Obesity and the lack of spiritual exercise amongst Christians

"If the Holy Spirit was withdrawn from the church today, 95 percent of what we do would go on and no one would know the difference." –A. W. Tozer

Obesity and the lack of exercise amongst Christians

January 25, 2015

Daily Bread, September 6, 1992.

Sam Jones was a preacher who held revival services, which he called "quittin' meetings." His preaching was directed primarily to Christians, and he urged them to give up the sinful practices in their lives. Sam's messages were very effective, and many people promised to quit swearing, drinking, smoking, lying, gossiping, or anything else that was displeasing to the Lord.

On one occasion Jones asked a woman, "Just what is it that you're quittin'?" She replied, "I'm guilty of not doing something -- and I'm going to quit doing that too!" Even though she had no bad habits to give up, she wasn't actively living to please God.

• When most people hear the word sin, they automatically imagine things that should be avoided.

• Most churches have a list of dos and don’ts that mandate how people should conduct themselves.

• If you were to ask the difference between denominations, you would probably be told what one permits and one prohibits.

In James 4:17 (NASV) James tells us, “Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.”

• So many people are waiting for God to tell them what to do.

• They are waiting on some revelation from on high.

• So, there’s a story that goes like this: It's raining really hard and there's a Christian living beside a river as it starts to flood. The sheriff's deputies come by and tell him he should leave before the river cuts off the road. "The Lord will save me," he tells them. The river is up to the front porch and the some folks come by in a boat and tell him to hop in and they'll take him to safety. "The Lord will save me," he tells them. The water rises above the first floor and the man has to climb on his roof. The National Guard comes by in a boat and begs the man to come with them. "The Lord will save me," he tells them. The waters keep rising and the man is clinging to his chimney. A helicopter appears and lowers a rope, but he refuses to go, telling them "The Lord will save me." Finally he is standing on top of the chimney and the river is still rising. "Lord," he calls out, "Lord, why have you forsaken me?" The sky splits open and a HUGE voice booms out... "I sent two boats and a helicopter... What more do you want?"

• I am inspired, this morning, to address obesity and the lack of exercise amongst Christians.

• Before you turn me off, understand that this may not be what you think it is.

• I googled and found a list of the world’s heaviest people: people over 1,000 lbs.

• These people continue to take in too many calories and get little exercise, until all they can do is take in calories and burn very few.

• Don’t we find the same thing in church and amongst Christians?

• Francis Chan, in his sermon on this subject, simply says “Do something.”

• Just Do it (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Do_It ) is a trademark of the shoe company Nike, and one of the core components of Nike's brand. The slogan was coined in 1988 at an advertising agency meeting, by Dan Wieden, The founder of Wieden+Kennedy agency. The "Just Do It" campaign allowed Nike to further increase its share of the North American domestic sport-shoe business from 18% to 43%, (from $877 million to $9.2 billion in worldwide sales) from 1988 to 1998.

• I talked to a lady, who attends a church where her pastor commands people not to have a home group bible studies. He threatened to bring charges against them to the deacon board, if they disobeyed him. He tries to discredit every person that leaves his church, including his former minister of music and his former youth pastor. When I asked her why she continued to attend there, she stated “God hasn’t told me to move and until he does, I’ll stay there.”

• I’ve had people ask me how to know God’s will in our lives.

• I had a guy tell me that he wanted a “Moses, burning bush experience, to know” what God wanted him to do.

• Why does it seem, to me, that people are making excuses for inactivity?

• I really believe there are a couple of reasons for people’s inactivity:

• People don’t actually believe that God directs us.

• Therefore, when they say that they are waiting to hear from God, they don’t believe it will happen, and they don’t have to do anything because they have not heard instructions that they really don’t believe are forthcoming. We can blame our inactivity on God. “It’s God’s fault I’ve done nothing. He didn’t tell me what to do.”

• It’s tantamount to saying “I believe in aliens, and I believe they guide our lives. Therefore, I am waiting to hear from them before I take action.”

• I don’t have a hotline to the motor vehicle or traffic department, but I know what is expected of me when I get behind the wheel of my car.

• When I was in the Army, I didn’t constantly receive orders from those over me, but we had what was called “General Orders.”

• 3 General Orders

• 1st General Order"I will guard everything within the limits of my post and quit my post only when properly relieved."

• 2nd General Order"I will obey my special orders and perform all of my duties in a military manner."

• 3rd General Order"I will report violations of my special orders, emergencies, and anything not covered in my instructions, to the commander of the relief.

I’ve said before that I believe that “Christians” either don’t believe in hell, or don’t care that people are going there.

• People are afraid they will make a mistake.

• People ere on the side of caution.

• “What if I do this, but it wasn’t God?”

We have been instructed, already, as to our course of action.

• Matthew 28:16-20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)

• “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

• Collosians 3:2

• “Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.”

· Philippians 4:8New American Standard Bible (NASB)

o “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

• Matthew 22:36-39

• “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

· Psalm 139:23-24New American Standard Bible (NASB)

o Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; And see if there be any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.

• Is it altogether possible that we should stop praying “What do you want me to do, God?” and “What is your will for my life, God?” and start praying “Heavenly Father, you are holy and our desire is to be holy like you. We pray that your kingdom be established in our hearts and lives. I pray that your perfect will would guide us in all that we do. I ask that you would supply our needs, according to your will. Please forgive us of our sin and teach us to forgive those who have sinned against us. Teach us to avoid the snares of temptation and stand with us to defeat satans attempts to defeat us. Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me. (Psalms 139:23) Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. (psalms 51:2) Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. (psalm 51:10) Purify me with hyssop (a herb used in Jewish rites of purification), and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (psalm 51:7) Please open my eyes to the needs around me. Make my heart compassionate to those in need. Let me see people as you see people.”