Obesity and Hunger

According to a Tamara Sandberg article that appeared in the Lexington Herald-Leader on May 21, there is a paradox in Kentucky and the rest of the U.S. It appears that people are obese and hungry at the same time.

The simple answer to the problem is two-fold. First, you have to consider the amount and the quality of calories that a person consumes. Second, you have to determine the amount of exercise this person gets. A combination of proper diet and exercise will improve the health of any individual.

This principle can be applied to spiritual health as well. I suppose you could make an argument that many people are both spiritually obese and hungry at the same time. They find themselves too unfit and weak to effectively serve the Lord.

The solution to the problem is similar to the one for those with health concerns. First, you have to consider your intake. Are you feeding on the Bible, or some sugar-coated ideas that might seem spiritual? A lot of people are spiritually fat and weak from a constant diet of Oprah Winfrey or some other new age religious teachings.

Second, you have to ask yourself, “Am I getting any spiritual exercise? Am I doing what the Bible says to do, or am I merely reading about what I am supposed to do?” No exercise program is effective unless you do what it says. You can read the book or watch the video for hours, but you won’t receive any benefit unless you get moving.

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.”—1 Peter 2:2-3.

“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”—Philippians 4:9.

Posted in Christian Living | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Religious Freedom

Roman Catholic leaders filed lawsuits yesterday against the Obama administration’s mandate that employers provide birth control coverage for workers. They contend that the requirement violates religious freedom.

Many Christians do not agree with the Roman Catholic position on birth control. However, all believers must be concerned with the on-going assault on religious freedom.

The Obama administration is pushing an agenda that should be alarming to all Christians. We are being told that abortion and homosexual marriage must not merely be tolerated; they must be accepted by all and promoted in our domestic and foreign policies.

We must take a stand against these attacks on our religious freedoms. Thankfully, Roman Catholic leaders are doing just that. Among the plaintiffs in these lawsuits is the University of Notre Dame. Notre Dame president, the Rev. John Jenkins, said, “Although I do not question the good intentions and sincerity of all involved in these discussions, progress has not been encouraging.”

I agree with Rev. Jenkins that progress has not been encouraging. However, I fail to share his trust in the Obama administration’s good intentions and sincerity. How about you?

Proverbs 25:26 says, “Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked.” Let’s do what we can to clean up the water and preserve our religious freedoms.

Posted in Christian Living, Culture, Current Events | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

At the Name of Jesus

I was asked to pray at our local high school’s graduation ceremony that took place last week. Thankful to have that privilege, I gladly accepted the invitation, and offered both an invocation and a benediction in the name of Jesus.

This would not have happened in many parts of the U.S. Some school districts only allow student-initiated prayer. In other places, prayer has been banned altogether from school functions. This has led to some interesting occurrences. For instance, at some graduations, a student has faked a loud sneeze, and the other seniors shouted in unison, “God bless you!” That’s one way of getting in some kind of a prayer!

Public prayers have been banned or restricted in the name of religious tolerance. It seems to me that some can’t tolerate Christianity.

Some argue that if public prayers offend someone, that is reason enough to ban them. I have been offended by sermons and prayers that I didn’t agree with. That’s no reason to abolish them altogether. Since when does anyone have the right to never be offended?

The core issue here is that our country no longer agrees on who God is. When this nation was established with the principle of providing religious freedom for all, the founders agreed that the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ, was Lord of all. That consensus is not so strong today, and there-in lies the problem.

People can argue about this issue all they want, but the matter has already been settled. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”—Philippians 2:9-11.

Posted in Christian Living, Culture, Prayer | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

More than a Nod

A farmer once complained that he owned the laziest rooster that ever existed. He said that the rooster was too lazy to even crow when the sun came up in the morning. He simply waited until some other rooster crowed—and then nodded his head in agreement!

Don’t be the person in church who merely nods while others are saying and doing what needs to be said and done!

“We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”—Hebrews 6:12.

Posted in Christian Living, Church, Humor | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Better Toss

I recently saw something at a high school baseball game that I had never seen before. A batter drew a walk and tossed his bat toward the dugout. However, his bat landed far short of where he intended. Most players would have just shrugged it off and continued toward first base, leaving the job of retrieving the bat to someone else. But this young man wasn’t content to do that. Not pleased with his initial effort, he jogged over to the bat and gave it a second toss. This time it landed in a much more appropriate spot. Now satisfied, the runner proceeded to take his base.

It might seem like a small, unimportant incident, but I think there is much to be said in favor of doing things the right way—even the small tasks. Jesus wasn’t content with giving a mediocre effort. At one point during his ministry, “People were overwhelmed with amazement. “He has done everything well,” they said…” (Mark 7:37).

We ought to follow the example of Jesus and try to achieve excellence in all that we do.

