In the Matthew 28 version of the great commission, there is a profound connection between authority and discipleship. Notice the words authority in verse 18 and disciples in verse 19.

Yeshua has authority, therefore we make disciples. Discipleship is a response to Yeshua’s authority.

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:18-19).

The gospel message is an offer of forgiveness and an invitation to eternal life. Yet it is also a declaration of authority. There is no salvation without lordship. The most basic profession of salvation is a profession of lordship. Whoever confesses with his mouth that Yeshua is Lord … will be saved (see Rom. 10:9). The confession that Yeshua is Lord is essentially a commitment to submit to His authority.

A salvation prayer should include the phrase, “I submit to Yeshua’s authority and commit myself to obey Him.” Yesterday our evangelist friend, Rachel, brought an Israeli man to our daily prayer meeting for the first time. He heard me teach on this subject, and asked to receive salvation, thank God.

Yeshua has all authority. The gospel declares that authority. Whoever submits to Him is saved and becomes one of His disciples. To be a disciple is to learn how to walk in submission to His authority.

Yeshua has two kinds of authority. The first is direct, spiritual authority. We have to obey Him directly, as led by the Holy Spirit in our conscience (see Rom. 2:15, 8:16, 9:1). His word and His holiness are above any man’s opinions. Scriptures define for us His absolute standards of right and wrong.

The second kind of authority is delegated, through other human beings. Direct authority takes precedence over delegated authority, yet we have to respect this second kind of authority as well. The problem is that Yeshua is perfect, while human beings in positions of delegated authority are imperfect and sinful.

How can we submit to the authority of human beings who are often wrong, or even evil? The process of learning correct attitudes toward authority is a central part of discipleship.

Most human beings have had bad experiences with authority. Many have been hurt and abused by those in authority. Others get offended at any expression of authority. Often people rebel when they should submit, and act selfishly when they do have authority. We need much wisdom from God to sort through all this mess!

Authority must be limited to a sphere or realm with clearly defined boundaries (see Luke 23:7, 2 Cor. 10:13). A father has authority in his own family, not in someone else’s. A prime minister has authority in his nation, not in another. A kingdom is the realm of authority of a king. It is the “dominion” of a king. It is his ‘king-dominion.’

All delegated human authority is limited. Only Yeshua’s dominion is unlimited. He has “all” authority in both heaven and earth.    

May God heal our hearts from every abuse and bring us to repentance for every rebellion! A balanced and wholesome attitude toward authority is the mark of a true disciple.

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.

Israel is sparing no effort to prevent tragedy over the coming Passover holiday, believing that Hezbollah is planning to target Israelis around the world.

As part of efforts to prevent terror organizations from attacking Israelis traveling abroad, the National Security Council’s Counterterrorism Bureau, in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, mapped the hundreds of mass Passover seders planned around the world and briefed local authorities on security measures. The bureau stressed that there would be no Israeli security at these seders. All institutions that hold traditional mass seders, such as Chabad, have also been notified.

According to one senior Israeli security official, over the last year Israeli efforts managed to thwart more than 10 verified planned terror attacks against Israelis abroad.

Two weeks ago, Counterterrorism Bureau head Eytan Ben-David met with his Indian counterpart in light of heightened sensitivity about Israelis in India, stemming from the high number of Israeli tourists there as well as past terror attacks. Every year, 45,000 Israelis visit India, and Passover seders are held across the country in Chabad houses and guest houses associated with Israelis.

One of the worst terror attacks occurred in 2008 in Mumbai, in which Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka were killed along with four other hostages at the Mumbai Chabad House. Last year, Tali Koren-Yehoshua, the wife of an Israeli diplomat, was wounded in a terror attack in New Delhi.

The bureau issued its semiannual travel warning ahead of the Passover holiday, indicating that as the spring vacations approach, “destinations favored by Israelis and Jews could serve as targets for Iranian-sponsored terror organizations.”

Travel warnings are currently in place for Israelis in 27 countries, as well as eight additional regions. Most of the countries are African, Middle Eastern or Muslim Asian, but the warnings also include southern Thailand, Kashmir and Chechnya. The bureau issued the highest level warning for the Sinai Peninsula, calling on all Israelis to “exit the region immediately and return to Israel.”

