12 Holy Healthy Habits II

Wednesday 23 December
READ: Prov. 3:8
MORE LESSON: Psa. 91

The Bible rates health right very high on the list of importance (3 John 1:2). Man's mind, spiritual nature, and body are all interrelated and interdependent. God gave health rules because He knows what is best for the body (Deuteronomy 6:24, Exodus 23:25). A bondservant of Christ should eat and drink all to the glory of God, using only "that which is good" (Isa. 55:2, 1Corinthians10:31). If God says something is not fit to eat, He must have a good reason. He is not a dictator, but a loving Father. All His counsels are for our good. So if God withholds a thing from us, it is because such does not benefit us (Psa. 84:11). Let us see a list of 12 holy and totally healthy habits dug up from the Word of God:
1. Eat your meals at regular intervals (Ecc.10:17).
2. Don't overeat (Prov. 23:2, Luke21:34).
3. Make mealtime a happy time (Eccl. 3:13).
4. Don't harbour envy or hold grudges (Prov. 14:30, Matt. 5:23,24).
5. Balance work and exercise with sleep and rest (Exo. 20:9,10, Ecc. 2:22 ,23; 5:12, Psa. 127:2).
6. Keep your body clean (Isa. 52:11).
7. Avoid all harmful stimulants. 
8. Bury body waste to avoid disease (Deut. 23:12-13).
9. Avoid eating animals that are strangled (Acts 15:20, 29; 21:25).
10. Avoid eating animals that die by themselves (Lev. 17:15; 22:8, Deut.14:21, Ezek. 4:14).
11. Do not eat animal fat or blood (Gen. 9:4, Lev. 3:17; 7:23-27; 17:10-14, Deut. 12:16).

Note: Recent scientific studies have confirmed the fact that most heart attacks result from a high cholesterol level in the blood and that the use of fats is largely responsible for this high level. Also, the blood can transfer diseases. Science is just catching up with the Bible.

12. Put full trust in the Lord (Proverbs 4:20-22;19:23).
God's counsels and rules are always for our good, just as good parents' rules and counsels are best for their children. God holds us accountable (James. 4:17). The reason for restricting our diet is because we are the holy children of a holy God (Deut.14:1-3).

Prayer/Action
* Thank God for appropriate provision and food consumption.
* Repent of any abuse of food.
* Pray that God will provide food for the needy.
Share your food with somebody today.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
He that keepeth Israel shall keep me; He shall not sleep nor slumber for my sake and underneath me are the everlasting arms, so I shall not fall, in the name of Jesus.

12 Holy Healthy Habits I

Tuesday 22 December
READ: Gen. 1:29
MORE LESSON: Rom. 8:1-13

The first chapter of the book of Genesis contains not just facts and figures of the story of creation but also God's recommended feeding habits for mankind. The diet God gave people at the beginning of creation was fruit, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds. Man was created by God to live on three dimensions. As a spirit, he lives in a soul and has a body. And throughout Bible days and even contemporary times God is seen to be greatly participating in the spiritual, soul, and bodily wellbeing of His children. God gave us His Word and His Spirit to nourish our spirits; He gave us His love, joy and peace to nourish and renew our minds and also gives us timely instructions on how to live in good hygiene and health.

The Christian walk has been greatly misunderstood by some people to be strictly a spiritual voyage, given directions only for the spirit dimension of man. On the contrary, the Word of God is full of healthy feeding and living habits that even science has found to be the best way to live. Scripture - obeying people are the healthiest on earth because the Bible is balanced with wisdom and nourishment for the total man. Jesus is ready to break the shackles that bind us (John 1:12). He longs to set us free if only we will permit it. Our worries, evil habits, nervous tensions, and fears will be gone when we do His bidding (Phil. 4:13). He says, These things have I spoken unto you ... that your joy might be full: Jn.15:11. The devil says freedom is found in disobedience, but this is falsehood (Jn. 8:44). Take all of these habits to Christ and lay them at His feet. He will joyfully give you a new heart and the power you need to break any evil habit and become a child of God (Eze.11:18, 19).

Divine healing is God's responsibility to us but divine health is our responsibility to our bodies. The Scripture is very clear about what your body really is, the temple of the Holy Spirit! Therefore, it must be handled in the most holy and honourable way by us, in a way that is suiting to the Lord of this temple (1Cor.6:19). If this body is a temple, then we cannot afford to perform harmful experiments like smoking cigarette because it is not a chimney, it is a temple!

