SR

Information Really Is Power

2011-12-17T08:50:00.001-08:00

Information Really Is Power

When it comes to good health, knowledge is power. This is why I spend at least thirty minutes everyday reading something about how to live healthy. Remember Hosea 4:6a says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:…” The enemy wants to destroy you through ignorance so wise up.

We can’t say a lack of information is responsible for the unhealthy and overweight condition in which we, as a nation, find ourselves. The USDA Food Guide, provided online at www.choosemyplate.gov, is a great tool in helping you eat in a healthy manner. The website has many tools for learning how to eat in a healthy manner.

Let’s get into it and talk about what kinds of foods to eat. There are some guidelines that will help you. First and foremost, shop for the “live” foods. Live foods are those found around the outside aisles of the grocery store. That’s where you find the fruits, vegetables, dairy, meats, poultry and fish that are so healthy for us. Down the inside of the aisles is where you find processed foods that are “dead” foods, and perhaps they have been on those shelves for months or years. Do you really want to focus on putting that kind of-food often loaded with preservatives-into your body?

Learn to read nutrition labels on the back of food packages. You won’t find nutrition labels on fruits and vegetables but they are on anything humans have processed.

Calories per serving: the first thing to look at when reading a label is the portion size. Many people don’t consider this and think they are taking fewer calories than they really are because instead of eating a half-cup serving of something, they have eaten a cup.
Check out the calories in a single serving. Calories are fuel for the body and we need them to live, but if we have become overweight, it’s an indication we have consistently taken in more calories than we can burn and the excess is being stored as fat. If you’re going to lose weight you have to cut back on caloric intake.

Fats: Next look for fat grams. Fat is dense, and a little fat can pack a lot of calories. There are healthy fats and dangerous trans-fats. Trans-fat is the common name for a type of unsaturated fat with trans-isomer fatty acid. These fats can increase the risk of heart disease by raising LDL (bad cholesterol) and lowering the HDL (good cholesterol). Everyone needs some fat in their diet to maintain healthy cells and a strong nervous system and good skin and hair. However these fats should be mono-unsaturated fats, Omega 3 oils, such as those found in nuts, olive oil and other unsaturated oils.
The healthy kinds of fats are necessary for the ultimate functioning of the body and mind. They promote a healthy heart. They help prevent cancer. They keep down inflammation. They benefit nerve cells in the eyes and promote eye health. Because the brain is 60 percent fat, fat is necessary for healthy communication between the brain and nervous system. The right fats improve your mood and help in weight loss by increasing satisfaction from the foods you eat so that you will eat less.

Fiber: Check out the fiber grams on the label. You want to choose foods with high fiber content, as most Americans don’t eat enough fiber. You need 30 grams of fiber every day to keep the body functioning at its optimum.

Make wise choices with your food purchases. Read those labels and know what you are putting in your mouth. It matters. It makes a difference, and the difference shows up in added weight or loss of weight.

How Then Shall You Eat?

2011-12-04T03:59:00.000-08:00

How Then Shall You Eat?

“For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey;” Deuteronomy 8:7-8

The answer to what shall we eat is simple: better and less. Eat less and eat foods that are as close to the way God made them as possible-straight from the ground, straight from the trees. Eat food for health and not because you think it will make you happy.

God is one cool God. He created food and He wants us to enjoy our food. He put 10,000 taste buds on the tongue, in the throat and esophagus that provide information about the taste of the food we eat. Taste buds detect the four elements of taste perception: salty, sour, bitter, sweet. The food we eat hits a cluster of these taste receptors and transfers the information to the cortex of the cerebrum in our brain. It’s a complicated process that was given to us for one reason. God wants us to enjoy the taste of our food.

Food is beautiful-especially food in its natural state before all identity has been processed out of it. I suppose God could have made all our food gray in color and it could have been just as nutritious, but He didn’t do that. He made food orange, dark green, red, purple, yellow and white. God made food to appeal to the eye and then to the palate. God wants us to enjoy the way our food looks and taste.

