Fitness Plan

One of the hottest crazes over the last decade has been related to fitness; gym memberships, fitness clubs, weight loss books, low calorie menus, diet drinks, and yoga pants have never been more popular. Ask the average person on New Year’s Eve what their resolution is, and you will likely get an answer related to fitness.

“I want to lose more weight.”

“I want to eat healthier.”

“I want to get in shape.”

And there is nothing wrong with these goals. People continue to come up with the next big thing: The Atkins Diet; The South Beach Diet; gluten free; vegan; artificial sweeteners. But the Bible also provides a great fitness tip. It isn’t new, but it certainly works.

Proverbs 3:8 says, “It shall be health to thy naval and marrow to thy bones.”

The ESV translates the verse this way: “It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.” What must we do to receive this healing, this refreshment?

The preceding verses tell us that the key to unlocking this fitness is godliness. Verse 3 says not to forsake mercy and truth; verse 5 says to trust in God, not yourself, with all your heart; verse 6 says to let God direct your steps; and verse 7 says to fear God and depart from evil.

An eager person asks, “What must I do to have that body? How can I get in shape fast?” They are willing to do whatever it takes. We know that to have spiritual health we must seek God and live for Him. Are we willing to do it?

The results are worth it.  

Fearing God and Aslan

The last two weeks we have been looking at what it means to fear God (here and here), and I think that author C.S. Lewis illustrated this fear perfectly in his beloved series The Chronicles of Narnia.

Some of the modern movies have added to the conversation between Mr. and Mrs. Beaver and the Pevensies, so I want to look at part of the conversation from the original book.

When the Beavers are telling siblings Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie about the White Witch (who symbolizes Satan) and the lion Aslan (who symbolizes God), they are naturally very inquisitive. Aslan is described as one who is “the Lord of the whole wood,” and yet he is absent while the Witch is ruling over Narnia. The Beavers tell how Aslan will come and destroy the Witch and set all wrongs right.

“Ooh!” said Susan, “I though he was a man. Is he—quite safe?”

Mrs. Beaver replied, “If there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”

“Then, he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver, “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” [1]

And with that simple discourse Lewis beautifully illustrates how a Christian should fear the Lord. Who said anything about safe? ‘Course He isn’t safe. He is the Creator of hell, the One who will destroy Satan and his minions, and the One before Whom every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that He is Lord.

But He’s good. He’s the King. And if God is a good King then I can also trust Him. Yes, Jesus has called me His friend, but that doesn’t make Him my homeboy.

A healthy fear of God is found in the one who, like Queen Esther, comes boldly before the throne of grace, but never forgets that God is just.

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[1] Lewis, C.S., The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Harper Collins Publishers, p.86 

Worldly Wisdom

     There is no shortage of information available to us these days, especially regarding the written word. What is astonishing is the rate at which the amount of written information doubles in our world. For example, in the 1930’s it took 30 years to double the amount of written information that existed, while today it takes only 11 hours.

     As author Mark Gregston points out, that means that by the end of the day you will be half as wise as when you woke up![1]

     Furthermore, wisdom is no longer being measured by retaining information, but by the ability to research and find an answer. Why is this true? With the overwhelming amount of information, from Google to Wikipedia, we all can do our own research, and if we find an answer we like, we go with it.

     Doctors’ diagnosis takes a back seat to our online searches. The pastor’s exegesis is rejected because we found a blog that said something to the contrary. Politicians’ policies are doubted because of a funny Facebook picture.

     And good luck talking someone out of something they read on the internet. It has to be true!

     Take heart! There is a source of information that remains a constant in our lives, and that is the timeless Word of God. On it’s pages we read that God’s Word is forever settled in heaven, and that even the smallest punctuation will remain unchanged; we read that God is the same in the past, present, and future, and that all words will be fulfilled. And what does this timeless book tell us about wisdom?

     It says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Do you want to be wise? Then fear God. Put your faith, trust, and respect in the Lord, and as you do, you will humbly acknowledge that His ways are best.

(Read last week's message about the fear of the Lord here)

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[1] Gregston, Mark, Tough Guys and Drama Queens, Thomas Nelson Publishers, p.6

Bad News

Does anyone like bad news?

And yet that is the majority of the news we hear. Pick up a newspaper or turn on the nightly newscast and it is car wrecks, murders, missing persons, and political scandals. If there is a little good news, it is usually the last story or on the last page.

We don’t like to hear bad news, and we certainly don’t like to receive bad news about our own lives, but when we hear so much bad news we can have a tendency to become fearful of it.

But in Psalm 112, speaking about the man who fears the Lord, the Bible says that “He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord (v.7).”

How is it possible to not fear bad news? As a believer (whose heart is firm, trusting in the Lord) I know that no matter what happens to me in this life, God either authored it or allowed it. Whatever happens to me happens under God’s sovereignty, so there is nothing I can do about it anyway; why worry about that which I cannot control?

I also should not worry because if some bad news does befall me, even to the point of death, I am reminded that heaven is my final destination. Leaving this world, for a Christian, is a good thing.

According to this verse we will fear something, either bad news or the Lord. To fear the Lord means to have a holy respect for Him (more about this here).

Are you afraid of bad news, or is your heart firm in the Lord?  

Hate Speech

 I don’t hate many things, but one thing I hate is hate speech. The Bible tells us that no corrupt communication should come out of our mouths, and that we should only use our tongues to lift up (Ephesians 4:32). That is why I am bothered when people choose to use their tongues to senselessly tear others down.

But let’s not be confused. Proverbs 8:13 gives us a green light to a certain type of hate speech. The verse says that “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.” Based on this verse, there are some things I should hate, and I should make it known that I hate them. I hate evil in all of its forms, for all evil is against God and leads people away from Him. Ultimately, evil brings destruction and ends in death.

You might think I am fanatical for hating evil, but I just view it as obedience. I am not advocating hate speech, but I am calling for Christians to stand up and call out what we hate: evil, and the evil one.

God Wants Me to be Happy

Several times I have had people ask me if God just wants them to be happy, and this question usually follows them trying to justify their sin. Her mom wants her to break up with her boyfriend, but she doesn’t want to. He wants to leave his wife for someone younger. Then the question is posed: Doesn’t God want me to be happy?

It is almost as if we are supposed to picture God smiling in heaven at our sin, saying, “As long as they’re happy…”

The Beatitudes of Matthew 5 show several things that will make a believer happy (“blessed” means happy), but they are in sharp contrast to the person who thinks something sinful will make them happy.

Another verse that shows us how to be happy is Psalm 128:1. This verse tells us “Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord, that walketh in His ways.”

This verse, along with the Beatitudes, shows us that God wants us to be holy, and that will lead to our being happy.

As Christians, the closer we get to Christ the more we will become like Him. Then, the things that God loves we will love, and things He hates we will hate. By living holy lives, we will be happy.

So yes, God wants you to be happy, but only if it comes from being holy.