My wife recently gave me an iPad as a gift. (Thank you again Janice!) I’ve been using it pretty much every day and found that it’s been enjoyable to use and it also increase my productivity.
About two times each week I find that I need to sync the iPad with my Macbook Pro laptop so that my calendars, contacts and downloaded applications are in sync with each other. Being consistent with this process of syncing my iPhone with my laptop is pretty important or otherwise the right information will not be in both devices.
In the same vein, it’s important that we be in sync with God on a regular basis. Going to church one day a week will not keep us in sync. The best way to do this is by spending time with him daily and especially by reading the Bible. It’s the Bible that helps us understand who God is and what his Son has done for us. We get to know God best by reading about him and spending time reflecting or meditating on the scriptures.
One of the Spiritual Exercises that I have identified for living and abundant life is Abide in Jesus. Jesus tells us in John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5
When I abide in Jesus by reading his Word and by praying and meditating on the scripture found in his Word it helps me to stay in step with him… in sync with him, if you will.
When I am in sync with God, life goes better for me… and I imagine life goes better with you too.
Questions to Reflect and Comment On:
How do you stay in sync with God? How frequently do you engage in this behavior?
Last week the New York Times reported that recent research has concluded that more Americans are praying about their health.
According to the report, scientists analyzed data on 30,080 adults ages 18 and older who took part in the National Health Interview Survey in 2002 and on 22,306 adults who participated in 2007. Forty-nine percent of adults said in 2007 that they had prayed about their health during the previous year, up from 43 percent in 2002. The full article, which appeared in the journal Psychology of Religion and Spirituality is available at this link – Praying and Health.
God, man’s creator, inspired men to write the books of the Bible so that we can have instructions on how to live life. It includes many, many examples of people who prayed in times of distress and trouble, including sickness and poor health.
Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am faint. Old Lord, heal me, for my bones are in agony. Psalm 6:2
My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I grown in anguish of heart…. Come quickly to help me, old Lord my Savior. Psalm 38:7,8 and 22
Evening, morning and noon I cry out in distress, and he hears my voice. Psalm 55:17
Then they cried out to Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. Psalm 107:28
Then we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord were heard our voice and saw our misery, toil and oppression. Deuteronomy 26:7
The research indicates that more people are praying about their health but the data show only the frequency of prayers, not the nature of the prayers or who the prayers were made to. The Bible is full of guidance that indicates we are to pray to the Lord God, our Creator.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18
God is their refuge and strength, and ever present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24
Be thankful that you have a Creator, the Lord our God, who cares about you and hears you when you cry out to him – even during your times of sickness and poor health.
The first Thursday in May has been designated the National Day of Prayer for quite some time and today is the 60th year of the designation. The scripture for this year’s event is Psalm 91:2 - I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
Pray With God is one of 42 Principles for Experiencing an Abundant Life that I have identified. Praying with God helps keep us connected with Him and it’s our ongoing connection with God that enables us to experience the kind of life that Jesus died for us to have. “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ” Jesus in John 15:4-5
Isn’t it interesting that the shortest verse in the Bible tells us how frequently we are to pray – Pray continually. 1 Thessalonians 5:17. The more we are intentional in staying connected with God through prayer, the more it demonstrates that we are dependent upon him to meet our deep needs and to live life. As we continually acknowledge our need for him, we are likely to remain humble, and being humble sets the stage for God to give us more grace. James 4:6
As you go throughout today, ask God to help you stay connected with him in an attitude of dependence and in prayer. Praying With God is a biblical principle that will contribute to you experiencing joy, hope and peace – an abundant life, and I believe an abundant life favors health and well being.
Pray With God – Relevant Scriptures
Matthew 6:6-13, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, 1 Timothy 2:1-3, Hebrews 4:16, Mark 1:35, James 5:13-16
Knowing God and experiencing his deep love in our hearts, not just having knowledge about him and his love in our minds, is one important way in which we grow in our relationship with him and how we receive healing.
Paul prayed for the believers in Ephesus to have this deep knowledge and experience.
“[For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him.” Ephesians 1:17 – The Amplified Bible
God wants you to have a deep spiritual awareness of his love and to experience his love in your heart. The source of this knowledge is God and the Holy Spirit is the channel through whom God reveals this to you deep in your mind and in your heart.
