One of the things that our world has been challenged to deal with over the last several months is Tragedy. With the terrorist attacks in Paris, Brussels and San Bernardino, California, our world has grieved for the countless families and communities that have lost loved ones and friends to senseless, murderous attacks. A lot of times, when Tragedy like this hits a nation or community, people generally don't know how to respond. I still remember September 11, 2001, the terrorist attacks that hit New York and Washington D.C. Even at that time, people just didn't know what to do or even how to process such a national travesty. But believe it or not, there is A Proper Way to Handle Tragedy.
All of us either have been or will be challenged to go through and endure Tragedy and Adversity. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, the break-up of your family, the loss of a job, some type of accident or injury that a loved one or even yourself has had to endure: all of us go through periods of life that stress us and stretch us beyond the norm and our regular emotional capacity. Many of us go through Depression. Some of us get bitter and mad at life. Some of us even try to "turn it over to God". However, even though these are popular coping mechanisms, they may not necessarily represent A Proper Way to Handle Tragedy.
The scripture says in the first chapter of the book of Job, that Job was satanically attacked with Divine Permission. Satan attacked his wealth, his family and eventually his health. But the scripture says that when Tragedy hit Job's home he "fell down upon the ground, and worshipped" (Job 1). This represents A Proper Way to Handle Tragedy. When Tragedy hits your door, what we need to do is Worship God. This is a challenge because what most of us are apt to do when we are forced to endure turbulent times, is to respond emotionally and cognitively. However, this is where the problem is saints. We've got to stop responding to every major issue within the confines and construct of our feelings and emotions. We must learn to respond to Tragedy by our faith. Job was able to respond to the Tragedy in his life by worshiping God because he was a man of faith. He wasn't regulated by his feelings or his intellect; he was regulated by his faith and trust in God. Therefore, when hard times hit him personally, he knew that A Proper Response to Tragedy was to Worship the God that gave him his very breath and life.
Saints, in the words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, we've got some difficult days ahead. We're going to see some hard times in this nation that we haven't witnessed in nearly a century; maybe even never before in the history of our nation. When these hard times hit America, many people are going to want to respond in despair, rebellion, violence, retreat, resignation, hopelessness and the list goes on. But as the people of God, we won't need to respond this way. We will know the Proper Way to Handle Tragedy. We will simply get down on our knees and Worship God; knowing that our Father has already made the way for His children.
Thursday, March 31, 2016
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
Wake Up!
A few months ago I was speaking with a prophet of God, and they were sharing with me a revelation and a word that the Lord had given to them. In their description, they basically shared with me that when the Lord releases the Kingdom Move that He's about to release in the earth and the ensuing Judgment comes, people are going to be asleep. This is my concern, for the world and for the Body of Christ. There are too many of us that are walking about in a daze and asleep and unconscious to the spiritual dynamics that are taking place all around us. For this reason I sound the alarm and say, Wake Up!
Saints, I can't stress this enough, the Lord is coming soon. Once again, when people hear this, they put it in a dispensational context and only think of the Return of the Lord in regards to the end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ. Even though this interpretation is correct, Jesus's Return is not restricted to this eschatological event. Jesus still Visits His people today. And with that understanding, we need to be prepared for His Visitation to Set Things in Order in the earth and particularly in the church before His Ultimate Return (Revelation 20). For this reason it needs to be understood, we don't have much time. Now is not the time to be operating knowingly outside of the Divine Will of God for your life. Now is not the time to be compromising your witness just to be "accepted" and to "get along". No saints. Now is the time to, Wake Up!