The bureau stressed that warnings were also in place for Israelis headed for Turkey and Jordan, though the warning level for those countries was low. Meanwhile, though there are no official warnings, Israelis traveling to Morocco, Malta and Georgia are asked to be alert.

A separate warning specifies Djerba, Tunisia, as a possible target for attack in May during the annual Lag Ba’omer celebration there in honor of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai.

The complete list of travel warnings appears on the Prime Minister’s Office website in Hebrew only.

Israelis are prohibited by law from entering six countries: Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The travel warnings for other countries are to be viewed as recommendations.

For the original article, visit IsraelHayom.com.

Nobody has a clue as to what our new government coalition is going to look like. Not the TV presenters, the Internet bloggers, the newspaper pundits. In fact, not even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself. By law, he has until March 15 to make it happen.

To create a government, Netanyahu must have a coalition of at least 61 Knesset members out of 120 sign on with him. But a minimal coalition always leaves an Israeli prime minister at the mercy of any one of his coalition partners who might threaten to bail for any reason—and thus collapse the government.

Out of the 34 parties that ran in the Israeli elections, 12 parties were voted in. From these, Netanyahu can realistically choose from seven who are rightist or centrist parties. The other five parties are too far left ideologically.

Netanyahu’s dream is to have a very wide coalition with 80 or so seats—so that no one party can bring his government down, or even threaten to if it doesn’t get its way.

But now, here is reality. Some months ago, the Prime Minister merged his Likud party with another right-wing party, Yisrael Beytenu (Israel our Home), run by the rough-tough immigrant from Russia, Avigdor Lieberman. Together, they had expected to win 45 seats out of the 120 in the Knesset. Alas, they won only 31 which means Netanyahu has a very difficult job to build a solid and stable government.

Netanyahu’s “natural partners” as he calls them, are the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) parties: Shas, which represents the Sephardic Jews—who immigrated from Muslim countries, and United Torah Judaism (UTJ)—Ashkenazi Jews who immigrated from European and the former Soviet Union countries. Together they won 18 seats.

Why does Netanyahu value his “natural partners” so? The reason is that the Haredi parties ask for: cheap prioritized housing for their large families; money (boatloads) for their non-working population; freedom from serving in the army; and total control over all religious functions in Israel. That’s all.

With all other issues, including the Palestinian conflict, the prime minister can do whatever he wishes. Most of all, if the Haredim get their four demands met, they will never leave him or bring down his government because their benefits would disappear.

The Biggest Surprise
But Netanyahu has come face to face with a challenge that, a day before the elections, he wouldn’t have dreamed of. A brand new centrist party called Yesh Atid, (There is a Future) appeared on the horizon through the efforts of the appealing and magnetic personality of Yair Lapid. An actor, journalist, author and former TV presenter and news anchor, he is one of the most recognized faces in Israel for many years.

Expected to win five to 10 seats, he won an astounding 19, making him the second largest party in this election. Not one of his members, including himself, has ever served in the Knesset! They are mayors, a rabbi, a social activist, a former Shin Bet chief, a police commander, lawyers and journalists. (Observation: Israelis were tired of the same old faces.)

It would certainly be reasonable for Netanyahu to co-opt Lapid’s party into his new coalition. But there is an enormous obstacle. One of Lapid’s principle party pillars is that all Haredi men must serve in the army, just like everyone else.

Since this goal is a cornerstone of his party platform—even if it takes a few years to completely implement—Lapid’s credibility would be greatly diminished before he ever got started if he compromised on this issue. And the vast majority of Israelis agree with Lapid that the ultra-Orthodox must bear an equal burden with the rest of the Israeli soldiers.

Shas and UTJ see Lapid as their mortal enemy, and have made it clear that if Lapid does not back down from this demand, it would be a red line for the Haredim, and they would not join this new government. Such a scenario would give Netanyahu Lapid’s 19 members, but he would lose the 18 Haredi members.

Yet Another Suprise
But there was another surprise. A young Orthodox businessman, Naftali Bennett, put together another brand new party called Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home). He won 12 seats. All in his party are also new faces, never before seen in the Knesset.

His amazing success was explained by veteran journalist Gil Hoffman: The new Bennett backers support Bayit Yehudi “because its leader is a charismatic, young high-tech millionaire who served in an elite Reconnaissance Unit, speaks Hebrew slang, and knows how to relate to Israelis from many different backgrounds.”

