Nov
18
2011
The condition of your spiritual heart will have a major influence on the condition of your body and your physical health. Proverbs 14:30 says “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Another Proverbs, 4:23, says “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
If you are storing up the following conditions or emotions deep within you, then it’s likely that your behaviors and your body will be negatively impacted. Insecurity, low self worth, resentment, anxiety, hurt, fear, guilt, jealousy, unforgiveness may well lead a person to conditions such as mental illness, addictions, substance abuse, apathy, depression, overeating, perfectionism, crime, emptiness, low self worth and despair. These conditions are likely to result in poor physical health.
The Bible tells us that Jesus came so that we might have life and have it to the full. (John 10:10) As we live in relationship with Jesus, and choose to follow the key principles of the Christian faith, we can experience true life. Some of God’s key principles found in the Bible for living a life of wholeness are as follows: love God, surrender to God, forgiveness, loving and serving others, fellow-shipping with other believers, praising and worshiping God, renewing the mind, and living by the power of the Holy Spirit. As our lives are rooted in Jesus, and these principles are practiced, we are likely to experience a life that Jesus died for us to have. This full life is represented by various fruits such as hope, joy, self-control, kindness, gentleness, thankfulness, peace and patience. These are many of the outcomes that we are able to experience when our life is rooted in Christ. And, the medical research shows that these virtues, or character traits, are health-promoting.
So, staying close to Jesus and being rooted in him will enable us to experience a full life. It also favors improved health.
“Blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat were worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” Jeremiah 17:5–8
“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. There is no law against these things!” Galatians 5:22–23
“When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and prayed to the father, the creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love this. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to fully understand. Then me you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” Ephesians 3:14–19
Questions to Reflect On:
Are you rooted in the love of Jesus?
Are important biblical principles part of your lifestyle?
Related Resources:
Spiritual Exercises for a Healthier Life
Articles about the connection between faith and health
Apr
23
2011
Jesus made the greatest payment so you can have life – He gave his life.
You and I can be whole if we receive all that Jesus died to give us. Strength, power, grace, forgiveness, love, patience, self control and so much more are available to us. The question is, will we open our spirits, minds and hearts to receive what Jesus desires us to have?
During these very significant and special days of the year, as you remember that Jesus died … and was raised again … so that you can have life, be encouraged and then be recommitted to living the full life that he offers you. John 10:10
Have a blessed Easter…. and live a full life…. so you can give it away to others… for the glory of God.
Read my Easter blog post of three years ago which best captures how and why Jesus Died for Your Life.
Listen to Jim Nabors sing The Old Rugged Cross on YouTube.
Apr
20
2011
Here’s more insight and thoughts captured from my reading of Health Care You Can Live With by Dr. Scott Morris, founder of the Church Health Center in Memphis, Tennessee.
Excerpts From Chapter 5 – “Cherish Being Human”
Jesus lived a life of faith connected to God. He never drifted away from this anchor. Being human and living in the human body did not separate Jesus from God. Being human put Jesus right where God wanted him to be, to do the work God wanted him to do. Jesus’ ministry included preaching to the crowds, teaching his followers, and healing people whose bodies failed them – in order to show God’s power at work. He healed the lame people, deaf people, blind people, demon-possessed people, even dead people. Jesus cared about bodies because he cared about the whole person in relationship to God. Living a life of faith in the body is not just for Jesus. God wants this for all of us. This is the core of being human. Read more of this article »
Sep
03
2010
We all need water. According to many sources the human body is about 60% water in adult males and 55% in adult females. Our lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water by weight; blood contains almost 70% water; body fat contains 10% water and bone has about 22% water. A newborn infant’s body weight is about 75% water weight. Without water, our physical bodies could not function.
Spiritual Needs
In John 7:37-38, Jesus uses water and thirst to talk about spiritual needs. Just as each of us has a need for water to satisfy a physical need, we have deep spiritual needs that only Jesus can meet.
Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” John 7:37-38
An important aspect of this scripture is that we musty recognize our need – our thirst – for Jesus. We must be aware that we have deep spiritual needs such as to be loved, accepted, feel worthy, and to be forgiven to name a few. So often we turn to other people and things to satisfy these deep needs, but only Jesus can meet these deep needs.
The Holy Spirit and Living Water
God designed us to be in relationship with him. He gave us his Son so that, through Jesus, we could know God. When we believe in Jesus and accept him into our hearts, his Holy Spirit begins to live in us. (Read John 7:39) As we learn to live less from our sinful, “self” nature and allow the Holy Spirit to be fully alive in us, we are able to realize the fruits of the Spirit in our lives. (Galatians 5:22-23) And the greater these fruits are ‘alive’ in us, the more love, patience, gentleness and kindness will be flowing thorough us to other people. That’s what Jesus was referring to when he said that “living waters” will flow from within us. The Spirit of God will flow through us to other people. And not just drops of water…. but streams of water.
