Remember the passage (1 Corinthians 6:19) that tells us “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” The context is condemnation of immorality – open sin. I suggest that it would not be out of place to consider that passage as pertaining to stewardship.
I have recently had opportunity to review the giving aspect of stewardship. Although I am not willing to say that failure to tithe is sinful, I sincerely believe that failure to give will deny me much of the joy of my Christian life. In Acts 20:35, Paul attributed to Jesus the well-known expression, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” So by receiving without giving, I may deny myself some of the blessing of God.
The parallel I see regarding wellness is this: It is more blessed to maintain my wellness so that I can give of myself (my time, my energy, my creativity, my love) than it is to be unwell and have to depend on others to give to me. Although I do not consider it sinful to be unwell (any condition less than perfect wellness), to be unwell will eventually result in my being limited in my ability to give of myself for others. I want to be ALIVE! as long as I live so that I can give freely and generously of my time, energy, and creativity.
I believe that the clear message of the Bible is that God desires our perfection (wholeness, completeness) of both salvation and wellness. Matthew 5:49 Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is … not wishing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.Exodus 15:26 “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God … I will put none of the diseases on you … for I, the Lord, am your healer.”Gospels – many, if not most, of Jesus’ contacts with the people of Israel were healings.
I invite you to join me in mutual support of our wellness. It is an area that will require discipline and focus to see the best results.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
Balancing Wellness
Balance is extremely important when moving around. Try riding a bicycle – or even walking – without it. A young lady I know well lost access to half her balance apparatus when the tumor was removed from her right auditory nerve, and the nerve with the tumor. Now it is quite a challenge for her to walk, especially down steep stairs.
Balance is an important aspect of wellness as well. Wellness is not achieved by one factor alone, but by achieving balance among a number of factors. In previous reports, I have paid a lot of attention to the impact of diet on wellness because that is so often the most neglected factor. This month, let’s take a look at wellness from a broader perspective. For the dedicated student, more detail is available on my website, especially at “The Wheel of Wellness.”
Relationship with God is of the utmost importance to wellness – the first of the Ten Commandments is “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) After a lifetime of searching for meaning, King Solomon finally concluded, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth,” (Ecclesiastes 12:1a) and, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13a)
Another very significant factor is relationships with other people. This factor is illustrated in the Lord’s Prayer, in the expression “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) Another aspect of relationships is summarized in the word love; I John 4:7, among many others, tells us “Love one another.” Paul in I Corinthians 13 stresses the importance of love in our relationships.
Some of the other factors I have identified are attitude, rest, and activity, as well as intake (diet and other environment).
Meanwhile, I welcome your questions and comments. Having seen my wellness challenged by cancer in 1996 and continuing to see others suffering have convinced me that it takes some action on our part to achieve the wellness that God desires for us. I believe that the promise of Exodus 15:26 (“If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord Your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”) will often apply even today. And when it does not, then with the disease that God allows, He will provide the grace to bear it as He did for Paul (II Corinthians 12:9).
Balance is an important aspect of wellness as well. Wellness is not achieved by one factor alone, but by achieving balance among a number of factors. In previous reports, I have paid a lot of attention to the impact of diet on wellness because that is so often the most neglected factor. This month, let’s take a look at wellness from a broader perspective. For the dedicated student, more detail is available on my website, especially at “The Wheel of Wellness.”
Relationship with God is of the utmost importance to wellness – the first of the Ten Commandments is “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (Exodus 20:3) After a lifetime of searching for meaning, King Solomon finally concluded, “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth,” (Ecclesiastes 12:1a) and, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13a)
Another very significant factor is relationships with other people. This factor is illustrated in the Lord’s Prayer, in the expression “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12) Another aspect of relationships is summarized in the word love; I John 4:7, among many others, tells us “Love one another.” Paul in I Corinthians 13 stresses the importance of love in our relationships.
Some of the other factors I have identified are attitude, rest, and activity, as well as intake (diet and other environment).
Meanwhile, I welcome your questions and comments. Having seen my wellness challenged by cancer in 1996 and continuing to see others suffering have convinced me that it takes some action on our part to achieve the wellness that God desires for us. I believe that the promise of Exodus 15:26 (“If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord Your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”) will often apply even today. And when it does not, then with the disease that God allows, He will provide the grace to bear it as He did for Paul (II Corinthians 12:9).
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wellness by Miracle Food
A time when God intervened most directly in the lives of the most people is the escape from Egypt as recorded in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. What is recorded there gives us a special glimpse into the choices we can make about wellness that are most directly in tune with God’s plan for our wellness. This brief note will offer a beginning point, but the main effort is up to you – after all, it is your own wellness that you are the one most concerned about and steward of.
The most familiar aspect of wellness of the children of Israel during the exodus is manna. The Passover is important, but it recurred only once a year, while manna was the daily staple for the forty years they were in the wilderness. We do not have a chemical analysis of manna, but from the description provided in Scripture, I believe that manna was the perfect food, sufficient for nutrition and wellness. Exodus 16:31 “… it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey.” Numbers 11:7-8 “Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. … and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil.”
