It is not good for the man to be alone.

Made in God’s image, given a unique identity, we were created with a need to connect with others. 

Commanded to love God and love others… it’s all about relationship.

created for relationship

God is our ultimate example of relationship.  He is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  Made in God’s image, we were created to be relational beings.

The cornerstone of a relationship is love.  So great is God’s love for us, He sent Jesus to live with us here on earth, die for us so we could live our eternity with Him. God desires a personal relationship with each one of us; AND while here on earth, He created us with a need to interact and connect with one another.

The Bible is all about relationships

The word “church” is the Greek word ekklesia, and it means “a called out group.”  God’s people are called to fellowship with one another, to pray together, encourage one another, and to meet each other’s needs.

 The word “family” is the Hebrew word mishpakha, and it is used to mean a family or clan (people, tribe, and nation).

Relationships in the Bible include:  mother, father, children, son, daughter, sister, brother, husband, wife, friend, teacher…  We have many different types of relationships, each fulfilling different needs.

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Ge 2:24

Building Better Health through relationships

God said it is not good for man to be alone.  We need each other in so many ways and for a multitude of reasons.  Without our relationships, we may survive, but we could never thrive.  We could not live as God intended and we would not achieve our potential.

Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Ec. 4:9-10

…And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.    Ec 4:12

You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

Why is the act of obedience important?

God has given man freedom of choice.  Sadly, the Bible is full of examples of man going his own way… to his destruction.  God desires us to choose life.  To do so we must choose the ways of the One who created us.  After all, God declares…

“If you listen carefully to the voice of the LORD, your God, and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you.”  Exodus 15:26

Obedience better than sacrifice

Principle 4 of Part One describes the importance of this principle in great detail and should be reread.  So important is this principle that God says “to obey is better than sacrifice”

Our obedience reflects our faithfulness to God and to His Word.  This is a Spiritual principle which encompasses our whole being… mind, body, and spirit.

So often we think that our actions are justified if we give up certain things for God…

I don’t drink, or smoke, or take drugs… so I can eat what I want! After all, doesn’t God say that “all food is clean”?

If this were true, mighty men and women of God would not be suffering in their bodies and succumbing to early death!  Let’s take a closer look at the passage in the Bible that many use as license to eat anything.

“Are you so dull?” he asked. “Don’t you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them?  For it doesn’t go into their heart but into their stomach, and then out of the body.” (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean.)  Mark 7: 18, 19 NIV

Jesus tells us food that enters the body exits the body; unlike the heart, what enters the heart remains in the heart.  The King James Version puts it this way:

 God created our bodies with the ability to cleanse toxins.  When we eat things that our not good for us, the body attempts to correct the damage.  However, the body is put under duress whenever we eat what is not good for us to eat.  I believe Jesus is saying the unclean foods do not make the heart spiritually unclean.  God created “unclean” animals to be scavengers that clean the refuse from the earth.  The function of these animals has not changed.  They were not fit for food then; they are not fit for food now!

Disobedience leads to addictions

When we don’t yield an area of our lives to God, that part of our life becomes an idol which replaces God.  For many, food has become an idol.  To make matters worse, man has gotten involved in changing the structure of food and the way it is grown.  While much of our food today looks like food and tastes like food – these foods are no longer food recognizable by the body.  Later in this series, we’ll discover how many of the “man-made” foods, as well as, un-yielded areas of our lives, lay the foundation for many of the addictions which are destroying us.

From the beginning man was required to exercise his body through work (exercise).

The Importance of Exercise

The importance of exercise cannot be overstated.  In fact, Medical experts say inactivity poses as great a health risk as smoking!  Many Biblical principles are equated to running and finishing a race.  One can only attain this kind of strength through bodily exercise.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.  1 Cor. 9:24

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.              2 Tim. 4:7

Benefits Regular Exercise

• Turns off your fat genes!  Recent studies show that people with certain variants of the “fat mass and obesity associated” gene (FTO gene) are more likely to become overweight.
• Helps the body to fight off colds and flu and boosts the immune system.
• Reduces the risk of certain cancers and chronic diseases.
• Slows the process of aging, combats the ongoing damage done to cells, tissues and organs.
• Lowers blood pressure.
• Reduces bad cholesterol.
• Decreases the incidence of Type 2 diabetes.
• Helps reduce symptoms of arthritis, osteoporosis and the pain associated with these conditions.
• Strengthens muscles (don’t forget that your heart is a muscle!)