“But I don’t do vegetables, and very little fruit, either,” I hear you say. Well, that has to change. Remember that taste is acquired. There are places in the world people eat grasshoppers and insect larvae. There are places where people eat animals we consider pets. And they enjoy what they eat! Taste is something we learn. Some of our learning has not been good for our health. We have to unlearn the kinds of eating behavior that hurt us and relearn healthier ways of eating. We can learn to eat fruits and vegetables and enjoy them-and we must.

I suppose the next question would be, “How much should I eat”? You should eat enough to fuel your body so that it is at its peak efficiency for what God wants you to do in life. God intended that you glorify him with your body in your eating. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, ”Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Even in your eating you can glorify God.” I’ll be honest: I’m not sure about all the ways you can glorify God by what you eat, but I am sure that overeating and gluttony are not among them. (see Proverbs 23:1-3).

Oh! I almost forgot to mention the importance of drinking plenty of water and leaving the sugar laden soft drinks and fruit juices on the store shelves. Water works to transport nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. It functions as a lubricant and a coolant. Water is used by the body for respiration, regulating the body’s temperature, increasing metabolism and is necessary for the removal of body wastes. Water is also a great aid to losing weight because it is calorie free, has no fat or cholesterol and is low in sodium.

So the bottom line is-eat better, healthier foods that are found on the outer perimeter of the grocery store like fruits and vegetables. Drink plenty of water and avoid purchasing the dead-processed foods found in the middle aisles.

Four Spiritual Motivators for Change

2011-08-19T17:31:00.001-07:00

“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind:” Ephesians 4:23

Change is very difficult because we are creatures of habit. Motivation is needed in order to make significant health changes in your life. Here are some things you can do to motivate yourself for change:

1. Rely on God
The number one way for me to stay motivated is to rely on God. Remember John 15:5 says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” There is no way I could have achieved my goal of losing over one hundred pounds without the help of the Lord. When I rely on Him, I am not alone. He is with me. Even though I knew for a long time that I needed to get healthy and needed to lose weight and exercise, my spirit was willing, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. One of the functions of the Holy Spirit is as a helper. I had to learn to pray specifically for the power of the Holy Spirit to fill my life and help me. I had to learn to walk in the Spirit–at the dinner table, in my recliner after dinner and at church functions where there was an over-abundance of food. I made a conscience decision to walk in the Spirit on those occasions. What went for the eating part also went for the exercise part. The Holy Spirit had to help me get moving. I literally had to “move” with the Holy Spirit.

2. Refine Your Attitude
One of the first things I had to do in achieving a healthy body was to refine my attitude. The Bible says, “As he thinks in his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). In other words, “Your attitude, not your aptitude, determines your altitude in life.” I had some unhealthy attitudes to work through before I could rise above my weight, and perhaps you do too. Do you reject your body? Some of us look at or bodies and say God you messed up when you made me. With regards to the body God gave you, the important thing to remember is he gave it to you. And no matter how much you try to change it through weight loss, surgery or exercise you are still stuck with the basic framework you got when you were born. The best thing you can do is learn to love your body, treat it well and realize that while it’s not perfect, it’s the temple of God. The key is balance. We are to love and care for our body, but not make it an idol that consumes our thinking and our time. Remember, we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14).

3. Read the Bible Every Day
I can’t emphasize enough that the Bible is the recorded Word of God given to us. It is the “living word” that brings health and vitality to our inward life. It’s the way we renew our minds. It’s the way we get to know the Author and His Son. It provides the encouragement to put off our former lifestyle and take up a new one. Feed your mind healthy thoughts just as you feed your body healthy food. In addition to reading the Bible, meditate on it. Remember Psalm 1:2 which says, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.” Think about what you are reading, chew on it. Extract the meaning. Apply what you read) to your own life and make decisions based on what you learned.

4. Read Health –Related Books or Materials Every Day
There are thousands of book and magazines on health, diet and exercise. I’m a busy guy and don’t have time to read lots of stuff. But every day I try to read some kind of health-related materials to feed my mind. Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” Today there is no excuse for anyone to have lack of knowledge about anything, much less about health issues. We are in the middle of the greatest explosion of knowledge the world has ever seen. Of course you have to be careful about what kind of information you are accessing and using. Some information is dangerous and useless. Rely on the Holy Spirit to guide you to the best sources of information.

