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Word and Truth Ministries International, Inc.
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This email is prepared by Rev. Hall and delivered every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Each email covers a specific topic and includes scripture reference and a short discussion of the scripture as it relates to the topic. Here are recent teachings by Rev. Hall:
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Today's scriptures will come from the New International Version of the Bible.
Daniel 1:8, But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
Ecclesiastes 7:17, Do not be overwicked, and do not be a fool--why die before your time?
3 John 2, Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.
I recently had a conversation with a brother in Christ whom I happen to love dearly and I advised him to start eating healthier because I was concerned about him. After being somewhat disturbed about me addressing the matter, he thought about it and sought the LORD, and then he realized that what I told him out of love was correct. Being a Bible Teacher often causes me to "hit every area" of the Word and I find myself correcting people about things that most would consider to be "small" issues. However, after seeking the Spirit of God, I felt led to minister to you today on the subject of health and Christianity as I feel that it is a much needed issue to address. I believe that the LORD is sending a very firm and direct message to the Body of Christ in an effort to get us more "conditioned" at taking care of ourselves and living healthy as He intended. I think that we all can agree that we have been guilty at some point of not truly doing all that we can to take care of ourselves. We are not all truly living a health Christian life and I will be the first to tell you that I need improvements in this area myself, although I am striving to do better. I pray that this message will be a blessing to you and will help us all to get on the path of improving our health and glorifying our bodies for the LORD.
As believers, we know that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit and we also know that it is very important that we treat them accordingly and take good care of them in every way. It is God's will for believers to walk in divine health and to enjoy long and fruitful lives. However, some of our biggest faults are not exercising, not getting the proper amount of sleep, not being able to control our appetites and not watching how and what we eat. As a result, it is obvious that Christians are some of the most unhealthy people that there are; many are overweight, many of them suffer from sicknesses and diseases and many of them are unable to truly enjoy the fulness of their Christian lives due to depression and oppression. Depression sets in as a result of not being able to partake in certain activities, and not being able to experience the "good life" but the oppression sets in because of one's codependency on prescription drugs and over the counter aids that helps them to just "get by."
We can correct this by simply making some changes in our eating and sleeping habits and in our lifestyles in general. In addition to finding ways to eliminate stress, overexertion, anxiety and worries due to lack of finances, we must establish a good eating plan. God has ordained certain foods in the Bible which are for the nourishment of man. Some of these foods are, fish, herbs, olives, fruits, vegetables and water just to name a few. The LORD has given us full control as to how we wish to take care of our bodies. In fact, the prophet Daniel "refused" to eat the food that was presented to him. The Bible says that Daniel (Daniel 1:8-15) asked to be granted permission to not "defile" his body. Instead of eating what the others ate, Daniel only ate vegetables and drank water for ten days. At the end of the ten day period, Daniel was looking better and was healthier and more nourished than those who ate the "royal food" (choice food). After they saw how well Daniel looked and how much strength he had, the others took away their royal food and indulged in only vegetables and water like Daniel. The point here is, that eating good food is not always eating healthy food and sometimes we have to deprive ourselves from eating a "good" meal in order to eat just a plain "healthy" meal. We must have the will power to say no, not necessarily because we don't want it, but, because in order to stay healthy, we should not eat it. Now, I know that there are times when we all like to eat a good meal, and that is not a problem, however, we must learn to "balance" our eating so that we are not overdoing it. We have three major holidays coming, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's and I know that we will all be "pigging out" for the most part. That's fine as long as we balance our eating around them. And, for those of you who must eat snacks throughout the day in addition to your regular meals, try a granola bar, a protein bar, fruit, carrot sticks, celery sticks or something along those lines. That way, you will be satisfying your hunger and eating healthy at the same time.
Remember, we must take it upon ourselves to keep from defiling our bodies and so that we can live out our days. The Bible tells us God's will for man's life span, Psalms 90:10(a), The length of our days is seventy years--or eighty, if we have the strength. A person's strength is based on their health; the healthier they are, the stronger they will be. So, in essence, the better that we take care of our bodies, the longer we will live. God gives us the choice; 70 - 80 years. I do not know of one person that is on this group list who is anywhere near the age of 70 or 80. Therefore, we all have time to correct what we are doing wrong and we must make a sound decision to work towards living a true healthy Christian life.
Remember, health and Christianity go together so, let's work towards being strong, healthy, disciplined Christians.
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I want to just briefly discuss how hard it is for a minister of the gospel to be received in their own city. This is an issue that has existed within the Body of Christ for quite a while. It even existed when Jesus walked the earth. We will look at some of the reasons why this problem exists. The New Internatinal Version of the Bible will be used.
Mark 6:4, Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor." He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith.
Jesus performed many miracles and healings while He walked the earth and he also taught the Bible with excellence and with a clear understanding. However, even in spite of the fact that He was the Son of God and He was sent to directly by God, He was not received by His relatives and friends.
