Turned out to be yet another Baker’s Dozen consisting of the 13 HIM who won THAT FIRST BATTLE and posted on the first truly cool gloom workout of Fall 2020. Bad weather cannot stop these men–No Excuse November has begun!
Here’s the skinny: YHC tried to bring some new exercises to the Gloom…
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 18 IC
Windmill – 18 IC
Imperial Walker – 18 IC
WTHEKS – 18 IC
(What The HEKS = High Elbow Knee Slide) [Bearcrawl position. Alternate raising high elbows up & over your back, twist & slide opposite knee under. Rinse & Repeat]
Cherry Pickers – 15 IC
Swartzjacks – 18 IC
THE THANG:
Legs
Broad Jump Squats – 10 rounds OYO
[BJ, squat, turn around in air, BJ back, squat, turn around, BJ, rinse and repeat]
Partner Pushes – 3 rounds across the lot & back, alternating who pushes
Lunge Thrusts – 3rounds per leg
[Lunge right leg, thrust high knee following lunge. 5 reps same leg. Swap. Rinse & Repeat]
Curbside Carolinas [Feet together, up on curb, butt in air, Carolina Drydock] – AMRAP OYO, resting means your finished. Ruxpin was last man standing
Shmerkin – 5 rounds OYO
(Shuffle Merkins) [Plank position, shuffle right 3 “steps”, 5 Merkin, shuffle left 3 “steps”, 5 Merkins Rinse & repeat]
Swerkins – 5 reps, boosted to 10 Reps at half, swap w/partner, while remaining PAX ☆RR Tracks across lot, mosey back, rinse & repeat til all PAX work through the RR Tracks
☆ Mosey 30, 20, 10 around the short block
3rdF Beak in Action | YHC shared the following:
Years ago Lt. Sakowski was the leader of our Field Artillery survey team when I served in PA’s 28th ID BTRY F 109th FA. After completing a successful mission during a field training exercise, Lt. Sakowski and our Platoon Sergeants decided to reward our team’s hard work with a bit of what I’ll call a “field picnic” — after several days of eating MRE’s for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we were ready for a change! They’d snuck back to the PX and picked up some rolls, cold-cuts, lettuce, tomato, pickles and some other snacks, etc.
Our Lt. had scouted out an “off the grid” spot and in the midst of making our way there with 3-4 vehicles right behind his, Lt. Sakowski’s driver hit the brakes, and our Lt. stood up to extend through the top of his uncovered/topless 1/4-ton Jeep and began shouting to turn around and high-tail it back to where we’d come from. Based on the nature of his commands, the tone of his voice, and the look on his face, nobody asked a question and we got out of there fast!
Once we finally made it to the location he’d originally picked, Lt. Sakowski owned up to what he had done — he discovered he was leading our small convoy directly through the middle of an Impact Area! For those unfamiliar with what that is, it’s an area where bombs are dropped and into which Artillery and other weapons are fired during live-fire training exercises. I.e. YOU DON’T WANT TO BE IN AN IMPACT AREA!!
Outside of the fact that if you’re in there you’re a target), the moral of the story is that everyone one of us in our artillery survey team, not to mention everyone in my entire unit, would’ve followed Lt. Sakowski anywhere, especially into battle! He was a rare leader! He was a proven leader! He was a humble leader. He was a great leader who was highly respected by all. His leadership was defined by consistently leading well on all occasions, not by that single incident of taking us into an extremely dangerous area. Even in that moment he took full responsibility of what could’ve been a catastrophic mistake.
Let’s go ahead and call it “NO EXCUSE NOVEMBER,” not just in terms of posting or not posting, but in all we do. We’d all do well to stop making excuses and blaming others for failures. We’d do well to own up to OUR mistakes (and sins) so that we’re able to learn from them and grow into better leaders as a result…better leaders in our homes, in our workplaces, and in the communities in which we serve. We’d do well to take ownership and responsibility and lead even where someone else has come up short.