(It is important not to confuse the Orthodox population with the ultra-Orthodox (Haredim), as the Orthodox (who wear a yarmulke) do serve in the army and many of them are in combat units.)

Born of American parents who immigrated to Israel, Bennett represents the settlement movement more than any other party. He is also a brilliant businessman who sold his start-up company for $145,000,000 after only six years.

Therefore it would seem that Bennett and his party would be a perfect fit for Netanyahu, except for one thing. Bennett served as Netanyahu’s bureau chief when the latter was in the opposition. To say it kindly, Bennett did not get along with either Netanyahu or his wife Sarah. He has since apologized and is also in negotiations with Netanyahu.

The average Israeli would love to see the Netanyahu-Liberman party (31 seats) team up with Lapid (19 seats) and Bennett (12 seats), as the latter two parties have many platform goals that sorely need attention—like changing the dysfunctional system of government, improving the educational system, and making it easier for small businesses to grow.

These three parties would already give Netanyahu a majority of 62 seats. Netanyahu could then coax another eight members from small parties. That would give Netanyahu a 70-seat majority—a respectable ruling government, but not the 80-seat majority that would make Netanyahu’s dreams come true.

So he may end up choosing his “natural partners” the Haredim, first of all. That would give him a total of 49 seats. Add the eight from small centrist parties, he would have 57—not enough to form a government. All of the remaining parties are strong leftist or Arab parties—none of whom would join Netanyahu’s government.

Meanwhile, Yair Lapid of the centrist “There is a Future” party and Naftali Bennett of “Jewish Home” are rumored to have made a pact between them that either both go into the government or neither one will. Someone is going to have to bend.

For the original article, visit MaozIsrael.org.

Fourteen minutes of vigorous physical activity done three times a day may be all we need to lessen the negative effects of stress on the body. We all know that exercise is helpful in losing weight, lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and feeling of depression. But can the level of intensity and the length of time performing the exercise have an effect on our health?

If you exercise too long or too much you could be adding more stress to your body. Stress kills and stress is cumulative! Constant, prolonged stress works against you. The more stress you add to your body (mental, chemical, or physical stress) the weaker your immune system becomes. A new study published in the Public Library of Science showed that fourteen minutes of vigorous exercise can be protective.

Exercise is a form of physical stress (being overweight and carrying an additional 20, 40 or more pounds is physically taxing to the body) and taxes the body no differently than mental stress, such as worry and fear. They both trigger your adrenal glands to produce additional cortisol and adrenaline. What we want to make sure we don’t do is over-train, and cause our adrenal glands to produce more of our stress hormones.

Exercise is good, but too much of a good thing can be a problem. By keeping your workout short and intense you can place enough physical demand on your body to evoke a positive response. You don’t have to work out hard for an hour. The study shows that as little as 10-20 minutes is all it takes.

Yes, you can work out longer, but more is not necessarily better for everyone! So many people I consult with are already struggling with fatigue and exhaustion that a long arduous workout could be counter-productive. What I like about this study is that even though your body may be exhausted—if you limit the amount of time to 10-20 minutes of vigorous exercise you may not be over-taxing your body.

Short burst of intensity may be all it takes to pump up your metabolism and stimulate those muscles. This is another reason why the Work Horse Trainer can be invaluable. In as little as 10-15 minutes you can follow the Super Seven Workout program for a complete whole body workout that doesn’t further drain your body.

Interval running, walking, biking, swimming, etc is another way to increase the intensity of your aerobic workout. Simply run, bike, walk, etc at a faster more vigorous pace for 30-60 seconds depending on your current conditioning level.  Then for an equal amount of time or longer slow the pace back to your normal speed.  Do that type of interval aerobic training 7-10 times for your next aerobic workout to reap those same benefits. 

Rest and recovery, as well as, good nutrition are major factors in determine the results you hope to get from your workout. Don’t get caught up in thinking ‘more is better’. You can’t over-train to make up for a bad diet or lack of rest. Keep your workouts short and sweet and you may be surprised to see how much different you will start to feel after a few short weeks.