The scriptures say in Romans chapter 13, "knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep". Do you know what time it is? Are you aware of what it is that God wants to do and is doing during this season in your life? This is where a lot of people, particularly Christians, miss it in terms of knowing what time it is. We get distracted by things that are primarily temporal, and lose our focus on the things that God has prepared and ordained for our lives. The challenge with this is that in order to properly align yourself with the Divine Will of God for your life, you have to deny your self. This is what most people don't want to do and for the most part, refuse to do. But this is where we fall to sleep. You can indulge your desires. You can reach for that which promotes and satisfies you. But in the end, you're still going to be held accountable to God, particularly if you are a Christian. And the Bible is true, "be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6). It would be better for us to buckle down and pay the price now, than to be negligent and spiritually irresponsible and have to pay the price later. And when I say later, I'm not talking about in the "bye and bye"; I'm talking about very shortly in the days to come. Let's be wise saints. Let us gird up the loins of our mind and be sober; for it is time to, Wake Up!
Saints, I can't stress this enough, the Lord is coming soon. Once again, when people hear this, they put it in a dispensational context and only think of the Return of the Lord in regards to the end of the world and the Second Coming of Christ. Even though this interpretation is correct, Jesus's Return is not restricted to this eschatological event. Jesus still Visits His people today. And with that understanding, we need to be prepared for His Visitation to Set Things in Order in the earth and particularly in the church before His Ultimate Return (Revelation 20). For this reason it needs to be understood, we don't have much time. Now is not the time to be operating knowingly outside of the Divine Will of God for your life. Now is not the time to be compromising your witness just to be "accepted" and to "get along". No saints. Now is the time to, Wake Up!
The scriptures say in Romans chapter 13, "knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep". Do you know what time it is? Are you aware of what it is that God wants to do and is doing during this season in your life? This is where a lot of people, particularly Christians, miss it in terms of knowing what time it is. We get distracted by things that are primarily temporal, and lose our focus on the things that God has prepared and ordained for our lives. The challenge with this is that in order to properly align yourself with the Divine Will of God for your life, you have to deny your self. This is what most people don't want to do and for the most part, refuse to do. But this is where we fall to sleep. You can indulge your desires. You can reach for that which promotes and satisfies you. But in the end, you're still going to be held accountable to God, particularly if you are a Christian. And the Bible is true, "be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6). It would be better for us to buckle down and pay the price now, than to be negligent and spiritually irresponsible and have to pay the price later. And when I say later, I'm not talking about in the "bye and bye"; I'm talking about very shortly in the days to come. Let's be wise saints. Let us gird up the loins of our mind and be sober; for it is time to, Wake Up!
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
Get In the Ark
As I have stated on numerous occasions, the Judgment of God is ready to take place, in the church and in this nation. This is something that as the people of God we need to be prepared for. No matter how "rosy" things may appear right now (whatever that may look like for you), be not deceived, Judgment Day is coming. The bible says that Judgment must start at the house of God (1Peter 4), then it will take place throughout the nation. I cannot stress enough, the Judgment of God is set to hit America. We must and will give account for our legislation of same-sex marriage. However, before God deals with the nation, He will first deal with His people, the church. Therefore, it is time that we Get in the Ark.
If you read Genesis chapters 6 and 7, you'll see the various dynamics that led to God's World-Wide Judgment through the Flood. In Genesis 6 the scripture says that "the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose". There are various interpretations of this text, but isn't it interesting that, no matter how you slice it, the issue was still dealing with marriage? The scripture says that "they took them wives". That's a reference to marriage; an in this instance an "unholy alliance". This is what we must be careful of saints, getting involved relationally, organizationally, ministerially and spiritually into "unholy alliances"-relationships and associations that are not ordained of God. This is what sponsored the Judgment of God through the Flood.
Noah was called out by God because he had found grace in the eyes of God and he was just and perfect (Genesis 6). If there's ever a time that you want to "get right with God" it is now. The Holy Spirit is Faithful. The Lord is letting His people know what areas they need to "get their act together" in if they want to be spared the consequences of His Judgment. But the key to safety and preservation for Noah and his family is found in Genesis 7. God says to Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee I have seen righteous before Me in this generation". The key to Noah and his family's preservation during the Flood of Judgment was to Get in the Ark. Notice, even though the Lord had declared Noah righteous and perfect, his righteous status was not the key to his Protection and Preservation from the Flood; Getting in the Ark was. Saints, the Ark is symbolic of Jesus Christ, and what we need to do now is Repent and Get into the Ark; get into Christ, hide in Him. Let the Lord be our Refuge. Let us learn to hide under His Wings and under the Shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91). This is something many of us still have to learn because we're still naturally inclined to find security and refuge in people and things. Those days are over. In order to survive in the days to come, Christ, the Ark of God, will have to be our Primary Source of Refuge and Safety. The Time is now saints. It's time for His people to Get In the Ark.
