October 28, 2010Read: Job 32

"'Age should speak; advanced years should teach wisdom.' But it is the spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding." --Job 32:7-8

At around 3:00 this morning, one of the sweetest, dearest men I've ever known in all the world got up and boarded a plane, embarking on a mission to Nepal. He's been preparing for this trip for decades.

After spending over 40 years as a pastor in Texas and New Mexico, God called him to become a missionary (he's in his 70s now). And if asked, he'll tell you that all those years serving and preaching in churches were all to prepare him to get up and leave at 3:00 this morning.

All the weeks, the Saturday studies, the Sunday morning and evening services, not to mention every Wednesday night for over four decades were merely a prep course for what awaits him when he finally lands. He makes numerous trips like this each year, often to some of the most dangerous regions of Asia.

But though I don't know what awaits him when he lands, I do know what the people there can expect. The message he'll share with them is the same message an eight-year old Texas kid heard back in the 70s. A simple message of Jesus, spoken in love through tears.

What does it take to leave home, risk your life and freedom, and forsake all comforts of safety and family, in order to deliver the gospel to strangers halfway across the world? It takes a life. But not our own. Because over 2000 years ago, Jesus was led to Calvary, where He paid the penalty for your sin and for mine. He went there for me and for you...and died at 3:00.

And that's why Henry Powell got up this morning.

--J.P.

EXERCISE IN FOCUS Looking for a new abs move? Try this one the next time you're at the gym

DECLINE CABLE CRUNCH

TARGET: Abs with emphasis on the upper abs

IN WORKOUT: In general, always do abs last in your workout, following your major bodyparts. But within your ab specific training, put this weighted crunch before you bodyweight moves.

SETS & REPS: Perform 4 sets with 10-15 reps.

BENCH: Place a decline bench near a low-pulley cable (your head near the stack). Most gyms have portable abdominal benches, so drag or carry one to the pulley station. Place a couple feet away from the stack so that when you grasp and place the rope in place, the weight rises off the stack.

ROPE: Hook a rope attachment to the cable and hold the handles tight to your body outside your ears. You can also grasp both ends of the rope and hold them on one side of your head. The emphasis is not altered all that much and could be more comfortable and practical depending on the attachment. But if you do so, be sure to transfer your hands to both sides of your head from set to set.

RANGE OF MOTION: Crunch upward as high as possible, bringing your elbows to your quads. Because you’re holding a cable which provides constant tension, you can raise your body as high as possible. In other words, you don’t have to stop short of perpendicular to the floor as you do during the bodyweight version to keep the abs engaged and stimulated, but come up as far as you can go.

BACK TO START: Squeeze your abs hard then slowly lower yourself to the start position and repeat. Feel free to come all the way down until your head touches the bench, but if you want to make it more difficult, stop just short of letting your shoulder blades touch the bench. Either way, don’t let the weight plates touch at the bottom of each rep.