You wash your face in the morning and look in the mirror. All you can see is insecurity in your eyes. It is difficult to bring a smile to your gloomy expression. In your forehead are furrows as a result of physical pain and dread reflects in the glass.
Automatically you proceed to dress for the day. Your mood dictates what you decide to wear and so you choose something that doesn’t stand out and draw attention. Your choice is in sharp contrast to the brightness of the day and without your realizing it, you will stand out. You don’t feel like eating and so you skip the fuel your body needs to function. Your steps are heavy and labored because of the burdens you’ve allowed to gather and rest on your shoulders. This causes you to walk slightly bent down beneath the weight of it all.
It’s still early and the sky is dark, there is no sun yet on the eastern horizon as you lock your back door. You get into your car and start the engine to drive off and face….
Come on Christian; wake up from your sleep! Tell me what excuse you have to start your day in such a manner as this? Now I know that I am scolding, but do you realize that it is “me” that I’ve been scolding right along with some of you?
Each day is a new adventure.
God has allowed us to be a witness for Him just one more day! There are many who are in despair not because they are having a bad hair day but because their hearts are hurting and they don’t yet realize that it is the Savior, Jesus Christ they need. They look at you in your walk of doom and don’t have a clue that Jesus even exists. Shame on us for days like this…
You know, they don’t need a preacher. They need a beacon of light. They don’t need condemnation to be convicted of sin. They need a sign for which way to turn. They don’t need a lifeless tract, leaflet to an event or even a Bible handed to them. They need a breathing human being, whose eyes are focused on the Lord, walking just a slight step ahead of them so they don’t have to run to keep up. They need to be able to have someone close by so that they might grasp a helping hand. They need a Christian who is acting as an instrument of peace and love. Yes, that is what they need! Christians, we need to step into our calling everyday. We won’t need another message hammered into our heads again to go out and be a witness if it is a habitual way of life for us. Lord, forgive us for missing the mark on this one.
“Right Vision” is the chapter focus for me this week from Joyce Meyer’s book, Look Great, Feel Great. The scenario I described above is the way I used to be most every morning. My day would start in a big “Ho-hum” sort of way. It was always a challenge to get up and get going. Rising like that was my habit and it was a very bad habit! You see, when you start your day like that it will only seem longer and gloomier as the day moves on. I can speak this way because I have learned a lesson or two and I hope to help anyone who is going through times like these to come out of the darkness and walk in the light before the world.
A Verse to Feed Upon...
Joyce says we need to develop a “right vision” by thinking and speaking our reality into existence. Her words are confirmation to me. Recognizing that the spirit and the flesh are at war and that many things from our past and our present situations influence our attitudes is the first step to a “right vision” in my opinion. The things we think about before we go to bed, when we wake up and during the day all determines how we will walk through them. Just because we may have had a lousy past or the present is overwhelming doesn’t give us an excuse to mope around.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience and God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
I know that I need to believe this verse and act upon it everyday remembering that the Lord is there for me. He is the champion and I am on His side! Many times and in many circles I hear that He is on our side and I don’t think that is entirely correct. I need to be on His side! He is the commander. I need to be even more aware of the battle that goes on (not out in the world) but the one inside my head. I need to banish thoughts that depress me, keeping me in bondage and making me mad whether it is from the present or the past. As I look over my relationships today with others, I need to determine what part I’m playing in making them better or worse. So the “right vision” is first becoming aware of what I am thinking and why I think this way. Now as I ponder this, I need to ask the Holy Spirit to help me to become stronger and more courageous in my daily walk. I know that’s just one of the things I need to do. Over time I’ve become better at this but I still must make a conscious effort to do it daily, hourly and even every moment!
When I’ve made my choice to walk this life consciously, then I can go to work to make changes for the benefit of my Lord. I need to arrest my attitude that creates my feelings and put these in a holding tank to examine them. In reality, I put myself in “time-out” in order to deal with controlling my emotions. God doesn’t want me to live by my feelings. I believe He gave us feelings to understand the compassion that we are to bestow upon others. We have turned this gift around and focused only on ourselves for the most part. Sometimes we walk about with our “feelers” out just looking for someone to pounce on because they offended us. If I go looking for something to be offended about I will certainly find it. Proverb 14:29 says that “People with understanding control their anger; a hot temper shows great foolishness.” If we have understanding, even if we become angry, we will control our anger and not take offense. When we take offence it reflects poorly on our testimony before the Lord. Taking control of our emotions is the positive change that should follow becoming self-aware of our thinking.
Just about everyone I know tends to assume the worst when we are faced with an unknown future. Why do we do that? This is the world’s response. The world has greatly influenced our thinking and reacting. But we have been adopted into the family of God so we need to stop thinking like the world and begin to be positive and assume the best. It will not be natural for us to reverse our thinking but we must. List all the negative words that affect your life and then think of its positive opposite. We are to be positive. Look at all we have to look forward to. It will be worth it all when we see Christ! It will! We need to realize that we are a part of God’s bigger picture. The world doesn’t revolve around us. If you can't see it yet, believe me that one day we will all see that everything revolves around Him and Him alone!
So what do you see?
As for me, I have changed from the gloom of despair to a better attitude. Somewhere in the first few moments that I become fully awake, I begin my walk and talk with the Lord. Moving down the stairsteps has become a time of thanks that I am able to get up and that my husband is still peacefully sleeping in the bed I've just left. It's quite interesting that at this early time I often think of people that don't normally cross my mind. I've come to think that God sends them to me on purpose so that I will pray for them and lift them up to Him. Gettting ready in the morning isn't so much about how I feel but the thinking has changed into what can I do to help others. Sometimes I even send an email in that early time to someone who is going through a tough time or leave a scripture on FB for my family, friends and even to remind myself that He is the reason we have one more day. As I go out the door and get into my car, I'm not gloomy. Often I will put in a CD or turn on the PositiveHits station for spiritual companionship on my commute to work. My work day begins and there isn't much time to think of anything but what must be done at the moment. I have little things surrounding me that remind me to whom I belong when things get a little tough. By lunch time, I'm able to once again listen to uplifitng music that helps to carry me through to the end of the workday. So, generally I have changed my morning and workday thinking. This habit has become natural.
I'm in transition now. My evening hours from around 6 PM onward until bedtime are not very consistent. This is where I need to focus my efforts. I know that I need to have my supper at a regular hour and that my bedtime needs to also be at regular hour but I'm just not completely there yet. Often by the time I drop exhausted to my bed, I'm not very positive. I know it's mostly because I'm tired and haven't developed a good routine. It's taken me since June to turn my morning and day activities into a positive reality and it will take a little while longer to establish my evening to bedtime habit. Right now, this area is usually dictated by what I'm able to accomplish during the day. I haven't learned yet to just lay aside things that aren't finished at a reasonable hour and get my rest. It will happen. I'm working on it. When I've moved into better habits here I'll be sure to post it. LOL
Now, my questions are these: Do you see yourself changing? Do you see yourself waking each morning thinking about Him instead of you? Do you see the future? Do you see the Great I AM?