If you read Genesis chapters 6 and 7, you'll see the various dynamics that led to God's World-Wide Judgment through the Flood. In Genesis 6 the scripture says that "the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose". There are various interpretations of this text, but isn't it interesting that, no matter how you slice it, the issue was still dealing with marriage? The scripture says that "they took them wives". That's a reference to marriage; an in this instance an "unholy alliance". This is what we must be careful of saints, getting involved relationally, organizationally, ministerially and spiritually into "unholy alliances"-relationships and associations that are not ordained of God. This is what sponsored the Judgment of God through the Flood.
Noah was called out by God because he had found grace in the eyes of God and he was just and perfect (Genesis 6). If there's ever a time that you want to "get right with God" it is now. The Holy Spirit is Faithful. The Lord is letting His people know what areas they need to "get their act together" in if they want to be spared the consequences of His Judgment. But the key to safety and preservation for Noah and his family is found in Genesis 7. God says to Noah, "Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee I have seen righteous before Me in this generation". The key to Noah and his family's preservation during the Flood of Judgment was to Get in the Ark. Notice, even though the Lord had declared Noah righteous and perfect, his righteous status was not the key to his Protection and Preservation from the Flood; Getting in the Ark was. Saints, the Ark is symbolic of Jesus Christ, and what we need to do now is Repent and Get into the Ark; get into Christ, hide in Him. Let the Lord be our Refuge. Let us learn to hide under His Wings and under the Shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91). This is something many of us still have to learn because we're still naturally inclined to find security and refuge in people and things. Those days are over. In order to survive in the days to come, Christ, the Ark of God, will have to be our Primary Source of Refuge and Safety. The Time is now saints. It's time for His people to Get In the Ark.
Monday, March 28, 2016
The Endurance of Solitude
If you're going to be a Disciple of Christ and a follower of the Lord Jesus, one of the things that you will have to accept is the reality of being Alone. Being Alone is not a popular social condition in our society today. With all of the social media and constant interaction with people over the internet, it seems like human interaction is a phenomenon that is supposed to take place 24/7. But when you're following Jesus, when you're committed to serving the Lord, the dynamics of human interaction change drastically. For those who plan to go with Jesus "all the way", we must begin to learn The Endurance of Solitude.
Let's be honest and admit that the majority of the population (regardless of national status or geographical location) is not trying to follow Jesus. It's one thing to profess Christianity, it's another thing to be an ardent, die-hard Disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why Jesus said that many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22). Isolation and estrangement are a bitter pill to swallow. Most if not all of us, want to be accepted and want to be received. But the reality of the true Christian journey is that most of the time, we will not. It is The Endurance of Solitude.
Being Alone is one thing. Standing by yourself is hard enough. But having to internalize a sense of alienation and ostracization in the midst of a group or a crowd, can be very unsettling-emotionally and psychologically. This is where a lot of Christians fall short. Because we are so conditioned to be regulated by "social reinforcement", when we don't receive it, we faint and give up the race. We just begin to "blend in" so that we don't stick out and "offend" anybody. This is not the Will of God. If it were just a crowd of "strangers", it might be a little different. But how do you handle when your own "family" begins to question you and criticize you? How do you handle it when your biggest adversary is actually your spouse or your children? What do you do when the people in your own congregation begin to turn on you? Such is The Endurance of Solitude.
