On God Not The Miracle

Oh, to sweetly ponder a treasured miracle in your heart, a miracle that the Lord delivered to you, and how He delivered it!

At times, though, we as Christians seek to use yesterday’s spiritual experience as the solution to today’s problem. We apply the exact steps taken in the past without total dependence upon God, as if consulting a playbook or blueprint. Perhaps it’s like a recipe; a recipe with a mix of spiritual victories and setbacks, to which when baked, we feast upon it- our cake of tried wisdom and guidance.

However, that’s not the Lord’s will for our relationship with Him. We should not impulsively apply the steps of God’s past miracle as a replacement for our need of Him. He created yesterday’s miracle for yesterday’s struggle. In great faith and obedience, we should be seeking only the Lord himself with all our heart, soul, and mind (Deuteronomy 4:29, Matthew 22:37-38, Hebrews 11:6). We should seek only the miracle worker- for the miracle will never be greater than Him.

Yes, we believe He can do the impossible (Jeremiah 32:17, Jeremiah 32:27, Matthew 19:26). Yes, we recount His wonderful past miracles and blessings, essential reminders of His power and unconditional love (Psalm 103:2-5). But to idolize the miracle of former days over the Lord himself is trying to determine His timing or how He will unfold tomorrow’s blessing. For the Lord Almighty cannot be contained by us and we cannot determine how He will work (1 Kings 8:27).

The Lord sees and knows things that we do not. As God of the universe, unrestricted by time and space, He sees the full picture, with every person and element, where we can only see a micro speck of the picture. However, you never need to worry. If the desire of your heart is not met, God didn’t fail.

Perhaps the Lord determined that you’re not spiritually ready for the blessing at this specific time. He may desire for another step to take place. Maybe He wants time to equip someone who is necessary to your situation. Regardless, His plans are always good because He is good, just, and holy. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you an abundance of patience, understanding, perseverance, and total surrender to the Lord in this season.

You can trust God and His timing. Uphold your time and relationship with Him as your ultimate desire and sacred treasure, not the things of this world which will one day pass.

Do you lean on the Lord for who He is, and who you know Him to be, rather than WHAT He will do and HOW He will do it?

What if you were to say, “I’m not going to focus on the way God Almighty answered my prayer in the past, but rather focus on Him and His character, and be open and accepting of however He wants to work in my situation?”

And if this has touched you, you can pray right now: “Heavenly Father, I approach your throne in total surrender and humbleness. I know the many blessings and miracles you’ve bestowed upon me throughout my life. I am amazed and I am deeply thankful, never forgetting. But today is new. I trust in you and that you will move for me. Maybe you will move the same way as you’ve done in the past, or maybe you will move in a totally different way. I will not focus on the way and the how. I focus on you. I know your plans are good. They always have been and always will be. Please give me perseverance and patience. Please gift me with the eyes to see and the ears to hear you at all times. I pray all of this in the powerful and almighty name of Jesus. Amen.”

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Health

Part II: Your Microbiome and What You Need to Know

Today’s health article is part two on the microbiome. If you would like to read the first article, you can find it here. As a recap, the microbiome is responsible for many functions of the body. If your microbiome isn’t healthy, it can be the root cause for many symptoms of unwellness for the body and mind.

Your Microbiome Sets the Mood

It’s been studied that 70 to 80% of your brain’s neurotransmitters are made in the gut. In fact, up to 90% of your body’s serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s key to happiness, sleep and appetite, is made by the microbes in your gut. Other beneficial gut microbes increase GABA receptors in the brain, important for mood regulation. A decrease in GABA receptors has been linked to chronic depression.

Probiotics that feed the good gut bacteria can have a positive affect on mental health, and have shown to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, memory loss, and autism. You can read more here as well as this article.

Your Endangered Health with an Imbalanced Gut

When you don’t have enough good bacteria living in the gut, bad bacteria can increase. This imbalance causes problems throughout your body, including some that are damaging and ongoing. It can include:

• Food intolerances or sensitivities, reduced ability to digest food, and leaky gut

• Overgrowth of damaging organisms, bad bacteria, and yeasts, often referred to as candida overgrowth

• Inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, including some bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, some allergies, asthma, and diabetes

• Possibly obesity in some people

Why does the gut get out of balance?

The balance between good and bad bacteria depends on a variety of factors including:

• Our mother’s microbiome, how we were born (normal delivery or C-section), and our home environment

• Environmental factors

• Diet

• Antibiotic use– prolonged use can destroy the good bacteria along with the bad

• Poor health

• Age

What can improve the gut microbiome?

Industry experts have reported†*:

• Include a diverse range of foods in your diet daily- legumes, beans, fruit, fiber

• Fermented foods- yogurt, sauerkraut, kefir

• Prebiotic foods- type of fiber stimulating growth of bacteria: artichokes, bananas, asparagus, oats, apples

• Limit artificial sweeteners which can stimulate growth of unhealthy bacteria

• Breastfeed for at least 6 months because it helps with development of the gut microbiome 

• Eat whole grains with fiber

• Eat more plant-based diet

• Eat more foods with polyphenols like green tea, dark chocolate, olive oil 

• Take a probiotic supplement to restore gut if need be

• Take antibiotics only when necessary, as they can kill bad and good bacteria in the gut

• Include intermittent fasting into your schedule each week   

If you are experiencing certain symptoms of unwellness, consider consulting with a licensed nutritionist, holistic/integrated practitioner, or medical doctor about performing an analysis on your microbiome.†* 

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_{†All health information in the articles is exclusively gathered from clinical/medical resources that have been industry vetted, with no conflict of interest in the information they present/publish.} 

_{*Holy Nutrition does not diagnose, treat, or give medical advice. Information provided is not medical advice and should not be relied upon for diagnosis or treatment. Consult with a healthcare provider or medical practitioner for any health concerns, questions, or before making any decisions related to your health. Individual health conditions and needs may vary, and therefore, professional medical advice is essential for personalized guidance. Holy Nutrition is not responsible for any harm or damage resulting from the user's reliance on the information contained in the articles.}