I've been blessed by this wonderfully worded musical message by Eddie James. I hope it blesses you, too. Turn off my player at the bottom of this post before you click on the URL to view.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHz2_HLw7fg&feature=related
I AM by Eddie James
I AM the Lord, I AM the Almighty God.
I AM the One for when nothing is too hard
I AM the Shepherd and I AM the Door
I AM the Good news to the bound and the poor
Chorus: I AM …
I AM the righteous One and I AM the Lamb,
I AM the Ram in the bush for Abraham,
I AM the Ultimate Sacrifice for sin,
I AM your Redeemer, the Beginning and the End
Chorus: I AM …
I AM Jehovah, and I AM the King,
I AM Messiah, David’s Offspring,
I AM your High Priest, and I AM the Christ,
I AM the Resurrection, I AM the Life
Chorus: I AM …
I AM the Bread, and I AM the Wine,
I AM your Future, so leave your past behind.
I AM the One in the midst of two or three,
I AM your Tabernacle, I AM your Jubilee.
Chorus: I AM …
I AM the Bread, I AM the Wine,
And I AM your Future, so leave your past behind.
I AM the One in the midst of two or three,
I AM your Tabernacle, I AM your Jubilee.
Chorus: I AM …
I AM Hope, I AM Peace, I AM Joy, I AM Rest,
Oh I AM your Comfort, and Relief from your stress,
I AM Strength, I AM Faith, I AM Love, I AM Power,
And today I AM your Freedom, this very hour.
Chorus: I AM …
I AM Hope, I am Peace I AM Joy, I AM Rest,
I AM your Comfort, and Relief from your stress,
I AM Strength, I AM Faith, I AM Love, I AM Power,
I AM your Freedom, this very hour.
I AM
1266
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
HELP! I’M BEING ATTACKED. IT’S BIG! IT’S BAD! IT’S UGLY!
It’s me! Oh no. It’s me! All at once my heart rate is speeding up and my coronary arteries are dilating. I don’t know what to do. "Quick grab that bag of chips!"
Oh no! My bronchial tubes seem to be closing, my metabolism is racing and I feel an increase of heart contractions. "Hey you, behind the counter, I want that, too. You have to give me that huge candy bar!"
Oh my! My anxiety is off the charts, my gastrointestinal system is working overtime and the rate of my respiration is increasing and deepening. "I have to go NOW and quickly because this isn't enough. I need the largest order of cheeseburgers and fries that I can get my hands on. I have to go. Get out of my way! Now!"
I hear them! They are saying, "Get out of her way. Her pupils are dilated and she’s a crazy woman!” They don’t know how dry my mouth is and I just want the largest Dr. Pepper on ice I can get (to go with those cheeseburgers).
I hope you laughed a little at this scenario. But the truth is the symptoms that happen in the body above happen to all of us at one time or another.
What on earth has come over me? (or you?) What is it?
It’s stress, and not just any stress. It’s chronic! Paul tells us that our bodies are to be used as instruments of righteousness to God. Romans 6:12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. How can we be used as instruments of righteousness when our bodies are acting like they don’t even belong to us?
Let’s look at that scripture again from Romans 6, and change just one word. Are you ready? Wow! What a revelation this was for me!
Do not let stress control the way you live; do not give in to stressful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve stress. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Did that speak to you like it did to me?
It’s actually pretty amazing!
God made our bodies in an amazing way in order that we might live in this world. We have a mechanism built within us that we’ve come to know as the fight or flight response. That’s exactly what I described earlier. Who knows the reason God first made Adam and Eve with a fight or flight response? Perhaps it was in order to fight or flee from satan. Whatever the reason, we have this mechanism built in and it helps us to maneuver our day-to-day living. The problem is that the move advanced mankind has become the more this mechanism is kicked into high gear. Our bodies don’t have a chance to be relaxed because we are always in a state of physiological alertness. Most of us don’t have any place to run and we certainly don’t know how to fight something we can’t see. What do we do? We compensate by eating or by falling into the trap of an addiction to cope when the body cries the high alert. It has become a major health problem and we know this as chronic stress.
What does chronic stress do to you? If you want a full description, Joyce Meyer gives explicit details and examples of what stress is and what it does to you in the “De-Stress” chapter of Look Great, Feel Great. I went a step further and found a more condensed list at http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/stress1.htm In a nutshell, chronic stress sucks the physical life out of you in every way it can. It can show up as diarrhea, nausea, indigestion, sphincter of Oddi spasms (gallbladder problems), spastic colon, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, colds and sinus infections, vaginal yeast infections, bladder infections, fiber myalgia, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, hyperventilation, asthma, headaches, migraines and more. Do you suffer from any of these symptoms?
Generally, even our doctors don’t talk about chronic stress to us. We are given prescriptions and live off of drugs to cope. The entire time our body is still crying. We may have eased the symptoms but the underlying factors are never addressed. It shows that you eat too much so your doctor says, “Lose it.” You can’t sleep so you’re doctor prescribes a sleep test and then you’re hooked up to CPAP machine. You might be given numerous meds to ease your discomfort so you can finally get to sleep. Your lab work shows high this and high that or this one is too low and the little pink, yellow, green, and white parade of pills are all clumped together in your daily pill box. Oh, and lest we forget there are the vitamins that you must take in order to survive your life in this world. Come on; let’s think about it! Did God ever make a pill tree?
Now, I’m not saying that doctors and medicine is wrong. Many of us have come to a place where we must take a regiment of certain pills to help us. But I am saying that if we do what we should in order to repair our bodies then it will only stand to reason that many, if not all, of the pills we rely on daily can be eliminated or at least reduced. I have witnessed that meds can be reduced and some even stopped. I know people who have decided that their bodies, God’s temples, needed repair. They began the process and asked for God’s assistance. They believed in His healing power and He was able to deliver them even from stress.
So what can we do about it?
Joyce Meyer is so cool, she gives us several ways to de-stress. I have even thought of a few different ones, as I’m sure you can, too. She shares that we need to reach out to others for support. Let your intercessors know that you need to be lifted up in prayer. Seek out others who have some of the same issues that you have and help one another. Even in our sickness, we can be a minister and blessing to someone else. Maybe we can’t run around and do all kinds of physical things just yet. We can still obey God, pray and love others.
Joyce says we need to adopt an attitude of shrugging things off that trigger our stress. We are supposed to cast our cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). We also need to get out of the habit of always having to be in control. When we are like that, we create our own stress. This “bad habit” needs to go. After all aren’t we supposed to give it all to the Lord? He should be the one in control. Why are we trying to do His job? Is it because we think we don’t need Him? (Man, I need Him every moment of my life!)
Finally, she says we need to get the right nutrition into our diets and learn to relax. Do some research and find something that you can do for yourself to relax. Maybe it’s a walk with your praise and worship music or favorite sermon being piped in your ear. Perhaps you need the touch of a massage or the company of a friend. Maybe you like to write and off you go pursuing the way words comes together for you. Whatever your stress buster is, believe in the Lord Jesus to help you overcome the tentacles that have wound themselves so tightly around you. Rebuke that stronghold that is weighing you down in the name of Jesus and by His blood. He has already paid the price! You might realize that you are coping with lots of stress but not be able to identify the stronghold. If you need more specifics, take a look at this partial list and compare it to your life. See what's stressing you out...