The scripture says in the first chapter of the Gospel of Saint John, that Jesus "came unto His own and His own received Him not". Jesus understood the challenge of experiencing The Endurance of Solitude. He knew what it was like to be Alone, to be misunderstood, to be rejected and mistreated. But this did not deter Him from His Divine Mission, and neither should it deter us. Jesus was able to embrace The Endurance of Solitude because He understood that the Father was always with Him (John 8). And saints, we have the same Assurance. The Lord has promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13). If we're going to follow Jesus to the Cross, we're not going to be able to depend on earthly support or human reinforcement. We must depend strictly and solely on Divine Assurance and Support from the Lord. It's the only way that we'll be able to meet the challenge of The Endurance of Solitude.
Let's be honest and admit that the majority of the population (regardless of national status or geographical location) is not trying to follow Jesus. It's one thing to profess Christianity, it's another thing to be an ardent, die-hard Disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why Jesus said that many are called but few are chosen (Matthew 22). Isolation and estrangement are a bitter pill to swallow. Most if not all of us, want to be accepted and want to be received. But the reality of the true Christian journey is that most of the time, we will not. It is The Endurance of Solitude.
Being Alone is one thing. Standing by yourself is hard enough. But having to internalize a sense of alienation and ostracization in the midst of a group or a crowd, can be very unsettling-emotionally and psychologically. This is where a lot of Christians fall short. Because we are so conditioned to be regulated by "social reinforcement", when we don't receive it, we faint and give up the race. We just begin to "blend in" so that we don't stick out and "offend" anybody. This is not the Will of God. If it were just a crowd of "strangers", it might be a little different. But how do you handle when your own "family" begins to question you and criticize you? How do you handle it when your biggest adversary is actually your spouse or your children? What do you do when the people in your own congregation begin to turn on you? Such is The Endurance of Solitude.
The scripture says in the first chapter of the Gospel of Saint John, that Jesus "came unto His own and His own received Him not". Jesus understood the challenge of experiencing The Endurance of Solitude. He knew what it was like to be Alone, to be misunderstood, to be rejected and mistreated. But this did not deter Him from His Divine Mission, and neither should it deter us. Jesus was able to embrace The Endurance of Solitude because He understood that the Father was always with Him (John 8). And saints, we have the same Assurance. The Lord has promised never to leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13). If we're going to follow Jesus to the Cross, we're not going to be able to depend on earthly support or human reinforcement. We must depend strictly and solely on Divine Assurance and Support from the Lord. It's the only way that we'll be able to meet the challenge of The Endurance of Solitude.
Saturday, March 26, 2016
A Resurrection Focus
As we prepare to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, let us understand that the key to a proper and appropriate celebration of this salvific and redemptive Event is having the proper Focus. Many times, when we celebrate the Birth, the Crucifixion, the Death and the Resurrection of our Lord, we tend to get caught up in the religious emotional experience. Yes, considering Jesus died for the penalty of our sins, we should be more than emotional and celebratory of the Sacrifice that our Lord made for us as His children. But it needs to go deeper than just emotional expression. We need to have a Resurrection Focus so that we can bear the fruit for which Jesus shed His Blood to receive.
When Jesus rose from the dead, the scripture says that He spent forty days with the disciples, teaching them those things pertaining to the Kingdom of God (Acts 1). Part of having a proper Resurrection Focus is to be focused on the Kingdom of God. If you pay close attention to the text, you'll notice that Jesus doesn't necessarily spend time with the disciples teaching them about "the church". And let me say for the record, church and congregational ministry and the Kingdom of God are not synonymous. During this season, we need to renew our focus, not so much on church ministry, but Kingdom Manifestation. We must be focused on receiving a Move of God that will usher in His Kingdom, on earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6).
The scripture also says in the third chapter of Colossians, that if we have been risen with Christ then we should seek those things which are above, not those things which are on the earth. A Resurrection Focus requires a Heavenly Focus. Somewhere, the saying was adopted that you can be so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good. This is a lie. One of the problems with the witness of the church is that we're not Heavenly Minded enough. As a matter of fact, once our Focus is renewed to the Heavenly Realm, we'll be more earthly good than we've ever been before. Why? Because that's where Jesus is! The scripture admonishes us to seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. The Throne of the Kingdom is in Christ at the Right Hand of the Father. This is where we need to Focus. Our affection, our focus, our passion, our desire; all of this needs to be directed towards Heaven. Once again, why? Because once we as the people of God develop a laser focus on the things of Heaven, we'll be able by the Spirit to access the Power necessary to transform the things of the earth. Saints it's Time. No more distractions, no more wrong paths. Let us become disciplined and allow the Holy Spirit to groom us and teach us so that we can demonstrate and exemplify A Resurrection Focus.
