buildingbodies4christ

building on the foundation of Jesus Christ

Archive for the tag “Healthy Body”

28 Jul 2018

Choose Life

For the last couple of weeks, I have been listening to a health summit on glyphosate and genetically engineered foods (GMOs). I love to learn so I check out the latest information through these health summits. Most of the time, the speakers are the same. The speakers will come on these summits to sell books or products they develop. They will spin the message based on the health topic of the summit but they always promote their product. I don’t have a problem with this. It’s a way to get their message out.

The health summits are usually secular in nature so I usually don’t get a spiritual message from it. That’s not why I listen. My passion is to help others find true health in mind, body and spirit. The message can come through different avenues. I put on my discernment cap and listen intently to the topic at hand and glean wisdom from these speakers. If it so happens to be a Christian speaker (and there are a few out there in the natural health world), I will listen that much more intently to their message.

With this latest summit, it has just made me angry. There are many health concerns with glyphosate and GMOs which I will post for my monthly newsletter on August 1. However, the reason for my anger is a spiritual one. The summit was about a health topic, but I see the enemy’s hands all over this topic of glyphosate and GMOs. You might think I have bought into a conspiracy theory, but I hope you will continue reading to understand where I stand on this subject.

We are told in John 10:10, the enemy (known in this verse as the thief) comes to steal, kill and destroy. I think we can all agree the country (and the world) is going a bit crazy these days. I believe there is an evil force trying to destroy us as a nation and especially trying to destroy the church. Yes, we are divided as a nation – whether political, race or rich and poor. Something is happening like no other time in history. And yes, we have seen other times of great division. However, I believe something greater is going on. It just feels different. I may be wrong about this. But hear me out. There are many threads of thought on this one topic, but stay with me on this, please.

Since the beginning of time, we have been in a conflict with the powers of darkness. Since man has been made in the image of God, Satan has been against man. He wants to destroy everything God has made – he wants to destroy God’s Kingdom. Satan’s goal has always been to have his own kingdom and to be like God. His aim is to steal, kill and destroy everything God has put in place.

God desired man to have dominion over the earth. Adam couldn’t have dominion by himself alone. He needed to rely upon God’s strength because the enemy has always been against him. By God’s word, Adam could withstand the enemy. However, Adam was defeated in the Garden because he believed Satan’s word over God’s. Since that time, the enemy has been working throughout history to put an end to God’s Kingdom. He has used people to do his bidding. He gives us just enough truth to reel us in and we believe what he feeds us – just as Adam did.

When I listened to this health summit, one of the speakers began to talk about the destruction of our DNA through these genetically engineered seeds. He mentioned the altered gene actually has the potential to alter our genes. Our seed – our children and our grandchildren could be affected for generations – forever changing who we are as human beings. Scary thought.

A few weeks ago, I heard someone say by the year 2030, there could be no pure DNA. The speaker referred to genes being altered to create “super humans.” But now I see this connotation could be something totally different from what the speaker intended. What does that mean? I don’t know. I just know something significant could happen because of these altered genes.

Seeds are divinely given. God intended for us to eat the green plants and seed-bearing plants (Genesis 1:29). God considered this good. However, in the 80’s, chemical companies realized they could patent seeds and they began to buy up seed companies. Now, the majority of our seed-bearing plants are now in the hands of only five chemical companies. The lie told during that time was genetically altering food genes would increase output and therefore, feed the world – it would end hunger. But that hasn’t happened. Hunger still exists. There are consequences that have yet been determined by altering genes. We haven’t seen everything from these “experiments” to nature. Changing genes sounds beneficial – increase output – sounds like a good thing. But research is proving otherwise.

We need to be on guard for Satan’s lies and attempts to steal, kill and destroy us. We are told from 1Peter 5:8 to be alert because Satan is like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. We are to be a discerning people and pay attention to what’s going on around us. And to throw a little health tip to you as well – eat organic to stay away from these GMO foods and the glyphosate that is sprayed on them. If you are interested in my monthly health-related newsletter, please sign up HERE.