If you struggle with fatigue and exhaustion, but like to push yourself through a workout thinking it will help, you should consider taking the Stress Test to see if adrenal fatigue is part of your problem. Based on those findings, you would probably want to do a saliva test through a respected lab to accurately measure and see how exhausted your adrenal glands are.  Nourishing your adrenal glands with a good adrenal herbal (liquid) tincture to rebalance and energize your exhausted body from all the stress it is under is almost a must for everyone, due to all the stress we all seem to be under.

Dr. Len Lopez is a nutrition and fitness expert and creator of The Work Horse Trainer.  He speaks extensively on diet, exercise, and how stress can affect your overall health and wellness.

For the original article, visit CBN.com.

Israeli Arab women are represented in far greater numbers than Israeli Arab men in the nation’s higher education institutions, but are generally less satisfied with their work environments, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday.

The study, which was released in conjunction with International Women’s Day, showed that among Israeli Arabs who receive higher education, some 67 percent were women. Jewish women also exceeded their male counterparts in institutions of higher learning, making up 55 percent of the student body.

Despite their robust representation in the nation’s universities, there is still a significant salary discrepancy between Israeli women and men. Women earned an average 6,600 shekels per month, 66 percent of men’s average salary of 9,976 shekels.

Nevertheless, over the last two decades, the gap between men and women’s salaries has narrowed. In the early 1990s, the CBS reported that woman earned 57 percent of what men earn, while in 2002 the figure had risen to 60 percent.

Women also reported a lower level of satisfaction with their jobs than men did. Of the women included in the survey, 56 percent said they were satisfied in their workplace, compared to 64 percent of men who reported being satisfied. Still, women were more optimistic than men about finding work, with 61% of women compared to 54 percent of men.

The CBS data also showed women giving birth to their first child at a later age. In 2012, the average age of a woman’s first birth was 27. In 2003 the age was 26.

Muslim women tend to marry four years earlier on average than Jewish women, at 21 as opposed to 25.

Israeli Arab women were also more likely than Jewish Israeli women to have younger children. Forty-seven percent of Israeli Arab women had children aged 17 and younger, while 35 percent of Jewish women were mothers to children aged 17 and younger.

For the original article, visit IsraelHayom.com.

People with HIV are almost 50 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those who aren’t infected with the virus—even after taking into account their other health risks, according to a new study.

Researchers aren’t sure what explains the higher heart attack rate in HIV-positive people, but they speculate it’s a combination of the effects of HIV itself and the antiretroviral drugs used to treat it.

“It’s a complicated picture,” said Dr. Matthew Freiberg, who led the new study at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania. “We’re still trying to understand the mechanisms.”

Just over 1.1 million people in the U.S. have HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another 50,000 are infected each year.

Because treatment now allows HIV-infected people to live longer, researchers have started turning their attention to the other health problems those people face later in life, such as heart disease.

The new study included more than 82,000 U.S. veterans, almost all men. About one-third of them were infected with the human immunodeficiency virus.

During an average of almost six years, 871 of the study participants had a heart attack, of which 176 were fatal.

The researchers found that veterans with HIV were consistently more likely to suffer a heart attack than HIV-negative veterans in their 40s, 50s and 60s.

After Freiberg and his colleagues took into account participants’ other heart risks—including high blood pressure, diabetes and drug and alcohol use—those with HIV were still 48 percent more likely to have a heart attack during the study period.

The findings suggest antiretroviral drugs accounted for at least part of the extra risk among people with HIV. But past studies have shown the virus itself also contributes to heart problems, according to Freiberg.

“It may be that HIV as it’s in your body, like other infections, may be promoting an inflammatory response that is leading to these increased risks of heart attack,” he told Reuters Health—but so far, that’s just a theory.

Having hepatitis C or kidney disease was also tied to a higher chance of heart attack among veterans, the research team reported Monday in JAMA Internal Medicine.

Dr. Patrick Mallon, from the University College Dublin School of Medicine and Medical Science in Ireland, said past research showed a link between HIV and cardiovascular disease.

But it’s been unclear whether other differences between groups of people with and without HIV—such as smoking rates and cholesterol levels, for example – could be driving the extra risk.

The new report helps clear that up by comparing two very similar groups of people where HIV status is one of the only differences, he noted.

