My son, do not forget my law (word of God) but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you. ---Proverbs 3:1,2
God knows how man’s body is created and what is good and what is bad for it. God also knows man’s sinful nature and what is good for it. For this reason, He has provided mankind with an instruction book that we call the Bible. God’s desire is that we follow His instructions so that we can live all the life He has given to us and to live it in peace.
We are responsible to read, understand to put into action what God says. Deuteronomy 28:58 and 59 says, “If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, The Lord your God, then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses.” God said this, I didn’t. I would, however, like to explain what this verse implies.
First of all we must revere and consider God’s sovereign position as the Creator of the Universe and the designer of all laws of nature as well as God’s laws. Somehow, today we flippantly regard God as a buddy, someone who will look after us no matter what we do or say. God is our friend and loves us very much, but He has also put into motion laws that even He cannot break. So, just as a seed that is planted in the ground and watered will grow to a plant and bear fruit; so will our actions (the seed) grow and bear fruit whether good or bad.
So, in the Deuteronomy verses, God is saying, if you don’t obey my words and laws, bad things will happen to you. Now, I also want to clarify this. God has NO bad thing in His heaven or in His possession to give you or put on you. However, He can lift His hand of protection that covers you when you DO NOT obey God’s law. Imagine an umbrella that we use to keep the rain from getting us wet. When we become a child of God, we immediately step into the Kingdom of God and are in a new spiritual setting. If we could use the umbrella as an illustration, God places a protective umbrella over us to shield us from the enemy who wants to kill, steal and destroy you. That umbrella stays as long as you obey His laws and love and revere Him. If you disobey God, then the umbrella starts to slide off and opens your life up to the enemy of your soul.
The phrase “then the Lord will bring …. Extraordinary plagues….and serious and prolongs sicknesses” also needs clarification. The original language says then the Lord will “allow” these terrible things to happen. God doesn’t have sickness near Him because it means death or distress to one of His children. But just as a parent has to let a child experience difficult consequences, so does God when His children don’t obey. But it isn’t coming from God, it is coming from Satan.
Tomorrow, I will talk more about how God views disobedience. But remember this from Proverbs 4:10, “Hear, my son, and receive my sayings and the years of your life will be many.”
Confession: My desire, Father, is to learn of your laws and statutes and have the ability to obey. I love you and want to please you. Forgive me when I have missed your mark of excellence for me.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
We Are Sick Because of the Way We Speak
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. ---Proverbs 18:21
Attitudes and our outlook on life have a great deal to do with whether we are sick or whole. Throughout the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament we are told to consider our attitudes.
Proverbs 13:14 says “He who guards his mouth preserves his life.” Now you can take that a couple different ways, but basically it means, watch what you say because it can mean life or death. I know people who will always see the glass half empty. Their thought life is always on the negative half; therefore they are speaking the negative side of consequences. Their speech is full of doubt of possibilities and endless failures.
With that kind of attitude toward life, there will be an inward consequence. Our bodies want life, but when we constantly feed it negativity and death, it causes physical manifestations, mainly anxiety and stress related. I’ll be touching how our spoken words will also effect where our life and health will take us, but right now I’m talking about our attitude toward life.
One of the reasons for a bad attitude is that we haven’t learned how to trust God for our provision. We are always looking at our past and our failures, and haven’t got a grip on how much God loves us. He has forgiven us for everything in our past and placed them in the sea of forgetfulness. What we do is constantly live in the land of the past and see what “was.” Jesus wants us to look to the future and see what the endless possibilities are for us. He has great plans for us! He doesn’t want us to worry about anything. Look at Matthew 6:25-34. He is talking about how God provides for the birds. If He takes care of even a little sparrow, how much more will he take care of YOU? Do you realize the most insignificant of us is greater than Satan and his most decorated demons? You have importance and power. Jesus continues to say, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things (food, clothing, water). But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
For us to be negative and full of doubt of our abilities or what life has for us is to totally reject what Jesus did on the cross for us. He shed His blood and died for us to destroy the works of the devil. He died so we could have life (health) and live it abundantly. When we say things like, “With my luck, I’ll never….” Or, “I doubt that I’ll ever get….” We are totally rejecting the great, exciting, exhilarating life that Jesus came to give to us through taking on all our sins, sickness and torments.
