Jan
15
2010
Applications for smart phones are all the rage. It’s amazing the number of new applications that continue to be created for phones like the iPhone. According to a recent advertisement in the Wall Street Journal, there are ‘over 100,000 applications for just about anything.’
Smart Phone Applications
Over the Christmas holiday, both of my young adult sons visited me and I enjoyed getting up to speed on how they were using the various applications on their phones. I suggested to my older son that he search and see if a dictation application was available for his iPhone and sure enough he found Dragon Dictation which is made by the same company of the software I occasionally use to capture my thoughts and blog posts and articles such as I am doing now. He has since found the use of that application very practical and convenient.
The advertisement in the Wall Street Journal that I’ve seen on a few occasions reads — “New year. New resolutions. New apps.” As I thought about this advertisement I tried to think of a parallel comparison that I could make for a blog entry. What quickly came to my mind was the fact that God has given us a guidebook with literally hundreds of thousands of principles that he would want us to apply to our lives, in the form of “applications.” With that in mind I thought this might be a helpful reminder for you to consider what biblical ‘applications’ you might want to re-address during this new year.
Over the course of the last several months I have frequently referred to a poster presentation that I made last June at the annual meeting of the Society for Spirituality, Theology and Health at Duke University. For that presentation, I identified 41 Christian principles that I believe are health promoting. I thought it might be helpful to again refer to that document and encourage each of you to review those principles and see if you might identify some aspects of your faith that you might benefit from addressing in a more intentional way.
Biblical Principles
Just as the various applications on your mobile phone might assist you in aspects of your day-to-day life, many very important principles of the Christian faith have been provided us by God so that we might be able to live a full and rewarding life. Consider these few examples:
- Believe the Bible is truth.
- Receive God’s love.
- Believe in God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
- Believe the Holy Spirit lives in you and empowers you.
- Remain connected to Jesus.
- Spend time in God’s presence.
- Do not worry or be anxious.
- Forgive.
- Renew your mind with God’s truths.
- Humble yourself before God.
The listing above is just a partial list of many key principles that God has provided us in the Bible to direct us in how we’re to live our lives.
It’s a new year. I suspect many of you now are a little more serious and have a deeper resolve to live life in alignment with values they are very important to you. As many of you may have recently downloaded new applications for your mobile phones, I encourage you also to spend a little more time reading God’s guidebook for living, the Bible, so that your resolve to apply his many principles for living a more abundant life in 2010 might be strengthened.
Questions to Consider:
What faith-related principles do you resolve to continue to practice in your day-to-day living?
Are there any biblical principles that you’ve not attended to over the last few years that you want to incorporate into your life?
Related Scriptures:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23-24
Test me, O LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind. Psalm 26:2
Related Resources:
Article – His Instruction Manual: Our Guidebook for Living
Poster Presentation – The Spirituality – Health Connection: Why It Exists addressing 41 health-promoting principles of the Christian faith and 194 scripture references.
Jul
23
2009
One daily devotional I use is In Touch Magazine, written by Charles Stanley. The verse for today’s devotional is Matthew 11:28-30, a verse I almost refer to when I speak on the topic of faith, stress and health. Because Stanley does such a wonderful job of addressing these verses, I thought I’d share today’s devotion with you. The following is today’s devotional.
Jesus - "Take my yoke upon you" Matthew 11:29
Jesus invites all burdened individuals to come to Him for rest, yet so often we misunderstand what He is offering. When stresses and problems weigh us down, the most natural response is to ask God for relief: “Lord, I can’t carry this anymore. I’m going to leave it here with you.” Having dumped the burden like a bag of garbage, we walk away but remained unchanged inside.
God doesn’t operate that way. Christ’s invitation is to join Him in the yoke so you can walk and work together. He doesn’t want just your burden; He wants you! The yoke of Christ is a symbol of discipleship, characterized by submission and obedience to Him. God’s goal isn’t simply to give relief by removing a weighty trial or affliction; He longs to draw you to Himself in a close and trusting relationship. Those who take Him up on His offer will be transformed and won’t ever return to their old ways. Read more of this article »
Jun
02
2009
A CNN article reports that a group of singers in London have formed a group called Sing for Joy. It’s a community choir for people with Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and others recovering from conditions including stroke or cancer. Many of their friends and caregivers are also members of the choir. What they have in common is an illness or that they care for someone with an illness. They believe that singing with others makes them feel better.
Doctor Wendy Magee, International Fellow in Music Therapy at London’s Institute of Neuropalliative Rehabilitation, describes music as a “mega-vitamin for the brain,” capable of influencing and improving motor function, communication and even cognition. “When neural pathways are damaged for one particular function such as language, musical neural pathways are actually much more complex and much more widespread within the brain,” Magee told CNN. “Music seems to find re-routed paths and that is why it is such a useful tool in terms of helping people with different kinds of brain damage because it can help to find new pathways in terms of brain functioning.”
