In this week’s post, I thought I’d discuss something that will enhance your workouts while simultaneously decreasing your risk of injury.

For most of us, exercise can only compose a small part of our day, say an hour before work or 30 minutes during our lunch break. As such, we get into the gym and, understandably, devote all our precious time and attention to the weights (or to your preferred form of cardio if you’re giving the dumbbells a break!). While weightlifting is undeniably important, it needs to be supplemented with the following activity to ensure you’re getting the most out of your training. The missing ingredient is …

A Specific Warmup

When I visit different gyms, I often see people warm up for a few minutes by jogging on the treadmill, cycling on the recumbent bike, or rowing on the ergometer. When they get off their machine of choice, it is easy to see by their red faces and sweaty clothes that, technically, they’re “warmed up.” A general warmup such as what I’ve just mentioned is an excellent way to begin your warmup, but it shouldn’t be the only thing you do before jumping into your main routine.

My friend, Michael Prince, owner and trainer at 360 Fitness in my hometown of Tyler, Texas, taught me years ago that our muscles and our joints need to be specifically prepared for whatever exercises await them. Our muscles and joints are like rubber bands. If they’re cold, they’ll snap, but if they’re nice and warm, they’ll be resilient, responsive, and flexible. Movements like arm circles and arm swings are a great way to warm up the shoulders, whereas front-to-back leg swings and cross-the-body leg swings while holding onto something stable is recommended for warming up the hips.

After you’ve warmed up your shoulders and/or hips—depending on what you’re training—it’s time to move on to movements that more closely resemble what you’ll be doing in your workout. For example, if you’re planning to work out your chest with exercises such as the dumbbell bench press or cable flies, doing a set of 20 push-ups, whether regular, incline, or knee push-ups, is a terrific way to activate your pectoral muscles, as well as your stabilizing core muscles around your lower back and abdomen.

If you’re working out your back, doing a set of light dumbbell rows followed by a set of assisted pull-ups will wake up the pulling muscles you want properly engaged during heavier sets.

You get the idea! Just jumping into your workout after hopping off the treadmill not only prohibits your muscles from gradually acclimating, if you will, to the loads that will yield strength gains and muscle hypertrophy, but it also increases your risk of injury. Below you will find a specific warmup from my most recent chest workout. As a general warmup, I did five minutes of steady-state rowing on the ergometer, which got my blood pumping and body warm! This will give you an idea of the amount of time and number of exercises that should precede your main workout. If you’d like more warmup ideas, please tweet me @dandersontyler!

NOTE: Each of the following movements can be easily modified to suit your personal fitness level. Use a weight at which you can safely perform the given number of repetitions.

Specific Warmup

• 30 small arm circles, forward and reverse
• 30 medium arm circles, forward and reverse
• 30 arm swings
• 20 PVC pass-throughs
• 10 PVC around-the-worlds each direction
• 20 incline push-ups (do regular push-ups if incline push-ups are too easy)
• 15 side dumbbell raises with 7-pound dumbbells
• 15 front dumbbell raises with 7-pound dumbbells
• 15 overhead dumbbell presses with 7-pound dumbbells
• 50 flat bench dumbbell presses with 7-pound dumbbells

After that, I did two warmup sets of my first exercise, which happened to be flat bench dumbbell presses. I did one set of 15 repetitions with 20 pounds, one set of 12 with 25 pounds, and then began my first working set of 12 reps with 35 pounds.

Exercise Instructions, in the order listed above

Arm Circles

1. Stand in a neutral position with feet hip-width apart. Your arms should be straight out to the sides so your body forms a “T.”
2. Begin making slow circles in a forward motion with your arms, then gradually make larger ones and complete the given number of repetitions. Do 30 small-to-medium-sized circles, then 30 medium-to-large-sized circles.

Arm Swings

1. Stand with feet comfortably apart, knees slightly bent, arms at shoulder level.
2. Stretch arms straight out to the side and back behind you, contracting shoulder blades together. Then, bring them all the way across the torso, gradually speeding up and increasing the range of motion.

PVC Pass-Throughs

1. Hold a PVC pipe or broomstick, and stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the PVC with a wide grip at your waist, palms facing to the rear.
3. Keeping your arms locked out, bring the PVC overhead and down to your lower back.
4. Return the PVC to the starting position by passing it back over your head.
5. Try to bring your hands closer together after few repetitions as your chest and shoulders open up. If you have to bend your elbows, your hands are too close together.

PVC Around-the-Worlds

1. Hold a PVC pipe or broomstick, and stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hold the PVC with a wide grip. The movement is like the pass-through exercise, except you’re moving one shoulder through at a time. Think of punching your right hand down to the floor as your left hand comes up over your ear, moving all the way to the back. Follow with the right hand punching the left hand down to the floor.
3. Switch directions, leading with the left hand, and repeat for the given number of repetitions.

Incline Push-Ups

1. Place hands on a bench or plyometric box. Spread your hands so that they are slightly wider than the width of your shoulders. Feet are slightly apart, legs straight with weight in your toes.
2. Bend your arms as your body slowly lowers to the bench or box. Make sure your entire body is straight by keeping your navel pulled in towards your spine.
3. Concentrate on your chest muscles as you push your body back up to the starting position.

