Father Really Does Know Best

What Are You Looking At?

2010-03-09T10:55:00.000-08:00

Genesis 19:26 (New International Version)
But Lot's wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

You may not realize how critical what you look at is. Where you focus your attention, determines where you end up. There are three places, in particular, I want to focus on from the Word of God.

Lot’s wife couldn’t keep herself from looking back and, well, we know what happened to her! This tells me we should not constantly dwell on the past. While it is good to occasionally think back to happy times or past victories, constantly living in the past is a dangerous mistake. We all know people who are living on past glories or perpetually punishing themselves for past mistakes. Neither one is any fun to be around. You can’t move forward when you are looking behind you.

In 2 Samuel 11:2-15 we read about David, who should have been in battle with his men, but instead remained behind. In his boredom, he was up walking around on the roof and spotted Bathsheba – another man’s wife – bathing. He was then enticed to commit adultery. This tells me to be careful to avoid boredom. It almost always leads to trouble.

In Genesis 3:6 Eve was encouraged by the serpent to look at the forbidden tree. The more she looked at it, the better the fruit looked until she could resist no more and ate from it. Whatever you focus your attention on, increases. If you are on a diet, don’t sit and watch the Food Channel all day – you will inevitably go on a binge! We’ve all read about men who constantly fed their minds on pornography and ended up committing violent crimes. The message here is to avoid looking at anything that fuels a temptation.

Those are negative ways to use the gift of sight. Here is how God intends us to use it. We are to be like Abraham, in Genesis 15:5, and focus on our goals and dreams. Keep your eyes on the prize and before long it will be your present possession. Luke 21:28 encourages us to look up when all these negative things begin to happen, because our redemption is near. This tells me to keep my eyes on Jesus so my faith remains strong.

If you want to make steady progress, be successful, healthy and blessed - be careful what you look at.

Late Bloomer...Or Right on Time?

2010-02-08T09:38:00.000-08:00

I had a conversation recently that made me think about this. I have always considered myself a “late bloomer.” As a mom, I have watched my children grow into young adulthood and constantly marvel at how much further along in their development they seem to be than I was at their ages! It made me stop and carefully consider why that might be. I grew up in the 50’s and 60’s, a very different time. There were no computers, cell phones or Face Book. My children have grown up with cell phones, computers and other electronics and are extremely proficient in their use. They have been involved in the social networking era of MySpace and Face Book. These things alone may have had a huge impact on how quickly they have “blossomed” in certain areas simply because of exposure.

As I thought about upbringing, that, too has to be a factor. I grew up in a household where my mother was an alcoholic. While I knew my parents loved me, the environment was anything but stable in many ways, and I know that while that sort of situation causes you to mature more quickly in some areas, in others your development can be stunted. I know that to be true of myself. My children, on the other hand, have been raised in a reasonably stable (none of us does it perfectly, after all!) home, in an atmosphere of love, encouragement and acceptance. I believe that, too, has been a factor in why they bloomed so much earlier in some areas than I did. So the soil a seed is planted in – the environment – either encourages growth or slows it.

I’ve always thought of this “late bloomer” thing as a negative, something to be ashamed about. But in studying scriptural longevity, I got an entirely new take on this. I was studying the verses in Psalm 90 that refer to the Israelites who rebelled and were not allowed to enter the Promised Land. Many have mistakenly believed verse 10 which says the “days of our years are threescore and ten (70) or even if by reason of strength, fourscore years (80),” refer to a believer’s lifespan. I clearly saw this was simply referring to those Israelites who rebelled against God. In a very insightful footnote to this verse in the Amplified Bible it says: “Seventy years never has been the average span of life for humanity. When Jacob, the father of the twelve tribes, had reached 130 years, he complained that he had not attained to the years of his immediate ancestors. In fact, Moses himself lived to be 120 years old, Aaron 123, Miriam several years older and Joshua 110 years of age. Note as well in the Millenium a person dying at 100 will still be thought a child.” (emphasis mine)

Well, now, that changes everything! I have always told my kids I plan to live to at least 120 so they will have to put up with me for a long time! Perhaps I’m not a late bloomer after all! Could it be that I am exactly where I am supposed to be in my development? If I believe God is aware of every detail of my life (and I do); and I trust Him to direct my every step (and I do); and I expect to fulfill the number of my days in health (and I do); then I am developing exactly according to “schedule.” I don’t have to compare myself to anyone else or feel I should have attained certain understanding or revelation before now. I can just trust that God is moving me along at exactly the right pace and I will know whatever I need to, just when I need to. Besides if 100 will be considered a mere child, I’m still in toddlerhood!

Selective Hearing

2009-12-17T10:30:00.000-08:00

"I'm exhausted." "Where am I going to get the money for that?" "This will never work out." "Who does she think she is, talking to me that way!" "I can't believe how fat I am." "Things just never go right for me." "I can't take it any more!"

Thoughts are constantly floating through our minds, whether we are aware of them or not. We also may not realize the origin of many of those thoughts. Every critical, negative word ever spoken to you is filed away in your computer-like brain. The devil won't miss an opportunity to whisper destructive, negative, hurtful thoughts into your ear every minute of the day -IF you allow him to. After twenty-four solid hours of those destructive thoughts bombarding your mind and spirit, no wonder you're exhausted, discouraged and defeated. They chip away at your strength, self-esteem and hope, which is exactly what the devil intends. If we absorb enough of these trashy, miserable thoughts, they can erode our confidence to step out, paralyze us with fear of the unknown and utterly destroy our faith. If we allow him free access to our thoughts, he can eventually fulfill his mission according to John 10:10 which is to steal our joy, kill our vision and destroy our lives.

The good news is we have a choice. We can choose to sift the thoughts we constantly have offered to us. It is called selective hearing. That's an expression usually used to describe how a husband can hear every detail of a ball game, yet totally tune out his wife's request to take out the trash! It's quite an effective tool (as many a husband will testify), and it is at our disposal as believers to use against these rogue thoughts.

In order to do this, though, you have to begin with a simple, basic, elementary truth: God is good and the devil is bad. I realize that's 'Faith 101,' but if you measure each thought according to that yardstick of truth, you will be able to tell what the origin of the thought was and whether to receive it or reject it.

Next, you have to purposely become aware of the thoughts constantly fighting to gain entrance into your mind throughout the course of each day. When you decide to pay attention, consciously, to what percolates through your thoughts, new understanding will begin to flood your being. If you've been exhausted and dragging around in defeat lately, you may be surprised to realize how many fearful, discouraging lies you've been assimilating over each 24-hour period.

Once you gain this awareness, you can be selective about what you allow to saturate your thinking. For instance, you're driving to work and seemingly out of nowhere you think, "I hope I don't get laid off."

Sift it. What feeling floods you when you really acknowledge that thought? Fear? Uncertainty? Confusion? Despair? Definitely not good. That thought originates with the father of lies. Right then and there you have the choice as to whether to receive it as truth or reject it as a lie. Once you choose to reject that lie, you must replace it with the truth. For instance, something like, "God blessed me with this job and He can and will keep me here or find me a better one."

You may find yourself doing this exercise a hundred times a day at first. That's OK. Don't get discouraged. As you practice 'taking these thoughts captive' as we're instructed to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5, you will find it becoming less and less necessary. Why? The reason is simple. As you continually capture, sift and examine your thoughts, measuring them against the ruler of God's Word, basically what you are doing is submitting yourself to God and resisting the devil. James 4:7 says if you do that, the devil will have no choice but to flee from you! He'll get the message pretty quick that his lies are not having their desired effect and look for an easier target.

Just as you are caeful about what kind of food you put into your body, the thoughts you allow to gain entrance into your spirit through your mind can have a devastating effect on your life and physical health.

The choice is yours. Be selective and sift your thoughts.

Sing!

2009-10-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

Psalm 100:2 Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing
Ephesians 5:19 Be filled with the Spirit speaking to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord

Recent studies reveal that just ten minutes of singing - whether you are in the car, the shower or anywhere else - not only slows your breathing and heart rate, it also causes your blood pressure to drop by up to ten points!

The researchers explain that the vibrations singing produces in your throat then travel to the brain causing an increase in the release of endorphins, those brain chemicals that cause us to relax and feel good.

God encourages us to enter His presence with singing! You may think you cannot sing - that your voice is terrible. He commands us to come before Him with singing - so we are definitely able to do so. You may not have what is considered a beautiful singing voice - I don't. In fact, you may think your singing sounds more like noise than music! That's ok. Remember He also tells us in Psalm 66:1 to "make a joyful noise" unto Him!!

Even if your singing sounds more like noise to you, as long as it is joyful, it sounds like the sweetest music imaginable to Him. And you are improving your health at the same time. How like our God to multiply our every effort to please Him.

Second Chances

2009-09-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

Jonah 3:1-3 NLT "Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: Get up and go to the great city of Ninevah, and deliver the message of judgment I have given you. This time Jonah obeyed the Lord's command..."

What an incredibly encouraging portion of scripture this is! Jonah ignored the Lord's command the first time. How many times do we hear deep within our spirits that we should (or shouldn't!) do a certain thing and just ignore or overlook it? Many times we find out later exactly why we got that warning and must pay the consequences for neglecting to pay attention.

Haven't we all experienced that awful feeling that we've blown it big time. We were warned - we just didn't listen. It's too late now. But God.

Those are the two best words you can imagine. But God...always gives us second chances, and third and fourth and however many it takes to finally "get it." He is so generous and so gracious. That is not to say we may not have to pay the consequences for disobeying the first time. But He doesn't just give up on us as we so often do ourselves.

Jonah out and out disobeyed and ran in the opposite direction! (Sound familiar to anyone?) God did not just wash His hands of him and find someone else to do the job. No. He pursued him and gave him another chance to obey. To his credit Jonah did and fulfilled the call on his life.

Jonah wasn't the only one to experience God's grace in this way. Think about Peter who denied Christ three times. Couldn't God have just said - that's too much, he's gone too far? Sure He could have, but He didn't. He called all His disciples and gave a special, personal invitation to Peter to make sure He knew he was forgiven and He gave him a second chance.

What about Saul? He persecuted Christians. He went so far as to hold the cloaks of those who were stoning Stephen. Surely God couldn't use this man who was an accessory to murder? But He gave him another chance and Saul became Paul and wrote much of the New Testament!

Do you feel like you've blown it? Think it's hopeless? Feel like you've gone too far and God couldn't possibly forgive you or use you? Think again. God is the God of second chances...and third...and fourth! He doesn't give up on us.

If you're wondering what this has to do with health and how science and scripture agree - research shows the emotion most destructive to your health is hopelessness! People who ate properly, exercised and were not overweight developed diabetes solely when they felt hopelessness for an extended period of time. The same is true of some cancer patients. One of the most stress inducing emotions is a sense of helplessness. Believing you have messed up beyond repair and there's no turning back.

Don't fall for that lie! God is always present and His desire is always to redeem you, bring you back, renew your hope. Remember, scripture tells us 3 things will remain - faith, hope and love. While love is the greatest, it is intimately related to faith (faith works by love) and faith must have something to connect to and that is hope! Never, never lose hope! That's a command straight from the Father and He always knows best.

