healthy

The other day, while at a restaurant, I commented, to my wife how the beef and broccoli wasn’t as good as it normally is. She replied, “Well, maybe the cook is sick.” I laughed and thought she was just being silly. She’s often funny like that, but she went on to explain how that phrase was a real thing in the Philippines.

I was intrigued and thought about this. So what she was saying was. The food wasn’t at its best, because of sickness. Isn’t that like us at times, servants of God? When we allow sin into our life we are not at our best. We do things, small perhaps, but they allow sin into our lives, and sin, is sickness, which can, if ignored, lead to death, spiritual and even physical. We miss opportunities to speak of the love of God. To testify of his glory. We miss experiences with others that can lift someone up, or encourage them.

A “diet” is defined as: the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats, or a special course of food to which one restricts oneself, either to lose weight or for medical reasons.

It seems as if some people restrict God from their life, and boy, do they ever pay for it.

Those who live by their own rules, not God’s, can expect nothing but trouble,
    and the longer they live, the worse it gets.
Every little sound terrifies them.
    Just when they think they have it made, disaster strikes.
They despair of things ever getting better—
    they’re on the list of people for whom things always turn out for the worst.
They wander here and there,
    never knowing where the next meal is coming from—
    every day is doomsday!
They live in constant terror,
    always with their backs up against the wall
Because they insist on shaking their fists at God,
    defying God Almighty to his face,
Always and ever at odds with God,
    always on the defensive. Job 15:18-26 (MSG)

Even though they may look fine on the outside, things are not healthy on the inside, and just like your body, it will manifest.

As God can be restricted, so can sin, but it’s a choice. When we encounter an opportunity to sin we can call out to God to help, for when we are weak, He is strong, therefore we are strong. (2 Cor. 12:9)

Just as maintaining a healthy diet and saying, “No” to things we shouldn’t partake of helps us continue to be strong, we should maintain a healthy balanced diet built on God. A diet of prayer, reading God’s word, and taking action to serve God as he directs.

It would be a shame for someone to encounter us, and leave with a bad taste in their mouth, because we were not at our best. Remember this; as children of God, we are always reflections of our Heavenly Father. And people do watch us constantly, looking for a reason to not accept God. Their favorite excuse is this, “If they are a so called Christian, then that’s not for me, because I don’t want to be like them.” Yes, it’s true we are forgiven, but they do not understand such things yet, for they have not experienced that forgiveness for themselves. So be careful, every day. Stay healthy, and stay good.

A big part of seeing the need is trusting God with your own issues long enough to look out from yourself, to see others.

Let me encourage you to go exercise your faith. You will find out it doesn’t hurt as bad as exercising your body. Also, being a follower of Jesus in good shape, is a healthy way to live your life.

Note: In the photo is Bob Hostetler. A real man of God who, yes, gave me permission to use the photo. I will never forget the day he said, after reading some material I had written, which was awful, “Mark, you’re a writer.” I am so grateful for him. He’s an author, encourager, and one of the best speakers ever! His website is: http://www.bobhostetler.com/