Categories
Living By Grace

Planting Seeds

I received this ‘story’ in an email last night. Whether it is true or simply a parable I don’t know, but thought it worth passing on.
Ben
A successful Christian business man was growing old and knew it was time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead of choosing one of his directors or his children, he decided to do something different. He called all the young executives in his company together. He said, “It is time for me to step down and choose the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.” The young executives were shocked, but the boss continued, “I am going to give each one of you a SEED today — one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed, water it and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next CEO.”One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and, excitedly, told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost and he planted the seed. Every day, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other executives began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim didn’t have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by — still nothing in Jim’s pot. He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn’t say anything to his colleagues, however. He just kept watering and fertilizing the soil. He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives of the company brought their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife that he wasn’t going to take an empty pot. But she asked! Him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt sick at his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right.

He took his empty pot to the board room. When Jim arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other executives. They were beautiful — in all shapes and sizes. Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his colleagues laughed. A few felt sorry for him! When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted his young executives. Jim just tried to hide in the back.

“My, what great plants, trees and flowers you have grown,” said the CEO. “Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!” All of a sudden, the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered the financial director to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified.

He thought, “The CEO knows I’m a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!” When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened to his seed.

Jim told him the story. The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, and then announced to the young executives, “Behold your next Chief Executive! His name is Jim!”

Jim couldn’t believe it. Jim couldn’t even grow his seed. How could he be the new CEO, the others said.

Then the CEO said, “One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it and bring it back to me today. “But I gave you all boiled seeds; they were dead it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. “When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive!”

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust If you plant goodness, you will reap friends If you plant humility, you will reap greatness If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective If you plant hard work, you will reap success If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation If you plant faith in Christ, you will reap a harvest So, be careful what you plant now; it will determine what you will reap later.

Categories
Living By Grace

Prodigals, ‘Let Them Come Home’

by: Abraham PiperAt first I pretended that my reasoning was high-minded and philosophical. But really I just wanted to drink gallons of cheap sangria and sleep around. Four years of this and I was strung out, stupefied and generally pretty low. Especially when I was sober or alone.

My parents, who are strong believers and who raised their kids as well as any parents I’ve ever seen, were brokenhearted and baffled. (See sidebar story below.) I’m sure they were wondering why the child they tried to raise right was such a ridiculous screw-up now. But God was in control.One Tuesday morning, before 8 o’clock, I went to the library to check my e-mail. I had a message from a girl I’d met a few weeks before, and her e-mail mentioned a verse in Romans. I went down to the Circle K and bought a 40-ounce can of Miller High Life for $1.29. Then I went back to where I was staying, rolled a few cigarettes, cracked open my drink, and started reading Romans. I wanted to read the verse from the e-mail, but I couldn’t remember what it was, so I started at the beginning of the book. By the time I got to chapter 10, the beer was gone, the ashtray needed emptying and I was a Christian.

The best way I know to describe what happened to me that morning is that God made it possible for me to love Jesus. When He makes this possible and at the same time gives you a glimpse of the true wonder of Jesus, it is impossible to resist His call.

Looking back on my years of rejecting Christ, I offer these suggestions to help you reach out to your wayward child so that they, too, would wake up to Christ’s amazing power to save even the worst of us.

1. Point them to Christ.
Your rebellious child’s real problem is not drugs or sex or cigarettes or porn or laziness or crime or cussing or slovenliness or homosexuality or being in a punk band. The real problem is that your child doesn’t see Jesus clearly. The best thing you can do for rebellious children—and the only reason to follow any of these suggestions—is to show them Christ. It won’t be simple or immediate, but the sins in their life that distress you and destroy them will begin to disappear only when they see Jesus more as He actually is.

2. Pray.
Only God can save your children, so keep on asking Him to display Himself to them in a way they can’t resist worshiping Him for.

3. Acknowledge that something is wrong.
When your daughter rejects Jesus, don’t pretend that everything is fine.

If you know she’s not a believer and you’re not reaching out to her, then start. And never stop. Don’t ignore her unbelief. Ignoring it might make holidays easier, but not eternity.

4. Don’t expect them to be Christlike.
If your son is not a Christian, he won’t act like one, and it’s hypocrisy if he does. If he has forsaken your faith, he has little motivation to live by your standards, and you have little reason to expect him to.

If he’s struggling to believe in Jesus, there is little significance in his admitting that it’s wrong to get wasted, for instance. You want to protect him, yes, but his most dangerous problem is unbelief—not partying. No matter how your child’s behavior proves his unbelief, always be sure to focus more on his heart’s sickness than its symptoms.

5. Welcome them home.
Because your deepest concern is your son’s heart, not his actions, don’t create too many requirements for coming home. If he has any inkling to be with you, don’t make it hard for him. God may use your love to call him back to Christ. Obviously there are instances when parents must give ultimatums: “Don’t come to this house, if you are …” But these will be rare. Don’t lessen the likelihood of an opportunity to be with your child by pushing him away with rules.

If your daughter stinks like weed or an ashtray, spray her jacket with Febreeze and change the sheets when she leaves, but let her come home. If you find out she’s pregnant, then buy her folic acid, take her to her 20-week ultrasound, protect her from Planned Parenthood, and by all means let her come home. If your son is broke because he spent all the money you lent him on loose women and ritzy liquor, then forgive his debt as you’ve been forgiven, don’t give him any more money—and let him come home. If he hasn’t been around for a week and a half because he’s been staying at his girlfriend’s—or boyfriend’s—apartment, urge him not to go back, and let him come home.

6. Plead with them more than you rebuke them.
Be gentle in your disappointment.

What concerns you most is that your child is destroying herself, not that she’s breaking rules. Treat her in a way that makes this clear. She probably knows—especially if she was raised as a Christian—that what she’s doing is wrong. And she definitely knows you think it is, so she doesn’t need this pointed out. She needs to see how you are going to react to her evil. Your gentle forbearance and sorrowful hope will show her that you really do trust Jesus.

Her conscience can condemn her by itself. Your role is to stand kindly and firmly, always living in the hope that you want your child to return to.

7. Connect them to other believers.
Obviously, you are distant from your wayward child; otherwise you wouldn’t think they’re wayward. This is another reason why pleading is better than rebuking—your relationship with your rebellious child is tenuous and should be protected if at all possible.

But rebuke is still necessary. A lot of rebellious kids would do well to hear that they’re being fools, but you’re probably not the one to tell them. Try to keep other Christians in their lives and trust God to connect your son or daughter with a believer who can point out your child’s folly without getting the door slammed on them.

8. Respect their friends.
Of course your daughter’s relationships are founded on sin. And, yes, her friends are bad for her. But she’s bad for them, too. And nothing will be solved by making it evident that you don’t like who she’s hanging around with.

Be hospitable. Her friends are someone else’s wayward children, and they need Jesus, too.

9. E-mail them.
When you read something in the Bible that encourages you and helps you love Jesus more, write it up in a couple of lines and send it to your child. The best exhortation—better than any correction—is for them to see Christ’s joy in your life.

Don’t stress out when you’re composing these as if each one needs to be singularly powerful. Just whip them out and let the cumulative effect of your satisfaction in God gather up in your child’s inbox. God’s Word is never useless.

10. Take them to lunch.
If possible, don’t let your only interaction with your child be electronic. Get together with him face to face if you can. You may think this is stressful and uncomfortable, but trust me that it’s far worse to be in the child’s shoes—he is experiencing all the same discomfort, but compounded by guilt. So if he is willing to get together with you for lunch, praise God, and use the opportunity.

It may almost feel hypocritical to talk about his daily life, since what you really care about is his eternal life, but be sure to do it anyway. He needs to know you care about all of him. Then, before lunch is over, ask about his soul. You don’t know how he’ll respond. Will he roll his eyes like you’re a moron? Will he get mad and leave? Or has God been working in him since you talked last? You don’t know until you risk asking. God will give you the gumption.

11. Take an interest in their pursuits.
Odds are that if your daughter is purposefully rejecting Christ, then the way she spends her time will disappoint you. Nevertheless, find the value in her interests, if possible, and encourage her. You went to her school plays and soccer games when she was 10; what can you do now that she’s 20 to show that you still really care about her interests?

Jesus spent time with tax collectors and prostitutes, and He wasn’t even related to them. Imitate Christ by being the kind of parent who will put some earplugs in your pocket and head downtown to where your daughter’s CD release show is. Encourage her and never stop praying that she will begin to use her gifts for Jesus’ glory instead of her own.

12. Point them to Christ.
This can’t be stressed enough. It’s the whole point. No strategy for reaching your son or daughter will have any lasting effect if the underlying goal isn’t to help them know Jesus.