Exercise for Victory, Not for Vanity

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.  Phil 4:13

Many of the works of God requires physical fitness.  A strong, healthy body is better equipped to carry out our daily activities with strength, energy, and vitality.  Exercise will equip us with the vigor needed to attain our spiritual goals.

Society values our outer appearance; therefore, it should not be neglected.  However, our motivation should pass the test of scripture…

The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.  1 Sam 16:7

Bodily Strength for Spiritual Power

While physical training (exercise) is of great value and is vital to good health - it is not the MOST important element of our lives.  God tells us that it is more beneficial to exercise ourselves to Godliness, because that will benefit us for eternity; bodily exercise only profits for our time on earth.

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all
things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.                      1 Tim. 4:8

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 1 Cor6:19

Source:  USA Today August 31, 2010

Source:  Wall Street Journal January 5, 2010

Source:  Science Daily August 10, 2011

Source:  Arthritis & Rheumatism July 26, 2011

The Hebrew word for rest is Shabbat, which means to cease, desist, rest.  God ceased from the work He was doing and made that day holy.

First God worked and then He rested.  This would be a great model for us to follow, a model reflecting godly balance. God did not need to rest.  God provided the Shabbat for man, to have a day of rest where we ceased from our work (and our struggles) to be refreshed and to renew our strength and our spirits.

In Mark 2:27 Jesus tells us… “The Sabbath was made for man and
not man for the Sabbath”. 

There is a “rest” which God desires man to enter.

Rest refreshes us.  Rest refuels us.

More often than not I find people who work themselves into frenzy, losing their health and their peace.   By entering into God’s Sabbath rest we can be revitalized, ready to labor with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.  Our bodies
are not made to labor without rest; our soul is not made to carry burdens
without a reprieve.  We need to allow God time to “pour” into us.  Then we will be refueled and will have more to give.

“I’ll refresh tired bodies; I’ll restore tired souls.” Jeremiah 31:25

“Even youths grow tired and weary,” Isaiah 40:30

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-2

Reflection through Rest – More than Relaxation

To rest is to stop; it’s a time to reflect on what God wants to pour into us. God’s love for us is so great that He set aside a special day for us each week.  Without rest, we are in danger of “burn out”.  But rest is more than relaxation, it’s a time to seek the still quiet voice of God and to cease from all struggle.  It is a time to be abandoned to God completely.

What does it take to enter God’s rest?

• Believe what God says about our need for rest.
• Make rest a priority.
• Cultivate rest as a lifestyle.
•  Focus on the three aspects of rest: physical, emotional, spiritual.

And then…. enter.

“For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his” Hebrews 4 10

Rest will repair our bodies, renew our minds, and refresh our spirits.  A valuable provision made for us from the beginning; we MUST rest if we want to build better health Biblically…

Created with a Purpose!

From the beginning, God created us for a purpose.  And our purpose encompasses our whole being: body, soul, and spirit.  With our physical body we work and perform, with our soul we reason and feel, and with our spirit we love.  As individuals, members of a family or group, and as members of God’s family, we each have been given something special to do and to become.

Created to reflect God’s Character.

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;”" Genesis 1:26

Created for God’s Glory

“Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom
I formed and made.” (Isaiah 43:6-7)

Created to build families and relationship with God.

“Be fruitful and increase in number…”  Genesis 1:28

“We love Him because He first loved us.”  1 John 4:19

Created to “subdue” and care for the earth.

“…may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground”  Genesis 1:26

Created to praise God.