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to empower you to conquer any bad eating habit.
* Pray that by what you eat, you will never defile God’s temple that is your body.
* Ask God to heal you of any disease you might have developed out of disobedience to biblical healthy directives.
Take a decision to stop any bad eating habit today.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I prophesy that I shall not end this year in sorrow or shame. I shall be kept under the pavilion of Jehovah’s wing where my safety and defence is sure, in the name of Jesus.

Life Guide

Monday 21 December
READ: Jms.1:17-25
MORE LESSON: Heb:11:3

I once heard a preacher-man coin out an acronym for “B.I.B.L.E” and I love it. He called it, “Best Instruction Before Leaving Earth”. There are two spheres of life, time and eternity. Friend, there is no doubting the fact that there is life after here. It is called eternity or life without time, And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: Heb 9:27. We are eternal beings, designed by God to live forever. But the quality of our eternity will be predicated on the guidance we receive and obey here in time.

Time is rewarded in eternity so we cannot afford to spend time recklessly. We need an eternal compass, a divine pathfinder to successfully ply the road of life in time. We need a trustworthy time-guide; we need a living book. Praise God, we have the Bible. Even Science and Archaeology accept that the Bible is a truth-pack. But much more than all of this, there is only one infallible proof that the Bible is the best guide into eternity with God; its words work! The Word of God cannot and does not fail. It always works, giving life to its readers and impacting the earth with eternal life. Its words are sure; you can bank on it. Jm. 1:25 says, But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

It’s simple logic to say that a pillar, a picture, a bridge, the human body or anything at all cannot be firm in shape without a frame. And our anchor verse today from the living book reveals that …the worlds were framed by the word of God…. Heb. 11:3a. This shows us that the Word of God is the very substance or force behind the reality of the world as we know it today. Thus, it is impossible to live a life that is successful, relevant, impactful and Heaven bound without taking roots in the Word of God.

The audacity to poke satan in the face and claim your victory is predicated on how much of God’s Word you have searched out, believed and acted upon. Nothing is sweeter than a life that is lived in the Word of God because for Word-based people, Heaven is sure! Time spent with the Living Book is not time wasted; it is time invested. It is said that the purpose of a thing is with its manufacturer. The Word of God is our manufacturer’s manual for effective and productive living. As the sun is to the earth so is the Word of God to our lives. Prepare for eternity, study the Bible.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to help you run your life solely on the compass of God’s Word.
* Ask God to illuminate your mind and heart by His Word.
* Ask God to help you invest your time in the study of His Word.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
As from today, all my buried glory, goodness and virtue, I command you to begin to resurrect, in the name of Jesus.

The Giving Spirit

Sunday 20 December
READ: Lk. 6:30-38
MORE LESSON: II Chron.7:4-7

There is a mystery involved in the act of open-handedness that only a few men understand or appreciate. The average man is pleased to receive value and reluctant to part with same. This is the basic instinct of a natural man. A popular Christian author, John Maxwell, says, “We live by what we give”. When it dawns on a man that giving is the essence of life, then there will be no struggle in releasing his gifts, abilities, natural endowment, resources and time to serve God and humanity.

God is the greatest giver that made all men – givers and gatherers, the generous and the tight-fisted. It is wisdom for a man to be on the giving and generous side of life. It is only a mark of appreciation to the great Giver who gives to multiply givers on earth. If you study the lives of natural givers all over the world, you will notice that their ability to give always increases and they never lack. Remember that an unbeliever that lives by giving will always be ahead of a most holy believer that is tight-fisted in natural wealth and possessions.

Believers have the greatest opportunity to part with poverty and live fulfilled lives. We often want to be associated with the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon etc, but are we ready to pay the price they paid? These were men that emptied their lives for the Lord. He that empties himself for God will be rewarded with overflowing blessings from above. Change your attitude positively towards tithes, offerings, pledges, vows, almsgiving and helping others and you will never regret it. You were created to give. God gave His best (Jesus) and His children should give like Him.

Verse 38 of our text says, Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. That is not just a promise; it is a key to unlock wealth! If you are tired of poverty and you desire to come out as fast as you can, take the key of giving and the padlock against your wealth will give way speedily, There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty: Pro. 11:24. Now answer the question, “Who holds the key to your prosperity?”

Prayer/Action
* Promise God nothing will be too big for you to give Him.
* Cast every spirit of tight-fistedness out of your destiny.
* Command the spirit of giving to come upon you.
* Rebuke any spirit of loss, wastage and emptiness over your finance.
Give a special offering this week to your local assembly, shepherd or a church project with a request to God for a testimony in your finance.

PROPHETIC PRAYER
I withdraw my soul from perdition and destruction as this year comes to an end, in the mighty name of Jesus.