Wednesday, 8 December 2010
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
Food for thought!!
It is better to be hated for what you are than to be loved for what you are not. -Andre Gide. Be true to yourself (John Maxwell)
Friday, 5 November 2010
What is good for food?
In this modern world in which we live in today, what is ‘good for food’ is now what is ‘convenient’ for food.
But does the bible have anything to say about this?
We have scriptures that require us to present our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God.
Romans 12: 1- 2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
One way to present our bodies a living sacrifice is to take good care of it by feeding it with the right food.
So what is ‘good for food’?
Genesis 2: 9
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 1: 29
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Genesis 9: 1- 4
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
The above was Gods original intention for mans diet. But what have we done? We have created our own food and refined Gods given food creating problems for ourselves.
There is nothing wrong in taking the food God gave us and making it edible e.g wholegrain bread etc but the problem is in the process sometimes man adds other things not good for our bodies.
The reality of this is that we do need to seek the Lords wisdom regarding our diet.
Psalm 104: 14
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; (not poor quality food out of the laboratory).
There is medical evidence that most diseases are caused by the wrong foods eaten. We are also seeing very increasingly that main features of society are changing their diet because of health.
Extract from Natural Health news: (23rd September 2010)
In a startling turn of events, former U.S. President Bill Clinton — who used to eat McDonalds hamburgers in front of the press — has turned to a plant-based diet and now drinks almond milk smoothies!
Why would he do this? Because he doesn’t want to die of a stroke or heart attack, of course! Read more (and see exactly what Clinton said about this to Wolf Blitzer) in today’s breaking news:
http://www.naturalnews.com/029816_Bill_Clinton_plant-based_diet.html
Below also is a testimony of healing from a change of diet:
So am l saying a plant based diet is the way forward? No but whatever we can get in this current world close to Gods original plan is. It is apparent that man made food is not always helpful.
1 Timothy 4: 1 – 5
1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Please notice these key words for the purpose of this article:
“ For every creature of God is good” This is the key word, it’s the creature of God that is good, not necessary man made with unhealthy additions.
The reason why many people are careful of certain food items is the additions that man had added to them, which therefore no longer qualifies them as ‘Creatures of God good for food”.
What do l mean? Lets look at a few examples:
The use of antibiotics in the animal industry and agriculture.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/antibiotics/agriculture.htm
Food Additives:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-453431/The-proof-food-additives-ARE-bad-feared.html
Refined and processed foods:
http://www.natural-health-restored.com/refined-foods.html
The list goes on.
So what is the way forward? Yes we do need to change in regards to our diet.
Is there a perfect diet out there?
Well, I have not found one, however there are many that move us close to nature as possible:
So what is the way forward?
There is evidence everywhere that a change of diet does improve health however many do not change their diet until they get sick.
We do have a responsibility to take ‘ good care’ of our bodies and one way of doing this is to eat right.
There is evidence that the closer we stay to Gods original plan for food the better for us.
While eating right is not the only thing to do to remain in good health, it is a contributing factor.
If we really are people that love the Word of God we do need to begin to make amends concerning our diet so we can live long and bring glory to the name of the Lord.
Bisi Oladipupo
But does the bible have anything to say about this?
We have scriptures that require us to present our bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God.
Romans 12: 1- 2
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
One way to present our bodies a living sacrifice is to take good care of it by feeding it with the right food.
So what is ‘good for food’?
Genesis 2: 9
And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 1: 29
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.
Genesis 9: 1- 4
And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.
And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.
Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things.
But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.
The above was Gods original intention for mans diet. But what have we done? We have created our own food and refined Gods given food creating problems for ourselves.
There is nothing wrong in taking the food God gave us and making it edible e.g wholegrain bread etc but the problem is in the process sometimes man adds other things not good for our bodies.
The reality of this is that we do need to seek the Lords wisdom regarding our diet.
Psalm 104: 14
He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth; (not poor quality food out of the laboratory).