One biblical example of this that I’m thinking of is Peter… He exhorted the elders as a “fellow elder in 1 Peter 5:1 to, “Shepherd the flock of God among you…” Where did those words come from? See John 21 where, at a post-resurrection breakfast along the beach, Jesus pulled Peter aside and asked him 3 times, “Peter, do you love Me?” Each time Peter responded with, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you” and each time Jesus responded with, “then shepherd my sheep.” Remember Peter was the one who openly denied Christ. He was a failed leader, a broken leader. In all practicality, we assume Peter’s repentance, his ownership of sin and failure. He was humbled and broken; but lesson learned he was restored and then Jesus recommissioned him with the words…follow me!
Abs
Here’s what YHC had planned next:
Big Boy Heal Touches
[Lying flat, arms extend on ground behind head. 1 knee upward toward chest, torso up extending both arms to touch both sides of same heal, back down, raise to opposite heal, back down. Rinse & repeat]
Crazy Dolly
[On six, hands in ground near hips, torso in recliner position. Feet at 6″, spread out like Dolly, bring feet together, then knees to chest, back out, spread feet like Dolly, feet back together, knees to chest. Rinse & repeat]
Boardwalk Big Boys
[Partner hold feet, six on edge of Boardwalk Bench, lay back 1/2 – 3/4, back up. Consistent motion. 5 reps, swap with partner, rinse & repeat]
Boardwalk Liars
[Partner holds feet, lie on stomach with upper torso extended over edge, hands behind head, lower down then back up. 5 reps, swap with partner. AMRAP while other PAX☆RR Tracks across lot, mosey back]
EXTRAS:
Rosie – AC/DC version, 05:36 mins. of Rosalita! (Extra credit if done at home)
Dragon Tires
RR Tracks across the field
Wall Work
We ran out of time, so Here’s what we actually did:
Mary – 3 rounds: 4-Count Freddies (Quattro); American Hammers (Woodstock); Flutter Kicks (Leatherman)
COT/BOM:
Announcements: Another fundraiser 5k coming up, Quattro to push out the details to PAX on Groupme; Woodstock likely to miss 11/5 VQ due to travels and looking to swap Q’s with another PAX. BIG NEWS: Today was last day single “reeespect” for Streudel, tomorrow the beast turns 60 and gains double-reeespect in the COT! Remember, it’s No Excuse November” so lets be HIM, eliminate the excuses we’re prone to make, and, who knows, perhaps we’ll develop some new habits that’ll carry us beyond November.
PRAYERS: It’s Election Day… nuf said; Chattahoochee’s 2.0, Taylor, recovering from tonsillectomy; Woodstock safe travels to pick up a plane; etc.
20 SSH IC 20 cherry pickers IC 20 windmills IC 20 crab flippers IC 20 UP straddle hop (10 each leg) IC
THE THANG
After warm o rama pax lined up across from CHOP in “The Field” to perform the Spartan Routine. PAX line up and sprint 100 yrds, do selected exercises at the finish and walk back to the start all together. Q starts each sprint race with a verbal call. Exercises are as follows: 30 LBC 30 squats 30 merkins 30 double tap lbc (15 each side) 30 lunges (15 each side) 30 wide arm merkins 30 big boys 30 compassion squats 30 hand release merkins 30 American hammers 30 split jacks
15 burpees
15 Hand release burpees
3RD F MESSAGE: Today we wake up to a world in chaos and darkness, hurting and despair. Its easy to go along with the flow and get dragged down into the pit of misery and anger. But in a world full of darkness, we are called to be the light. One match lights an entire room and consumes the darkness. Just like the lantern in the darkness we should also run desperately to our Light, our Beacon, our Hope, our Redeemer, our Salvation Jesus while the world so aimlessly runs farther and farther away. We are High Impact Men. We are called to a different standard. We lead, we are leaders. If we can’t be the light the world will continue to see darkness. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:3-4 NKJV Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them. John 12:35-36 NKJV “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” John 3:18-21 NKJV
Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Monkey Humpers – 25 IC – Special Welcome Party For QuattroWho Was Rolling In Hot (RIH)
Cherry Pickers – 20 IC
Moroccan Night Clubs – 25 IC
The Thang
Three Alarm Fire – Arms, Legs, Abs, “R” Exercise, and “M” Exercise
First Alarm
A – Overhead press with Coupon (Block) – 20 OYO
L – Lt. Dan’s – Half of Parking Lot
A – LBC’s – 50 OYO