**Being bullied or exposed to violence or injury. YOU MUST GET OUT OF THIS SITUATION PHYSICALLY IF HARM IS COMING YOUR WAY. DON'T MAKE EXCUSES FOR SOMEONE ABUSING YOU. SEEK HELP, QUICKLY & QUIETLY IF YOU ARE IN DANGER. (My mother was a victim of spousal abuse and she finally got out but only have much physical and psychological
damage had been done.)
**Relationship stress, family conflicts, heavy emotions from a broken heart due to death or separation of a loved one.
**Ongoing problems at work or school related.
**Crammed schedules and not having enough time to manage everything that has been demanded of you.
**Always being on the go and never a chance to rest and relax.
**No time for God. (This one is the most crucial!)
It’s not easy to de-stress our lives, but it must be done if we expect to live a better life.
Some better eating and exercise changes have taken the place of bad habits for me and this has helped me to feel less stressed. I have more energy and feel better than I did six months ago. Another thing is that I’ve noticed if I take time during the week for myself then I feel better for it. Normally, my time is Saturday morning. No, I don’t do laundry or anything if I can get away with it. I usually sleep in and wake up when I’m good and ready. Then I begin with prayer as I dress and get ready for the day. After breakfast, I read devotional blogs or books and listen to soothing music. There are times I’m compelled to worship in song and dance and this is triggered by so many wonderful anointed selections from youtube (Believe it or not!) I often write my blog on Saturday. The point is I try not to do anything that smells of work and I actually like “alone” time. My DH is at work on Saturday and His "alone" time is Monday. Anyway, Saturday is my day of rest and I have found that I need it in order to face the week. So it's interesting to me that when the Lord said to ‘Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy’ and I began resting in Him on the Sabbath, my life began to transform for the better. Sunday is a day for others in my life (church and family) and Monday through Friday are my days of work out in the world. Sorry, I got off track here a little…
To sum it up...
Let’s remember why we are to de-stress. Romans 6:13 … give yourselves completely to God That’s reason enough but the explanation is more than that, here it is… for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body (a de-stressed body) as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
I pray that these words might help you to learn what you need to do in order to de-stress your life. God has reminded me just what blessings He has already granted me on my journey! May you be blessed by His presence this week and hear His voice and feel His touch on your life. Amen.
1200
Oh no! My bronchial tubes seem to be closing, my metabolism is racing and I feel an increase of heart contractions. "Hey you, behind the counter, I want that, too. You have to give me that huge candy bar!"
Oh my! My anxiety is off the charts, my gastrointestinal system is working overtime and the rate of my respiration is increasing and deepening. "I have to go NOW and quickly because this isn't enough. I need the largest order of cheeseburgers and fries that I can get my hands on. I have to go. Get out of my way! Now!"
I hear them! They are saying, "Get out of her way. Her pupils are dilated and she’s a crazy woman!” They don’t know how dry my mouth is and I just want the largest Dr. Pepper on ice I can get (to go with those cheeseburgers).
I hope you laughed a little at this scenario. But the truth is the symptoms that happen in the body above happen to all of us at one time or another.
What on earth has come over me? (or you?) What is it?
It’s stress, and not just any stress. It’s chronic! Paul tells us that our bodies are to be used as instruments of righteousness to God. Romans 6:12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. How can we be used as instruments of righteousness when our bodies are acting like they don’t even belong to us?
Let’s look at that scripture again from Romans 6, and change just one word. Are you ready? Wow! What a revelation this was for me!
Do not let stress control the way you live; do not give in to stressful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve stress. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Did that speak to you like it did to me?
It’s actually pretty amazing!
God made our bodies in an amazing way in order that we might live in this world. We have a mechanism built within us that we’ve come to know as the fight or flight response. That’s exactly what I described earlier. Who knows the reason God first made Adam and Eve with a fight or flight response? Perhaps it was in order to fight or flee from satan. Whatever the reason, we have this mechanism built in and it helps us to maneuver our day-to-day living. The problem is that the move advanced mankind has become the more this mechanism is kicked into high gear. Our bodies don’t have a chance to be relaxed because we are always in a state of physiological alertness. Most of us don’t have any place to run and we certainly don’t know how to fight something we can’t see. What do we do? We compensate by eating or by falling into the trap of an addiction to cope when the body cries the high alert. It has become a major health problem and we know this as chronic stress.
What does chronic stress do to you? If you want a full description, Joyce Meyer gives explicit details and examples of what stress is and what it does to you in the “De-Stress” chapter of Look Great, Feel Great. I went a step further and found a more condensed list at http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/hints/stress1.htm In a nutshell, chronic stress sucks the physical life out of you in every way it can. It can show up as diarrhea, nausea, indigestion, sphincter of Oddi spasms (gallbladder problems), spastic colon, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, colds and sinus infections, vaginal yeast infections, bladder infections, fiber myalgia, arthritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, hyperventilation, asthma, headaches, migraines and more. Do you suffer from any of these symptoms?
Generally, even our doctors don’t talk about chronic stress to us. We are given prescriptions and live off of drugs to cope. The entire time our body is still crying. We may have eased the symptoms but the underlying factors are never addressed. It shows that you eat too much so your doctor says, “Lose it.” You can’t sleep so you’re doctor prescribes a sleep test and then you’re hooked up to CPAP machine. You might be given numerous meds to ease your discomfort so you can finally get to sleep. Your lab work shows high this and high that or this one is too low and the little pink, yellow, green, and white parade of pills are all clumped together in your daily pill box. Oh, and lest we forget there are the vitamins that you must take in order to survive your life in this world. Come on; let’s think about it! Did God ever make a pill tree?
Now, I’m not saying that doctors and medicine is wrong. Many of us have come to a place where we must take a regiment of certain pills to help us. But I am saying that if we do what we should in order to repair our bodies then it will only stand to reason that many, if not all, of the pills we rely on daily can be eliminated or at least reduced. I have witnessed that meds can be reduced and some even stopped. I know people who have decided that their bodies, God’s temples, needed repair. They began the process and asked for God’s assistance. They believed in His healing power and He was able to deliver them even from stress.
So what can we do about it?
Joyce Meyer is so cool, she gives us several ways to de-stress. I have even thought of a few different ones, as I’m sure you can, too. She shares that we need to reach out to others for support. Let your intercessors know that you need to be lifted up in prayer. Seek out others who have some of the same issues that you have and help one another. Even in our sickness, we can be a minister and blessing to someone else. Maybe we can’t run around and do all kinds of physical things just yet. We can still obey God, pray and love others.
Joyce says we need to adopt an attitude of shrugging things off that trigger our stress. We are supposed to cast our cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). We also need to get out of the habit of always having to be in control. When we are like that, we create our own stress. This “bad habit” needs to go. After all aren’t we supposed to give it all to the Lord? He should be the one in control. Why are we trying to do His job? Is it because we think we don’t need Him? (Man, I need Him every moment of my life!)