There is medical evidence that most diseases are caused by the wrong foods eaten. We are also seeing very increasingly that main features of society are changing their diet because of health.
Extract from Natural Health news: (23rd September 2010)
In a startling turn of events, former U.S. President Bill Clinton — who used to eat McDonalds hamburgers in front of the press — has turned to a plant-based diet and now drinks almond milk smoothies!
Why would he do this? Because he doesn’t want to die of a stroke or heart attack, of course! Read more (and see exactly what Clinton said about this to Wolf Blitzer) in today’s breaking news:
http://www.naturalnews.com/029816_Bill_Clinton_plant-based_diet.html
Below also is a testimony of healing from a change of diet:
So am l saying a plant based diet is the way forward? No but whatever we can get in this current world close to Gods original plan is. It is apparent that man made food is not always helpful.
1 Timothy 4: 1 – 5
1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Please notice these key words for the purpose of this article:
“ For every creature of God is good” This is the key word, it’s the creature of God that is good, not necessary man made with unhealthy additions.
The reason why many people are careful of certain food items is the additions that man had added to them, which therefore no longer qualifies them as ‘Creatures of God good for food”.
What do l mean? Lets look at a few examples:
The use of antibiotics in the animal industry and agriculture.
http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/antibiotics/agriculture.htm
Food Additives:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-453431/The-proof-food-additives-ARE-bad-feared.html
Refined and processed foods:
http://www.natural-health-restored.com/refined-foods.html
The list goes on.
So what is the way forward? Yes we do need to change in regards to our diet.
Is there a perfect diet out there?
Well, I have not found one, however there are many that move us close to nature as possible:
So what is the way forward?
There is evidence everywhere that a change of diet does improve health however many do not change their diet until they get sick.
We do have a responsibility to take ‘ good care’ of our bodies and one way of doing this is to eat right.
There is evidence that the closer we stay to Gods original plan for food the better for us.
While eating right is not the only thing to do to remain in good health, it is a contributing factor.
If we really are people that love the Word of God we do need to begin to make amends concerning our diet so we can live long and bring glory to the name of the Lord.
Bisi Oladipupo
Tuesday, 26 October 2010
A good addiction
1 Corinthians 16:15, 16
I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.
Are you addicted to the ministry of the saints?
What a great way to describe the ‘house of Stephanas’.
This will require a greater level of commitment on our part but very rewarding.
We need one another and would be great if more of us could be described this way.
Bisi Oladipupo
I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.
Are you addicted to the ministry of the saints?
What a great way to describe the ‘house of Stephanas’.
This will require a greater level of commitment on our part but very rewarding.
We need one another and would be great if more of us could be described this way.
Bisi Oladipupo
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Our God Given Navigation System
Do you enjoy the satellite navigation system in your car?
Satellite navigation systems have the capability to show us trouble traffic spots so we can avoid them. The Stat Nav helps us foresee trouble and gives us the choice to avoid traffic and problems on our journeys.
As we journey through life, there are many decisions that need to be made. Who do l marry? What job should l take? Which church should l attend? I know the Lord has called me, but when do l step out? Which school should l let my children attend? and many other issues. Taking the wrong turn in any of these areas can cause us many problems.
As children of God we have our own spiritual navigation system that helps us avoid trouble and problems in these areas. The reality is that no one has passed this road before and we need help. Just as the satellite navigation system helps us in our road journeys, so has the Lord given us our own spiritual navigation system to help in our journey of life.
Proverbs 22: 3 says, a prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. So how do we foresee evil or the wrong way to go as children of God.
Lets have a look at some of our navigation systems:
The word of God:
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Wise counsel
Proverbs 11:14b in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
By listening to the Holy Spirit given to us
John 16: 13, Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
We need to obey those promptings we receive in our spirits and obey them.
By asking the Lord for direction and trusting Him
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
We do not need to get stuck in the issues of life once we engage our spiritual navigation systems.