The goal is not that they will be good kids again. It’s not that they’ll get their hair cut and start taking showers; it’s not that they’ll like classical music instead of deathcore; it’s not that they’ll vote conservative again by the next election. The goal is not for you to stop being embarrassed at your weekly Bible study or even for you to be able to sleep at night, knowing they’re not going to hell.

The only ultimate reason to pray for them, welcome them, plead with them, eat with them, or take an interest in their interests is so that their eyes will be opened to Jesus Christ.

And not only is He the only point, but He’s the only hope. When they see the wonder of Jesus, satisfaction will be redefined. He Himself will replace the money, or the praise of man, or the high, or the sex that they are staking their eternities on right now. Only His grace can draw them from their perilous pursuits and bind them safely to Him—captive, but satisfied.

God will do this for many. Be faithful and don’t give up.

Abraham Piper
Abraham Piper lives with his wife and son in Minneapolis, where he works for Desiring God Ministries.

Categories
Living By Grace

God Has A Great Future Planned For You

by Jordan RubinI’ll never forget attending a memorial service at my church for an acquaintance of mine—a missions pastor—who died of cancer at the age of thirty-nine. Left behind by this incredible man were a beautiful wife, four wonderful children, and a thriving global ministry. I was scheduled to talk to him about getting on a health plan shortly before he died, but the call never took place.

What if, before the cancer developed, he had followed my prescription for healthy living? Would things have turned out differently? We’ll never know because now it’s too late, which is a shame because I believe God designed us to live long and fruitful lives. For those of you in adolescence, you need to know that making good decisions on what you eat and drink now will reap incredible benefits as you grow older.

I hope you have a long, healthy life in front of you. Think about it: before Moses died, Scripture says that his eyes did not grow dim. The Bible tells us that the eyes are the windows of the soul, the light of the body. If the eyes are good, the whole body is good. In fact, when priests were called upon to diagnose a disease of an Israelite, they looked into the person’s eyes. What this means is that Moses did not die of an illness; nor was his body feeble or his mind weak. God was ready to take him home; Moses was simply used up.

Joshua passed away at the age of 110, just months after he came off the battlefield. Caleb was going full bore, battling giants in his late eighties, until the Lord called him home. These heroes of the Bible never spent time in assisted living or nursing homes. They drank the last drop from the cup of life because they followed God’s principles of good health found in the Bible.

You were created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). You were made in God’s image for a reason, and that’s to be a reflection of God to the world for His glory. Think about it: Do you properly reflect His image? Are you healthy? Or do you think you’re healthy simply because there’s an absence of a grave disease in your life? Maybe you consider yourself healthy because you’re not hacking away with a cough, running a 103-degree fever,. But is that really the definition of being healthy?

Good health is a lot more than the absence of disease in your life. Good health is waking up in the morning feeling rested and ready to attack the day. Good health is having the energy to perform well in school and on the athletic field. Good health is having something left in the tank when you have to begin your homework after dinner. Good health is thriving, not merely surviving.

God wants to use you, but He also needs you at your physical, spiritual, and emotional best. My challenge to you is that you think about what steps you need to take to eat healthy, exercise regularly, avoid toxins, and deal with any deadly emotions in your life, and then resolve to follow through today.

Categories
Living By Grace

Table of Love

Contributed by Debra Kay Yarbrough

This will really help everyone struggling right now about what to do where to go.  Pray this brings peace to each of you.

Isaiah 26:3-4; 27:5

“You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.  

So trust in the Lord.  Commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him –  forever; depend on God and keep at it because  the Lord God is an everlasting Rock the Rock of Ages and your everlasting strength and in Him you have a sure thing.

… let them take hold of My strength and make complete surrender to My protection, let them come to me for refuge; let them make peace with Me! Yes, let them make peace with Me!”

Dear Father:

It is all too easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of the season and get our eyes off of You.  Then, we wonder why we are so stressed out!  Here is the answer – You will guard us and You will keep us in PERFECT peace and in CONSTANT peace – if we will just keep our minds on You!  That means we are committing ourselves to You.  We are leaning upon You.  

When we are tired and worn out, we tend to find something to lean against.  Something that will hold our weight.  Something that will not hurt us if we place our weight upon it.  When we find something to lean upon, we have already decided to trust this object.  We have unconsciously placed our hope in this thing we are going lean upon.  It is one thing to say “Boy, am I beat!  This load I am carrying is heavy! I can’t sit down, I wonder what I can lean upon?  Oh, there is a table.  It is sturdy, it can support me and whatever I am carrying in my arms.”  But what if I look at that table, I know it will support me.  I see other people leaning against that table as proof that it will do the job.  The table will not hurt me and it will give me some relief.  I can actually place my load upon the table!  But I choose not to lean against the table.  I just stand in the middle of the room holding that heavy load, becoming weaker and weaker by the moment – and I don’t have too!  There is a perfectly good table waiting, ready and willing to help me out.  In fact, the table was placed there specifically for my use!  I know it is there for that purpose but I do not claim the benefits of having a table.  Eventually, I will not be able to carry that heavy load.  I will become too weak and will fall and everything I am carrying will scatter and be a big mess unless I put down the load and rest against the table.  But if I decide to make use of what has been provided for me and I place the load down, then I have committed to this table.  I have proven that I trust the table to meet my need.

Jesus, You came for us.  You were placed here on earth, just for us.  You said You would carry our heavy load.  You said You would carry us!  You said we should lean upon You.  We carry very heavy loads.  We carry loads such as stress on the job, people coming against us, telling lies about us.  There are those in a love-less marriage.  Others, their children are in a state of rebellion.  There are financial loads, emotional baggage of the past we can’t or won’t get rid of, schedules to meet, presents to buy, parties to give and parties to attend, all the rushing and running about, and on and on and on.  There are many who have the heavy load of having lost a love on and the place in out heart carved out for them feels both empty and heavy at the same time.  Then there are those who are sick or have loved ones who are sick.  The list goes on and on and on.

You are the table.  We see that You are here to help us.  You want us to release the weight of the load and allow You to support us.  We may say “I know You can carry me, Lord, but I will just stand here and do it all myself!”  How foolish!  We will fall under the weight of the load.  The stress will overtake us and cause even more fatigue, not to mention take away the joy of Christmas.  The joy of celebrating You.  When we fall, everything we have been carrying scatters all over the place and makes a big mess!

Lord, give us the strength to let go.  Give us the courage to not only say we know You can carry us and our load, but to take that step of faith and actually commit to You by giving You our everything.

Father, we do trust You.  Today, we lean upon You, Jesus.  Our hope is not in this world, not in our government, not in our families – our hope is in You, Jesus.  You are our everlasting Rock.  The Rock of Ages.  The Rock that does not roll!  Jesus, You are our Strength.  Our Strength in our weakness.  You are our Peace – Jehovah-Shalom.

Today, we commit to trusting in You, Lord – forever.  We depend wholly upon You, Father.  We take hold of Your strength and we make a complete surrender to Your protection.  We come to You looking for a refuge.  Looking for a place of rest.  Looking for restoration, refreshment, quietness and peace.  That sweet peace that can only come from You.

We are going to stay focused on You, Jesus.  We let go of all anxiety, all fears, all anger, all unforgiveness.  Help us to know when we have crossed the line, so to speak, from thinking about a problem or situation, over into worry.  Worry brings on fear and anxiety which in turn brings on stress which has an effect on our bodies, our minds and even our spirit-man.  We know You do not want us to ignore potential problems.  We are not to pretend these things exist.  No, what we are to do is say “Father, here is a problem.  I can do this or that, go here or there, but I really do not know what is the best solution.  Lord, I need Your wisdom.  Guide me in this situation.  Help me to know who to act or react.  Give me favor with those involved.  Use me as a witness to those involved.  Lord, I refuse to allow stress and worry and anxiety to take over my life.  I give the whole situation over to You.  I trust You, Jesus, to carry the burden.  You said we are to lay our burdens down at the foot of the cross.  You will take them from there.  Our part is to trust You.  Our part is to stay focused on You. We give it all over to Your care and keeping.”

And Lord, we do.  We release the weight of whatever is trying to hold us down.  We are not going to allow stress to take over.  We are going to rejoice in Your Birth, Jesus, and rejoice in the victory You have given us in our lives.  Give us the discipline we need in order to resist the temptation to worry about a problem.  We trust You to guide us and lead us and show us what to do when the time is right.  Open our ears to hear Your Voice.  Open our eyes to see Your leading.  Open our hearts to receive Your peace.  That peace that passes all understanding.  A peace the world cannot understand.  Peace to live.  Peace to love.  Peace to give and peace regardless of what is going on in us or around us.  We know You are in control.  

