Hey gang, 2 things to share today. I just CANNOT miss sending this devotional from Joyce Meyer. She is so practical and lives life LIKE WE LIVE LIFE - in the real world and not some "ivory tower." This devotional is about breaking bad habits. Over eating is really a bad habit, isn't it? Let's be honest. We want what we want when we want it - regardless. And then when our bodies respond in a negative manner, we blame it on EVERYTHING from bad marriages to genetics other than a BAD HABIT. YIKES! I read this and was so encouraged. Please enjoy:
Breaking Bad Habits - Joyce Meyer
You can break up with your bad habits just like you can break up with a bad boyfriend or girlfriend. Bad relationships are one of the hardest habits to break, but if we choose to end them, we can spare ourselves a lot of trouble and pain. Let me explain.
For years and years, I had a habit of getting upset every time I didn't get my way. Maybe that's not your bad habit. Maybe you gossip or cuss or drink too much coffee or watch too much TV or spend money on things you don't need. Whatever your bad habit is, you can break it.
I'm not going to say that breaking a bad habit is easy, but it's God's desire for us to take authority over our bad habits. He doesn't want us to be "bossed around" by our emotions, He wants us to have victory.
Breaking a bad habit requires making a series of good choices, one after the other. Most of us will try to do that on our own without the help of the Holy Spirit. But eventually we figure out that we can't please God without God helping us.
The Amplified Bible refers to the Holy Spirit as our "standby." He's always standing by in case you get into trouble and need a little help. But He won't just show up uninvited. You have to ask Him for help.
Romans 12:21 says we "overcome (master) evil with good." That's one of the biggest secrets in the Word of God. It's a lot easier to make the right choice when you're focusing on God and your victory instead of the fear of failure.
Make the choice today to walk in the Spirit to overcome bad habits and live in victory!
Prayer Starter: God, I'm done living with my bad habits. I make a choice now to take the authority You've given me over temptations that want to boss me around. I will follow Your Holy Spirit into new and better life habits.
Then, a family member sent this yesterday to be shared about colas or sodas or soft drinks - whatever your family calls them. :) As with all shared articles........remember, researchers have their own data to support - and some of it can be skewed, but findings like this have been reported by others (I have personally read several) and it DOES spark my interest to keep researching to bring light to my family and others. How about you?? Read carefully, some of this is really shocking!
What Are We Drinking?
America has a drinking problem. No, not booze. I'm talking about soft drinks. According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, the average American guzzles 44.7 gallons of the sweet stuff every year. Not sure what 44.7 gallons looks like? It's about what you'd need to fill a small kiddie pool. But the truth is, you don't need me to tell you that soda isn't healthy. We all know that America’s drink of choice contributes to our country's ever-expanding obesity problem.
Shocking Soda Fact #1: Soda fattens up your organs
A recent Danish study revealed that drinking non-diet soda leads to dramatic increases in dangerous hard-to-detect fats. Researchers asked participants to drink either regular soda, milk containing the same amount of calories as regular soda, diet cola, or water every day for six months. The results? Total fat mass remained the same across all beverage-consuming groups, but regular-soda drinkers experienced dramatic increases in harmful hidden fats, including liver fat and skeletal fat. The regular-soda group also experienced an 11 percent increase in cholesterol compared to the other groups! And don’t think switching to diet varieties will save you from harm: Artificial sweeteners and food dyes have been linked to brain cell damage and hyperactivity, and research has shown that people who drink diet soda have a higher risk of developing diabetes. FIX IT WITH FOOD: The average American drinks 450 calories a day. By switching to water as your go-to beverage, you'll make room in your diet for foods that can strengthen your heart, fortify your bones, and boost your metabolism so you can lose weight more quickly.
Shocking Soda Fact #2: Soda contains flame retardants
Some popular soda brands, including Mountain Dew, use brominated vegetable oil—a toxic flame retardant—to keep the artificial flavoring from separating from the rest of the liquid. This hazardous ingredient—sometimes listed as BVO on soda and sports drinks—can cause bromide poisoning symptoms like skin lesions and memory loss, as well as nerve disorders. If that’s not a good enough reason not to “Do the Dew,” I don’t know what is. DRINK DISASTERS: Soda isn’t the only dubious drink you have to watch out for. Many bottled beverages pack enough sugar and calories to foil your get-fit plans in one fell sip.
Shocking Soda Fact #3: Drinking soda makes you a lab rat
Many American soda brands are sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup, a heart-harming man-made compound derived mainly from genetically engineered corn. The problem? Genetically engineered ingredients have only been in our food chain since the 1990s, and we don't know their long-term health impacts because the corporations that developed the crops never had to test them for long-term safety. Case in point: Some recent findings suggest that genetically engineered crops are linked to digestive tract damage, accelerated aging, and even infertility!
Some good reading this morning. It's the truth that sets us FREE. Actually the real Greek meaning is: it's the truth we know INTIMATELY that sets us free. Keep reading, keep encouraging others, keep making wise choices, keep asking God for His help. Have an amazing day! PK
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