What should you do with these four spiritual motivators for change? Start putting them into practice. No more tomorrow diets. No more Monday diets. Stop making excuses. Start today to become a better you.

Begin with a Goal

2011-07-26T11:26:00.001-07:00

“And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” Habakkuk 2:2

Someone once said that if you don’t set a goal, how will you know where you are going and how will you know when you arrive? And when you get back, how will you know where you’ve been?

It is important to set goals and it is also important to keep that goal in front of you. Write down your weight loss goal on a sticky note and post it on your bathroom mirror and refrigerator door. Post it in the front of a book you may be reading. Post it on your computer or on the dashboard of your car.

Setting a goal tends to focus you on what you want to achieve. It’s like you’re making a contract with yourself. It drives your motivation. Keep the goal achievable. Set your goals realistically so that you can be successful. That will keep you motivated.

Here are some tips for goal setting:

• Write down your goal. Again post it where you see it often.
• Make the goal attainable. “I will lose one to two pounds a week.”

• Let everyone know about your goals and get people to encourage you. Spouses and children are notorious for trashing weight-loss plans. Explain to them what you are trying to achieve, a BOD4God, and ask them to be supportive.

• Vary your exercise and try to have fun. Take a walk one day, lift weights the next, ride a bike, swim or play basketball or handball. Watching TV while moving your body can help take the tediousness out of exercise and give you something to look forward to during that time.

• Try new seasonings and flavors in your food but stay away from any that add calories. There are tons of recipes on line for healthy, delicious dishes that will bring new flavors to your palate. Type the words “weight loss recipes’ into an internet search engine for more healthy food ideas than you will live long enough to eat. The Mayo Clinic has a great website for recipes. My favorite website for recipes is www.firstplace4health.org.

• Reward your success on reaching your goal, but don’t do it with food. This is one of the toughest places to retrain one’s self because most of us have been rewarded with food from the time we were sitting in a highchair.

• Remember the Scripture, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Your vision for a healthy body needs to be clearly stated and kept in front of you. This is a very important step in weight loss.

The Anti-Fat Pastor’s Call for Anti-Fat Christians

2010-12-02T12:53:00.000-08:00

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life but I never thought I’d be called the “Anti-Fat Pastor”. Not me, the one who for years wouldn’t go to bed until I’d eaten my nightly giant bowl of ice cream as I sat in my La-Z-Boy™ recliner. “The Anti-Fat Pastor”, who me? The one who weighed in at 340 pounds and suffered with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes? Wow! Has my life changed!

Someone once said a journey begins with the first step. My journey began with a prayer to God for guidance with my weight and health issues. My first step was the decision to live better once my heart was impressed with a passage from the scriptures that would inspire me to change.

God is faithful, and He is able. He led me to a passage in His Word that directly addresses the issues I was facing. It was Colossians 1:16, “For by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” I learned that everything that exists was created by Him for Him. That included me. If He was in control of all things, then he was in control of my life and if I’d let Him He could be in control of my weight issues too. It was a wonderful revelation!

At first the issue was so personal that I told no one. I kept it between God and me. I knew I could never lose weight and be fit without God’s intervention. I continued to pray and seek His direction. I began to lose weight and when I’d lost 70 pounds my health issues were brought under control. To this day, I’m free from those illnesses.

As I prayed and meditated on this Scripture, God gave me a step-by-step prescription for making small changes in my life. I call them “Small Steps To Life”. Once I began to follow them, I began to see results. Yes, I saw physical changes, but I also saw spiritual changes. My faith increased with each change I made and each pound I shed.

I knew I’d discovered something important and it was my responsibility to share what I’d learned with my church and my community. I realized Christians are the most overweight people group on earth. We are more overweight than any other religious group you can name.

Christians should be the most healthy people group, especially when we consider the physical condition of Jesus Christ, our Founder and Leader.

We are representatives of Christ and are called to reflect his character. As a result of following the God given prescription I received I have lost over 100 pounds. Will you join me and work to become anti-fat Christians?