Didn't Even Think to Ask!

2009-08-11T09:20:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 3:20 NIV Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.

Do you think God cares about the things that concern you? Do youreally and deeply believe He does? I definitely do and I want to share a story to illustrate why. Maybe it will encourage you.

I try to lift any and all needs in prayer. I’m great at praying for someone when they ask specifically or even if they just mention a problem or need – I’m on it! However, sometimes I don’t even think to bring an issue to God. Yes, I know we are to bring every need and concern to Him – large and small. Maybe you do what I sometimes do and did this past week. Let me share:

My brother got tickets to a Mets game for my children and me this Saturday. It is a night game. Not a problem, except I am a really early riser and my body is so used to being up very early, that by 8:30 or 9:00 pm my eyes are at half-mast most times. I mentioned to my husband and kids – half jokingly, but truly, only half - that I hoped I could stay awake. You see we will take a train from upstate NY into the city to meet my oldest son and go to Queens from there. If the game is over at 7 or 8 o’clock we most likely will not get back to the train station until at least 11 pm. Waaaay past my usual bedtime!

Anyway – I mentioned my concern several times and they all thought it was hilarious that mom would probably be the one struggling to keep her eyes open on the train (a slightly scary thought for me, actually).

We were watching another game on TV this past Saturday and at the very end they mentioned the “games of the week” to be televised next Saturday – the day we are going to Citi Field. They showed the Mets logo and my son saw they listed it as being televised at 4:00 pm. Really? He went on line and found that because they are televising it on that channel, the time was moved up to 4:00 pm instead of 7:00 as originally scheduled.

I don’t know about you – but I take things like this VERY personally! I was thrilled that the Lord would take into consideration my concern over such a minor and unimportant detail. And even though I didn't think to ask Him to rearrange the time, He still arranged for the game to take place earlier! You see, I have a very personal relationship with my Lord and I believe He pays attention to everything (and I do mean everything!) that concerns me! I couldn’t stop thanking Him for making this change for me. And I truly believe that is the case.

But it also brought the wonderful scripture in Ephesians 3:20 to mind. I especially love the Amplified version: "Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and} do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams}. Every version I looked at used words like “infinitely, immeasurably more than we can ask or request” and the Message Translation adds “in your wildest dreams.”

I know the Bible tells us we have not because we ask not and most times I do make it a point to ask. But how wonderful that even when I forget or just don’t even think to do it – He still knows and responds.

Father not only always knows best - He is the best!

Eternal Words

2009-06-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

Matthew 12:36
The Message: Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation."
New Century Version
And I tell you that on the Judgment Day people will be responsible for every careless thing they have said.

Once you speak a word, it exists forever. The laws of physics tell us that energy in the universe is never lost. It is transformed from one state to another. Sound waves never disappear. Sound is an energetic disturbance that causes a movement of particles. Because space is a vacuum with no matter, sound is unable to “travel.”

Think about the implications – if we had the right equipment voices from the beginning of time could be retrieved. We could actually hear the voices of Adam and Eve themselves speaking to God or Abraham Lincoln’s voice as he spoke the Gettysburg address or Jesus’ own voice speaking the Beatitudes! What an awesome thought!

Words may be spoken to a specific person at a specific time, but they exist in the atmosphere forever. Scripture tells us God’s Word stands forever; and the prayers of the saints are ever before Him. Your prayers exist forever and are before the Father continuously.

But consider the flip side. Every careless, nasty, hurtful, doubt-filled, angry word you’ve ever spoken is still floating around, and not only that. You will be required to answer to God for them. Now if that doesn’t make you stop and think long and hard the next time you are about to criticize someone or spew a word of fear or doubt, I don’t know what will! Our words are eternal in the most basic sense.

We are encouraged and commanded in many places in the Bible to carefully watch what we say. Ephesians 4:29 NIV says: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. I love the way The Message translates this verse: Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. That says it all.

Are You Paying Attention - or on Autopilot?

2009-05-25T05:16:00.000-07:00

Matthew 6:34 NIV Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Message Translation Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

How often do you get "worked up" over what might happen? If you're like me and most people and you are honest, the answer is probably every day! What a total waste of time. We spend more time worrying about the future or regretting and rehashing the past than we do living in the present moment. We tend to fly through the days on autopilot. Doing things automatically and not really being present and aware. We don't pay attention! The crazy thing is the only thing we really have is this present moment and we waste more of them than we appreciate and live to the fullest.

We tend to do things "mindlessly" rather than "mindfully." You know what I mean. You can sit down with a bag of cookies and before you even realize what has happened, you've inhaled half the bag and barely even tasted one of them. The most precious resource God has gifted us with is time and we value other things so much more highly and waste this most valuable commodity. We only have a limited amount of time and number of days and living each to the fullest is a way of thanking God and appreciating His grace and generosity.

So how to do this? We can obey Jesus' words in the scripture quoted above and learn to practice mindfulness. That's simply the practice of learning to pay attention to what is happening in your life from moment to moment. Studies have shown that mindfulness can provide the following benefits:
Reduce anxiety;
Decrease stress hormones;
Boost the immune system;
Help you change negative habits;
Combat pain;
Deal with depression; and
Increase the benefits of exercise.

One great way to practice mindfulness is to replace dissatisfied thoughts about what you could or should have done or what things you wish you had with thoughts of gratitude. Focus on how much you do have and not what you don't have. Another strategy is to focus on your breathing - the rhythm of it, the way your lungs fill and empty. Pay attention to what is going on around you. How does the sun feel on your back? Look - really look - at a flower. Take time to really enjoy your food - the way it looks, how it smells, and really taste and savor it - slowly. Enjoy the feeling of you muscles moving and stretching as you walk or exercise.

These are all gifts we are blessed to get every day of our lives! Learn to pay attention and live in the moment. It is called "the present" and it really is!!

Let's Be Real

2009-04-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

Genesis 1:29 And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed: to you it shall be for food.
1 Thessalonians 5:21 Test all things; hold fast to what is good.

I did an email to subscribers of my website last week about the dangers of artificial sweeteners, specifically aspartame and sucralose (Nutrasweet and Splenda). One reader raised a question. I mentioned that aspartame breaks down in the body into methanol (wood alcohol), formaldehyde (embalming fluid) and Phenylalanine. This reader noticed that this same substance (phenylalanine) is also listed as an ingredient in his whey protein and was concerned that this could create problems. I appreciate questions like this!

Phenylalanine is an amino acid - a building block of protein. That is why it is an ingredient in whey protein, as well as chicken, eggs or other sources of protein. However, in these real foods it is found in combination and proper ratio with the other amino acids. In diet soda, this synthetic chemical breaks down and there is a large amount of just this amino acid. The warning on the label is for people who lack the necessary enzyme to process and digest it. Since people drink large amounts of diet soda, this can pose a health risk (aside from just consuming diet soda itself!) Most people do not consume liters of whey protein daily. And if you lack this enzyme, you would have to monitor all your protein consumption as well - not just what is found in diet soda.

This illustrates the principle I advocate - eat your food in a form as close to how God created it as possible and you can't go wrong! There have been other, similar instances where people are misled. For example, years ago a study, commissioned by the cereal industry, said eggs raise cholesterol and should be limited. Those results have been disproved. That study used powdered (synthetic, artificial) eggs, not real, fresh, whole eggs which are a nearly perfect food! More recent studies have refuted those findings and show real eggs do not raise cholesterol.

Let's look at synthetic vitamin C as opposed to natural sources of vitamin c - the synthetic form has been shown to suppress immune function whereas natural sources do just the opposite.

Studies using synthetic vitamin E were shown to be harmful to heart health whereas natural sources of vitamin E are extremely heart protective and should not be avoided.

So, whenever you question some nutritional information you read - be sure to dig a bit deeper - and find the real truth. You can't go wrong when you keep it real - the Father says so!!

Let There Be Light!

2009-04-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

Genesis 1:3, 4 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good...

That phrase really jumped out at me and I realized that we can so easily skim over it as we've heard it so many times. We can miss how really profound it is. God did not create anything simply for the sake of doing "something." Everything He does has a purpose and function and light is no exception.

Light is critical to every aspect of a truly vibrant, healthy life of wholeness. Light as it relates to your soul (your mind, will and emotions) can mean revealing, bringing to light thoughts, attitudes, beliefs or feelings we may need to change. When people are deprived of light, depression sets in. So many people struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) during the darker winter months.

Spiritually, light means revelation, an opening of the understanding or "spiritual eyes" to truth. To be able to see things with more than simply your physical eyes since this material, physical life is but a very small part of our total life as God created it.

Without light physically we cannot live. God chose this planet earth because it is exactly the right distance from the sun. Without sunlight we simply could not exist. Sunlight produces chlorophyll in plant life, which absorbs carbon dioxide and releases oxygen into the atmosphere - without which we die!

Sunlight produces Vitamin D in our skin, which is being furiously researched right now. All these years of sunscreen use has caused severe Vitamin D deficiencies in most of us which is believed to be a link to the increased incidence of major diseases such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.

Light is energy. We know some homes are actually heated and run on solar power. We can also experience physical healing when exposed to different types of light - for instance infrared, UV and red light. Different colors in the light spectrum have healing effects. You usually only get to see the full color spectrum in light when you experience a rainbow - another of God's amazing gifts to us.

For now, take time to really appreciate this gift of light and consider all its benefits. You can't help but praise God. A simple thing like having light each day is so easy to take for granted. But let's not.

What Are You Growing?

2009-04-02T08:02:00.000-07:00

John 12:24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.

While this scripture is referring to the spiritual aspect of sowing seed, I find it relates very clearly to our physical health as well. Seeds are dormant until they are planted and given the proper environment in which to grow and flourish. You can keep an envelope of seeds for years and they'll never change into anything else.

Once you take those seeds and plant them into nutrient rich soil, water them regularly and let them get daily sunlight, the potential that was always resident within that seed is released and enabled to grow and flourish.

It works in much the same way in our bodies. Everyone has cancer cells in their bodies. They are dormant. As long as you provide a health-producing environment by feeding your body with nutrient-dense, whole foods, drinking clean water, getting fresh air, sleep and exercise, then those cells remain dormant.

However, the potential for disease exists within you. You are exposed to germs and viruses on a constant, daily basis. If your inner ecology is weakened - from lack of sleep, or synthetic, toxic food additives and environmental chemicals, or malnourished with fake, packaged junk "food" that doesn't provide any nutritional value - then any number of these rogue cells has found the environment it needs to take hold and grow.

Every day you have the opportunity to create an environment of health within yourself. When you do, the seeds you consciously sow - sleep, real food, water - are enabled to grow and you become strong and healthy. However, if you neglect your inner ecology and let it get overrun with garbage in the form of junk food, sodas and drugs, then those dormant disease seeds are sparked into life. It won't take much for them to take hold. Now, it may not happen quickly. In fact, it almost never does. Researchers tell us it takes many, many years for a cancer to grow to the point when it is diagnosed.