You told us to focus on whatever is lovely and loveable.  Whatever is good and right.  You said every good gift and every perfect gift comes from You, Father.  There is so much in this world to focus on which is lovely and loveable, good and right.  When worry tries to take over our thoughts, we are going to get our thoughts back on You.  That is where our strength comes from, where our peace is born, where our joy takes root.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your Peace, for Your Strength and most importantly, for giving Your Life for us.

In Jesus’ Name…Amen

Categories
Living By Grace

Table of Love

Contributed by Debra Kay Yarbrough

This will really help everyone struggling right now about what to do where to go.  Pray this brings peace to each of you.

Isaiah 26:3-4; 27:5

“You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.  

So trust in the Lord.  Commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him –  forever; depend on God and keep at it because  the Lord God is an everlasting Rock the Rock of Ages and your everlasting strength and in Him you have a sure thing.

… let them take hold of My strength and make complete surrender to My protection, let them come to me for refuge; let them make peace with Me! Yes, let them make peace with Me!”

Dear Father:

It is all too easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of the season and get our eyes off of You.  Then, we wonder why we are so stressed out!  Here is the answer – You will guard us and You will keep us in PERFECT peace and in CONSTANT peace – if we will just keep our minds on You!  That means we are committing ourselves to You.  We are leaning upon You.  

When we are tired and worn out, we tend to find something to lean against.  Something that will hold our weight.  Something that will not hurt us if we place our weight upon it.  When we find something to lean upon, we have already decided to trust this object.  We have unconsciously placed our hope in this thing we are going lean upon.  It is one thing to say “Boy, am I beat!  This load I am carrying is heavy! I can’t sit down, I wonder what I can lean upon?  Oh, there is a table.  It is sturdy, it can support me and whatever I am carrying in my arms.”  But what if I look at that table, I know it will support me.  I see other people leaning against that table as proof that it will do the job.  The table will not hurt me and it will give me some relief.  I can actually place my load upon the table!  But I choose not to lean against the table.  I just stand in the middle of the room holding that heavy load, becoming weaker and weaker by the moment – and I don’t have too!  There is a perfectly good table waiting, ready and willing to help me out.  In fact, the table was placed there specifically for my use!  I know it is there for that purpose but I do not claim the benefits of having a table.  Eventually, I will not be able to carry that heavy load.  I will become too weak and will fall and everything I am carrying will scatter and be a big mess unless I put down the load and rest against the table.  But if I decide to make use of what has been provided for me and I place the load down, then I have committed to this table.  I have proven that I trust the table to meet my need.

Jesus, You came for us.  You were placed here on earth, just for us.  You said You would carry our heavy load.  You said You would carry us!  You said we should lean upon You.  We carry very heavy loads.  We carry loads such as stress on the job, people coming against us, telling lies about us.  There are those in a love-less marriage.  Others, their children are in a state of rebellion.  There are financial loads, emotional baggage of the past we can’t or won’t get rid of, schedules to meet, presents to buy, parties to give and parties to attend, all the rushing and running about, and on and on and on.  There are many who have the heavy load of having lost a love on and the place in out heart carved out for them feels both empty and heavy at the same time.  Then there are those who are sick or have loved ones who are sick.  The list goes on and on and on.

You are the table.  We see that You are here to help us.  You want us to release the weight of the load and allow You to support us.  We may say “I know You can carry me, Lord, but I will just stand here and do it all myself!”  How foolish!  We will fall under the weight of the load.  The stress will overtake us and cause even more fatigue, not to mention take away the joy of Christmas.  The joy of celebrating You.  When we fall, everything we have been carrying scatters all over the place and makes a big mess!

Lord, give us the strength to let go.  Give us the courage to not only say we know You can carry us and our load, but to take that step of faith and actually commit to You by giving You our everything.

Father, we do trust You.  Today, we lean upon You, Jesus.  Our hope is not in this world, not in our government, not in our families – our hope is in You, Jesus.  You are our everlasting Rock.  The Rock of Ages.  The Rock that does not roll!  Jesus, You are our Strength.  Our Strength in our weakness.  You are our Peace – Jehovah-Shalom.

Today, we commit to trusting in You, Lord – forever.  We depend wholly upon You, Father.  We take hold of Your strength and we make a complete surrender to Your protection.  We come to You looking for a refuge.  Looking for a place of rest.  Looking for restoration, refreshment, quietness and peace.  That sweet peace that can only come from You.

We are going to stay focused on You, Jesus.  We let go of all anxiety, all fears, all anger, all unforgiveness.  Help us to know when we have crossed the line, so to speak, from thinking about a problem or situation, over into worry.  Worry brings on fear and anxiety which in turn brings on stress which has an effect on our bodies, our minds and even our spirit-man.  We know You do not want us to ignore potential problems.  We are not to pretend these things exist.  No, what we are to do is say “Father, here is a problem.  I can do this or that, go here or there, but I really do not know what is the best solution.  Lord, I need Your wisdom.  Guide me in this situation.  Help me to know who to act or react.  Give me favor with those involved.  Use me as a witness to those involved.  Lord, I refuse to allow stress and worry and anxiety to take over my life.  I give the whole situation over to You.  I trust You, Jesus, to carry the burden.  You said we are to lay our burdens down at the foot of the cross.  You will take them from there.  Our part is to trust You.  Our part is to stay focused on You. We give it all over to Your care and keeping.”

And Lord, we do.  We release the weight of whatever is trying to hold us down.  We are not going to allow stress to take over.  We are going to rejoice in Your Birth, Jesus, and rejoice in the victory You have given us in our lives.  Give us the discipline we need in order to resist the temptation to worry about a problem.  We trust You to guide us and lead us and show us what to do when the time is right.  Open our ears to hear Your Voice.  Open our eyes to see Your leading.  Open our hearts to receive Your peace.  That peace that passes all understanding.  A peace the world cannot understand.  Peace to live.  Peace to love.  Peace to give and peace regardless of what is going on in us or around us.  We know You are in control.  

You told us to focus on whatever is lovely and loveable.  Whatever is good and right.  You said every good gift and every perfect gift comes from You, Father.  There is so much in this world to focus on which is lovely and loveable, good and right.  When worry tries to take over our thoughts, we are going to get our thoughts back on You.  That is where our strength comes from, where our peace is born, where our joy takes root.

Thank You, Jesus, for Your Peace, for Your Strength and most importantly, for giving Your Life for us.

In Jesus’ Name…Amen

Categories
Living By Grace

Balanced Fitness Begins With God

Categories
Living By Grace

Balanced Fitness Begins With God

By Linda Goldfarb

“And so dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will accept. When you think of what He has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Romans 12:1-2, NLT).

Back to the Basics

Self image is one thing, God’s image is everything.

As an introduction to my health & fitness column, I would like to take you on a journey back to the basics. God is very deliberate in His attitude about His children and how they should behave, think, love, eat, sleep, and interact with one another. Psalm 139 illustrates this for us quite well.

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in  the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139: 13-16, NIV).

Have you ever taken the time to sit down and really ponder what God is saying through this piece of Scripture?  Allow me the liberty to give insight into how God may want us to view His Word and ourselves in the process.  Let’s take a few bites out of this wonderful offering and taste the saltiness of our loving God.

…you knit me together…  Our manufacturers tag would read “Made by God.”
…I am fearfully and wonderfully made… A lot of thought went into our creation.
…your works are wonderful I know that full well…   We trust that God is truthful.
…My frame was not hidden from you…  God is fully aware of our physical limits.
…your eyes saw my unformed body… Even as dust, God knew us.
All the days ordained…written in your book… God is always aware of our life’s journey.

Now that we have a more intimate picture of God’s view of our lives, let’s look at how we can make a difference every day to be what He wants us to be physically, spiritually, and relationally.

The 'I-Zone' : Our Spiritual Battleground

There are many things in life we have no direct control over—the weather, other peoples' opinions, sale prices at the local mall, etc.—but we can control what we allow into our influence zone. Advertising, literature, television, movies, friendships—those very things that guide our thoughts and desires also impact our spiritual vision of others and ourselves. What we allow to come into our I-Zone can be used by Satan to hold us away from God and His Glory.  Satan’s visual images can be very strong and deceptive. If we fail to stand up for what we believe as Christians to be truth, we will fall for all that Satan dishes out. Our emotional appetites are affected both physically and spiritually by what comes into our I-Zone.