It’s not surprising that researchers have documented the health benefits of singing songs of joy. In the Bible, there are countless exhortations for us to sing out songs to God.
“Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.”
“Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.”
“Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” Psalm 100:2
“Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.” Isaiah 49:13
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16
God knows the impact that singing songs of joy has on our health. If you’re suffering from a health issue, lift up a song to God, thanking Him for who He is and what He’s done in your life. Sing out to him in praise. He wants your praises regardless of how you’re feeling.
Songs of praise to God glorify Him most importantly. A secondary affect may be that they have a positive impact on your health.
Be well!!
May
12
2009
If you or a loved one are challenged by a mental illness you may want to visit this site at HopeandHealing.org for a listing of Christian resources on the topic.
“But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,” declares the LORD. Jeremiah 30:17
When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Matthew 9:10-12
May
11
2009
Researchers on Friday made public a large study with a finding that we should not find surprising: Losing your job may make you sick.
In a study by a Harvard School of Health researcher, workers who lost a job through no fault of their own, she found, were twice as likely to report developing a new ailment like high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease over the next year and a half, compared to people who were continuously employed.
The following was reported in a NY Times article of May 8, 2009.
Only 6 percent of people with steady jobs developed a new health condition during each survey period of about a year and a half, compared with 10 percent of those who had lost a job during the same period.
David Williams, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health who was not involved in the research, said the study is a reminder that job loss and other life stressors have a tremendous impact on both mental and physical health and contribute to the development of chronic conditions.
“We know that stress affects health,” said Dr. Williams, director of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America. “It causes changes in physiological function in multiple ways, and it can lead to alterations in health behavior. People no longer exercise, they eat more, they drink more. People who smoke, smoke more on high stress days.”
If you’ve lost your job recently, how are you handling your stressful situation? Are you excluding God in your “battle” or distress? Are you attempting to manage on your own by falling back into an unhealthy habit or an addictive behavior to cope? Or, are you turning towards God by asking and relying on His help?
God wants us to choose Him as our source of strength when times are tough.
Read one of my blog posts about finding strength in God during difficult times.
Read scripture affirmations about stength from God.
Apr
09
2009
Do you experience direct interaction with God or is there some intermediary between you and Him? In times before Jesus’ death, it was Jewish law and custom that only the High Priests could enter the Most Holy Place in the temple, where the ark of the covenant and God’s presence was, to pray to God on behalf of the people asking forgiveness for their sins. Common people were not able to do this according to Jewish law.
The Gospels tell of how, when Jesus died on the cross, the curtain that separated the Most Holy Place from the rest of the parts of the temple was torn. (Luke 23:44-46) Since that time, believers in Jesus have been able to talk with God personally and to ask for forgiveness of their sins directly. No longer, has the law of the first covenant prevented people from direct access to God. (Hebrews 9:1-14 and Hebrews 10:19-22)
The Holy Temple and The Most Holy Place
So practically, what does this mean? By Jesus’ death, the barrier that had existed between God and us was split in two. You and I are now able to approach Him directly. We are no longer bound by the law that was in place. We have the freedom to approach God in intimate conversation or prayer and the opportunity to ask God directly to forgive us from our sins.
God loves you and me so much that He sent Jesus, His only son, to die for us so that we can have a personal relationship with Him. If Jesus had not died, according to the law, we would not have personal access to God.
Things to Consider:
In the practice of your Christian faith, do you feel you must have an intermediary between you and God? According to scripture that’s not necessary because of what Jesus has done. You can communicate with Him directly. You can have total freedom from that law because of what Jesus has done.
Are you experiencing the trials of life without a close relationship with God? Are you going it alone, without His strength and power? It doesn’t have to be this way. Jesus paid a dear price so that you can live life knowing that God gives you strength, power, peace and joy.
To read more about the peace that Jesus gives follow this link.
To read more about the Most Holy Place and the curtain follow this link.
Mar
18
2009
Dr. Christopher Edwards, director of the Behavioral Chronic Pain Management program at Duke University Medical Center, says his pain-management program in Durham, N.C. is seeing a rise in patients amid the current economic crisis: “There’s a very strong relationship between the economy and the number of out-of-control stress cases we see.”
Katherine Muller is a cognitive therapist and director of psychology training at Montefiore Medical Center in Bronx, N.Y. She says “The message I’m trying to send(to my patients) is that you are responsible for your own stress. The way you are looking at it and feeling about it is more up to you than you realize.”
