Healthy Guidelines for Living

O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these is the life of my spirit; O restore me to health and let me live! Isaiah 38:16 (New American Standard Bible)

Isaiah 38 records the story of Hezekiah being told he was to die soon. Upon hearing this, he cried to the Lord for an extension on his life and he was granted his request. What followed his healing was a prayer that included today’s verse. His was one of desiring physical health and extended life. I read his words this morning with a desire for not only physical health but emotional and spiritual health as well.

A little over a year ago, I joined Weight Watchers and quickly saw the need to change the way I was eating. While my desire to eat right included wanting to lose weight it also entailed a life style change. Hence, the need to implement healthy guidelines into not only my eating but my activities as well. Some of those guidelines have to do with drinking water, getting in my fruits and vegetables, drinking milk, increasing my activity level, and other healthy options. One thing I have to be on guard of is my tendency to binge eat. Certain foods can open the door to incredible binges that have no positive value or outcome. Knowing this, forces me to set daily and weekly goals for myself that keep me on track and improve my health.

Recently God helped me to see that those same principles apply to my emotional and spiritual health. For the sake of my internal well being, it is imperative that I follow specific healthy guidelines designed to bring about that emotional and spiritual health. While I don’t know what that entire list looks like yet, He has given me a few to get me started. The first of which is to guard and control my thoughts. I have often found it easy to binge on wrong thoughts which can stem from unforgiveness, self- pity, wrong perceptions, and judgmental attitudes. That is a “diet” I cannot afford to continue to embrace. At present, the healthy guideline God is urging me to implement is to think on better things on purpose. To chose to redirect my thinking. There is so much I can think on that is encouraging, beneficial, and healthy for me. Things that would give me freedom in my day and in my relationships.

This is just one aspect of Him restoring my health and letting me live the abundant life of which Jesus spoke. He will forever leave the choice to me as to whether or not I apply what He tells me. He won’t force good health on me but He will certainly provide all I need to experience that health.

Father, my desire for physical, emotional, and spiritual health has finally come into agreement with Your desire. Continue to show me the guidelines for my own well being. Amen.

By Grace Alone - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6lhilgWXIE&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

The Only Opinion That Counts

Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Romans 14:4 (New American Standard Bible)

For those of us who hunger for approval and acceptance, the opinions of others can have a hold on us if we let them. We cannot stop others from judging us or forming an opinion about us. It happened to Christ when He walked on this earth centuries ago. It happened to God’s children in both the Old and New Testament. It has happened to us all. Freedom from the effects of what others think of us is only found as we see the truth that God’s opinion is what counts. Our actions are right or wrong according to Him.

One of the most apparent times of being judged by others, for me, was when I began to seek freedom from a legalistic way of living my Christian life. Learning the truth that God’s love was not dependent on what I was doing had a huge impact on me and led to the desire to walk in freedom rather than in rigid conformity. It opened the door for me to allow God to set the boundaries and standards in my life. It paved the way for me to be accepting of things that at one time were unacceptable. I cleared away the self imposed list of does and don’ts that had defined my life and allowed God to begin to rewrite it.

For decades I had struggled in the area of music. What was appropriate to listen to and what was not? What was right and what was wrong? My view was based more on what others had told me rather than on what God told me. At one time, if the music had a beat of any kind it was deemed wrong and dangerous. Never mind individual tastes and preferences. So for decades I set aside anything of a contemporary nature. Once in a while I would attempt to break free and I would actually buy a tape or CD of “forbidden” music only to turn around and out of guilt throw it away or destroy it. This all changed in the spring of 2004. In the privacy of a guest room at my grandmother’s house, with tears I finally asked God to give me the freedom to listen to the music that ministers to me. He graciously did so and once I received His approval, the door to praise and worship music swung wide open that I had previously shut.

While I enjoyed this new found freedom with passion it came at a price. It cost me a teaching job at a Christian school as well as the respect of others as they felt I had backslid. The sting of that was only relieved as I rested in the truth that God approved of my changes whether others did or not. It will continue to be that way as other areas of my life are affected. To Him I stand or fall and by His grace I stand!

Father, continue to open the doors I have shut and backed away from. Christ came to set me free and I choose to dance in that freedom for the rest of my life. Amen.

With All I Am - Hillsong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMrAafe7Mns&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

Knowing Where I Stand

No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. John 15:15 (New King James Version)

Intimacy! I still do not fully grasp God’s intimate view of me as His daughter. Through out Scripture I am given terms that define my relationship to Him. His sheep, servant, child, clay, vessel, messenger, vine, bride…..FRIEND! What does that mean? In personal terms it means one who is dear to me, one in whom I delight, one in whose company I long to be, one I talk to often, one who is on my mind a lot, one who takes priority, one whose love I am confident of, one whom I continually get to know, one who shares my heart and theirs, one who shares their world with me, and one I love with abandon.