Side Lateral Raises

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells resting at your sides. Your knees and elbows should be slightly bent, bellybutton pulled in.
2. Keeping a slight bend in the elbows, raise upper arms to your sides until elbows are at shoulder height. Maintain elbows’ height at above or equal to your wrists.
3. Lower and repeat for the given number of repetitions.

Front Dumbbell Raises

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells resting on the tops of your thighs.
2. Your knees and elbows should be slightly bent, bellybutton pulled in.
3. Keeping a slight bend in the elbows, raise your arms to the front of your body until the dumbbells are level with your eyes.
4. Lower and repeat for the given number of repetitions.

Overhead Dumbbell Presses

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, and lift dumbbells the sides of your shoulders, palms facing out. Your knees should be slightly bent, bellybutton pulled in.
2. On an exhale, press the dumbbells over your head until elbows are locked out.
3. Lower and repeat for the given number of repetitions.

Flat Bench Dumbbell Presses

1. Lying on your back on a bench, hold a light pair of dumbbells directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
2. Pull your shoulder blades together, slightly stick out your chest, and point your palms forward.
3. Slowly lower both dumbbells to the sides of your chest. Pause, then press the dumbbells back to the starting position. Repeat for the given number of repetitions.

For over 100 at-home workouts, check out my book Perfect Fit!

Stay fit, stay faithful. {eoa}

Diana Anderson-Tyler is the author of Creation House’s Fit for Faith: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness, Perfect Fit: Weekly Wisdom and Workouts for Women of Faith and Fitness, and her latest book, Immeasurable: Diving into the Depths of God’s Love. Her popular website can be found at  and she is the owner and a coach at CrossFit 925.

For the original article, visit .

If you’re a charismatic believer, you’ve probably heard of word curses. A word curse is a form of witchcraft that taps into the power of death that’s in your tongue—or someone else’s tongue. This spirit of Jezebel can work through people to release thought curses.

When we speak negatively over someone’s life—”They will never hold down a job acting like that,” “Their marriage is bound to fail the way he treats her,” “The doctors said he’s going to die in 30 days. Isn’t that sad?” “I catch that flu every year!” “I’ll never get a raise at this dead-end job”—we are agreeing with the enemy’s plan and giving power to it with our anointed mouths. When we speak word curses over someone’s life—or our own lives—we are opening the door to the devil.

LISTEN TO JENNIFER’S PODCAST ON THIS TOPIC: Battling Thought Curses.

Remember, Proverbs 18:21 says the power of death and life are in the tongue. Unfortunately, I hear many people speaking continual death over their lives, their children, their finances—and other people. Since words come from thoughts, word curses actually begin as thought curses.

The Reality of Thought Curses

Recently, as I was praying to break word curses, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the reality of thought curses. One of my prophetic mentors instructed me about 15 years ago that someone was releasing thought curses against me and it was causing me emotional distress. I forgot all about that until the Holy Spirit brought it back up again—and then I found theology to back up the theory.

JOIN JENNIFER ON FACEBOOK FOR SPIRITUAL COMMENTARY AND ENCOURAGEMENT. CLICK HERE.

The preacher said, “Even in your mind do not curse the king; and in your bedchamber do not curse the rich; for a bird in the sky may carry your voice, and a winged creature may declare the matter” (Eccl. 10:20).

The word “curse” in that Scripture means, “to make despicable, to curse, to make light, to treat with contempt, bring contempt, or dishonor,” according to the KJV Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon. The Bible says even in your mind—another translation says in your thoughts—not to curse people. Even in your mind! A word curse gives voice to an evil thought, but how can a thought take voice in the spirit realm?

From Thought Curses to Word Curses

When we think wrong thoughts about people—or about ourselves—we’re violating Scripture. Paul tells us, “Whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things” (Phil. 4:8).

When we’re thinking wrong thoughts about people—or ourselves—we’re agreeing with the Accuser of the Brethren. We’re getting on the devil’s side and allowing him to feed our minds ammunition that will eventually come out of our mouths and become a word curse. Think about it for a minute. If you meditate on how angry and upset you are about someone because they wronged you, how long will it be before you speak out those thought curses and transform them into word curses?

Have you ever walked into a room and the atmosphere was tense or gloomy? And then when you speak to the person in the room, you discover they are tense or gloomy. Could it be possible that their thoughts have impacted the atmosphere in the room? I believe so. I believe if thoughts are powerful to change our own mind, they must be powerful enough to change the atmosphere around us and may be powerful enough to release witchcraft at people.

What I do know is this: Witches believe in negative thought forms. Negative thought forms are described as “structured interdimensional energy” that witches work up against victims for a specific purpose. These are intentional psychic attacks that come through negative thinking, jealousy, anger, fear, revenge and other negative thoughts. If there is power in positive thinking, there must be power in negative thinking.

Combating Thought Curses

As Christians, we need to obey Scripture. Second Corinthians 10:5-6 talks about casting down imaginations, but we often forget the part that says to bring “every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being willing to punish all disobedience when your obedience is complete.”