Nelson Searcy Book Recommendation Video

2010-12-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

The Challenge Of Time

2009-04-25T08:24:00.000-07:00

These are challenging times! The “Big Rocks” in our lives will become stumbling blocks unless we can overcome them. Jesus Told us “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32).

The greatest teaching fact on time management is found in the Bible

You can take these truths and begin to apply them to your life. There are so many books written on time management but most people forget about God's book. I believe this is an area we all struggle with. Here are some ways you can improve this area.

I. Commit your time to GOD.

A. We must make everyday count for God.

“So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

B. Life is making decisions and making them work.

“Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Proverbs 16:3

II. Make the Bible your time management tool.

A. The Bible is the Word of God.

“20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” II Peter 1:20-21

B. We are commanded to read the Bible.

“Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” I Timothy 4:13

C. Bible reading is necessary for spiritual growth.

“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” I Peter 2:2

Truthful Fact: Spiritual food is even more important than physical food.

“Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12

III. Spend Time in A SMALL GROUP.

A. Sign up for a group here at Capital Baptist Church.

“4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.” Romans 12:4-5

B. Show up for a group at Capital Baptist Church.

“9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

C. Speak up at a group at Capital Baptist Church

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another….” Colossians 3:16a

V. ASK GOD TO GROW YOU.

Our goal is for us to become more like Jesus.

“28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:28-29

Pray for spiritual growth.

“14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
20 Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
21 Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Ephesians 3:14-21

What challenge in your life is a stumbling block?

Will you overcome the challenge of time?

“24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.” Matthew 7:24-25

Your Temple and God

2009-02-27T07:04:00.000-08:00

“What? Know ye know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God and ye are not your own?” 1Corinthians 6:19

Bod4God is not another diet book. It’s about developing a new lifestyle. My desire for you is a complete makeover, a biblical makeover. Using the truth of God’s word is the best way, the only way for the Christian.
I can’t stress how important it is to make a daily decision to honor God with our bodies. This is why I’ve chosen to continue the discussion concerning the three steps mentioned in the previous article. Everyday we must make the decision to dedicate, discipline and deliver our bodies to the Lord.
Somewhere there was a disconnection between my belief and my behavior. Had you asked me, “Hey, what’s your body for?” I would have responded, “Oh, it’s for God.” That’s what I believed, but my lifestyle didn’t reflect that belief. I came to realize that I really didn’t believe my whole body belonged to God. Had I truly believed my body belonged to God my behavior would have reflected such a belief. When you truly believe something you will act on that belief, you will live what you believe. Thus my struggle, how do I connect the two? The answer was found in the dedication of my body to God. I have to believe my body is the temple of God. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1Corinthians 3:16)
Making the decision to dedicate our bodies is a necessary part of any effort to change. Once the decision is made we must follow through and that’s the hard part. Change is difficult to accomplish without discipline.
We are called to use our “members as instruments of righteousness to God”. When we think “members” we can’t just think actual body parts. We must include our mind, our heart and our emotions. I’m sure you’ve heard it said the mind is the battlefield. Daily we are under attack through the media, associates and the culture. There’s another expression, “the one who controls the heart controls the man/woman”. Next installment, let’s delve deeper into the role our unseen members play in our quest for change.
We tend to forget our mission, our purpose. Once you come to Christ “Your body is the temple of God”. How often have you forgotten?

How To Relieve Your Stress

2009-01-07T07:11:00.000-08:00

In these stressful times you long for a more peaceful life. I did a series based on Psalm 23 a few months ago. I was overwhelmed with the amount of stress that people carry from day to day and year to year. I want you to experience a peace release in 2009. David was no different from you. Before you can understand Psalm 23, look at the background of a broken life. This Psalm will show you how to experience a peace filled life in a stress filled world.

The Bible tells us… Everyone experiences trouble; you are not the only one!

Paul did….

“For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:”
II Corinthians 1:8

David did….

