1 Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value for all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come.
A significant response to the current pandemic has been medical professionals in various places offering valuable advice on the role of diet toward building and increasing our body's immunity to viruses and disease in general. This kind of advice can be truly salutary, even life-saving. Yet the aphorism, "You are what you eat", though often heard, isn't always taken as seriously as we might...And that may contribute to unpleasant health consequences.
But how much more applicable and consequential does it apply to our spiritual health? My answer is "Garbage in … garbage out…!" If we fill our minds with things that pollute soul and body, spiritual junk food as it were, our spiritual immunity will be duly compromised for fighting off the constant incursions from the enemy of our souls.
And while poor physical immunity will subject us to the ills of life on Earth, compromised spiritual immunity will have severe consequences both here, and also when we cross into eternity. Anyone can see that spiritual wickedness is increasing, and so spiritual immunity is more important every day. We all need now to watch and improve our diet, since it could even mean survival.
A healthy spiritual diet isn't rocket science. It's actually a matter of "taste"....that is, "Taste and see that the LORD is good." Be with Him, first and foremost. Just spend quiet time in His presence, without feeling like its an obligation. "The Word of God is living and active..." The Holy Spirit will bring that Word to greater life in your soul and body. 1 Timothy 4:8 adds: "For bodily exercise has some value, but godliness has value for all things, having the promise of the life which is now, and of that which is to come." Let's not neglect a healthy spiritual lifestyle — in these days we need to be on top of our game. Avoid spiritual junk food! That quiet time to be at complete peace, in God's Word, in prayer, will feed your soul with the spiritual nutrition needed to fight the daily battles... with powerful immunity!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]The Grand Canyon Park bookstore operated by the National Park Service found itself in the midst of some controversy a few years ago when they were selling a book written by creationists much to the ire of the National Center for Science Education.
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My wife and I are celebrating our 20-year wedding anniversary tomorrow and it would seem that I know her pretty well. But every once in a while, she says or does something that surprises me -- and I think to myself "Wow, I guess I didn't know her as well as I thought!" The more time I spend with her, the more I get to know her -- her heart, her character -- the more we become intimate.
A careful reading through the life of the Apostle Paul will yield insight concerning those who surrounded him. In this brief devotion, I want to focus on two of Paul's friends -- Luke and Demas.
When Yeshua (Jesus) went into the synagogue in Nazareth and was handed the scroll of Isaiah to read [Luke 4:18], He opened it to the passage we know of as Isaiah 61, a powerful Messianic proclamation filled with hope and promise and fresh with the joyful good news of His arrival. After reading the passage He immediately declared that it was fulfilled in the hearing of those present. The first response was amazement and wonder that the carpenter's son was so gracious a communicator. But this did not last, as Yeshua immediately challenged his audience with a prophetic expectation...that they would reject Him, which they immediately did...nevertheless...
Have you ever heard about how the Inuit Tribes kill wolves? You're not gonna believe this one!
Most people have never heard of "Auntie Cooke", but I guarantee you that you'll get to know her in glory! She arrived in Chicago in 1868 as a perfect stranger, but she immediately became involved in D.L. Moody's church when he was just thirty-one years old. She described him years later, as a 'diamond in the rough', and someone who needed the divine unction and power.