A secret to living – to experiencing – a full life on this side of heaven is to know God deeply and to experience God’s love. Spending regular quiet time with him is essential to growing in relationship with him. And, the quality of the time we spend with him is key as well. God invites us to quiet our mind and earnestly seek him and his presence. The posture of our heart during quiet time is also important. Being humble, contrite, meek, surrendered, dependent and expectant sets an atmosphere for us to sense his presence and experience him. Then, when we are like this, it’s more likely that we’ll have an encounter with the Holy Spirit and that God’s love is more likely to be felt in our hearts.
Are you yearning for a special touch from God? Do you need to experience the deep love he has for you in a personal way? I pray, as Paul prayed for the Ephesians, that you’ll set aside some time to be quiet with him. Be intentional with the inner posture of your heart as I described above. Earnestly invite God to reveal himself to you by the Holy Spirit. And then, just be with him.
As I was writing the last part of this post, this song below began to play. You may consider listening to it play softly as you sit quietly with God and experience his presence.
One of Jesus’ last prayers was that all future believers would know him and his Father and have eternal life.
“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3
The Greek word for know is ginosko, meaning to know, to understand, to perceive. Here, Jesus was not just meaning that we are to gain head knowledge about himself and the Father, but to get to know them intimately…. to really know them. Yes, it’s important to read the Bible to gain knowledge about God’s principles and to learn about him and his Son, Jesus, but Jesus wants us to really know him and his Father at a deeper level. This is something we can not do just in our minds, our brains. We must get to know them in our hearts.
We get to know Jesus and God the Father in an intimate way through the Holy Spirit.
Three chapters earlier in the book of John, Jesus told his disciples that his Father would send the Holy Spirit to them after he departs to be with his Father in heaven.
“But the Holy Spirit will come and help you, because the Father will send the Spirit to take my place. The Spirit will teach you everything and will remind you of what I said while I was with you.” John 14:26
One role of the Holy Spirit, as Helper, is to guide us into truth. Another role is to help us experience God in a personal way. True life transformation occurs when we experience and embrace God’s love in our hearts. As you read scripture or are exposed to the truth of scripture through teaching or preaching, ask God to make it real to you. Ask God to reveal himself to you in your heart, not just in your mind.
Here’s an example. You read in scripture that you are a child of God because you have accepted Jesus. Galatians 3:26 You believe that people who accept Jesus in their hearts become a child of God, but you have been unable to embrace the idea that God really accepts you and that you, indeed, are a child of God. Prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you in your heart that this is so. Ask him to to touch you heart in a way that this truth is personally known to you.
A deep need we all have is to feel accepted. When we truly feel accepted by God deep in our hearts, we’re less likely to turn to unhealthy habits to try to fill this void that only God can fill. God wants each of his children to experience his love and acceptance and to experience the eternal life in an abundant way while we are living on this earth. The Holy Spirit was sent by God to believers in Christ to reveal himself to us in a personal way and this enables us to feel accepted by God and to live this full life now.
A Question to Reflect On:
Are you experiencing God’s love in a meaningful way? If not, consider asking the Holy Spirit to help you receive God’s truths in your heart.
This morning’s Charlotte Observer has an article titled “The Ability to Forgive May Help You Heal.” The subtitle for the article is ‘Holding onto a Grudge is Bad for the Immune System, Author Says’.
I had the good fortune of meeting Rev. Berry two years ago at the annual meeting of the Society for Spirituality Theology and Health at Duke University. We had lunch together and shared about our common passion on the topic of faith and health.
The short article highlights the connection between chronic stress and health – especially from the standpoint of how an unforgiving attitude can impact have one’s health. In addition to reading this short article that appears in many newspapers throughout the country, I would urge you to go to Barry’s website www.releasenow.org as it has a lot of helpful information addressing the link between forgiveness, chronic stress, anxiety and health – especially cancer.
Forgiveness, Healing and Health – What the Research Shows
There is plenty of research available that demonstrates the health implications of not forgiving someone. This link to Berry’s website provides some examples of what the research says on this topic.
Forgiveness, Healing and Health – What the Bible Says
The Bible is chock full of information about the significance of forgiveness. Without a doubt, the Christian faith is based upon the forgiveness that God extends to us through his Son who died on the cross for us. God recognizes that due to the sin nature that we inherited from Adam and Eve, it is our nature to sin and live life in a way that is contrary to the principles that He lays out for us in the Bible. Because God loves us so much, His solution for this problem was to make forgiveness of sins available to us by the death of Jesus. The Bible also has several verses that instruct us to forgive others who have sinned against us.
