The mountain cries
Tears flow like a river
Pain caused by the people in this world
The bloodshed and destruction
How selfish we have become
We take no matter the cost
The harm we inflict upon each other
The grief we cause
The mountain cries
Month: March 2016
Spiritual Health/Physical Health-Fear
Fear can cause physical damage to our body. You can feel chest pains, shortness of breath. Fear can cause a panic attack. There are many things in this world that can cause fear. The enemy wants us to be afraid.There is a long list of phobias. Fear can be a prison. Some are afraid to be in a large crowd, others are afraid to be alone. Some are so filled with fear that they cannot leave their homes. You have heard the saying ‘Scared to death’. People even enjoying being scared by and watch horror movies or go to haunted houses, and tell ghost stories. Fear can cause a fight or flight mentality. It can also cause you to freeze in your tracks and make you feel immobile, like there is nothing you can do and that there is no escape.
Yet we do not need to live in fear. 365 times it is written to fear not. God wants us to trust in Him and not be afraid for nothing. When Jesus was tempted by Satan He spoke the Word. We have 365 scriptures to battle fear every day of the year. When fear comes upon you instead of giving into the fear you can speak His Word. I am not saying that this is easy, especially when you are first taking a stand against fear. Are mind is a battle ground. There are so many what if’s that are thoughts gravitate to when facing scary situations. To be honest I know I am one who often looks at the worse case scenario. Yet recent health issues has made me remember that I cannot be afraid that it will only have a more negative effect on my current situation, and can cause my health to get worse. My mother died of a stroke 4 years ago and just a week ago I was diagnosed with hypertension. I had to choose not to be afraid of the diagnosis but be grateful that the diagnosis tells me to care for my body and my health and that I am able to see a doctor. Trusting in the Lord does not come easy for me but He has given me His Word and I can trust Him.
Here are some scriptures to help conquer fear in your life.
- When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. Psalm 56:3 NIV
- For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
- One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! Acts 18:9 NLT
- He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. Psalm 91:4-8 NLT
- But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just have faith.”Mark 5:36 NLT
- I, am the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear? Isaiah 51:12 NLT
- I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4 NLTFear not; you will no longer live in shame. Don’t be afraid; there is no more disgrace for you. You will no longer remember the shame of your youth and the sorrows of widowhood. Isaiah 54:4 NLT
- And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:38 NLT
- Even though I walk through the darkest valley,I will fear no evil, for you are with me Psalm 23:4 NIV
- The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid? Psalm 27:1 NIV
And here is a good article on fear
Most every day I talk to someone who is afraid or anxious (which is generalized fear). Maybe you fear what people think of you… Not having enough money… Public speaking, flying, being far from home, or spiders… Failure or rejection… Losing a loved one… Disease or pain… Death…
We all long for more of God’s peace in the midst of the stresses of our lives!
How Many “Fear Nots” are There in the Bible?
“Fear not!” is the most repeated command in the Bible. In fact, it’s been said that there are 365 “Fear nots” in the Bible — one “Fear not” for every day of the year! Lloyd Ogilvie in Facing the Future without Fear even said there are 366 “Fear nots” in the Bible, one for every day of the year, including Leap Year! God doesn’t want us to go a single day without hearing his word of comfort: “Fear not!”
Actually, as I share in my book Your Best Life In Jesus’ Easy Yoke, there are way more than 365 “Fear nots” in the Bible! Thank God because we need to be reminded to “Fear not” and trust God everyday.
Are there Really More than 365 Fear Nots in the Bible?
Many people say, “It’s a nice thought to say that there are 365 ‘Fear nots’ in the Bible, but it’s not true.” Indeed, there is not a version of the Bible that 365 times says, quote unquote, “Fear not.” For instance, the King James Version says “Fear not” or “Be not afraid” 103 times, but not 365 times.
So why do I say that there are more than 365 “Fear nots” in the Bible?
“Fear” is spoken of over 500 times in the KJV. Furthermore, in addition to the “Fear nots” many times the Bible teaches us to “Fear God,” which really means reverence God alone and do not fear anyone or anything else.Expanding the search to look at verses encouraging us not to worry or not to be anxious would add many, many more “Fear not” Scriptures. This is why I say that there are more than 365 “Fear nots” in the Bible.