I want to leave this post on the positive side. We are reminded in the second half of John 10:10 Jesus came to give us life in abundance. Satan thinks he’s going to win this battle, but he is wrong. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and it’s through Him we will be united with the Creator God and be redeemed as the rulers of this creation. This is His victory. For His glory and for our good, be informed and watch what God will do when we stay alert. Moses directed the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob at a critical point in their history with these words – choose life and we can do the same.

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:19-20

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Posted in Faith, Health and tagged , , , , , ,
14 Jul 2018

The Covering

On this pleasant summer morning, I went for my daily walk around the neighborhood. There was a nice breeze, low humidity – which could be seen as a miracle for a North Carolina day – just a pleasant walk around the circle through my neighborhood and the newly developed one adjacent to ours. No real thoughts were circulating through my mind while I was traversing the roads. However, I began to notice the weeds in a few yards.

For our neighborhood that’s nothing new. It’s an older neighborhood. But in the newly developed one, it was thought-provoking. Weeds are opportunistic. They will always come up when things are left untended. In new lawns, it’s easy to spot those little weeds popping up. In the older yards, weeds just begin to creep in little by little. For the people who are diligent in their lawn care procedures, weeds do not have the chance to grow. I would have thought in the new development, the people would have been more diligent in their care. After all, they just spent a lot of money putting in their new lawns.

As I considered these things after my walk, I thought about weeds in general – physical and spiritual. In the physical world, weeds are a natural covering for the earth. Barrenness is actually a wound to the earth and the weeds come because the earth wants to heal – to fill in those barren places. We think of weeds as a nuisance. But most weeds are really beneficial to the earth and actually to our bodies. Dandelions are quite good for us. I once heard God did not create barren places. He created the Garden of Eden. It was paradise – lush and beautiful. It was the fall of man who brought the barrenness – the desert places.

Maybe the physical barrenness is actually a physical representation of our own barrenness of soul. We too have fallen into that barren place through the fall of man. Our physical bodies are set on destruction. It’s the way of our fall. We see the decay every day when we look in the mirror. A couple of more wrinkles – a few more gray hairs. Well, if you’re my age. If you are still young with your whole future ahead of you, you might not see it for a few more years. However, it’s a given. It’s going to happen.

But like the earth, the body wants to heal. It has an innate ability to cover over the hurt areas in order for the body to heal. Cholesterol can be seen as such. It covers over the damage in an artery. It’s unfortunate that too much of it can cause blockages and the doctors want to reduce the cholesterol circulating through the veins. However, the root of the problem is not cholesterol, but the damage in the arteries. What caused the damage in the first place?

What is the root cause of the barrenness in our souls? What created the damage in the first place? If the person has never known Jesus as Lord and Savior, then the root cause of barrenness for that person is the fall of man – the natural fallen state. For the person who knows Jesus, then it might be a lack of attention to the weeds that creeps in when left untended. Weeds are an indication, like cholesterol, something needs to be addressed.

Through Scripture, we are told one day we will have a new body at the resurrection. We have to live with what we have for now. We intentionally need to care for our bodies now, but it still will end up in the dust one day. But behold the new body and the new earth one day! What a beautiful day that will be. Right? No more destruction or decay. No more tears from pain. No more heartache or headaches. No more brokenness. Total healing. Today, we don’t have total healing. Today, we have problems to address. We have to be intentional in dealing with the weeds if we want a better today.

The lush lawns are a perfect example of fertilizing and lawn maintenance of trimming and weeding. If left untended, it will go back to its natural state. Our natural state is the way of fallen man. Let’s be diligent today of staying fertilized in God’s Word with the proper pruning to keep our hearts clean and ready for Jesus’ presence. One day, Jesus will return. Let’s make sure our lives are lush and beautiful for that day! Let’s get busy trimming and cover what’s barren through the presence of Jesus so we can be fruitful for God’s Kingdom. It’s time to address those roots. Dig it out before it ruins your Garden.