Finally, she says we need to get the right nutrition into our diets and learn to relax. Do some research and find something that you can do for yourself to relax. Maybe it’s a walk with your praise and worship music or favorite sermon being piped in your ear. Perhaps you need the touch of a massage or the company of a friend. Maybe you like to write and off you go pursuing the way words comes together for you. Whatever your stress buster is, believe in the Lord Jesus to help you overcome the tentacles that have wound themselves so tightly around you. Rebuke that stronghold that is weighing you down in the name of Jesus and by His blood. He has already paid the price! You might realize that you are coping with lots of stress but not be able to identify the stronghold. If you need more specifics, take a look at this partial list and compare it to your life. See what's stressing you out...
**Being bullied or exposed to violence or injury. YOU MUST GET OUT OF THIS SITUATION PHYSICALLY IF HARM IS COMING YOUR WAY. DON'T MAKE EXCUSES FOR SOMEONE ABUSING YOU. SEEK HELP, QUICKLY & QUIETLY IF YOU ARE IN DANGER. (My mother was a victim of spousal abuse and she finally got out but only have much physical and psychological
damage had been done.)
**Relationship stress, family conflicts, heavy emotions from a broken heart due to death or separation of a loved one.
**Ongoing problems at work or school related.
**Crammed schedules and not having enough time to manage everything that has been demanded of you.
**Always being on the go and never a chance to rest and relax.
**No time for God. (This one is the most crucial!)
It’s not easy to de-stress our lives, but it must be done if we expect to live a better life.
Some better eating and exercise changes have taken the place of bad habits for me and this has helped me to feel less stressed. I have more energy and feel better than I did six months ago. Another thing is that I’ve noticed if I take time during the week for myself then I feel better for it. Normally, my time is Saturday morning. No, I don’t do laundry or anything if I can get away with it. I usually sleep in and wake up when I’m good and ready. Then I begin with prayer as I dress and get ready for the day. After breakfast, I read devotional blogs or books and listen to soothing music. There are times I’m compelled to worship in song and dance and this is triggered by so many wonderful anointed selections from youtube (Believe it or not!) I often write my blog on Saturday. The point is I try not to do anything that smells of work and I actually like “alone” time. My DH is at work on Saturday and His "alone" time is Monday. Anyway, Saturday is my day of rest and I have found that I need it in order to face the week. So it's interesting to me that when the Lord said to ‘Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy’ and I began resting in Him on the Sabbath, my life began to transform for the better. Sunday is a day for others in my life (church and family) and Monday through Friday are my days of work out in the world. Sorry, I got off track here a little…
To sum it up...
Let’s remember why we are to de-stress. Romans 6:13 … give yourselves completely to God That’s reason enough but the explanation is more than that, here it is… for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body (a de-stressed body) as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.
I pray that these words might help you to learn what you need to do in order to de-stress your life. God has reminded me just what blessings He has already granted me on my journey! May you be blessed by His presence this week and hear His voice and feel His touch on your life. Amen.
1200
Saturday, October 16, 2010
SPIRITUAL HUNGER, WHAT IS IT AND WHAT ARE WE DOING WITH IT?
Okay, the title says a lot but not all… We are living in a time of spiritual famine and emotional pain. People walk around today knowing that something is missing from their lives but they can’t identify it. They crave release from negative emotions but don’t know how to gain it. They refuse to admit that they long for God and His healing power. We are hungry for Him, but instead of looking inward to diagnose the problem, we fix a giant meal and eat until we’re miserable.
Joyce Meyer’s chapter, “Curb Your Spiritual Hunger” from Look Great, Feel Great makes me think of my past holidays when all the family was around. Sometimes this was the most stressful of all days in the year. The day that everyone came expecting a huge wonderful dinner and usually that is what each one went away remembering. During the get together, family members stifled their emotions and popped food into their mouths to avoid conflict and confrontations. The positive comments swirled around food but only negative thoughts took place about this person or that person sitting across from them at the dinner table. What on earth makes us eat to remedy bad situations?
We hurt and we eat. What a dumb thing to do! Instead we should be running to God instead of the refrigerator or cabinet. Joyce says this takes a long time to form a habit of running to God and I agree. We have to self-talk to remind ourselves that God is what we need. It is often our spirit that needs nourishment but we often feed our body instead. No wonder we get fatter.
We’re busy and we eat. We live in a world of distractions. There isn’t any time to concentrate on our spirit’s health. Our lives are all about work, making a living and moving up in the world. This is the world’s mindset. Our busy schedule of work and worldly entertainment leaves no time for attending special church services, spending quiet time alone with God, reading His word, praying and listening for His voice. Our spirits are hungry for Him. As Christians, we can even get caught up in attending and doing every little thing in the church and still neglect to nourish our spirit because we become exhausted in the doing of things just like Martha did.
We’re lonely and we eat. Not only do we neglect time for God in prayer, meditation and Bible reading, but also we neglect our fellow Christians. There isn’t any time allowed for fellowship. We might send emails and leave texts and voice messages but that doesn’t take the place of eye-to-eye, voice-to-voice, and hug-to-hug contact. We’re lonely and we eat. So what is there to do except to binge, lie to our selves about what and how much we eat, think about food as a stress buster, or fill the stomach when our heart is what is hungry?
We need to replace this bad habit of neglecting to feed the spirit by prioritizing and making time for God and other Christians. Then we can experience fullness on another level. Our joy will then be full and running over. This is the benefit of nourishing our spirits and who doesn’t need more joy?
Joyce says we need to stop lying to ourselves and identify the areas of emptiness that drive us to eat. When we continually do things like eat too much food or eat foods that aren’t good for us, we feed depression and discontent. This is a vicious cycle. Once we honestly discover these triggers in our lives, we need to ask God to help us. It doesn’t even hurt to say “No” out loud when faced with the temptation to eat. Then remove one bad habit and replace it with a good habit. Replace every negative vibe with a positive one. We should look around for support from others who are willing to help us or even get involved in programs that are already established. Last but not least we need to be patient with ourselves as we learn and grow in a new direction. The saying that Rome wasn’t built in a day has some merit but the whole truth is it didn’t fall in a day either. It took time on both ends, so we need to give ourselves time to nourish our spirits. There are things about our “Rome” that needs to go. Let’s strive to replace the negative with positive reinforcements.
And remember this from 1 Corinthians 1:3-4 …God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others... 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation!
1142
Joyce Meyer’s chapter, “Curb Your Spiritual Hunger” from Look Great, Feel Great makes me think of my past holidays when all the family was around. Sometimes this was the most stressful of all days in the year. The day that everyone came expecting a huge wonderful dinner and usually that is what each one went away remembering. During the get together, family members stifled their emotions and popped food into their mouths to avoid conflict and confrontations. The positive comments swirled around food but only negative thoughts took place about this person or that person sitting across from them at the dinner table. What on earth makes us eat to remedy bad situations?
We hurt and we eat. What a dumb thing to do! Instead we should be running to God instead of the refrigerator or cabinet. Joyce says this takes a long time to form a habit of running to God and I agree. We have to self-talk to remind ourselves that God is what we need. It is often our spirit that needs nourishment but we often feed our body instead. No wonder we get fatter.
