Meditating on God’s Word Might Even Help You Lose Weight!

By Julie Morris –

Joshua 1:8 says that if you meditate on God’s Word you’ll be prosperous and successful. Millions of people in the U.S. are trying to lose weight, but lacking success. If you’re one of them, why don’t you try meditating on God’s Word as you begin each day? I can tell you from personal experience that this has really helped me to get rid of my unwanted extra pounds, and keep them off.

Here are some ways to meditate on scripture that just take three or four minutes. Why don’t you give them a try?

#1. Write a letter to God Read a portion of the Bible expectantly for a few minutes every day–knowing that God will speak to you through his Word as He promises. Write the verse you choose on the top of the page. Then write God a short letter telling him how this verse applies to you personally that day.

#2. Write a letter from God Rewrite the passage as if God were speaking to you personally about the particular problems you are facing that day. Here’s an example of writing a letter from God concerning Isaiah 41:13 (NIV) “For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Start with your name: _____________, I am talking hold of your hand right now and telling you not to be afraid. I am going to help you with this problem with (your husband, money, kids, losing weight, etc.).

#3. Picture the passage Draw a simple cartoon to help you picture what God is saying to you in his Word. When you draw, you use the right side of your brain and when you write words, you use the left side. When you write and draw, you use your whole brain so it really makes the verse sink in!

#4. Write a structured meditation Answer the following questions about the passage:

• What promise(s) is expressed or implied? How can you claim that promise personally?
• What command(s) is expressed or implied? How can you commit to the command?
• What do you want to say to God about this?

Try meditating on Hebrews 12:11 (NIV) using this structure. “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

• What promise(s) is expressed or implied? How can you claim that promise personally?

Discipline produces righteousness and peace later on. I need that!

• What command(s) is expressed or implied? How can you commit to the command?

(Implied) Be disciplined.

I will quit snacking between meals—especially eating in front of the TV every night.

• What do you want to say to God about this? Here’s an example:

God, I’m sorry that I haven’t been disciplined in my eating. I need to take better care of myself. Please give me the willingness to be more disciplined. Thank you that I have joined this weight-loss group so I will be encouraged by the other members and learn more about how to eat in a healthy way.

Meditating on Scripture will help you to be successful in many ways. It even might help you lose weight!

Independence Day Brings Echoing Strains of Taps

By Dianne E. Butts –

The Fourth of July brings many images to mind as we celebrate our independence and the founding of our beloved country. The rocket’s red glare. Bombs bursting in air. Or today’s edition of those images: fireworks.

American flags fluttering from houses. Parades. Veterans. Everything patriotic. God and country.

Not far from our thoughts are many, many veterans who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. If we are still and listen carefully, we can hear echoing through time or our thoughts or a not too distant cemetery, the familiar strains of “Taps.”

A lone bugler stands over a funeral and puffs out the song perfectly. Military personnel stand at attention. A flag is draped over the casket. Hands cover hearts. A tear comes to every eye.

We’ve all heard it. We may even sing along the familiar tune and the first few words: Day is done. Gone the sun…

But beyond that, do you know the words? Did you know there are actually several verses to “Taps”? Here are the surprisingly comforting words to this familiar “funeral song”:

“Taps”

Day is done, gone the sun,

From the lake, from the hills, from the sky;

All is well, safely rest, God is nigh.

 

Go to sleep, peaceful sleep,

May the soldier or sailor, God keep.

On the land or the deep, Safe in sleep.

 

Fading light, dims the sight,

And a star gems the sky, gleaming bright.

From afar, drawing nigh, falls the night.

 

Thanks and praise, for our days,

‘Neath the sun, ‘neath the stars, ‘neath the sky;

As we go, this we know, God is nigh.

 

Sun has set, shadows come,

Time has fled, Scouts must go to their beds.

Always true to the promise that they made.

 

While the light fades from sight,

And the stars gleaming rays softly send,

To thy hands we our souls, Lord, commend.

 

(As found on http://www.countrygoldusa.com/taps.asp, May 28, 2007.)

Freckle Check

By Hally Franz –

Ahh, the sun! I love it! While some folks love their MTV, I am in dire straits without my vitamin D. Although I savor the sun’s heat and light, I finally learned that my skin does not. After at least a dozen baby oil-induced burns as a teen and young adult, I gave up on tanning. I have been bathed with vinegar-soaked cotton balls and gummed up with aloe direct from the leaves. One sunburn sent me to the emergency room, earning me a tetanus shot. My last notable burn occurred on day one of my honeymoon cruise, when, within two hours, I burned my entire front side sunbathing on the ship’s breezy deck. Not cool!

When the sun is high in the sky, and my aging freckles brighten and sometimes meld into one, I am reminded that it’s time to see the dermatologist. I go annually just to check on all the skin damage I’m left with after my misspent youth. It’s time to make that appointment.

I feel like I am always making appointments. In the spring and fall, I make appointments to have the carpets cleaned and the bugs exterminated. I make eight appointments each year for teeth cleanings. Then, I make more for my kids’ orthodontic treatments. Women my age are supposed to have a couple of exams each year. I schedule both of these for the same day. It’s like a day at the spa, only in reverse. Haircuts, lessons, meetings and fun—it all has to be scheduled.

