Fit for My King Part 3

Happy is the land whose King is nobleman 

and whose leaders feast only to gain strength for their work, 

not to get drunk.  Ecclesiastes 10: 17NLT

An interesting verse.  I have just read this book lately as part of my morning devotions.  King Solomon had some pretty interesting comments to make before it and after it.

What is Sheri using this verse for?

There is more here then meets the eye when you start looking at strength training and increasing our energy levels.  Here she wants to have the strength and energy to complete God's call to do his work and not have to give up because of ill health.

To work with this concept we need to look at where do we get energy?  We get it from eating plant sources which make up the carbohydrates - glucose, sucrose, maltose, fructose, lactose plus cellulose (dietary fibre, pectin).  There are just for starters.  Where do the plants get it from?  The Sun, and the wonderful process of photosynthesis occurs.  If you think about this in a spiritual concept you will find that getting our energy and comes from the Son as well.  Jesus's body was broken so we could partake of the salvation he offers.  He is also the bread of life.  He said I am the vine and you are branches.  He also said he would provide living water so we would never go thirsty. (You need water for the energy cycle to be processed in our bodies.)

If we have too much we have problems with carbohydrates being converted to fat and being stored in our bodies.  That can happen with our spiritual lives.  We can get lazy and not care also.

If we don't eat carbohydrates we have to get it from other sources such as fats and the most expensive source is protein.  These sources have other complications with them for our bodies.

To change your diet is a big deal.  9 out of 10 people who start a fitness campaign and go to weight watchers will fail.  Thus to prepare and  execute our plan we need to Fully Rely On God (FROG) as we tend to lose our focus and will power to complete with this.

In her prayer for this section Sheri asked God to "I want to gain strength by eating the food you have prepared for my body to be healthy and strong."  Not get drunk on junk food. (p.20).

I pray that as you go throughout this next week you will take this thought with you.

Fit for My King Part 2

     "Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper 

and be in good health, just as your soul prospers." 

3 John 2 NASB

This section is about experiencing Good Health.  Sheri Rose has some interesting comments to make about good health.  But it also comes back to advertising.  In the past few weeks I have shown my food technology classes that what is advertised (such as a hamburger) is not always the way you will get that food to eat.  The tricks of the trade to make it look appealing and appertizing to eat are very different to the real deal.

With being a Christian we have to be the real deal.  As the saying goes you maybe the only bible someone reads.  What has that got to do with eating and health?

Well your the advertising,  God wants you to present yourself in the best possible light.  He wants to use you in his work of salvation. To do that; it's important to take care of your body by observing your intake of nutritional foods, and level of fitness and getting good rest.  Sheri outlines the following as a desire we all have:-

1. Can you envision what God's people could accomplish here on earth if the body of Christ had more energy and clear minds.  We would be more involved with church activities and help in the community at a wider level.
2. Even better we could remember the sermons we hear each week better.
3. Also how much money would be save on medical bills and health insurance to use in other areas of our lives and God's work. (p.18)

God knows our limitations  as Sheri put it he borrowed an "earthly body" plus he also designed it in the first place.  He also has given us instructions in the bible on how to work live and nourish it.  Plus he has cared for our mental state as well with giving us hope and promises of his love and protection.

So with Sheri let us pray
"I am ready to receive from You the gift of good health.  I want my soul to prosper, and I want to walk in victory over sickness and exhaustion.  I want to commit the rebuilding of my body for Your glory, not mine. Amen."

Fit for My King...

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

your works are wonderful,

 I know that full well."        

Ps.139:14

In the last few weeks I have started to read a book written by Sheri Rose Shepherd called "Fit for My King."  To be honest it's been sitting on my shelf with the other books she has entailed "His Princess", "Warrior Princess" and a couple of others.  That are short devotionals.

This one is different and from searching the internet I found there was even a recipe book to go with this book.

In reading what Sheri wrote about how she battled with eating disorders and then how she finally over came them, her advice sounded like a message I grew up with about eating healthfully.  This message has been around for 150 years and now is main stream.

She based her idea on Queen Esther going before the king.  To quote her " In order to set our minds on our royal call, not on our cravings.  Our diets need to be about our desire to honour our King, not about denying ourselves certain foods". (p.15)

The best diet secrets ever shared are as follows, given to us by our creator:

1. To honour God
2. To Experience Good Health
3. To Gain Strength and Energy
4. For an Eternal Prize

Lets look at each one separately over the next few weeks.

1. To honour God

For this section Sheri uses the well known verse.

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit lives in you?  

If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him;

 for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple."

1Corinthians 3:16 - 17.

Today here in Australia we don't get the same sense of awe as the Middle East or Europe as our buildings don't date back for hundreds of years and have magnificent paintings like the old churches do.

We don't have the society to day that these places were the lifeblood of the community (a source of power, direction and protection.) Like the medieval society that use to start the day with mass and then have various prayers throughout the day. 

But we do have the scripture where God said he will dwell with man.  That the Israelites built a temple so they could meet with God and he could be among them in the camp.  Then while talking to the woman at the well Jesus said it would not matter where we worshiped as we would worship in spirit and in truth.

To prepare for this diet Sheri then writes a prayer of commitment in which she says "I choose by faith to commit my body, my mind and my diet to You.  I make a covenant with You on this day to fast off all foods for 30 days that hinder my strength and keep me from running my race of faith for You." (p.17). 

 I hope you will enjoy the journey with me as I look at each of the various topics she has.  If you like the sections maybe, just maybe you'll buy the book.  (Details are in the Book review sections of this blog.)