Confession: I will watch how I speak and will check my attitude. Negative attitudes will bring me into bondage and sickness because of how I think and look on life. With God’s help, I am realizing that through the life and death of Jesus, God’s Son, I have a bright and exciting future.
Attitudes and our outlook on life have a great deal to do with whether we are sick or whole. Throughout the Bible, from the Old Testament to the New Testament we are told to consider our attitudes.
Proverbs 13:14 says “He who guards his mouth preserves his life.” Now you can take that a couple different ways, but basically it means, watch what you say because it can mean life or death. I know people who will always see the glass half empty. Their thought life is always on the negative half; therefore they are speaking the negative side of consequences. Their speech is full of doubt of possibilities and endless failures.
With that kind of attitude toward life, there will be an inward consequence. Our bodies want life, but when we constantly feed it negativity and death, it causes physical manifestations, mainly anxiety and stress related. I’ll be touching how our spoken words will also effect where our life and health will take us, but right now I’m talking about our attitude toward life.
One of the reasons for a bad attitude is that we haven’t learned how to trust God for our provision. We are always looking at our past and our failures, and haven’t got a grip on how much God loves us. He has forgiven us for everything in our past and placed them in the sea of forgetfulness. What we do is constantly live in the land of the past and see what “was.” Jesus wants us to look to the future and see what the endless possibilities are for us. He has great plans for us! He doesn’t want us to worry about anything. Look at Matthew 6:25-34. He is talking about how God provides for the birds. If He takes care of even a little sparrow, how much more will he take care of YOU? Do you realize the most insignificant of us is greater than Satan and his most decorated demons? You have importance and power. Jesus continues to say, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things (food, clothing, water). But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
For us to be negative and full of doubt of our abilities or what life has for us is to totally reject what Jesus did on the cross for us. He shed His blood and died for us to destroy the works of the devil. He died so we could have life (health) and live it abundantly. When we say things like, “With my luck, I’ll never….” Or, “I doubt that I’ll ever get….” We are totally rejecting the great, exciting, exhilarating life that Jesus came to give to us through taking on all our sins, sickness and torments.
Confession: I will watch how I speak and will check my attitude. Negative attitudes will bring me into bondage and sickness because of how I think and look on life. With God’s help, I am realizing that through the life and death of Jesus, God’s Son, I have a bright and exciting future.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Way We Treat Our Bodies
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple are you. ---1 Corinthians 3:16,17
Isn’t it amazing that when we get sick, we think it is some bug, or hereditary, or just back “luck” that our bodies aren’t functioning right? We have one body and one life. It is our responsibility to take care of that body in several different ways. Remember, it is designed by the Great Creator to live 120 years. But it seems that we sabotage our own lives by the way we take care of ourselves.
I have a wonderful little car that likes to run on gasoline…not water, not diesel, and not oil. For the engine to run, it can only take gas. When I give it the proper fuel, it runs like a dream. If I put sand in the gas tank it will choke up and refuse to run.
Today, I want to address how we FUEL our bodies. I know in today’s world we are so busy that we don’t take time to prepare good, healthy meals for us or our families. Quick-serve meals have become the norm. But our bodies are not created to eat food out of boxes! Those boxes contain preservatives, more salt in one box than we need in a day and a lot of carbohydrates. The same for the drive-by meals.
When we don’t fuel our bodies with proper nutrition like fresh fruits, vegetables and continue to eat manufactured foods, our engine and all the parts begin to fail. For example, our day is full of activity and stress, which comes from all areas in life. Stress does a great deal of harm to our body and if we live under constant stress we end up with stress-related diseases. That may include allergies, asthma, skin diseases, fibromyalgia, all kinds of heart issues, hernias, reflux disease, IBS, TMJ, ulcerative colitis, viruses and on and on.
We need to understand that when we get proper nutrition, our bodies can handle stress much better. Diet doesn’t eliminate stress, but when we have the right vitamins, minerals and immune system built up because we are fueling our bodies correctly, then we handle stress better.