Drinking From Jesus
But, we must drink from Jesus to have these living waters flow through us. In John 15:5 Jesus gives us another key in how we can experience this fruit in our lives. He tells us “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.“ The key is to stay close to Jesus. We do this by reading the Word that he gives us, the Bible. We meditate on what the Word says throughout the day. We pray. We sit quietly in his presence. We do what we can to “drink” Jesus into our souls and spirit.
Questions to Reflect On
What deep spiritual needs might you have that only Jesus can meet?
How may you have been attempting to meet these deep needs apart from Jesus?
How is God’s Spirit flowing through you to other people?
Helpful Resources
Article – It’s About the Relationship
Article – Loving God
Jul
06
2010
This week, the East coast of the states will be experiencing record high temperatures. Health experts will recommend that people living there should drink lots of water to replace what they lose trying to stay cool through perspiration. Yes, that is excellent advice for our physical health and well being. The human body is about 60% water in adult males and 55% in adult females. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water by weight. Blood contains almost 70% water, body fat contains 10% water and bone has about 22% water.
Many of the water products on the shelf are using the word “life” in their marketing of the water. Nestle suggests that their purified water is “Pure Life.” When I see this printed on a bottle of water, I’m reminded of the truth of the matter. The Bible tells us that there is one source that provides us true life – Jesus, the Living Water.
“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.” Revelation 22:1
“If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” “Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:10-14
After I have been working in the yard on a hot day, I’ll typically go to the refrigerator and grab a bottle of water to quench my physical thirst and to replace the water I’ve lost through sweating. Drinking pure water is probably the best way to satisfy the need to rehydrate physically. But what about satisfying spiritual needs?
Sometimes we try to meet our inner spiritual thirst through external means that do not satisfy like food, alcohol, drugs, gambling, or other forms of unhealthy or addictive behaviors. These earthly things will not truly satisfy the need that God has given each of us for a Savior. Only Jesus can satisfy this need.
“He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.‘” Jesus in John 7:38
Questions to Reflect On
Do you have a deep inner thirst that has not yet been quenched?
Are you daily drawing on Jesus as your Source of Living Water?
Related Resources
Bible Verses Related to Health and Wellness
Feb
24
2010
As I prepare to talk to a group of women this Sunday at a church near Charlotte, and review my notes that I’ll use and the key points that I’ll likely make, I’m reminded again of the essence of the Christian faith.
It’s about a close relationship with God, through his son Jesus and living by the power of the Holy Spirit. It’s not about “religion.” It’s about knowing and remaining connected to God in an intimate way.
Jesus tells his disciples in John 15:5 ….
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
This verse tells us that we cannot live the kind of fruit-bearing life that he wants us to live unless we are closely connected to Jesus. Yes, we must also humble ourselves before God, submit to and follow his ways, and believe that what the Bible says is truth.
When we make a habit of living life according to the principles God outlines for us in his Holy Bible, we are promised that we’ll have an abundant life. We may not be free of disease, we will in all likelihood experience really tough life circumstances, but amidst it all we can enjoy deep inner peace, inner spiritual strength, joy, love and contentment. Oh yes, and we can be assured of living eternally in a wonderful heaven!
The more closely we stay connected to Jesus, the better we’ll understand our unique purpose in life and the greater difference we’ll make for his Kingdom and the body of Christ.
What blessings God has for us…. if we will put our faith in him, trust him, obey his truths for living found in the Bible and walk our life in close relationship with him.
These are some of the key points I hope to remind the audience of this Sunday. As I review my notes, read the related scriptures that I intend to emphasize and pray for God to guide me, I’m reminded of the great and powerful love he has for me and for you.
Life is good… when you know God in an intimate way!
Questions to Reflect On
Are you living in a close relationship with God, spending alone time with him on most days?
Are you regularly reading the Bible to learn how he wants you to live?
Helpful Resources
Article – It’s About the Relationship
Article – His Instruction Manual, Our Guidebook for Living
Website – To Learn More About a Personal Relationship with God
If your organization or church is interested in a workshop or retreat, read about my speaking services.
Jul
19
2009
Over the last week I have enjoyed watching the Tour de France and Lance Armstrong’s return to the sport after a three year break. The competition has been terrific. One reason I enjoy watching the Tour is because of the beautiful mountainous locations of some of the daily rides or stages. This is a map of the route.