The diagnosis may come about quickly - but the disease was in the making for years. Don't think just because you look good and feel pretty well, that you can just continue smoking or eating fast food every day or never exercising and you will stay healthy. Just as a dormant volcano can erupt at any time, those dormant disease seeds can be activated if you provide the proper environment.

Begin today to clean up your inner environment and prevent those bad seeds from taking root!

It is so much easier to prevent disease than it is to cure it.

Are You Taking Your Medicine?

2009-03-23T07:29:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 17:22 NLT: A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.

Much has been said about the power of laughter to heal. I want to share some research that links breast cancer and attitude. Recent research at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel provides this interesting finding: happiness and optimistic attitudes may reduce one's risk of contracting the disease. In this study 622 women between the ages of 25 and 45 shared information about their life experiences.

The researchers assessed their optimism, happiness, anxiety and depression levels before diagnosis. They used this information to find the connection between life events, psychological distress and the occurrence of breast cancer. Of these 622 participants, 255 were breast cancer patients, while the other 367 had never had cancer.

Their findings revealed a clear link between outlook and risk of breast cancer. Optimistic women were 25 % less likely to have developed this disease. There have been other studies linking positive mental and emotional states and better health. Some studies have shown that positive emotions cause the body to produce more immune cells, while negative ones tend to suppress one's immune system. The specifics of how attitudes contribute to health, are still not fully understood. What is known is that the body's immune system is influenced by brain chemistry, which is in turn affected by emotional experiences.

Emotions such as happiness, stress, anger, anxiety and fear affect us at a biochemical level because every emotion has a frequency. Every emotion produces a specific and distinct biochemical reaction that affects the entire body. This particular study concluded that experiencing more than one severe and/or mild to moderate life event is a risk factor for breast cancer among young women, and feeling happy and optimistic can be protective.

Many degenerative diseases, and most certainly cancer, have multiple causes. That being so, many factors contribute to one's risk profile, and a multi-faceted approach in preventing and dealing with disease is always most effective. We cannot ignore the spiritual and emotional connections. We overlook their importance to our own detriment.

Consider another finding. Pro-zeranine is a powerful chemical substance that is actually able to reverse addictions naturally since they are due to a lack of this substance. It has been found that laughter actually produces pro-zeranine in the body!

While we cannot control circumstances and situations we may be faced with, we can control how we respond to them and we certainly can take control of our attitudes. Cultivating a cheerful heart is one of the most pleasant medicines I can imagine taking! As always, Father really does know best.

Say It and Create It

2009-03-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

Numbers 14:28 NKJV 'As I live,' says the Lord, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you...'
Mark 11:23 NKVJ For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Words form thoughts. Thoughts become actions. We know that. Words are things. The Hebrew word "devar" actually means both word and thing or substance. When God tells us in His Word that we will have whatever we say and whatever He hears us speak, He will do, we must take that very seriously. I believe we allow too many careless words out of our mouths and allow our too many undisciplined thoughts to inhabit our minds and then wonder why we find ourselves in the mess we are in. According to an article I read by Dr. Caroline Leaf, our thoughts possess an actual physical structure which cause chemical reactions in our bodies.

You know it is true. If you continually think about a frightening occurrence, you will begin to feel all the physical manifestations of that experience. That thought, according to Dr. Leaf, produces biochemicals which carry the emotion and a "photocopy of the thought" throughout your entire body! Those thoughts begin with words, which are things or substance. They can actually change our physical system and cause specific chemicals to flow through our bodies. We have the ability and privilege of choosing which words and thoughts we allow. We literally control the production and creation of those things/substances. We can create health and wholeness or disease and brokenness.

Hebrews 11:3 clearly tells us that the things which are here on the earth and we are able to actually see were created of "things" (devar!) which do not appear. The words became actual things and substance we can see. That hasn't changed.

There are only two types of words and thoughts, so it's relatively simple (although not necessarily easy!). We either focus on faith-filled, positive words and thoughts or fear-filled, negative words and thoughts. Renewing your mind with the Word of God (Ephesians 4:23) and only speaking the desired result are critical if we are to create the life we truly desire. We are to get in agreement with God and speak His Word after Him.

Dr. Leaf says if your thought life is not dealt with and brought in line with God's Word, it can result in disruption of proper flow and balance of the chemicals in your body and brain which will, with certainty, affect your emotional, spiritual and physical health.

Fear, depression and anxiety are destructive to your mental and physical well-being. Panic, fear and anxiety are running rampant in these times of economic crisis and uncertainty. More and more people are turning to anti-depressants and drugs for relief. They are not the answer. The battle begins in your mind and since we are told in Scripture that we have the mind of Christ, we have the ability to take negative thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

This is not a one-time thing. We must decide to control the words that come out of our mouths and the thoughts we allow to take residence in our minds. The power to do so is ours. We must choose to do it - daily, consistently, over and over, until. Until when? Until those words and thoughts agree with God's and we create what we desire.

Father really does know best - when we do it His way, there are no dangerous, alarming side-effects - only peace, blessing and success. Isn't that what we all want anyway?

Do You Have a Happy Heart?

2009-02-23T08:25:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 17:22 NIV: A cheerful heart is good medicine
The Message Translation: A cheerful disposition is good for your health

I know we don't usually take verses like this literally, however, I believe God included them in the Bible because that is exactly what we need to do. I have talked in a previous post about scientific research and studies that have proven that positive, happy thoughts activate our parasympathetic nervous system, which rebuilds, heals and nourishes our bodies. (You can read my post dated November 10, 2008 - "An Attitude of Gratitude")

Suffice it to say that your parasympathetic nervous system stimulates your immune and digestive systems. It's pretty easy to believe that is true. Just recall a time when you were upset and worried about something. Chances are very great that you either experienced indigestion, lost your appetite or had a stomach ache! Our body systems are created to work together harmoniously and when one is affected, so are all the rest.

Research actually shows that probiotics - the good bacteria that populate your digestive tract - and enzymes - the chemicals your pancreas produces in order to digest your foods - are not produced and actually die in the body of a person who is constantly sad and worrying! That's amazing when you really think about it. You can take probiotic and enzyme supplements by the handful, but if you are constantly worrying (which at it's most basic level is simply trusting more in evil's ability to harm you than in God's ability to protect you) and sad (focusing on what you lack rather than all you have), your body is unable to produce these powerful substances that are critical to health.

We are told repeatedly in scripture, "do not worry" - about what to eat, what we'll wear, about tomorrow, about what to say in your own defense. Why? Because worrying accomplishes nothing positive, and only diverts our focus from God, Who is the solution. Now we know, it even causes our bodies to malfunction at their most basic level!

Everyone of us feels sad at times. Our emotions are affected by circumstances and that's just a part of life. However, if we are constantly sad - then we are actually in disobedience. Look at John 16:33 in the Amplified Bible. Jesus, Himself, tells us: In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer {take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted}! For I have overcome the world. {I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.} Joyce Meyer always says it this way: Calm down and cheer up!!

If the joy of the Lord is our strength, as Nehemiah 8:10 tells us, then sadness weakens us and research is proving that to be true! These are certainly difficult times we live in. There are many reasons to slip into worry, despair and sadness. While we are only human and those emotions may get the best of us at times, we can make a different choice.

The Father encourages us to be of good cheer and cultivate a merry heart. We would be wise to do just that.

A Slave to Your Whims?

2009-02-11T10:07:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV: Everything is permissible for me, but not everything is beneficial. Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.
NLT: You may say I am allowed to do anything. But I reply, "Not everything is good for you." And even though I am allowed to do anything, I must not become a slave to anything.

This is such a powerful verse when you relate it to our cravings and appetites. There is a huge difference between physical hunger where we need to refuel our bodies and our appetite, which is our cravings and desires rearing their ugly heads!

According to this, we have no limitations to what we can eat. We won't go to hell because we eat a pork chop or lobster tails! But, they aren't the best choices nutritionally no matter how much your tastebuds are calling out for them. Same with sugar. The only way to break a sugar addiction is to stop cold turkey. You either control your body with it's appetite and cravings, or it controls you. And if you allow your appetite to have the upper hand too often, a habit is formed and you become a slave to that desire. Until you just cut it off totally.

There's an Indian saying that you have to "starve the right wolf." That fits perfectly here. If you get in the habit of eating a chocolate candy bar every day, your body comes to expect that and when you don't have it, you experience full-blown cravings! Well, the only way to get free from that enslavement, is to "starve" it - show your body and desires who is boss!!

This is part of the reason I try to do a three-day juice fast every month. It's good for you to give your digestive system a break every now and then and fasting periodically has been proven to extend your life; I like to use the time to pray or worship and commune with God as well. But a large part of my reason for doing this regularly is to keep firmly in control of my body. It's so easy to slip into bad habits. I always feel a great sense of peace, strength and accomplishment every time I've finished the three days.

So, pay attention to what the Father tells us and don't allow your appetite to overtake you and become a slave to your whims, as the Message Bible translates this verse.

Faith at the Quantum Level

2009-02-02T09:42:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 11:1 Amplified: Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses.)

As Christians we know that right at this very moment our faith is the substance of things we hope for (Hebrews 11:1). So, faith is a thing – a substance. It’s not a substance like a chair or a car. It is not a visible, solid, or at least what appears to us as a solid, substance. But it is a substance none-the-less. In Matthew 17:20 Jesus Himself tells us we need only faith the size of a mustard seed. The principle of sowing seed is basic in scripture. Our faith (what we believe) is a seed we sow in order to reap a harvest on that seed. The harvest, of course, is whatever we believe for. Our words are also seeds we can sow to produce either faith or unbelief.

To return to the mustard seed, Jesus used that by way of description because the people of His time would recognize it as the smallest seed they knew. They could not imagine anything smaller. When we relate this to quantum physics I believe it will help us see faith more clearly. Much of the time, people will not accept a biblical principle unless it is proven scientifically. Personally I think that’s backwards. Science doesn’t prove biblical principle since it existed first. The Bible is the source and it proves what science eventually realizes.

Quantum physics is the study of the basic components of the universe. It breaks everything down to its smallest, most elementary, basic part. We think of our bodies as composed of cells, but those cells are not the smallest part. So, then we think of molecules and then atoms and to break those down even further, we go to electrons. Quantum physics has discovered even smaller sub-atomic particles, such as quarks, that make up every thing on this earth. Everything. All things are made up of different groupings of these particles depending on what they appear to be – a human body, a table, a car, the sun, a thought, a spoken word. Keep in mind, however, that even though an object appears to be solid, like a chair, no object is truly solid. Everything is made up of constantly moving particles.

These sub-atomic particles are amazing things. At their most basic level they are energy. Everything in the universe is created and made up of energy. The energetic makeup of the human body is different from the energetic make up of your car, but they are both concentrated forms of energy. Now bear with me if you are a Christian and are thinking this is sounding New Age or crazy. It is backed up, not only by science, but more importantly, by scripture.