“There have been a lot of signals for a very long time in HIV, and we’re now starting to see people constructing studies properly that really give us some very clear answers,” Mallon, who wrote a commentary accompanying the new study, told Reuters Health.

HIV has also been linked to disturbances in fat use and storage in the body.

Mallon and Freiberg agreed that people with HIV should make sure they have their blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly and do whatever else they can to prevent heart disease—such as quitting smoking.

“There is a lot that the individual can do to mitigate their risk along the lines of lifestyle interventions,” Mallon said. “At a personal level, that would be step number one.”

As an investment banker, Rogers Kirven got tired of watching other men take his advice and get rich. So nine years after he began his career, Kirven started his own company and plunged into the world of accomplishment, accumulation and recognition.

By the age of 44, Kirven had met his goal—a net worth in the top one percent of the United States. “I’m a counter,” he confessed.

Then Kirven received an unsolicited offer to sell. “My first impulse,” said Kirven, “was to take the money and run. Instead, I called up three friends who had sold their companies, told them I was getting ready to pull the trigger, and asked them to join me for dinner to give me their advice.

“These were good, moral men, some of the most successful men in the world of business,” said Kirven. “As the four of us sat at dinner, I only asked them two questions. First, what was your planned use of the time you would gain? They all had the same three answers: 

• I want to spend more time with my soul and grow personally.
• I want to spend more time with my family.
• I want to do some things (basically toys and travel).

“Then I asked the second question: What is your actual use of time? All three had gone through a divorce since selling their companies. Each had bought a bigger toy. All were in a deep crisis of meaning.

“They stepped into a stream so strong. They had no idea. They wanted all of life as fast as they [could] get it in the shortest amount of time possible. As Mike Tyson said, ‘They all have a strategy until they get hit.’”

Fortunately for Kirven, when he sold his company he remained as the president and CEO. But the subject continued to fascinate him. Since that dinner meeting, Kirven has formally interviewed 39 men who have sold their companies. Here is a summary of what he found:

• None could robustly say their lives were better.
• Money and freedom had made life more fragile.
• Some who didn’t have a “keel below the water line” had breaches of character.
• 33 were divorced.
• Many took up golf, which lasted, on average, six months.
• Many bought exotic cars, which held their interest, on average, ten months.
• Many bought boats, which lasted, on average, eighteen months.
• All had a crisis of meaning.

In my book Is Christianity For You?, I use this illustration to show that even for all of its wonderful contributions toward making the world a better place, the moral system, in the end, has no power to deliver us from our darkest thoughts and deeds.

Give a copy of Pat Morley’s book, Is Christianity for You? to visitors on Easter, Christmas or year round for less than $1 each. Download a free evaluation copy at IsChristianityForYou.org.

Pat Morley is the Founder and CEO of Man in the Mirror. After building one of Florida’s 100 largest privately held companies, in 1991, he founded Man in the Mirror, a non-profit organization to help men find meaning and purpose in life. Dr. Morley is the bestselling author of The Man in the Mirror, No Man Left Behind, Dad in the Mirror, and A Man’s Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines.

Fear of failure is a huge issue for most men. When things go south in a hurry, men instantly give themselves the label “failure.”

Along with this label is the feeling that God could never use them. However, this is not true! God can take any failure and turn it into something useful for His kingdom.

Let’s look at Mark, for example. Mark had what many would call a “charmed life.” As a young child, Mark had the privilege of being around Jesus. He came from a wealthy family that supported the ministry of Jesus. The first time we read about Mark in the Bible is when Jesus is being taken prisoner in the Garden of Gethsemane.

“Now a certain young man followed Him, having a linen cloth thrown around his naked body. And the young men laid hold of him, and he left the linen cloth and fled from them naked”(Mark 14:51-52).

Most believe this young man is Mark since the only Gospel that describes this experience is the book of Mark. Apparently, Mark was in bed when he heard Jesus and the disciples leave the upper room, and he decided to follow them. When the mob came and arrested Jesus, this young man was grabbed but was able to escape by leaving his blanket and running away naked.

This appears to be no big deal. However, running scared came to be the defining characteristic of Mark’s early life.

We don’t read about Mark again until many years later. Paul and Barnabas were handpicked by God to go far and wide and preach the Gospel, and Mark was chosen as their assistant. It was the internship that most men only dream of.