Both of the above excerpts were taken from a Wall Street Journal health column written by Melina Beck on March 17, 2009. Her article is another reminder of the affect that chronic stress can have on our physical health. In this case, it’s the stress people are experiencing because of their perceptions and beliefs about their finances and the impact the economy is having on their lives. Beck mentions the value of exercise, biofeedback and therapy as methods to alleviate stress, however she makes no mention of the spiritual dimension of one’s life and the value of it in managing the stressors associated with this economic mess were are in. Read more of this article »
Feb
04
2009
Stressed lately? Are you keenly aware of how chronic stress can impact your health? Did you know that 75-90% of visits to the doctors’ office are related to stress? (The American Psychological Association)
I have sensed God calling me to share in a concise way the truth about stress and health and how a personal relationship with Him can help matters. Yesterday I posted a 3 minute automatic presentation on my home page that tells this story - Stress and Unhealthy Habits – See How God Can Help.
If you are struggling with life and the stressors of life, or know someone who is, you may benefit from viewing this or the person you know may be helped by seeing it.
During times of distress, it’s good to remember what God’s Word says about who He is and how He cares for us:
God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear when earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!
A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the Most High.
God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
From the very break of day, God will protect it.
The nations are in chaos, (the economy is a wreck!) and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders, and the earth melts!
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
See how he brings destruction upon the world.
He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
he burns the shields with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress. Psalm 46
In times of stress, I know of no antidote better than to turn to God and receive His love and promises. Keep your connection to Him strong.
Have a great week!
Dec
26
2008
Physical Exercise Guidelines – A few months ago the US government released it’s latest guidelines for Americans on physical activity. I made a post here. A summary for adults is:
• Engage in 2 1/2 hours a week of moderate-intensity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity. Aerobic activity should be performed in episodes of at least 10 minutes.
• Adults should also do muscle-strengthening activities that involve all major muscle groups performed on 2 or more days per week.
Our country recognizes that physical activity plays a role in many health outcomes including premature death; diseases such as coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and depression; risk factors for disease, such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol; physical fitness; functional capacity (the ability to engage in activities needed for daily living) ; mental health, such as depression and cognitive function; and injuries or sudden heart attacks.
Spiritual Exercise Guidelines - 1 Timothy 4:7-8 says “Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important for it promises a reward in both this life and the next. This is true and everyone should accept it.” 1 Timothy 4:7-9 (New Living Translation, 1st Edition) God tells us, speaking through the writing of Paul, that spiritual exercise is much more important than physical activity.
Wouldn’t Americans benefit from a comparable set of spiritual activity guidelines that offers comparable spiritual health benefits? I’d like your thoughts on this matter. In the Bible, God certainly provides a wealth of information on this topic. Let’s develop a concise description of the types and amounts of spiritual activity that would provide us with good spiritual health and overall quality of life.
Post your comments here. In the weeks to come, I’ll pull them all together in a statement similar to what is provided for physical activity. God knows, our country sure could use such a set of guidelines.
Enjoy the holidays!
Dec
22
2008
Are you stressed? Unemployed? Lost half of your retirement savings? Grieving the loss of a loved one? Battling a significant health issue? Perhaps you’re distressed over something else in your life. The longer one stays stressed, the more likely the body will eventually pay a price.
There was a time when the families of David’s army had been captured and taken away. The wives of David himself had been taken. Scripture tells us that David and his men wept until they had no strength. And, all his men were terribly upset with David. The Bible tells us “David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6 Reading further in this story we find that David prayed to God asking for direction, and God answered his prayers. David followed God’s guidance and he and his men were able to rescue their families and belongings. Afterward, David acknowledged that his God protected them as they were in a battle with the enemy forces.
How are you handling your stressful situation? Are you excluding God in your “battle” or distress? Are you attempting to manage on your own by falling back into an unhealthy habit or an addictive behavior to cope? Or, are you turning towards God by asking and relying on His help?
God wants us to choose Him as our source of strength when times are tough. If you’ve relied on Him in a past difficult situation, and He’s carried you through, remember that and call on Him now. If you’ve never made a choice to turn to Him when you’ve needed strength and guidance, trust in Him now. One way to receive the strength that He provides is by reading the Bible and being reminded of the character of God and of His truths. This is the main way God communicates to us today. He wants each of us to find nuggets of His truth, in the Bible, that speaks to us in our own situation, and then believe and trust that He will carry us through our own “battles.”
Read other entries about God and His strength.
Applications for smart phones are all the rage. It’s amazing the number of new applications that continue to be created for phones like the iPhone. According to a recent advertisement in the Wall Street Journal, there are ‘over 100,000 applications for just about anything.’