Scientists have proven time and time again that these sub-atomic particles of energy actually respond to whoever is observing them. Scientists have discovered and proven that their expectations influence the results of any experiment. It’s impossible for an observer involved in an experiment to have no influence on the results. The particles behave differently for each observer, according to what that observer believes! For some it appears as a wave and for some it looks like a particle. So the things we interact with daily and those things we desire are all influenced and created of those very same atoms and sub-atomic energy particles which respond to our thoughts, beliefs and words. Just as a scientist, by observing it, changed the form of a particle by what he believed and expected, we also can change things with our beliefs and expectations. The Bible clearly tells us in Matthew 8:13 and in many other places that as we believe, it will be for us. The reason is because beliefs, thoughts and words are vibrations of energy. In Hebrews 11:3 we are told that everything we can see in this world was made by God’s Word so that the things we can see were created of things that do not appear. God’s Word is creative energy and since we are created in His image, our words are also vehicles of creative energy.

Understanding these principles underscores the importance of our beliefs, expectations and the words we speak. Remember, we are surrounded by an infinite supply of energy – substance – that we are simply to believe and speak into the particular substance we can see and touch in the physical realm. Everything begins in the spiritual realm. Remember, God first said “Let there be light” and then light was. The energy for light already existed, it just wasn’t visible yet. God’s faith-filled words caused light energy to become visible.

We have the same power in our lives. Whether we know it or not and whether we believe it or not, everything in our lives is responding to our thoughts, beliefs, expectations and words every single day. What better reason to become more aware of what we are thinking and saying! Since we are creating the substance of our lives, let’s create good things, things we desire and do it purposefully. Remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 9:29, “According to your faith, be it unto you.”

Stoke Your Fire

2009-01-27T05:37:00.000-08:00

2 Timothy 1:6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you...
James 3:5 ...Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

While these scriptures don't specifically refer to metabolism, the principle is the same. In reading and meditating on them, I was reminded how important it is to use the correct fuel and to be vigilant to keep the fire burning steadily.

Think about the similarities - you can't start a fire with wet wood. The wood has to be nice and dry. In the very same way, you can't ignite your body's metabolism with cookies, cake and processed, synthetic junk foods. It won't work. They are not fuel. They're wet wood. They will not burn. They'll simply gum up the works.

In the first scripture, Paul urges Timothy to "fan into flame" the gift. We also must fan the flame. The very best way is with exercise. We can run, walk, jog, bounce on a rebounder, lift weights, use a medicine ball, ride a bicycle, use a treadmill, play tennis, dance - all great ways to get our hearts pumping which turns up the flame. There's a second component to exercise that's critical and that is increasing oxygen.

A fire deprived of an oxygen source will not burn. In the very same way, the more oxygen we process by exercising and breathing deeply, the more fat we burn. You kind of kill two birds with one stone with this one!

Finally, weight training builds muscle which also burns fat. The more muscle we build, the more fat we burn. As we build muscle, we enable our "furnace" to burn continuously, just as fanning a flame encourages it to burn more brightly.

The objective is to do those things that create a consistent, continuously burning flame. Both in our faith and in our metabolism. Father really does know best!

It'll Do You Good!

2009-01-22T08:52:00.000-08:00

1 Samuel 16:23 Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better and the evil spirit would leave him.

If you skim through your concordance you'll find quite a few references in the Bible to music, musical, musician, etc. The Lord created music. So many of the references tell us to sing to the Lord, sing praises to His Name, sing for joy to the Lord. In fact, we are commanded in both Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 to "sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to God" - to sing and make music in our hearts to the Lord constantly.

Did you ever wonder why music is so important to God? Sure it gives us pleasure. Everyone has their own personal taste in music. The Lord's creativity is obvious in all the different styles and genres of music.

However, what I would like to draw your attention to is that science has been researching music's health benefits. Here are some fascinating facts borne out by scientific studies:

Listening to "joyful" music improved blood vessel function! Dr. Michael Miller of the University of Maryland studied heart health and documented the positive effects of laughter. He then used the same research method to study the effects of music on cardiovascular health.

In his study he asked ten subjects to bring music they enjoyed most. The music in that group ranged from country to rap to jazz and classical rock music. He emphasized that everyone responds to music differently and what is joyful to one may not be to another.

He hooked each person up to a blood pressure monitor and played their favorite music. Then he measured their blood pressure. Nine out of the ten had very positive results. The findings were very consistent. His conclusion was that the effects of listening to music you really enjoy are comparable to taking some types of heart medications or even of doing exercise. Of course, it doesn't replace the need to watch your diet. His research found that it improves blood vessel function, and can become a pleasurable addition to a heart-healthy lifestyle.

His suggestion for getting the best response is not listening to the same song day after day. If , for example, you listen to one favorite on Monday, don't listen again for a week or two. For example if you listen to a Barry Manilow CD Monday, put it away until at least next Monday. Tuesday you may choose Il Divo, Wednesday Celine Dion, Thursday Frank Sinatra and Friday Usher. Perhaps Faith Hill or Tim McGraw float your boat. Fine. Just listen to a different favorite daily and recycle them every week or two. The reason is that if you listen to the same song over and over, you become desensitized to the emotional effect. I think we can see that from the scripture that opened this post. At first, each time King Saul became agitated, David would play the harp and he would calm down. When you read further in 1 Samuel (18:10 and 19:9, 10) you see that even though David was playing the soothing music as before, Saul was not calmed and in fact tried to kill David.

Another fascinating fact is that research shows music actually by-passes the conscious mind, directly stimulating the portion of the brain that controls emotions. The right music can actually be more effective than a tranquilizer!

So, put that CD or tape in, charge up your ipod and make joyful music that you really love part of a healthy lifestyle. That's a command straight from the Father and you know He always really does know best!

Clean it Up!

2009-01-12T06:11:00.000-08:00

Matthew 23:26 Blind Pharisee! First, clean the inside of the cup and dish and then the outside also will be clean.

I realize that in this verse, Jesus is referring to greed and hypocrisy, spiritual and soul issues. However, I believe it is relevant to another issue, one that relates to our physical health.

So many of us are focused on the goal of "looking" younger. In our society, younger is better. We exercise, starve ourselves, take all sorts of diet pills and other drugs that promise noticeable results. We submit to botox, cosmetic surgery and liposuction. We are missing the most important factor in real health and wholeness. And an unexpected bonus will be that we actually look and feel better, with more energy - which equals youthfulness to me.

What am I talking about? Detox. Not, not drug detox which is what most people may think of. I mean purposely, systematically, periodically cleansing our spirits, souls and bodies of the toxins that assault us on a daily basis. Real healing and health begin from the inside out, at the cellular level. If you have poisons flooding your cells, eventually your body will begin to break down.

These toxins and poisons are all around us - in the air we breathe, in our water and food, in our emotions, relationships and thoughts. Unless we are consciously aware of them and take the necessary steps to flush them from our lives, they build up and overtake us.

We must take Jesus' command to the Pharisees to heart and look inward in all three areas of our lives. We can take that day of rest God instituted for our good and use it to pray, worship God and release any toxic attitudes we are harboring in our spirits: unforgiveness, offense, resentment, fear, worry, envy. Acknowledge them to yourself and then confess them to God. He already knows about them, but the very act of admitting you are fearful or resentful is cathartic for you. Spend time in praise and worship; meditate on the Word of God and realign your spirit.

Are you walking around with a toxic soul - mind, will or emotions? Fasting is one of the most effective ways to detox. Fasting is simply giving up food for a set period of time. Why not try a "soul" fast - give up criticizing, judging, complaining, worrying, gossiping, procrastinating? Stop speaking negative words for one day. It isn't easy - you have to be aware and willing to stop yourself, but you can do it. Then go two days; how about three? Are you always putting yourself down? Listen to your self talk and make a concerted effort to stop those negative, defeating thoughts in their tracks and replace them with positive, encouraging thoughts. Change those "I can't" thoughts to "I can" and "I will." Not only will you feel a difference, you will see your entire countenance change!

What about your body? There are many different ways to detoxify. You can try a raw food diet, juice fast, use one of the many cleanses available at your health food store, try a plan like Isagenix, eat more organic vegetables and fruits and increase water and fiber. I, personally, do a 3-day juice fast every month. I look at it holistically - I tithe a tenth of my month to cleansing my spirit, soul and body. The act of denying myself cleanses and strengthens my spirit and soul (particularly my will!) and the juices and green foods cleanse my body and give my digestion a rest. That's only one way to do it.

Recently I was given a book to read called, "Give Your Body a Break" by Celeste Davis. She is a Whole-Food Lifestyle and Detox Coach. She details in her book a 28-day plan using mostly raw, whole foods to cleanse the body, as well as practicing forgiveness and living life intentionally. It's an excellent option for someone with health issues who wouldn't otherwise know where to begin. She details the plan day by day and walks you through it. I highly recommend it and you can get more information at thewellnessworkshop@msn.com.

Father always knows best. In order for the outside of our temple to look its best, we must begin by cleansing the inside.

Walking in the Light

2008-12-23T05:23:00.000-08:00

2 Peter 3:8 One day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.

Many read this scripture and think it can't possibly be taken literally. Well, I came across something very interesting that proves once again that Father really does know best and He doesn't just say things for effect!

Albert Einstein was the first to see and note the connection between time and light. His work has proven that light is the only unchangeable constant in the universe. Energy changes, light cannot. Before we go further - the bible says God is light (1 John 1:5), so keep that in mind.

Light also has a measurable speed - it moves at 186,000 miles per second. Nothing is known to move faster and Einstein himself said that the only thing that could possibly cross the threshold of the speed of light would have to be called "eternity." In 1 Timothy 6:15-16 God Himself is described as living in unapproachable light!

In James 1:17 we learn that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of lights with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. In other words, God, Who is light, doesn't change - He is constant. God dwells in unapproachable light - nothing can get close to or go beyond God's light. Einstein said life as we know it couldn't cross the threshold of light speed without somehow changing. Let's go further with this - it's awesome!

While you are reading this post, God has already had the opportunity to travel around the world at least 7 times. This is how He can be everywhere at one time. Einstein said the faster you travel, accelerating toward the threshold of light speed, the slower time becomes. If you could cross that threshold, you'd step over into eternity, where God, Who is absolute light, lives. Keep that in mind as I relate what a scientist in California described. This is a documented scientific model:

If a rocket carrying astronauts was launched maintaining a speed that is 80% of the speed of light and traveling away from earth 15 days and back 15 days, there would be a strange result. Inside the rocket the astronauts would age 30 days - 15 days out and 15 back that they traveled. But at 80% of light speed, they would return to find people on earth had aged 60 days. Traveling at 80% of the speed of light caused the astronauts to experience a stretching or slowing down of time as compared to the people living on earth.

He repeated the model only this time the astronauts traveled 15 days each way traveling 85% of light speed. The result this time was that even though the astronauts only aged 30 days, a 5% increase of the speed of light caused a slowing of time that resulted in the people on earth aging 10 years!

Finally, the astronauts traveled at the threshold of light speed. That's as close to the speed of light as you could travel without going beyond it. Again they traveled 15 days out and 15 back. Arriving back home they would find the earth had aged 30,000 years while they only aged 30 days. These are mathematically proven models.

Look again at the scripture at the beginning of this post - it is a perfect confirmation of this scientific model. The ratio between 30 days and 30,000 years, reduces to 1/1000. One day is as a 1,000 years!!