R– Run 1 Lap around the Block .25 miles
M – Monkey Humpers – 20 OYO x 4 Count
Plank until 6 is in
Second Alarm
A – Curls with Coupon (Block) – 20 OYO
L – Bobby Hurley’s – 20 OYO
A – American Hammers – 30 OYO x 4 Count
R – Run 2 Laps around the Block .50 miles
M – Mountain Climbers – 15 OYO x 4 count
Plank until 6 is in
Thanks to all HIM for Understanding and Finishing the Exercise Set as I Responded to a Real Alarm – MVC on Coastal Highway. Thank the Good Lord, the Injuries were Minor. I did Return and Finish the Set On My Own….:)…
Third Alarm
A – Triceps Curls with Coupon (Block) – 20 OYO
L – Smurf Jacks – 20 OYO x 4 Count
A – Toy Soldier Set – 100 LBC’s, 50 Y2K’s, & 25 Big Boy Sit Ups
R – Run 3 Laps around the Block .75 miles
M – Merkins – 30 OYO
Plank until 6 is in
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message – 09/17/2020 Constitution Day
How Did the Bible Influence the U.S. Constitution?
By Tamara Christine Van Hooser – Updated May 10, 2019
Christians and critics hotly debate how the Bible influenced the U.S. Constitution. Secularists argue that contrary to popular opinion, the Founding Fathers were “deists” at best and never intended any religious influence in matters of government. Many Christians counter that while there were certainly theological differences and variations in the level of Christian commitment between the men who framed the Constitution, the principles upon which it is founded reveal foundational assumptions of a Christian worldview, even though the document does not explicitly refer to God nor the Bible. A look at the words of the Constitutional Convention delegates themselves provides insight into how their thinking was influenced by the Bible and Christian principles when framing the laws of the new nation.
Founding Fathers’ Worldview
The laws set forth in the U.S. Constitution did not emerge out of a moral vacuum unrelated to the writers’ own beliefs, but rather are the product of the reasonings of those who created it. By their own words, the Founding Fathers were not neutral on the question of religion as the basis of government and society.
For example, in a letter to the Officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts, John Adams writes, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
Noah Webster stated, “The moral principles and precepts contained in the scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.”
Delegate Governor Morris of Pennsylvania forthrightly professed, “I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals, and that morals are the only possible support of free governments. Therefore education should teach the precepts of religion and the duties of man towards God.”
Origins of Constitutional Law
While the Constitution does not explicitly refer to God, the concepts of law which it contains stem from the cultural assumptions of basic biblical truths widely held by the people of that time regardless of their actual piety towards God. In other words, it is an inarguable fact that not all Americans of that era actually held to the Christian faith, yet they held to the commonly accepted morals, ethics and standards of behavior derived from English Common Law, which drew from biblical law given to the Hebrews by God.
Underlying Biblical Principles
The rule of law laid out in the Constitution descends from the Ten Commandments. As they suffered at the hands of corrupt human authorities, the Constitutional delegates were aware of the flawed nature of human beings as shown in Genesis 3 and Jeremiah 17:9. Thus, they designed a system of checks and balances and separation of powers to prevent one individual or group from abusing the citizens through self-serving power ploys.
The three branches of government are reminiscent of the roles of God as described in Isaiah 33:22. The exception for Sundays in the time limit for the president to sign a bill into law in Article VII, Section 2 hints at the assumption that Sunday was a day of rest as set forth in Exodus 20.
Exodus 18 reveals that before Israel demanded that God give them a king, the Hebrews had a representative form of republican government, not unlike the system created in the Constitution.
Both Leviticus 19:34 and Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution require uniform treatment of immigrants. Deuteronomy 17:15 warns the Hebrews not to let a foreigner rule over them just as the Constitution requires the president to be a natural born citizen of the U.S.