It is imperative that we continually seek God’s will in our lives and the lives of our children. Spiritual discernment comes through the reading of God’s Word; it will prepare our hearts to be sensitive to Satan’s handiwork. Let’s look at a very simple example of how Satan can use unsuspected means to make a negative impact on our lives. Consider the bathroom scale. Quiet and unassuming, this is a perfect tool used to set your mood. Instead of “waiting” on the Lord to give us direction every day through prayer/quiet time, we jump on the scale and allow that kind of “weighting” to determine our mindset for the day.  Our whole outlook is controlled by a piece of manmade metal. If my weight is down, the day is good; if my weight is up, “Get out of the way!”  Once again, we make the choice to allow negatives into our I-Zone where it has a good shot at affecting our vision. A better way to start the day is trusting in our steadfast Lord, who only provides truth through His Word.

As we cover issues of health, fitness, and nutrition over the upcoming months, keep in mind that in order to begin a successful attempt toward optimum health, we must have a solid relationship with Jesus Christ to make it work.  A verse close to my heart, James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (NIV),” helps us to remember that our action causes the plan to work.

Understanding God’s view of our lives helps us to set aside the negative factors that block our abilities to love ourselves. When we invest time, energy, and a new sense of purpose in our daily walk, we will rekindle the loving relationship He desires with us. Plan each day to spend time with the Father; He will be faithful to bless your efforts.

About Linda

Linda Goldfarb is a certified physical fitness specialist, speaker, and syndicated radio talk show host. You can download her weekly “Not Just Talkin’ the Talk” radio broadcasts, a one hour variety talk show based out of San Antonio, Texas, at www.lindagoldfarb.com. Linda’s show encourages listeners to “walk the walk” spiritually, physically, and relationally each and every day.

Contact Linda to speak at your next event: linda@lindagoldfarb.com  

Categories
Living By Grace

The Shack Review

Here is a commentary and review of a paperback book titled “The Shack” that has become a publishing phenomenon. I read the book last week and am still not really sure what I think of it. This novel for me was at times poignant and at other times close to being sacrilegious, but overall as I observe the world of corporate Christianity, it becomes even more compelling. It may have a better perspective on the Creator of the Universe than do most of the ritualists and money changers who seem to dominate the Church today.
It was these two groups that were following the traditions of man rather than the laws of God and were selling religion in the Temple against whom Jesus became physically violent. Jesus took the time to construct himself a whip and stormed through the temple turning over tables of merchandise and flailing the offending heretics. I don’t think he would turn over tables of this book, because it takes Him out of the box in which much of mainstream religion has placed Him. I would certainly recommend “The Shack” for this “out of the box” perspective if for nothing else.

Ben Taylor

***
Understanding The Shack
a parable by William Paul Young

Commentary and review from Dwight Bain

Here's an analysis of "The Shack" as well as some brief reviews from USA Today and The New York Times, where the book has rocketed onto their best seller list with almost one million in print in just over a year. (Unheard of for a self-published title). Also below is the testimony of Paul Young, the author, which explains much of his orientation in writing a book like this one; which was almost an autobiography of his own healing journey from sexual abuse and adultery. The author spoke in the Orlando areas a few months back and I was able to hear and understand his heart and motivation to write this book. Knowing the author will always give you a better understanding of the intended message, and often will help you to understand why so many people are connecting to this little paperback book about getting past their secrets, shame and pain to really feeling free in a relationship with God as their "Papa".

The Shack:
by William Paul Young, 2007

Paul wrote this parable book at the urging of his wife for a Christmas gift for their 6 children, 12/05. Then copies from Kinko's were passed around between friends and family in 2006, and when not a single publisher, (Christian publishers thought it was too mystical, mainstream publishers though it too religious), would print the book, he shared it with two local pastors in Oregon, who created a publishing company specifically for this book. "Windblown Media", began in 2007 and pulled together $300 to market the book. It began selling by the tens of thousands via their website, www.theshackbook.com with almost a million copies in print in just over 18 months, shattering all records for a self-published title. The "Shack” had its debut at No. 1 on the New York Times trade paperback fiction best-seller list It is No. 1 on Borders Group’s trade paperback fiction list, and at Barnes & Noble it has been No. 1 on the trade paperback list since May 2008. It is currently at #8 overall on Amazon.com in ranking of book sales out of the more than 2 million titles they carry on-line.

Theme:
The title of the book is a metaphor for “the house you build out of your own pain”. The goal is to go to the shack to be healed from the secret shame or hurts from your past by seeing God in a new way. Young views his journey of emotional and spiritual healing vicariously through the main character of 'Mack'. In hearing the author’s testimony about his motivation to write the book, he describes that it actually took him over 11 years to find the emotional and spiritual healing that the character Mack experienced in the shack with God in just a few days.

Early in the story Mack's youngest daughter is kidnapped and murdered by a serial killer. Four years later he is called to visit the shack where his daughter was murdered by a note from God. He spends a weekend there with God in the flesh, envisioned by the author as a large African-American woman, who calls herself “Papa”; Jesus, appears as a plain Jewish workman; and the Holy Spirit is portrayed as Sarayu, a translucent Asian woman who floats like the wind. (Sarayu is from a Hindu word meaning the gentle wind that catches you by surprise to refresh you).
The book is a parable story written for his children, not theology, so it can’t be taken literally, but rather is designed to be understood on a more personal level. This way you can go to your own ‘shack’ to find the answers that only God could give you. Although Paul describes that he wrote it only to help his kids not carry the terrible emotional and spiritual baggage that he has shouldered all his life as a Preachers Kid and Missionary Kid, (Who grew up among a stone age tribal group of near cannibals, known as "The Dani", in New Guinea, near West Papua). He was first sexually molested at age 4 and then throughout childhood by the tribe and then by older boys, although he never told his parents at that time. He still has a broken relationship with his biological father, who is alive and a pastor in Canada still. Paul speaks openly of how painful it still is to carry that broken father relationship of abandonment which he believes may never be healed.

Part of the popularity of this book is likely from the controversy of how many people hate it, most likely because they are focused on the lack of systematic theology, which is intentional by the author; instead of focusing on his experience of healing from the past secrets and shame. Paul is a Bible college and Seminary graduate who worked on church as well as ministry staffs along with dozens of other jobs he has held through the decades to provide for his family of six kids. Despite the popularity of the book, he, his wife Kim and their young adult kids still live in a rented house in Oregon.

On a personal note, I enjoyed the book and thought it would help people with a wounded past most of all, while likely just offending people who haven't ever experienced horrible trauma or those who were deeply wounded, yet spend all their time desperately trying to cover it up with massive amounts of religious activity or just trying to act perfect. Oh yes, Papa is a large black woman, because in his childhood it was the large black women would rescue him, love him and be his safest place; while his own parents were so busy building a ministry that they left Paul to the mercy of a brutal culture. I've listened to his testimony via television interviews, on CD and read it in print and find this man to be sound in his faith and not driven by anything or trying to upset anyone’s belief system, rather trying to help them see God’s grace, healing and forgiveness in a new way. Basically he was a simple man who wrote a story as a Christmas gift to help his own children be at peace in their understanding of how much God loves them.

This book’s popularity has been supernatural because it is going into some amazing places around our world and challenging people about actively working through their own ‘shack’ of issues to experience a new level of peace with God. I hope this analysis is useful to equip you in understanding how to find a deeper walk with Christ than you’ve ever known and then to share that freedom with even more wounded people. That way you can help others to experience greater emotional and spiritual healing; and the remarkable freedom of spending time with God alone in the “Shack” and then coming out as a new person by God’s grace. -db

Categories
Living By Grace

A Place Beyond “Religion”

By Gwen Watkins

So Gloriously fair.
A place that only
My God and I share.

A place of quiet communion
So gloriously sweet.
A place where only I
Sit at His feet.

A temple not made by hands, but the very presence of God dwells here. (Acts 17:24 ). While others hurry and scurry off to the four walled churches, my Lord, asks me to Stay and Pray.

From my temple, my Father gives me pictures of many four-walled gatherings. Times and seasons for the people who enter there to worship, praise our Lord, hear His Word, preach, sing, and be inspired to commit their lives to Him. Many parts of the Body of Christ, I pray, are working in these gatherings…many individual temples gathered together under one roof.

But, my Lord has called me aside…as He has others. We are a different part of the Body of Christ…almost like a hidden part. He has a need for us. Not that we are any better than the other parts, but that we are vitally necessary.

Our ears can no longer abide the loud, clanging symbols, the many outside spirits that filter in with some of the people  often without them knowing it. But our spirits can sense them and they agitate our spirits, robbing our peace…and preventing the Holy Hush…that precedes the arrival of our King.

It’s in this quiet temple that I sense the Power of the Prayers the Holy Spirit places inside of me to pray. It’s here that I can hear His still-small-voice clearer than among the throngs.