Combating thought curses starts with our own thoughts. If we’re cursing ourselves in our thoughts, we need to intentionally think the opposite of what the enemy is telling us, what people say about us, or what we think about our own shortcomings. We need to declare the truth out of our mouths. By the same token, we need to guard our thoughts about others. We don’t want to be used of the enemy against anyone and violate the law of love.

Now, if you discern thought curses are coming against you, move in the Luke 6:28 principle—bless those who curse you even if you don’t know who they are. Next, bind thought curses and word curses in the name of Jesus with the Matthew 16:19 key. Finally, take authority over every demonic thought that has been formed against your life and gird up the loins of your mind, for that is where the root of the battle really lies.

Have you read my new book, Jezebel’s Puppets? Check it out and determine to drop the curtain on Jezebel’s show.

As of 2015, reports show over 1.5 million apps are available for download from both Google and Apple. That, my brothers, is a lot of apps!

Over the last month, I started making my way through those apps (on the Apple Store) in an effort to find the very best apps available to men, more specifically Christian men.

I want to be honest with you, I reviewed nearly 20 different apps, but found that most hadn’t been updated in months or you had to spend too much money in order to access the content.

With that in mind, ALL of the apps listed below appear to be updated often and are FREE!

Listen, guys, if you’re too busy or if you feel like you simply don’t have the time to maintain your walk with Christ, then I highly suggest you review the app options listed below, pick at least two and start engaging with them on a daily basis.

My goal with this post is not only to expose the best apps available to Christian men, but also to feature the best part of each app. I’d encourage you to go through each one and choose which one you think will suit you best, based on what sets it apart from the crowd.

I’ll let the apps speak for themselves now, and pray that your walk with Christ and the relationships around you are re-established or transformed by at least one of the powerful apps listed below.

Here are the five best apps available for Christian men:

1. Man Up God’s Way

Unique feature: The interaction

The possibilities to meet and interact with other men on this app are endless. After sign-up, you’ll find the Home Screen & Navigation Screen friendly and easy to use. From there you can dig into the latest challenge, read the latest resources or post a hurdle. The “Hurdles” section is a powerful place where you can share your heart anonymously and get replies from real brothers supporting you and sharing their advice. Man Up and download it today! (Download Options Here)

2. Giant Slayers

Unique feature: Daily notifications

This app is unparalleled if you are looking for daily notifications on Scripture and hard questions every man needs to answer. These notifications are picked and built just for you after you sign-up and take a short assessment based on your current spiritual walk. From there, you can set up “My Tracks.” My Tracks offers you multiple choices from daily or weekly notification plans, and also offers you timed plans (7-14 days) for specific topics such as pornography and human trafficking. You pick the Track and you pick the notification times. Become a fellow Giant Slayer today! (Get more info here, visit your App store to download)

3. Uncommon Men

Unique feature: The challenges

Once you sign up for the Uncommon Men app, you’ll be immediately faced with a handful of challenge options. From being a better father or role model, to offering fun ways to improve your marriage. The “U Can Lead” challenge was my personal favorite because it impacts every man who joins the app. This challenge hit me with hard questions such as who I could count on during an emergency and how to spend some real time thinking about my purpose in life. Jump on this app today and pick the challenge that best suits your needs now! Finish it like a man and move onto the next one! (Download Here)

4. Live Bold

Unique feature: The resources

Get ready to set up camp, guys! Once you sign up for free, you’ll find the app easy to search and loaded with tons of great resources. Click on the “Campfire” tab and you’ll find the latest video and article specifically relevant to men. If you’re not sure what a Christian man is, then scroll down the menu where you’ll find resources specifically built to answer your questions about the Christian life. And one of the best parts of the app is the Daily Kickstart. This is a great way to start your day off with a quick word of encouragement and Scripture. Grab some kindling and set up camp today! (Download Here)

5. He Reads Truth

Unique feature: The reading plans

If you have some extra time before work or are looking to grow a deeper relationship with Christ, then this is the devotional app you’ve been looking for. From the menu, you’ll find full access to the Bible and great-looking Lock Screen images which are perfect for your phone. But the real power of this app is the reading plans. Once you choose your plan, you’ll engage in a great journey. Each plan offers a tab for relevant Scriptures, then you’ll be challenged with devotional questions, and at the end you’ll have a chance to share your personal thoughts about the devotional of the day. Download this app and experience real growth in your faith! (Get more info here, visit your App Store to download)

Guys, I strongly encourage you to check out these apps this week and download a few of them. These all contain powerful content that can help you get back or stay on track in your daily walk in life and in your faith.

No more excuses!

If you have one of these apps already, please share your thoughts about it! If you download one and try it, please share your experience with us!

(Also, please feel free to add a link in the comments to an app I might have missed. Please make sure the app is up to date and is meant to serve men.) {eoa}

Manturity is a blog built on establishing spiritual maturity in today’s man. The goal is to assist men in building better marriages, help men in grow in maturity and explore different aspects of manhood.  features new weekly blog posts, daily social media updates and a powerful resources page. Stay up to date with the Manturity blog communities on Facebook and Twitter.

For the original article, visit .

