John 4:31- 34 and Nourishment

Recently the idea that blogging on scriptures related to health might be insightful and helpful for me as well as readers. With that in mind, this is my first entry.

In John 4: 31-34 Jesus was urged by his disciples to eat some food. They felt he needed some food because it had been a while since he had eaten. Jesus responded that he had food available to him that they did not know about. He told them, "my nourishment comes from doing the will of God who sent me and from finishing his work." This "work" was to spread the news to people about his Father's love and of the joy and everlasting life that people could have if they knew of this love in a personal way.

Yes, Jesus needed the same type of nourishment in traditional food just as we do today. But He knew that His more meaningful nourishment came from doing what He came to earth to do... to bear all of our sins... past, present and future... so that we might have everlasting life when we die and so that we might have a more abundant/full life while we are here, being filled with His love.

As I read these verses, it causes me to reflect on what "nourishment" I need. True, I need carbohydrates, proteins and fats to fuel and nourish my body. I need to consume a healthy diet of foods so that I have the energy to function. I need the correct nutrients for my mind to work properly. When I run, I rely on a certain amount of glucose floating around in my blood to fuel my muscles. But these are for physical functions. What does my spirit need to perform the spiritual functions God would have for me?

Deep in my spirit I believe I am called to share the 'Good News' of who Jesus is and about the love of God with others. As my heart is set on this and I am in this mode, I am nourished in a way that I cannot be by eating even the healthiest of foods. As Psalm 81:10 reads, "Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things." God is telling the Psalmist, and me(and us), that if I open my spirit to Him that He will fill me with good things deep in my inner most being. Well, I think that God placed in me a deep desire to share with others about His love. To tell others about His goodness. To provide hope to others. And when I do this, deep in my spirit, I am nourished.

So my questions to you are.... what type of nourishment do you need? How is your spirit nourished or fueled? Are there other scriptures that speak to you on this topic?

Have an awesome day!

Is Belief in Your Heart or in Your Mind?

Is believing that Jesus is your savior a heart thing or a mind thing? Is it true that we have to pass that idea through our mind before we believe this in our heart? What if our mind blocks the concept that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and was resurrected? If our mind does not accept this how can we believe it in our heart? Is it possible that our hearts can overrule our mind in this matter. Can a person chose to accept this in his/her heart even though the mind is not able to comprehend it?

This is an area where it seems clear that the mind and the heart are inseparable. So much of our faith is, on the one hand, a heart thing, yet it seems that the mind has a certain degree of control over what the heart will believe. Yet Romans 10:9 says that "if you believe in your heart that God raised him(Jesus) from the dead, you will be saved." It says nothing of your mind.

I believe that we must make a choice to believe in our heart even though our mind might think something else. Isn't this the essence of faith? Believing what we can not see or comprehend.

What are your thoughts? Have you struggled with something big and been able to believe in your heart something different than you were thinking in your head?

Being Connected to God

My most recent article for Faith and Fitness magazine is on the spiritual exercise of abiding with God. When we stay closely connected to God, we can enjoy the many fruits that He desires for us to have like peace and kindness and joy along with the power to make behavior changes that He intended us to have. We are more likely to behave and think in a way that aligns us with His will for our life. We can have the hope that can only come from being close to Him.

As I write this entry I have some soft Christian music playing on my Ipod. I feel His presence... and from that I feel joy in my heart. I hope that you'll take a few minutes to read the article at the link above. And I hope that you'll reap the benefits from abiding with God.

Have a blessed day! :-)

Dale