Mark was given the privilege of being the right-hand man for the evangelistic dream team. He would serve alongside them and take care of all of their needs. Unfortunately, as we continue on through the book of Acts, we learn that it was an opportunity that Mark squandered.

“Now when Paul and his party set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia; and John [Mark], departing from them, returned to Jerusalem” (Acts 13:13).

Mark abandoned them. It is important to realize Mark’s responsibilities. Paul and Barnabas were probably middle-aged men. Everywhere they went they went on foot. They had to carry their own supplies and protect themselves from animals and thieves.

This is the reason why a young man like Mark was sent along. He was to be their muscle, their packhorse and their physical support as they did their spiritual work. When Mark abandoned them, they were forced to pick up his responsibilities and balance both the spiritual and physical work, bearing the weight and exhaustion that accompanied each set of duties. Fortunately, they met another young man named Timothy.

What was it that made Mark abandon them? The Bible doesn’t say. All we know is that something spooked him, and as a result, he left the missionary team high and dry. Mark came home a failure, and everyone knew it!

He had been so full of potential, but, when given a chance, had shown himself to be a weak man. His sense of shame grew deeper when the group returned with magnificent tales of miracles and conversions and as the dynamic missionary duo prepared for their next missionary journey.

“Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed” (Acts 15:37-40).

Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be the cause of the splitting of one of the greatest ministry teams to ever be formed? Paul had made it perfectly clear that he had no use for Mark as a helpmate. How’s that for a glowing recommendation to attach to your resume?

Mark had successfully destroyed the ministry team and was now labeled as a man who was of no use as a minister. It seemed that his future ministry potential was gone. Mark’s state seems hopeless and destitute.

Mark, the failure, was at the end of his rope. He turned to an old friend, Peter, for help. If there was one man who understood the deep hurt and pain that Mark was facing because of his failure, it was Peter. Peter had experienced the same feelings as Mark after denying Jesus. Peter understood the feelings of hopelessness. Peter knew what it felt like to have failed so miserably that you thought your entire life was destroyed. Peter understood the great sense of self-loathing Mark was enduring.

However, Peter also knew that forgiveness and restoration were available for Mark. This is exactly what he offered Mark.

Peter gave Mark the one thing that he needed more than anything. He gave him love, acceptance and forgiveness. He reached out to Mark and helped him deal with all the hurt and pain he was facing. He offered Mark a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen, arms to embrace and hands to hold on to as Mark tried to become a restored man. Peter could do this for Mark because Jesus had done it for him.

God allowed Peter to minister to Mark because he could relate to him in a way that no one else could. Mark was restored to a place of ministry. He ministered alongside Peter. He wrote what has become the Gospel of Mark based on the teachings that had been set out for him by Peter. He was even restored to Paul and once again received Paul’s blessing. God was able to make Mark into a useful man for His glory.

No matter what you have done to your life or how you have failed, there is hope for you. God can take any man who is broken and make him whole.

He will bring men into your life to help you out of your state of failure as He did with Mark. He can restore your broken life and make you into a strong, vibrant believer. All you need to do is seek God for help and allow Him to heal your wounded soul. There is restoration for the broken life.

For the original article, visit men.ag.org.

Many of you know that the foundational verse for my most recent book and ministry, Fit for Faith, is 1 Corinthians 6:19-20:

“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (ESV)

The Lord used this verse, among others, nearly eight years ago to heal me of the eating disorder that Satan was using to ravage my body and soul (John 10:10). You can learn the details of that time in my life here, but today I wanted to share a simple truth that has absolutely freed me from the infernal heaps of condemnation that the enemy launches my direction when I stumble and revert into past sins and struggles: Repeats of the same spiritual attack are to be expected.

I’ve shared publicly that while I was healed and I do stand victorious in Christ against anorexia and the depression and pride that birthed it, I am not immune to becoming ensnared again. I know from experience and from the testimonials and observance of others that conquering a trial, persevering through a tribulation, or resisting a temptation doesn’t drive Satan back to the drawing board where he angrily strikes through the demonic strategies that failed in your life as his soldiers scratch their heads and begin devising a brand new battle plan.