Let me start this post by saying how sorry I am that it’s taken me almost 30 years to personally digest the reality of racism in our country. Let me apologize for never truly seeing what was taking place right in front of me.

And, let me admit my fault in keeping quiet as a white, male pastor when hate and harm affected the lives of millions each and every day that passed, all while I had a platform to bring light to this horrific situation. I’m sorry.

This not an apology for being white, but instead an apology for being a white man who had yet to publicly stand up against the injustice directed towards my brothers and sisters of all ethnic backgrounds.

I’m a privileged white man (as I’ve been told) who grew up in the suburbs of southern California, attended schools that were a melting pot of ethnicity, went to a church that was primarily Hispanic, had friends and girlfriends from all different ethnic backgrounds, and never made it a hundred miles outside of my city limits until I was twenty-two years old. I guess you could say I lived in a bubble, and the idea of racism was something that seemed foreign to me—as if it was something that only took place in movies or really rough parts of our country. Straight ignorance, right?

I’ve been told I’m a privileged white man because of the following:

• I’ve never been pulled over because of the color of my skin.
• I’ve never been followed in a store because of the color of my skin.
• I’ve never been treated unfairly because of the color of my skin.
• I’ve never been unaccepted by the family of someone I was dating because of the color of my skin.
• I’ve never been bullied because of the color of my skin.
• I’ve never been treated unfairly by law enforcement because of the color of my skin.

All these statements are in fact, true regardless of how much I dislike the term #WhitePrivilege. 

It wasn’t until I moved to Memphis, Tennessee that all my assumptions about racism changed. The KKK just so happened to be hosting a rally the same day I got into town, and at that very moment, racism wasn’t just an idea or foreign happening anymore; it was taking place right in my own backyard. I couldn’t believe it. It was eye-opening. I felt the pit of my stomach turn. I was blindsided by the fact that not everyone had parents like mine who taught me to never judge someone by the color of their skin or where they’re from, but to instead love all people the same way Christ loved the Church, without partiality (Rom. 2:11).

Little did I know this wasn’t out of the norm for the south, let alone for our entire country if I were to open my eyes a bit. If I’m transparent, I think the concept of racism was something I didn’t want to believe, so I purposely shut myself out from seeing it even if it was in plain sight. I was scared to admit that there were people in this world who would hate others because of their skin color. I was afraid to admit that our country hadn’t fully moved on from the dreadful past of enslaving African-Americans for personal gain.

My experience of living in Memphis changed my life completely, and I was no longer hiding from the reality of racial discrimination but instead leaning into it, wanting to learn more about its origin, and how I could help be a voice towards finding reconciliation.

The only problem was I didn’t know where to start. I was a bit scared. I didn’t know what I was allowed to say or not allowed to say, or whether or my voice would be taken seriously if anything was said at all. All I knew was this; Jesus stood against injustice, and it was time for me to man up do the same regardless if I was taken seriously. It’s the right thing to do. It’s what Jesus would have done. We’re called to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31).

Over the last few years I’ve found myself leaning into influential African-American leaders—meeting them in person, reading their books, studying their blog posts, listening to their sermons and even attending their racial reconciliation classes. I still have no clue exactly what I’m doing, but I know that I need to learn from people whom I believe are prominent voices in racial reconciliation and in the multi-ethnic church.

I’m realizing the importance of not just using photos of good-looking white people in my blog posts. I’m realizing the importance of having friends who don’t look like me. I’m realizing the importance of seeking unification as it pertains to race and ethnic diversity.

Although we may look different, we were all created by the same God. We are family. Every life has meaning, and nobody should be discriminated because of the color of their skin.

“… where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all” (Col. 3:11, MEV).

If I’m honest, I think I’m just fed up with people not acknowledging the fact that racism is an obvious issue in our country, especially those who have influence within Christian culture but remain silent because they don’t want to be seen as controversial. Racism isn’t controversial, it’s just wrong.

Trust me, I’ve been that guy for a long time but I’m starting to change dramatically. I’m not going to do things perfectly, but I’m still going to try. Why? Because I’d rather be deemed controversial than let my silence be conveyed as pacifism or purposeful ignorance as it pertains to racial discrimination and affliction.

“I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality. I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We as Christians are called to stand up against injustice no matter where it’s from or what it looks like. One of the most purposely ignorant things we can do as humans would be to ignore the reality of racism in our country. The local church should be forerunners in the journey toward reconciliation and examples as to how we are to love one another without limitation.

I’m sorry it took me this long to admit my faults as a white pastor/individual living in a multi-ethnic world.

“God’s desire is for us to experience multi-ethnic fellowship now in the local church as it will be for eternity. God’s heart is total reconciliation.”—Derwin L. Gray (The High-Definition Leader: Building Multiethnic Churches in a Multiethnic World){eoa}

Jarrid Wilson is a husband, pastor and author relentlessly sharing the love of Jesus. For the original article, visit .

For the original article, visit .

For most of my adult I life, I believed James 1:22-25 didn’t apply to me. I had convinced myself that I was a “doer” of God’s Word and not simply a “hearer.”

After all, I went to church. I tithed. I listened to well-known preachers and agreed with what they said. Here and there, I told people about Jesus.