“I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever”  (Psalm 86:12)

Created to develop and use the gifts and talents God has given us.

“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, …We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.”  (Romans 12:4-8)

Created to do good works.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:1)

Created to spread the Gospel.

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”   (Matthew 28:19-20)

Created for God’s Pleasure!

“Because of his love God had already decided that through Jesus Christ he would make us his children — this was his pleasure and purpose”                (Ephesians 1:5, TEV).

Please feel free to add to this list!

A wonderful attribute of God is His diversity; God is indeed multi-faceted! From the intricate and complex way He created us, to the abundant and immeasurable provision God has made for us… diversity abounds!

Day and Night… Winter and Summer…Man and Woman…                               Children and Adults…Hot and Cold… Soft and Hard…Strong and Weak…        Joy and Sadness…Meat and Vegetables…

We come in different colors, shapes, and sizes; we have different personalities, temperaments, and interests; we like different things, NEED different things, and God has provided us with diverse abundance!

Yet, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28)

While diversity abounds – Unity in Christ binds us all together.

Choose Life!

As we study the Bible and the instructions God gives us to build better health Biblically, we find God has lavished us with a world of goodness and generous provisions. We cannot forget, however, that there is also much evil and wickedness in our world. Not all of the abundance we have been given to choose from leads to life. In fact, we face temptations of many kinds that can lead to illness, poverty, and devastation.

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” James 1:2, 3

With diversity and abundance comes the responsibility of making the right choices, so much so, that God instructs us with: “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live…” Deut. 30:19

Names for God – Character of God –

Who God is to us

God in omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent! His very nature provides for our every need, from our relationship to Him to our existence in this world. I’d like to end this post by looking at just a few of the many names of God which describes His many and diverse roles in our lives.

IMMANUEL: “God with us.” Matthew 1:23

JEHOVAH ELOHIM: “LORD God” Genesis 2:4

JEHOVAH-JIREH: “The Lord will Provide.” Genesis 22:14

JEHOVAH-M’KADDESH: “The Lord Who Sanctifies” Exodus 31:13

JEHOVAH-NISSI: “The Lord Our Banner.” Exodus 17:15

JEHOVAH-RAPHA: “The Lord Who Heals” Exodus 15:26

JEHOVAH-ROHI: “The Lord Our Shepherd” Psalms 23:1

JEHOVAH-SABAOTH: “The Lord of Hosts” Isaiah 1:24

JEHOVAH-SHALOM: “The Lord Our Peace” Judges 6:24

JEHOVAH-SHAMMAH: “The Lord is Who is Present” Ezekiel 48:35

JEHOVAH-TSIDKENU: “The Lord Our Righteousness” Jeremiah 23:6

“Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace”

Isaiah 9:6

“Let the land produce vegetation…” 

“Let there be … fish… birds…livestock…” Genesis 1:20-25

Food is a controversial subject today!

Many believe eating a Bible-based diet means eating only the foods that came out of the ground; others believe animals were provided for our nourishment and are vital to good health.  Still others believe we can eat anything we want, after all, we’ve been “delivered from the law”!  We’ll explore each of these premises…

“Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.”  Genesis 1:29 (NIV)

In the beginning, man was a vegetarian.  This seems to be indisputable.  Man lived in an idyllic world at the time.  However, by the time we get to Chapter 9 of Genesis, things have changed…

“Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.” Genesis 9:3

The Bible is full of examples of Godly people eating fish, livestock, and birds.  Lamb was eaten during the Passover (Exodus 12); Jesus fed the five thousand with fish.

Vegetarian vs. Meat-Eating

There are many reasons people choose vegetarianism: ethics (cruelty to animals/preserving resources), health (a great way to detox and cleanse the body/replenish vitamins, minerals, nutrients), and finances (unless a hunter, fisherman, or rancher, meat cost more!). 

There are also many reasons people choose meat-eating: people under a great deal of stress need more protein for the nervous system than may be available through a plant-based diet; animal foods also provide nutrients like B-12 more readily than a vegetarian diet.

