by Ward W. Bond, PhD
Before the fateful day on Calvary when the Son of God was crucified, He went around forgiving sins and healing all who came to Him. Remember the day in the temple when He chased the moneychangers away? Those people were selling sacrifices that did not line up with the law at that time. His Father deserved the very best, and Jesus called them on it. They were profiting from selling doves, lambs and goats that were not pure, but less than, meaning they weren’t the first pick of the herd and were not without spot or wrinkle.
If the sacrifices at that time were not good enough for God, think of the many things today that aren’t good enough for you? God wants the very best for your body, mind and spirit. Think for a moment, are you giving your body the very best? Are you putting the right things into your mind? What are you feeding your spirit? Everything matters. In Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Let’s take the body first. What are you feeding it? Our body is designed to house the Holy Spirit and to be a strong, vibrant being so we can commune with the Lord as well as go out into the world and spread the Gospel. A morning donut is not going to make you strong and vibrant. A raw fruit/vegetable smoothie will make you strong and vibrant. Remember Daniel refusing the king’s food and to live off of vegetables and water? He became stronger than the others and the king saw it and granted him and his three friends favor. It pays to be healthy! So many people are being raised without the knowledge that healthy food creates a healthy body. We are living in a world full of disease and things aren’t getting any better. More cancer, more viruses and bacteria are growing and man is helpless to stop it. They spend billions to find cures that will never be found. Seems money outweighs the health of society, so it all comes down to us. We need more education to help ourselves and others that the Lord gave us seeds to grow our food and to nourish our bodies. I always say, ‘eat life, get life back.’ Eating food full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzyme will provide every cell in you to prevent disease, thrive in good health and fulfill the purpose the Lord has for your life. Every bite of food will have a consequence upon your physical and mental state, not just today, but five, ten even twenty years down the road. Yes, providing yourself the best food pays you back more than the quick meal of a donut and coffee.
What about your mind? What are you feeding the gray matter between your ears? The Word of God is a lamp upon our feet, ready to guide our every step when we move upon His Word with delight! “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart,” Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight in the Lord. Reading His Word daily is showing delight, not because we have too, but because we want too! In today’s society, we have our faces planted in our smartphones counting ‘likes’, ‘favorites’, ‘replies’, retweets’ and it’s nothing but wood, hay and stumble that will not stand the test of time. It’s making us mindless dummies and robots. Our minds are becoming mush instead of focused, steady and creative. In 1 Corinthians 2:16, “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (NEV) We can either fill our minds with the things that are directing our actions toward the Lord or towards sin and the Bible says we are keep all thoughts captive. “We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. You are in control what goes into your mind via your ears, eyes and thoughts. Be mindful of everything. God gave us a brain to use for His glory, so keep it healthy with the right thoughts and visions. What you store into your memory bank matters, the gray matter that is.
Your spirit deserves the best too. Do you make time for solitude in your life? Jesus woke up early each morning to go pray before the sun came up. He made time to feed is spirit by communing with His Father. As His ministry grew, He knew one could not fulfill the great commission by not praying. It’s where He got His daily bread, instruction and power. We have to be the same way. In a world of distractions, we need to be still and know God.
Do you serve? Do you spend time with others who are less fortunate? We need to look upward and outward to reach out and help others. I like to spend time with those who are sick and hurting because it allows me to see the real world and get me out of my own. There are many needs and causes for all of us to get involved in and make a difference. By making a difference in somebody else’s life, you will be making a bigger impact in your own. Being around others is both healing and edifying. We need to make sure we are taking time to fellowship with other believers. The Bible says in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” The body of Christ becomes stronger the more time we spend together. Remember, this isn’t all about us, but the Great Commission and to go out into the entire world to proclaim the Gospel.
As the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one, so is our body, mind and spirit. One doesn’t work without the other. Give each one the very best. You’re worth it.