That is just one area. What about obesity? Something has gone terribly wrong with our diets. Over 50% of the American people are obese and just under that, morbidly obese. We are fueling our body with way too many carbohydrates that turn into sugar that our body cannot absorb. Our pancreas goes bonkers and all that sugar is surging through our body looking for somewhere to go. Thus, we end up fat, with sugar diabetes and heart issues.
Look at our children! Most children today are overweight and are already struggling with health issues that they shouldn’t be dealing with until they are in their 40’s and 50’s. Did God do that? Did the devil? No we do it to ourselves.
So what is the problem? First, our minds need to be renewed with an understanding that we MUST take care of ourselves. Second, we need to look at how we are fueling not only our body but our children’s bodies. Third, acknowledge that God can help you change your lifestyle when you ask Him. If your life is full of stress, seek God’s face to find out how to reduce that stress. If you have a problem with time management and priorities then God will help you correct those areas, but you must call out to Him and He will direct your thoughts and move you toward correcting bad habits.
The important thing to know is that God wants you to finish your course. It is the devil that wants you to get so sick and distracted with medical issues that you don’t. So let’s go to battle with the devil and thumb your nose at his tactics. Start shopping in the grocery for fresh foods and set aside time to prepare a good healthy meal for you and your family.
Confession: My body is the temple of God and it is my responsibility to take care of it. When I fuel my body correctly, it will run like a fine engine. When I don’t fuel my body, I will be open for negative consequences. I choose life so I can finish my course with God, God’s way.
Isn’t it amazing that when we get sick, we think it is some bug, or hereditary, or just back “luck” that our bodies aren’t functioning right? We have one body and one life. It is our responsibility to take care of that body in several different ways. Remember, it is designed by the Great Creator to live 120 years. But it seems that we sabotage our own lives by the way we take care of ourselves.
I have a wonderful little car that likes to run on gasoline…not water, not diesel, and not oil. For the engine to run, it can only take gas. When I give it the proper fuel, it runs like a dream. If I put sand in the gas tank it will choke up and refuse to run.
Today, I want to address how we FUEL our bodies. I know in today’s world we are so busy that we don’t take time to prepare good, healthy meals for us or our families. Quick-serve meals have become the norm. But our bodies are not created to eat food out of boxes! Those boxes contain preservatives, more salt in one box than we need in a day and a lot of carbohydrates. The same for the drive-by meals.
When we don’t fuel our bodies with proper nutrition like fresh fruits, vegetables and continue to eat manufactured foods, our engine and all the parts begin to fail. For example, our day is full of activity and stress, which comes from all areas in life. Stress does a great deal of harm to our body and if we live under constant stress we end up with stress-related diseases. That may include allergies, asthma, skin diseases, fibromyalgia, all kinds of heart issues, hernias, reflux disease, IBS, TMJ, ulcerative colitis, viruses and on and on.
We need to understand that when we get proper nutrition, our bodies can handle stress much better. Diet doesn’t eliminate stress, but when we have the right vitamins, minerals and immune system built up because we are fueling our bodies correctly, then we handle stress better.
That is just one area. What about obesity? Something has gone terribly wrong with our diets. Over 50% of the American people are obese and just under that, morbidly obese. We are fueling our body with way too many carbohydrates that turn into sugar that our body cannot absorb. Our pancreas goes bonkers and all that sugar is surging through our body looking for somewhere to go. Thus, we end up fat, with sugar diabetes and heart issues.
Look at our children! Most children today are overweight and are already struggling with health issues that they shouldn’t be dealing with until they are in their 40’s and 50’s. Did God do that? Did the devil? No we do it to ourselves.
So what is the problem? First, our minds need to be renewed with an understanding that we MUST take care of ourselves. Second, we need to look at how we are fueling not only our body but our children’s bodies. Third, acknowledge that God can help you change your lifestyle when you ask Him. If your life is full of stress, seek God’s face to find out how to reduce that stress. If you have a problem with time management and priorities then God will help you correct those areas, but you must call out to Him and He will direct your thoughts and move you toward correcting bad habits.