A Fear Not Prayer
The Psalmist often leads us in a “Fear not” prayer. The Psalms are the Bible’s great soul book, meant to train us to respond to all life situations and difficulties through prayer and trust in the Lord.
One example is Psalm 56. David has been seized by the Philistines and he starts to become afraid, but instead he sets his vision on his Lord and Savior in his midst. He praises God and his word to him: “Fear not!” He puts his trust in the Lord…
When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.
In God, whose word I praise,
In God I trust; I will not be afraid.
What can mortal man do to me?
(Psalm 56:3-4, repeated in similar words in verses 10-11.)
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No More Fear!
What fear is trying to take a hold of you right now? What threat or trouble are you facing?
Watch and pray with David, “When I am afraid of _________, I will trust in you, O Lord.”
In Your Best Life In Jesus’ Easy Yoke I show you how to use Scripture prayers of the heart like this to overcome anxiety and fear. Let me walk you through your fears and into the loving arms of Christ. You can learn to live with peace and power!
Spiritual Health/ Physical Health-Heart Health tips
Heart health is important both physically and spiritually. As some of you may know that I have recently been diagnosed hypertension/high blood pressure. So as I learn to manage my blood pressure I will be sharing health tips regarding blood pressure.
Proverbs 4:23 – Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.
Today’s tip can be read in full at this website – http://www.everydayhealth.com/diet-nutrition/sources-of-potassium.aspx
Potassium
So who needs to watch their potassium intake?
- People with kidney disease are at risk of having too much potassium in the blood. They tend to retain potassium because their kidneys don’t get rid of extra potassium as normal kidneys would. Hyperkalemia, or high levels of potassium in the blood, can be caused by a number of things (including certain medications and hormonal deficiencies), but kidney disease is the most common culprit. High levels of potassium can lead to irregular heartbeats. Therefore, your doctor may periodically check your potassium levels, especially if you have kidney disease.
- People with high blood pressure are at increased risk for having low potassium levels (hypokalemia) because some high blood pressure medications can deplete potassium levels in the blood. Other conditions that can cause low potassium include vomiting, diarrhea, and eating disorders. Certain laxatives and diuretics have been found to cause low potassium as well. Low potassium is characterized by weakness, fatigue, constipation, and muscle cramps. If your potassium level becomes too low, it can also affect your heartbeat. Talk with your doctor about monitoring your potassium levels if you take high blood pressure medication or have a condition that may cause low potassium.
Spiritual Health/ Physical Health – 3 John vs.2
3 John 2 (ESV)2 Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.
Then the need to pray for the health of other is so very important. There are so many who are facing so many health issues. Every day you hear of a new need for prayer for healing. Cancer,diabetes, disease, the long list of illness and health problems goes on and on.
I like this scripture because the writer of this is praying for the recipients. It is a good reminder.Let us continue to pray for each others health.
Spiritual Health Physical Health/1 Corinthians 6:19
The Body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit
18 Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.
We must take diligent care of our body. It is a daily effort. To neglect our body is to neglect what God has given to us. When we receive Jesus as our Savior and Lord we receive His Spirit to live in us. Many of us have some type of ailment. This was the inspiration for me to start a study on both physical health and spiritual health. I know so many who suffer from different health issues. Before I started this study my main health issue was pain due to injuries to my back that effected many areas of both my body and my attitude. I want to live a better life not restricted by my body. I had learned some years ago that when my pain level spiked my attitude got ugly. I was short tempered and my mind would think about all of the abuse it had gone through and I would be angry for all the wrong I had suffered. I would start playing the blame game. If this had happened to me I would not feel this way. Then I finally had enough and decided that I could no longer this way. Despite what condition my body may be in I had to learn to have the joy of the Lord. For it is written to count it all joy when you face trials and tribulations. I was also holding onto bitterness and resentment. I was not forgiving those who had hurt me. This had to change. I started with my tongue taking great care to learn to speak words of love, life, peace, and encouragement. Now the health problems of others are not the same as mine but I know from my own experience that we all face feelings that make our problems worse when we give into them. So I started looking deep into the scripture about caring for my body as well as tips on taking better care of the body.