The closer you get to light speed the more slowly time elapses. So the practical application is that the more you walk in the light of God, the more time will slow for you and enable you to effortlessly accomplish more! Talk about a stress reducer!

You may be wondering exactly how you can do that - well, since God is light and God and His Word are one, you can walk in the light by getting into the Word of God. Prayer will usher you into His presence. Anytime you are communing with God, you are in His presence and "walking in the light."

Try it and see if it isn't true for you. Everywhere you go, everything you do, commune with God, talk to Him, be consciously aware of His presence, include Him in every thought, decision, problem and circumstance. Be conscious and aware of God every minute of the day and you will be walking in the light. I can tell you from personal experience, you'll be amazed not only at how much you accomplish, but at how effortless it seems.

I challenge you to try this and then let me know what happens for you.

The Heart of the Matter

2008-12-15T09:46:00.000-08:00

Proverbs 4:23 Above all else guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Another translation says it is the source of all life. Once again, the Father is sharing a very deep and important truth - not only spiritually but physically as well.

It is very true that our motives, our heart, is what God considers. In 1 Samuel 16:7, remember when God had Samuel looking at Jesse's sons in order to anoint one to be king, he kept looking at their outer appearance, but God corrected him and said not to do that. God said that He looks at the heart, not at how tall or kingly he might look on the outside.

You can do the nicest thing for someone and yet if you do it for the wrong reason or with a bad attitude it corrupts your blessing. Physically we know that heart health is critical. However, what I would like to focus on here is how central our heart is to every aspect of life. We consider the heart to be the core of our being, as in getting to the heart of a matter. We encourage others to speak and act from their heart or to follow or listen to their heart.

Much research has been done on how your heart rhythms affect your immune, hormonal and nervous systems. Your heart rhythm is a powerful energetic force that not only affects you, but also is felt by those around you. Did you know that your heart's energy field can be felt across the room? Just recall a time when a very angry person entered a crowded room and how that one person's energy changed the entire atmosphere of the room! Your heart-felt emotions and energy powerfully affect, not only you, but also the people around you. If you are a mom, that's your children and husband; at work your boss and coworkers. The converse is also true - you are also affected by other people's heart energy waves.

If you are constantly around negative, stressed out, angry people, it will begin to affect you - if you do not guard your heart. Spiritually, it can cause you to slip into fear or doubt. Emotionally, you may become stressed out, anxious, worried or depressed. Physically you may experience palpitations, headaches, digestive problems or elevated blood pressure.

The Father never gives us a command we are unable to obey. And if He tells us to do something, we can be sure it is for our good - always.

You may be thinking - "But how can I guard my heart?" Besides being aware of how others may be affecting you and limiting your exposure to toxic people and situations whenever possible, you can actually learn to control your heart rhythms.

When your heart rhythms are smooth, coherent and harmonious, you think more clearly, your mood is calm and positive and it impacts your physical health in a powerfully positive way. There are very simple techniques you can learn that can improve every area of your physical health as well as the atmosphere in your home and workplace.

I would encourage you to visit heartmath.org. They have a wealth of information, as well as books, educational tools and other resources to enable you to effectively "guard your heart."

You will reap incredible health benefits and your relationships may improve as well! Father definitely always knows best!

Who Do You Believe?

2008-12-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

1 Thessalonians 5:21 But test and prove all things (until you can recognize) what is good; (to that) hold fast.

Contrary to what some believe, God never intended for us to blindly believe and follow - anyone! Including Him. He created us with a functioning mind, intellect, common sense (I know, we could disagree here) and freedom to make our own choices and decisions. Unfortunately, in some areas we become lazy and complacent and allow ourselves to accept biased, false information as if it were truth. Where our health is concerned, this can mean the difference between life and death - literally.

Studies are conducted all the time as to how effective different drugs and natural supplements are for specific conditions. Just recently, the media ran news stories reporting a study showing that vitamins C, D and E do not prevent heart attack, stroke or breast cancer. Those findings were extremely shocking and a huge blow to those of us who avoid pharmaceutical drugs as much as possible and stick to natural supplements and a whole food diet. At first glance, I am sure many people could have said - "Gee I guess my vitamins don't work - why bother buying them anymore?" That's the danger here: many people using these supplements may simply believe the media message - trusting that the study was conducted by people much smarter than they - not bother getting clarification and stop using the supplements.

We have a huge responsibility to follow God's command in the verse above and test and prove all things. Whenever results of a study are released, the first thing we should do is find out who commissioned the study. What these news stories rarely provide are the details of the study - that doesn't sell - sensational headlines do. Chances are if it is a pharmaceutical company conducting the research, the results will most always (big surprise) be in favor of a drug as opposed to a vitamin or other natural supplement. In fact, statistics show that when a drug company funds a study there is a 90% chance the drug is perceived as being effective compared to 50% for a non-drug company funded study!

In the case of the study I mentioned, there were many serious flaws which render the findings worthless, but unless you were aware of that, you could easily be misled. For example:

The study subjects were all doctors who admitted they did not even take the supplements they were supposed to for the study;

In fact, about a quarter of the subjects admitted they had not taken two-thirds of their supplements, yet this study counted them as having taken full doses;

A synthetic form of Vitamin E was used which is known to be a much less effective form of the vitamin;

The subjects who actually took the supplements, only took them every other day;

The potencies used were too low as proven by previous research;

The very "efficient and scientific" method used to track supplement usage in this case was to depend on their memories and recollection - the subjects were to remember what they did in detail over an eight year period!! (I don't know about you, but sometimes remembering what I did yesterday is a challenge.) Very accurate and scientific - don't you think?

It is so unfortunate and downright dangerous that the bottom line is not our health and well-being, but the almighty dollar. Too many people will believe the false information and then be deprived of effective, natural ways to improve and protect their most valuable asset - their health.

There's no denying there are genuine experts - whether they are researchers, scientists or doctors and they are educated and have a great deal of information. However, the responsibility for your health ultimately rests with you. You never have to accept any information or recommendation - regardless of the source - solely on face value.

Remember - the Father says we are to test and prove all things to determine what is truly good - and He always knows best.

Spice it Up!

2008-12-01T05:18:00.000-08:00

Genesis 43:11 Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift - a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh...
Isaiah 39:2 Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine oils...
Revelation 22:2 ...On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yeilding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

Some people have taken Revelation 22:2 to mean that we should not eat meat. However, it's clear Jesus ate meat and fish as well as whole grains and I believe a true Biblically-based diet includes the clean animal protein set forth in Deuteronomy 14. That being said, rather than resorting to pharmaceutical drugs, I believe we should begin with what God has already provided.

This verse in Genesis highlights an aspect of our nutrition we have overlooked for far too long. Researchers are studying the health benefits contained in spices such as turmeric, cumin, rosemary and cinnamon. They are merely scratching the surface of understanding the various chemical components they contain and how they can impact and improve our health.

God Himself created and provided these foods. Cinnamon not only makes my oatmeal tastier, it has been proven to help regulate and lower blood sugar. Turmeric gives my vegetables a delicious flavor and is a powerful natural anti-inflammatory. We've all read about the many health benefits green tea provides.

I want to encourage you to experiment with a variety of herbs and spices and make teas your drink of choice, after water, of course! Dr. Eric Braverman says by simply flavoring our meals with a variety of different herbs and spices we can increase the nutrient content by 1,000%! What a simple way God has provided to make clean, whole foods even more nutrient dense.

Spices are mentioned throughout the Bible and are always included along with silver, gold and fine oils as the most valuable and precious resources as the verses above illustrate. The wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to Jesus. Two of the three gifts are herbs yet they were considered valuable enough to be a gift to the King of kings!

Green tea is only one tea that has been shown to contain health-promoting compounds - use a variety of teas and even combine two or more for a delicious beverage! You can choose from white tea, oolong, ginger, peppermint, fenugreek, red raspberry, apricot, pau d'arco, roobios - the list is endless.

God never intended for our diets to be plain, boring and bland. He has provided herbs, spices and teas to add flavor to our food (and our lives!) and to bump up the nutritional value of our meals - Father really does know best!

The Seventh Year

2008-11-24T05:40:00.000-08:00

Numbers 13:23 And they came to the Valley of Eschol and cut down from there a branch with one cluster of grapes and they carried it on a pole between two of them...

I don't know about you but I have a hard time getting my mind wrapped around the picture of a cluster of grapes so big that two grown men had to carry it between them! It made me wonder how they grew so large and lush and then I got an email message about viable solutions to soil depletion and I had the answer!

Soil depletion is a very serious problem that affects every single one of us. It is simply a condition where the natural components (minerals and other organic substances) that create fertility in our soils is depleted - used up and not replaced.

If you think it doesn't affect you, think again. Depleted soil that is deficient in vital minerals and vitamins produces fruits and vegetables that are sorely lacking in essential nutrients. Basically, we are eating food that may look good but in reality is not truly nourishing us. You might as well be eating cardboard.

Father God knew this, of course, which is why He instructed His people in Leviticus 25:1-7 to plant for six years and then give the land a sabbath rest in the seventh year in order for the soil to be replenished. This is the principle behind crop rotation as well. However, and unfortunately, most have gotten away from doing this.

This principle is true physically and spiritually. We can't continually take and not replace, whether it is the minerals in our soil, our physical nutrition, or spiritually by building up our spirits with the Word of God.

The word depleted means used up, exhausted, consumed, empty, drained and bankrupt. Just as the soil needs a sabbath rest, so do we in order to replenish ourselves physically and spiritually. I don't know about you but I want my spiritual fruit to be enormous and full of life and vitality!

Everything???

2008-11-17T06:20:00.000-08:00

Philippians 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing...

Continuing the theme of the last post on gratitude, I want to touch on a different aspect of negativity we often gloss over and that is complaining. From this scripture it's pretty clear we are not to complain or argue - about anything!

I know you may be thinking that's impossible to do, yet if God tells us to do it, then it is possible. First of all, maybe we need to get specific about just what complaining actually is. When I study out the Greek words translated "complaining" in this verse they are defined as blaming, discontented, criticism, dissatisfaction, grumbling, murmurings and quarreling. It's also defined as "to express pain, grief or discontent."

Now before we go off the deep end, it does not mean you can never point out a mistake or problem. You can state facts about a situation without slipping into complaining mode. We are told to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). So, we can correct someone by stating the facts in a loving way and refraining from making it personal and emotional.

While we surely can express our feelings honestly at the appropriate time, to continually harp on what is wrong only magnifies that in your thinking and then in your life (remember, as a man thinks so is he; and you can have what you say!).

We are told in Philippians 4:8 that we are to think on positive things and to magnify and exalt only God with every fiber of our beings (Psalms 34:3 and Philippians 1:20). Complaining creates dissatisfaction. We've seen from the previous post how negative thoughts, attitudes and emotions set a cascade of destructive hormones in motion. If complaining is a problem for you as it is for most of us - at least at certain times - visit www.acomplaintfreeworld.org for a very unique way to replace this destructive habit with a positive, healthy one!