The requirement in Article III Section 3 to establish guilt in cases of treason by the testimony of at least two witnesses recalls the biblical instruction in Deuteronomy 17:6 to have the testimony of two or three witnesses before putting a man to death.
Separation of Church and State
Contrary to the popular conception of many, the words “separation of church and state” do not actually appear in the U.S. Constitution. The sole reference to religion in the Constitution is Article VI, Section 3, “…no religious Test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”
The Bill of Rights was added later to include First Amendment protections, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Critics argue that these words indicate the Founding Fathers wanted to establish an entirely secular form of government, wholly uninfluenced by religion of any stripe.
Christians point out, however, that the many writings of the early Americans in the era of the birth of the Constitution contain numerous quotations and ideas which can be traced back to a biblical source. They assert that the Constitutional delegates so took for granted the necessity of a biblical foundation for government that they would not have conceived of conducting government completely removed from any influence of religion. Rather, they wanted to make sure that government could never again interfere with or oppress religious freedoms or establish one Christian denomination over another as the religion of state to the detriment of all others.
About the Author
Tamara Christine has written more than 900 articles for a variety of clients since 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in applied linguistics and an elementary teaching license. Additionally, she completed a course in digital journalism in 2014. She has more than 10 years experience teaching and gardening.
Selected Quotes of the Founding Fathers About Christianity
“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” Thomas Jefferson, 1781.
“We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.” Benjamin Franklin, a statement he made at the Constitutional Convention, on June 28, 1787.
“I have tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty; through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am a sinner. I look to Him for mercy; pray for me.” Alexander Hamilton’s last dying words, July 12, 1804.
“This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed.” Patrick Henry in Last Will and Testament, November 20, 1798.
“We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” James Madison The Father of the U.S. Constitution.
“It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge THE Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and to humbly implore His protection and favor.” George Washington October 3, 1789 Proclaiming a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving.
“Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only Law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited… What a paradise would this region be!” John Adams, 1756.
“An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.” Patrick Henry, 1775.
“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great Nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religious, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here.” Patrick Henry, 1776.
“I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure doctrine of Jesus also.” Thomas Jefferson, Written on the cover of his personal Bible.
“It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are the indispensable supporters. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” George Washington, Farewell Speech, Sept. 19, 1796.
“Oh, eternal and everlasting God, direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb and purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of thy son, Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of thee and thy son, Jesus Christ.” George Washington, written in his personal prayer book.
“We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams, 2nd US President.
“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” John Quincy Adams, 6th US President.
“The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.” US Congress, 1782.
20 seal jacks i/c 20 seal wave i/c 20 plank jacks i/c 20 harry rockets i/c Capri lap around parking lot Side shuffle, nur, side shuffle, mosey 20 ssh i/c 20 Imperial walkers i/c 20 Windmill i/c 20 crab FLIPPER
The Thang
1 HIM carries coupon out to wall, climbs wall, and returns without coupon.
Rest of HIM do the following exercises as many times as possible;
Lunges with slosh pipe Swerkins Abyss merkins Dips on slide ladder Log row Tire sledge Flutter kicks Squats Coupon curl
3rd F
Play The Man • Devotional https://bible.com/reading-plans/4023/day/3?segment=0
Round 2 1 HIM runs out to wall, climbs wall, and brings coupon back while rest do listed excercises
NUMBER RAMA NAME RAMA COT
7 HIM showed today: Semi, Streudel, Fireplex, Doubtfire, Quarto, Toy Soldier, Bovine
Did things a little different today for the warm up. Extra Credit went to Woodstock for showing up ready to warm up but “had to fly.” Pun is intended
-Warm up- Mosey to Old waters edge church 10 4 count merkins Mosey to Church across from old HOB 15 SSH Mosey to Tequila Real 10 4 count Squats Mosey to the Park 15 baby arm circles F and R 15 big arm circle F and R
The Thang: 11s 10 Wide Merkins 1 Big Boys 9 Wide Merkins 2 Big Boys 8 Wide Merkins 3 Big Boys And so on
Mosey to Kings 10 Dips 10 step ups
Mosey back to chop.