The devil is an old dog with old tricks. And just as he did with Jesus in the wilderness, he’ll flee when you resist him, but he’ll return after “a season,” when “an opportune time” presents itself (James 4:7, Luke 4:13). If he was able to knock you down and draw some blood with a particular dart, don’t doubt that he’ll select that same arrow from his arsenal again in the future when your defenses are down.

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” (Eph. 6:11, NIV)

Stress and idolatry are two hell-sent arrows that come whizzing into my path when verses like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 become muted in my spirit by the raucous, fruitless efforts of my flesh. When I become anxious and turn to a WOD instead of God to clear my head. When I relieve stress by controlling my calorie intake with unhealthy compulsiveness instead of releasing all control to my heavenly Abba – daddy. If they endure long enough, these foolish activities lead me down a dangerous, dangerous road…

Just over a year ago, the twin arrows struck me again when a new city, new house, new life as a wife, and then a new business began, well, freaking me out a little bit. I began working out more and ignoring the Holy Spirit and my husband’s encouragement to rest, to turn to God, to be still (Psalm 46:10). Because I typically lose my appetite when I’m stressed, I was eating less. My temple wasn’t being honored at all, but instead, treated like a sheer sack of dust …which it once was before I believed and accepted the redeeming Light of God who sacrificed His life to dwell within it.

From the time of my wedding in December 2011 to April of last year, my nearly 5-feet-5 frame dropped 10 pounds. With the patient and persevering prayers and encouragement of my husband and the Shepherd’s strong, steady staff pulling me gently back to His life-giving Word, the arrows have gone up in smoke again, and I am at a healthy weight once more.

Whatever your weaknesses have been in the past, do not be afraid that they will one day overtake you when our age-old opponent finds you vulnerable. Instead, take heart and have hope that your Redeemer has already won the war and is with you this day to fight your battles.

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Ex. 14:14)

You see, those of us who have accepted Jesus as our High Priest have the privilege to tend to the holy temple that He inhabits, our bodies. No daily lottery. No special occasion. It’s every day, every hour, every second. What an honor, indeed!

Stay fit and stay faithful.

Note: Diana Anderson-Tyler was recently interviewed on Blog Talk Radio by Dr. Ray DiBartolomeo, the Doctor of Chiropractic at the Biggest Loser Resort. Listen to the interview.

Diana Anderson-Tyler is the author of Creation House’s Fit for Faith: A Christian Woman’s Guide to Total Fitness. Her popular website can be found at www.fit4faith.com. and she is the owner and a coach at CrossFit 925. Diana can be reached on Facebook and Twitter.

For the original article, visit fit4faith.com.

Early every spring, the hills of Israel are adorned with blossoms. Here and there will be an almond tree, resplendent in delicate blossoms, ranging from pale to darker pink. We sing songs about them “Shkedia porachat…”

When God showed Jeremiah an almond branch, it probably had identifying blossoms, or almonds attached to the limb. The non-Hebrew reader would raise one eyebrow and wonder what the connection is between “almond” and “watching over,” but in fact they are the same root word in Hebrew, “sheked” (שקד). Only the vowels vary.

God loves to give us picture reminders of His promises. I used to sing as a child, “Every promise in the book is mine, every chapter, every verse, every line…” Well, I think it would be more accurate to say, “Every promise in the book is true,” but that doesn’t rhyme with “line.” Through Jeremiah alone, the promise came to raise up a righteous branch (Yeshua) in chapter 23. It happened!

In chapter 25 it was promised that after 70 years, the exiles would return from Babylon. Later Daniel read it, prayed earnestly for the fulfillment, and it happened! A new covenant is promised to the house of Israel and the house of Judah, in which He would “put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

This new covenant in chapter 31, verse 31, is referenced in Hebrew by “לא לא”, both the numeric reference to the chapter and verse, and the words, “no, no” (an eerie reminder that Israel and Judah, for the most part, did not want this new covenant).

And yet, God is watching over His Word to perform it! He will do it in due time. In the meantime, this promise is for me and for you as well, but don’t forget it is by default, “… salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.” By God’s grace, we all can lay claim to hundreds of promises in the Bible, and pray, as Daniel did, for God’s purposes to be fulfilled, as He has promised.

Just as He has already fulfilled many of His promises to Israel, and continues to do so, He will watch over His Word to perform it, in your life and in mine.

“God is not a man, that He should lie, or son of man, that He should change His mind. Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19).

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