The Citizen, 2008-07-24, Page 12By Pastor John KuperusBlyth Christian ReformedChurch
Time magazine had a cover story,
Our Super-Sized Kids. It addresses
the topic of “How America’s
Children Packed on the Pounds.”
(June 23, 2008). The article made a
number of interesting statements:
In the 1950s, kids had three cups
of milk for every cup of soda. Today
that ratio is reversed, meaning they
get all the calories and none of the
nutrients.
In 1900 the average weight of a
college-age male in the U.S. was 133
lbs. (60 kg); the average woman was
122 lbs. (55 kg.). By 200 men had
plumped up to 166 lbs. (75 kg) and
women to 144 lbs. (65 kg). And
while the small increase in average
height for men (women have
remained the same) accounts for a
bit of that, eating habits are clearly
responsible for most.
In the U.S. portion sizes have
exploded. An average of 3,800
calories per day are available to
every American, but adults need
only 2,350.
North Americans love to eat and
we have a lot of food available. The
article acknowledged that obesity is
a complex and complicated problem,
but the first step to addressing the
extra pounds is recognizing it is a
problem. Sometimes that is a big
step, because we would rather deny
that we have a problem. I understand
that the best solution to addressing
weight issues is not dieting, but
eating right.
In the same way that eating right iscritical in the physical, in thespiritual realm we need to have a
healthy diet too. Jesus says, “Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst to
righteousness, for they shall be
filled” (Matthew 5: 6) or as these
words are translated in the Message,
“You’re blessed when you’ve
worked up a good appetite for God.
He’s food and drink in the best meal
you’ll ever eat.”
The first evidence of wholesome
life is healthy appetite.
To eat properly requires self-
discipline. The food that really tastes
good and is cheap is not necessarily
very nutritious. We need to
intentionally choose to have a
balanced diet.
Spiritually, if we are going to be
filled with substance, we need to
choose the right thing too. We can
try to fill our hunger with junk like
St. Augustine did. He lived a very
self-centred and pernicious life
before he came to know God.
He wrote a prayer about where he
found substance for his soul and this
is what he said. “You have made
us for yourself and our hearts
are restless until they find their
rest in you.”Augustine found that any othersource to fill the empty hole in his
life left him yearning and wanting.
Only God was a place where he
could find true and lasting rest.
The psalmist wanted his soul to be
filled with substance. He wrote, “As
the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for God, for the
living God” (Psalm 42: 1-2a). He
also says “O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts
for you, my body longs for you, in a
dry and weary land where there is no
water” (Psalm 63:1).
He wisely understood life without
God is dry and weary, and he wanted
God to fill this void.
A way to whet our physical
appetite is to talk about food. If you
think about a milk chocolate
Hershey bar, does that make you
hungry? If you think about a vanilla
ice cream cone with sprinkles on top
on a hot summer day, does that make
you hungry? If you think about a bag
of chips, will that last around your
home? If you think of a delicious
steak with mashed potatoes and
gravy and vegetables, does that
make you hungry? If you think about
a Chinese all-you-can-eat buffet,does that stir an appetite?Our spiritual appetites can be
whetted too. Imagine a day when
there will be no more cancer or pain.
Imagine a day when the lions will lie
down with the lambs. Imagine a day
when there will be no more death
and being cut off from loved ones.
Imagine a day when there will be no
more fighting and arguing. Imagine
a day with no more tears. Imagine a
day when everything is done right.
God gives us the righteousness we
long for through Jesus. II
Corinthians 5: 21 says, “God made
him who had no sin to be sin for us,
so that in him we might become the
righteousness of God.”
If we want our spiritual appetite
filled, we are to hunger and thirst for
righteousness, because we will be
filled. As we pursue righteousness,
we find God. He is the source of our
deepest longing and in him we have
that longing satisfied. Hebrews 11: 6
says, “He (God) rewards those who
earnestly seek him.” I simply want to
encourage us as a community to do
what the Bible says.
PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2008.
PASTOR DAVID WOOD
119 John’s Ave.,Auburn
519-526-1131
www.huronchapel.org
10:30 a.m.
Morning Worship
HURON CHAPEL CAR SHOW
Saturday, July 26
8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Cars, RC plane demos, BBQ,
special music, competitions
and so much more
- don’t miss it!
Donations at the gate
- Family Event.
Please Note...
For the summer months, Sunday
Small Groups and
Evening Services are cancelled
From the Minister’s StudyHealthy appetite evidence of wholesome life
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224
All Welcome
Sunday, July 27
Worship Service at 11:00 a.m.
Guest speaker: Ollie Craig
Special music by the choir, Cheryl Cronin & Avon Corneil
Sunday school will resume September 14th
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
Youre Invited
to come worship
with us
Sunday, July 27th
Brussels Arena at 10:30 a.m.
In various homes at 6:30 p.m.
Sunday School for children
4 to 11 years of age (mornings only)
Childcare provided for infants and toddlers
Coffee & cookies after the morning service
For additional details please contact:
Steve Klumpenhower 519.887.8651 Rick Packer 519.527.0173
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n ity Church of God
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
Worship Service
10:30 a.m.
for July and August
See you
Sunday!
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Please join us at Melville Presbyterian Church
for services for the month of July
on Sundays at 11 a.m.
Church services for Brussels - Ethel Pastoral Charge
will resume on August 3rd.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
Parish of New Beginnings
Holy Eucharist - July 27
Rev. Thelma Kudelka
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
519-523-9595
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow
519-523-4848
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
July 27: Philippians 4
July - August: Combined worship
at Blyth Community
Church of God,
10:30 a.m.
“How to Get from
Anxiety to
Contentment,
Joy and Peace”
Communion / POTLUCK
Christ-centred, Bible-believing,
Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
Update from Steve Campbell
about Mission Trip
Majestic Women’s Institute
representative Ruth Bauer attended
the Brussels Public School
graduation on June 24.
After dinner she presented
graduate Julena Pipe with the Ida
Evans award.
Bauer was very busy as she also
attended the Grey 4-H graduation
on June 28. There was a guest
speaker, the 4-H ambassador from
Perth County. There were also
demonstrations on topics such as
sewing on a button and making
meatloaf in a mug. It was a great
night.
An invitation was extended to join
the 4-H for a fundraiser barbecue
Aug. 17 at 5 p.m. in Auburn.
Majestic
member
hands out
awards
On Sunday, July 21 Pastor Dave
Wood preached and encouraged the
congregation to be compassionate
and to care for those around them.
His scripture was Matthew 9: 35-38.
Some of the service focused on the
baptism of four young people who
followed Christ’s example into the
Waters of Baptism. There was a
baptismal service in the Maitland
River following the church service.
Chris and Melanie Carter had their
baby, a little girl, Emma.
Congratulations to them and
grandparents Linda Huiser and
Wayne and Cathy Carter.
By Gail Dobie
Call
519-526-7539
PEOPLE AROUND
AUBURN
BUY? SELL?
TRY CLASSIFIED
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, JULY 27TH
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service