The important thing to know is that God wants you to finish your course. It is the devil that wants you to get so sick and distracted with medical issues that you don’t. So let’s go to battle with the devil and thumb your nose at his tactics. Start shopping in the grocery for fresh foods and set aside time to prepare a good healthy meal for you and your family.
Confession: My body is the temple of God and it is my responsibility to take care of it. When I fuel my body correctly, it will run like a fine engine. When I don’t fuel my body, I will be open for negative consequences. I choose life so I can finish my course with God, God’s way.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Our Body - The Temple of God
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple are you. ---1 Corinthians 3:16,17
Before I start giving reasons why we are sick, let me first acknowledge that we all know someone who died an early death because of sickness or calamity. We may not have understood and felt that God was responsible in some way. We must also understand that God is sovereign and only He knows everything about the life of each individual. He has laws that have been set into place that even He cannot break.
There are people who loved God, believed God could heal them, prayed that God would heal them and still they died or didn’t recover. How do we tackle that? How can we believe that if God is a good God that He would “allow” these things to happen? Well, by only the grace of God, I am going to share some reasons why we are sick in our bodies.
As soon as we asked Jesus into our heart and made Him Lord of our lives, we were set into a different spiritual dimension. We were set into the Kingdom of God. Our scripture today says that we are now the temple of God. Remember, God doesn’t have sickness or disease or mental torment to give to us. It is God that has made it possible for the Holy Spirit dwell within us to overcome any sickness or disease which is an enemy of God and the plans He has for you.
As I cover a multitude of reasons why we are sick, understand that my goal is to get you to look inward and uncover things that need to be looked at – probably by only you. Look into your past to see what may have started things, look at your habits, attitudes and be ready to change the way you think because God only wants the best for you. He wants you to live an abundant life. It is the devil who wants you to stay bound up with wrong-thinking so you cannot move forward.
Always remember, with God, all things are possible. The same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is also the same Holy Spirit that dwells in you! So, you have great power positioned within you to move you forward with God’s plan for your life. His plan is NOT that you be in misery, pain, mental torment or connected to man-made machines for any period of time. That is the devil’s plan for your life. God’s plan is that you have divine health, love people, move from glory to glory until you are satisfied with your life. THEN, He will take you home to be with Him. If you are not totally satisfied with your life, then together, let’s travel this road to health and you will be prosperous. (Prosperous means to advance in every level of life.)
The confessions at the end of each devotion are for you to declare out loud so you can begin making a change in your future. Our tongue has great power in it. It can speak death or it can speak life. So let’s speak some life.
Confession: Because I have made Jesus my Lord and Savior, I have the Greater One living inside me. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore I will defy any sickness or disease in it. I am ready to find out how to live the life Jesus destined me to live. I look forward to the future with great anticipation!
Before I start giving reasons why we are sick, let me first acknowledge that we all know someone who died an early death because of sickness or calamity. We may not have understood and felt that God was responsible in some way. We must also understand that God is sovereign and only He knows everything about the life of each individual. He has laws that have been set into place that even He cannot break.
There are people who loved God, believed God could heal them, prayed that God would heal them and still they died or didn’t recover. How do we tackle that? How can we believe that if God is a good God that He would “allow” these things to happen? Well, by only the grace of God, I am going to share some reasons why we are sick in our bodies.
As soon as we asked Jesus into our heart and made Him Lord of our lives, we were set into a different spiritual dimension. We were set into the Kingdom of God. Our scripture today says that we are now the temple of God. Remember, God doesn’t have sickness or disease or mental torment to give to us. It is God that has made it possible for the Holy Spirit dwell within us to overcome any sickness or disease which is an enemy of God and the plans He has for you.
As I cover a multitude of reasons why we are sick, understand that my goal is to get you to look inward and uncover things that need to be looked at – probably by only you. Look into your past to see what may have started things, look at your habits, attitudes and be ready to change the way you think because God only wants the best for you. He wants you to live an abundant life. It is the devil who wants you to stay bound up with wrong-thinking so you cannot move forward.