There was a season when I walked among men, evangelizing, soul winning, administrating, reaching out, healing, teaching, loving, directing, initiating action, exhorting, cleaning the physical four walled church. It’s because I have walked where they are walking now that I can pray for them with a pure heart.

“STAY and PRAY”, my Father says. What is it to me what others think?

Yes, there is a side of me that says, “I wish my loved ones understood just how much I do love the Lord.” You Lord…and many do. And perhaps, when they have been where I’ve been…they too will desire this sweet, quiet, satisfied, fellowship I find with my Lord in my private temple.

As I stay and pray for the Holy Hush to come over the many gatherings…all over the world…when they hear the angels begin in a soft whisper: “He’s coming  He’s coming….”

And the Power of sustained Silence turns all eyes to the door of HIS Arrival. Later, trumpets will sound and a great fanfare…but not until the Holy Hush…covers the earth. May it begin with you. (us)

Categories
Living By Grace

God’s Path To A Healthy Future

By Greg Ciola

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.”  (Proverbs 3:5-8 KJV)

After many years of intense Bible study I have come to the conclusion that God cares deeply about our health and how we take care of our bodies. He created us for a divine purpose and He knows what we need to do in order to live long and healthy lives.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”  (Jeremiah 29:11 KJV)

There’s a reason why America leads the world in heart disease, cancer, and a litany of other debilitating diseases. It’s time that we started examining these health issues from a biblical perspective instead of seeking worldly advice for answers. There are easily explainable reasons why so many health problems are on the rise, and there are easy answers to solving many of them.

According to a year 2000 World Health Organization (WHO) report, America ranks 72nd in health, yet we pay the number one price for it. Over 60% of our society is on prescription medication for a diagnosed health disorder. Obesity has become a global epidemic. In another WHO report released in 2006 they reported that over one billion people in the world are now obese. That’s 1/6th of the planet. Type II diabetes cases are exploding, especially in our youth, and there is a direct correlation between diet and Type II diabetes.

The simple truth is many of the health problems people are suffering from are a direct result of poor dietary habits. Having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the most important thing you need to have in your life. However, the word of God stresses the importance of taking care of our physical bodies as well because we are physical and spiritual beings.

I heard a pastor recently make the comment that for some people the most spiritual thing they can do is to go out and take a walk. If you’re overweight or afflicted with a debilitating health problem you need to be honest with yourself and acknowledge that you are more than likely in this condition because of the poor choices you have made. Take a close look at your daily dietary habits and lifestyle. What are you eating and drinking every day and how much of it are you consuming? How often do you exercise?  How many hours do you sleep a night? What kind of stress and worry are you under?

In the book of Genesis it says:

“And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.”   (Genesis 1:29 KJV)

It doesn’t say that God gave us soda, French fries, fried foods, chips, ice cream, cakes, desserts, genetically modified foods, artificial flavors, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or refined, processed foods in a box, can or package that are stripped of vital nutritional elements. Our diets need to be primarily based around life giving foods that build up our health.
   
Health Truth #1
Start Appreciating Your Health & Taking Personal Responsibility For What You Put Into Your Body

“Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who lives within you, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him in your body.”  (I Corinthians 6:19-20 Amplified)

We all have the ability to control what we put into our mouth. Isn’t it time we took authority over this area of our lives so we glorify the Lord and not the devil?  God is not the one to blame for sickness and disease. He’s not in the business of making people sick. He’s in the business of making people well.  All sickness and disease originated from the devil. Jesus said in the New Testament that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living (Matthew 22:32). The same can be said about our health. God is not the God of sickness and disease. He’s the God of health.

It’s time to start taking personal responsibility for the choices you make whether they were done in ignorance or not. The sad truth is people are neglecting their health by the millions and paying a serious price for it. I believe that many health problems could be easily avoided or reversed if consumers had deeper insights into what to put into their bodies to keep them healthy, fit, and energized.

We live in a fast paced society where we want everything now. Fast food restaurants constitute a large part of people’s daily dietary routine because it’s convenient; not healthy. Grocery stores have an endless choice of junk food that only leads to confusion unless you know what to look for. The two most popular aisles are the beverage and snack aisles. Virtually every product you can find in them contains unhealthy, toxic ingredients that over time can cause serious health problems, and even kill you. It’s interesting that the Bible says God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6).  Start making it a point to gain knowledge in the area of health so you can live out all of the days the Lord has intended for you.

According to the word of God Christians are held to a higher standard than other people. We are more accountable about what we allow into our body and how we take care of it. We are ambassadors of God’s Kingdom. The world needs to see us in a different light. God’s word says:

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”   (III John 2 KJV)

When we are blessed and prosper in our health, our finances, and our spiritual life; we are a positive testimony to believers and unbelievers alike. We are God’s workmanship. Having a bunch of sick, broke, negative, and spiritually weak Christians does not help expand the kingdom of God. It is not the Father’s will for us to be riddled with health problems and chemically dependent on pharmaceutical drugs to treat the problems that could be corrected in many cases by diet, exercise, and prayer.

Just because you love the Lord and have faith doesn’t mean you won’t have a heart attack or come down with cancer if you never take proper care of your body. There is no price that can be put on good health. Every day that you wake up with excellent health and mobility is a blessed day to be thankful for.

Health Truth #2
Exercise!
It’s One Of God’s Blessings To Help You Live With Abundant Health

One of the most important things you can do to better your health or maintain excellent health is to exercise.  Exercise can make a dramatic difference in your overall health and physical appearance, and I believe it will also help you have a closer and more fulfilled relationship with the Lord, because it will help you feel great and full of energy.

Science has proven that exercise can help with numerous things such as: controlling and maintaining normal body weight, reducing stress and the risk of heart attack, reducing cancer and stroke, increasing energy and stamina, boosting the immune system, decreasing triglycerides, improving digestion, lowering blood sugar and blood pressure, releasing beneficial hormones, relieving depression, improving mood and sense of well-being, improving quality of sleep.

When you hear the word exercise it probably has many different meanings to our readers. For some, they think you need to hammer the gym 7 days a week for a long period of time each day in order to stay fit and healthy. Others think you need to push your body to the extreme and lift super heavy weights with every rep and every set. Some runners think they need to run a marathon several times a week or they’ll get out of shape. There are some real radicals out there in the exercise field and I think you should be careful about taking advice from them. The truth is the human body is not meant to be beat on and pushed to the max all the time like so many people do when it comes to exercise. If you don’t want serious life-long injuries that stifle your mobility and in some people eventually require joint replacements, then you need to avoid falling into the trap of doing some of the exercising I just described.

I say this from first hand experience. I used to be a competitive power lifter for many years when I was younger and then switched over to body building with extremely heavy weights. When I was in my early twenties I could get away with it. Now, at 37, it has caught up with me. I have weaknesses in both of my shoulders from repeated work out injuries that I trained through. I have some weaknesses in my spine from years of heavy squats and dead lifting. I have weaknesses in my knees from doing heavy squats and leg presses going real deep. Every single person that I ever trained with or knew from the gym that trained like this has dealt with similar issues.

If you’ve ever looked through the bodybuilding magazines that are sold on the market (which I absolutely don’t recommend), most of the bodybuilders in there are unhealthy. They may have chiseled physiques with huge muscles, but they probably got that way from using steroids. If you spoke with any professional bodybuilder they will give you a laundry list of injuries they have. By the time most of them are 40, if they make it that far without dropping dead from the steroids, they are crippled with injuries.

The advice I like to give when it comes to exercising is very balanced. Your body only needs 3-4 days a week of exercise and 30-45 minutes a time is adequate if you know what you’re doing. A little more time is okay but like I said, don’t overdue it. The most important thing you need to think about when you exercise is joint preservation. It’s imperative that you stretch and warm up before working out. It’s important to stretch after you work out. Using lighter weight with higher repetitions and doing movements that will rarely, if ever cause an injury or strain on the joints is the proper way to train. If you’re a runner, you need to warm up and stretch. You need to rest the body every few days and not run too far. Anything over 3-5 miles at a time more than a few times a week is too much stress on your knees, hips, and ankles. Don’t train through injuries; it’s a recipe for disaster. You can push your body periodically when everything feels good, but don’t overdue it. If you’re older and you haven’t done much exercise in your life, just walking 3 or 4 days a week for 30 minutes at a time will help you out tremendously. Try stretching more when you wake up.

Did you know that the lymphatic system of your body does not work on its own? It needs to be stimulated through exercise or sweating. It’s also extremely important to increase your respiration through exercise so you bring more oxygen into your body. The circulatory benefits of exercise are amazing when it’s done right.

