to modify them to make the squat more challenging.

Stand facing a table, counter or wall that you can hold onto. Place a sturdy chair behind you.(This is your safety net!) Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and your weight evenly divided between your feet. Check to make sure your ears, shoulders and hips are lined up on a straight line. (No curling forward. Click here to learn about checking your alignment.) Your knees should be slightly bent, with your knees and toes pointing straight ahead. Keep your heels on the floor the whole time.

Here’s the downward action: Hold onto the table for safety and bend your knees as you start to lower your hips downward and backward, as if you were going to sit down in the chair. If this is the first time you’ve ever done a squat, just bend your knees slightly but stop if you have any pain. You may bend your knees until your thighs are at a 45 degree angle to the floor (a half squat), or you could lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor. (But do not go lower than this!) Keep your navel pulled inward toward your spine and your chest lifted. To protect your knees, it is very important that you keep your knees behind your toes, so glance down to check whether you can see your toes.

And now for the upward phase: Squeeze your gluts (buttocks) and rise to the starting position, as though you were getting out of a chair. Exhale as you come up and make your legs do the work. At the end point, your knees are slightly bent and your pelvis is neutral.

One or two squats are fine to start with. It is normal to feel your leg muscles working, but you should not have pain while doing the squats. (If you do have pain, stop!) You can gradually increase the number of “reps” to ten or twelve, or more if you wish. As your confidence grows, you may not need to hold onto the wall or table, but you can keep your hands out for balance. (Later you may hold some hand weights while doing your squats.) Squats can be done every other day. In the future I will teach you how to build other moves onto the basic squat to add more challenge.

This seems like a lot of detail, but squats do employ several joints and muscle groups – an example of how all our body parts work together! Concentrate on each step of the exercise and soon you will notice the Length and Strength in your daily activities!

The Seat

Situated behind a curtain in the tabernacle’s innermost room - the Holy of Holies - stood the ark of the Covenant. It was here that priests came once a year to bring sacrifices to obtain forgiveness for the people. God had given detailed instructions on how to do this – by sprinkling the blood of a bull and a goat on the special covering of the ark called the Mercy Seat. “And he shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat he shall sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times.” (Leviticus 16:14)

Why was blood required for the sacrifice? Because God said “the life of the flesh is in its blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.” (Leviticus 17:11) When you think of atonement, think “at-one-ment,” making the people at one with God.

The Mercy Seat was made of pure gold and had a cherubim formed from it at each end facing the center. (See the accompanying illustration from the 1890 Holman Bible.) The priest would burn incense and God was present in the smoke between the cherubim. The Mercy Seat was very significant because of God’s presence during the removal of guilt. In the Greek translation, the word for “Mercy Seat” is the same as the word for “Christ.” The Mercy Seat gives a preview of the link between Christ’s blood shed on the cross and the forgiveness of sins: “and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2)

Jesus was the perfect blood sacrifice that replaced the sacrifice of bulls and goats. During the Last Supper with His disciples, Matthew 26:28 describes how Jesus gave them a cup of wine and said “this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” God’s mercy has been evident through the ages. The Good News is that through Jesus we have forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:10

This week’s exercise is for your seat – the gluteus maximus muscle, or “gluts.” It is a large muscle and is used for walking, climbing stairs, kicking a ball, and getting out of a chair, among other things. The gluts are part of your core, so it plays a role in keeping you stable when you are standing.

Strengthening the gluts can be done anywhere – while sitting at a desk or in the car, while standing or even lying down. Simply squeeze your buttocks and hold tightly for five seconds or longer, and release. Repeat a couple more times. Do this a few times a day or as often as you wish. It is important to learn this tightening action because you will use it while doing the squat, which is next week’s exercise.

This is a good time to strengthen another muscle in what is known as the pelvic floor exercise (or “Kegel,” named after the doctor who invented it). The pelvic floor muscle is just that – a “floor” which supports your uterus, bladder and rectum. To strengthen this muscle, pretend you are trying to stop the flow of urine. (Just pretend; it is not advisable to hold the flow.) Hold while counting to five and then release. One of the potential benefits of a strong pelvic floor muscle is improved bladder control. Doing a few pelvic floor squeezes can also help empty your bladder completely and can help relieve constipation. Tightening and holding your gluts while simultaneously tightening your pelvic floor muscle can be combined with pulling in your abdominals (Click here to review that one.) for maximum effectiveness and concentration.

Because strengthening your gluts is simple and can be done anywhere, it is easy to include in your Length and Strength routine!