Health Meditations

Unopened Gifts: Holy Spirit

There is another gift that God has for you: the Holy Spirit.  My question is:

Have you unwrapped the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

And through the Holy Spirit, God has given you one or more spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11
Spiritual Gifts: Unity in Diversity
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

God has given you the Holy Spirit because He loves you.  But you cannot receive the Holy Spirit if you do not have a relationship with God.  So what are you waiting for?  Establish a relationship with God.  Receive the Holy Spirit and unwrap the gift(s) of the spirit that are waiting for you.

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Unopened Gifts: Love and a Sound Mind

In an earlier posting, I stated that God has given you the gift of power.  But there are two other gifts that complement the gift of power.  You definitely need them both in order to use power appropriately.  Those gifts are the spirit of love and a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

God has given you the spirit of love and a sound mind because He loves you.  But you cannot fully tap into these gifts if you do not have a relationship with God.  So what are you waiting for?  Establish a relationship with God.  Unwrap the gifts He has for you and use them wisely.

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Unopened Gifts: Power

Power is the authority, ability or capability to do, act or to accomplish something.  One of God's gifts to you is power.  My question is:

Have you unwrapped the gift of power?

Psalm 68:35
O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places.
The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people.
Blessed be God!

God has given you the power to speak into your life and the lives of others.

Proverbs 18:21
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
And those who love it will eat its fruit.

God has given you the power to get and enjoy wealth.

Deuteronomy 8:18
"And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.

Ecclesiastes 5:19
As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor—this is the gift of God.

God has given you power because He loves you.  But you cannot tap into that power if you do not have a relationship with God.  So what are you waiting for?  Establish a relationship with God.  Unwrap the gifts He has for you and use them wisely.

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Unopened Gifts: Benefits

A benefit is something that is advantageous or good.  A benefit is also a gift that promotes or enhances well-being.  You probably would not accept gifts from someone with whom you have no relationship.  If you have not unwrapped Jesus, the original Christmas gift, then you do not have a relationship with God.  If you do not have a relationship with God, you are missing out on the other gifts or benefits He has for you.  Psalm 103:1-18 describes those benefits:

Psalm 10:31-18
1 Bless the LORD, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

6 The LORD executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
7 He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father pities his children,
So the LORD pities those who fear Him.
14 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16 For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
18 To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

God provides all these benefits for you because He loves you.  So what are you waiting for?  Establish a relationship with God.  Unwrap the gifts He has for you and enjoy your benefits.

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Unopened Gifts

The Christmas season officially begins the day after Thanksgiving.  You may already have a list of gifts to buy for others and a list of gifts you'd like to receive.  My question is:

What about the pile of gifts that you've postponed unwrapping year after year?

Start with Jesus.  He is the original Christmas gift.  Christmas is the celebration of His birthday.

Luke 2:1-14
Christ Born of Mary
1 And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. 3 So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. 6 So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. 7 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger."
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you have not unwrapped the original Christmas gift.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 Corinthians 9:15
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!

So unwrap the gift of everlasting life, rejoice and…

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Personal, Epilogue

Your individual, intimate, private and in-person relationship with God begins when you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior.  God sent Jesus to reconcile humanity back into relationship with Him.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Corinthians 5:18-19
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

If you want an up-close and personal relationship with God, Jesus is the only way to make that connection.

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Reconciliation to God is one decision and a few words away.  You must decide to believe and you must confess your faith.

Romans 10:8-10
8 But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Once you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, it's the beginning of a beautiful relationship.

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Personal: In Person

You must establish your relationship with God in person.  You cannot have a relationship with God by proxy.  God has children.  He does not have grandchildren, stepchildren, nephews or nieces.  It’s all well and good if someone prays for you.  But to establish a relationship with God, you must speak with Him directly and often. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

If you do not establish your relationship with God in person, you will have no relationship with Him at all. 

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Personal: Private

Your relationship with God must be private.  You must spend time with God in a solitary and secluded way so that He has your full attention.  God needs your undivided attention so you can hear what He has to say specifically to you. 

Proverbs 2:1-9
1 My son, if you receive my words,
And treasure my commands within you,
2 So that you incline your ear to wisdom,
And apply your heart to understanding;
3 Yes, if you cry out for discernment,
And lift up your voice for understanding,
4 If you seek her as silver,
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
5 Then you will understand the fear of the LORD,
And find the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding;
7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright;
He is a shield to those who walk uprightly;
8 He guards the paths of justice,
And preserves the way of His saints.
9 Then you will understand righteousness and justice,
Equity and every good path.

Proverbs 4:20
My son, give attention to my words;
Incline your ear to my sayings.

Isaiah 55:3
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you

Please note that private is not the same as secret.  Something that is secret is hidden or concealed from others.  Why would you hide your relationship with God?

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Personal: Intimate

Your relationship with God must be intimate.  An intimate relationship is a close, warm, familiar connection.  An intimate relationship is developed over time.  God already knows you intimately.  It is impossible to have any secrets from Him.  God knows everything you've ever done, said or thought. And He loves you unconditionally anyway. God created your spirit (the real you) before you were ever a twinkle in anyone's eye.  And now that your spirit is housed in flesh, God knows you better than any human will ever know you.  He knows you better than you know yourself. 

Jeremiah 1:4-5
4 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:
5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations."

Psalm 139:1-6
1 O LORD, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know my sitting down and my rising up;
You understand my thought afar off.
3 You comprehend my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word on my tongue,
But behold, O LORD, You know it altogether.
5 You have hedged me behind and before,
And laid Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is high, I cannot attain it.

Psalm 139:13-16
13 For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

Matthew 10:30 (Luke 12:7)
But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Isaiah 49:16
See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;
Your walls are continually before Me.

Since God already knows you, establishing a personal relationship with God is about you getting to know Him intimately.  If you decide you want to know God, He will give you a heart for it.

Jeremiah 24:7
Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.

Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

Make and take the time to develop that close, warm, familiar connection with God.

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Deborah White, MD, MBA

Personal: Individual

Your relationship with God must be individual.  An individual relationship with God is singular, unique, distinct, special, separate, set apart and particular.  If you do not have an individual relationship with God, you may know about Him, but you do not know Him.  It's important for Christians to assemble to pray, praise and worship collectively. 

Hebrews 10:24-25
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

But getting to know God is an individual endeavor.  It is essential for each Christian to pray, praise and worship individually. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

There is no substitute for a one to one connection with God.

Share the health.

Deborah White, MD, MBA