Wow, did I buy into Satan’s lies. And he did a fantastic job of selling it, too.

Over the past year of my transformation as a believer, however, I slowly began to realize that I was the epitome of James 1:22, which says, “Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (MEV).

Every Sunday I would hear a good sermon at church, and every Sunday it would be the same. I got fired up and knew I was going to have a great week after being filled with a good word and great fellowship. But then something would happen in traffic or my children would say something that shouldn’t have upset me but did, or I would worry about our family finances, and my joy would dissipate.

Immediately, I had forgotten what kind of man I was. I was a “hearer” of the Word and not a “doer.” Immediately, I had become exactly like the sower in Matthew 13:20-22, “But he who received the seed on rocky ground is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, eventually he falls away. He also who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful” (MEV).

As a believer in Jesus Christ, you’ve heard the good news of the gospel. Most know of God’s promises of provision and protection, and most know they have the ultimate victory in Jesus. Yet when trials and tribulation come, and they deceive themselves into believing that God doesn’t really care for them. They deceive themselves by thinking he’s distant and isn’t listening to their problems. The word is choked from them as the weeds have grown among the good seeds that were planted.

In other words, if I hear the word of God but do not do what it says, I am treating the Word as if it were useless. I am deceiving myself about the very nature and purpose of the Word of God.

“… for the hearers of the law are not justified before God, but the doers of the law will be justified” (Rom. 2:13, MEV).

So what can you do to make sure this doesn’t happen to you, that you don’t become a “hearer” only and deceive yourself?

* Realize that trials WILL come in this life, and let your faith be tested, because it produces patience (James 1:3-4). It’s all part of the growing process.

* Get connected with a small group at church. I’m not saying that you can trust everyone, but find people within that small group to discuss your life issues—people with whom you can be transparent and vulnerable.

* Pray that God will teach you how to be a “doer” of His Word and not simply a “hearer.” Pray that you will know better than to deceive yourself. 

* Adhere to Proverbs 3:5-6 and trust God “with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding.” Don’t be one of those nominal Christians who simply won’t allow that.

* Continually seek wisdom. Don’t just read your Bible every day, study it. Realize that the Bible reveals God’s wisdom to us (Prov. 2:10).

* When you make sinful or mistaken choices, learn from them, repent and recover. God will be right there with you. 

Rather than be the sower from Matthew 13:19-22, don’t you want to be the sower from verse 23? “He who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit. Some produce a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown” (MEV).

Bearing fruit is what your walk with Christ is all about. It’s all about being a “doer.” 

And as I always like to say, “there is that.” {eoa}

Before people can have a steadfast faith for the healing of their body, they must be rid of all uncertainty concerning God’s will in the matter. Appropriating faith cannot go beyond one’s knowledge of the revealed will of God.

Before attempting to exercise faith for healing, one needs to know what the Scriptures plainly teach, that it is just as much God’s will to heal the body as it is to heal the soul. The sermons in this book point out and explain those portions of Scripture that will forever settle this point for you. It is only by knowing that God promises what you are seeking that all uncertainty can be removed and a steadfast faith is made possible. His promises are each a revelation of what God is eager to do for us. Until we know what God’s will is, there is nothing on which to base our faith.

It is important that the mind of those seeking healing be “renewed” so as to be brought into harmony with the mind of God. This is revealed in the Bible and pointed out in the following pages. Faith for the appropriation of God’s promised blessings is the result of knowing and acting on God’s Word (Romans 10:17). The right mental attitude, or the “renewed mind” (Romans 12:2), makes steadfast faith possible to all.

We are constantly receiving testimonies from those who, though prayed for repeatedly without success, were afterwards wonderfully healed while reading this book. Many also have been happily converted while reading these instructions.

It would surprise the world if they could read the wonderful testimonies that have come to us from all over the country. We have received more than 225,000 letters from our radio listeners and their friends, most of whom we have never seen.

The truths discussed in this book of sermons, together with “the prayer of faith,” have brought healing within the grasp of many thousands of sufferers, who would not have recovered without the direct action of the Holy Spirit. To God be all the glory.

While we rejoice in these miracles, we remember that they are only external manifestations of a thousand times greater and more precious miracle that has transpired within the sacred chamber of the inner soul. The inner cause is so much more precious than the outward effect. External results from prayer are like figures in a bank book that show that you have gold deposited in the bank. The gold is more valuable than the figures.

Jesus said, “The Word is the seed.” It is the seed of the divine life. Until the person seeking healing is sure from God’s Word that it is God’s will to heal him, he is trying to reap a harvest where there is no seed planted. It would be impossible for a farmer to have faith for a harvest before he was sure the seed had been planted.

It is not God’s will that there shall be a harvest without the planting of the seed—without His will being known and acted on. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Freedom from sickness comes from knowing the truth. God does nothing without His Word. “He sent His Word and it healed them” are the words of the Holy Spirit (Ps. 107:20, Fenton’s translation). “All His work is done in faithfulness” to His promises.

For each sick person to know that it is God’s will to heal him, it is necessary for the “seed” to be planted in his mind and heart. It is not planted until it is known and received and trusted. No sinner can become a Christian before he knows that it is God’s will to save him. It is the Word of God, planted and watered and steadfastly trusted, which heals both soul and body. The “seed” must remain planted and be kept watered before it can produce its harvest.