“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.” Psalm 42:5

The term “cast down” is a shepherds term for a sheep that has turned over on its back and cannot get up again by itself. A “cast sheep” is a very pathetic sight. Lying on its back, its feet in the air, it flails frantically struggling to stand up, without success. Sometimes it will bleat a little for help, but generally it lies there lashing about in frightened frustration. If the owner does not arrive at the scene within a reasonably short time, the sheep will die.

“He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.” Psalm 147:3

Lets look at II Samuel chapter eleven to get a better glimpse, so that we can understand this popular Psalm...

I. THE REALITY OF DAMAGED EMOTIONS
(II Samuel 11:1-27)

A. David struggled with the emotion of guilt

“For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me.” Psalm 38:4

B. David struggled with emotion of grief.

“Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.” Psalm 31:9

C. David struggled with the emotion of grudges.

“Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth:…” Psalm 58:6a

II. THE RESTORATION OF DAMAGED EMOTIONS
(II Samuel 12:1-24)

A. Confess your sin to God and receive forgiveness from God (vs 1-13)

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9

B. Understand that sinful living in the past can lead to negative circumstances in the future (vs 14-15)

“7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”Galatians 6:7-8

C. Seek God’s help (v 16).

“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.” I Samuel 30:6

GOD’S COMFORTERS

1. God’s Word

“I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself.” Psalm 119:52

Discipline #1: Daily read the Bible

“For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” II Corinthians 4:16

2. God’s People

“3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” II Corinthians 1:3-4

Discipline #2: Be a participator not a spectator.

“9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

3. God’s Spirit

“14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
14:17 Even the Spirit of truth;” John 14:16-17a

Discipline #3: Walk in the Spirit

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” Galatians 5:16

D. Trust God in all things. (12:17-20)

“Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.” I Peter 4:19

E. Accept what cannot be changed (12:21-23)

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11

F. Focus on the future and not the past (12:24)

“18 Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth;” Isaiah 43:18-19a

CONCLUSION: Your goal in life should be to finish with joy.

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24

DEDICATION: HONORING GOD WITH YOUR BODY... CONTINUED

2008-12-02T07:07:00.001-08:00

DEDICATION: HONORING GOD WITH YOUR BODY CONTINUED

“What? Know ye know that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God and ye are not your own?” 1Corinthians 6:19

Bod4God is not another diet book. It’s about developing a new lifestyle. My desire for you is a complete makeover, a biblical makeover. Using the truth of God’s word is the best way, the only way for the Christian.

I can’t stress how important it is to make a daily decision to honor God with our bodies. This is why I’ve chosen to continue the discussion concerning the three steps mentioned in the previous article. Everyday we must make the decision to dedicate, discipline and deliver our bodies to the Lord.

Somewhere there was a disconnection between my belief and my behavior. Had you asked me, “Hey, what’s your body for?” I would have responded, “Oh, it’s for God.” That’s what I believed, but my lifestyle didn’t reflect that belief. I came to realize that I really didn’t believe my whole body belonged to God. Had I truly believed my body belonged to God my behavior would have reflected such a belief. When you truly believe something you will act on that belief, you will live what you believe. Thus my struggle, how do I connect the two? The answer was found in the dedication of my body to God. I have to believe my body is the temple of God. “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1Corinthians 3:16)

Making the decision to dedicate our bodies is a necessary part of any effort to change. Once the decision is made we must follow through and that’s the hard part. Change is difficult to accomplish without discipline.

We are called to use our “members as instruments of righteousness to God”. When we think “members” we can’t just think actual body parts. We must include our mind, our heart and our emotions. I’m sure you’ve heard it said the mind is the battlefield. Daily we are under attack through the media, associates and the culture. There’s another expression, “the one who controls the heart controls the man/woman”. Next installment, let’s delve deeper into the role our unseen members play in our quest for change.

We tend to forget our mission, our purpose. Once you come to Christ “Your body is the temple of God”. How often have you forgotten?

Dedication

2008-11-04T14:34:00.001-08:00

Dedication: HONORING GOD WITH YOUR BODY

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Gal 5:16)

My journey to weight loss began with dedicating myself to God. In Galatians 5:16, Paul calls this concept walking in the Spirit. It means allowing the Holy Spirit to control you. I had to learn to bring the Holy Spirit into my life when it came to eating and exercising. While I depended on God for my sermons I had to depend on him for self-control in my eating and exercising habits.

