Healthy New Year – 5 – Soul Food, Discover Health From the Inside Out

https://youtu.be/bKUQlXRay6Q?si=1rWncsQG5QQn2IZ8 Healthy New Year Bumper Welcome to Redemption Church of Plano Tx. My name is Chris Fluitt!  Healthy New Year! 5th and final week.Big thank you for our guests.Linus Gilbert, Darren & Becky Nelson, Matt Hattabaugh. Today – Something ESSENTIAL but overlooked – Your Soul. Soul Food: Discover Health from the Inside Out I have trouble with life balance.-Time, Energy, Focus OFF BALANCE. My tasks are NOT static. Moments may require outsized TIME, ENERGY, FOCUS… Today’s schedule…-Multiple hospital visits/benevolence-Emergency counseling-Ministry training (CG, baptism, next step)-Leadership initiative strategy -Family (Juggle baby, carpool…)-OMG what am I preaching this Sunday!!! What I know is this… Life’s demands are big.  The only way to survive & thrive is to have a healthy soul. I still have trouble with life balance…I have to shut things down and recharge… But many people wonder how I survive the demands of life…  -You can only give what you have…-You can only withdraw from a bank account that you have made a deposit.-You can only build on a foundation you previously laid. The key for my daily grind is a healthy soul. Every day of my life I feed my soul.  We can relate to the outsized demands. Your schedule looks crazy… We know the feeling… drained-physically-emotionally-spiritually.  Society emphasizes external achievements over inner peace.  Results:Rising rates of anxiety and depression among young adults.  A recent study found that nearly 40% of millennials experience anxiety, and this number is increasing.  We’re constantly bombarded with messages telling us to be more, achieve more, and buy more, but rarely are we encouraged to look inward.  We begin to give what we don’t have…Making withdrawals without any deposits…Building where there is no foundation… BECAUSE WE DO NOT FEED OUR SOUL. Feed Yo Soul Say it.  True health starts inside – your soul IS KEY. In the Bible, Jesus teaches us about the importance of the soul.  Matthew 16:25-27 “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?  For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what they have done.” Verse 25 is a paradox. Matthew 16:25-27 “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  Save your life… lose it.You don’t have the power to save your life. Lose your life FOR ME… FOR JESUS… FIND IT. What a thing to say… Jesus is either an ego maniac that is full of it and we should never listen to another thing he says… OR HE IS RIGHT… Jesus – you have not really found your life until you have lost it, for me. This is the Jesus who would have us… Serve others…Clothe others…Feed others… Welcome others… Forgive others… Love others… In giving your life away for Jesus… you find life. Then Jesus pivots from a paradox by revealing what true gain is… What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?  According to Jesus, what is true gain?Your soul is true gain.Your soul is where we really find life. NOT EXTERNAL… BUT INTERNAL AND ETERNAL. Think external…A NEW CAR! – Not true gain. Not true life.A NEW PHONEA NEW HOUSE Jesus emphasizes that the soul is more valuable than anything else we could gain in this life. He didn’t just teach this; He demonstrated it by giving His life to save our souls.  Then Jesus reminds us of a reward… For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what they have done.” Jesus will repay… reward… whatever you have done. Those who give their life – are rewarded.Those who don’t sell their soul – rewarded. Your life and your soul are inseparable concepts. C.S. Lewis said it like this… “You do not have a soul. You are a soul” -C.S. Lewis Everything we do, every decision we make, our true health, stems from the condition of our souls. Healthy soul?How do you feed your soul? To feed our souls, we need to connect with something greater than ourselves.  Let’s talk about how you can do that… Modeh Ani blessing – Ancient Jewish Prayer Modeh Ani is a Jewish morning prayer that focuses on the soul. It expresses gratitude to God for restoring one’s soul each morning.  When you wake up – pray.When you wash your hands – pray. “I give thanks before You, living and eternal King, for You have returned within me my soul with compassion; abundant is Your faithfulness.” – Modeh Ani translation Not magic words… but a practical refocus. Refocus on… -Thanks-God as eternal king-Your soul in God’s control-God’s faithfulness To feed our souls, we need to connect with something greater than ourselves. Most people reach for their phone first thing in the morning…-Not much on social media will feed your soul…-Most texts will not feed your soul…-Your google calendar schedule… What if we reached and connected with someone greater than ourselves? “I give thanks before You, living and eternal King, for You have returned within me my soul with compassion; abundant is Your faithfulness.” – Modeh Ani translation Make Connecting with God and feeding your soul a part of your morning routine. 1. Wake Up with Intention 2. Pray – While still in bed silently or aloud 3. Pause and Reflect on God’s compassion, faithfulness, the restoring of your soul. 4. Begin Your Day with purpose Stop just going through life…Make deposits in your soul….PRACTICE… ROUTINE… Read your BibleWorship with musicWalk and invite God to walk with youThank God for whatever you touch…Thank God for whoever you meet… Imagine if we…(Marriage, Family, Church, City) prioritized soul health. Focus NOT on external, but INTERNAL & ETERNAL. (defeat materialism) We could create a ripple effect of peace and joy that spreads far beyond our walls.  According to Jesus we would…-Find our life.-Maintain our soul.-Receive a reward. Call to Action 1. Be aware of the LIFE, SOUL, & REWARD Jesus spoke about. -Repent of apathy. -I don’t have a soul. I AM a soul. 2. Make connection a routine. -Start each day with a practice.  -Modeh Ani blessing or create your own. 3. RIGHT NOW – Invite God to restore your soul. -worship & pray (Receive prayer)