Body by Bible

Your body is a temple of the Lord.  We have all heard this quote so many times, but I can bet we never spend too much time actually taking this verse into consideration- and I am as guilty as anyone else!
If we really break  it down... our body is not actually ours.  It is simply an extension of us.  The Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit lives in our body.  What does this actually translate to when it comes to how we should live our life and how we should treat our physical self?  Keep it healthy!  Our diets are inevitably one of the biggest ways that we can treat our bodies in the holiest of manners. One way of breaking it down... "Is this something I would want to put into Jesus' body?!"

If the answer is no- skip it! You can apply this any habit or action: Regularly exercising, taking care of your mental and emotional health, choosing to wear your seat-belt in the car (or any other common sense safety measure), etc.

Your body ultimately belongs to Christ.  Treat it accordingly!

Love conquers all!

It is not often that the news puts out any type of happy story... especially one like this!  I found this particular story to be incredibly heartwarming.  

A man from Rochester, New York, Luther Younger, shows how deeply devoted he is to his beloved wife, Waverlee.  This man goes way above and beyond what anyone would expect from an elderly husband.

Luther makes a six mile round-trip every day, regardless of the weather that day, to visit Waverlee in the hospital.  Waverlee is currently suffering with a brain tumor that she was diagnosed with nearly a decade ago. His wife is often hospitalized for weeks on end.  Sometimes Luther even sleeps on the hospital floor next to her bed!

Luther's love for Waverlee begins decades ago.  She helped him raise his children from a previous marriage.  She was strong.  She was his "cup of tea", as he describes. Waverlee's daughter tells news reporters of the strong, unconditional love that Luther has for her mother. Everyone sees it. 

Most people would CRINGE at the idea of making a six mile round trip, on foot, every single day.  But when you've walked through life with someone, what's another six miles? 

What can we learn from Luther?  That love is unconditional. And although Luther's love for Waverlee seems to be unmatched, it is nothing in comparison to God's love for us.  Can you even believe that?!

1 John 3:16

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. "

When life has you shaken up... don't get stirred up!

We all know what it feels like to be shaken up by the daily annoyances in life.  Sometimes they are small things, like someone cutting you off on the road, being late to work, etc... and sometimes the annoyances are overwhelming- your boss is being extra hard on you, family drama, children getting into trouble. All of our problems are taken seriously by God! 

Give up all your problems to God and don't get stirred by them.  It's one thing to be shaken- (ie, irritated, annoyed, etc), but it is another to be stirred (loss of sleep, extra stress, worry, etc), which can have what may be possible long- term effects on your life.

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your worries on Him, because He cares for you.

When we are a society of such that lives for the moment with instant gratification at our fingertips, we often times lose sight of the bigger picture in life, and therefore can be stirred up quite easily.  If we remember that God is the ultimate receiver of all of our worries, we will be able to manage being shaken much more easily.  Remember: The ultimate goal for ALL of us should be to disciple to others and let God handle the rest.  Be a good person. Do good for others. God will take care of the rest.

Make disciples of all nations!

It is a Christian's obligation to spread the gospel. As Christians, we know this.  It is not enough to simply believe- but it is also our job as Christians is to bring others to Christ.  New Venture is coming up on "Plus 1 Weekend" on September 16 where we encourage our members to bring a friend... or 5!  We feed everyone, take them on a tour, and see what areas of ministry everyone is interested in.  It really is a wonderful time!

MATTHEW 28:19

I encourage all of you to show up on September 16 with your "plus 1".  It really is a great opportunity to fellowship and to grow the body of Christ. You never know what you may learn about yourself that day!  Everyone has special gifts that they have to offer... and for all you know, your spiritual gifts COULD start a chain reaction.  You could be getting more souls in Heaven!