The Lord also provided quail for the people to eat, but that was in response to their grumbling about the manna. I firmly believe that manna was sufficient for everything except their greed. Numbers 11:4 “And the rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, ‘Who will give us meat to eat?’” My belief is reinforced by the results of their eating the quail that God provided: Numbers 11:33 “While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague.” Sometimes God will allow us to have something that is not good for us, just because we ask. That does not mean that He desires us to have it. Rather, imitating Jesus, let us ask that His will be done in our lives.
Recent research supports those who, through the centuries, chose to avoid consuming animal products. T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., spent decades analyzing the effect of diet on wellness and published his conclusions as The China Study. What he found, and it is affirmed by many physicians who have studied the effect of diet on wellness, is that the more animal products and processed food one consumes, the higher the probability of developing the common western diseases of aging (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.). My understanding of Scripture is that we have liberty to eat anything we choose. But our freedom does not eliminate the consequences of consuming food that leads to illness.
I encourage you to be a wise steward of whatever degree of wellness you have.
The most familiar aspect of wellness of the children of Israel during the exodus is manna. The Passover is important, but it recurred only once a year, while manna was the daily staple for the forty years they were in the wilderness. We do not have a chemical analysis of manna, but from the description provided in Scripture, I believe that manna was the perfect food, sufficient for nutrition and wellness. Exodus 16:31 “… it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers with honey.” Numbers 11:7-8 “Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its appearance like that of bdellium. … and its taste was as the taste of cakes baked with oil.”
The Lord also provided quail for the people to eat, but that was in response to their grumbling about the manna. I firmly believe that manna was sufficient for everything except their greed. Numbers 11:4 “And the rabble who were among them had greedy desires; and also the sons of Israel wept again and said, ‘Who will give us meat to eat?’” My belief is reinforced by the results of their eating the quail that God provided: Numbers 11:33 “While the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck the people with a very severe plague.” Sometimes God will allow us to have something that is not good for us, just because we ask. That does not mean that He desires us to have it. Rather, imitating Jesus, let us ask that His will be done in our lives.
Recent research supports those who, through the centuries, chose to avoid consuming animal products. T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., spent decades analyzing the effect of diet on wellness and published his conclusions as The China Study. What he found, and it is affirmed by many physicians who have studied the effect of diet on wellness, is that the more animal products and processed food one consumes, the higher the probability of developing the common western diseases of aging (heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.). My understanding of Scripture is that we have liberty to eat anything we choose. But our freedom does not eliminate the consequences of consuming food that leads to illness.
I encourage you to be a wise steward of whatever degree of wellness you have.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Some Detail of Biblical Wellness
Proverbs 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter. I am convinced that many clues to wellness are provided to us in Scripture, and as we earnestly seek godly wellness, the Holy Spirit will allow us to discover them.
Exodus 30-34 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense … .” That was the holy incense that God told Moses to present to Him. Although the specific recipe was sacred, never to be copied for personal use, the individual ingredients were highly sought after for other uses.
Stacte – resin from a tree in Israel, Storax – healing properties
Onycha – taken from a Red Sea mollusk, fixes and enhances the other ingredients
Galbanum – used for abscesses, acne, boils, bronchitis, cuts, lice, aging skin, muscle aches, poor circulation, rheumatism, scars, sores, wounds
Frankincense – antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, astringent, sedative, decongestant, anti-gas, digestive aid, trigger or increase menstrual flow. Used to treat syphilis, infections, skin disorders (bacterial and fungal), and boils. As used in aromatherapy, deepens breathing, aids relaxation, expands lungs, releases trahydrocannabinole (a psychoactive compound that seems to lift up the spirit). Used by ancient Egyptians as eye liner – also prevented eye infections. Used to anoint newborns and individuals in transition. Embalming agent.
Matthew 2:11 And [the magi] came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. The value of gold is apparent – we have common knowledge of the value of precious metals. But we may not as readily recognize the value of frankincense and myrrh. In the culture of Jesus’ time, there were no antibiotics, no antibacterial hand soaps, no sterilizing techniques to eliminate the common germ or virus. Now we can see how eminently practical the gifts were for the family facing an unplanned international journey.
As we apply similar study to the remaining books, chapters, and verses of Scripture, we can expect to find many more nudges toward the wellness that our Creator intended us to enjoy.
Exodus 30-34 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Take for yourself spices, stacte and onycha and galbanum, spices with pure frankincense … .” That was the holy incense that God told Moses to present to Him. Although the specific recipe was sacred, never to be copied for personal use, the individual ingredients were highly sought after for other uses.
