Developing A Spiritual Diet And Exercise Program

Can you tell me what the four major food groups are this morning?

The teacher knew there was a shortfall of intelligence after she asked the class to name the four major food groups. Suzie shot up her hand and quickly reeled them off: "Wendy’s, McDonald’s, Burger King, and Pizza Hut."

I did a quick research project on the internet this week, and did a search on “diet”. Guess how many websites I found? 1 - 20 of 8,870,000.

I checked the Good Housekeeping website, and it had an article about the hottest 6 diets right now, and it asked the question of each of them if they were good diets.

PAGE 2: High-Protein Plans

PAGE 3: Liquid Diets

PAGE 4: The Hollywood Diet

PAGE 5: Fasting

PAGE 6: Food Combining

PAGE 7: Soup Diets

The answer is—no, they are not good for you. But maybe next week they’ll change their minds.

Eggs and bacon used to be bad for you, now they aren’t too sure. What was once deemed healthy is no longer healthy, and what was once considered unhealthy is now healthy.

An unmotivated husband joined his wife for a diet after their holiday eating binge. His wife was very zealous about losing weight, but her husband was not. She challenged him with motivational speeches that would have made Vince Lombardi proud. One night, she caught him eyeing a piece of pecan pie that was left over from their pre-diet days. She shouted with the force of a drill sergeant, "Remember, if you cheat on your diet you’re only hurting yourself!" When she left the kitchen he stuck the pie in his mouth and said, "Ouch."

This mornings subject is how to develop a healthy diet. Now maybe you are looking at me and thinking—“He’s going to tell me what to eat?” Well, in one sense I am, because we are not going to look regular food, but spiritual food. Today’s plan is going to include not only a healthy plan of eating, but also a pattern for regular exercising as well. So, with that in mind, class, let’s get cooking!

First, we need a healthy diet.

What does “diet” really mean? We associate with diet the fact that we are trying to lose weight, which is technically a part of the definition, but here is the definition:

di·et [ d t ]

noun (plural di·ets)

1. what a person or animal eats: the food that a person or animal usually consumes

2. controlled intake of food: a controlled intake of food and drink designed for weight loss, for health or religious reasons, or to control or improve a medical condition a wheat-free diet

3. regular intake of something: a continuous or daily experience of, or indulgence in, something other than food living on a diet of soap operas and game shows

What is your spiritual diet this morning? In other words, where do you fill your spiritual gas tank to be able to get out on the road and do the work of the ministry? The way that some people watch their food intake is commendable, but yet the way we let things come in spiritual is shameful.

Should we develop a plan for our spiritual diet? Is it necessary? I believe it is!

In John, where Jesus is speaking with the Samaritan at the well, we have this recorded conversation between Jesus and the disciples:

31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."

32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."

33Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"

34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

Does the Bible have a diet plan for us as Christians—yes, I believe it does!

1 Peter 2

2Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Hebrews 5

11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

1Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death,[1] and of faith in God, 2instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3And God permitting, we will do so.