What I embrace is a way of living that keeps the body in balance. I believe in proper eating, proper water & salt intake, moderate exercise, getting fresh air, getting sunshine in non-peak hours without sun block, getting adequate rest, and eliminating worry and stress from your life. All of this promotes health and longevity. This style of living will help you have a closer relationship with the Lord because you appreciate your body and you are trying to live in a state of health where your body will remain mobile, fit, healthy, and able to function all the days of your life. Moses is a great biblical character to look to. The Bible says that he lived until 120 years old and he was in excellent physical condition upon death.

Doesn’t The Bible Say We Shouldn’t Exercise?

“For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.”               (I Timothy 4:8 KJV)

You have to understand that this passage was written almost 2,000 years ago in much different times than ours. I don’t think too many people today believe that exercise profits little when science, medicine, and sheer common sense have proven how beneficial it can be to the human body. Far too many have seen their lives transformed, their health restored, and excess weight taken off by physical exercise. You have to take into consideration the way people lived back when this passage was written. They walked everywhere they went. They weren’t sedentary. They probably walked more in one day than most of us walk in a month. They also did a lot more physical labor because they weren’t living with all the modern conveniences that we take for granted.

Furthermore, they didn’t have access to the kinds of foods and beverages like we have an abundance of to overindulge in. There were no fast food restaurants, microwave ovens or TV dinners. Most of their food was eaten fresh from the farm. The animals weren’t injected with all sorts of artificial growth enhancers and drugs so they would become larger than normal to fatten a corporation’s profits. There weren’t any pesticides and chemicals being used like most farmers are using today on crops that are proven toxins in the body when consumed. They didn’t have soda and thousands of other sugar-laden drinks to pour down non-stop containing caffeine and other masqueraded chemicals that will addict you and make you crave more. They drank mostly water and fresh juice.

Some people can take exercise and health to the extreme and neglect their spiritual life or even their family life. If you’re in the gym for 2 hours a day almost every day and you spend little to no time in prayer or study time with the Lord, all you’re doing is gratifying the flesh and it will not profit you in the end.  I think that’s what the Bible was trying to emphasize. Make sure your priorities are in the right order and that you live life in balance.

Health Truth #3
Eliminate Pork and Shellfish From Your Diet

This topic is a sensitive one that many Christians may not agree with, don’t want to hear, or in some cases, take offense with. I’m not trying to be legalistic when it comes to avoiding pork and shellfish. I’m trying to be realistic and share some deeper insights into why these foods can harm your health.  The fact is if you want to live disease free while you’re occupying your body, then this issue is one you need to pay close attention to.

Pork products and shellfish can be extremely detrimental to your health and will almost guarantee you an early trip to the grave if you eat them all the time. They rank near the top of the list as some of the unhealthiest foods you can put into your body right along with trans fats, refined sugar, and artificial sweeteners. Consumption of all pork and shellfish was forbidden in the Old Testament because they were considered unclean. There’s a very simple reason why God wanted the Israelites to avoid these foods and it wasn’t because He wanted to make arbitrary rules.

From pigs we get pork, pork chops, ribs, ham, bacon, pepperoni, sausage, Chitterlings (chitlins), and other by-products. Let’s examine a few of the reasons why God considered a pig an unclean animal and why He said they shouldn’t be eaten.

Pigs are scavengers. They are notorious for eating anything, including their own waste and garbage. A pig will eat sick and infected animals, including its own piglets that die from disease. Pigs also have one the quickest, yet poorest digestive systems of any animal. On average a pig can completely digest its food in four hours. Since it processes everything so fast, many times the toxins aren’t removed and they are stored in the pig’s fat. Many pigs are traumatized physically before being slaughtered. Under these conditions, which are generally the case in large factory operations, pigs will release toxins and hormones into their muscles that affect the quality of their meat.

Pigs are also notorious for being infected with parasites and tapeworms. Anyone that knows anything about cooking pork knows that it is important to cook it long enough to make sure all the parasites and tapeworms have been killed off. If not, you could become infected. Somehow eating pork containing dead parasites doesn’t sound much better either. All parasites lay eggs to create more parasites. Just because a parasite dies during cooking doesn’t mean that you can’t become contaminated by the eggs. Some health experts believe that over 90 percent of our population today has parasites in their body. Certainly our society’s desire for pork products has had to play a part in this. People that eat a lot of pork products tend to be overweight and unhealthy. Body odor can be a problem too.

One doctor I know personally says that pig fat is the best medium there is for cancer growth. He runs a laboratory where all sorts of microbiological research and tests are conducted. They focus heavily on diagnosing and treating cancer naturally. In their lab they can isolate cancer viruses from a patient’s blood and view them under a microscope to determine the strain and then develop herbs to help rid the body of that specific virus. They also have the ability to replicate the cancer virus in a Petri dish.  What he told me is that the best medium he works with for growing cancer viruses is pig fat. If they can do that in a lab, what’s all the pig fat doing to your body internally if you’re eating high amounts of pork products? It would be interesting to see a study where that question was asked of cancer patients. My guess is we would find that many cancer patients are pork eaters.

Did you know that all of the clean animals God said we could eat live only on vegetation? They also digest their food much slower and more effectively so they aren’t storing all these toxins and wastes in their body. Would you rather eat an animal that eats filth and waste and is potentially contaminated with parasites or would you rather eat an animal that processes its food properly and eliminates the toxins from its body?

Now let’s examine why you should avoid shellfish.  Shellfish consists of lobster, shrimp, oysters, clams, crabs, scallops, and mussels. All shellfish can be a serious health risk. Like pigs, they are scavengers that live at the bottom of the ocean and eat the waste of other animals and the pollutants that man dumps into the ocean. Although only 0.1 % of all shellfish consumed is eaten raw, that tiny percentage is responsible for a large proportion of reported food-caused illnesses. Poisoning from shellfish can come from bacterial or viral contamination. Generally adequate cooking eliminates this danger, but is it worth the risks in the long run. Poisoning can also arise from heat-stable toxins derived from the food that the shellfish have been eating. Shellfish also are notorious for being high in mercury, heavy metals, and industrial contaminants in the environment. I’m sure I don’t have to explain in detail how damaging these toxins can be to your health.

God didn’t give the Israelites dietary laws because he’s a mean, restrictive God that didn’t want them to enjoy their food. He gave them these laws because He knows best how the body functions and that by following His dietary laws they would live their best without succumbing to disease and pre-mature death so they can serve Him. God knows far more than we can understand or comprehend. While things definitely changed after Jesus came to the earth, we should examine the Old Testament further to see why God may have wanted things done a certain way.

I’m not trying to make anyone reading this story feel condemned. I’m hoping that after you hear the facts, research this further, and pray about your health that you will try and avoid these foods. I’m not saying that if you don’t eat perfectly that you won’t make it to God’s Kingdom either. We are forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ that was shed for us so we could live forever with God. Faith and belief in Jesus Christ is first and foremost the most important thing you need, but we should do better at watching what we put into our body because it will please the Lord, extend our days, and keep us healthier.

Health Truth #4
Avoid Pharmaceutical Drugs As Much As Possible

It’s very sad that a majority of our society looks up to the pharmaceutical industry as though they are gods with divine intellect, especially Christians who should be on better spiritual guard. The derivation of the word “pharmaceutical” comes from the Greek word “pharmakeia,” which means sorcery and witchcraft. You need to start seeing with spiritual eyes to fully understand the implications of what’s going on in the area of medicine. The pharmaceutical industry is the devil’s playground. Drug companies are practicing their magic arts with a witches’ brew of concoctions on an unsuspecting public.

Granted there are instances when pharmaceutical drugs are absolutely necessary to relieve pain, stave off infection or save a life. To state otherwise would be absurd. The problem is how often are drugs being given that aren’t necessary at all? How many drugs have been created that serve no useful purpose other than padding the pockets of an international corporation that is using these funds to endanger lives and actively work in a conspiracy against the Lord and His anointed?

Most Christians will state emphatically that they will never be deceived, but how many have been deceived into taking prescription drugs that they don’t need while never looking at their diet or natural alternatives to help them get well or stay well? If you’re taking high cholesterol medicine or drugs for Type II diabetes you’ve been given some bad advice and you need to make a serious effort to educate yourself about the long-term damage that can be done to you because of it. If your child or grandchild is on Ritalin or some other psychotropic drug because a doctor diagnosed them with ADD or ADHD, the physical and spiritual well-being of that child is in serious danger. All of these drugs to treat this made up condition are hard-core narcotics that will do far more damage to the child in the long run. If you’ve been conned into a flu shot, you just injected a brew of neurological disrupters, DNA manipulators, toxic agents, and biblically unclean ingredients that will set you up for future opportunistic infections.