Stacte – resin from a tree in Israel, Storax – healing properties
Onycha – taken from a Red Sea mollusk, fixes and enhances the other ingredients
Galbanum – used for abscesses, acne, boils, bronchitis, cuts, lice, aging skin, muscle aches, poor circulation, rheumatism, scars, sores, wounds
Frankincense – antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, astringent, sedative, decongestant, anti-gas, digestive aid, trigger or increase menstrual flow. Used to treat syphilis, infections, skin disorders (bacterial and fungal), and boils. As used in aromatherapy, deepens breathing, aids relaxation, expands lungs, releases trahydrocannabinole (a psychoactive compound that seems to lift up the spirit). Used by ancient Egyptians as eye liner – also prevented eye infections. Used to anoint newborns and individuals in transition. Embalming agent.
Matthew 2:11 And [the magi] came into the house and saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him; and opening their treasures they presented to Him gifts of gold and frankincense and myrrh. The value of gold is apparent – we have common knowledge of the value of precious metals. But we may not as readily recognize the value of frankincense and myrrh. In the culture of Jesus’ time, there were no antibiotics, no antibacterial hand soaps, no sterilizing techniques to eliminate the common germ or virus. Now we can see how eminently practical the gifts were for the family facing an unplanned international journey.
As we apply similar study to the remaining books, chapters, and verses of Scripture, we can expect to find many more nudges toward the wellness that our Creator intended us to enjoy.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Wellness in Early Bible Times
As early man multiplied and spread over the face of the earth, the Bible focused on the particular lineage that produced the Semitic people, the descendents of Shem, son of Noah. To my knowledge, everyone before the flood still ate the original vegetarian diet – there is no mention in Scripture of any meat being used as food. The transition away from that diet is expressed in two verses:
• Genesis 6:21 take for yourself [on the ark] some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for [all the birds and animals]
• Genesis 9:3 [After the flood] every living thing shall be food for you
Along with the expanded diet came a new prohibition: Don’t eat meat with the blood still in it. First expressed in Genesis 9:4, the “no blood” rule was reinforced during the Exodus (see Leviticus 3:17; 7:26; 17:10-14; 19:26, and Deuteronomy 12:16, 23, 24; 15:23). This is also one of the few, if not the only, Old Testament dietary law that was also required of the New Testament church (see Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25).
It is refreshing to be free of the burden of the Old Testament law. In Christ, we, the New Testament believers, have the liberty to eat whatever is set before us without guilt (Romans 14:13-23).
What was the price of the liberty to eat meat? I was not there – quite likely other factors affected wellness. One apparent consequence of the change was a dramatic decline in lifespan; after man began to eat meat, lifespan plummeted. Please check my data in Genesis 5 – 35: Adam lived 930 years; Jared, 962; Methuselah, 969; Lamech, 777; Noah, 950; Shem, 600; Shelah, 433; Peleg, 239; Nahor, 148; Terah, 205; Abraham, 175; Isaac, 180. Since then, with a few exceptions, a person has been considered old by age 80, and living to age 120 quite rare.
Some observations: Adam was still living when Lamech, Noah’s father, was born – 9 generations! Seth died only 14 years before the birth of Noah. Lamech was the first to die before his father. Methuselah died the year of the flood – wonder how long he would have lived if there had been no flood? Or was the flood held off until Methuselah died? Lifespans shortened so much that Peleg died 12 years before Noah. Shem outlived Abraham, and was still alive until Isaac was 100 years old. Shem died when Jacob was fifty years old –a span of twelve generations!
• Genesis 6:21 take for yourself [on the ark] some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for [all the birds and animals]
• Genesis 9:3 [After the flood] every living thing shall be food for you
Along with the expanded diet came a new prohibition: Don’t eat meat with the blood still in it. First expressed in Genesis 9:4, the “no blood” rule was reinforced during the Exodus (see Leviticus 3:17; 7:26; 17:10-14; 19:26, and Deuteronomy 12:16, 23, 24; 15:23). This is also one of the few, if not the only, Old Testament dietary law that was also required of the New Testament church (see Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25).
It is refreshing to be free of the burden of the Old Testament law. In Christ, we, the New Testament believers, have the liberty to eat whatever is set before us without guilt (Romans 14:13-23).
What was the price of the liberty to eat meat? I was not there – quite likely other factors affected wellness. One apparent consequence of the change was a dramatic decline in lifespan; after man began to eat meat, lifespan plummeted. Please check my data in Genesis 5 – 35: Adam lived 930 years; Jared, 962; Methuselah, 969; Lamech, 777; Noah, 950; Shem, 600; Shelah, 433; Peleg, 239; Nahor, 148; Terah, 205; Abraham, 175; Isaac, 180. Since then, with a few exceptions, a person has been considered old by age 80, and living to age 120 quite rare.
Some observations: Adam was still living when Lamech, Noah’s father, was born – 9 generations! Seth died only 14 years before the birth of Noah. Lamech was the first to die before his father. Methuselah died the year of the flood – wonder how long he would have lived if there had been no flood? Or was the flood held off until Methuselah died? Lifespans shortened so much that Peleg died 12 years before Noah. Shem outlived Abraham, and was still alive until Isaac was 100 years old. Shem died when Jacob was fifty years old –a span of twelve generations!
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