As we begin on our knees, humbling bowing before the Father, He continues to draw us near. Before we continue onto the next verse of Ephesians 3:14-19, let’s spend a little more time reflecting about our posture.

During our summer focus on the book of Hebrews, Hebrews 4:16 served as a physical reminder of our spiritual posture. I’ve found great comfort in this scripture over the past couple of months, processing each phrase and praising God for His position, power, mercy, grace, and strength. The most beautiful part is how all these words are true despite my struggles, failures, and weaknesses.

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Hebrews 4:16

This passage is even more engaging in The Passion Translation – ‘So now we draw near freely and boldly to where grace is enthroned, to receive mercy’s kiss and discover the grace we urgently need to strengthen us in our time of weakness.’

Our confidence, freedom, and boldness as stated in this passage are from the Lord. Not in our own physical strength, self-control, appearance, good behavior, or biblical knowledge. Every day we can approach the throne of grace regardless what the day before looked like in our own lives! We approach, bow, pray, repent, receive, and move forward in a posture of confidence, grace, and mercy!

In response to this scripture, we developed full-body flow to Hebrews 4:16. Please join us via the video below. Be intentional to speak the truth out loud while going through the motions and do so several times, breathing in His mercy, grace, and strength.

We have to chose to stand firm on holy ground. With the Belt of Truth wrapped around our waists. And roll our shoulders back in confidence of our King.

Here are some questions to personally consider:

• What’s my current posture?
• How can I align my posture to Him?
• Do I daily have a posture of surrender?
• Is my posture based on my strength or His?
• Or am I letting my posture slack a little for comfort?
• Would I describe my posture as humble or prideful?
• Am I abiding in Him, connected to the Vine? Producing fruit?
• What about the Armor of God? Are all the pieces on and in place?
• What’s my posture towards my husband?
• What’s my posture towards the kids? My parents? My coworkers?
• What’s my posture towards my tasks?

Let’s meditate on these passages of Scripture and pay attention of our posture.

Abraham didn’t tiptoe around God’s promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. He plunged into the promise and came up strong, ready for God, sure that God would make good on what he had said. That’s why it is said, “Abraham was declared fit before God by trusting God to set him right.” But it’s not just Abraham; it’s also us! The same thing gets said about us when we embrace and believe the One who brought Jesus to life when the conditions were equally hopeless. The sacrificed Jesus made us fit for God, set us right with God.

Romans 4:20-25 MSG

Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!

Matthew 6:22-23 MSG

Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts.

Proverbs 4:23 MSG

For a session on physical posture AND spiritual posture, join me for this 45 minute workout!

Lord, give us a posture of joy, truth, grace, peace, strength, surrender, freedom, fun, and worship!

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

ephesians 3:14-19

Ephesians 3:14-19 will be our main scripture focus over the next few weeks. And while I’m sure many of you are eager to get started with a new plan for faith and fitness, we must begin right where this passage begins . . . on our knees to pray!

One of my favorite books in Lioness Arising by Lisa Bevere. In this rich book, she describes the strength and beauty of a tribe of lionesses and their representation of scriptural truth we can apply to our own lives as women. We too are created with strength and beauty and function most effectively as a group. More importantly, Lisa pointed out that a lioness must crouch down before it can pounce forward.

Your salvation requires you to turn back to me
and stop your silly efforts to save yourselves.
Your strength will come from settling down
in complete dependence on me—

isaiah 30:15 msg

As we physically crouch down, falling to our knees, we also spiritually bow in individual humility and surrender as well as godly confidence and strength. Because Jesus changes everything. 🙂

So before we rise and move and savor and flourish, we must fall to our knees and pray. How can you do this today?

Nothing is more powerful or beautiful than a life surrendered in the hands of God.

– Author Unknown

As we kick off our 40 Days of Faith, Fitness, & Focus, let’s be clear about one thing:

JESUS CHANGES EVERYTHING!

There’s a sign on the window at our church that makes this statement. And it caught my attention from the beginning. Each time I see it, I’m reminded of its truth and power. Whether we apply it to Old Testament vs New Testament teaching, the significance of Easter and Christ’s rising from the dead, the call to remain radiant citizens of Heaven, or the new life and personal relationship we have through Jesus and His Spirit dwelling within us, Jesus changes everything!

Because of Christ and our faith in him, we can now come boldly and confidently into God’s presence.

Ephesians 3:12

The verse above precedes our focus’ scripture of Ephesians 3:14-19, and it couldn’t be more perfect. ‘BECAUSE OF CHRIST and our faith in Him, we can now come BOLDY and CONFIDENTLY into God’s PRESENCE.’ Scripture continues to tell the story of God’s desire to bring us back into Eden with Him. Postured in boldness and confidence that comes from the Lord.

So throughout the next 40 days, let’s keep our gaze on Him and seek to see all things through His truth and grace. Whether it’s fitness, food, family, posture, position, or passion, Jesus flips the world’s view over and changes their significance.