An Attitude of Gratitude

2008-11-10T06:27:00.000-08:00

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ...give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Gratitude is more than saying a perfunctory "thanks" over your meal or celebrating Thanksgiving. It is a powerful force both spiritually as well as physically. In 1 Timothy 2:1 God includes the giving of thanksgiving as a prerequisite to true worship. Consider the story of the ten lepers Jesus healed in Luke 17:11-17. Ten men suffering the ravages of leprosy saw Jesus on the road and begged Him to heal them of that devastating disease. His instructions to them were to go show themselves to the priests and it says "as they went they were cleansed." Obedience by faith caused the cleansing of that physical disease. However, it goes on to say only one, a Samaritan, a despised foreigner, returned to praise and glorify God and thank Jesus when he realized what had taken place in his body. Jesus' response seems incredulous - He asks, "Were not ten cleansed - where are the other nine?" Gratitude is precious to Him. Jesus then tells this grateful man that his faith has made him "well." When I look at that word in the original Greek it actually means "to be made whole." This suggests that perhaps the nine were cleansed of the disease but that thankful man was not only cleansed but made whole. If leprosy had damaged his fingers, toes, nose, ears, they were made whole again! He received so much more than simply being healed.

It is true in the physical realm as well. Studies conducted on the effects of gratitude reveal that thankful people:

Handle stress better;
Are more optimistic;
Are more alert and energetic;
Attract gratitude and kindness from others; and
Are healthier overall.

The reasons for this are due to the fascinating manner in which God created our bodies. It is related to our nervous system which is divided into two parts, the voluntary and autonomic or involuntary. The voluntary controls movement and sensations and the autonomic is concerned with functions we don't even have to think about like digestion and blood pressure.The autonomic is further divided into two more branches - the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic is the fight-or-flight system. It is concerned with our survival in a dangerous or stressful situation and acts as the body's defense system by activating organs and glands that provide the extra energy needed at those times. Because it necessitates so much energy expenditure, it breaks down the body if it is in operation too often or for too long. We now read about how the release of too much cortisol (the stress hormone) damages our bodies. The parasympathetic system is the rebuilding, nourishing, healing system. It stimulates the systems and organs that cause cleansing, stimulate our immune and digestive systems like the liver, stomach and pancreas. One or the other of these two systems are activated most of the time. Since the sympathetic system deals with our physical survival, it tends to overshadow the other. However, to enable your body to heal, rebuild and repair itself, it is critical to turn off the sympathetic system as much as possible while activating the parasympathetic. When you are experiencing chronic stress, even though it is not actual, physical danger causing the release of those hormones, it is damaging and breaks down your body systems. Stress of any type, as well as thinking negative, anxious, angry, fearful thoughts, activates the sympathetic nervous system.On the other hand, the parasympathetic system is activated by rest, relaxation and positive, happy thoughts, especially gratitude! Several studies found that healthy parasympathetic dominance occurs very infrequently and only in spiritually developed people as they tend to live in a state of peace, contentment and gratitude. It's hard to argue that Father really doesn't always know best!

Research was also done on how to optimize the coherence of the heart, or what they also refer to as the "emotional heart." Coherence simply refers to the heart's ability to adapt to certain situations and remain harmonious. The impact of thoughts and emotions in the test subjects was visible immediately as their heartbeats were observed on a monitor. Fearful, angry, anxious thoughts caused erratic rhythms. However, when the subjects exercised thoughts and feelings of joy, gratitude or love, the parasympathetic system normalized the heart rhythms.

The effective activation of the parasympathetic system naturally declines with age. However, as with any muscle in the body, or spiritual quality, it will respond if we exercise it consistently! We can consciously choose to exercise gratitude and joy daily and not only live happier lives, but healthier ones as well.

It is More Than Just Contagious!

2008-11-03T03:20:00.000-08:00

Luke 6:38 Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.
1 Corinthians 10:24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
1 Thessalonians 5:15 ...always try to be kind to each other and everyone else.
Galatians 6:10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people...

Did you know that as many as 500 scientific studies demonstrate not only the truth of these words but that by being kind and helping others you enhance your own health as well! We are created to feel good and live longer by imitating our Father as we "live to give" and help others.

Research was done monitoring the brains of people as they made decisions to donate time or money to a worthy cause. The MRI's revealed that the same area of their brains that would be activated in response to positive stimuli (like receiving a gift) was activated by their decision to give of themselves in some way. Their brains actually produced feel-good chemicals, endorphins, in response!

Kindness is one of the fruits of the Spirit that is already part of our spiritual makeup just as skin and bones are part of our physical makeup. We have to be intentional about exercising it. Spiritual qualities are very similar to physical muscles in that we have to make a point of using them in order to strengthen and develop them. Just as you have to schedule time to exercise on purpose, you have to keep your eyes open to the opportunities all around you to exercise kindness on purpose.

The old axiom "it is better to give than to receive" is actually very true physically as well as spiritually. Consider some of the benefits the "giver" receives:

Decreased feelings of depression and loneliness;
Decreased intensity and awareness of pain;
Reduced negative emotions such as hostility, anger, envy;
Decreased lung constriction leading to asthma attacks; and
Reduced stress by shifting focus from yourself and your problems.

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (www.actsofkindness.org) encourages people "to practice kindness and pass it on to others." Well, isn't that exactly what our Father told us in Matthew 7:12? I love the way the Message Translation puts the Golden Rule: "Here is a simple rule of thumb guide for behavior: ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them." There are wonderful "Kindness is Contagious" programs in many elementary school, including my childrens'. While I believe children should be taught these principles at home, it is wonderful to have our schools build on these principles as well.

Being kind can be as simple as smiling at a clerk, thanking a soldier for his or her sacrifice and service, making a special meal for your husband, shoveling the sidewalk for an elderly neighbor or speaking words of encouragement to a child. Being kind is simple but oh, so effective. And it's a win-win proposition - it benefits you as much as the recipient!

Real Treasure!

2008-10-27T03:29:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 18:22 NLT The man who finds a wife finds a treasure...
Message Translation Find a good spouse, you find a good life...

Fellas, there is more truth to this scripture than you may think! Studies prove that married men are consistently healthier and actually live up to five years longer than single, divorced or widowed men. In fact, you blessed hubbies between the ages of 18 and 44 are noticeably healthier than men of the same ages. If you are single don't run out and marry the first girl you meet just to protect and prolong your life because there is a little more to it than that.

I've already mentioned in a previous post that stress from a half-hour argument can slow wound healing by at least a day. Long-term marital stress can set the stage for much more serious health problems. Anxiety and stress disrupt your immune system, and if that's a constant condition, it can open you up to stroke, diabetes and heart disease. Cardiologists actually report that a contentious, stressful marriage slows cardiac recovery time. Constant fighting, accusations and resentment seriously compromise the body's healing ability.

Perhaps this is why men are reminded that rice and beans eaten in a peaceful, loving atmosphere is better than surf and turf in a house full of anger and strife (Proverbs 17:1). In fact, there are several verses along these lines. Obviously the quality of the marriage is critical. While these scriptures seem to put all the responsibility on the wife, it "takes two to tango" as the saying goes!

Husbands, if you want to live a long, healthy, peaceful life, consider these suggestions:

Be concerned with how to please your wife daily (1 Corinthians 7:33);
Love her sacrificially and unconditionally (Ephesians 5:25); and
Praise her sincerely, liberally and often (Proverbs 31:28, 29).

That being said, one interesting study shows that in order to have a healthy, fulfilling marriage, partners must focus on each other's good qualities rather than on the irritating habits that may cause friction. Well, duh! Proverbs 10:12, 1 Corinthians 13:7 and Romans 12:18 clearly set forth three simple keys to harmonious living: allow your love to act as a covering for your spouse's shortcomings and flaws; think the best of them; and do whatever it takes to live in peace. Simple, and although it is not necessarily always easy, it is certainly worth the effort.

So, guys, if you have a wife, treat her like the gift from God that she is and enjoy a longer, healthier life!

You Get What You Pay For

2008-10-20T07:08:00.000-07:00

The economy is on everyone's mind right now. The news is full of doom and gloom about the health of the stock market and banking industry. People are stressing about rising food prices, health care costs, home heating oil this winter, retirement funds, layoffs, college loans, buying a car, mortgages and the list goes on and on. Everyone I know is looking for ways to be a good steward, invest and spend wisely and save money wherever possible.

With that in mind, I read a very interesting email from Health Sciences Institute today. It told about a study performed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology which was awarded the Ig Nobel Prize for its research on the placebo effect. You may be familiar with the placebo effect. During World War II, Dr. Henry Beecher used saline injections on injured soldiers because morphine was in such short supply. The soldiers' pain was relieved simply because they believed the "medicine" they were given would do so. Dr. Beecher coined the expression "placebo effect." His continued research revealed that up to 35% of response to any medical treatment could be attributed to the patient's belief about it. This placebo effect has been proven to be an actual, measurable change in brain chemistry.

These researchers at MIT did a very interesting study. They took 80 subjects and gave them a mild electrical shock on their wrists. Each of those subjects were then given what they were told was a painkilling drug. With that drug (which was a placebo - it had absolutely no active ingredients of any kind) half were given a brochure describing the "drug" as newly approved by the FDA and costing $2.50 per dose. The other half were told their drug cost 10 cents per dose.

Each subject was then given the electrical shock again. Here's the really interesting part: of those subjects whose brochure described the "drug" as costing $2.50 per dose, 85% said their pain from the second electrical shock was reduced. Of the other half who were told their drug cost 10 cents a dose - only 60% said they experienced less pain.

The researchers reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that these results explain why patients who switch from brand-name drugs to generic drugs with exactly the same active ingredients often report that the generic is less effective. The conclusion was that doctors should de-emphasize the fact that a generic drug is less expensive and plant the idea in the patient's mind that the drug is just as good as the brand-name!

In my opinion this is just one more indication of how status conscious our society has become. It has to be the biggest, best, most expensive, impressive brand name - whether we can afford it or not!! Maybe that's why many are finding themselves in a precarious financial situation right now? Who are we trying to impress? What ever happened to integrity, wisdom and common sense? Why do we care what anyone else thinks about the size of our home, our car or our clothes? They aren't making the payments on those things, we are! I think the problem is that we only equate value with price. Just because something is more expensive doesn't necessarily mean it is of a better quality.

In some instances, the higher priced product is superior. I will not deny that. For instance, in purchasing vitamins, where the ingredients come from and how they are processed matters greatly and many times the superior product is more expensive. However, when we compare labels and all the ingredients are exactly the same, but one is a "name brand" and the other is not, choosing the name brand simply because of the name is in itself worthy of the Ig Nobel Prize. By the way, that really is an award, the Ig stands for ignoble (which means of low character or aims) and is awarded by the Annals of Improbable Research.

To me it comes down to motive. If you truly feel it is a superior product and you have done research, used all the information at your disposal, and you can afford it, then go for it. If, however, as is the case much more often, you are either too lazy to do the research and just "trust" the name brand is better or having others see that you have the name brand just makes you feel better about yourself - I'd suggest you examine your motives. Are you looking for the best value or trying to make yourself feel better by impressing others?