Lets take advantage of what the Lord has given us to navigate safely through life.
Bisi Oladipupo
Satellite navigation systems have the capability to show us trouble traffic spots so we can avoid them. The Stat Nav helps us foresee trouble and gives us the choice to avoid traffic and problems on our journeys.
As we journey through life, there are many decisions that need to be made. Who do l marry? What job should l take? Which church should l attend? I know the Lord has called me, but when do l step out? Which school should l let my children attend? and many other issues. Taking the wrong turn in any of these areas can cause us many problems.
As children of God we have our own spiritual navigation system that helps us avoid trouble and problems in these areas. The reality is that no one has passed this road before and we need help. Just as the satellite navigation system helps us in our road journeys, so has the Lord given us our own spiritual navigation system to help in our journey of life.
Proverbs 22: 3 says, a prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished. So how do we foresee evil or the wrong way to go as children of God.
Lets have a look at some of our navigation systems:
The word of God:
Psalm 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
Wise counsel
Proverbs 11:14b in the multitude of counsellors there is safety.
By listening to the Holy Spirit given to us
John 16: 13, Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
We need to obey those promptings we receive in our spirits and obey them.
By asking the Lord for direction and trusting Him
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
We do not need to get stuck in the issues of life once we engage our spiritual navigation systems.
Lets take advantage of what the Lord has given us to navigate safely through life.
Bisi Oladipupo
Saturday, 2 October 2010
Lessons from My Father: The Preacher (Billy Graham)
By the Reverend Franklin Graham,
Interview by Amy Levin-Epstein, Best Life
My father became very close with the Nixons. He was fairly close with John F. Kennedy. After the Watergate era, however, he said, “I’m not going to say anything to a politician again unless it’s of a spiritual nature. I’m not going to talk with them about political issues, about international issues. I’m just going to keep my mouth shut and speak to them about things that affect their hearts.” I’ve watched him my whole life. He is my example. My father doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. If someone hurts him or disappoints him, my father just forgives the person and moves on. I think that’s what love is all about.
There’s no book to teach you. My father told me you learn how to preach by preaching. The only way you’re going to learn it is to go out there and do it and learn from your mistakes. And he’s right.
I saw that he was wary of politicians. They thought, If we get close to Billy Graham, that will influence votes. My father tries to use his position in a spiritual context.
He taught me that there is a devil in this world. There are spiritual powers at work against God. Why do we have bars on the windows? Why do we have to have police forces? Why do we have a judicial system? It’s because of the evil in this world. Everything he taught, he taught us through the Scripture.
I never saw my parents fight. Never really saw them argue. My mother was a soul mate to him. They did everything together. My father treated my mother with the utmost respect. He honored her. I have a friend–we’re about the same age–who loses his temper and yells at his wife, and he cusses at her from time to time, and guess what? His children do exactly the same thing.
My father is careful with women. He would not even ride in the same car with a woman other than my mother. I remember in Little Rock, Hillary Clinton, when she was the wife of Governor Clinton, wanted to meet my father for lunch. She wanted to have a private conversation. Daddy said, “I’d be glad to meet you, but we’ll meet in a public place.” My father told me, “I’m going to be above reproach and not allow myself ever to be accused of something that wasn’t morally right.”
He was gone for a long time when I was young. One time, he was gone for about six months. My father started his ministry right after World War II, when men had been gone for four or five years to defend the freedom of this nation. He felt, Should I do less for the sake of the cross? He later told me, “Son, if I had to do this over again, I wouldn’t have been gone that long.” When I’m through with my work, I go back home.
Life is a circle. When you are small, your relationship with your parents is one thing, and then you get to be an adult and they start treating you like an adult. And then when you are older, the roles reverse. Instead of the parents providing for the children, now we as children are helping to provide for our parents.
God did not give us religion. Religion is man’s attempt to reach a holy God.