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. Hebrews 4:12-16

Posted in Faith and tagged , , , , , ,
06 Jan 2018
1 Comment

Order of Priorities

“We are accountable to God for what He has given us and how we use it for His Kingdom.” Pastor James MacDonald laid it out for the ones listening to his message this past weekend. God gives us our gifts and talents to help the Body of Christ. For those who have mercy, there are people in the Body who need mercy. For those who have the gift of encouragement, the Body needs that encouragement. For those who have the talent of singing, join the choir or the worship team. For those who have the gift of administration, the Body needs someone to organize and manage.

We all have opportunities that we can fulfill because God has equipped us to do it. If the Body is lacking something fundamental, then someone has not stepped up and stepped into the role. As we take care of each other, unbelievers will notice. God expects us to use what He has given us. This is my take away from the message on Luke 19:11-27. Jesus also said that we are to shine our lights and not hide them under a bushel. I know there is more that I could do in the Church Body. How about you? Have you stepped up?

Time is not an excuse for not serving in the Body of Christ. If you don’t have time, then the priorities are wrong. It’s important to know what God expects of us. We have been given freedom with boundaries, which are for our protection. We are free to use everything we have been given by God; but like our money, we are to give to the Body of Christ first. Maybe I’m stretching the point too far, but it’s really important to know that God wants the best for us and the best starts with giving back to Him first – money, talents and gifts. It all comes from Him for our use; but how we honor Him with it is essential. The more we have, the more He expects from us.

One more thought about money. I get that we don’t have to live by the “tenth” rule since it was Old Testament rules. God said to bring the whole tithe (means a tenth) into the House of God – it pleases Him for us to do so. But if we no longer have to live by the Law of Moses, how much more should we give because we are living under God’s grace? A tenth of all we have is nothing in comparison to what He has given us through His Son, Jesus Christ! A tenth is the least we should give. Grace is more generous than the Law.

In Mark Batterson’s Draw the Circle: The 40 Day Prayer Challenge, Mark wrote about God being our Senior Partner (Day 36). He wrote about a man in his late 90’s who decided on day one of his business that he would give God 51% of the business. He wanted to honor God from the get-go. At some point the man felt convicted about keeping 49% for himself. The parable of the merchant who found the pearl of great price and sold everything he had to obtain it changed this man’s perspective. At that point, he became a salaried employee and put everything else in God’s Hands. This man truly believed God and God blessed his company.

That’s pretty shocking, isn’t it? But this man believed that the treasure in heaven is more essential than any treasure that could be had here on earth. It was deeply convicting to me. I remember the story of the woman at the temple treasure who put in two mites, which was all she had to live on. She believed God. Can you imagine doing that today? I can’t, but what does that say about me? Mark’s last point for that day was “What we keep we ultimately lose; what we give away we ultimately get back.” He wrote that “if we don’t hold out on God, God won’t hold out on us.”

We will all be accountable for everything God had given us. I could also mention our bodies. It is the first of the year when most people have a resolution to get healthy or lose weight. I believe also we will be accountable about how we took care of God’s temple – our bodies. I know, you know it. But sometimes we need a little push to do what’s right. This might be your push to change a few things this year. If we want different results, then we have to do something different. What are you going to do different this year?

It’s never easy to do something different, but it would be the best thing for us. God hasn’t changed. He still provides for us even in this day and age. Let’s trust Him to do mighty things for us and through us as we put Him first this year. Are you up for it?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Posted in Faith and tagged , , , , , ,
27 Jul 2017

The Better Life

While spending a few days with my Dad as he lay in a hospital bed, I thought of conversations we have had over the years. He slept most of the time so I had time to think. I got on my health kick about twelve years ago. He told me one time that he never wanted to live to 120 years so he was going to eat what he wanted to eat and do what he wanted to do. I told him I also didn’t want to live to be 120, but I wanted quality of life until the end no matter the age. There is a family history of diabetes and heart related diseases that I just don’t want to experience later in life. I have learned how to handle my health as best I can with what I been given. Quality over quantity!