A vegetarian lifestyle is an excellent way to restore balance to a body that has existed on the Standard American Diet (SAD).  Higher in fiber and many nutrients, this way of eating can be very cleansing and rejuvenating.  However, genetically, not everyone is cut out to exist on a plant-based diet.  Some people will become weak and lethargic until valuable, quality animal proteins are consumed.

This post is not designed to debate which option is healthier – but simply to point out that the provision was made during creation!  We may not have eaten animals in the garden, but the animals were created for our future needs.  Besides, we’re all different.  One size DOES NOT fit all!

Clean and Unclean Animals

Another great debate is whether or not we can eat “unclean” animals.  After all, Romans 14:20 declares: “Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean,”

And let’s not forget Peter’s vision in Acts 10:9-16: God told Peter to eat the unclean meats.

My personal feeling on this is that it is not a “sin” to eat the unclean animals (especially when witnessing to people whose diet is based on these foods).  However, I believe it is not a good idea to eat these foods when given a choice.  Unclean animals are scavengers and help keep our earth clean.  Scavengers eat decaying flesh, even feces, and are not fit for food (in the long-term).  A great website on this topic  can be found here.

As stated earlier, I believe God gave us instructions for healthy living.  As we proceed through this series, we will take a closer look at this topic of FOOD.

In the meantime, Click here for some Dietary Suggestions to get you started.

“Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.”  3 John 1:2

“And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.”

Water makes up about two thirds of our body weight and every system in our body depends on water.  Even mild dehydration (lack of water) will drain our energy and affects the body’s ability to carry out normal functions.  An essential element for survival, we can only last a few days without it.

Health benefits of water:

• Carries nutrients and oxygen to our cells. 
• Aids in the digestion and absorption of mineral & nutrients.
• Aids in the repair and replacement of old tissues.
• Helps flush the system of toxic wastes.
• Regulates body temperature.
• Helps prevent constipation. 
• Lubricates and cushions joints. 
• Moistens tissues such as those in the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, & throat.
• Moisturizes the skin from the inside out. 
• Vital for cardiovascular health. 
• Weight loss.   

How much water do we need?  A basic formula: 

Body Weight (lbs.) ÷ 2 = ____oz. of water and “good” fluids needed daily.

Add extra for:
Activity, Environment, Illness, “Motherhood”

*Food usually accounts for 20 percent of our total fluid intake.

The body loses water through breath, perspiration, urine, and bowel movements.  We should be drinking enough fluid so that we rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day. 

The body can only absorb about 1 quart of water per hour.

factors that influence our water needs are:

• Our activity level: sweating increases our need for extra water.
• The environment, our climate: hot or humid weather (increases sweating), altitudes greater than 8,200 feet (may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing) increase water needs.
• Illnesses or health conditions such as fever, vomiting, or diarrhea will cause our body to lose fluids. 
• Pregnancy or breast-feeding. 

The body often confuses hunger for thirst! 

Thirst is not the best indicator of hydration.  By the time we become thirsty, our bodies are already experiencing dehydration.  Furthermore, as we get older our body is less able to sense dehydration.  On the other hand, excessive thirst and increased urination can be signs of a serious medical condition.

• Drink water 30 minutes prior to each meal and between each meal to ensure proper hydration throughout the day. 
• Hydrate before, during and after exercise.

Is it possible to drink too much water?

While rare, drinking too much water can occur.  Hyponatremia can occur when sodium, an electrolyte, which helps regulate water levels in the fluid in and around our cells, becomes too low.  It is caused when the kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, or when large amounts of fluids are ingested.  Endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, who drink large amounts of water, can be at higher risk of hyponatremia.  In general, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who eat an average American diet.

Water covers over 70% of the earth’s surface.  All living things depend on water for survival.  It even affects weather patterns.  From growing food to producing energy, the importance of water cannot be overstated.  Upon creating water… “God saw that it was good.”  Genesis 1:10

For more information visit: http://www.health-energy-fitness.com/Water.php

And God said, 

The second provision God made for mankind (and all the earth) was the air we breathe.