“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32
“And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25
“And forgive us our debts,as we also have forgiven our debtors.And lead us not into temptation,but deliver us from the evil one.For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.” Matthew 6:12-14
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:13
“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” Ephesians 1:7
Forgiveness, Healing and Health – The Bottom Line
The bottom line is, God designed us in a way that we should not hold onto grudges and bitterness towards others. When we do this we pay a price – not only in our emotional and spiritual health but in our physical health.
What would God want you to do? Search your heart and let him reveal to you if there is any unforgiveness and bitterness tucked away deep inside. If there is, God wants you to confess this sin and extend forgiveness to the person associated with that pain and hurt. His Son paid a high price so you can be forgiven by God. You owe it to God to forgive others!
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?
Our life is like a long distance run or race and we’re all participating in it.
Over the years, I’ve competed in distance races from between 400 yards and 50 miles. In the 50 mile event, I ran along the American River in California for most of the way. The first 30 miles or so were on an asphalt path. It was smooth and very, very gradual in it’s steepness. We were running up the river so there was a slight grade when we were on the path. Eventually, the route made its way off the asphalt and onto a dirt path. This narrow path was often rocky, crossed over many small spots of water and was uneven – very unlike the smooth asphalt. One could have easily stumbled and fallen. The race of our life is so much longer than than the longest ultra-marathon run. And it’s like the uneven path that I described above. There are many opportunities to become tripped up as we live in this world day to day.
Jesus and Your Faith
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the best way to run this race of life is by keeping our eyes on Jesus. Jesus is the person on whom our faith depends from the very start of our race until the end. Our race on earth will end only when we die or when Jesus comes to take us away in the rapture, whichever comes first. It is only by keeping focused on him that we have any chance of living the kind of life that God calls each of us to live. Jesus tells us that he came into the world so that all people could have an abundant and full life. (John 10:10) Paul somewhat describes what a full life looks like when he lists the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23. These “fruits” become evident when the Spirit of Jesus is manifested in our lives.
As we regularly reflect on what Jesus did on the cross so that our sins can be forgiven – which makes it possible for us to have a relationship with God – we are encouraged and don’t get as weary in our race. We also need to stay close to or abide in Jesus so that we can draw strength from him and so that his Spirit is reflected in our life. (John 15:5) I have identified this as an essential Spiritual Exercise for a healthier life.
Each step you take, every conversation you have, each glance you take – all of your actions and behaviors – is a part of your race here on earth. You can only run and finish your race well if you keep your eyes on Jesus.
Questions to Reflect On
How frequently are you reading the Bible as a way to keep connected with Jesus?
How evident are the fruits of the spirit in your life?
Are you regularly being “tripped” up by the same sin? If so, what will you do to get back on a ‘smoother path’ in the race of your life?
It seems to me that one of the most important Spiritual Exercises that we can engage in is to Spend Time in God’s Presence. When I am aware that I am connected to God, I have peace, hope and the spiritual strength that I need for whatever the day brings me.
For me, to be in God’s presence usually begins with intention. I make a decision deep in my spirit to become connected to God. I remind myself of his special qualities and of his faithfulness. I often remember the scripture “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” Luke 4:8 This is a promise that God gives us in his Word.
I frequently listen to music. Sometimes I turn on my iPod or tune in to a Christian radio station or pull up a website that plays soft Christian music so that it plays in the background. This is soothing to my soul and is a reminder of the loving nature of God. When I listen to this type of music I am inspired by the melodies.
Being in a beautiful place is another way in which I make a special connection with God. My wife and I are at a North Carolina beach for a week. As I am seated comfortably in a chair looking out at the ocean waves, I’m reminded of how God has gifted us with the beauty found in nature. I feel extra close to him in this setting.
And, maybe most of all, as I read scripture I am reminded of his nature and goodness and love. When I take time for an extended devotional and linger in the Bible I hear God speak to me softly through his Holy Spirit. He reminds me of his truths.
During these difficult times of high unemployment rates, financial stresses and other associated challenges, many people are looking for the inner strength needed to make it through the day, or the week. The best Source of strength I can think of is the strength that comes from being in the presence of God.
I hope that you are able to experience his presence regularly.