I usually don’t write about health related topics on this blog. I save it for my Denise4Health newsletters that I send out once a month. But as I consider the Body of Christ these days, on average we are an unhealthy bunch. However, I am noticing a trend that seems to be going in a good direction. In the natural healthcare doctor’s office where I work, I have noticed a few patients come through to get help on their health journey. They have decided to try the natural route because the traditional route has failed them. I get it. I went the traditional route too before I saw the light!

Once in a while, we’ll get a patient that thinks all they need is a supplement and that will be all the work that is required of them. But it’s so much more than a supplement. It’s a lifestyle. It means changing a few destructive habits. As Christians, this should be easier for us. We have the gift of the Holy Spirit to help us transform. However, we don’t put health in the same category as spiritual transformation. But I think health transformation is right in line with spiritual transformation. If the body isn’t healthy, the spirit and mind are not healthy. The stool (mind, body, spirit stool) collapses when one of the legs gives out. Each part of the stool is significant for complete transformation.

Many times, God has used my health to get my attention. When I needed rest, He put me in a place where I could rest. I had Rocky Mountain spotted fever back in the 80’s that knocked me down for quite a while. I had female troubles off and on for about twelve years. I have grown closer to God during those difficult times. I think when I am struggling the most is when I seek Him harder. Maybe that’s why He continues to send me down that health path. It would be nice if I could seek Him hard when things are going well for me.

God wants a better life for us than what we currently accept as normal. We settle for average. We settle for popping a pill and keep moving instead of seeking His best for our lives. We don’t slow down long enough to seek Him and His direction. Or maybe that’s just my way; maybe you’re different. When we become sick and tired of being sick and tired, I think that’s when we look for a better way. At least that was my case. I really do want God’s best for my life. If I have to make a few changes to get to that life, I will do it. Even now, if there are things that I am doing that are not the best for me, then I need to change my ways.

Andy Andrews said that to change we need to see “what’s in it for me” and “proof beyond a doubt” in order to make a change. We don’t have to hit rock bottom. We don’t have to wait until the last-minute. All we need to do to change is turn our minds to the thing we want to do and just do it. It’s a decision. It’s taking a step in that direction. One small step leads to another. We don’t have to make drastic changes, but make one thing different from what we’ve done before. Trade up to a better life. It can be done. One step at a time.

After ten days in a hospital bed, Dad was transferred to a rehab facility. They sat him at a table and put a meal before him. He ate it like he was starving (and he probably was). While he was in the hospital, he ate very little and was very lethargic. What a difference a little nutrition makes! He was much more alert and responsive after just one meal. I think he is in the right place for the right time. God still works on the health journey of a 90-year-old man. He can do it for you too. Seek His will for your life and find the better life!

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 1 Corinthians 6:12-13 (NLT)

Posted in Health and tagged , , , , , ,
20 Apr 2017

There’s a Difference

I have been told that I am different. My tastes are unique. After being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease eleven years ago, I eat differently than most people. The first Easter after my change to a healthier lifestyle was the first time I experienced the reality that I was totally different. My Mom was still alive and well at that point. The family was together as was the tradition for holidays. As usual, Mom fixed everyone’s favorite food, except I couldn’t eat any of it.

Mom forgot that I could no longer eat like the rest of the family. I had to have a different menu. Not because I wanted to be different, but because I had chosen to treat my disease with a food-based approach and not a medical prescription approach. My Mom didn’t get it. My family didn’t get it. And on that Easter Sunday, I had to come to terms with hard reality of being different.

I don’t think many people really like to be different, especially young people. We like our friends to be similar to us. Even our church life has the same mentality. We want to be like our neighbors – nice car, nice house, perfect lifestyle with perfect kids. And sometimes that comes with a hefty price tag. We go into debt to finance our desires. I heard Dave Ramsey say recently on a show that we need to be different. Normal is to be in debt. Different is to have a healthy bank account without the burden of debt. The Bible tells us debt is our master; we are a servant to it (Proverbs 22:7). Possessions possess us.

