The issue of Obama Health Care is the hottest issue in America today. In fact this issue may determine the next President of the USA. But in contrast God has a Spiritual “Health Care Plan We Can Believe In”, designed by God Himself, and which if followed would increase the health of millions and reduce the cost of Health Care billions of dollars until we could afford it.
What is this plan? It is clearly stated in 1 Cor. 6:19-20 and Romans 12:1: “Do you not know that your BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT which is in you and whom you have from God and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body …, which are God’s.” “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your BODIES a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Note the key words in this Plan are “Body” and “Holy Spirit,” “Temple” and “Glorify.” Thus when God looks at our Bodies, He doesn’t see us as a mere physical body, but as the Temple where God the Holy Spirit lives and the TOOL by which we can serve and glorify Him.
Therefore, the way you and I see our bodies determines the way we live.
- If we see them as a Temple, we will make worship our way of life, or our very life style. The tendency of millions is to check in for two hours each Sunday at the church to worship and then check out for a week to live for self. But God commands that our whole life be one of worship. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1) Illus: I read of a Baptist who attended the worship service of his Quaker friend’s Church; for a time everyone was quiet and the Baptist whispered to his friend and asked “When does the service begin?” The Quaker replied, “The service begins when the worship is over.”
- If we see our Bodies as Tools, whereby we serve and glorify God, we will invest our body in service to the Lord and others. “Ye are not your own, but bought with a price (the precious Blood of the Son of God: therefore, glorify God in your body.” (1 Cor. 6:20).
Question: How would our lives change if we view them as
- A TEMPLE, where the Holy Spirit dwells, and
- A TOOL which we use to glorify Jesus Christ. Consider the following aspects of our lives:
- The Food You Eat. The food of millions is a nutritional nightmare: grease is bubbling, salt glistening, sugared drink to slosh the stuff down. Yet we pray, “Lord, please bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies.” Doing this is like the 5th grader who after taking a geography test prayed, “O Lord, please make Detroit the Capital of North Carolina.”
- Gym – Are we exercising our bodies to keep them trim or letting them go to pot as we slouch on the couch, eat chocolate coated donuts, and watch TV.
- Rest – 38,000 persons died in the USA last year from drowsiness.
- Water – are you drinking 8 glasses each day or substituting soft drinks.
- Obesity – the second cause of death in the USA. Ex: Jerry Falwell was 100 pounds over weight when he died.
- Abortion – Roe vs. Wade legalizes the taking of life in the womb on the theory that the woman’s body is her own and she has the right to choose whether to let her baby die or live. What does God say? “Your body is not your own, for it was bought with a price.” Just think of the Astronomical Price God paid to redeem us and the terrible sin of killing His precious creation in the womb. “A nation which kills its babies has lost its soul.” (Mother Teresa).
- Movies – What do your eyes see? Illus from my life: Sitting in movie on campus of Duke I saw nudity and vulgarity on steroids, the Holy Spirit convicted me to get up and leave, never to return except for a few decent movies.
- Tongue – Are you glorifying God in you in your talk. “Let not one corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but only those words which build up the hearers.” (Ephes. 4:29).
- Gossip – “Where there are many words, sin is not absent,” but he who restrains his lips is wise.” (Prov. 10:19).
- Feet – We are to be shoed with the “preparation of the gospel of peace.” (Ephes. 6:15). When did you last go soul-winning?
- Alcohol – “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise” (Prov. 20:1). Three out of ten social drinkers end up as alcoholics. The moderate drinking church members keep the liquor stores in business.
- Tobacco – One cigarette takes 12 minutes off your life span. Smoking is ultimate suicide. Cancer from smoking is one of the biggest killers in America Illus: Every week I live if feel compelled to say to those I see smoking, “PLEASE DON’T KILL yourself,” and everyone I approach even thank me and admit they are crazy to keep smoking, yet they persist.
- Longevity – Research shows that those who go to church every Sunday live 7 years longer than non-church attendees. Tobacco, alcohol, AIDS kill millions.
- Sex Relations – the ultimate misuse of the physical body before their time is adultery, fornication, pornography, sexual perversion. “Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ: Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. What: know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? For two, saith God, shall be one flesh.” (1 Cor. 6:15-16).
- Expenditures – Billions spent by individuals and government because of abuse of body.
Food Fun:
- The Agriculture Department says the average American eats 1148 pounds of food a year. Of course, a lot of it goes to waist.
- Health Rule: Eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch, a pauper for dinner.
- Recipe from Hippie Cook Book: Cut up lettuce, cucumbers, green peppers, and tomatoes. Add a little marijuana and let the salad toss itself.
- An apple a day keeps the doctor away, an onion a day keeps everybody away.
- When asked if you have had enough to eat, the educated answer would be, “My gastronomic satiety admonishes me that I have reached a state of deglutition consistent with dietetic superfluity.”