Before the fateful day on Calvary when the Son of God was crucified, He went around forgiving sins and healing all who came to Him. Remember the day in the temple when He chased the moneychangers away? Those people were selling sacrifices that did not line up with the law at that time. His Father deserved the very best, and Jesus called them on it. They were profiting from selling doves, lambs and goats that were not pure, but less than, meaning they weren’t the first pick of the herd and were not without spot or wrinkle.
If the sacrifices at that time were not good enough for God, think of the many things today that aren’t good enough for you? God wants the very best for your body, mind and spirit. Think for a moment, are you giving your body the very best? Are you putting the right things into your mind? What are you feeding your spirit? Everything matters. In Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
Let’s take the body first. What are you feeding it? Our body is designed to house the Holy Spirit and to be a strong, vibrant being so we can commune with the Lord as well as go out into the world and spread the Gospel. A morning donut is not going to make you strong and vibrant. A raw fruit/vegetable smoothie will make you strong and vibrant. Remember Daniel refusing the king’s food and to live off of vegetables and water? He became stronger than the others and the king saw it and granted him and his three friends favor. It pays to be healthy! So many people are being raised without the knowledge that healthy food creates a healthy body. We are living in a world full of disease and things aren’t getting any better. More cancer, more viruses and bacteria are growing and man is helpless to stop it. They spend billions to find cures that will never be found. Seems money outweighs the health of society, so it all comes down to us. We need more education to help ourselves and others that the Lord gave us seeds to grow our food and to nourish our bodies. I always say, ‘eat life, get life back.’ Eating food full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzyme will provide every cell in you to prevent disease, thrive in good health and fulfill the purpose the Lord has for your life. Every bite of food will have a consequence upon your physical and mental state, not just today, but five, ten even twenty years down the road. Yes, providing yourself the best food pays you back more than the quick meal of a donut and coffee.
What about your mind? What are you feeding the gray matter between your ears? The Word of God is a lamp upon our feet, ready to guide our every step when we move upon His Word with delight! “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart,” Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight in the Lord. Reading His Word daily is showing delight, not because we have too, but because we want too! In today’s society, we have our faces planted in our smartphones counting ‘likes’, ‘favorites’, ‘replies’, retweets’ and it’s nothing but wood, hay and stumble that will not stand the test of time. It’s making us mindless dummies and robots. Our minds are becoming mush instead of focused, steady and creative. In 1 Corinthians 2:16, “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to advise him? But we have the mind of Christ.” (NEV) We can either fill our minds with the things that are directing our actions toward the Lord or towards sin and the Bible says we are keep all thoughts captive. “We tear down arguments and every arrogant obstacle that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take every thought captive to make it obey Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:4-5. You are in control what goes into your mind via your ears, eyes and thoughts. Be mindful of everything. God gave us a brain to use for His glory, so keep it healthy with the right thoughts and visions. What you store into your memory bank matters, the gray matter that is.
Your spirit deserves the best too. Do you make time for solitude in your life? Jesus woke up early each morning to go pray before the sun came up. He made time to feed is spirit by communing with His Father. As His ministry grew, He knew one could not fulfill the great commission by not praying. It’s where He got His daily bread, instruction and power. We have to be the same way. In a world of distractions, we need to be still and know God.
Do you serve? Do you spend time with others who are less fortunate? We need to look upward and outward to reach out and help others. I like to spend time with those who are sick and hurting because it allows me to see the real world and get me out of my own. There are many needs and causes for all of us to get involved in and make a difference. By making a difference in somebody else’s life, you will be making a bigger impact in your own. Being around others is both healing and edifying. We need to make sure we are taking time to fellowship with other believers. The Bible says in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” The body of Christ becomes stronger the more time we spend together. Remember, this isn’t all about us, but the Great Commission and to go out into the entire world to proclaim the Gospel.
As the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one, so is our body, mind and spirit. One doesn’t work without the other. Give each one the very best. You’re worth it.