What Goes In?

     Weight loss is a matter of calories consumed versus calories burned. It is referred to as ‘calories in/ calories out’. We each have a certain amount of calories our body burns each day that is determined by our age, gender, normal daily activity, and weight. There are many sites on the internet that will calculate it for you. A great website is http://www.mypyramid.gov/ . On this site, you can figure your daily needs in calories and nutrients. Once you know the calories you need each day, you need to cut your calories to lose weight, eat the proper amount to stay the same, or if you eat too many calories you will gain weight. A pound is equal to 3500 calories. If you eat 500 calories less than you need each day, you would lose a pound a week. Also, you can add additional calories to your daily burn by exercising. Again, if you wanted to to cut your calories by 500, you could eat 200 less calories each day and exercise to burn off 300 calories and still achieve your goal.
    When we were young, many of us heard, "what goes in must come out!" We know the principle! We see its physical evidence when it comes to our bodies, but it also applies to our spiritual being. What we put in our minds and our spirit is evident in our life. It affects our disposition, our bitterness, our forgiveness, our sins, our words, and what we radiate. Scripture tells us to stand on God’s Word through every situation we encounter. However, how can we do that if we do not know the Word of God. We can only know it by reading it. We put it in our heart by learning its applications. It does not happen by osmosis. If you want to reflect Christ to the world, you have to put His Word in you. You have to know Him!
     Think about your past week. What did you put in your mind? What did your eyes see? What did your ears hear? How much time did you give God? How much did you give the world? Did your life reflect Christ? Or was the mirror foggy?

I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Psalms 199: 15-16