For one to say, “I believe the Lord is able to heal me” before he knows from God’s Word that He is willing to heal him, is like a farmer saying, “I believe God is able to give me a harvest, without any seed being planted and watered.” God can’t save the soul of a man before the man himself knows God’s will in the matter. Salvation is by faith—that is, by trusting the known will of God. Being healed is being saved in a physical sense.

Praying for healing with the faith-destroying words, “if it be Thy will,” is not planting the “seed”; it is destroying the seed. “The prayer of faith” that heals the sick is to follow (not precede) the planting of the “seed” (the Word). Faith is based on this alone.

It is the gospel, which the Holy Spirit says, “is the power of God unto salvation” in all its phases, both physical and spiritual. All the gospel is for “every creature” and for “all nations.” The gospel does not leave a man in uncertainty praying with an “if it be Thy will”; it tells him what God’s will is. The Holy Spirit’s words, “Himself … bare our sicknesses” (Matt. 8:17), are just as truly a part of the gospel as His words, “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree” (1 Pet. 2:24).

Neither the spiritual nor the physical phase of the gospel is to be applied by prayer alone. Seed is powerless until it is planted. Many, instead of saying, “Pray for me,” should first say, “Teach me God’s Word, so that I can intelligently cooperate for my recovery.” We must know what the benefits of Calvary are before we can appropriate them by faith.

Excerpted from Christ the Healer. During the first half of the 20th century, F.F. Bosworth conducted evangelistic and healing campaigns across the country and launched the “National Radio Revival” ministry. At age 75, he went to Africa to preach and teach. He died in 1958. His son, Robert V. Bosworth, editor of the Present Edition, continues the ministry through World Outreach, Inc., African Evangelical Mission, and Morning Watch.

What I see: Unfortunately, I see a lot of young men without any direction. Since I’ve already walked through their path, I can understand their mentality at this point, but don’t necessary agree with their motivations or lack thereof.

There are too many distractions and not enough time spent on the things that matter. The scary part is, time is passing by and the years will catch up to you faster than you could imagine.

What I see though can be fixed with some diligent effort and focus. Since myself, and many other successful men were able to do it, I know you can too!

My experience: I graduated from college almost 10 years ago. I attended one of the hardest trade schools for young men in the country. I would recommend it to any young man looking to be successful in the trades. You can find out more about it here.

If there was one thing I remember about this college was that it was tough, really tough. Up at 6 a.m. every morning, attended the raising of the flag followed by an inspection of our clothes, shoes and general appearance. We had to work hard every day. And every day, I wanted to quit!

I didn’t particularly enjoy making my bed every morning, being stuck 6 hours away from home with no vehicle and living in a place I was not familiar with. But, and this is a big but, I knew that this school could help me become a successful man in life. So every day, I got up and worked hard!

My hope: I don’t share my story to brag or to say my situation was any harder than yours; I share it to offer you some perspective. Perspective is a big tool missing from young men these days. Don’t ever believe that you have it harder than everyone else.

Don’t ever think that what you’re facing is unachievable. Some of the most successful people have had to endure multiple hardships on their way to the top. My hope for you is that you will get off your butt and work hard every day to achieve the life you hope to have some day.

Here are five areas where I see young men need to improve upon in their life. And since this isn’t a complete list, I encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments below.

1. Get off the phone and get into your books. As a man in my early 30s, I grew up in a time when cell phones were not as “smart.” All we could do was make calls and send texts on them, and that was enough of a distraction in itself. I see young men today on their phones nearly every minute they have available. Is this wrong? No. But it does take away time from things that are of much more importance, like your studies. I would strongly encourage you to realize how much time you spend on your phone or computer and make sure it is not taking away from your learning.

2. Make money, save money. Let me ask you a simple question, do you know how much you’re paying for college each year and do you realize how much money you are going to owe later? If you have no idea, I would encourage you to be active in this area. Take the time to find out those numbers and then figure out if there’s any way to start making payments on them now. Have you spoken to anyone about scholarships that could be available to you? Again guys, I’m not trying to say that having a part time job or writing essays for scholarships will be easy, but now is the time to push!

3. Work hard now and find success later. This is a simple motto I’d encourage you to think about every day! Maybe post it on the wall in your room or have it come up as a reminder on your phone every day. It’s simple, the harder you work now, the better chance you have at success in the future! Trust me, the last thing you want to do is look in the mirror four years from now and realize you wasted a bunch of time and have a lot of debt. Step it up guys! I know you can do it!

4. Find a mentor and listen to him. One of the toughest parts of being a young man is realizing that you need help. As I said, now that I’m in my 30s, I feel like I can’t learn enough from people. I realize now that there are plenty of men that have gone before me and have been through the same trials that I am or have gone through. I would strongly encourage you to find a mentor. Find someone who you can just talk to. Find someone that will allow you to open up and just share what’s truly on your mind and heart. And of course, learn the value of listening. How can you apply his or her advice and where can it help you out? Find a mentor, find one soon and maintain the relationship!