5 on 5 Ultimate football play to 10 Drop pass 5 merkins Interception 5 Merkins Incomplete pass 5 merkins Winners choose exercise at the end .
Winners Fireplex-Strudel-Ruxpin-Chappie-Bovine
Winners picked 10 Diamond merkins So 20 for losers
Ended with BOM and COT No message today but Fireplex said something about losers and winners though lol.
The so-named workout will become evident as you read on but it was done in honor of the race that is always run on Memorial Day — The Indianapolis 500. This year it is postponed to later this Summer in August. Meanwhile, it served as a good motivator for the first workout at CHOP since mid-March.
Monday was the “official” reload of F3 First State since the shutdown and it was a good one! The relaunch was a brutal 2nd Annual Memorial Day Mini CSAUP at Cape Henlopen State Park. 13 PAX started the day with a mile-long double Patriot Run to the beach, planted the shovel flags, promptly got completely wet, and commenced to making “sugar cookies” between sets of Sandbear and recitations of the F3 principles: Open to all men. Free. Always outdoors, rain or shine, hot or cold. Peer led. And always end with a COT. It all unraveled from there. But it was awesome to be back together! PAX shared brief bio’s of fallen warriors throughout the workout to keep focused on the reason for the Day. We ended the 2-hr CSAUP with a tailgate coffeeteria.
The morning after: 13 PAX posted again for what was originally scheduled as a day of reeecovery. Yet the draw of being circled up together again for motivation, accountability, locking shields, and to be sharpened “as iron sharpens iron,” drew PAX out of the fartsack to ignore recovery for a Chappie led H.O.B./M.E. 500 — so named after the perfect little oval in front of these two elementary schools: H.O. Brittingham & Milton Elementary…
The Oval
First things first…
WARM-O-RAMA: (something like this)
Disclaimer given because it’s been so long, and because of the presence of an FNG; welcome Spread!
SSH – 18 IC
Crab Flippers – 18 IC
Moroccan Night Clubs – 18 IC (not Arm-Circles Chappie!)
Windmill – 18 IC
Mosey’d to H.O.B. & M.E.
3rd F YHC chose to share his 3rd F word to be sure to get it in:
First, a quick recitation from the PAX of F3 core principles and mission.
See if you can finish this very popular verse from Jeremiah 29:11 : “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you…’ <PAUSE> …’a future and a hope.'”
We tend to think the 2 most important thoughts of this verse are that God will give us A FUTURE and A HOPE.
But I’ve been re-thinking this lately because in our nation, our state, and our communities we’re surrounded not only by signs people are putting on their front lawns with the word “hope.” on them, but behind those signs are people concerned about an undetermined and unknown future. They’re looking for hope. Maybe you are too!
Whether we’re talking about businesses, schools, churches or other entities that have been affected by the shutdown who wonder if they’ll be able to reopen and what it will look like when/if they do, nobody likes an unknown future. That’s why I think there are 2 words in Jeremiah 29:11 that are even more important than the words “future” and “hope.” I’m talking about the words: “IKNOW.” God was saying to Israel, the false prophets don’t know the future, but “I know.” Israel themselves didn’t know the future, but God said, “I know.” Our federal, state, and local governments can’t even pretend to know the future, but God says, “_______________.”
Admit it, having an unknown future bugs us! It’s disorienting! I don’t know the future, and you don’t know the future, but the most important part of this verse, that part which actually gives us hope, is that God says, “I know…I ALONE know…the plans I have for you.” This is a call to turn to God and trust Him!
“For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.'” Trust Him for those plans, THAT future!
The Thang:
PAX partnered up and completed the following exercises cumulatively (Partner 1 runs lap, partner 2 exercises, swap, rinse and repeat to total number of reps were completed:
100 – Apollo Ono
200 – Merkins
300 – Seal Jacks
400 – Squats
500 – LBC’s (500, get it?)
Mosey return to CHOP AO
Number-Rama
Name-O-Rama – Welcome again, Jalil Davis (F3 Spread)
COT – Prayers lifted for several PAX and family members, etc.