This is a situation we all face today. We are lost without our planners and BlackBerry Smartphones. My husband has a highly-technical scheduling instrument. He calls it his “pocket brain.” It is a paper-version calendar that he typically acquires just before a new year begins, sometimes as a giveaway at a local business. Most of us have some system for scheduling and organizing our lives.

While I am busy making and keeping appointments, God has booked me for the most precious one I’ll ever experience. When I became a believer in Christ Jesus, was baptized, repented and my sins forgiven, He arranged for our meeting at some future date. I can talk to Him anytime now, but my face-to-face meeting with God is reserved and confirmed. Though I don’t know when that will be, He does. He’s marked the date, and that’s one I don’t have to worry about.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Thank You for the assurance of salvation and eternal life that Your word provides. While our earthly days are congested with appointments and obligations, we are guaranteed a glorious meeting with You in heaven.

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20 NKJV).

Syncing Up

By Jarrod Spencer –

As personal digital assistants (PDA) and MP3 players are introduced into the technology world, the term synchronization, shortened to “sync,” has also been introduced. One will “sync” or “sync up” such an object with a computer. This action assures that both pieces of technology have the same information in them. Neither of them is competing, nor are they withholding any information from the other. It is a convenient tool to have for backing up, retrieving, and transferring information from one piece of technology to the other.

Now, phones are using the “sync” feature. This allows you to plug it in to your computer and save all your contacts. With the popularity of the “smartphone,” you have all your contacts, addresses, birthdates, anniversaries, appointments, pictures, videos, and any documents you wish to store, all in one small, portable object.

Christians also have the privilege of being able to “sync up.” With technology, there is a smaller unit (PDA/MP3/phone) that can hold a fraction of what the larger unit (computer) can hold. As we parallel this to us and our Creator, we are the smaller being and He is the ultimate being, and we can hold a fraction of what our Creator can hold.

When you connect to Him, through prayer, thought, or meditation, you are essentially “syncing up.” You might be trying to understand what His will is for you or asking for Him to care for a particular person or situation. “Syncing up” allows Him to better understand what you are experiencing. There isn’t a competition going on. When finished you are on the same page as Him.

With technology, each time something changes, we have to “sync up” our devices. As a Christian, our lives change daily, so we must “sync up” with our Creator regularly.

Take time to connect with Him so that the two of you can be in sync. Just as it is a benefit in technology to “sync up” between each unit, it will be even more beneficial to you to “sync up” with your Creator.

May we be constantly plugging in and syncing up!

PRAYER: Faithful Father, thank You for the opportunity to “sync up” with you anytime I need to. May I be willing to take what You communicate to me and use it for Your glory!

“This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” (John 6:58 ESV).

It’ll Curl Your Hair

By Rhonda Rhea –

We’ve never been one of those families that sits around a campfire telling scary stories. Too creepy. Every once in a while, though, I have to admit I liked to frighten my teenage girls with one of the scariest stories I know. And it happened to me. It’s the story about when I was a little girl. And my mom….gave me (insert a maniacal “mwah-ah-ah” here)…a home perm. Cue scary dissonant organ chord.

I describe in gory detail how I had to spend several weeks looking like a dandelion, the other cruel children making wishes and blowing on my head. Frightening. Nothing can raise up a fresh batch of goose bumps like a story of evil Frankenstein-ish chemicals and a perm gone bad. What could be scarier than that first look in the mirror? You’re pretty sure you’re so frightened you’re hair is standing on end, but who could tell? And the smell? It would singe the hair right out of your nose. After hearing my dandelion story, I honestly think my girls would buy a home lobotomy kit before they would buy a home perm kit.

Didn’t I hear this comment about that bottle of perm solution?  “I’d rather have a frontal lobotomy than a bottle in front of me.” Yeah, that had to be perm related.

How many people do you know who seem to have found a lobotomy blue light special? So many seem to make every life decision pointedly and purposefully completely opposite what the Lord spells out for us to do in His Word. It’s like mocking His instruction! Now there’s a reason to fear. Proverbs 9:9-12 says, “Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through me your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer” (NIV).

Making life choices contrary to the Father’s instruction brings suffering. But choosing to live a life of obedience results in wisdom, blessing and reward. That life of obedience starts with the good kind of fear. Not the hair-curling kind of fear, but a humble, awed reverence for the holy, holy, holy God.

Knowing, fearing and following Him might not guarantee every day is a good hair day, but wisdom really does lead to more wisdom. It’s blessing becoming more blessing. The blessings lead right into our ultimate blessing when we’ll see Jesus face to face. There will be no more evil, no more pain, and no more tears. It’s an eternal life full of love and laughter. And none of our heavenly laughter will be that maniacal kind.

That’s a thought that almost always leaves me goose-bumpy. The good kind of goose bumps. Not the chemically inspired kind.

©2011 Rhonda Rhea

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