Proverbs 4:20-22 and Our Health

How can words help our health? Proverbs 4:20-22 tells us "My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man's whole body."

As I read this I understand God to be be saying to read the Bible, His words and to keep what we read deep inside... in our heart. I have intentionally read scripture over and over again and the more I read the more I sense that His spirit... the Holy Spirit, mixes with my spirit deep in my heart... my inner self. When this occurs my body and my mind responds in healthy ways. The more often I read the Bible the better I appreciate what God has in store for me and the better I understand how much He loves me.

I believe that is one of the secrets to living a really full life... understanding the love that God has for us as an individual. When we really believe this we begin to live it out. By that I mean that we are better able to develop and sustain habits that honor our body and honor God. We also are better able to keep our mind on things of God and not things of this world.

So, allow God's words... His truths... found in the Bible, to penetrate your heart. This will bring you a richer and fuller life... and good health, in spirit, mind and body.

Have a super day!

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!

Morning Exercise & Personal Confessions

The last two days for me have been terrific! I attribute this to a practice I have incorporated into my morning physical exercise. I have read out loud

personal confessions that I have typed and printed out.

A few weeks ago I started to browse through my Bible, beginning with the book of Matthew, to find verses I had previously underlined. These verses must have made an impact on me at one time or another. I wrote out these scriptures in the form of a personal confession. A partial list is at this link. so you can get the idea. These are God's truths as they speak to me personally.

Reading these personal confessions out loud has a tremendous effect. It gets God's truth deep into my spirit. It helps to mix my spirit with His Holy Spirit that lives in me. It helps to renew my mind. It sets my mind on things above. And it gets me thinking about God and Jesus and who I am in God... my true identity. As I have taken time to do this each of the last two days, it has prepared me for the day and circumstances that lie ahead of me.

I challenge you to try this. Don't just take my list and use it but create your own confessions. Perhaps use the same technique I used if you have made it a practice of underlining scriptures. Or you might look into the books of Proverbs or Psalm to pick out relevant verses that you find meaningful. If you do this, I'll bet that you notice a difference in how the day goes.

Let me know....... and have a great day in the Lord!!

It Comes Back to You

When you give, it does come back to you.

This morning I was awakened by a by a pastor of a local ministry who I am providing complementary health coaching to. He was so excited that he started his day with a walk... a walk of a distance that he had not covered in years and years. I could tell by his voice that he was energized and hopeful about his efforts to lose weight and become healthier.

This was a blessing to me... hearing his voice and knowing that he wanted to share this moment of victory with me. It was a great way to start my day. It gave me encouragement and lifted my spirit knowing that he was grateful and encouraged.

It is a spiritual law... give and it shall be given unto you. Sow and you will reap. It is found throughout the Bible and it is a form of spiritual exercise because it is a principle of God and the Christian faith. We give not so that we can receive but we give from a loving heart that has been touched and transformed by God.

Go find someone to give of your time and talents because you care about them.

Have a great day! I know I will. :-)

His Instruction Manual.....Our Owner's Guide for Living

Have you ever wondered where to look in the Bible to read about the benefits of obeying God's commandments and principles? I have found that Psalm 119 is the most comprehensive chapter that speaks to this issue. You can read a contemporary version of this Psalm at Biblegateway.com.

In Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, the writer uses the words principles, laws, precepts and commandments 156 times in the 176 verses to describe how God blesses him as he lives according to the principles of God. Happiness, joy, a renewed life, hope, freedom, understanding, comfort, wisdom, peace and health are some of these blessings mentioned that the author received and that we can have if we live as God instructs us to live in the Bible.

If you take time to read this chapter, I hope that you can identify with the reader in the blessings you can also receive as you live a life that lines up with God's precepts. Reading the Bible and Obeying God's Principles are two Spiritual Exercises that are important in living the full and abundant life that God intended for us all to live.

I have found that as I live in accordance with God's principles as outlined in the Bible that my life is more joyful and that I am more at peace. Our sinful nature beckons us to live in ways contrary to God's commandments but as we surrender more and more to Him, we can experience more true freedom and joy. This happens because God designed us to live His way, not our way. And the only way to live His way is to know His way and that comes by reading the Bible.

Try it and see if your life doesn't change.

Running in alignment with Him!