Always remember, with God, all things are possible. The same Holy Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is also the same Holy Spirit that dwells in you! So, you have great power positioned within you to move you forward with God’s plan for your life. His plan is NOT that you be in misery, pain, mental torment or connected to man-made machines for any period of time. That is the devil’s plan for your life. God’s plan is that you have divine health, love people, move from glory to glory until you are satisfied with your life. THEN, He will take you home to be with Him. If you are not totally satisfied with your life, then together, let’s travel this road to health and you will be prosperous. (Prosperous means to advance in every level of life.)
The confessions at the end of each devotion are for you to declare out loud so you can begin making a change in your future. Our tongue has great power in it. It can speak death or it can speak life. So let’s speak some life.
Confession: Because I have made Jesus my Lord and Savior, I have the Greater One living inside me. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, therefore I will defy any sickness or disease in it. I am ready to find out how to live the life Jesus destined me to live. I look forward to the future with great anticipation!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Does Sickness Glorify God?
For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. --- 1 Corinthians 6:20
The word “glorify” means to honor. This scripture is speaking to Christians saying that we have been bought with a price; the blood of Jesus. Therefore, if Jesus thought enough of us to shed His blood on our behalf, we are to honor Him with our physical bodies and in our spirit which now belong to God.
My question to you is: Is there sickness in heaven where God resides? Does God have the ability to make anyone sick? Is there anywhere in the Bible that indicates that Jesus, who was the express image of God, wanted anyone sick? The answer to all these questions is an absolute “No.”
John 10:10 tells us one of the reasons Jesus came to the earth, “I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” The life that Jesus was talking about was LIVING as a verb. Action, moving about, vitality! Not only did Jesus want us to be active and live life with gusto, He wanted us to live life with abundance. The Greek word “abundantly” means superabundance, excessive, overflowing, surplus, over and above, more than enough. How is that for living life? That doesn't sound like poverty, just-barely-making-it kind of life, or being bound artificial means to make it through each day.
So, if we are to live life with superabundance, we cannot be sick in our bodies, can we? Jesus’ brother, John, was writing to his good friend Gaius in 3 John. Verse 2 says, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." The “health” mentioned here doesn’t necessarily mean just spiritual. It has everything to do with physical health; to be sound in body.
By taking these verses, and knowing the heart of our Father who only wants to give good gifts to us, we must conclude that sickness is not a blessing from God. And sickness will never honor or glorify God. Sickness is actually honoring the devil if we allow it to remain with us. Back in John 10:10 it was Jesus who pointed out what Satan’s plan is for mankind. He is all about killing, stealing and destroying. It is Satan who wants to kill your body – and he doesn’t care how long it takes. He wants to destroy your bank accounts and steal your joy.
So, let’s begin to look at our life, circumstances and mental condition. Let us evaluate our thinking regarding sickness and disease, whether is involves you, a family member or someone you know. Remember this, God wants us to live long (120 years), healthy lives so we can accomplish the destiny He has established for you from the beginning of time.
Confession: I confess that I don’t know why sickness prevails in my life, but I am willing to find out how to make changes in my thinking and actions. Jesus died for me and I want to glorify God with my body and live life abundantly.
The word “glorify” means to honor. This scripture is speaking to Christians saying that we have been bought with a price; the blood of Jesus. Therefore, if Jesus thought enough of us to shed His blood on our behalf, we are to honor Him with our physical bodies and in our spirit which now belong to God.
My question to you is: Is there sickness in heaven where God resides? Does God have the ability to make anyone sick? Is there anywhere in the Bible that indicates that Jesus, who was the express image of God, wanted anyone sick? The answer to all these questions is an absolute “No.”
John 10:10 tells us one of the reasons Jesus came to the earth, “I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly.” The life that Jesus was talking about was LIVING as a verb. Action, moving about, vitality! Not only did Jesus want us to be active and live life with gusto, He wanted us to live life with abundance. The Greek word “abundantly” means superabundance, excessive, overflowing, surplus, over and above, more than enough. How is that for living life? That doesn't sound like poverty, just-barely-making-it kind of life, or being bound artificial means to make it through each day.
So, if we are to live life with superabundance, we cannot be sick in our bodies, can we? Jesus’ brother, John, was writing to his good friend Gaius in 3 John. Verse 2 says, "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers." The “health” mentioned here doesn’t necessarily mean just spiritual. It has everything to do with physical health; to be sound in body.