When Jesus rose from the dead, the scripture says that He spent forty days with the disciples, teaching them those things pertaining to the Kingdom of God (Acts 1). Part of having a proper Resurrection Focus is to be focused on the Kingdom of God. If you pay close attention to the text, you'll notice that Jesus doesn't necessarily spend time with the disciples teaching them about "the church". And let me say for the record, church and congregational ministry and the Kingdom of God are not synonymous. During this season, we need to renew our focus, not so much on church ministry, but Kingdom Manifestation. We must be focused on receiving a Move of God that will usher in His Kingdom, on earth as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6).
The scripture also says in the third chapter of Colossians, that if we have been risen with Christ then we should seek those things which are above, not those things which are on the earth. A Resurrection Focus requires a Heavenly Focus. Somewhere, the saying was adopted that you can be so heavenly minded that you're no earthly good. This is a lie. One of the problems with the witness of the church is that we're not Heavenly Minded enough. As a matter of fact, once our Focus is renewed to the Heavenly Realm, we'll be more earthly good than we've ever been before. Why? Because that's where Jesus is! The scripture admonishes us to seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. The Throne of the Kingdom is in Christ at the Right Hand of the Father. This is where we need to Focus. Our affection, our focus, our passion, our desire; all of this needs to be directed towards Heaven. Once again, why? Because once we as the people of God develop a laser focus on the things of Heaven, we'll be able by the Spirit to access the Power necessary to transform the things of the earth. Saints it's Time. No more distractions, no more wrong paths. Let us become disciplined and allow the Holy Spirit to groom us and teach us so that we can demonstrate and exemplify A Resurrection Focus.
Friday, March 25, 2016
Changed
One of the things that believers in Christ need to be expecting as we approach the Season of the Kingdom of God, is to be Changed. Our society has become addicted and obsessed with "seeing change", but I don't think that we are equally as concerned with the prospect of Being Changed. President Barack Obama in 2008, ran a presidential campaign based on the hope and promise of Change. This presidential election of 2016 is hinging on the candidates being able to "change things" in America. However, as a believer in Christ, our hope should not be in a presidential candidate or a governmental system. Our hope is in Christ! Therefore, let us not focus on seeing change, let us focus on Being Changed.
In the Book of Romans chapter 6, the scripture talks about "walking in the newness of life". In 2Corinthians 5, the scripture talks about being a "new creature in Christ". However, if we're honest, many of the Christians that we know don't seem to "change" that much after they've accepted Christ or after having been in the church for an extended period of time. Let me serve notice saints, this is about to Change, and we need to be expecting it. We are entering a season of Divine Visitation. This is not something that the mainstream church regularly promotes or preaches to the people of God, but the reality of our Relationship with God is that God does come and Visit His people (John 14). When the people of God experience a Divine Visitation from the Lord, it is impossible for them to stay the same. They must be Changed.
This is what the Father is ready to do amongst His people who are sold out and sanctified unto Him (2Corinthians 6). The Father, along with the Son, is ready to Manifest Himself to His people in a Supernatural Way. When this transpires, the people of God will be Changed: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.
One of the major Changes that the people of God are about to experience across the board is Supernatural Healing. If I can say it like this, God is tired of His people being Sick. That's why the scripture says that by His Stripes we are Healed (Isaiah 53). I know that the people of God are "tired" of being sick. Tired of having to "always" go to the doctor. Tired of taking prescription medicine that throws your body even further out of whack. Tired of having to physically "thrust yourself" through the day. No more saints. Get ready to be physically Changed.