We all need a hard reality check. Jesus didn’t come to burden us but to free us from our burdens. No matter what we struggle with – health issues, debt, unhealthy habits, etc. – Jesus is the answer. How you say? If we are followers of Jesus, we should have a different mentality. We should have a different focus. Pastor Tony Evans has a teaching series on eternal focus. We should be living in the light of eternity. Possessions shouldn’t possess us – sell it. Move into something that is affordable. Free up the bank account so that it allows for Kingdom purpose – to help those in need at a moment’s notice.

Living a healthy lifestyle has changed me in more ways than just my eating habits. It has freed me from the burden of feeling sick and tired all the time. I have the freedom with a clear mind and satisfied heart. Living well is a choice. It may have a steep learning curve, but it’s worth it to be different. Finding the right people to encourage us along the way is important. We don’t all have to be alike. It’s healthy to have a diverse friendship base. They can teach us many things. However, there always has to be a true foundation of belief in Jesus so that no one can move us from Jesus’ rock of truth.

Jesus promised us the gift of the Holy Spirit when we receive His gift of salvation. The Holy Spirit is our guide to living a different life. The Spirit will give us a check in our spending habits, in our eating habits and in choosing a different path. However, we have to be sensitive to His promptings. If we continue to ignore the promptings, we will no longer feel His leading away from the things that will entangle us in an unhealthy life. There’s a difference in the way we live when the Spirit is in control. It’s not easy living differently, but it’s very rewarding when the Spirit gives us a nudge in the right direction. There’s always a blessing when we do the right thing.

As followers of Jesus, the world cannot give us what we desire. When we look to worldly things, we leave God out of the equation. When God is in the picture, everything is seen in a different light. I had a conversation last week with a fellow at the gym about marriage. He said marriage was overrated. I said, God has to be in the marriage too in order for it to be a good marriage. God has to be in the middle of our lives in order for it to be a good life. We have to live differently. It’s the only way to live a truly joyful, peaceful life. Jesus is the answer. Choose to be different!

For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. 2 Timothy 1:9-10 (NLT)

Posted in Faith and tagged , , , , , ,
20 Jan 2016

Wiped Out

Every time I think I am moving in the right direction, I have a bit of a setback. I want to see great strides develop in my faith walk. How come increasing faith always comes with a storm? I had been doing really well physically over the last few years. I haven’t had any issues that threw me into a tizzy – until this past week. I had a perfect storm of physical stresses that sent me into a downward spiral. I have an autoimmune disease that causes some chemical sensitivity when I am not being diligent with my diet. Over the holidays, I overindulged; and it’s caused a tipping point into the danger zone.

This week has been one of those weeks where I just didn’t want to do anything. My quiet time has been anemic. My Bible reading has fallen off as well. All I have wanted to do is watch TV or read in bed. This should be the time I draw nearer to Jesus, but it seems all I want to do is curl up in the fetal position and feel sorry for myself. I hate it when that happens!

I am just feeling wiped out – physically, emotionally and spiritually. This is not how I envisioned my first month of the New Year starting. I like to start the New Year off with a certain food fast. I usually take out one category like grains or sugar or chocolate and let my body reset from that particular food. This year it was going to be grains. The fast I got was not what I had in mind! After my sickness came on, I had to have some toast to settle my stomach. Nothing went like I was expecting.

Isn’t that the way things happen though? We have a plan. It looks good in theory. But God may have a different agenda. So what’s the lesson in this particular storm? If my focus is on faith, what is faith all about? In “Pursuit of God,” AW Tozer wrote “faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.” He used the illustration of the bronze snake Moses made in the desert. While the people were wandering in the desert, they rebelled against God (over and over again). God used snake bites to get their attention. After the people cried out to God, Moses was instructed to make a bronze snake and attach it to a pole. For those who were bitten by a snake, they could look up to the bronze snake and be healed.