We’re busy and we eat. We live in a world of distractions. There isn’t any time to concentrate on our spirit’s health. Our lives are all about work, making a living and moving up in the world. This is the world’s mindset. Our busy schedule of work and worldly entertainment leaves no time for attending special church services, spending quiet time alone with God, reading His word, praying and listening for His voice. Our spirits are hungry for Him. As Christians, we can even get caught up in attending and doing every little thing in the church and still neglect to nourish our spirit because we become exhausted in the doing of things just like Martha did.
We’re lonely and we eat. Not only do we neglect time for God in prayer, meditation and Bible reading, but also we neglect our fellow Christians. There isn’t any time allowed for fellowship. We might send emails and leave texts and voice messages but that doesn’t take the place of eye-to-eye, voice-to-voice, and hug-to-hug contact. We’re lonely and we eat. So what is there to do except to binge, lie to our selves about what and how much we eat, think about food as a stress buster, or fill the stomach when our heart is what is hungry?
We need to replace this bad habit of neglecting to feed the spirit by prioritizing and making time for God and other Christians. Then we can experience fullness on another level. Our joy will then be full and running over. This is the benefit of nourishing our spirits and who doesn’t need more joy?
Joyce says we need to stop lying to ourselves and identify the areas of emptiness that drive us to eat. When we continually do things like eat too much food or eat foods that aren’t good for us, we feed depression and discontent. This is a vicious cycle. Once we honestly discover these triggers in our lives, we need to ask God to help us. It doesn’t even hurt to say “No” out loud when faced with the temptation to eat. Then remove one bad habit and replace it with a good habit. Replace every negative vibe with a positive one. We should look around for support from others who are willing to help us or even get involved in programs that are already established. Last but not least we need to be patient with ourselves as we learn and grow in a new direction. The saying that Rome wasn’t built in a day has some merit but the whole truth is it didn’t fall in a day either. It took time on both ends, so we need to give ourselves time to nourish our spirits. There are things about our “Rome” that needs to go. Let’s strive to replace the negative with positive reinforcements.
And remember this from 1 Corinthians 1:3-4 …God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others... 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation!
1142
Monday, October 11, 2010
Mindful Eating
This section of Joyce’s book, Look Great, Feel Great is about the way we view food in our culture. We casually eat and don’t even realize what we have consumed. Of course, this leads to nutritional disasters and unwanted calories, which wreck havoc on our health. We may be able to abuse our systems for a time without problems but eventually there is a breakdown that sometimes is irreversible. The cry of this chapter is to be “mindful” of everything we eat. This doesn’t sound like a tremendously hard thing to do until we actually begin to become aware of each bite we take in.
Think about it. We prepare a meal and we probably eat a meal while we are doing it. We throw snacks into our grocery carts that end up on the kitchen counter and it’s so easy to reach in and grab a handful of something without realizing how many calories we consumed. We mix up something yummy and lick the spoon before washing it. We carry our kid’s plates to the sink and nibble on leftovers. Someone brings in treats to the lunchroom at work. What do we do with those goodies? We don’t drive by, but stop at a fast food restaurant because we are on our way home and it will still be a while before we actually prepare supper. You get the picture. We have an urge to eat and we do it without giving it a second thought.
I couldn't help but think, after reading Joyce’s section, several incidents from scripture. Let me share my thoughts with you here...
· Gen. 2:16-17 …the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
Let’s do some pretending... imagine you’re Eve and your stomach growls. You’re in the garden and the serpent is speaking ever go convincingly. You have this one tree that you are not supposed to eat of its fruit. So you don’t think beyond the initial thought of “I’m not supposed to eat it” and then you indulge. Oh my… what trouble you create… (It was your choice after all no matter what the serpent said.)
· Ex. 16: 2-3 …the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”
This time pretend you are here in the wilderness… you are sitting around at the end of a long walk. You are hungry and tired. It doesn’t matter that you saw the plagues come on the Egyptians but not harm you. It doesn’t matter that you saw the Egyptians give you their jewels and send every one of you out. It doesn’t matter that you were being pursued and may have been slaughtered but God parted the sea so that you could escape. What matters is that even though it was difficult in Egypt you can’t remember that so much as right now you are not so sure that you should have left Egypt. At least in Egypt you were fed even if you weren’t free. You have a faulty memory because of the temporary inconvenience on your journey.
· Ex: 16: 4-5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.”
Imagine being in this gathering. God is providing you with an abundance of food that will sustain your life. The only thing you have to do is follow God’s instructions. Will you?
· Acts: 10: 9-17 …Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”
But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean?
Now, imagine you are Peter. On this particular day you are really hungry but you take your place to pray and you receive a revelation from God that means salvation is for all men and not to the Jews only. This will be the message that you are to proclaim in obedience to God. You have previously been mindful that there were certain foods that were considered clean and unclean but what does it mean spiritually. It was so important that the vision was repeated three times. God really wanted to get your attention and change your self-righteous mind.
The bottom line is that most of the time, we don’t think about eating. We just eat. The flesh cries out, and like a baby who wants his bottle, we feed the flesh. Naturally speaking, we are driven by our flesh and react to it more often than any other source. It is this instinct for survival that sustains us. We have always heard the phrase “survival of the fittest” and this points us to the fact that our flesh drives us.
· I want: I want everything I want when I want it. Does your flesh call out? What is it you want?
· I think: I’m thinking that everything is all about me. Are we thinking only of ourselves?
· I feel: I feel sad and gloomy because no one understands… poor, poor me… Are we having a pity party because we aren’t getting what we think we deserve.
You might chuckle or get mad about the way I’ve written the next part. I’m trying to make a point and it’s not always easy to do. There’s a reason behind these sarcastic paragraphs that follow so stick with me…
Wanting. When we only act and react based on our flesh then we are acting like nothing more than an animal! If we live for our flesh then we won’t be concerned about anyone or anything else. It won’t matter if we weigh a ton. It only matters that we want what we want. We won’t think about how our poor eating may result in weakness or even death. It won’t matter if someone ends up having to take care us. Someone may have to dress, feed and tend to every need because we are unable to get things and do for ourselves. It won’t matter if we die and leave behind a grieving family. It won’t matter because it’s not about what others think. It is only about me, myself and I! Oh boy… This is the most selfish paragraph that I have ever written. There is nothing here edifying or biblical or Christ-like because it’s all about “me”.
Thinking? When does that happen? I think everyone else is wrong and I’m right and I’m going to do whatever I want to do! I don’t care what you think so I’ll talk back to you and down to you. I will make you feel like you are worthless because I already think you are and that’s how I will treat you. You might come to me and want to help by making suggestions, but I’m not ready or willing to listen. I’ll scream at you, get mad and tell you off. Don’t waste your breath talking to me because I just don’t want to hear it! (Remember the Wizard of Oz? “I could while away the hours, conferrin' with the flowers ~ Consultin' with the rain. And my head I'd be scratchin' while my thoughts were busy hatchin' If I only had a brain.” Well, there’s no point in having a brain if I don’t use it, right?)