Now a month after I started this study I have been hit with a new health issue. I now have been diagnosed with stroke level blood pressure. Any of you who have blood pressure you know what my body has been going through.This however is new to me since this is the first time in my life that I have experienced high blood pressure. I used to say with all my problems at least I had a good heart and good blood pressure. As a matter of fact the worse it had ever been was extremely low when my health would get bad. Now I am not a big fan of going to the doctor. Yet I knew that was not something that I could ignore. So I went to the doctor the other day so that I could know what exactly was happening with my body. I did not want anything to be wrong but I knew that for the last few weeks my body was going down hill fast and I needed to know what was wrong so that I could deal with it. Pretending nothing was wrong would have only done more damage. I had often heard from some people that that hated doctors and that they did not want to get checked out because they would rather not know. Now I am not saying run to the doctor or E.R. for every sneeze or cough. That to me is unnecessary. Yet when you feel that something is wrong do not ignore it. We need to know the cause so that it can be dealt with. Next month it will be four years since I lost my mother to a sudden stroke. If had not gone to the doctor and got examined I very well could have had a stroke but now I am under a doctors care and on medication and will be able live a healthier life.
Take care of your body. It is the only one on this planet that you will have. As long as there is life in your body you have a purpose Go has for you. No matter what shape your body is in you can still serve the Lord. You are more likely to be emphatic to another because you know from your own experience how pain and illness can effect a persons attitude and how one can feel hopeless and depressed because of their ailment. You are the witness to them that no matter what God loves us and cares for each and everyone of us. That despite our circumstance we still have hope and joy.
God bless and keep you always.
Do you feel like road kill?
Photography by Julie Sheppard
There may be times when you feel that you have been beaten and you want to give up. You feel like there is nothing left in you and yet you still feel the vultures picking away at your carcass. You feel worthless. As if you were meant to be nothing more than a victim. This is a lie! Do not believe it. You may be getting attacked on every side and may feel like that you deserve what is being done to you. Don’t! The enemy comes to kill steal and destroy, but you have been given the victory over the enemy. You are no longer a victim but you are victorious.
Whatever mistakes you have made, you have been forgiven. Jesus loves you so much He died for you. However bad your current situation may look, keep your eyes on Jesus, and do not lose hope. What the world may try to do to harm you, He will turn into good for you. His love transforms the worst into the most beautiful and lovely.
When you have done all that you can, stand and let the Lord take over. He will never leave you or forsake you. He paid to high a price for your life to let it be destroyed. The world is filled with problems, strife, and tragedy. He has overcome the world, and wants to give you peace. A true peace filled with hope love and joy.
You may feel beaten but you have been given the keys to life. Take hold of His hand and let Him lead you through this world. You are not alone. Even when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace, they were not alone. He was with them and He is with you. Do not be afraid of what man can do to you but trust in our Lord and Savior. Be encouraged that you are not alone and you are loved. No matter how you may feel or how things look. Trust in God.
John 10:10(ESV) The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Psalm 103:8-12 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Isaiah 54:17 (ESV) no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.
Hebrews 12:2 MSG Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed – that exhilarating finish in and with God – he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God.
Ephesians 6:11-13 (NKJV) 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
John 16:33 (ESV) I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Matthew 16:19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Revelation 1: 18and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
Daniel 3:19-25 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. 20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 22 Therefore because the king’s commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flames of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. 25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
Nehemiah 4:14 “Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome.”
Luke 12:14 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Question?
This may be a morbid question, but why do they put fences around cemeteries?
Are they afraid that the dead will want to get out?
Or are they trying to keep people out?
Don’t know why this thought came to me, but I just had to ask.
Where is your heart?
I have updated this Bible study presentation on the heart.
A power point presentation for Bible study click on Heart above to open and enjoy.
Time to get out of your shell
March 5, 2016 12:39 PM
The desire to get out of the house and do things and be around others is not due to being home alone or feelings of loneliness, as some might believe. Honestly it is much easier to be a hermit. Alone, there is no one to bother you. No drama, no one to fight with. No one who can use or hurt you can be a much simpler life. However God did not create us to be alone. If He had He would have stopped with Adam. Yet He looked at him and knew he needed a companion. A branch cut off from the vine will wither and die. Yet the vine will continue to live. It can be pruned till it is not more than a stump and will survive. Beneath the surface its roots are strong and continue to grow. With proper care the vine will grow.