The human aspect of who we are is found in Matthew 26:41b, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Our flesh is weak and is what we tend to respond to. We give in to its cravings, what it lusts for. The Bible says we won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh if we will walk in the Spirit. Are you willing to allow the Holy Spirit to control you? Will you walk in the Spirit? I was one with the Holy Spirit when I preached but I needed to include him when I sat down for meals.

First we have to dedicate our bodies to God. Romans 12:1-2 says, “I beseech you there, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Your body is not for gratification of self, but for the glorification of God. God gave us these bodies to honor him – they are not our own. This is contrary to the popular belief that, “ it’s my body; I can do what I want with it.” No it’s not yours and you can’t do what you want with it. Our desire should reflect the attitude found in Philippians 1:20 and that Christ would be magnified in our bodies.

Secondly, we need to discipline our bodies for God. Read Romans 6:11-13. Here we find the concept of losing yourself, dying to self, being dead to sin, but alive to God through Jesus Christ. We’re called to not use our “members”, our body parts as instruments of sin but for righteousness. Where are you going with your feet? What are you doing with your hands? What about your mouth? Your eyes, what are you watching on television or reading in books? Do you get what I’m saying? Do you understand that every part of our body is an instrument?

We must deliver our bodies, one day we will all stand before God and be required to give an account of our lives. We’ll have to account for how we used our time, our talents and our treasures. We’ll also have to given an account of how we cared for our temple, our body. II Corinthians 5:10 says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

Decide today to use your members as instruments of righteousness.

The New Journey No 1

2008-10-08T09:46:00.000-07:00

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” (Matt. 16:24-25, NKJV)

I invited you to embark on a journey to achieve good health. The first thing we must do is make the decision that we’re ready for a life change and willing to take the necessary steps to achieve that change. We must accept the fact that what works for some doesn’t necessarily work for others. I had a man ask me “Don’t you think it is possible to lose weight without God?” Well of course it is. People lose weight everyday using secular programs all the time. However, the secular programs don’t work for me. I need the Holy Spirit’s program. So I’m sharing with you what works for me.

Do you know that the Bible uses the word “body” 179 times? This should let you know how important our bodies are to God. Society tells us our bodies are ours to use anyway we want. The Bible teaches us that we need to have a Bod4God. We need to acknowledge that God created our bodies to be used for His purpose.

Our lives should be all about God and should honor Him. We are given specific instructions as to how we are to honor God with our bodies. Romans 12:1 says, “I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

The weight loss program that God established in my heart, Losing to Live, comes from the Scripture, Matthew 16:24-25 (quoted above), where Jesus basically says, if you desire to follow Me, deny yourself. I had to learn how to deny myself - especially at meal time. I had to realize, it’s not about me. God created my body for Himself. I needed to recognize my body as His body, His temple. The scripture goes on to say “take up your cross”. My cross was excess food and lack of exercise. I had to take up the cross and deny myself in an area that was difficult for me, but I sincerely wanted to follow Him. What’s your cross?

After taking up our crosses we must be willing to follow Him. If we follow Christ we will discover true life. It’s an issue of being willing to lose to live. In order to follow thru with this command, next month from the
D-I-E-T acrostic we’ll discuss D-dedication-honoring God with your body.

Fall Series

2008-10-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

PEACEFUL LIVING IN STRESSFUL TIMES:How To Relieve Your Stress

In these stressful times you long for a more peaceful life.

This series which is based on Psalm 23 will show you how to experience a peace filled life in a stress filled world.

Come and find the ultimate relief for the daily stresses of your life.

September 28 Relieving The Stress Of Worry

October 5 Relieving The Stress Of Busyness

October 12 Relieving The Stress Of Damaged Emotions

October 19 Relieving The Stress Of Indecision

October 26 Relieving The Stress Of Death

November 2 Relieving The Stress Of Difficult Relationships

November 9 Relieving The Stress Of The Future