Feelings? What fickle things are these invisible entities! My feelings matter more to me than every one or anything else. I need to nurse my offences. I’m ashamed, beaten down, disrespected and embarrassed. I’ve been humiliated, insulted and invalidated. I’m constantly imposed upon, manipulated, powerless and pressured. I feel suffocated and trapped. I’ve been abandoned and alone. I stay confused and disapproved of which makes me discouraged. I’ve been ignored, left out and lonely. I’m totally misunderstood, neglected and rejected. I get blamed for everything and no one ever believes me. They all lie about me and lie to me and most of all they all judge me. I’m abused and afraid. It’s frightening and I’m insecure. I can’t trust anyone and I’m always suspicious. I’ll cry if you hurt me so you better leave me alone. I’ll blame you if I’m sad or mad so you better stay out of my way. You know how I am ~ so deal with it.
MONICA, GET OVER IT! It’s not about my wants, my thoughts or my feelings! The scriptures were given to me to teach me about how I am to conduct my life. So what do I need to take away from the scriptures above and the numerous others that have some reference to this topic?
· I can control my flesh!
Our Father, Help me to pay attention and seek your guidance in learning to control my flesh. In regard to my health, you want me to be aware by being continually mindful of all things and especially what goes into my mouth by nutritional content and portion. This new way of thinking is not to monopolize my life forever, but I am to work at this so that it may become a habit that will eventually bring glory to you. If I always remember to thank you for my food, slow down and take the moments you have given me to enjoy this bountiful blessing, then I will be mindful of your provision. Help me to be thankful and not take you and your blessings for granted. May I strive to learn these lessons so that I may be a more efficient Christian who lives to share your love, holiness and power to all mankind. Thank you, Father. In Jesus’ Name ~ Amen.
Think about it. We prepare a meal and we probably eat a meal while we are doing it. We throw snacks into our grocery carts that end up on the kitchen counter and it’s so easy to reach in and grab a handful of something without realizing how many calories we consumed. We mix up something yummy and lick the spoon before washing it. We carry our kid’s plates to the sink and nibble on leftovers. Someone brings in treats to the lunchroom at work. What do we do with those goodies? We don’t drive by, but stop at a fast food restaurant because we are on our way home and it will still be a while before we actually prepare supper. You get the picture. We have an urge to eat and we do it without giving it a second thought.
I couldn't help but think, after reading Joyce’s section, several incidents from scripture. Let me share my thoughts with you here...
· Gen. 2:16-17 …the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”
Let’s do some pretending... imagine you’re Eve and your stomach growls. You’re in the garden and the serpent is speaking ever go convincingly. You have this one tree that you are not supposed to eat of its fruit. So you don’t think beyond the initial thought of “I’m not supposed to eat it” and then you indulge. Oh my… what trouble you create… (It was your choice after all no matter what the serpent said.)
· Ex. 16: 2-3 …the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”
This time pretend you are here in the wilderness… you are sitting around at the end of a long walk. You are hungry and tired. It doesn’t matter that you saw the plagues come on the Egyptians but not harm you. It doesn’t matter that you saw the Egyptians give you their jewels and send every one of you out. It doesn’t matter that you were being pursued and may have been slaughtered but God parted the sea so that you could escape. What matters is that even though it was difficult in Egypt you can’t remember that so much as right now you are not so sure that you should have left Egypt. At least in Egypt you were fed even if you weren’t free. You have a faulty memory because of the temporary inconvenience on your journey.
· Ex: 16: 4-5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. 5 On the sixth day they will gather food, and when they prepare it, there will be twice as much as usual.”
Imagine being in this gathering. God is providing you with an abundance of food that will sustain your life. The only thing you have to do is follow God’s instructions. Will you?
· Acts: 10: 9-17 …Peter went up on the flat roof to pray. It was about noon, and he was hungry. But while a meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the sky open, and something like a large sheet was let down by its four corners. In the sheet were all sorts of animals, reptiles, and birds. Then a voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat them.” “No, Lord,” Peter declared. “I have never eaten anything that our Jewish laws have declared impure and unclean.”
But the voice spoke again: “Do not call something unclean if God has made it clean.” The same vision was repeated three times. Then the sheet was suddenly pulled up to heaven. Peter was very perplexed. What could the vision mean?
Now, imagine you are Peter. On this particular day you are really hungry but you take your place to pray and you receive a revelation from God that means salvation is for all men and not to the Jews only. This will be the message that you are to proclaim in obedience to God. You have previously been mindful that there were certain foods that were considered clean and unclean but what does it mean spiritually. It was so important that the vision was repeated three times. God really wanted to get your attention and change your self-righteous mind.
The bottom line is that most of the time, we don’t think about eating. We just eat. The flesh cries out, and like a baby who wants his bottle, we feed the flesh. Naturally speaking, we are driven by our flesh and react to it more often than any other source. It is this instinct for survival that sustains us. We have always heard the phrase “survival of the fittest” and this points us to the fact that our flesh drives us.
· I want: I want everything I want when I want it. Does your flesh call out? What is it you want?
· I think: I’m thinking that everything is all about me. Are we thinking only of ourselves?
· I feel: I feel sad and gloomy because no one understands… poor, poor me… Are we having a pity party because we aren’t getting what we think we deserve.
You might chuckle or get mad about the way I’ve written the next part. I’m trying to make a point and it’s not always easy to do. There’s a reason behind these sarcastic paragraphs that follow so stick with me…
Wanting. When we only act and react based on our flesh then we are acting like nothing more than an animal! If we live for our flesh then we won’t be concerned about anyone or anything else. It won’t matter if we weigh a ton. It only matters that we want what we want. We won’t think about how our poor eating may result in weakness or even death. It won’t matter if someone ends up having to take care us. Someone may have to dress, feed and tend to every need because we are unable to get things and do for ourselves. It won’t matter if we die and leave behind a grieving family. It won’t matter because it’s not about what others think. It is only about me, myself and I! Oh boy… This is the most selfish paragraph that I have ever written. There is nothing here edifying or biblical or Christ-like because it’s all about “me”.
Thinking? When does that happen? I think everyone else is wrong and I’m right and I’m going to do whatever I want to do! I don’t care what you think so I’ll talk back to you and down to you. I will make you feel like you are worthless because I already think you are and that’s how I will treat you. You might come to me and want to help by making suggestions, but I’m not ready or willing to listen. I’ll scream at you, get mad and tell you off. Don’t waste your breath talking to me because I just don’t want to hear it! (Remember the Wizard of Oz? “I could while away the hours, conferrin' with the flowers ~ Consultin' with the rain. And my head I'd be scratchin' while my thoughts were busy hatchin' If I only had a brain.” Well, there’s no point in having a brain if I don’t use it, right?)
Feelings? What fickle things are these invisible entities! My feelings matter more to me than every one or anything else. I need to nurse my offences. I’m ashamed, beaten down, disrespected and embarrassed. I’ve been humiliated, insulted and invalidated. I’m constantly imposed upon, manipulated, powerless and pressured. I feel suffocated and trapped. I’ve been abandoned and alone. I stay confused and disapproved of which makes me discouraged. I’ve been ignored, left out and lonely. I’m totally misunderstood, neglected and rejected. I get blamed for everything and no one ever believes me. They all lie about me and lie to me and most of all they all judge me. I’m abused and afraid. It’s frightening and I’m insecure. I can’t trust anyone and I’m always suspicious. I’ll cry if you hurt me so you better leave me alone. I’ll blame you if I’m sad or mad so you better stay out of my way. You know how I am ~ so deal with it.
