Free and Fit Challenge 2017 - Freedom from Worry by Tim Chew

Introduction to Free and Fit - Worry

The words worry, anxiety, fear and concern are often used amongst adults and children freely without hesitation. The impact of this on mental health has often been overlooked and our society maybe suffering from a global worry pandemic. The problem is that if it continues to spread as fast as technology and social media progress we could be so deeply rooted in worry that our everyday lives are forever worrisome. Today we want to look at what the bible says about worry and how we can work through some of the issues that rob us from freedom.

About the Free & Fit Challenge

The Free and Fit course has been created to build strong social skills, charge healthy physical bodies and to instill a well balanced and sound mind. Participants who complete the full course over 12 months will learn how to work effectively with their team members to build strong values of power, love, and self discipline.

Free & Fit Vision

The vision of free and fit course is to engage, motivate, improve and hence find freedom in a physical and spiritual state. As such the freedom that leads to a peaceful heart; leads to a healthy body. The course is built upon the core value of learning together to be disciplined and motivated in our faith as well as our fitness.

Instructions for Group or Individual Facilitator

1. Select a sport and space where you want to exercise, book a date and time to meet and invite your friends!

2. Before exercising ensure the space is safe and that no participants are experiencing any illnesses or injuries.

3. Set up a structure of three different exercise routines which you can introduce, read and reflect upon the selected bible verses. In the welcome and warm up introduce thetopic and ask the members what they believe the topic to mean.

4. Read the verses in order before each exercise and ask the group to think about the verses during the three different exercise routines.

5. Reflect on the verses and topic at the end of session during a warm down and discuss the answers to each verse and questions at the end of the workout.

Read Passage on “Do Not Worry” (Below) Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Clothes and Food: Worry. The biggest hurdle in life for so many people appears in so manyforms. For example, what are we going to wear tonight. We so easily get caught up in the problems with conforming or competing with our colleagues, peers, friends or family.

Whether at school or in the office. Whether its best prom dress, best suit in the office or outfit during an average day. If it is not worry over clothes it becomes food. Who has the best lunch, breakfast or diner. The comparisons are endless. Through reading an extract from this passage we see the biblical wisdom in what Jesus says to his disciples about food, clothes and material desires that we seem to not be able to escape.

25“Therefore I tell you,do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?.

These verses assure us that we have no time well spent worrying about things we have no control over. However, are we wrong to want these things which some may class as material or unnecessary. For those who live in poverty or in wealth food or drink are necessary. Just as important would be shelter and warmth for our survival and yet Jesus says do not worry. Perhaps what he is is asking us is what do we need over what we desire. Worry can be the fear of missing out. Essentially the motivation not the need for these things can create issues and create unnecessary worry..

Motivation: Often people lack motivation and seek guidance in how to help themselves when talking to others. We often find ourselves looking for help from each other especially when working in a team, Yet, why then do we struggle alone? More team building and community will help us. With the Lord he can support us through our prayers, praise and worship. If we don’t pray, worship, speak to others, turn to God then we are on our own and rely on our own strength. Again Jesus reminds us in this passage about the significance of material things.

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. So when we work really hard (labour) and lose site of our direction (spin out of control) we could do far worse than looking to the Lord for help in even the littlest or largest of things. Outside of motivation and material things we all suffer from a constant challenge managing our time. On a daily basis we struggle to even get the essential things we need to get done.

Time: We all suffer from not having enough time in our lives. Sleep, food, exercise, work, leisure and family time. With so many demands how can we overcome all these difficulties.

Time management can be a seminar, a class, a lecture and all sorts of self- help and life coaching courses. What in reality can we do about it. Perhaps the use of a diary, applications, phones, personal assistants and journals are all good remedies in the modern era. However, what does the bible say about time? 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. So there we have it the best outlook of all, focus on today not the toils and troubles of tomorrow. Fix your eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour.

Bible Verses for Discussion

Romans 11:30 New Living Translation Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead.

1 Corinthians 10:27 New Living Translation If someone who isn't a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.

Philippines 2:14-15 New Living Translation 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing,15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

John 1:4-5 New Living Translation 4The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New Living Translation Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. 6 Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.#

Jason's Story

Faith and fitness has changed my life not only did I become fitter in my body but I became more spiritually fit, the holy spirit flows more through me than before, I have a wonderful leader who has taught me more about faith and about the word of GOD which is very important to me, I have grown in fellowship and in friendship and without faith and fitness and wouldn't be as strong and spiritually as I am today , God bless you thanks for everything that you do.

Questions to be asked at the end of the Session

Why is this topic important? What does this mean to us/me? How can we challenge ourselves with the verses we heard during the exercises?

Closing Scripture Verse 1: Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.

Time of Prayer and Reflection Think about a time of thanksgiving and outward reflection. Simply praise reports and prayer requests.

Sign Up. Tune In. Take Part

UK London Contact Details:

Contact: Nav Merghan

Address: Meet at St Mark’s Church,

Next to Oval Tube, 337 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4PW

Email: faithandfitnesslondon@gmail.com

US New York Contact Details:

Contact: Timothy Cheux

Address: Meet at Central Park,

Next to Pulitzer Fountain,

764 5th Ave, New York NY 10019