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God's Spiritual Health Care Plan 1 Timothy 4.6-10 Introduction: Recently we have heard a lot about
health care. While people are
debating what needs to be done we can all agree that health care is important,
it is personal, and it is in our best interest to do what we can to have good
health. Actually the keys to having
good health are well known. In this
lesson we want to concentrate on having good spiritual health by looking at
God’s health care plan. I) Good Diet A) We are what we eat is true. 1.
Need to eat a balance diet with vegetables, the major food categories. 2.
Junk food may be tasty and good every now and then but if all you eat is junk it
will eventually catch up with you. B) Spiritually we need a balanced
diet 1.
Means to leave off the junk, 1 Peter 2.1 2.
Means to desire the right kind of food, 1
Peter 2.2-3. 3.
Means to study so as to be able to digest the harder and more complicated
passages later on, Hebrews 5.13-15a II) Exercise A) Exercise builds up the body 1.
Burns up calories, elevates the heart rate, increases endurance, builds strength 2.
A person that never exercises is unable to do much without growing tired B) We are to exercise ourselves to
godliness, 1 Timothy 4.7-8 1.
Various exercise passages, Hebrews 5.14
training oneself to discern good from evil;
1 Corinthians 9.24ff learning
self discipline which is one of the fruit of the spirit qualities in Galatians
5. . 2.
Exercise may not always be pleasant but we usually feel better after we have
done it. III) Heart A) The heart is key to having good
health 1.
Pumps the blood through out the body, obviously if the heart stops then we die 2.
There are things we can do to help our heart, exercise, watch our blood
pressure, eat the right foods; all which relates to the above points. 3.
Problem is the heart is not easily seen and a person may look good on the
outside but have a bad heart. B) The heart is key to our
spiritual health 1.
As a man thinks in his heart, Proverbs
23.7 2.
Our actions comes from our heart, Matthew
15.17-19. 3.
We are warned to watch what we see, think, and do for they influence our heart. 4.
The Lord is with those of a contrite heart,
Psalm 34.18; Isaiah 57.15 IV) Eyes, Ears, Nose,
and Throat A) I remember going to
the doctor and him always going through the same routine. 1.
He would take a light and look in our eyes. 2.
Then he would look in our ears. 3.
Then he would take a stick, put it in our mouth, and tell us to say AHHHH! 4.
Finally he at times looked up our nose, especially if we seem to having some
sinus problems. B) The Bible talks about those same
things, Matthew 15.8-9. 1.
We are to be careful of what we see, Job
31.1; Matthew 5.27-29 2.
This requires us to look on the proper things,
Psalm 119.18,37 3.
Our throat is a source of blessings and cursing,
James 3.9-10; Romans 3.13-14. 4.
We are warned that we will be judged by our words,
Matthew 12.37 5.
Ears is what we use to listen, Matthew
11.15; 13.9 6.
Nose is what we use to smell with. We also speak of our noses in a metaphorical
sense; in having our noses stuck in the air or sticking our nose into someone
else’ business. The Bible speak of being humble and mining our own business. 1
Thess. 4.11; James 4.6 V) Good Health is
Connected To Our Birth A) A healthy baby has a good chance
of becoming a healthy adult. 1.
We understand some children may be born with health issues and overcome them. 2.
Others may die prematurely. B) Spiritually we are all born the
same way, John 3.3,5 1.
We are born from the word of God, 1 Peter
1.22-23 2.
This birth places in the family of God, Ephesians
3.15 VI)
Rest A)
Rest is necessary for those that have been working 1.
A person that is working appreciates the rest they get. I remember hauling hay
and having a few moments to rest. 2.
But rest is not to be mistaken for laziness. B)
Our rest Is a future promise, Revelation 14.12-13. 1.
Those that rest before death will not enter into the rest, Hebrews
4.1. 2.
Backing up to chapter 3 we see the writer is making the point that many of the
Israelites did not enter the Conclusion:
God’s health care plan was paid for by Jesus as He died on the cross for our
sins. We are to give ourselves to
Him. This means to be born again, to eat of the word of God, exercise ourselves
to godliness, keep our heart pure, and take care of our eyes, ears, throat, and
nose; and to be faithful till death.
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