MONICA, GET OVER IT! It’s not about my wants, my thoughts or my feelings! The scriptures were given to me to teach me about how I am to conduct my life. So what do I need to take away from the scriptures above and the numerous others that have some reference to this topic?
· I can control my flesh!
- I can control my wants through Christ.
- I can control my thinking through Christ.
- I can control my feelings through Christ.
Our Father, Help me to pay attention and seek your guidance in learning to control my flesh. In regard to my health, you want me to be aware by being continually mindful of all things and especially what goes into my mouth by nutritional content and portion. This new way of thinking is not to monopolize my life forever, but I am to work at this so that it may become a habit that will eventually bring glory to you. If I always remember to thank you for my food, slow down and take the moments you have given me to enjoy this bountiful blessing, then I will be mindful of your provision. Help me to be thankful and not take you and your blessings for granted. May I strive to learn these lessons so that I may be a more efficient Christian who lives to share your love, holiness and power to all mankind. Thank you, Father. In Jesus’ Name ~ Amen.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Water
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”—John 7:37-38
If out of my heart there are to flow rivers of living water, then there must be a purpose. Could Jesus be saying more than what at first meets our eye in this scripture? Is He saying that our rivers are to flow constantly outward? Is He saying that our rivers are never to be dammed up? Are we to allow others to enter our rivers so that they may benefit, taste and drink from this refreshing source of everlasting life?
So what is a river, really? The dictionary says that a river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, that flows toward an ocean, lake, sea, or another river. Only in a few cases, does a river simply flow into the ground or dry up before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including streams, creeks, brooks, rivulets, tributaries and rills. There is no general rule that defines what can be called a river, although in some countries or communities a stream may be defined by its size.
So if a river’s purpose is to reach another body of water, then spiritually are we striving to reach another? What is happening along the waterway? Are we affecting others as we flow along? Is our water bitter? Is our water sweet? Is our water dying up or turned away from the original body of water that it was flowing toward in the first place? Do we even have a river flowing? When did it begin or when did it end?
But I have an even greater question ~ have we been drying up and gone without sufficient water within our banks for so long that we don’t even notice we’re thirsting for the one we’re flowing toward?
This question is profound because it points to both the natural and the spiritual realms. (I believe God views these realms as one and the same, but we just haven’t come to that full realization yet.)
We can get so used to not having enough of something to the point that we don’t realize we need it any longer! How sad and scary that thought is…
Spiritually, if I go long enough without praying, studying God’s Word, seeking His face and being in the congregation with other Christians then there will come a time that it seems I don’t need to do those things. This would be cause for emotional, mental and eventually physical ailments to surface because I would not be getting what I needed daily to live a healthy Christian lifestyle.
On the other hand...
These thoughts were what triggered within me after I read Joyce’s chapter, “Water Your Life” in Look Great, Feel Great. I’m still thinking on those things as I ponder the more natural side of her message. The message she gave in her book.
Personally speaking, after many years of self-indulgence and abuse, I came to relize that God wants me to act out my faith. He wants me to be a witness. He hasn’t asked me to get up on the rooftop, wave a huge banner and yell about him. He has asked me to be a walking testimony to those around me, to always be able to answer when I’m asked a question about Him and to daily surrender my life to Him. Am I always successful? No, sad to say I am not, but that doesn’t stop me from working toward being the best I can be for Him. I vow not to give up or give in even when it’s hard. Sometimes this path I've chosen is very hard, but He holds my hand!
Back to Joyce and her “Water” chapter… She states many things, but I’m just going to take the part that applies to me and elaborate on it. I’ve found when talking to others that many of us have the same issues when it comes to health and drinking enough water has been one of my issues ever since I can remember. I’m getting better but I still have to remind myself to drink plain, old water throughout the day. I researched several articles after reading Joyce. I knew some of it but here’s more of what I discovered and it was a reminder as well as an eye opener for me; maybe it will be for you as well…
The body is an amazing creation but dehydration causes serious problems. It is dangerous to continually be dehydrated because the entire human body needs water to function properly.
We all need at least one liter of water daily just to maintain basic body functions. Water is lost through the lungs with every breath we take. Water is also lost with daily urination, sweat and stool. If the body doesn’t get enough water our metabolism becomes faulty. We may eat right but the lack of water keeps our body from operating, as it should. Our cells, tissues and organs all depend upon water. Even the neural pathways and other fluids systems of our body depend upon water. Every chemical reaction that takes place in our bodies is based upon this unique liquid. No other liquid meets the standard and no cell or organ can work properly without water!
The brain will not function properly without water. It needs to be hydrated or confusion can set in and early signs of dementia appear. Skin and muscles that are in poor condition are often the result of not having enough water. If the brain doesn’t have what is necessary to operate then it cannot signal the rest of our bodies to function properly either. The body first looks for water within its cells all over the body and then it looks for water on the outside of its cells and finally it takes water straight from the bloodstream. When our body suffers dehydration on a regular basis, it tries to store up water and this results in edema where the areas surrounding the eyes, feet, legs and ankles are most often affected. This extra water storage in the body may cause different disorders and severe life threatening damage.
Some Symptoms of Dehydration include:
· Exhaustion and lack of energy (When the body is struggling to maintain healthy tissue we feel exhausted.)
· Constipation (The intestinal tract needs sufficient water for smooth operation.)
· Eating Disorders (When digestive juices are reduced by lack of water, the body sends false signals of appetite which result in eating disorders.)
· Low or high blood pressure (Blood volume has to do with the amount of water in our blood, if it’s insufficient to fill the arteries, veins and capillaries then the body may react in either low or high blood pressure.)
· Gastritis and/or gastric ulcer (The stomach must be protected from injury by gastric acids and water is that protection.)
· Problems with the respiratory system (Mucous membranes need water to protect the body from harmful substances found in inhaled air.)
· Improper acid-alkaline balances (When the body is acidic: yeast, bacteria, viruses and cancer can thrive; when the body is alkaline: foreign bacteria, viruses, yeast and cancer can not live—but there must be balance between the acid and alkaline levels for a healthy existence.)
· Extra weight and obesity (We often confuse thirst with hunger and overeat because we actually need water. Drinking more water will allow our bodies to burn more calories.)
· Eczema (The body needs to carry off toxins and skin irritants and if the proper water is not maintained then the toxins erupt on the skin.)
· Cholesterol (When the cells lose water, the body tries to stop it by producing more cholesterol—maybe it wasn’t those eggs after all!)
WOW! and this is only part of the symptoms...
