The Heart of the Matter

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?

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!

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

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???

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

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!

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!