Nothing hinders my delight in a friendship more than the uncertainty of the other person’s feelings toward me. When I perceive they no longer want a relationship with me I shut down. I no longer feel at ease to approach them because of my own fear of rejection. It is a measure of self protection that can be costly. Where once I may have felt entirely loved and accepted by them, I now expect the opposite. There is such a difference between feeling tolerated and feeling loved. Does it hurt? Yes! Is there a need for healing within myself? Absolutely! God is daily letting me know that whether my thoughts and feelings are justified or not, He must be my constant resort for comfort and renewal. While I may not always know another person’s heart, His heart is openly revealed in His Word.

For years I viewed Him as harsh, unloving, uncaring, and merely tolerating of me. I knew He loved others but felt I was not among the chosen few. How deceived I was! With such a distorted view of Him, I hesitated to seek relationship with Him. The very things that are necessary to be intimate with Him--prayer and being in His Word--were sporadic at best. I could not conceive of the fact that His endearing terms were meant for me as well. Oh, the change that came when the truth finally sunk in. He graciously opened my ears to His words of love, delight, and friendship! It changed the way I viewed Him, related to Him, and heard Him. May I never stop letting Him show me where I might still be blind to His face and deaf to His voice.

Father, all that You have to say to me, I want to digest to the fullest. With You I no longer feel insecure, uncertain, or excluded. You have called me Your friend! Amen.

The Motions - Matthew West
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaHmiFaX_pk&feature=PlayList&p=F0BA1ACD8C2BFC55&index=39

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

My Helper and Prayer Partner

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. Romans 8:26-27 (New American Standard Bible)

I see two profound aspects about the Spirit of God in today’s passage. He helps me in my weaknesses and intercedes for me according to God’s will. Those truths encourage and comfort me. Why? Because I am in daily need of that help and those prayers. We all are!

The weaknesses that stood out to me yesterday were varied. Offended by something that was said to me and the way it was said, awakened in me a desire to hold on to hurt feelings rather than forgive, release, and move on. His help came in the form of reminding me of the necessity to walk in forgiveness. It is for my good. Holding on to hurt feelings affects me more than the person I choose not to forgive. Waiting until the other person sees and admits to their hurting me before I will forgive is futile at best and damaging at worst. Like one person so aptly put it, it is like me drinking poison and expecting the other person to die! Not good! Cooperation in this area required His help.

Insecurities in a relationship presented the temptation to email a long time friend for the purpose of letting her know I was in doubt of our friendship. This has been a year void of much communication and that tends to bring out the worries in me. It awakens perceptions in me that only serve to put us both in the worst possible light. Again, poison to me! Not sending the email and not spiraling into a pit of doubt and despair required His help. I feel better this morning having NOT sent the email.

As much as I need the help of the Spirit, I am in more need of His prayers. My prayers are often limited by my lack of knowledge, understanding, and view. Therefore I need the prayers of One who knows me intimately, sees life fully, and knows God’s will for everything and everyone. While I have precious prayer partners in my life, non surpass or come close to Him. Like His thoughts for me, His prayers are too numerous to count and too precious to ignore. Amazingly enough, He prays for me whether I ask Him to or not and whether I am aware of His prayers or not.

Father, thank you for the help and prayers of Your Spirit. I am in need of both! Amen.

By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJODOpe_M8E&feature=PlayList&p=F0BA1ACD8C2BFC55&index=38&playnext=7&playnext_from=PL

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

The Ache of Limited Supply

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17-18 (New International Version)

At the time of this writing of Scripture, crops and live stock were essential to ones survival and well being. A crop failure and loss of animals could be a matter of life and death. So I am struck by the closing remarks. When the supply is gone, when the sustenance of life is unavailable, rejoice and be joyful in God. I cannot say I have ever been completely without food or the bare essentials of life. I have never been in a situation where I literally did not know where my next meal was coming from. Yet as I read this passage my mind went to that which I so often rely upon….the emotional support of others. How well do I do when that support seems to be unavailable? How quick am I to rejoice in my Lord, my God, and my Savior?

This past weekend I enjoyed an opportunity to visit with a number of friends in Michigan. Some I had not seen in a number of months and some I had not seen in decades. The fellowship was sweet. The visits were encouraging. With each visit I felt loved, welcomed, and wanted. I walked away spiritually encouraged and emotionally saturated. Yet when the weekend came to a close and I was on my way back to Indianapolis, it felt as if something was slowly leaking out of me. When I was no longer face to face with sources of encouragement some longings began to resurface. Thoughts of other relationships came to mind and with them came feelings of insecurity, loneliness, and the thought I had been forgotten. Was I rejoicing then? Was I joyful in God my Savior? Not hardly! I was experiencing the all too familiar ache that comes when my external world is unable to sooth my internal world.

