Articles
Growing Healthier and Stronger in the Lord
Just as we must take care of our physical bodies, our spiritual bodies need to be taken care of as well. The same concepts and ideas can be applied to both. The best ways to ensure that physical bodies are in good shape is to eat right, exercise, eliminate any bad habits and check to ensure we have a strong heart. And our spiritual bodies are no different. We must ensure that we are taking care of spiritual bodies so that they do not become weak or vulnerable to the world or Satan. I want us to look at 4 keys that will help us grow healthier and stronger in the Lord.
Eat Right: The first is that we must eat right. “Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” (1st Peter 2:1-3). A healthy baby is going to want to eat and will let you know it. They will fuss and cry until they are given something to satisfy their hunger. We should be the same way in our desire for God’s word. We should have a thirst or hunger that is never satisfied. Do I start to have hunger pains if I haven’t read, studied, or meditated on God’s word. There are so things that can and do compete for our time and just as we schedule times to eat food, we need to make sure that we are setting time aside for God’s word. If I am to truly know God’s will then I must study His word. I will not be able to identify those false teachers or doctrines if I don’t know His word. I need to pay close attention and ensure that I never have a loss of appetite for His word.
Exercise: The next key is to exercise. Just as we exercise our physical bodies, we must also exercise our spiritual bodies. “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.” (Hebrews 6:10). We are called on to work and to labor in His kingdom. We accomplish through many different areas. We can work and labor by visiting those that are widows, shut ins, or that are in the hospital. You can conduct an in-home Bible study or singing. You invite people over to your home for a meal or simply to sit and talk. Teaching a class can be a great exercise. It can be scary and hard but the more you exercise, the easier it will become. We can also exercise by applying the knowledge we obtain into our lives. We need to know the Scripture and then find the ways of application into our lives. It should transform us.
Eliminate Bad Habits: What you read and take in is how you are going to talk and express yourself. We must be mindful of all the various types of information and entertainment that we allow our mind to hear. If I am constantly watching shows or listening to podcasts that are filled with vulgar and filthy language, I will eventually become numb to it and possibly even begin to use some of the same words. We must be mindful of who we spend our time with. Yes, we need to be out in the world trying to spread the Good News, but that shouldn’t be the only place we go. Likewise, we need to ensure that we have those close to us that will be able to let us know if we are straying from the truth and allowing our light to dim. We should surround ourselves with those that will help ensure that our holiness isn’t compromised or ask us to compromise it. Be the light we are called to be.
Check Your Heart: God requires our whole heart, not a portion. Jesus’ main takeaway from the Sermon on the Mount was that we must have a change of heart. We can do all kinds of great things but if our hearts are not in it, then they mean nothing to the Father. “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” (1st John 5:3). “Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38). Without God, we do not exist. Without the love of God, we would not have salvation. He deserves every bit of love that we have. Give Him your heart!
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