Scriptures Related to Spending Time in God’s Presence
“If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.” Jerimiah 29:13-14
“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Psalm 46:10
“The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14
“Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spiritfrom me.” Psalm 51:11
Questions to Reflect On
How are you intentional in being inGod’s presense? Do you have a favorite location you go to in your home or outside your house or in your neighborhood to sit quietly?
Do you have a favorite devotional that you read that connects you to God?
Do you have any special music that you listen to that helps you to quiet your soul and opens your heart in a bigger way to the Lord?
The 2010 Winter Olympics are over. Over the course of 17 days of this year’s competition, Team USA earned 37 medals — the most ever by one country in one Games, besting Germany’s mark of 36 set at Salt Lake. The feat was even more impressive considering it was the first time the U.S. earned the most medals in a Winter Olympics since 1932 at Lake Placid. Germany won 30 medals and Canada, the host country, won 26 total medals.
Medals Made of Recycled Material
And here’s a piece of trivia for you. This year’s 549 medals contained metal from recycled TVs, computers, and keyboards that might have otherwise ended up as e-waste. (More on this here.) I suspect that over a period of enough time, these medals will likely become tarnished.
Physical Conditioning and Discipline
To be good enough to win an Olympic medal, whether it be bronze, silver or gold, takes a tremendous amount of talent, skill and, for most of the events, a high degree of physical conditioning. Preparing for an Olympic competition requires discipline and perseverance. In the end the award that athletes receive is a medal, along with the distinction of being recognized as the world’s best athlete in their respective sport.
“All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:25
Running the Race of Life
Our life as a Christian is like an Olympic athlete training to win a medal. Whereas the prize for the athlete is a medal, our prizes are at least two-fold.
One prize is the abundant life that we are able to live because we are walking day to day with Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit. The more disciplined we are at incorporating spiritual exercises into our lives on a daily basis, the more rewarding and fulfilling our life can be. The more we live according to the guidebook that God gives us, the Bible, the sweeter our life can be. God has this “prize” for us on this side of heaven.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that theymay have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
Paul encourages the Corinthians to run the race of life with endurance and that the crown we will receive will last forever. He encourages us to press on, to persevere, to endure. As athletes require discipline in physical training and in what they eat to be competitive enough to win an Olympic medal, we must be disciplined in various forms of spiritual exercises to win the crown of a full and abundant life. ( Corinthians 9:24-25 )
The more disciplined and consistent we are in our spiritual exercises, the more abundance we will tend to receive this side of heaven. This is one reason Jesus died on the cross for you and for me.
The other “prize” that God makes available for us is the crown of eternal life that we’ll spend with Jesus after we leave this earth. It becomes available to us when we accept Jesus in our heart as our Savior. Isaiah 35:10 tells us that everlasting joy will crown the heads of those who walk with Jesus in a personal way. Unlike the tarnish that will probably occur with the metal of the Olympic medals, our crown of everlasting life and our joy will continue forever.
I encourage you to be disciplined in applying the principles of the Bible in such a way that you’re experiencing a full and rewarding life – the kind God desires for you. And I pray that you are confident that you’ll live eternally in the presence of God because of a choice you’ve made to invite Jesus into your heart.
A Few Questions to Consider
What disciplines in your life contribute most to your level of spiritual fitness?
Are you experiencing an abundant life in the way Jesus has made it available for you?
What spiritual exercises could you incorporate into your life to give you a more full life?
Last week the New York Times reported that recent research has concluded that more Americans are praying about their health.
Knowing God and experiencing his deep love in our hearts, not just having knowledge about him and his love in our minds, is one important way in which we grow in our relationship with him and how we receive healing.
Forgiveness, Healing and Health – The Bottom Line
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.
The 2010 Winter Olympics are over. Over the course of 17 days of this year’s competition, Team USA earned 37 medals — the most ever by one country in one Games, besting Germany’s mark of 36 set at Salt Lake. The feat was even more impressive considering it was the first time the U.S. earned the most medals in a Winter Olympics since 1932 at Lake Placid. Germany won 30 medals and Canada, the host country, won 26 total medals.
To be good enough to win an Olympic medal, whether it be bronze, silver or gold, takes a tremendous amount of talent, skill and, for most of the events, a high degree of physical conditioning. Preparing for an Olympic competition requires discipline and perseverance. In the end the award that athletes receive is a medal, along with the distinction of being recognized as the world’s best athlete in their respective sport.
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