What if fitness was just a way to get God’s breath in our lungs?

What if food was just fuel for our bodies and a gift to savor from our Provider?

What if marriage and family were the most direct opportunity to live out the gospel?

What if having a healthy posture included not only our physical body but our heart, soul, and mind as well?

What if our position influences the depth of our roots and the flourishing of our soul?

What if our God-given passion align with our God-given body to be used for our God-given purpose to produce something beautiful?

We’ll discuss the tree pose in a few days. For now, let’s pray together . . . and praise our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ!

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

ephesians 3:14-19

Beginning September 1 through October 10, we have 40 Days of Faith, Fitness, & Focus!

This is not a ‘challenge’ or one you have to be all in or not at all, but rather a buffet of opportunities to dive deeper with the King and His Kingdom! We’ll touch on fitness and food, but our focus will be on faith!

Over the next few days, please prayerfully consider going through the 40-Day Wellness Revelation Bible Reading Plan with us. While that plan length will be a record-breaker for us, I’m so excited to experience this amazing content as a YouVersion Plan together!

When you’re ready . . .

• Click HERE to join The Wellness Revelation YouVersion Reading Plan
  
• Plan to attend our weekly Holy Barre worship-filled workouts on Tuesdays at 6:00pm and Thursdays at 10:00am at All Fit Collective.
  
• Mark your calendars for these upcoming free special events:
  • September 1, 11:00am (Thursday) – Lunch after All Fit Collective at Bondi Bowls
  • September 21, 11:00am (Wednesday) – Bungee for Holy Barre at All Fit Collective (spots limited so contact Libby or email info@holybarre.org to claim your bungee)
  • September 26, 7:00pm (Monday) – Workout & Wellness at Shannon Miller Park
  • October 5, 12:00pm (Wednesday) – Yoga for Holy Barre with Lori Meek at All Fit Collective
  • October 6, 11:00am (Thursday) – Lunch after All Fit Collective at CAVA
    
• Subscribe to the Weekly Updates here on HolyBarre.org as there will be multiple posts shared each week about a variety of topics related to faith, fitness, & focus during this 40 days. Just scroll to the bottom of this page and enter your email to subscribe.
  
• Consider joining our next The Wellness Revelation small group beginning September and meeting weekly for 9 weeks on Mondays at 1:00pm.
  
• Start reading over Ephesians 3:14-19 as a prayer for yourself, your family, and our community.

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:14-19

These next 40 days beginning September 1 are not about counting calories or macros but connecting with the Spirit! They are not about getting on the scale but getting into His word and into authentic community. They are not about forcing yourself to workout but feeling and moving in love. They are not about focusing on the food and the fitness but being deeply rooted in His love.

Let’s pursue health, wholeness, and holiness from the inside out. Come burn bright with us, better together!

As we conclude our focus on the book of Hebrews, grab your light hand weights and ball (or small pillow), and join us for this faith-filled full-body workout!

Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21

Hebrews 13 is a beautiful send-off to the Hebrew people, full of encouragement and direction as they enter into this new season of faith in Christ! As so many of us enter into a new season ourselves, let us put the truth of this chapter into action! Whether its money, marriage, food, fitness, leadership or love, may we be deeply rooted in His love and standing firm on this truth:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas. Your strength comes from God’s grace, not from rules about food, which don’t help those who follow them.

hebrews 13:8-9

Check out HolyBarre.Org’s Weekly Updates for a review of each chapter of Hebrews and links to workouts! You can subscribe to weekly updates on the bottom of this page.

Stay tuned for more info about our 40 Days of Faith, Fitness, & Focus beginning Sept 1!

This week is extra special as we get to hear from Candace and Libby! We’re almost finished with our summer focus of Hebrews 12, and both instructors were able to provide some thoughts on this second-to-last chapter. I encourage you to read through the entire book of Hebrews if you have not yet done so and explore each chapter’s post here on holybarre.org. Each chapter builds upon each other and leads us on a faith-filled journey through the old and new testament. Ultimately, it presents the case for Christ and how He has changed everything. Hebrews 12 transitions into our current race, training, and focus!

Candace lead our group beautifully during our weekly workout and shared these thoughts about Hebrews 12:

We run the race of faith with Jesus and TO Jesus!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let US run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Hebrews chapter 12 builds on the example of the heroes of the faith mentioned in chapter 11. The main point is that these figures endured suffering and hardship, yet held to their faith in God, which allowed them to achieve victory. Chapter 12, in particular, points out that earthly hardship is not a sign of God’s displeasure, or abandonment. Rather, it’s part of living in a fallen, godless world. And, in many cases, it’s a form of ”training” the Lord uses to mold us into more powerful instruments.

“He stands with us at the starting-point, and earnestly says to us, not ‘Run,’ but, ‘Let us run.’ The apostle himself is at our side as a runner.” (Spurgeon)

1)What is one thing that keeps you from running at full speed?

2)What sin easily entangles you? (It can be an attitude or a thought pattern.)
Laying aside is an action!