There are some of us who have had to endure Emotional and Psychological Scars. Family past and relational issues have hurt us and scarred us for life. But the Father is tired of His children continually operating in emotional pain and duress. He wants His people to be Free (Luke 4); Free from emotional and psychological Pain and Stress. The Father no longer wants His children to have relationships adversely affected by what they've experienced in the past. No more internal scars and unresolved issues saints; get ready to be emotionally and psychologically Changed.
Lastly saints, God wants His people to operate in Supernatural Power. No more of this lukewarm "church tradition". No more of this same 'ol "predictable Christianity". Uh uh saints, no mas. The Father is ready to release a New Anointing that will break yokes, set captives free and transform regions and countries for the Kingdom of God. Are you ready for it? If you are, then get ready to be Changed.
In the Book of Romans chapter 6, the scripture talks about "walking in the newness of life". In 2Corinthians 5, the scripture talks about being a "new creature in Christ". However, if we're honest, many of the Christians that we know don't seem to "change" that much after they've accepted Christ or after having been in the church for an extended period of time. Let me serve notice saints, this is about to Change, and we need to be expecting it. We are entering a season of Divine Visitation. This is not something that the mainstream church regularly promotes or preaches to the people of God, but the reality of our Relationship with God is that God does come and Visit His people (John 14). When the people of God experience a Divine Visitation from the Lord, it is impossible for them to stay the same. They must be Changed.
This is what the Father is ready to do amongst His people who are sold out and sanctified unto Him (2Corinthians 6). The Father, along with the Son, is ready to Manifest Himself to His people in a Supernatural Way. When this transpires, the people of God will be Changed: physically, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually.
One of the major Changes that the people of God are about to experience across the board is Supernatural Healing. If I can say it like this, God is tired of His people being Sick. That's why the scripture says that by His Stripes we are Healed (Isaiah 53). I know that the people of God are "tired" of being sick. Tired of having to "always" go to the doctor. Tired of taking prescription medicine that throws your body even further out of whack. Tired of having to physically "thrust yourself" through the day. No more saints. Get ready to be physically Changed.
There are some of us who have had to endure Emotional and Psychological Scars. Family past and relational issues have hurt us and scarred us for life. But the Father is tired of His children continually operating in emotional pain and duress. He wants His people to be Free (Luke 4); Free from emotional and psychological Pain and Stress. The Father no longer wants His children to have relationships adversely affected by what they've experienced in the past. No more internal scars and unresolved issues saints; get ready to be emotionally and psychologically Changed.
Lastly saints, God wants His people to operate in Supernatural Power. No more of this lukewarm "church tradition". No more of this same 'ol "predictable Christianity". Uh uh saints, no mas. The Father is ready to release a New Anointing that will break yokes, set captives free and transform regions and countries for the Kingdom of God. Are you ready for it? If you are, then get ready to be Changed.
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Taking Care of the Temple
As I speak with more and more of my Christian friends, I'm discovering that during this season, God is putting more of an emphasis on the maintenance and oversight of our physical bodies. Because God is a Spirit, many Christians tend to think that the Father does not put as much emphasis on the physical and biological aspect of our being. However, this is incorrect. God wants us to be Holy (1Thessalonians 5), which includes our spirit, soul and body. Therefore, the conclusion is, if a believer is not proactively taking care of their physical body and overall health, then they are not walking in the Holiness for which God has called us to as His children. For this reason, we must be more mindful in Taking Care of the Temple.
We must keep in mind that our bodies represent the Temple of God (1Corinthians 6). God dwells inside of us through the Presence of His Holy Spirit (Romans 8). With this in mind, we must understand that as physical temples, we are actually Hosting the Presence of God. This is major. God is not trying to dwell in a broken down, unfit, unhealthy Temple. The Father deserves better than this. It is not expedient for us in regards to the Presence of God within our bodies if we are always operating in sickness and pain, disease and illness. Once again, this is not the Will of God. For this reason, we must be committed in Taking Care of the Temple.