God used this illustration in the Old Testament as a testimony of what Jesus would later do when He died on a cross for our sins. Just as the bronze snake was lifted up, Jesus, the Son of God was lifted up on the cross for us. We can lift our eyes to Him when we have been bitten by that deceitful snake called sin. The people looked upon the bronze snake with external eyes, but we are given spiritual eyes to look upon Jesus to heal our wounds. Scripture tells us “by His wounds, we are healed.”

During this last week, I realized I have not had my soul gaze upon my Savior. Sickness is a tool our enemy uses to keep us out of the game. It keeps our eyes focused on ourselves. It makes us ineffective as followers of Jesus. Sickness leaves us on the sidelines curled up in a fetal position. Paul warned us, as followers, to keep the body healthy. The body is the living temple of God, and we are to keep it holy and well-tended. We have an obligation as the people of God to be available for His use. If we’re not in the game, we are useless to Him. The deceitful snake does his best to keep us distracted and off the playing field. (I guess football is on my mind while I write this!)

I brought my sickness on myself because I was not diligent in keeping within my dietary guidelines. I thought I could get away with it. But like sin, it always finds the light! Maybe this is the lesson I need to learn to help me with my faith. I no longer want to be wiped out by things I could have avoided if I had stayed the course. My gaze has to be focused upon my Savior – high and lifted up. No matter what, He’s worth the price I have to pay in order to be healthy and whole (as far as it depends on me). Besides, I hear there is going to be a wedding feast to end all wedding feasts one day! And every morsel we’ll consume then will be heavenly!

Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.

You know the old saying, “First you eat to live, and then you live to eat”? Well, it may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that’s no excuse for stuffing your body with food, or indulging it with sex. Since the Master honors you with a body, honor him with your body! 1 Corinthians 6:12-13 (MSG)

Posted in Faith, Health and tagged , , , , ,
19 Nov 2014

Abundance

I love food. I have always had an interest in eating. In the early years, it was the unhealthy variety. Since I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, I have learned to eat better. The diagnosis also caused me to be restricted on several of my favorite items – like flour and sugar. Since I have been restricted I have noticed I focus more on food than ever before. I am considering what I can eat for my next meal; searching for a “treat” for my snack; checking the list of what I need to buy in order to eat for the next few days. It just seems to circulate in my brain so much more now than ever before. In my quiet time in the last few weeks, I noticed a tendency to think more about my morning meal (smoothie and small coconut mini muffin) than concentrating on my praying partner Jesus.

This really disturbs me when I recognize I am doing it again. And I am sure it isn’t something Jesus wants me to focus on either during my quiet time. I know I am not going to starve, but yet I feel this mentality happening. I live in a land of plenty. There is an abundance of food. There is so much food that we tend to throw away much more than we should. We find a bad spot on an apple and toss away the whole apple. I was helping out with a dinner fund-raiser not too long ago where we threw out buckets of potatoes and green beans because there wasn’t a place to take it for the homeless or the ones who had nothing to eat. It really bothered me to throw the food away. I see the likes of other places around the world where people do not have enough to eat and wonder how we can distribute food better.

Then I hear from a news report that one of the most fertile valleys in this land has a water shortage problem due to a three-year drought. I wonder when the abundance will come to an end. In the Bible, prophecies about the end times concerns famine and water shortages. I believe water will be the new “oil” wars. Drinkable water is rare around the globe. One day we will look back at this time and marvel at our abundance. I am sure we will also wonder how we could have been so wasteful. I believe one day too that we will be accountable to God for our excess, wasteful and hoarding tendencies. I don’t know what I am to do about the distribution problem. But I need to start thinking about my own tendencies concerning food. I need to put it in proper perspective. Am I more concerned about my stomach or another person’s? Do I have the things in mind that God does? Am I meeting needs around me?