By taking these verses, and knowing the heart of our Father who only wants to give good gifts to us, we must conclude that sickness is not a blessing from God. And sickness will never honor or glorify God. Sickness is actually honoring the devil if we allow it to remain with us. Back in John 10:10 it was Jesus who pointed out what Satan’s plan is for mankind. He is all about killing, stealing and destroying. It is Satan who wants to kill your body – and he doesn’t care how long it takes. He wants to destroy your bank accounts and steal your joy.
So, let’s begin to look at our life, circumstances and mental condition. Let us evaluate our thinking regarding sickness and disease, whether is involves you, a family member or someone you know. Remember this, God wants us to live long (120 years), healthy lives so we can accomplish the destiny He has established for you from the beginning of time.
Confession: I confess that I don’t know why sickness prevails in my life, but I am willing to find out how to make changes in my thinking and actions. Jesus died for me and I want to glorify God with my body and live life abundantly.
Monday, June 22, 2009
How Long Is Man to Live?
And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” ---Genesis 6:3
Insurance actuaries estimate that the average life of a man is 72 years and a woman 75. However, we see in scripture that God has made the human body to live 120 years. So, we are living far beneath what God initially mandated. Why? Because society has conditioned us to “think” that we are to live 70-80 years. When we find someone is 90 or more we oooh and aaaah and compliment them for their long life.
Many pastors and Christians have quoted a scripture that they believe confirms that we are to live only 70-80 years. It is found in Psalm 90. Before I write the verse, let me set up the chapter. Moses has been in the wilderness with an unruly, rebellious and ungrateful people that God had ordained as His chosen, the people of Israel. They were in the wilderness, complained and griped and were disobedient to the law God gave Moses. For that reason, God had to reprimand them in many ways which shortened their lives.
Moses is writing to God on behalf of the Israelite nation, petitioning Him to have mercy. In Psalm 90:9-10 it says, “For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years.” Moses is reflecting on how a nation of backslidden people was not seeing the fullness of life that God had given them.
So, how do we interpret this? God has designed our human bodies to live 120 years; to rejuvenate itself on a regular basis. Our body, soul and spirit also fight to live, no matter what accident, disease or calamity comes our way. Our body was designed to heal itself, fight off illness and restore to full strength. Why? Because God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. Satan, the enemy of our soul, wants to make sure we don’t fulfill the destiny God has for each one of us. So the enemy, has set traps, throws sickness and disease at us and makes sure we don’t reach the length of our days.
The well-known Psalm 91 is uplifting and encouraging. At the end of the Psalm in verse 16, God is speaking and says, “With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation.” God’s long life is 120 years. Satisfy in the Hebrew means to have enough, to have plenty. And salvation means deliverance, victory, prosperity and health. (Strong’s Concordance) So, according to the Bible, God will give long life which is without lack and be full where God will show Himself by providing deliverance, a victorious life, walking through life moving forward toward their destiny in health!
Confession: I realize that God has given more days in my life than I thought. My body is designed to live 120 years by the Great Creator for a purpose. I must make a correction in my thinking and plan to live all the days the Lord has given me.
Insurance actuaries estimate that the average life of a man is 72 years and a woman 75. However, we see in scripture that God has made the human body to live 120 years. So, we are living far beneath what God initially mandated. Why? Because society has conditioned us to “think” that we are to live 70-80 years. When we find someone is 90 or more we oooh and aaaah and compliment them for their long life.
Many pastors and Christians have quoted a scripture that they believe confirms that we are to live only 70-80 years. It is found in Psalm 90. Before I write the verse, let me set up the chapter. Moses has been in the wilderness with an unruly, rebellious and ungrateful people that God had ordained as His chosen, the people of Israel. They were in the wilderness, complained and griped and were disobedient to the law God gave Moses. For that reason, God had to reprimand them in many ways which shortened their lives.
Moses is writing to God on behalf of the Israelite nation, petitioning Him to have mercy. In Psalm 90:9-10 it says, “For all our days have passed away in Your wrath; we finish our years like a sigh. The days of our lives are seventy years; and if by reason of strength they are eighty years.” Moses is reflecting on how a nation of backslidden people was not seeing the fullness of life that God had given them.
So, how do we interpret this? God has designed our human bodies to live 120 years; to rejuvenate itself on a regular basis. Our body, soul and spirit also fight to live, no matter what accident, disease or calamity comes our way. Our body was designed to heal itself, fight off illness and restore to full strength. Why? Because God has a plan and a purpose for our lives. Satan, the enemy of our soul, wants to make sure we don’t fulfill the destiny God has for each one of us. So the enemy, has set traps, throws sickness and disease at us and makes sure we don’t reach the length of our days.
The well-known Psalm 91 is uplifting and encouraging. At the end of the Psalm in verse 16, God is speaking and says, “With long life I will satisfy him, and show him my salvation.” God’s long life is 120 years. Satisfy in the Hebrew means to have enough, to have plenty. And salvation means deliverance, victory, prosperity and health. (Strong’s Concordance) So, according to the Bible, God will give long life which is without lack and be full where God will show Himself by providing deliverance, a victorious life, walking through life moving forward toward their destiny in health!
Confession: I realize that God has given more days in my life than I thought. My body is designed to live 120 years by the Great Creator for a purpose. I must make a correction in my thinking and plan to live all the days the Lord has given me.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Determined Faith
Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” ---Mark 2:3-5
Jesus had been in Capernaum before. (Mark 1:21-34) During His first visit, the entire city had gathered around the door of the house where He was staying and had healed many sick and cast out many devils.
This time, the place filled up again, but with a different crowd—Pharisees and doctors of the law. These religious leaders didn’t want healing or miracles. They came to try to catch Jesus saying something wrong so they could accuse Him. They were listening with their ears but resisting everything He said.
So the first time Jesus visited Capernaum, people came to be healed. The second time, many came to stop folks from being healed. Sometimes doubt and unbelief are so strong in a place that it’s difficult for anyone to receive from God. Jesus was in a situation like that on this second visit to Capernaum. God’s power was present in the midst of a room packed with people. But there was so much unbelief in the room that no one was receiving healing.
So what did Jesus do? Luke 5:17 tells us, “And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching…” Jesus knew the unbelief was strong, but He just kept on teaching. He knew that someone in the crowd would hear and that when that person heard, he’d be healed.
Suddenly, four men came carrying a man on a stretcher. The place was so full of people not getting healed that the one who wanted healing couldn’t even squeeze in! So the man’s friends found another way into the building. And when Jesus saw the determined faith of these four men, their paralyzed friend was healed!
Confession: Those who won’t receive God’s goodness and mercy aren’t going to keep me from receiving all that God says is mine. I will enjoy salvation, healing and every other blessing God has provided for me. I choose LIFE!
Jesus had been in Capernaum before. (Mark 1:21-34) During His first visit, the entire city had gathered around the door of the house where He was staying and had healed many sick and cast out many devils.
This time, the place filled up again, but with a different crowd—Pharisees and doctors of the law. These religious leaders didn’t want healing or miracles. They came to try to catch Jesus saying something wrong so they could accuse Him. They were listening with their ears but resisting everything He said.
So the first time Jesus visited Capernaum, people came to be healed. The second time, many came to stop folks from being healed. Sometimes doubt and unbelief are so strong in a place that it’s difficult for anyone to receive from God. Jesus was in a situation like that on this second visit to Capernaum. God’s power was present in the midst of a room packed with people. But there was so much unbelief in the room that no one was receiving healing.
So what did Jesus do? Luke 5:17 tells us, “And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching…” Jesus knew the unbelief was strong, but He just kept on teaching. He knew that someone in the crowd would hear and that when that person heard, he’d be healed.
Suddenly, four men came carrying a man on a stretcher. The place was so full of people not getting healed that the one who wanted healing couldn’t even squeeze in! So the man’s friends found another way into the building. And when Jesus saw the determined faith of these four men, their paralyzed friend was healed!
Confession: Those who won’t receive God’s goodness and mercy aren’t going to keep me from receiving all that God says is mine. I will enjoy salvation, healing and every other blessing God has provided for me. I choose LIFE!
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