In Taking Care of the Temple, we must be mindful of what we eat. It's not scriptural, but there's an old saying that "you are what you eat". There is a degree of truth to this, because many of us put too much junk (food) in our bodies and then wonder why, physically speaking, we feel like Garbage. Saints, we must renew our minds in the area of diet and nutrition. The days of always eating cookies and soda-pop, potato chips and beer, hot dogs and other types of red meat and processed foods; at some point we have to Repent and develop a different way of thinking about our eating habits. Studies have shown that most of the illnesses and diseases that people experience are directly related to their diet. Which means, if we can learn to eat healthier we will have the experience of Being More Healthy.
Foods like fruit, vegetables, water, fish and chicken (if you just have to eat meat) are some of the options that we need to resort to in Taking Care of the Temple. This doesn't mean you have to become a Vegan or a Vegetarian. But what it does mean is that there is a Conscious Mind-Set to say that I am not going to continue to feed God's Temple with the things that I know will lead to its utter destruction. Once again, this is not the Will of God.
Lastly saints, we need to get more Rest and experience Less Stress. Some of us believe in Working Around the Clock and never allowing our bodies and our minds to get sufficient Rest. There's a Reason why God instructed His people to "rest on the Sabbath" (Exodus 20) and gave us the Divine Example of Resting on the seventh day in Creation (Genesis 2). Therefore, in Taking Care of the Temple, we must make sure we're getting Proper Rest for our bodies. Set a bed-time. That's not just for kids. We as adults need to "monitor" how much sleep we are getting and become regimented in securing it. And then, reduce your Stress. The things that you "know" are going to stress you out that you know you can avoid, do so. Hypertension and high-blood pressure are directly linked to Too Much Stress. Saints, if we can at least start here, we will start moving in the right direction of Taking Care of the Temple.
We must keep in mind that our bodies represent the Temple of God (1Corinthians 6). God dwells inside of us through the Presence of His Holy Spirit (Romans 8). With this in mind, we must understand that as physical temples, we are actually Hosting the Presence of God. This is major. God is not trying to dwell in a broken down, unfit, unhealthy Temple. The Father deserves better than this. It is not expedient for us in regards to the Presence of God within our bodies if we are always operating in sickness and pain, disease and illness. Once again, this is not the Will of God. For this reason, we must be committed in Taking Care of the Temple.
In Taking Care of the Temple, we must be mindful of what we eat. It's not scriptural, but there's an old saying that "you are what you eat". There is a degree of truth to this, because many of us put too much junk (food) in our bodies and then wonder why, physically speaking, we feel like Garbage. Saints, we must renew our minds in the area of diet and nutrition. The days of always eating cookies and soda-pop, potato chips and beer, hot dogs and other types of red meat and processed foods; at some point we have to Repent and develop a different way of thinking about our eating habits. Studies have shown that most of the illnesses and diseases that people experience are directly related to their diet. Which means, if we can learn to eat healthier we will have the experience of Being More Healthy.
Foods like fruit, vegetables, water, fish and chicken (if you just have to eat meat) are some of the options that we need to resort to in Taking Care of the Temple. This doesn't mean you have to become a Vegan or a Vegetarian. But what it does mean is that there is a Conscious Mind-Set to say that I am not going to continue to feed God's Temple with the things that I know will lead to its utter destruction. Once again, this is not the Will of God.
Lastly saints, we need to get more Rest and experience Less Stress. Some of us believe in Working Around the Clock and never allowing our bodies and our minds to get sufficient Rest. There's a Reason why God instructed His people to "rest on the Sabbath" (Exodus 20) and gave us the Divine Example of Resting on the seventh day in Creation (Genesis 2). Therefore, in Taking Care of the Temple, we must make sure we're getting Proper Rest for our bodies. Set a bed-time. That's not just for kids. We as adults need to "monitor" how much sleep we are getting and become regimented in securing it. And then, reduce your Stress. The things that you "know" are going to stress you out that you know you can avoid, do so. Hypertension and high-blood pressure are directly linked to Too Much Stress. Saints, if we can at least start here, we will start moving in the right direction of Taking Care of the Temple.
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