Dec
23
2011
Christmas is a time of the year that we celebrate the birth of God’s Son, Jesus, who came to point the way to his Father and to offer salvation for our souls. Jesus came that you might know his Father and have life to its fullest.
“My purpose is to give life in all it’s fullest.” John 10:10
As we mature in our faith we realize that our ‘full life’ is not for us alone, but its purpose is to glorify God and to spread his love to others, through us. That’s where our health comes into play. The more healthy we are emotionally and physically the better able we are to love and serve others. And our spiritual health impacts on other aspects of our health.
As you near Christmas Day, let the love of God and his Son sink deep into your heart. Deep in your will, decide to let go of anything that is not love…. and replace it with the love of Jesus.
That’s why Jesus was born. That’s Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you!
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
Nov
11
2011
I have always been intrigued by data… and numbers. Today’s date, 11-11-11, is a perfect same-numbered palindrome and is unique as only on one day in every 100 years will the date include two digits for the day, month and year that are identical.
This happens one time in a given generation. Most people who are born tomorrow will not live to experience such a date. Today will probably be one of celebration for a number of children who will be turning 11 on 11.11.11.
And, do the math – 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12345678987654321. Pretty cool huh?
11-11-11 and Other Special Days
Unique and special days like 11-11-11 - birthdays, anniversaries, major holidays and graduation days - are worth writing about and celebrating. 11-11 is also Veterans Day. We celebrate it because major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. this is always a special day for me as I’m a veteran of 20 years of service in the Army.
If you are reading this, it’s wonderful that you are alive and can experience this unique day, along with the other special and unique days that you’ve celebrated in your life and that you may celebrate in the future. But, how many more days of celebration will you have here on earth?
Any one of us can be here today, and gone tomorrow – in the blink of an eye. Sooner or later death on this earth will happen to us all. And when it happens to you, where will your soul be afterwards? Will it forever be in Heaven with your Creator, God? Or, will your soul be forever in Hell. You have a choice regarding your eternal destiny. You have a choice whether or not to have a full life here on earth – the kind of life that the Son of God died for us all to have.
“Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.“ Isaiah 55:6-7
11-11-11 Is s Significant day
Yes, today is a significant day. You have a choice to seek and choose the Lord while you can, to live a full life on this earth and for all eternity in heaven, or to live an anguished life, separated from God, forever.
I hope you choose to live a full and eternal life with God.
Read how to receive salvation and have eternal life.
Sep
07
2011
Yet another post with insight and my thoughts from my reading of Health Care You Can Live With by Dr. Scott Morris, founder of the Church Health Center in Memphis, Tennessee. The excerpts below are directly from the referenced chapters.
Excerpts From Chapters 17, 18 and 19
“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” Colossians 3:12–14
Put On Humility
People see humility as a sign of weakness, rather than a positive trait. Humility is a sign of strength. It means you do not first think about yourself at every turn. It means you don’t become consumed with what you need before you think about what someone else needs. Humility says, “I care about my neighbor, and I am strong enough to put my neighbor’s needs first before I take care of myself.”
Pride is the American way. We obsess over being able to tell people what we’ve accomplished and what we’re sure we can do. Pride leads us to block people from having a place in our lives.
Working on humility is a daily experience.
Jesus humbled himself. He set aside the glory of being God to move into our neighborhood and be one of us. Jesus set aside his glory for you.… You are made for a relationship with God. Jesus came to show us that relationship.
Don’t measure your worth by what you can do or what you look like or what other people think about you. See who you are in God’s eyes.
True humility is about being grateful for God’s grace in your life and reflecting it in your relationships. True humility recognizes that everything you have comes from God. True humility frees you from a pointless search for something to be proud of.
Put on humility toward yourself and take the next step toward wholeness of body-and-spirit. It will be good for your health. Read more of this article »
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.
Jan
20
2011
An article appeared today in the CNN health section regarding binge eating and Oprah Winfrey. The title of the article was Don’t Overeat Like Oprah.
The article reports that binge eating is more prevalent then anorexia and bulimia. It’s an informative article that addresses some of the issues concerning binge eating. Among other things, the author points out that it’s important to get down to the roots of the eating. In many cases the root issue is an emotional or spiritual one. The article further outlines how Oprah, as well as many other people interviewed for the article, report that they eat during stressful times. They find solace in the food that they eat.
Over the years I have spoken with many people who are challenged by binge eating. Several have participated in programs that I have administered at a health system and at a YMCA setting.
There’s a verse that comes to mind that I often refer to regarding eating and food.
“You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.” Psalm 63:5
Jesus is the real satisfaction and answer for the very deep needs and spiritual concerns that we have. The scripture makes that very clear. So many people have a difficult time changing their binge eating behavior because they try to change on their own or using some kind of system that really does not get down to the root issues.
Counselors say, according to the article, that what fuels the binges is a desire to get away from an unpleasant feeling. Jesus paid the price for all of our sins, hurts and pains on the cross. It is for freedom that Jesus died and was resurrected. If you, or someone you know, is challenged by binge eating behavior, then I would urge you or your friend to turn in a deeper way to Jesus.
Spend more time with him. Spend more time reading the Bible. Spend more time on your knees in prayer with him. Mostly, keep him close to you in your heart and cry out to him when you feel especially emotional or are challenged with significantly strong negative emotions.
Jesus satisfies. Give him a chance!
Helpful Resources
Scriptures Related to Weight Loss and Weight Management
Sep
24
2010
Last week I flew from Charlotte to St. Louis to present a workshop at the 24th Annual Westberg Symposium. What I put together was a Christian model for health eduction and self care. My objective was to equip the parish nurses who attended to educate their parishioners about the spirituality-health connection and to better care for themselves. One of the topics I spoke about was the importance of staying close to Jesus, based on the verse John 15:5.
As our plane landed in St Louis and the captain indicated it was permissible to turn on our phones and computers, almost everyone on the plane immediately powered up their phones to check their messages or emails or to make a call to someone. After the plane reached the gate and I stood up to get my bag out of the overhead compartment, I glanced around to see how most of the plane was connected to another person or to the rest of the world through their digital device. Because I had been reviewing my material for the talk, the idea of staying closely connected to Christ was fresh on my mind.
I got to thinking as I stood there, imagine what a difference this world would be if all Christians were as intent on being and remaining connected to Jesus as we are to other humans.
Jesus taught his followers -
“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.” John 15:5
If you want to make a difference for God today…. if you want to have the fruit in your life that he calls you to have, stay closely connected to Jesus… to the Holy Spirit inside you…… becasue apart from him, you can do nothing of significance for his glory.
Have a great day today… as you stay close to Christ!
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
Aug
19
2010
Running and Life
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?
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
Let’s Connect!