The next issue has been that any liquid counts as water. I’ve read a lot about that, both pro and con but the only thing I come away thinking is that there were no soda fountains in the garden for Adam and Eve to fill their cups and the juice was always on the inside of the fruit. Hmmm… I made my decision to start drinking water based on that at first. Then I’m reminded of the scriptures concerning water. Just try putting the name of your favorite beverage in place of water… you’ll have a chuckle I’m sure and hopefully a point will be made for water. (Just look at my verse—out of his heart will flow rivers of Dr. Pepper! LOL)
In the end, as usual, Joyce gives us some tips. Basically, have water available at all times. When you are switching from sweetened beverages to water, go slow and make it taste good. You can purchase slightly sweetened and flavored waters and eventually just have water. She mentioned much, much more… so read it for your self. There may be something else that triggers you to start drinking water…
Now, let’s plan on drinking more water this week and less of other beverages. How about it? Let’s remember that our body, God’s temples are being restored! As we gain health and vitality, others may wonder how and why and our answer may not only be natural but spiritual in nature. Even if they never ask, we will know and be ready to give answer. Have a great week!
If out of my heart there are to flow rivers of living water, then there must be a purpose. Could Jesus be saying more than what at first meets our eye in this scripture? Is He saying that our rivers are to flow constantly outward? Is He saying that our rivers are never to be dammed up? Are we to allow others to enter our rivers so that they may benefit, taste and drink from this refreshing source of everlasting life?
So what is a river, really? The dictionary says that a river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, that flows toward an ocean, lake, sea, or another river. Only in a few cases, does a river simply flow into the ground or dry up before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including streams, creeks, brooks, rivulets, tributaries and rills. There is no general rule that defines what can be called a river, although in some countries or communities a stream may be defined by its size.
So if a river’s purpose is to reach another body of water, then spiritually are we striving to reach another? What is happening along the waterway? Are we affecting others as we flow along? Is our water bitter? Is our water sweet? Is our water dying up or turned away from the original body of water that it was flowing toward in the first place? Do we even have a river flowing? When did it begin or when did it end?
But I have an even greater question ~ have we been drying up and gone without sufficient water within our banks for so long that we don’t even notice we’re thirsting for the one we’re flowing toward?
This question is profound because it points to both the natural and the spiritual realms. (I believe God views these realms as one and the same, but we just haven’t come to that full realization yet.)
We can get so used to not having enough of something to the point that we don’t realize we need it any longer! How sad and scary that thought is…
Spiritually, if I go long enough without praying, studying God’s Word, seeking His face and being in the congregation with other Christians then there will come a time that it seems I don’t need to do those things. This would be cause for emotional, mental and eventually physical ailments to surface because I would not be getting what I needed daily to live a healthy Christian lifestyle.
On the other hand...
These thoughts were what triggered within me after I read Joyce’s chapter, “Water Your Life” in Look Great, Feel Great. I’m still thinking on those things as I ponder the more natural side of her message. The message she gave in her book.
Personally speaking, after many years of self-indulgence and abuse, I came to relize that God wants me to act out my faith. He wants me to be a witness. He hasn’t asked me to get up on the rooftop, wave a huge banner and yell about him. He has asked me to be a walking testimony to those around me, to always be able to answer when I’m asked a question about Him and to daily surrender my life to Him. Am I always successful? No, sad to say I am not, but that doesn’t stop me from working toward being the best I can be for Him. I vow not to give up or give in even when it’s hard. Sometimes this path I've chosen is very hard, but He holds my hand!
Back to Joyce and her “Water” chapter… She states many things, but I’m just going to take the part that applies to me and elaborate on it. I’ve found when talking to others that many of us have the same issues when it comes to health and drinking enough water has been one of my issues ever since I can remember. I’m getting better but I still have to remind myself to drink plain, old water throughout the day. I researched several articles after reading Joyce. I knew some of it but here’s more of what I discovered and it was a reminder as well as an eye opener for me; maybe it will be for you as well…
The body is an amazing creation but dehydration causes serious problems. It is dangerous to continually be dehydrated because the entire human body needs water to function properly.
We all need at least one liter of water daily just to maintain basic body functions. Water is lost through the lungs with every breath we take. Water is also lost with daily urination, sweat and stool. If the body doesn’t get enough water our metabolism becomes faulty. We may eat right but the lack of water keeps our body from operating, as it should. Our cells, tissues and organs all depend upon water. Even the neural pathways and other fluids systems of our body depend upon water. Every chemical reaction that takes place in our bodies is based upon this unique liquid. No other liquid meets the standard and no cell or organ can work properly without water!
The brain will not function properly without water. It needs to be hydrated or confusion can set in and early signs of dementia appear. Skin and muscles that are in poor condition are often the result of not having enough water. If the brain doesn’t have what is necessary to operate then it cannot signal the rest of our bodies to function properly either. The body first looks for water within its cells all over the body and then it looks for water on the outside of its cells and finally it takes water straight from the bloodstream. When our body suffers dehydration on a regular basis, it tries to store up water and this results in edema where the areas surrounding the eyes, feet, legs and ankles are most often affected. This extra water storage in the body may cause different disorders and severe life threatening damage.
Some Symptoms of Dehydration include:
· Exhaustion and lack of energy (When the body is struggling to maintain healthy tissue we feel exhausted.)
· Constipation (The intestinal tract needs sufficient water for smooth operation.)
· Eating Disorders (When digestive juices are reduced by lack of water, the body sends false signals of appetite which result in eating disorders.)
· Low or high blood pressure (Blood volume has to do with the amount of water in our blood, if it’s insufficient to fill the arteries, veins and capillaries then the body may react in either low or high blood pressure.)
· Gastritis and/or gastric ulcer (The stomach must be protected from injury by gastric acids and water is that protection.)
· Problems with the respiratory system (Mucous membranes need water to protect the body from harmful substances found in inhaled air.)
· Improper acid-alkaline balances (When the body is acidic: yeast, bacteria, viruses and cancer can thrive; when the body is alkaline: foreign bacteria, viruses, yeast and cancer can not live—but there must be balance between the acid and alkaline levels for a healthy existence.)
· Extra weight and obesity (We often confuse thirst with hunger and overeat because we actually need water. Drinking more water will allow our bodies to burn more calories.)
· Eczema (The body needs to carry off toxins and skin irritants and if the proper water is not maintained then the toxins erupt on the skin.)
· Cholesterol (When the cells lose water, the body tries to stop it by producing more cholesterol—maybe it wasn’t those eggs after all!)
WOW! and this is only part of the symptoms...
The next issue has been that any liquid counts as water. I’ve read a lot about that, both pro and con but the only thing I come away thinking is that there were no soda fountains in the garden for Adam and Eve to fill their cups and the juice was always on the inside of the fruit. Hmmm… I made my decision to start drinking water based on that at first. Then I’m reminded of the scriptures concerning water. Just try putting the name of your favorite beverage in place of water… you’ll have a chuckle I’m sure and hopefully a point will be made for water. (Just look at my verse—out of his heart will flow rivers of Dr. Pepper! LOL)
In the end, as usual, Joyce gives us some tips. Basically, have water available at all times. When you are switching from sweetened beverages to water, go slow and make it taste good. You can purchase slightly sweetened and flavored waters and eventually just have water. She mentioned much, much more… so read it for your self. There may be something else that triggers you to start drinking water…
Now, let’s plan on drinking more water this week and less of other beverages. How about it? Let’s remember that our body, God’s temples are being restored! As we gain health and vitality, others may wonder how and why and our answer may not only be natural but spiritual in nature. Even if they never ask, we will know and be ready to give answer. Have a great week!
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