We need to remember Jesus is the ultimate coach. The body of Christ will soar when we FIX our eyes on Jesus and stop looking at sin and self or naval gazing. We will know how to run and where to run, and we will do it well! We will not worry about stumbling and falling, because we will not be looking down, we will be looking up and longing for God to do all He can in us and through us!

Jesus wins every race when He is allowed to lead!

“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,”

Hebrews 12:28 NIV

Now join Libby as she leads us through a 30-minute ‘kitchen workout’ and hear more about Hebrews 12! No equipment needed – just a countertop, chair back, etc.

I love God’s divine timing in this week’s focus being Hebrews 11. As so many of us in this area head ‘back to school’, the transition of a new season is felt by everyone. And while emotions are high, the reality of our lack of control is evident. And that struggle is real.

Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

Hebrews 11:1

So while we must have faith in ALL the things and trust Him with ALL the things, what we cannot see often bears the most fruit. The Lord has laid Ephesians 3:14-21 on my heart so powerfully over the past several weeks that it have become my continuous prayer as we enter into this new season.

When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:14-21

I pray that we are deeply rooted in His love. Yet, like the evidence of faith, the roots aren’t visible. The roots remain unseen yet provide the strength, stability, foundation, and nutrients to survive a storm, transition into a new season, and produce growth and flourish! So while we can pray for good days and provision, let’s boldly pray for deep roots! Let’s be a people of faith that moves and loves with eternity as our direction and union with Jesus as our motive.

So this week I encourage you to listen or watch the message through the video link below! Not only is there such good truth in Hebrews 10, but we also have lots to share about Holy Barre and opportunities to burn bright in the coming weeks! Will you please consider joining us?!

For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy.

And the Holy Spirit also testifies that this is so. For he says,

“This is the new covenant I will make

with my people on that day, says the Lord:

I will put my laws in their hearts,

and I will write them on their minds.”

Hebrews 10:14-16

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Hebrews 10:23-25

Here’s this week’s workout as well . . .grab your light hand weights and a ball (or pillow) for this full-body faith-filled opportunity to burn bright!

As we continue our focus on the book of Hebrews, Chapters 8 & 9 are so awesome! While the first chapters made the case for Christ and proved His power and position as High Priest, chapters 8 & 9 address the ‘Good News’ of Jesus!

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises.

Hebrews 8:6 NLT

Chapter 8 describes the new covenant we have through Jesus while chapter 9 shares how a lifestyle of intimate worship is now available. I love these two verses from chapter 9:

“By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.

. . . For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.”

Hebrews 9:8, 15 NLT

So let’s move forward in a posture of freedom and worship!

Jesus, who is greater than angels, greater than Moses, greater than any priest is now seated on the throne as our High Priest and Savior. And this same power dwells in our soul to give us freedom and union with Him through the Spirit. May we be moved in worship and prayer and love! Approaching the throne of grace with confidence!

Worship is our weapon. So we stand in a posture of praise and prayer, wearing the full armor of God and standing firm on holy ground. We’re firmly rooted and grounded in love, dancing to the rhythms of His grace! Worship is our lifestyle!

Grab your light weights, some water, and a space to move as we worship and workout together! The playlist is Holy Barre #Hebrews07, found on Spotify.

Hebrews 7 is quite a chapter and one that reads more like my business law class as it makes the case for Jesus being greater than Melchizedek. Now for those of us living under the New Covenant through Christ, we probably don’t get the weight of this conversation. But for the initial audience of Hebrews, those who grew up living under the Law and believing Moses, Abraham, and Melchizedek were the greatest humans who ever walked the earth, Jesus’ teaching, death, and resurrection blew their minds!

For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. . . The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made the perfect High Priest forever.

Hebrews 7:19,28

While we didn’t grow up during the Old Testament, we still today can quickly grab hold of our own laws, rules, and expectations we’ve made for ourselves. We cling to this sense of control in order to find security and stability and boundaries. But Jesus . . .

But Jesus came so we can find our security and stability in His love alone. Within His boundaries of truth and righteousness, we’ll live in the grace, peace and freedom for which He gave His life!

Side note: Some bible scholars believe Melchizedek may have actually been the Son of God. And, as it says in scripture, the name Melchizedek means King of Righteousness, and he was the King of Salem (or Peace). Pretty cool how God the Father has authored such a powerful and detailed story of love and restoration.

While I encourage you to read Hebrews 7 in a few different translations and meditate on His Word, I’d like to jump over to the book of Matthew. While Hebrews 7 is full of truth and detail, I believe the words of Jesus below carry the main message of ‘but Jesus is the greatest High Priest forever because He came for us.’

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

Matthew 11:28-30 MSG

So while we can focus on faith, obedience, truth, grace, peace, and even key passages of the Bible, the ultimate goal is keeping company with Him and living freely and lightly! It’s complete union with God.

So each day, let’s ‘approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we can receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.’ (Hebrews 4:16). Every day and every moment, our High Priest in seated and ready for us!