Anyone worried about gaining weight over the holidays raise your hand. Wow, that many, really! I know I am. Here is the good news according to the experts it’s not going to happen. They say the average weight gain is one measly pound. Personally I find it hard to believe. But you can read it for yourself in the health articles listed below.

Well, that sounds like a license to eat everything; aunt May’s brownies, grandma’s apple pies, Uncle Jerri’s cream puffs and your sister’s cheese cake. We are going to eat it all, candies, chocolate, ice cream, pudding (Figgy of course) and that is just for desert. That is what the holidays are for and there is nothing wrong with that. Eat until it hurts.

Actually there may be a problem. The apostles, Peter (1 Peter 4:7) and Paul (Titus 2:1-6 ) call us to be a people of self control. Solomon warns us against gluttony. He links it with laziness and poverty. (Proverbs 23:21 , Proverbs 23:21) Paul also reminds us that we are the temple of God and we are not to destroy it. He refers to gluttony, eating too much and drunkenness, drinking too much. Paul didn’t need a medical license to explain that these activities only work to harm us and God expects better from his creation. Paul provides a stern warning when referring to our bodies “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him.”( 1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

How often have we complained about our health, begged for a miracle, when the solution could very well be, eat right, rest more and exercise? We are often very busy and life challenges can make it difficult for us to make time for the gym. Without judging, we will just say each person must make his or her choice. However choose how you spend your time wisely, and try to fit in some exercise. When it comes to what we eat, what excuse do we have? We can all eat a little better and we can certainly eat a little less.

This Christmas, we are all going to enjoy some treats. However, remember this holiday in particular is about glorifying God and how Jesus came into this world to give his life that we can be saved, not stuffing ourselves with aunt May’s brownies until it hurts.

Verses

1 Peter 4:7

The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.

2 Timothy 3:1-3

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,

Titus 2:1-6

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderersor addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

6 Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled.

Titus 1:12

One of the Cretans, a prophet of their own, said, “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.”

Philippians 3:19

Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

Proverbs 23:20-21

Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Proverbs 23:21

For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.

Verses-on-moderation

References

1. http://bewell.stanford.edu/avoiding-holiday-weight-gain%20

2. http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/blog/inpractice/2013/12/the_myth_of_holiday_weight_gai.html

3. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/01/avoid-holiday-weight-gain/3653547/

Tips for avoiding weight gain during the holidays (ksl.com)
Here’s a Holiday Gluttony Idea….NOT (formerlyamishfrequentlycrazy.wordpress.com)
Tips to Lose Weight (ashtangayurveda.wordpress.com)
How to Stay Healthy During the Holidays (blushlybeauty.wordpress.com)
The Lord of Fork (whatthebiblesaysdoctrine.wordpress.com)
Is Obesity A Sin? (rmhic.wordpress.com)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Ephesians 6:10-12

You can just hear the trainer at the gym, “Come on baby one more. You can do it yea! Can you feel the burn? You can feel those muscles growing. Great work out!” I am a firm believer in exercise and proper diet. God gave us legs, arms and muscles for a reason and it is no coincidence that the harder we push ourselves, the stronger we become. I believe we should get the most out of what God has given us and care for the Temple Of God which we are. It helps us to endure, grow stronger and be more productive.

But while we are considering our physical development, we cannot forget that we are more than muscle, bone and flesh. We are mind, spirit and soul. This is the stuff that when properly developed can give us the will to go on, the faith to always believe, the psychological stamina to overcome tragedy, the drive to finish and the strength to never give up. It’s what keeps our conscious whole and enables us to differentiate between right and wrong. It guides us in all that we do. If we neglect our spiritual life we can easily fall to temptation or be crippled by the many challenges presented in our lives.

There is real power in the spirit. The disciples came to Jesus and said to him “why could we not cast out this demon?’ Jesus who had come to their rescue and had with ease rebuked the Demon, told them that this one only comes out through prayer and fasting, the ultimate work out for the Christian (Matthew 17:14-21). When we build our spirit through prayer, we can do great things.

When Jesus had his encounter with the devil in the wilderness scripture reveals that he was filled with the spirit. He just didn’t have the spirit. He was filled with the spirit to capacity. The Devil didn’t have a chance. Jesus was also armed with the word and used it effectively to counter every suggestion/temptation of the devil (Luke 4:1-13). Jesus was the greatest example of spiritual fitness.

While we are at the Gym trying to run one more mile, we cannot forget that the spirit needs some exercise too. We must be spiritually fit, exercising with the word, prayer and fasting. That’s the real total workout.

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