He knows how to stay on message. All these years, he has been faithful to what he feels God called him to do, and that is to preach this wonderful good news, this Gospel, that Jesus Christ died for our sins, that He rose again, and if we would confess our sins to God and ask for His forgiveness and turn from those sins and invite Christ by faith into our hearts and into our lives, that God would forgive us.
The Reverend Franklin Graham, 56, runs the organization his father founded. The fourth of five children born to evangelist Billy Graham and his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, Franklin has been a Christian evangelist and missionary from the age of 23. Since 2000, he has served as CEO, and since 2002 as president, of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. His father, one of most celebrated and well-loved preachers in American history, has counseled U.S. presidents from Harry Truman to George W. Bush.
From msn fathers day special http://specials.msn.com/Network/fathersday08.aspx?GT1=34008
Interview by Amy Levin-Epstein, Best Life
My father became very close with the Nixons. He was fairly close with John F. Kennedy. After the Watergate era, however, he said, “I’m not going to say anything to a politician again unless it’s of a spiritual nature. I’m not going to talk with them about political issues, about international issues. I’m just going to keep my mouth shut and speak to them about things that affect their hearts.” I’ve watched him my whole life. He is my example. My father doesn’t keep a record of wrongs. If someone hurts him or disappoints him, my father just forgives the person and moves on. I think that’s what love is all about.
There’s no book to teach you. My father told me you learn how to preach by preaching. The only way you’re going to learn it is to go out there and do it and learn from your mistakes. And he’s right.
I saw that he was wary of politicians. They thought, If we get close to Billy Graham, that will influence votes. My father tries to use his position in a spiritual context.
He taught me that there is a devil in this world. There are spiritual powers at work against God. Why do we have bars on the windows? Why do we have to have police forces? Why do we have a judicial system? It’s because of the evil in this world. Everything he taught, he taught us through the Scripture.
I never saw my parents fight. Never really saw them argue. My mother was a soul mate to him. They did everything together. My father treated my mother with the utmost respect. He honored her. I have a friend–we’re about the same age–who loses his temper and yells at his wife, and he cusses at her from time to time, and guess what? His children do exactly the same thing.
My father is careful with women. He would not even ride in the same car with a woman other than my mother. I remember in Little Rock, Hillary Clinton, when she was the wife of Governor Clinton, wanted to meet my father for lunch. She wanted to have a private conversation. Daddy said, “I’d be glad to meet you, but we’ll meet in a public place.” My father told me, “I’m going to be above reproach and not allow myself ever to be accused of something that wasn’t morally right.”
He was gone for a long time when I was young. One time, he was gone for about six months. My father started his ministry right after World War II, when men had been gone for four or five years to defend the freedom of this nation. He felt, Should I do less for the sake of the cross? He later told me, “Son, if I had to do this over again, I wouldn’t have been gone that long.” When I’m through with my work, I go back home.
Life is a circle. When you are small, your relationship with your parents is one thing, and then you get to be an adult and they start treating you like an adult. And then when you are older, the roles reverse. Instead of the parents providing for the children, now we as children are helping to provide for our parents.
God did not give us religion. Religion is man’s attempt to reach a holy God.
He knows how to stay on message. All these years, he has been faithful to what he feels God called him to do, and that is to preach this wonderful good news, this Gospel, that Jesus Christ died for our sins, that He rose again, and if we would confess our sins to God and ask for His forgiveness and turn from those sins and invite Christ by faith into our hearts and into our lives, that God would forgive us.
The Reverend Franklin Graham, 56, runs the organization his father founded. The fourth of five children born to evangelist Billy Graham and his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, Franklin has been a Christian evangelist and missionary from the age of 23. Since 2000, he has served as CEO, and since 2002 as president, of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. His father, one of most celebrated and well-loved preachers in American history, has counseled U.S. presidents from Harry Truman to George W. Bush.
From msn fathers day special http://specials.msn.com/Network/fathersday08.aspx?GT1=34008
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