Get to the Root!

2008-10-20T06:49:00.000-07:00

Matthew 3:10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown in the fire.

When you have a headache, you may take an aspirin or Advil. You may have come to expect that drug to "cure" your headache. However, the truth is it only masks the pain in your head, which by the way, is simply a symptom. The definition of a symptom is something that indicates the presence of a bodily disorder. Hmm, maybe you've never thought about it much, but the headache isn't a "disease" it's only a symptom of something else going on in your body. Through that pain your body may be trying to tell you any number of things - eat something, you're hungry; get some sleep, you are tired; take a break from the computer, your eyes need a rest; relax, you are stressed. The one thing I can confidently tell you it is not saying is that you have an "Advil deficiency!"

In order to change or improve any health issue you must address the root cause, not just deal with the symptom you are experiencing. Jesus shows us this principle. In Mark 11:20-21 we read the passage where Jesus had seen a fig tree full of leaves which indicated that it should also have figs. When it did not, He cursed the tree and upon seeing the tree the next day, the disciples saw that it had "withered from the roots." Jesus didn't just deal with the leaves or the stem, He went directly to the source of the problem - the roots. Romans 11:16, 17 tells us the root supports the plant and if the root is holy the rest of the tree is holy. A plant is only as healthy as its root system.

The same is true for us. Unless the root cause of a disease is addressed and corrected, all the drugs in the world will only mask pain or discomfort and manage the disease. The pain may be gone temporarily, but the root cause, the disease, is still there. Drugs simply treat symptoms. As Dr. Darren R. Weissman explains so eloquently in his excellent book, The Power of Infinite Love and Gratitude, by masking symptoms with drugs we are silencing our bodies' only method of communication!

Our bodies are magnificent creations of Almighty God. Let's not just drug them, but listen to them. Don't just look for the quick fix. God built into our bodies His own infinite wisdom and healing power, if we just take the time to listen.

Genes or Habits?

2008-10-13T07:01:00.000-07:00

Exodus 34:7 He punishes the children and their children for the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generations...

"Everyone in my family is overweight - it's just the way we are."
"High cholesterol/heart diseast/diabetes/cancer runs in my family."
"My mother didn't cook vegetables so I just never learned to like them."

If any of these statements sounds familiar, chances are you're playing the "genes" card! It's very easy to look at your family history and decide that whatever health issue you are dealing with, it is genetic and there's little you can do about it.

I am not denying that your family history may predispose you to certain diseases. All of my grandparents except for one, most of my aunts and uncles and my mother all died from cancer. Does it seem to run in my family? Gallop may be more like it. I acknowledge the history but I do not believe it destines me or my children to go down the same path.

Consider a different question - what really runs in your family, genes or habits? Research confirms that although heredity and familial disposition toward certain conditions have an effect on physical health, it only accounts for approximately 20% - lifestyle and nutrition account for close to 80%! This tells me that while we can acknowledge our family's health history and be aware of it, we need not repeat it. Rather than just continue to perpetuate the habits we may have grown up with, we have the power to choose to change them and improve the outcome.

While changing lifelong habits may not be easy, remember, your choices not only affect you, but future generations as well. We need not feel we're doomed to suffer from the same problems and diseases as our parents and grandparents. Deuteronomy 30:19 encourages us to choose life, for ourselves and for our children. We can choose to do things differently. Our parents did the best they knew to do. Since we know better, we must make the choice to do better.

We must also embrace the truth that as Christians we now have a different, better Bloodline, one in which there is no disease! By doing these things we can create a new "history" and pass down vibrant health, wholeness and faith for generations to come.

Your Life Depends on It

2008-10-10T08:03:00.000-07:00

Leviticus 17:11 For the life of a creature is in the blood...

Our blood is a truly amazing substance. It is the fluid that transports nutrients and oxygen to every cell throughout your body; it carries carbon dioxide and other waste products from the cells; it regulates body temperature; it has white cells that fight infection and disease and it carries hormones and other chemical substances that regulate bodily functions. It is very clear that our very life depends on the health of our blood. The functions and properties of our physical blood are a beautiful picture of what Christ's Blood does for us as believers spiritually. Consider these similarities:

Our blood is comprised of three basic parts - red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. What our blood does for our physical bodies - nourish, heal, detoxify, cleanse and energize - Jesus' Blood does for our spirits, souls and bodies. It cleanses us of sin, protects us as we plead the Blood, nourishes and heals our relationship with the Father by allowing us to enter His Presence.

When someone becomes anemic, they are weakened and easily fatigued. By keeping the blood healthy through proper nutrition, we experience energy and strength. Jesus' Blood also has energy. It gives us the boldness to enter His Presence and energizes us to continue walking by faith. His Blood actually acts in the spiritual realm as antibodies act in the physical realm. Once exposed to a particular germ, white blood cells create antibodies to kill that specific bacteria or virus and you develop immunity against it. Once you accept the shedding of His Blood on your behalf, and honor it, you begin building immunity to the sins that once so captivated you.

One of the most important functions of the blood is to regulate your temperature. If it deviates too far either way from the normal of 98.6 degrees, permanent brain and organ damage can occur. In a very real way, Christ's Blood regulates our spiritual temperature. Revelation 3:16 tells us that God will spit lukewarm Christians out of His mouth. Depending on the Blood daily not only to cleanse us from sin, but to reconcile us to the Father and sanctify us for His use corrects our "spiritual temperature."

Red blood cells carry oxygen to every cell of our bodies without which we would die. Jesus' Blood also floods every part of us with newness of life. Platelets cause the blood to clot when you cut or injure yourself, otherwise you would bleed to death. Likewise, His Blood is the assurance that we can never lose our salvation. His Blood contains our spiritual platelets!

Honor His Blood and nourish your physical blood - our life is in the blood.

Are You Smarter Than A Donkey?

2008-10-06T05:21:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 14:6 ...their eyesight fails because there is no grass.

While this scripture actually refers to wild donkeys, the amazing truth relates to us as well. You may be wondering what grass has to do with healthy eyesight. Although the connection may seem a little obscure to us, as always, Father knows best!

You may have heard about "green drinks" and how nutritious they are for you. Or you may know a "health nut" like me who downs a big, green glass of goodness several times a day. Exactly what are green drinks? Essentially the main component of all the best green drinks you'll find at your health food store are cereal grasses: oat, wheat, alfalfa, barley, rye and kamut grasses. Many also have algaes as well such as chlorella and spirulina, but for our purposes in this post we will concentrate on the grasses here.

According to David Sandoval, a well-known expert on this subject, and author of The Green Foods Bible, these cereal grasses are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, flavonoids, carotenoids, enzymes, proteins and chlorophyll. They not only contain all the nutrients in whole food form that a body needs to be healthy and vibrant, they also alkalize our systems (making them resistant to illness) and aid in cleansing, detoxifying and neutralizing harmful substances as well.

Perhaps you have heard that organic, grass-fed beef is a healthy alternative as opposed to grain fed beef. Is it any wonder that cows allowed to feed on chlorophyll-rich grasses produce a superior meat? In fact, these animals God created sometimes seem to have more sense than we do - grazing animals never eat jointed grass if there is unjointed grass available. What does that mean? Well, most of the nutrients in the plant reach their peak concentrations just prior to the jointing stage of the plant. If grasses are cut just before jointing, nutritionally, they make a nearly perfect food. Animals instinctively know this.

Back to the eyesight - cereal grasses are a rich source of beta carotene, which your body converts to Vitamin A. This vitamin is not only critical for maintaining good vision, but also plays an important role in healthy skin, maintaining endothelial health (the health of the cells lining the interior surfaces of your body), regulating cell division and growth and stimulating the production and activity of white blood cells for a strong immune system.

So, once again, Father knew and knows best. Let's take a hint from the wild donkeys and make "grass" part of our daily nutrition!

JG8D69D

Choose Life!

2008-10-03T11:39:00.000-07:00

Deuteronomy 30:19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curses. Now choose life so that you and your children may live...

One of the greatest gifts we have been given is the ability to choose. It not only separates us from all other living creatures, but is one way in which we are created in the image of our Heavenly Father (Genesis 1:27).

We can choose to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord or live life on our own terms. We can choose to follow God's nutritional principles or we can eat whatever junk strikes our fancy. We can make rest and exercise part of our daily routine or we can burn the candle at both ends and be world class couch potatoes! Regardless of our choices one thing is certain and unchanging one hundred percent of the time - we will most definitely reap whatever we sow.

That being said, how can we make life enhancing choices? In the area of nutrition, the efficiency and health of our digestive system is critical. It's so true that we only benefit from the food we actually digest and assimilate. You can eat pounds of organic fruits and vegetables and take handfuls of supplements, but if your body cannot use the nutrients they contain, it does you no good. One easy way to choose life is to supplement with probiotics. The word "probiotic" actually means in favor of (pro) life (bio)! A healthy digestive system should contain several pounds of these friendly, life-giving organisms. The most common, well-known probiotic is acidophilus, the live bacteria culture usually found in yogurt. Probiotics are also readily found in other fermented foods such as kefir, sauerkraut and miso.

Choosing life doesn't have to be complicated. We can begin with our nutrition and digestion by doing the following:
Using a good probiotic supplement to replenish our reserves;
Avoiding unnecessary use of antibiotics (which actually means "against life"!) and
other over-the-counter and prescription drugs;
Using digestive enzymes to help our bodies more fully utilize the nutrients in
in our foods; and
Avoiding or severely limiting sugar and empty processed foods.

When we eat whole foods - nutrient dense, natural foods the way God created them, we are choosing life! And that choice doesn't only impact us and our health, the consequences extend to our children as well. They develop the eating habits that we teach them. They also tend to repeat what we do. It is our responsibility as parents to model the right habits. By choosing life for ourselves with these simple choices, it may just be the difference between life and death for our children as well.

So What Do You Think??

2008-10-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 23:7 As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

What we think in our hearts is our perception, our belief. We have been touching on this over the last few posts. Dr. Bruce Lipton, PhD has pioneered a field called, epigenetics, the "new biology." (To learn more visit www.brucelipton.com.) Very simply stated, he says your thoughts, perceptions and beliefs can either heal you or allow sickness to flourish in your body. He says our perception controls our biology (and he is not the only one who does). The ability of our minds is limitless. We do, after all, have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16)!

Consider a woman who lives in fear of developing breast cancer because her mother or sister had it. If she believes it long enough, Dr. Lipton says it will influence the expression of her genes and she will have what she believes. Now recall the woman with the issue of blood (Matthew 9:20, 21). She believed Jesus could heal her and kept saying if she just touched his cloak she would be healed - and she was.