Speaking to someone at church or joining the Man Up App Community would be two great places to start!

5. Establish goals now and achieve goals later. And finally, I would challenge you to consider your goals. Where would you like to be in five years? How about 10 years? What would you like to accomplish? How successful do you hope to be? What is it going to take to achieve these goals?

Take the questions above and apply your answers. Establish a set of goals now and achieve your goals later!

Don’t make excuses. Don’t complain about things being too hard. Success doesn’t come to those that sit around, it comes from those that take affirmative action and stick to their goals.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, experiences and challenges on this topic. {eoa}

Manturity is a blog built on establishing spiritual maturity in today’s man. The goal is to assist men in building better marriages, help men in grow in maturity and explore different aspects of manhood.  features new weekly blog posts, daily social media updates and a powerful resources page. Stay up to date with the Manturity blog communities on Facebook and Twitter.

For the original article, visit .

Over the years I have reviewed hundreds of diet and fitness plans, and I have to say that most of them focus on what foods you can’t eat. Sometimes these plans focus on cutting sugar, or carbohydrates, or meat, or even solid food.

Seriously, I once saw a plan called “The Cabbage Soup Diet,” and one called the “Grapefruit Diet.” To paraphrase the words of Jesus: Man can’t live by grapefruit alone!

These plans are destined to fail because they deny a basic truth—humans love to eat. We love the taste of food and the feel of food and the joy and celebration surrounding food. Normal people don’t like to feel hunger pangs, and they don’t like to feel deprived. When your brain does without certain chemicals that can come from food, it definitely begins sending the signal of deprivation!

So what is a person to do in this stress-filled world? In our country, where the law of supply and demand rules our economy, if there is a demand for something, then someone will create it. And if someone creates it, then a competitor will create it better and cheaper. Guaranteed.

Sadly, when this comes to food, your body can suffer. Cheap, highly processed foods not only taste good, but they hit that pleasure center in your brain (called the ventral tegmental area) that makes you feel less stressed—for the moment. Unfortunately, the chemicals, preservatives, and excessive sugar and salt in these products guarantee more stress on your body in the long run.

How can we hit that “sweet spot” in the brain that makes us feel relaxed and happy without causing ourselves more stress in the long run? What foods can we eat that not only increase our resiliency to stress, but also make our brains and bodies feel satisfied? Here are some ideas:

1. Asparagus – A mood enhancing vegetable thanks to tons of folic acid. Because they are cruciferous, they help open up detoxification pathways. Try them marinated in olive oil and rosemary and grilled.  Delicious leftover diced up in an omelet or frittata.

2. Avocado – High in B vitamins that give you a mood boost. High in healthy fats that lower blood pressure which reduces body stress. Eat them as guacamole, or added to any smoothie, soup, or stew. Try them salted and spread on toast instead of butter or peanut butter. Delicious sliced into eggs.

3. Blueberries – Deliciously sweet and tart, just a handful can reduce oxidative stress in your body. Add a bit of coconut cream to them for a late-night dessert. Add them to cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, or freeze them for a cold snack.

4. Almonds – Almonds boost your immune system during times of stress; making your body more resilient. Keep baggies with about 20 almonds in your desk at work, in the car, or in the snack cabinet at home. Eat them every day for best results. Add slivered almonds to green beans, or on top of casseroles.

5. Oranges – High in vitamin C which supports good immune function. Lowers blood pressure and cortisol—the stress hormone. Eat the whole orange; not just the juice for a lower glycemic response. Try segments of fresh oranges mixed with coconut shreds for a delicious ambrosia at dessert time.

6. Oily fish – Put more oily fish like sardines, anchovies, herring, tuna, and salmon in your diet to keep cortisol levels from spiking when you encounter stressful situations. Most Americans are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids found in these fish. Make sure to get only wild caught, not farm raised. Try to get about 4 oz. three times a week for optimal resilience.

7. Spinach – Packed with magnesium that lowers blood pressure and the stress response. Make sure to get organic. Try a handful in your omelet, or in place of lettuce on your sandwich. Put a cupful in your smoothie or in any soup, stew, or salad.

By focusing on foods that you can eat instead of focusing on those you can’t eat, you will be happier, healthier, and more resilient to the inevitable stresses of life!

America’s leading stress expert, Dr. Pete Sulack is a highly sought-after teacher, lecturer, and author. His studies on the effects of stress, coupled with over one-million patient visits and attention from medical communities led him to write and create Unhealthy Anonymous to help individuals, corporations and non-profits mitigate the immense effects of stress on health and human behavior. Use code #hope to receive a $1/month discount!

When I was young, like most teenagers, I could be brash and blunt with little wisdom to guide my words.

One particular night, I was out with a group of friends (guys and girls) when a female friend and I started to make fun of each other. The verbal jousting quickly got competitive, even heated. Finally I said something regrettably cutting, hurtful, and humiliating towards her.

What I said is unimportant, but immediately after saying it, I wanted to grab it all back.

The worst part about it was that before I said it, I thought about it, calculated its impact, and even then, I still said it. I cared more about winning than I did about her at that moment. Thinking about her running out of the room crying still makes my stomach sink.