When we think of the sky, we think of oxygen.  So important is oxygen, we can only live minutes without it, and it is needed by every cell of our bodies.  

The way we utilize oxygen is through breathing; oxygen is absorbed by the blood stream in the lungs.  It is then transported to every cell in our body, where it gives not only life, but energy as well.

Deep, rhythmic breathing , is essential for building health and vitality.  It expands the diaphragm muscle and the lung’s air pockets, allowing a greater intake of oxygen.  It will invoke the relaxation response and massage the lymphatic system.  Unfortunately, living in our world today means breathing contaminated air for many of us.  Furthermore, shallow breathing (or chest breathing), prevents adequate oxygen from reaching our cells, leading to various health concerns and conditions.  Lack of exercise and our reliance on the modern conveniences of today has kept many of us from taking full advantage of this life-giving provision.  Add toxic air to the challenges we already face and we realize why we lack health, energy, and vitality.

Another vital function of proper breathing is the removal of waste from within our bodies.  The body is made up of trillions of cells, each cell involved with a distinctive purpose.  As each cell takes in nutrients and performs its designed purpose, metabolic waste by-products are generated.  One of the ways the body eliminates these by-products is to convert them to carbon dioxide.  When we exhale, these toxins are released; improper breathing prevents these toxins from being eliminated.  Interestingly, plant life takes in the carbon dioxide and releases oxygen into the atmosphere. God is the ultimate recycler!  And the air He created was perfect for mankind.

Breathing the air God created for us is vital for life; breathing properly is essential to good health.  For more information, visit:

• The Lungs – The Breath of Life
• Deep Breathing

 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.  Psalms 33:6

To build the proper foundation on which to build our health, we need the right information.  Genesis provides a blueprint of exactly what the body needs.  Almost every provision man would ever need was made during the 6 days of creation, including the need for rest on the 7th day.  With the fall of man came new challenges as our perfect foundation was cracked.  In the next few posts, we will observe God’s perfect provision for man.

Let there be light.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”  Genesis 1: 1-3

Sunshine

The first provision God made for man was sunshine.  Sadly, today sunlight is given a bad rap.  We have lost balance.  We either spend too much time in the sun (to attain the golden tan!), or we avoid the sun like the plague.  Volumes are now being written about the importance of sunlight for health.  In looking at the latest research (Science proving the Bible) about sunshine, I was amazed!  Here are some highlights:

• Sunbathing reduces the risk of breast and other cancers, according to researchers from Stanford University, who report their findings in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
• The ultra-violet part of sunlight plays a role in preventing multiple sclerosis, according to Hector Deluca, Steenbock Research Professor of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison  
• Scientists are beginning to reveal sunlight’s benefits for our brains.  Studies show that adolescents today are increasingly sluggish because they spend too much time indoors.  “They miss out on essential morning light needed to stimulate the body’s 24-hour biological system, which regulates the sleep-wake cycle,” says Mariana Figueiro, of the Lighting Research Centre at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York State, who led the study.
• Most people know about SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder, a form of depression that is triggered by a seasonal reduction of bright sunlight in certain areas of the globe.  For some people, this lack of sunlight that often happens during winter can affect both moods and sleep habits.
• In addition, recent research has identified vitamin D deficiency (caused by a lack of sunlight) as a significant factor in many varieties of cancer as well as weight gain, diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, birth defects, and even periodontal disease.

It seems so simple.  Sunshine is far better for us than we can imagine.  In fact, it is vital.  We were created to absorb healthy moderate amounts of full-spectrum sunlight, and not only for its vitamin D-producing powers.  We need full-spectrum sun.

How much sun is sufficient to ensure we gain the benefits of full-spectrum sunlight?  Advice varies — and is dependent on the time of year, the weather and the lightness or darkness of our skin.  A general recommendation is that we should get 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure a day.  For more detailed information, visit this article on sunlight and sun exposure.

“…I am the light of the world.”  John 9:5