You never know whose life you will touch when you get out. The love of Christ inside of you needs to be shared. There is someone outside of the safety of your home who may have heard of the name of Jesus, but has never seen His love. Even if you do not speak directly to this person, your actions can be just what they need to see to know His love is real. Something as simple as your smile can brighten their day. A seed kept inside of a package will never grow. You need to get out of your shell and spread His love and plant the seeds He has given to you and to me with a world starving for His love. You were created with a purpose inside of you. Let it grow and take root. It can only do this if you take action and not let it lay dormant. Get out and till the soil, and plant those seeds, and then keep the good work up and care for what you have planted and watch the fruits of your labors grow and produce more seeds for future crops. You have been blessed, now go and be a blessing.
Focusing on the Heart /How old is your heart?
I am focusing on the heart and will be sharing articles I find intresting while I prepare for my next Bible study, Physical Health Spiritual Health/What shape is Your Heart In? I hope these articles will be helpful, and I will be including the web address.
How Old Is Your Heart?
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http://obesity.about.com/od/Related-Disorders/fl/How-Old-Is-Your-Heart.htm?utm_content=6206884&utm_medium=email&utm_source=cn_nl&utm_campaign=health_tod&utm_term=bouncex4
Written or medically reviewed by a board-certified physician. See About.com’s Medical Review Policy.
Updated February 11, 2016.
Is your heart age the same as your chronological age? Unfortunately, for many Americans, the answer is no—because, due to cardiac risk factors and unhealthy lifestyle habits, their hearts are actually many years older than they should be.
Calculating Your Heart Age
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a very handy heart age calculator that can be accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/cardiovasculardisease/heartage.html. This predictor uses traditional cardiac risk factors of body mass index (BMI), gender, blood pressure, smoking history and diabetes to calculate your heart age.
For example, according to this calculator, a 30-year-old woman with a systolic blood pressure (that’s the top blood pressure number) of 118 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) who has never been treated for high blood pressure, who doesn’t smoke, who doesn’t have diabetes, and who has a normal BMI of 22.5, has a heart and vascular (blood vessel) age of 28, which is actually younger and healthier than her chronological age.
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However, according to the same calculator, a 45-year-old man with a systolic blood pressure that is slightly elevated at 126 mm Hg, who has never been treated for high blood pressure, who doesn’t currently smoke, and who doesn’t have diabetes but is obese with a BMI of 38, has a heart age of 52, one that is older than he is.
I encourage you to plug your own numbers into this calculator and see what your own heart age is. You can quickly see, by playing around a bit with the calculator, which risk factors make a big impact on your heart health.
The calculator also gives you an estimate of your 10-year risk of having a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack or stroke.
If you need to calculate your BMI first in order to use this heart age calculator, this is easily done by knowing your height and weight and plugging them into this standard BMI calculator offered by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI): http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/BMI/bmicalc.htm
How to Have a Younger Heart
Focusing on a healthy diet, healthy lifestyle habits and a healthy weight can give you a younger heart.
Such lifestyle changes can improve or even eliminate many of the cardiac risk factors you may have, such as overweight or obesity, or high blood pressure (which responds well to a healthy diet, exercise and weight loss).
Aim to get regular exercise of at least moderate intensity for at least 30 minutes every day. Focus on eating a heart-healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean diet, which has been proven in decades of large clinical trials to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.
If you smoke, quit smoking ASAP. In just a short time, quitting smoking has major favorable effects on your heart and cardiovascular system.
Avoid second-hand smoke exposure.
Getting enough sleep, in the range of seven to nine hours per night, is also important for heart health, and can prevent obesity as well.
Most importantly, know your numbers and your risk, and work with your physician and healthcare team to reduce your risk.
References:
Goff DC, Lloyd-Jones DM, Bennett G, et al. 2013 ACC/AHA guideline on the assessment of cardiovascular risk: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. Circulation 2014;129:549-573.
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). World Health Organization fact sheet. Accessible online at http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs317/en/
Author’s Note: The advertisements that appear on this site are automatically generated based on content, and are not chosen by the Obesity Expert or by any guest author. No endorsement of any advertised product or service is given or implied by the author.
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