Such is the case with many ministers today; myself included. While our family and friends may love us, they know us somewhat differently than others. They have had a close relationship with us and they know our "personal" sides, while others only know our spiritual side. Because of this, those close to us often take us for granted and do not look to us the way that they should. They cannot view as true servants of God and ministers of the gospel because they have known us as just "family" and "friends" for so long.
However, even though they may have a close connection with us, and even though they may be related to us, they must realize that who we are spiritually is more important than who we are in the natural. The reason is because we belong to God first and family and friends come second. Once God has called us into His service, our lifesytles change as well as our relationships. It does not mean that you cannot still love your family and friends nor does it mean that you cannot be around them, but what it does mean is that you have to look at each and every person as someone that you must help if they have a particular need.
Jesus loved His family and friends but they did not receive Him as the true miracle worker, healer and servant of God that He truly was. The Bible says that because of the reception that He received from His family, He had to leave and do God's work in another city. His family knew and received Him as Jesus their brother and friend but not as Jesus their "Healer and Deliverer."
I would like to encourage you today take a close look at those who are around you who have been called and chosen by God. Whether they are your friend, family or co-worker, you should realize that God has a divine calling on their life and while you may see them on a daily or regular basis, they are truly one of God's vessels. So, when they began to allow themselves to be used by God, do not reject or resist them as they are only doing what God has called them to do. Instead, allow them to be used by God in whatever way that He chooses to use them. Do not be ashamed or embarrased by what they may do; realize that it is God working through them and He is in control. Receive them not only as your family member or friend; but receive them as a servant of the God, and when you do, you will see God use them to the max right in your very midst.
God bless you!.
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The New International Version of the Bible will be used.
Acts 3:2-10, "Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk." Taking him up by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. When all the people saw him walking and praising God, they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."
In this story, we can see that the beggar at the temple gate (called Beautiful) was crippled from birth. His daily routine was to sit at the temple gate and beg for money as the people walked by. Because the people had pity on the man for being crippled, they felt obligated to contribute to him. However, while the people's thoughts and intentions were good, they were not really helping the man because he had become dependent on them. As long as he knew that he had others to depend on, he was going to keep sitting at the temple gate begging and waiting for someone to come to his aid. In essence, his handicap was being used as against him as it was hindering him and it was keeping him bound.
Such is the case with many believers today. They are using their infirmities and weaknesses to gain pity and to keep others feeling guilty about their conditions. Although they may not be handicapped in the physical sense, they are spiritually handicapped because they are missing out on the promises of God's word. Instead of depending on God to supply all of their needs, they are depending on man. They need to experience the miracle working power of God in their lives like the beggar did at the temple gate. When Peter and John were entering into the temple, and when the beggar cried out to them for money, Peter was given this same revelation.
The revelation was that the man did not need pity nor charity but he needed deliverance. You see, you can only pity a person for so long. And then, instead of helping them to remain "help--less" you will have to help them to become "help--ful."
So then, Peter told the man that he had no money to give to him but that he was anointed with the healing and delivering power of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. In other words, Peter was telling the man that he was no longer going to pity him and help him to stay bound but rather, he was going to help him to get delivered and set free. So, Peter commanded the man to get up and walk in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. The Bible says that the man's knees and ankles "instantly" became strong and Peter helped him up and the man began to walk. So you see, the man just needed someone to go a step beyond having pity and use the miracle power of God to help him to get set free. That's the word to some of you today. God is ready to work a miracle in your life but you have to move beyond wanting pity and want to be healed and set free. You see, the beggar was ready for a change, he was ready to get up and go on with his life. But all he needed was for someone to come along and give him some "spiritual" help so that he could get his deliverance. So let me ask you today, are you ready for a change in your life? Are you ready to get your deliverance? Are you tired of being a charity case? Are you tired of people pitying you? If so, you don't have to wait like the beggar did for Peter, all you have to do is stand on the promises of the word of God and command the situation to be reversed in the name of Jesus Christ. You have the power to do it through the word of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit. And let me stand in agreement with you while we claim the victory.
Father in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I thank You that You have given us the power to be healed, delivered and set free from any and all infirmities. LORD, I thank You that through You all things are possible. So I ask You now Father God, to strengthen and empower Your people as they continue to walk along this Christian journey. LORD, help them to know that You are God and that You are God all by Yourself, and if they depend on You and You alone, all of their needs will be met. LORD, I bound every spirit of pity, charity, poverty, lack, and insecurity and I loose the spirits of love, joy and peace. LORD, I pray that they will receive an abundance of all that You have for them; let their cups overflow. And right now LORD, in the name of Jesus, I command the devil to loose every stronghold that he has against your people. I speak the life of God into the spirits of each and every one of them and I thank You LORD that it is already done for Your goodness, Your honor and Your glory. In Jesus name. Amen.
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