Today and the next few days, the riders will be traversing over the Swiss Alps, a gorgeous part of Europe. I was stationed in southern Germany for one of my Army assignments and we lived about 45 minutes north of Innsbruck in the foothills of the Austrian Alps. My last day of skiing in Europe was on a Swiss mountainside so I can appreciate that the scenery in that area of the world is breathtaking. It’s easily the prettiest place I have ever been. Read more of this article »
Jun
23
2009
I was hungry for lunch and immediately thought of having a grilled-cheese sandwich with a slice of tomato. Not a store-bought tasteless tomato but a juicy, sweet, home-grown one.
Without hesitation, I walked outside to where I’m growing two tomato plants. One is a grape-shaped cherry tomato and the other is a larger Big Boy brand. They’ve been ripe for a little over two weeks now and I’ve already enjoyed a few dozen cherry tomatoes.
Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and A and the anti-oxidant lycopene. They are my favorite fruit during the summer. Yes, botanically, a tomato is the ovary, together with its seeds, of a flowering plant – therefore it is a fruit.
As I was rinsing off the tomato I picked and preparing to cut it, the thought came to me quickly that as a tomato is a very healthy fruit to eat, as a person stays closely connected to Jesus, he/she will exhibit much fruit in their life. (See John 15:5) Paul explains this to us in Galatians 5:22-23 – the fruits of the spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Then the thought came into my mind that Jesus is the path to perfect fruit. The more we stay connected to Him and partake of Him, the more fruitful our life will be… and it probably will be healthier. When our lives are rooted in Jesus, then we will bear these kinds of fruit. That’s what the Bible says. And any physician will tell you that a life that exhibits the fruits of the spirit mentioned in Galatians is likely to be healthier than a life absent of such fruits.
Points to Ponder
So, on this second day of Summer, are you incorporating healthy fruits and vegetables into your daily diet? You can get some pretty healthy fruits and veggies at your local market.
More importantly, how are you nourishing your spirit so that your life will exhibit the kind of fruit that Paul mentions in Galatians? Are you remaining close to Jesus? Do you know Him in a personal way?
Helpful Links
Get to know Jesus
Other blog posts on diet and fruits
Jun
15
2009
The Grey Reef on North Platte River
Last week I was in Casper, Wyoming helping a friend conduct fitness standards testing for the city’s Police Department. I’d driven through Wyoming before but never spent any time in the state.
It so happens that this area is home to some of the best trout fishing in the United States, if not the world! The North Platte River runs right through Casper. I love to fish but don’t do it too often. I did not take any of my fishing gear on the trip because I did not know if I’d have enough free time to get out on the river.. and I was unsure of where to fish.
By good fortune, one of the police officers we tested during the first day there is not only an avid fisherman but a fishing guide sponsored by Orvis, a leading manufacture of fly fishing gear. Jeremy was gracious enough to loan me his gear – flies, waders and a rod. Read more of this article »
May
08
2009
Tweeting for the glory of God
It’s Friday, May 8th, 2009 and I’m suggesting that on Fridays, Twitterers share the love of God and Jesus using the #FaithFriday hashtag.
#FollowFriday
If you use Twitter much at all, you’ll know that four months ago Micah Baldwin came up with the idea that twitterers might promote someone to follow. According to Micah, “The idea is to think of interesting people you already follow and recommend them to others.” The idea caught on quickly and you can see the impact at this link.
#FaithFriday – The Concept
I’m suggesting that followers of Christ use a similar strategy to love on others and to share the gospel on Fridays….. and that we call it FaithFriday and that we use the hashtag #FaithFriday.
I’d encourage you to use your imagination… link to a good site or a blog entry, an article, share an affirmation, a scripture… anything that shares the love of Christ with others and that brings glory to God.
There are millions of people in the world who are hurting, in pain, stressed to the max and lost. They have no idea where they will spend eternity after they die. They have no peace or joy. On Fridays, we can use Twitter very intentionally to share the truth about our Savior and how people can find and experience the true Source of love, peace and joy.
#FaithFriday – A Few Scriptures to Share:
- “For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus in John 3:16
- “I have come that they might have life and life to the full.” Jesus in John 10:10
- ” Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19
#FaithFriday – Customized Tiny URLs to Use in Your Tweets
I have created a few customized “shortened” URLs with links to these respective URLs that you might consider copying and pasting into your tweets:
If you create another helpful and unique “short” URL using Tinyurl.com or Tr.im or another url-shortener for use on FaithFriday, I encourage you to send it along to me and I’ll post it here.
Your feedback is appreciated.
God bless!
Dale @faithandhealth on Twitter
Helpful Posts:
Stress and Your Health – How a Personal Relationship With God Can Help
Understanding the Spirituality and Health Connection
The condition of your spiritual heart will have a major influence on the condition of your body and your physical health. Proverbs 14:30 says “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.” Another Proverbs, 4:23, says “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”
So, staying close to Jesus and being rooted in him will enable us to experience a full life. It also favors improved health.
Let’s Connect!