Take a look at the following scripture and see if you believe it has a much deeper meaning:

“…for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.”  (Revelation 18:23-24 KJV)

This scripture is referring to mystery Babylon, the great whore that sits as queen over the whole earth in the end of days. The word “sorceries” used here comes from the Greek word “pharmakeia,” which is where the word pharmaceutical comes from. Go back and read the following verse again with the word “pharmaceuticals” in place of “sorceries” and you tell me what you think is going on and why these substances all need to be questioned. If I am correct, God is holding pharmaceutical drugs responsible for the deaths of His prophets and saints. We must be vigilant about these issues, especially considering the times we’re living in.

Proper diet and exercise will go a long way in keeping you healthy or restoring lost health. If you do everything you know to do after reading this article and you’re still sick, then you should consider the advice of James in the New Testament. Here’s what he says we should do about our health problems and I think our society would be far better as a whole for taking his advice:

“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.”  (James 5:14-15 KJV)

Health Truth #5
Get Enough Sleep!
It’s Vital For Your Emotional, Physical & Spiritual Well-Being

Recent surveys conducted by various universities and independent organizations reveal that sleep deprivation is a serious problem in this country. Millions of people are sleeping less than six hours a night. In addition to lack of sleep, many others don’t sleep sound but instead, restlessly toss and turn.

According to a survey by the National Sleep Foundation:  “…60 percent of adults report having sleep problems a few nights a week or more. In addition, more than 40 percent of adults experience daytime sleepiness severe enough to interfere with their daily activities at least a few days each month…”  

In studies conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, they showed that those who slept for six hours or less a night were later diagnosed with increase of certain chemicals in blood associated with heart disease and diabetes.

Every individual needs a certain amount of sleep to rejuvenate and repair their body every night. On the average, an adult requires 8-9 hours. Children require even more. Chronic sleep loss has been linked to weight gain, high blood pressure, lower immunity, emotional disturbances, depression, hallucinations, memory loss, inability to concentrate, irregular heartbeat, body pain, and an overall lack of vibrancy and peace.

The scriptures say that a good night of sleep is a blessing from the Lord and something that we all need regularly to remain healthy and at peace.

“In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone make me dwell in safety and confident trust.”  (Psalm 4:8 Amplified)

“It is vain for you to rise up early, to take rest late, to eat the bread of [anxious] toil–for He gives [blessings] to His beloved in sleep.”  (Psalm 127:2 Amplified)

Why have so many in our fast paced society lost their ability to sleep? One explanation is our need to make money to pay bills and scrape by. We have become a society that is always on the go, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  We rush here and scramble there to try and accomplish everything that needs to be done in a day without ever feeling like we’re caught up. How do we make up the slack? We cut back on sleep and increase our consumption of coffee and stimulants. This is a guaranteed recipe for burn-out and an early trip to the grave if you don’t get it under control.

This isn’t the American dream. Back in the 1950’s women didn’t have to work for a family to get by financially. A man could work 8 hours Monday through Friday and have enough money to buy a nice home, own a car, take vacations, have money to send his children to college, and enough left over to save and invest. They also had plenty of time for their children and families.

If you’re over-working yourself at the office without ever taking a break for yourself or family, if you’re depriving your family of quality time, if you’re burning yourself out by lack of sleep and stress, perhaps you need to examine your life a little closer. Your physical and emotional well-being will definitely suffer if it hasn’t already. Ask yourself if what you’re doing is worth it in the long run. You may be able to get by for a while living this way, but it will eventually catch up with you.

With regard to your spiritual life, there is no possible way to have a deep intimate relationship with the Lord if you’re sleep deprived and always on the go. Rest is so important to the Lord that he even made it one of the commandments to take one day a week and completely shut it down. God knows how important it is for us to rejuvenate our bodies.

If you want to live a fulfilled life with abundant health, you must take charge of your life in every area, including the sleep department. Make sure you’re getting adequate amounts every night. If you honor the Lord in all areas of your life and put Him first, He will honor you and take care of you in all the areas of your life that you need help in.

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  (Matthew 11:28 KJV)

Health Truth #6
Stop Worrying and Stressing Out!
It Can Ruin Your Health & Rob You of Your Peace

A big reason why you may not be sleeping or have peace in your life can be too much worry and stress. The Bible says:

“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”  (Psalm 34:14 Amplified)

If you’re pursuing peace you should be making a conscious effort every day to live with a joyful, positive, enthusiastic attitude and a forgiving spirit. If you pursue peace you will listen to that voice of intuition within you and avoid making wrong decisions and choices when it doesn’t feel right. When you pursue peace it is very difficult for worry and stress to get the upper hand with you because your faith and trust is in the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

Worry is a destructive force that can keep you from fulfilling God’s destiny for your life. All of us encounter negative situations at times that can cause us to worry or stress out. Sometimes it’s for a season and sometimes it can be a daily struggle for years or a lifetime. Just because the situation may be negative and the odds seem against you doesn’t mean we have to respond in a negative, worried, stressed out way.

Nobody has been given a promise by the Lord in this world to be free of problematic circumstances and situations. Throughout life we will all face them at one time or another. It’s how we handle them that can make all the difference in the world.  You can either worry and stress out or find strength and resolve with the Lord and have a confident trust in him that all things will eventually work out for your ultimate good. If you’re going to live a fulfilled life with robust health according to the promises of God, then getting stress and worry under control is a priority. God’s not going to let you down if you trust Him.

“We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.”  (Romans 8:28 Amplified)

From a health standpoint, medical research has shown that stress can play a pivotal role in many cardiovascular disorders and can contribute to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lowered immune system function, hormone imbalances/disorders, prolonged healing, sleep disorders, changes in appetite, frequent headaches, gastrointestinal problems, muscle tension, anxiety, and depression.

The bottom line is this; you need to get it under control. If you don’t, it may eventually manifest in the form of a serious health crisis. It will definitely rob you of a fulfilled relationship with the Lord and keep you in a negative, unsatisfied frame of mind. Negative people that are worried and stressed out all the time have trouble keeping close friends because no one likes to be around people that are like this for any length of time.

There are a variety of ministers that have an awesome ability to help you get your life disciplined and lined up with God’s word so you can overcome stress, anxiety, and worry. Two very prominent preachers that come to mind are Joyce Meyer and Joel Osteen. If you need some healthy improvement in your life in this area, both of these ministers will give you a fresh new outlook on life based on the word of God. Here are a few positive scriptures on worry and stress that will help get you thinking more clearly about dealing with these issues and putting your trust in the Lord.

“In the day of my trouble I will call on You, for You will answer me.”  (Psalm 86:7 Amplified)

“All the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil [by anxious thoughts and forebodings], but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast [regardless of circumstances].”  (Proverbs 15:15 Amplified)

“Therefore do not worry and be anxious, saying, What are we going to have to eat? or, What are we going to have to drink? or, What are we going to have to wear? For the Gentiles (heathen) wish for and crave and diligently seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows well that you need them all. But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides.  So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.”  (Matthew 6:31-34 Amplified)

One of the most empowering scriptures you can read for strength and hope is Psalm 34. It’s too long to quote here in its entirety. If you are struggling with worry, stress, and anxiety you should read this Psalm daily.

Health Truth #7
Laugh As Often As You Can And Live With Joy & Peace!
It Can Make A Dramatic Difference In Your Physical & Spiritual Health

Satan is after your joy and peace. The last thing he wants is a bunch of joyous; spirit filled Christians full of excitement, optimism, and enthusiasm for life. We are God’s ambassadors with the power through the blood of Jesus Christ to build the kingdom of God on earth. If the devil can steal your joy and get you into a pessimistic, negative frame of mind where you don’t laugh, have a cheerful attitude, and enjoy your everyday life even in bad situations and circumstances, then you’ve allowed an opening for him to attack you. Left unchecked and uncorrected, you will live a life of misery and defeat.

Being able to laugh and have an abundance of joy in your life is an extremely important area we all need to focus on daily, especially those of us representing the good news of Jesus Christ to the world. For some it’s easy to be joyous and happy daily regardless of circumstances. For others it may be a difficult struggle.  The beauty is the more you are aware of it and the more you work on changing yourself and declaring the word of God over your life through faith, you can reprogram your heart and mind and bring it into submission to God’s perfect will for you.