God has given abundance, but it’s not to build bigger barns to store it for a rainy day. Good quality food will one day be a rarity if we are not careful with the resources God has given us. Next week, we will be celebrating Thanksgiving here in this country. It’s the occasion of excess food. We will pile our plates high of favorite foods and sit down with family and friends. It’s a special time for sure. I enjoy my family time. But I also need to consider how I can feed someone else on this special day. I am grateful for God’s abundance. I shouldn’t ever take it for granted. But the focus should always be on Jesus and what He calls us to do with the abundance. We are to love one another and sometimes that means feeding others instead of ourselves. Jesus and I will be working on this stomach issue in the future (both mine and others)! Love of food is not wrong, until I start to focus on it rather than Jesus.

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25:37-40

Posted in Faith and tagged , , , , ,
27 Aug 2014

Blinded

I am a health advocate. My passion is learning about health and helping others to learn as well. Health involves food. I was listening to a conference recently where a speaker was talking about our food industry in the US. The speaker made me very disappointed in our food system. The food industry is sabotaging our health. God provided the foods to eat and gave them to us in abundance. Food can be our medicine or it can be our poison. The trouble is though, it is becoming more difficult to distinguish between what is healthy and what is not. The topic of the message in this particular session was on genetically modified foods (GMOs). Many countries have banned GMOs yet, we can readily find them in our grocery stores.

The talk led me to think about other areas in which we can turn a blind eye to. God has provided a healthy ecosystem for our health and well-being. Trees bring us the oxygen we need to breathe. The earth provides our needs through the plants that are produced. The sun gives the life force that gives our bodies energy by the foods we eat and for our emotional well-being. The systems are in place by God’s hands. He designed this perfect system and we are connected to it in order to live on this planet. We are still discovering what God has given us. Everything God has done for us for our benefit we take for granted, thinking that it will last forever. Most human beings don’t see the damage we’re causing by our destructive ways.

For the last few years, I have had a greater sense of urgency in getting the message across that we need to be awakened from our slumber. We as the Body of Christ have a responsibility to be alert and watchful. God is at work, and we need to be aware of what He’s doing. He wants to use us in His process of completing His plan of redeeming the people on this planet. But if we’re not paying attention, then we will lose the opportunity He presents to us. We need healthy minds and bodies so that we can be alert and ready to respond in obedience to what we are called to do.

What’s this got to do with GMOs? Is this really about food? Or is this about opening our eyes to what’s going on in the world? We need eyes to see. God says that we can ask Him and He will give us wisdom in the circumstances. We need God’s perspective. I know God cares for our planet, but He is more concerned with the people on the planet. We need wisdom to discern the truth of what we see and hear. Nothing is by accident. Everything is allowed for a reason, even GMO’s. God is at work, and we need to open our spiritual eyes. We can no longer walk around in spiritual blindness; there’s too much at stake. There is a desperate world that needs God’s healing hand. Ask and God says He will provide the Holy Spirit to guide us to the Truth. And if we seek Him and call out to Him in repentance then He will heal our land.

Please give us eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart submitted to obedience in accordance to Your will. Amen.

Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Mark 10:50-52

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11 Jun 2014

Why?

I got a call from a friend having a crisis of belief. I understood where she was coming from since I have had the same kind of questioning not too long ago. She was questioning why she is trying to help someone when they didn’t seem to care about changing. Some people want to be helped and some don’t. Some have gotten to the point in their lives that they need to change their habits in order to feel better. Others will just pop a pill and deal with the consequences later. It’s hard to know when to give helpful advice and when to keep the mouth shut. The words will just fall on deaf ears if they are not ready to hear. My friend was very frustrated. I understood that frustration and hopefully I was able to give her the encouragement she needed to keep the faith!

The last couple of days, I have been plagued with the crisis of belief as well. I have been in a discipleship class for the last seven months. I have been wondering “why am I doing this?” The group was told Monday night that we need to have a heart for those who are lost and without hope. We are not to judge those around us, but to love those around us. There is only one judge, and we were not appointed to that role. God loved us so much even when we were in the midst of our sins, He sent Jesus to us. Jesus came to give us life. Sin leads to death, but Jesus changes death to life if we believe in Him. I am learning how to share, but I have yet to put it into practice on a daily basis. God wants to use us where we are, but we have to be ready to share what we know with those who are ready to hear.