Words have a powerful impact, particularly in relationships. In marriage, the impact is even deeper because of the level of intimacy. Words are released at close range by the person in life whose opinion matters most.

In the midst of a disagreement, we have the power with the words we choose to either escalate or disarm the situation. Saying the wrong thing can be like pushing an escalation button. With that in mind, here’s what not to say to your wife during a fight.  

1. “At least …” This is normally an attempt to quickly move beyond the issue at hand with a superficial silver lining. It belittles something she feels is important, disregards her feelings, and ultimately, it lacks empathy. Anything that follows these two words will only serve to deepen the conflict and disconnection.

2. “I don’t care.” If this one comes out in the heat of an argument, it can cause significant damage. It will end all communication for the night. These three words have actually started more conflicts in our house than anything else I’ve said. She might want help with a decision or my opinion. I say, “I don’t care,” meaning, “I don’t have an opinion. I could go either way.” What she hears is, “I don’t want to do this with you. I don’t care about you.”

3. “You’re being ridiculous.” She might be. She may be swept up in so much emotion and hurt that she is ignoring all reason and facts. However, she’s not going to be able to see it at this moment no matter how clearly you explain it, but especially if you say it this way. All it will do is throw gasoline on the crazy. It’s best to listen and acknowledge her feelings. Reason with her later when she has calmed down.

4. “I may have done that, but you …” This is nothing more than a deflection from taking full responsibility and making amends. Throwing an accusation at her while she’s doing the same will only intensify the conversation because it shows our desire to win rather than reach a resolution. When we have done something wrong, then we need to show leadership by owning it and apologizing. This disarms the fight.

5. “Other people wouldn’t react the way you are.” Never compare your wife to anyone, particularly other women. It devalues her as a person and it will rub some significant insecurities lurking below the surface. And if you ever compare her to your mother, it was nice knowing you.

BJ Foster is the content manager for All Pro Dad and a married father of two. For the original article, visit .

When you got married, you didn’t imagine this is how it would be. After all, you love each other. You are attracted to one another and have good chemistry.

However, when you are intimate, there is something missing. Maybe it is a new development in your relationship. Perhaps it has always been that way, and you hoped it would eventually change, but it hasn’t. Your married sex life is passionless.

Sex is not always going to be earth-shattering, particularly when a couple has been married for a long time. When it consistently lacks passion overtime is when it can become divisive.

The frequency of its occurrence tends to become less and less. Filled with unsatisfied desires, some turn to unhealthy things such as porn or an affair to attempt to quench their thirst. In order to find the solution, it is important to identify the problem.

If your married sex life lacks passion, it could be because of one of these reasons:

1. Inhibitions. When one or both people in a couple are inhibited, it normally comes from a negative view of sex. This negative view may have formed from something as dramatic as abuse. Others may have had parents that tried to keep them from having unmarried sex by communicating that sex is bad. That association sometimes remains even after marriage. Feelings of guilt, fear and self-consciousness come rushing in like they are still doing something wrong. Unfortunately, these are normally deeply ingrained (particularly abuse) and need counseling to move toward healing.

2. Lack of prioritizing and initiative. Sex is not set as a priority. Energy is given to everything else: raising kids, pursuing careers or maybe even pursuing other people. This normally happens when one person puts sex low on the list, leaving the other frustrated. Picking up on the frustration of their spouse, they do it out of obligation. Nothing takes the passion out of sex more than when a husband feels like his wife has sex with him as a favor or vice versa. Both husband and wife need to keep it high on the list of priorities.

3. Hidden bitterness. When unresolved issues and a lack of forgiveness linger below the surface, they create disunity. Passionate sex is fueled by the level of connection a couple is experiencing. Hurt that’s not dealt with will turn the heart into a Petri dish of bitterness. The relationship electricity will dim until it eventually shuts off.

4. Lack of honesty. Whether it is for fear of either rejection or hurting the other person, a lack of honesty will place limits on the sexual relationship in a marriage. It shows a lack of trust. It’s important to be able to communicate what each person finds enjoyable and what they don’t. This doesn’t mean all desires need to be met but that there should be a safe environment for free and open dialogue. One of the beautiful things about sex is knowing things about one another that no one else knows.

5. Focus on performance. The focus of sex should be to love, connect and enjoy one another. People can become preoccupied with performing because it makes them feel powerful. It could also be out of the insecurity of being compared to their spouse’s past experiences. It’s good to tune in to your spouse and work to meet their desires as long as the motivation is one of giving. When the motivation becomes performing, then it becomes self-serving and breeds disconnection.

6. Loss of attractiveness. This can be physical, but in most cases, it is deeper. Maybe it is the abrasive or disrespectful way she treats him that causes him to view her as less attractive. It could be that he has no initiative in life or with the family that turns her off. Address the issues honestly but with kindness and gentleness.

7. Familiarity. Both of you are caught in a cycle of doing the same routine. It’s gotten predictable and boring. A couple can easily fall into this trap, but it’s important to change things up and perhaps even try something new.

Sound off: What do you do to keep passion in your marriage? {eoa}

BJ Foster is the content manager for All Pro Dad and a married father of two. For the original article, visit .