It’s interesting that Proverbs says: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”   (Proverbs 17:22 KJV)

In a recent teaching series by Joyce Meyer that I was blessed to hear, she pointed out some interesting facts on laughter and joy that are well worth reprinting.  Here’s what she said:

“Did you know that the average man or woman laughs four to eight times a day? The average child laughs about 150 times a day. Laughter is the best medicine because it causes the release of body chemicals called endorphins. These substances help to relieve pain and create a sense of well-being within us. Laughter can raise your energy levels and pull you out of the pit of depression. Laughter releases tension, anxiety, fear, anger, shame and guilt, and can completely change a person’s attitude. Laughter also stimulates all your major organs. Laughter strengthens your immune system, which is your primary defense against all disease. Laughter increases anti-bodies. It is believed to have a protective capacity against viruses, bacteria, and other micro-organisms. You inhale more oxygen when you laugh. Laughter stimulates your heart and blood circulation and is equivalent to any other standard aerobic exercise.  Laughter is a wonderful gift from God.”

That’s pretty amazing isn’t it? Some things you need to do to break free of a negative, pitiful attitude are to turn off the TV, stop reading the newspaper every day, and stop listening to a lot of worthless talk radio. You have no idea how much negativity, pessimism, and anxiety you allow into your mind and spirit every day through these mediums. The media thrives on sensationalism, hype, and fear. The bad things taking place in our world are reported and given headline attention far more often than the good things because there is a satanic agenda to get our minds corrupted and off base.

Since the fall of man we have lived in a world of good and evil. The devil wants to get all of us over into his paranoid world of pessimistic negativity because once he can contaminate your mind and spirit with evil thoughts, doubt, uneasiness, and negativity; he can interfere with your plans and the destiny God has for your life. Fear and negativity breeds more fear and negativity. That’s a fact. Have you ever tried to be positive and full of joy around a bunch of pessimistic, depressed, negative people? It’s hard isn’t it?

I’m not trying to be out of balance by making these suggestions. While we do need to be aware of certain things going on in the world, my advice is that you try a full media detox for a few weeks and see how much better you feel. Start praying and reading the Bible every day. Start filling your spirit with joyful music that glorifies the Lord. Do some good things for other people. Let go of past disappointments. There’s nothing you can do to change the past. Forgive people that have wronged you. Stop holding grudges and getting so offended all the time. Get around more positive people filled with zest and excitement for life. Smile at everyone you meet. Laugh as often as you can. It’s very important that you replace the bad things in your life with an abundance of good, happy, positive things. Another recommendation is to make a list of edifying scriptures that you read and profess out loud every day that declare a positive destiny and purpose for your life. You’ll be amazed at the changes you will see and what others around you will see in your personality and attitude.  

Break Free of The Negative Thinking That God Is Responsible For Your Health Problems

It’s very sad to see so many people with health problems, especially Christians that believe it’s because God wants them sick or made them sick. The word of God doesn’t say that we are predestined for sickness, but it also doesn’t say that we can eat whatever we want and abuse our bodies and God will perform a miracle to get you well. If God were to answer many of the prayer requests to restore people’s health, many would probably be right back where they are in six months or less because they lack the knowledge about what got them sick in the first place.

Please don’t misconstrue this to think I’m saying that unless you do everything perfect God won’t perform a miracle in your life. God has grace and mercy on us. He knows your heart and there have been plenty of cases where He has healed someone even when they did things wrong. Some people may be angry at God because they are sick or they may feel singled out and they don’t understand why something happened to them instead of someone else. You need to get over the blame game, pessimism, negative thinking, and sour attitude, and start looking at this from a positive point of view.

The book of Exodus says the following:

“…If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.”  (Exodus 15:26 KJV)

Certainly as far as eating is concerned, following dietary boundaries established by the Lord can make a significant impact on whether or not you live in a state of health or disease.  As far as helping someone breaking free of the negative notion that God wants them sick, they need to understand that their thoughts, attitude, words, and actions play a major role in the outcome. It’s the devil that wants you thinking negatively with a sour attitude. It’s the devil that is stealing your peace and joy. He will do all he can to get you into a doom and gloom state where you will think wrong thoughts and speak negative words over your life because what you constantly dwell on and talk about will determine your reality if you’re not careful. I could do an entire study about the power of your thoughts and words and the importance of disciplining yourself to bring them under the authority of Jesus Christ. You need to be very careful about the seeds you allow to be planted through your thoughts and words. The Bible says that:

“The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”  (John 10:10 Amplified)

Jesus wants us to have life in this world, and abundant life in the world to come. He is not glorified by your sickness or health problems. God is actively in pursuit of laborers to work for His Kingdom. He needs all the workers He can get. The last thing He needs is you home or in the hospital sick with a pessimistic attitude where you can’t do a thing other than complain about your problems.  We are to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us, including our body.

“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?”  (I Corinthians 3:16 KJV)

If our bodies are a temple then we need to start respecting them as a temple. What are you allowing into your temple that could be defiling it?  It’s time to start examining what you eat, drink, think, speak, listen to, and do. All of it has a link to your overall health and well-being.

Churches and Pastors Need To Put More Emphasis On Health, Nutrition & Disease Prevention

I believe that churches need to make health issues a much bigger priority. This is not to underplay the important spiritual role they have in properly leading people to Christ and Shepherding their flock. A good analogy of their duty would be to compare it to the duty of a watchman in the Bible. A watchman’s duty was to stand on the wall of the city as a guard to warn the inhabitants of impending danger from enemy attacks. Whenever they saw an enemy approach, they were supposed to sound the alarm so the inhabitants of the city could either flee in time or prepare quickly for battle.

I believe in the area of health that church leaders have some responsibility in being watchmen. Many of them are great at giving heart warming sermons, alerting people to spiritual deception, and converting unbelievers, but what are they doing about alerting their congregants to the toxic brew of chemicals found in the foods and beverages they are ingesting or the dangerous prescription drugs on the market that many in their congregation may be taking? If you knew that ingesting a specific ingredient or concoction of ingredients from food or medicine could make someone sick or possibly kill them, wouldn’t you do everything in your power to try and warn them?  I pray that pastors and preachers will put more time into learning about health issues and designate some time to educating their congregation. If they can’t do it or they lack the knowledge, they should seek out experts who have an anointing in this area that can help them.

Type II diabetes is a good example of doing more to shepherd God’s flock. Researchers are alarmed at the rise in Type II diabetes, especially with young children. The bottom line is this; if you don’t get your insulin under control and back to normal you will eventually die from this “man-made” disease. Why do I say “man-made?” Because almost all cases of Type II diabetes are diet related. If you have Type II diabetes you’re consuming far too much sugar and you’re severely mineral deficient, especially in vital trace minerals like chromium that come from whole foods. Our society is literally addicted to sugar and refined, processed foods that the body can’t recognize and ends up converting to sugar. The average American consumes close to 150 pounds of sugar a year according to well known author Nancy Appleton who wrote the book “Lick The Sugar Habit.” That’s almost a ½ a pound of sugar a day that your blood has to process.

If you have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes what do you think your doctor will tell you to do? He or she will tell you that you need to take a prescription drug for the rest of your life, possibly even insulin injections, and that you can’t cure it. He or she may try and point out a few things like watching your sugar intake, but most doctors lack adequate knowledge about diet and nutrition because they are given very little training in med school in this area.

The word pastor actually means shepherd. If you are a shepherd of God’s flock you have a duty to look after your sheep. A shepherd wouldn’t allow his herd of sheep to graze a field if he knew substances were in the food that could sicken or kill his herd. He also wouldn’t feed his flock inferior foods devoid of nutrition and let them drink contaminated water. He also wouldn’t put toxic drugs into his herd to suppress their symptoms of illness while continuing to let them eat and drink the same things that got them sick to begin with. The state of that shepherd’s flock would not be good and it wouldn’t be long before all his animals died off.

Why should a pastor treat his congregation any differently? Christians have the power to change a lot of circumstances and situations in this world if they united on issues. If churches started to take a lead role in the area of health the big food corporations and drug companies would be forced to change. In the end, it all boils down to economics. If people stop buying these foods, beverages, and drugs the companies would be forced to offer better alternatives.

Conclusion

It is better to put your trust in the Lord than in man. If you are sincere in your desire to get well and start living God’s way, pray about what you’ve read here and seek direction from the Lord. He will lead you perfectly in the way that you should go. He has never let anyone down who has honestly sought Him with clean hands and a pure heart and He never will.

I could add quite a bit more to all of these topics and address different ones as well but space does not permit me that opportunity.  In future issues of CRUSADOR we will be covering many other topics along these lines in an effort to help you live a life of great health with spiritual prosperity. Hopefully through the information I’ve shared with you I’ve at least given you some motivation and words of wisdom to help you make some positive changes in key areas of your life.  Here are a few more encouraging scriptures to leave you on a positive note.

“O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.”  (Psalm 30:2 KJV)

“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;”  (Psalm 103:2-3 KJV)

“He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”  (Psalm 107:20 KJV)

“Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.”  (Jeremiah 17:14 KJV)

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”  (Isaiah 53:5 KJV)