God had to remind me that although He will use people in profound ways in my life they cannot be who I look to in order to feel loved, whole, and healed. They cannot be my never ending source. He must be! That is when rejoicing and joy is possible. So when I am looking over the “fields” of familiar faces and the prospects of enjoying their company looks slim, I must realize that God is my present Help and constant Companion. Even when I don’t know where my next emotional meal is going to come from, He is my Source and Sustenance. In that I can rejoice! In that I can be joyful! In that I can rest!

Father, friends mean a lot to me. The absence of them affects me. You are my Friend who sticks closer than a brother. For Your unchanging ways, I praise You and joy in You! Amen.

A Love That Won't Walk Away - Kathy Troccoli
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uQGr4fa2Z0&feature=PlayList&p=F0BA1ACD8C2BFC55&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=32

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.

A Shift in the Right Direction

He caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed. Psalm 107:29 (New American Standard Bible)

The disciples knew what it was like to be in the midst of a storm at sea. A storm that seemed to threaten their very lives and send them into a state of fear and panic. Their assumption was that Jesus didn’t care and wouldn’t help. But all of that changed when He stood and calmed the storm with the mere sound of His voice. They also knew the effects of having their internal storms calmed with His words of “Peace be still.” Whether it is a literal storm at sea or a storm in the midst of our internal world, we long for peace to come and “waves” to be hushed.

The most powerful storms I face in life are those of an emotional nature. I know when one is about to hit because I experience a shift in my moods, feelings, and thoughts. It may not even be a huge experience that brings the shift on but the effects are felt and I know too well the storm that will follow…one of darkness and distress. It is a pattern that I have grown use to but never comfortable with. I don’t like the spiraling. I don’t like the shift. The mere sense of one sends me into a state of foreboding because I don’t know how bad it will get or how long it will last.

Last night was no exception. The fresh realization that a severed relationship would most likely not be restored in this life caused the shift. It followed a few days of what seemed like clear sailing and I really didn’t want to experience another storm. What I didn’t realize was how God would show me something that would actually turn the tide. In the midst of a spiral He brought this thought to mind….if something or someone can shift me in a negative direction, He can certainly shift me in a positive direction. He who calmed the storms at sea could just as easily calm my storm. So I asked Him to do that for me and He did! Within moments the pull downward was stopped and I definitely felt a calm.

To say I was astounded would be an understatement. It was a turning point for me. As one who has known only how to ride out storms I am now seeing an alternative I failed to grasp before. I have no doubt that God will faithfully settle my heart when shifts happen and hush the waves of emotions when they come. The circumstances may not always change but my internal world will as I look to Him to shift me in the right direction.

Father, I have never known such calming. I look to You to do in me what I cannot do without You. Thank you for the stillness that comes from You. Amen.

Praise You in the Storm - Casting Crowns
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time. 　

Within Its Pages

For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Romans 15:4 (New American Standard Bible)

Perseverance. That ability to continue on even in the midst of difficulties and mundane days. Encouragement. That which exhorts and comforts me in every situation I face. Hope. My expectation of good, joyful confidence, and a sense that all will work together for good. Where do these things come from? I have many sources I could rely upon to bring me encouragement and hope and help me to persevere, but none compare to the place and power of Scripture!

Within the pages of God’s Word are the recorded lives of people who walked before me and have set examples for me to follow. Sometimes the examples show me what NOT to do and other times the examples become billboards for right living and wise choices. How gracious of God to show me the ends of their stories for my continued benefit.

Within the pages of Scripture are principles for life that are filled with advantages for me if followed. The first three verses of Hebrews 12 give me truths that, if applied, will revolutionize ANY believer’s life. They are: lay aside that which hinders and entangles you, run the race of life with endurance, fix your eyes on Jesus who began and will complete your faith, and consider Him (which means to meditate on and ponder).

Within the pages of the Bible are promises made by God to us that will never change. Promises of His love, forgiveness, presence, power, provision, and protection. Promises that are made and kept with the same passion! They are often conditional upon our obedience but even that is something He will empower us to do. Among the promises are the truths about God’s character and heart as well as His profound wisdom and instruction that He lavishes on all who will learn from Him.

With all of that, Job reminds me in 26:14 that the things God reveals through His Word are merely fringes and slight views of all that He is! My brain cannot take in the whole of His ways or thoughts. They are beyond me and yet I revel in what He graciously helps me to understand. THAT is the reason I now open His Word each morning. There is too much within its pages that I no longer want to miss!

Father, I cannot begin to describe the wonder and magnitude of Your Word. May it go deep into my spirit and transform me from the inside out. You, Your Spirit, and Your Word are my ultimate sources for everything! Amen.

Thy Word - Maranatha Singers
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SLHWFpSlq4&feature=related

Getting into God's Word and letting God's Word get into me one truth at a time.