Honored to Q the reload workout at CHOP. Welcome back, welcome, back, welcome back…
Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Jiminy Crickets – 10 OYO
Windmills – 20 IC
The Thang
Pax completed the Hindenburg BLIMPS routine from the Exicon at the CHOP. We modified the sprint portion to a straight line across the CHOP Parking lot approx. .02 miles apart. Sprint from the Church to the field behind CHOP and perform 1st exercise, sprint back to Church and perform 1st exercise, sprint back to the field and perform 1st exercise. Sprint back to the Church and perform 1st exercise. Plank it up until all PAX are in. That completes one round. Rinse and repeat but perform the second exercise working from the Church to the field. Rinse and repeat for the 3rd and 4th exercises. Round #1 – 10 Burpees. Round #2 – 20 Merkins. Round #3 – 30 LBC’s. Round #4 – 40 Lunges (20 each leg). Round #5 – 50 Plank Jacks. Round #6 – 60 Squats.
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 message –The 3rd F from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries was shared after completing Round #4. See Below….
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
At a party with some of our ministry staff and volunteers, we had a lot of fun with a common party game. You know, each person brings something they really want to get rid of, beautifully wrapped, of course. Everyone draws a number. When your number comes up, you have the choice of opening one of the unopened gifts and making it yours or taking that unopened package and trading for what someone else has already opened, and then you leave them with whatever is in that still-wrapped package. Somehow, there always ends up being a few items that everyone wants. And depending on how aggressive your people are – and we’ve had some pretty aggressive ones – they remember who’s got the hot item and they go after it with a vengeance. Those few items just keep moving around in trade after trade.
My sister-in-law, who is a wonderful worker in our ministry, actually drew the #1, which meant she didn’t get to make a trade at the beginning. But while the trading frenzy for the evening’s hot items got more and more intense, she just sat peacefully and quietly through it all, because she remembered the oft-forgotten rule of the game. Since #1 didn’t get to make a trade at the beginning of the game, she makes the last trade of the game. So all along, she knew what she wanted. And all along she is sitting there thinking, “I know how this is going to end!”
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Knowing the Ending.”
One of the exciting things about what God reveals to us in His Word is that we get to see how things are going to end. The frenzy and chaos may last quite a while, there may be lots of twists and changes, but, like my sister-in-law’s perspective on that game, there is no question about how it’s going to end up.
Our word for today from the Word of God is the incredible promise of Romans 8:28; the verse that one great writer called “a soft pillow for a long night.” Later verses will declare that if God is for us, no one can successfully be against us, that Christ’s love makes us conquerors in the worst of life’s disasters, that there will never be a life-quake so severe that it will be able to take us out of Jesus’ love. But before all that, this promise of how everything in a believer’s life will end up. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” In the King James, “God works all things together for good.”
During the game, it can get really frantic. In fact, it can even hurt a lot. The verse doesn’t say everything is good. It says God is working everything together for good – the agony, the ecstasy, the pains, the gains, the losses, even what the devil is doing to you. Paul’s thorn in the flesh wasn’t good in itself; it hurt him, it frustrated him, and the Bible says it was a “messenger from Satan.” But Paul saw the good that came later in the game. The pain had brought him to the end of himself and into an experience of God’s power that only the powerless ever touch. The gain was far greater than the pain.
That is the implied guarantee of Romans 8, that God will not allow it in your life unless it can be used for a greater good. No matter how hard this current situation is to understand, no matter how almost unbearable the pain, it’s possible for you to keep going with this unexplainable sense of peace and well-being. Because while God never guarantees that all the chapters will be happy, He does guarantee a happy ending.
The outcome – a better family, a better ministry, a better business, a better you if you will stay on the Jesus-path, if you will let the struggle turn you to your Lord, not away from Him. He will do what will bring you the greatest good and Him the greatest glory. Relax in that guarantee, no matter how it looks now.
As the pressure and the frenzy increase around you, you’ll be able to sit there with this wonderful inner calm saying because of your Sovereign Lord, “I know how this going to end.”
