G90X the Sequel: Who will join me?

Last year I did G90X and I want to do it again. What is it? It’s a spiritual version of P90X, the extreme physical fitness 90 day work out program you’ve probably seen on a late night informercial. I’ve gone through P90X and wanted something to work out my soul and not just my body.

The first time I went through P90X (a 13 week program of physical fitness training that averages about an hour a day) I started getting really convicted about my spiritual “exercises.” Sure I spent time in the Bible, prayer and such but I began to realize that if my spiritual routine were a workout program it would be more like a Richard Simmon’s “Dancing to the Oldies” skip-a-thon than a P90X bootcamp.

So last summer, when I went through P90X a second time, I developed G90X (“G” is for God by the way), a spiritual fitness program to do alongside my physical fitness program. When I got finished I was so glad I did. The spiritual disciplines God developed in me during this time were powerful and life-changing. Sure I got stronger, shed some weight and became more flexible from the physical training, but the spiritual training was much more valuable!

And, starting on Monday, I am going to do it all over again. The conference season is in full swing now so it’s a good time to lean back into my extreme spiritual/physical fitness regime.

Over the next thirteen weeks my goal is to:

1. Go through the Bible in 90 Days.

I’m going to read a lot of Scripture and listen to the rest on CD. There is an excellent reading guide on the biblein90days that I have downloaded to use. It gives an easy-to-follow checklist of chapters of the Bible to read and/or listen to so that a person could finish going through the entire Bible in 90 days. Call this the nutrition program for my soul. There’s no better than God’s Word. After all, “man does not live on bread alone…”

2. Spend 90 minutes of concentrated prayer per week

What I mean by this is, not your typical “Good morning Lord” or “thanks for the food” quickie prayers, but concentrated, passionate and intensive worship, supplication and intercession where I spend time in PRAYer (Praising him, Requesting stuff, Admitting sins and Yielding to his Spirit.)

For me, much of it will happen on a walking path by the Dare 2 Share offices. I have officially commandeered that path for the kingdom. It is my prayer path. I’ve tried praying in a closet before and I just kept on falling asleep. I am a big believer in prayer walking for the simple reason that ADD guys like me have a hard time sitting still. Walking and praying with the beautiful Rocky Mountains in my direct view (I live in Colorado) brings solitude, worship and focus. If you live in California try prayer walking by the ocean. If you live in Nebraska cornfields will have to do, but watch your step. There’s nothing like a big pile of manure to ruin your communion with God.

3. Memorize 9 verses per month for three months.

The first time I tried G90X I tried to tackle 90 verses in 90 days. But they tackled me instead. I didn’t come close to hitting my goal. So I’m paring back to 27 verses. This is still a challenge but much more doable. I’m going to use 3×5 cards to write the verse on one side and the reference on the other. The good thing about doing it this way is that you don’t just memorize the words but the reference as well.

Again, I’m going to re-start the P90X extreme fitness program while I do G90X. So I will be doing the physical exercise (and the nutritional program this time) as well as G90X, the extreme spiritual fitness program, at the same time. My goal physically is to get to a healthy 185 (from the 200ish range) and to accelerate my spiritual fitness big time over the Summer.

Here’s my key verses for G90X, “…train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come” 1 Timothy 4:7,8.

I normally keep my physical and spiritual disciplines to myself, so why am I telling you? Because I’m asking you to join me! I’m starting Monday but you may choose to start in a week or two or three but I challenge you to start it and do it over the summer with me! Who will do this extreme fitness challenge with me? If you can’t do both the spiritual and the fitness challenge due to time constraints or whatever my challenge would be to do the G90X program. Why? Because “godliness has value for all things” while physical training only helps you here and now. But, if you can, do both.

If you choose to join me, you can come back to this blog and give me updates and I’ll do the same. O even have a G90X Facebook page if you want to join. And please feel free to invite your friends to join us! It should be fun, challenging and somewhat painful but, as Tony Horton of P90X fame reminds us, “Do your best and forget the rest!”

By the way, let’s not be legalistic with this. G90X is just an intensive spiritual workout to jumpstart our spiritual disciplines. Remember that those who choose to do it with me are not automatically more spiritual than those who don’t. You can do all the disciplines in the world and if you are not controlled by the Spirit and fueled through God’s power in your motives it is all wood, hay and stubble.

If you are choosing not to do it (which is totally fine) I challenge you to, at the least, amp up your spiritual disciplines in some smaller ways over the next 90 days.

Why do this? For Christ and his cause, THE Cause, to know Him and to make Him known. Let’s be disciples and make them. But for us to do both effectively we must be energized, disciplined and fueled in our own souls. God has given us the Spirit of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7) so that we can live and give the gospel to everyone around us out of a heart that overflows with divine power. Come to think of it bigger triceps may intimidate some into the kingdom as well! Hmmm…

Ask me on April 27th (my wife’s birthday by the way) how I did on G90X and P90X. But, be careful, because I’ll ask you too!

Viva LA Cause!