Dying 2 Live...!

Dying 2 Live...!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Five: Tickled Toes



Oh yes, I know some might remember those baby days when your parents or loved ones would scratch at the bottom of your feet just to see those dimples. You would grin from ear to ear. If you don't believe me, just check out those album pictures that your parents put together years ago. Laughing indeed is good medicine and many of us need to do it more often. It is one of the biggest cures for stress and tension. According to Genesis 21:5-7, a promised nation from God was born being named "laughter." Abraham and Sarah received youthful joy from having a child in their old age---Isaac (which means laughter). Isaac birthed Jacob and God changed Jacob's name to Israel. Thus, the making of the nation of Israel. All of it was born out of laughter. In addition, Psalm 2:4 states God even laughs and scoffs at the wicked. Yes, that's right, even God laughs from time to time!


Proverbs 17:22 informs us that "laughter is like GOOD MEDICINE."

Ecclesiastes 3:4 lets us know that "there is A TIME to laugh."

Nehemiah 8:10 indicates that "the JOY of the Lord is your strength."


When one laughs over 50 distinct muscles are being utilized in the body releasing joyful feeling endorphines, making you feel youthful, energetic, and strong. But, when one pouts the reverse effect happens making you feel lethargic, EASILY irritable, and weak. A laughing matter is maybe more important than you first thought. Now, I do want to add, you should have clean or wholesome laughter. Laughing at a viral joke or vulgar behavior may not be the BEST things to be gaining your humor. Moreover, when someone trips and is badly injured that's not a healthy laughing matter either. I'm not saying we should live life rigid, stiff and over-serious all the time. But, what I am saying is that our laughter should not just be a response to something funny but it should have some tactfulness with it as well. So, let's LIGHTEN UP a bit more; it'll do a whole lot more good for us than we could ever imagine!

Monday, October 11, 2010

Four: Good Eats


Many people like to eat good; I mean real good. Not only that, some people are addicted to food. They don't just eat to live, they just live to eat. Here, in America, food is almost like a past-time. When you turn on the television, usually, the first thing you see within a 30 seconds slot is a food commercial. Or, try turning on a sports game (during the weekend) and you're sure to find some scenes of individuals pigging out at a tailgating party. This list can go on and on. Bottom line, we live in a society inundated with food.

Now, there's nothing wrong with food. You NEED food to live. But, there are certain perimeters one much take in dealing with the food. It's all about what foods you choose to eat and how often you choose to eat them. Or, what foods you choose not to eat and how often you fail to eat them. I'm not a nutritionist by any means but here are a few nutritional sites that can direct you on those perimeters:




One may ask, "What does any of this have to do with living for God?" Oh my, it has so much to do with living out a godly life. If you're lethargic, diseased, or bloated from unhealthy eating then your abilities to serve God will be extremely limited. Not to mention, your physical life may be in even more extremely jeopardy. I heard an individual state that, "In subsaharan Africa many people are starving to death from a lack of food, and in America many of us are eating ourselves to death from intaking too much food." When we read the Bible it is clear on its stance against gluttony and its support of FASTING. Furthermore, Jesus operated in peak health, as He ministered, utilizing the Levitical diet. So, "What am I really saying? Should we all just go COLD TURKEY on any food deemed unhealthy. Should we all never again pick up an item from the grocery store that is questionable to nutritionists. Should we all never even again order from the desert menu at a restaurant. Of course, this is not what I'm saying or even implying. But, I'm emphasizing the fact that we should all consider finding ways in where we can eat a lot healthier---as a lifestyle and not just a diet.