I don't want to make this sound too simplistic. There should be no condemnation (Romans 8:1) if you find yourself dealing with illness. There are so many variables involved. Dr. Lipton explains that our beliefs are energy fields that we control. However, so many things play a role - including childhood traumas (and who hasn't had at least one), overall outlook on life, fear, anxiety, guilt and any number of other things including your environment. Unbelief around you can impact your ability to believe! In Mark 6:5 we see Jesus could do no great works or miracles and only healed a few sick people because of the lack of faith in his hometown. That environment of unbelief effectively shut down the miracle-working power available through Him. This is why we are commanded in Romans 12:2 not to be conformed to this (negative, unbelieving) world and its customs but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

This field is exciting and the concept is simple - believe! (Sounds familiar, doesn't it?) However, simple is not the same thing as easy. There is effort involved. We must consciously renew our minds on a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment basis and stand against doubt, negativity and unbelief. But just as the Father told us - when we think health, wholeness and vitality, we enable our bodies to create it.

Half Full or Half Empty?

2008-10-01T08:27:00.000-07:00

Philippians 4:13 Amplified: I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me (I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in His sufficiency.)

This scripture is more than a positive confession that makes us feel better emotionally. We should consider Philippians 4:13 to be a powerful immune boosting substance! Several different studies conducted show that optimists have stronger immune systems and get sick less often than pessimists.

First, what exactly is an optimist? By definition it is someone who is inclined to put the most favorable construction upon actions and events or who anticipates the best possible outcome. So, then, how we perceive an action or event and then explain it to ourselves is of the utmost importance. Scientists have developed two systems for measuring what they term "dispositional optimism," which is a person's expectations for the future and "explanatory style," which is how a person explains what happens to them. How can we be anything but optimists when God has told us in Jeremiah 29:11 that His plans for us are only for good - to prosper us, give us hope and a future?

Various studies find that optimists actually have a 55% lower risk of death from all causes and pessimists tend to suffer from twice as many infectious diseases. In fact a Johns Hopkins University study revealed people who saw themselves as having poor health (whether they actually did or not), doubled their risk of death within five years.

This scripture in Phillippians is the picture of a resilient, optimistic person. Studies reveal that people who believe they have a measure of control over seemingly unmanageable events, release certain brain chemicals which actually increase their resilience, reduce anxiety and cause that stressful memory to be a less vivid one.

Joel 3:10 tells us we are to "let the weak say I am strong." That is much more than just a catchy song lyric or wishful thinking. Studies find that pessimists tend to assume blame for bad news, feeling it was somehow their fault, believe their negative circumstance will last forever and impact everything they do! Perhaps that is why scripture tells us to speak the desired result, not what we now have (Romans 4:17) and meditate on the Word of God.

You may think you were born a pessimist and there's nothing you can do to change that - but you are wrong! In Psalms 42:5 David asks himself, "Why are you downcast, O my soul?" Do as David did and ask yourself why you look at a situation as you do. Your perception may be completely wrong! That alone could be the difference between being optimistic and pessimistic. As Christians, we know God is in control, He desires only our best and all things ultimately work together for our good and His glory. So, consciously choose to look on the bright side, search for the silver lining and you just may reap better health as a bonus!

Which Do You Think is Easier?

2008-09-30T05:39:00.000-07:00

Matthew 9:5 For which is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'?

God created harmony, order and wholeness. Everything in creation expresses that, including our bodies. I'd like to continue and expand on this theme of wholeness we touched on in the last post. We are not meant to be solely spiritual beings while on this earth. We are spirits, who have a soul and live in a physical body. God specifically created us in this way in order for us to be able to function on this planet. Without our physical bodies, we could not survive on planet earth. Let's look at several passages that I find thought-provoking.

The woman with the issue of blood has been heralded for her faith. However, what I would like to concentrate on here is how her physical infirmity affected her spirit and soul. In the culture of her day a woman with that affliction, or even during her monthly period, was not allowed to attend worship services or to have relations with her husband. She had this bleeding problem for twelve, long years! Can you imagine how it must have devastated her personal relationships as well as her spiritual life? When Jesus healed the paralytic in Matthew 9:2-8, He equated forgiveness of sins with physical healing as the opening scripture shows.

Consider 1 Thessalonians 5:23 in the Amplified version: And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through - that is, separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God - and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete (and found) blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah.

There is a branch of science called psychoneuroimmunology - a huge mouthful that refers to he study of how our thoughts and beliefs affect our physical health and most specifically our immune systems. Guilt, shame, bitterness, unforgiveness, fear and anger cause very specific physical consequences. Brain scans show that when you imagine an event, your thoughts activate the areas of your brain that were triggered during the actual event. So, if you continually replay a stressful event in your mind, your body reacts as if it was really occurring - over and over! When your brain is activated it causes different chemical and hormonal responses to take place.

We now know how chronic stress can cause adrenal fatigue, heart disease, diabetes and is even a factor in obesity. But even minor stress, such as an argument or anxiety about an exam, hinders the immune system. In fact, research shows that anger from an argument delays wound healing by at least a day!

That certainly gives new meaning to God's command to "be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your wrath" (Ephesians 4:26). Every one of His commands is for our good - spirit, soul and body - after all, He really does know best!

One for All and All for One!

2008-09-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 12:20, 26 But now indeed there are many members yet one body...And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it.

On the surface this may seem like a "duh" rather than an "aha" moment. Which one of us can pray and worship God wholeheartedly when our head is splitting or our back is aching? It's very clear our physical condition impacts both our spirit and our soul, which is our mind, will and emotions and vice versa. If you are upset with one of your children or worried about something, you may experience the effects of that anxiety and tension in the form of a neck ache or upset stomach. Conversely, just try to sit quietly and read your devotional when you are angry or hurt by something your husband or a friend said - it is nearly impossible!

However, what has amazed me about the deeper truth of this scripture is that our bodies are created to work as integrated systems - each part works in concert with the others. When we are healthy, we are experiencing this harmony of cells, organs and systems. Our God is very big on wholeness (shalom - nothing missing, nothing broken).

Referring to the Body of Christ, this scripture points out that even we who make up His little toe are just as important as those who comprise His heart. It holds true physically as well. (Just stub your toe and you'll agree!) This was brought into sharp relief recently when a friend was experiencing dental problems. She had an infected tooth that was causing problems not only in her mouth, but in her sinuses, head, neck and eyes as well! Research now shows that gum disease has been linked to cardiovascular problems. Left untreated, that bacteria has been proven to directly cause heart problems, which another friend can certainly attest to. She related that her cousin was advised by her dentist after a checkup to contact a cardiologist immediately as she had advanced gum disease. She ignored the warning until she began experiencing alarming symptoms several years later. By then, her heart was so damaged, her only medical recourse was a heart transplant. Imagine, the impact of one tiny tooth! This may sound extreme, but it is true.

Perhaps a more obvious connection is how dental health affects digestion. Missing teeth may cause the inability to chew food properly which negatively impacts your digestion. Without proper digestion, your entire body suffers. Some health practitioners, particularly those versed in Chinese medicine, even see a connection between your dental health and your respiratory system.

We truly are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14). God created every cell of our bodies for a specific purpose, just as He created each one of us to fulfill a specific plan and purpose with our lives. Let's honor God by caring for these amazing bodies He so carefully and lovingly created for us!

What You Speak Has a Profound Impact on Your Health!

2008-09-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

If you've been a Christian for very long you have heard numerous teachings on the power of your words. Sometimes I think we tend to over-spiritualize verses like these. The temptation is to relegate them solely to the spiritual realm and make them ethereal and impractical rather than apply them to our physical lives in a real way. The research of Dr. Masaru Emoto dramatically illustrates the literal truth of this verse and so many others relating to the power of speech. Before I even share the research let me say this - one website that ran this post had a complaint from a Christian lady saying that they should not include it because Dr. Emoto is not Christian. I just want to clarify that I am sharing his research because it excites me when science finally catches up to scripture. I make it a point in whatever I read to take what is valuable and leave the rest. Kenneth Hagin put it this way - eat the hay and spit out the sticks. So to clarify, I am not promoting the man, just sharing the research.

Dr. Emoto did scientific research on how water responds to words - spoken or written. He chose to study water because it is the most abundant substance on earth and in our bodies as well. He found that words of love, blessing and gratitude created perfect, beautiful, ordered ice crystals - whether spoken over the water or written on the container! Words of anger, hatred and cursing created ugly, distorted crystals. The dramatic photographs of his results are startling. You can see these amazing pictures in his books, such as "The Hidden Messages in Water," which are available from http://www.amazon.com/.

Without a doubt his research confirms the truth of God's Word. The Bible says pleasant words are health to our bones (Proverbs 16:24); a wholesome tongue is a tree of life (Proverbs 15:4) and by guarding our mouths we preserve our lives (Proverbs 13:3). It gives new meaning to the power of prayer to sanctify our food (1 Timothy 4:5)! Our words are vibrations and every emotion and thought expressed has a particular vibrational energy. In fact, we are "electrical" beings who are constantly transmitting vibrations with out thoughts and words, affecting not just ourselves, but those around us as well. You could say we are continally broadcasting! Just think about how an angry person affects the atmosphere in a room. Is it any wonder our words can change things on a molecular level? Research shows the electromagnetic frequencies of our bodies controls every chemical reaction.

Scientists have proven that the energy of our thoughts, feelings and emotions can positively or negatively effect our DNA structure - our very genes!! We've all heard about how someone taking a placebo is healed simply because they believe the medication (which actually has no medicinal value) will heal them. Worry and stress changes the pH of your body from alkaline to acidic very quickly. Even our food has energy - natural, whole food the way God created it does - and that energy is vital to health.

While all words are powerful, God's Word is especially power-packed (Hebrews 4:12). Speak and think words of life, health and blessing to yourself and others - we truly do have the power of death and life in our mouths.

In the Beginning...

2008-09-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth

As a biblical health coach, I am fascinated by how God's principles of health and wholeness are daily being recognized and proven scientifically. John G. Lake, a missionary, faith healer and mighty man of God, has said, "science is God's way of doing things" and I wholeheartedly agree! While some say science superseces God's Word, I respectfully disagree. I've actually heard people say, 'You can't take what God says literally because He wasn't a scientist!' Science is the natural progression, the outgrowth of understanding the "how" behind the "what" of God's Word. Only now do we have sophisticated enough equipment to reveal and understand these magnificent mysteries. Our God is most definitely a God of order. He sets principles and laws in motion concerning not just our spirits, souls and bodies, but our physical world as well. He is concerned with wholeness, the root meaning of the Hebrew word, shalom, in every area of our lives.

In case you were wondering about the title of the blog, in the 1950's and '60's there was a very popular television show called, "Father Knows Best." You may be too young to remember it (obviously I'm not!) but I felt the spin on the title was very appropriate. Who could possibly know better the intricasies of how our bodies are supposed to function, than the Creator of those bodies Himself?

As I read about medical and health research and studies, it brings certain scriptures to light, and I am continually amazed by how practical and relevant His Word truly is. In future blog posts we will consider:
how Deuteronomy 31:19 relates to probiotics;
is laughter really "medicine" (Proverbs 17:22);
how speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:11) extends life;
how your speech impacts your health (Proverbs 18:21);
how Abel's blood (Genesis 4:10) could literally cry out to God;
and MUCH more!

I invite you to join me in an eye-opening, faith-building journey as we study scripture and science side-by-side. I guarantee together we will see the unmistakable imprint of God's wisdom, power and love as we, too, say -

"Father really does know best!"