Sep
16
2009
When I learn of information that I think will help others, I’m likely to pass it along more quickly than more slowly. This is one of those times.
About 5 years ago I read a book by Dr. Kara Davis, a practicing internal medicine physician, on the secrets to losing weight. It was based upon the application of the different “fruits of the spirit” addressed in Galatians 5:22-23.
Her new book is Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss. A 50-Day Renewal of Body, Mind and Spirit. It combines spiritual truths of the Bible with practical yet medically sound advise on eating and physical activity.
I’ve read the introduction and the first of the 50 four-page chapters and scanned over the remainder of the book. One thing is clear - Davis’ heart is that people know the loving God of the Bible and that they be in good health. This book would be great to read read as a devotional over a 50 day period and I suspect could be a life-changing experience for some of you.
“For He (God) has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He (God) has filled with what is good.” Psalm 107:9
Questions to Reflect On:
Are struggling with your weight and ready to grow more deeply in your relationship with God and yourself? If so, I strongly recommend you read this book.
Do you know of a friend or family member who is challenged by their weight? Consider sharing this post and book with them.
Resources for Weight Management and Weight Loss
Article – Spiritual Exercises to Help You Know God Better and Manage Your Weight
Article – Overweight? Find Freedom From Overeating
Scripture Listing – Scriptures for Weight Loss and Weight Management
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
Aug
20
2008
I found this listing of the tremendous value of 12 fruits and vegetables. The author is unknown. Thanks to Cathy Morenzie for posting it on her Active Image site. Enjoy!
Then God said, “Let the land burst forth with every sort of grass and seed-bearing plant. And let there be trees that grow seed-bearing fruit. The seeds will then produce the kinds of plants and trees from which they came.” And so it was. Genesis 1:11
A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye…and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.
A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.
A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function.
Eggplant, Avocados and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female – they look just like these organs. Today’s research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? …. It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemical constituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).
Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm cells to overcome male sterility.
Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.
MyPyramid.gov is one of the better government sites that provides education on the health benefits and nutrients received from eating the right amount of fruits and vegetables.
Eat your fruits and veggies daily! God certainly had a plan and knew what He was doing when He designed them for our health.
View the complete listing at God’s Pharmacy.
May
05
2008
Health experts would agree that a regular diet of grains is essential for us, especially whole grains. Dietitians will tell us that we should eat about 6 ounces of grain products each day
and half of those should be whole grains. Whole grain breads are one such source. Whole grains benefit us because they help reduce heart disease and constipation and may help with weight management. Whole grain bread is also a good source of magnesium which helps keep our bones strong.
Chapter six of John speaks about Jesus being a source of spiritual nourishment. Jesus tells people that have been following Him that the reason they desire to be with Him is because their spiritual hunger is satisfied when they are in His presence. (verse 26). He tells us that God has given the people true bread from heaven and He is speaking of himself. In verse 35, He tells us that He is the “bread of life” and that all who come to Him will never be hungry. Jesus is saying that we will be nourished spiritually by Him, not only here on this earth, but forever.
We all eat food when we are physically hungry. It satisfies us for a while, but then when we’re hungry again, we need to eat some more. We will never be satisfied by eating regular food such as whole grain bread, as nutritious as our diet may be.
Jesus promises us that if we follow Him that He will meet the deeper spiritual hunger that we all have inside. He is the true source of spiritual nourishment that provides all we need for a rich and rewarding life while we are on this earth and for life eternally.
Are you feeding on the bread that Jesus provides? Are you being nourished deep in your soul by the One who satisfies your deepest hunger pains?
Dec
27
2007
Every piece of guidance about good nutrition will include the importance of fruit in our diet. There is no argument among experts of the value of consuming a variety of fruit on every day. Not surprising as in Genesis 1:29 God tells us “I have given you the seed-bearing plants throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.” I hope that you’re including a lot of fruit as part of what you eat daily. We need all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins that they contain. They are also a rich source of fiber. I have heard many dietitians say that the darker the fruit or vegetable the more nutritious it is. Here is a link to a top 10 listing of fruits.
God not only gives us fruit to consume, He wants us to produce much fruit. In John 15:5 Jesus tells us “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” He’s telling us that to be able to do the things that make a difference in the world that we need to stay attached to Him. He is our primary source of nourishment and we need to be solidly connected to Him. Just as fruits that we eat nourish us, being closely attached to Him gives us what we need most to do the things He wants us to do in our lives.
Questions to Comment On:
- How do you you stay joined to Jesus?
- What are the fruits you’ve recently experienced in your life because you’re solidly connected to Jesus?
Go have a great day!
Dale
