A Healthy Life
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
One of the ways that we can live wisely in a foolish world is to learn to take care of our health. Since we only have one body to serve the Lord with, it is important that we take care of it to honor Him all the days of our lives. Paul pleads with believers;
1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Though this is more to the spiritual sense, the body is the vessel God uses to manifest His holiness and service to Him to prove His will to the world!
Let’s look at some ways that we can take care of our bodies to live a Healthy Life!
Text; Proverbs 3:1-2, 8
Proverbs 3:1–8 (NKJV)
1 My son, do not forget my law, But let your heart keep my commands;
2 For length of days and long life And peace they will add to you.
8 It will be health to your flesh, And strength to your bones.
It shouldn’t surprise us that obedience to God’s commandments and other laws would promote good health. When we obey them, we operate in accordance with His instructions. As our Creator, He knows what’s best for us.
1. Eat a Balanced Diet;
1. Eat a Balanced Diet;
A balanced diet includes meat, veggies, fruit, and grains.
Have you ever thought about the teeth that God gave us? Think about the teeth of a dog, bear, or cat, which are carnivores (car-ni-vores), meaning meat eaters. Now, picture the teeth of a cow or horse, which are herbivores, meaning they eat only plants and no meats.
Which type of teeth did God give us? Both, so a balanced diet is important to the health of our bodies and our digestive system to keep us healthy.
[The Israelites were given dietary laws in Lev.11 clean/unclean animals, Daniel encouraged the kings eunuch to give him and his friends vegetables and water for 10 days and compare them with the others who were eating the kings delicacies, in the Book of Acts Peter was shown by God that all food is clean/acceptable to eat].
A balanced diet doesn’t only deal with the variety of things we eat but also how much we eat. Eating too much is bad for your health. Don’t be a glutton!
21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, And drowsiness will clothe a man with rags.
12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”
34 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’
In the 1960’s the seating capacity of a church sanctuary in a building project was based on 18 inches per person. Today the seating capacity is based on 24 inches. I can happily report we are under the average at 22 inches!
2. Exercise;
2. Exercise;
God created our bodies to tend the earth, be active and serve Him. That means we need to keep our bodies in good working order. A balanced diet combined with regular exercise can help us do that.
8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
Notice that the verse does not say there is no need for exercise. Rather, it says that exercise is valuable, but it prioritizes exercise by saying that godliness is of greater value [there needs to be a balance of spiritual/physical exercise]
Regular exercise helps prevent heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, obesity and depression.
The greatest health benefit in exercise is during the first 15 minutes. So just 15 minutes a day of exercise outside of our normal activities is better than nothing.
The apostle Paul uses physical training in illustrating spiritual truths
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
The fact that Paul uses athletic terminology to teach us spiritual truths indicates that Paul viewed physical exercise, and even competition, in a positive light. We are both physical and spiritual beings.
3. Learn to Laugh;
3. Learn to Laugh;
Laughter is healthy! People take themselves and life too seriously sometimes.
22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.
If all the scriptures are divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit [which they are], then God wants us to laugh and enjoy life!
The scriptures may never specifically say that Jesus laughed, but I believe He did.
16 And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.
Who can take a child in his arms and not smile?
19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.”
The religious leaders accused Jesus of having too good a time in life
Jesus spoke of rejoicing in His parables in Luke 15—the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son were all found. The result in each case was great rejoicing. Jesus told these stories as illustrations of the joy found in repentance.
10 Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”
Scriptures on laughter
21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, And your lips with rejoicing.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
15 All the days of the afflicted are evil, But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.
4 A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance;
21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’
21 Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh.
13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms.
Close;
1 The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
3 For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
A healthy life is not only good for the body but also for the soul. This body we have is a gift of God, His holy temple, bought at a high price, so we need to take care of it and use it for His glory.