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”—Ecclesiastes 9:10.

Posted in Christian Living, Sports | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

In the Strength You Have

Gideon was an unlikely hero. He was threshing wheat in a most unlikely place, a winepress, in order to hide from Israel’s enemies. An angel of the Lord met him there and said to him, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.” (Judges 6:12).

Mighty warrior? Really? God apparently saw the potential in Gideon, even while he was in hiding. God had plans for Gideon, and he sent him out to do great things. Gideon had some questions and reservations along the way, but he stepped out in faith and trusted God to be with him.

Perhaps the key verse in Gideon’s calling is Judges 6:14—“The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

We get our meaning in life from the sense that God has a purpose for us. He calls us to himself and sends us out to do things that we could never accomplish without his help.

The world may never see you as a hero, but God views you as a mighty warrior as long as you stay faithful to his call. You may feel as weak and insignificant as Gideon did, but the message to us is essentially the same—“Go in the strength you have.”

Let’s all continue on our journey of faith—in the strength we have—knowing that God is with us every step of the way.

Posted in Christian Living, Leadership | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

No Change

There once was a cantankerous middle-aged woman who griped and complained constantly. She was especially hard on her husband. The poor fellow couldn’t seem to ever do anything right.

This woman began attending church with a friend and decided to become a follower of Jesus Christ. Everyone rejoiced at her baptism. They were delighted that she had been converted.

However, her family was disappointed to see that there was very little change in her disposition. The woman was just as bitter and critical as she had been before. One day her husband remarked to a close friend, “I don’t mind her being born again, but why did she have to come back as herself?”

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”—2 Corinthians 5:17.

In what ways have you changed since you became a follower of Jesus?

Posted in Christian Living, Humor | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

More Time?

Mayan calendar

Many people have been concerned because the impressive calendar developed by the Mayan civilization appeared to end on December 21, 2012. This led to speculation that the Mayans had predicted that the world would radically change, or perhaps even end on that date.

A recent discovery, however, has found that the Mayan calendar extends well beyond 2012. Some inscriptions include dates corresponding to a time beyond the year 3500.

This new revelation calls for a change of plans. I had decided to put off my Christmas shopping until December 22. You know, just in case the Mayans were right. I mean, why shop for a holiday that may never occur?

Now I suppose we had all better plan for Christmas, New Year’s and beyond.

Seriously, Jesus teaches that no one knows when the end will be, so we all should live as if the world, as we know it, could end any day.

We should pray along with the Psalmist, “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”—Psalm 90:12.

Posted in Christian Living, Current Events, Humor | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

What Comes Around

A couple of days ago, I heard a rooster crowing as I began my morning walk. This is not a familiar sound, since I live in the middle of town. I am sure that the rooster was annoying some people who had not planned to wake up quite that early.

At a corner near my house, I saw the culprit up close. On the sidewalk across the street was a large rooster, strutting about as only roosters can do, acting like he owned the town. A neighbor on his front porch jokingly asked me if that was my rooster. I responded that it wasn’t and made some kind of remark about how the rooster wanted to make sure everybody knew it was morning.

Many people are like roosters. They boastfully crow their way through life, annoying anyone in their vicinity. Life revolves around them, and their concern for others is minimal at best.

We all know someone like this, and, if we are totally honest, we sometimes wish they would get a taste of their own medicine. If only they could experience some of the misery that they so skillfully inflict on others!

As I finished my walk, I heard the rooster again. This time it was not an arrogant crowing noise. It was more like a desperate clucking. Turning around, I saw the rooster running through an intersection, with a large dog in close pursuit.

What goes around comes around. And sometimes it comes around with its feathers flying!

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”—Galatians 6:7.

Posted in Christian Living, Humor | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Evolving Into What?!

President Obama has officially announced that he is in favor of homosexual “marriage”. He says that his position has been “evolving”. I suppose his present stance on this important moral issue can be explained by 20 years of listening to the sermons of Jeremiah Wright.

There is a reason I call this an important moral issue, even though the media insist on the milder term “social issue”. You see, the Bible not only condemns homosexual behavior, it also forbids anyone from supporting this kind of activity.

Most people who have even a passing knowledge of the Bible understand that God does not condone homosexual activity. However, many people, even some Christians, have a Seinfeld attitude toward this behavior—“Not that there’s anything wrong with that!” They want it to be known that they themselves aren’t homosexuals, but they want to be seen as enlightened and tolerant individuals who approve of others who are.

This is a dangerous position. The second half of Romans 1 warns us of the wrath of God against godless people. While other sins are mentioned here, the primary targets of God’s wrath in this scripture are homosexuals. But get this—the chapter concludes with a warning not just to those who participate in homosexual activity, but also to those who approve of it.

Remember this when you vote!

Posted in Christian Living, Culture, Current Events | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment