BETTER Part 2 – Health

WARM-UP

You can’t separate your spirit from your body or your soul. Many today try to compartmentalize their lives. They think that what they do with their bodies does not affect their spirit or their minds. Some think that it does not matter what goes on in their minds because it does not affect their spirit or their bodies. Do you believe that we are the sum total of spirit, soul and body? If yes, how well do you take care of these three without neglecting the other?

ONE BIG  IDEA

We honor God with our body not just by not sinning. We honor God with our body by taking care of it.

 STUDY (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 NIV)

“23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it .”

LEARN

If we don’t think our health matters to God, we will make no effort. We know that God is concerned about our spirit and therefore we make an effort to keep our spirit right with Him by repenting when we sin. We need to have the same view about our body and mind. We need to work with God to allow Him to sanctify our body and soul. It is important to notice the order here that God sanctifies us. It is always the spirit first, then the body then the soul. Until we are right with God in our spirit, nothing else in our lives will be in tune with Him. We need to get our spirit right with God if we desire our body and our thoughts in line with God.

 

We can’t do it on our own, but with God’s Spirit in our lives, we can become all that God desires us to become.

HOW CAN WE SANCTIFY OUR BODY?

RECOGNIZE GOD’S OWNERSHIP(1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

We think if something is in our possession, it’s ours, including our bodies. “This is my body I can do with it whatever I want.” But the Bible says, “Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. You are not your own. You were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body.” We honor God with our body not just by not sinning. We honor God with our body by taking care of it.

We are to treat our bodies as though we have it on loan. Recognize that we don’t own our body. If I lend you my car to use for a few weeks, would I be wrong to assume that you would take care of it? Would you drive my car on the woods and run fast on potholes? Wouldn’t you be real careful with it and make sure you return it back to me in good condition? Why? Because you know you don’t own the car. Well, it is the same with your body, you don’t own it. It belongs to God so we need to take care of it.

The way we take care of our body and the things we do with our body is the way we can “glorify” God with our body. Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship (NIV).” Some people think that their body needs to be denied and look at it as a burden. Some people think the body needs to be worshipped and given its every desire. They think that their purpose is to have as much fun as possible to experience as much pleasure as possible. These are both wrong. Christianity teaches that the body and the spirit are a package deal, they can’t be separated. The body is part of who we are and we need to commit our body to God to bring Him glory.

Just because you are getting older does not mean that you have to let your body fall apart. Now there is no way we can stop the aging process, but we don’t have to give up! Unless Jesus returns, I am going to get old and die, but my  plan is to die as healthy as I can! By living each day with the realization that “I am not my own, my body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, treat it as though it is on loan.

FULFILL YOUR PURPOSE(Ephesians 2:10)

Every person is looking for meaning and purpose for his existence. Some people have no idea why they were born and why they are alive.

Do you know that the happiest people in the world, those who are inspired and excited to get out of bed in the morning, are the people who have learned the meaning of life? How many people do you know are living their lives like that?

Many people think that life’s purpose is only to eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow they will die.  Do we exist just to survive? What are we here for?

Here is the conclusion of King Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived according to the Bible, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 – “13 Now, everything has been heard, so I give my final advice: HONOR GOD AND OBEY HIS COMMANDS, BECAUSE THIS IS ALL PEOPLE MUST DO. 14 God will judge everything, even what is done in secret, the good and the evil (NCV).” We are alive today because God has a purpose for us.  Yes, some of us are still alive because God is giving us the opportunity to change and grow as Christians.  But another reason why we’re still here and not brought to heaven is because He has a purpose for us.

GROW:

Application Questions:

1.If there is one thing that will motivate you to take better care of your health, what will it be? How will you start living a healthy lifestyle?

2.What challenges are you facing in implementing the biblical approach to healthy living?  (Not enough will to start being healthy; no partner to encourage you and help you do it together; or you just love food. Period.)

3.If the reason why you are still alive right now is because you still have a purpose in life, what do you think is God’s purpose for you?