I need to be ready to help those who are ready to be helped. The crisis of belief doesn’t end the journey; sometimes it just realigns the belief to the truth of the mission. Scripture tells me not everyone will be saved. For the ones that the Holy Spirit is working in, we are to speak to those people. We can’t save the masses, but we can speak to the ones ready to be saved. As the little boy who picks up one starfish at a time and tosses it back into the ocean, he couldn’t save every one of the starfish on the beach, but he could help one. This is the mission that we are called to; one at a time. Why? There are people who are seeking; we have to be ready to go.

I cleaned up my diet and my health. I didn’t understand why I was doing it at the time, except I felt bad and wanted to feel good again. God has shown me recently that I am only able to do the things I do today because He helped me to be well for His purpose. He has a plan for the world to hear, but He needs people who are fit and ready to go. Satan wants us to stay sick and tired. Satan wants to destroy us so that we will not be effective witnesses. Jesus said He came to give us life. That’s why I do the things I do – because of Jesus; He is the right way to life. The crisis of belief shifts the direction of my mind; from my perspective to God’s. When I have the right perspective, everything changes.

Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”

That’s exactly what Jesus did. He didn’t make it easy for himself by avoiding people’s troubles, but waded right in and helped out. Romans 15:1-3 (The Message)

Posted in Faith and tagged , , , , , ,
21 May 2014
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Crazy One

The ladies from my small group were sitting around having a conversation after enjoying a meal together. Normally, I wouldn’t write about a conversation from my small group but this was a bit different. Somehow we got on the conversation about families. One of the ladies said we all have someone in our families who is crazy. I had to think a minute, “Do we have a crazy one?” I mentioned that we don’t we have one. The lady had a witty comeback. She said if I didn’t know of a crazy one, then I’m it! We all got a good chuckle out of that one. We went on to discuss a couple of other things before we wrapped up our time together. But I have been considering the idea of the crazy one since.

I have been called different. Maybe I am according to the majority of the population. I eat differently than most. I choose whole foods and cook my meals. I drink green smoothies every morning to start my day. I am energized and ready to accomplish all that God has given me for the day. I live simply with less junk cluttering my house – my body as well as my house. I exercise regularly. I wasn’t always this good about what I eat (and still fall to temptation on occasion) or the exercise. But since I have been seeking God and His ways, I found keeping my body fit and in the best shape possible is the way to honor God.

Many in my family follow Jesus’ ways so maybe we’re all a bit crazy. We all struggle though in different areas of our lives to live as we are called to do. It’s difficult in this day and time to live closely to Jesus’ ways. There are great distractions out there. It’s enticing. Satan knows what hooks us. He has studied us all our lives. He sets a trap for us like cheese is set for mice. The one thing that attracts me will be different than for someone else. It’s the cheese I like. And if I’m not careful, I will fall into the trap. I noticed the trap is always present. Satan tries to divert my attention from Jesus – daily, hourly.

The other day, I was feeling a bit weary. I don’t know why I am doing the things I am doing, and I got a little down about it. After my eyes turned inward, I started seeking food to comfort me. When I had a meal, which was a pretty normal meal. It didn’t satisfy that thing I was looking for, so the next agenda was my shopping fix. I went looking for something I wanted. I ended up just looking and nothing satisfied that longing in me. I came home, got my eyes fixed on Jesus again. He satisfied my longing with His presence. Why didn’t I start out that way instead of looking elsewhere? The longings in our hearts pull us in another direction if our eyes are not focused correctly!

So, am I the crazy one? Probably. I hope I am good crazy – crazy for the right things – like keeping my eyes on Jesus and His ways. I maybe different because of it, but that’s okay. I would rather be crazy or different instead of normal and falling into those dangerous traps that will keep me from Jesus! We need to be set apart. We need to be different. The world is watching us to see if we are different because of Jesus. We are to be like Him. We are to love like Him. It’s not easy, but He is always with us to help us live out this life for Him. Be different! Be the crazy one in your family!

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)

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