Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday evening, May 05, 2002, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia. For more outlines, including a zipped file of all of my 1999, 2000, and 2001 sermon outlines, click on the link at the bottom of this note, and go to our website:

HOW TO STAY YOUNGER AS YOU GET OLDER

By Michael D. O'Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia

Scripture Reading: Genesis 43:24-28

Text: Genesis 43:28

Genesis 43:28 And they answered, Thy servant our father is in good health, he is yet alive. And they bowed down their heads, and made obeisance.

Introduction: In our text, the sons of Jacob said that he was "in good health" although he was called an old man. This is the first occurrence of the word, "health," in the Bible.

Let me begin my message tonight by encouraging everyone to enjoy where you are in life. There are advantages and disadvantages to being young and good-looking, even as there are to being old and ugly! The only way I would want to go back to age 20 again would be if I could still maintain the knowledge I have at 48.

However, nearly all of us would like to stay healthier longer. Some people I have talked to this week look like they are in their 50s, but they are only in their 30s. I have seen some others that look like they are in their 60s, but they are only in their 40s, and some who look like they are in their 70s, who are only in their 50s. Why should someone look 20 years older than he is?

Believe it or not, the Bible has a lot to say about health. The word is found in 17 verses of scripture. Don't get scared. I don't have a 17-point sermon tonight. I want to give you just a few pointers from the Bible on how to stay healthier and live longer.

First of all, and I know this seems too simple, but

I. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR HEALTH

Acts 27:34 Wherefore I pray you to take some meat: for this is for your health: for there shall not an hair fall from the head of any of you.

These people were in danger of ignoring their health. Paul made them stop what they were doing and eat. Many people ignore their health. They abuse their health, they use their health, and they repair their health, but they never take the time to strengthen and preserve their health.

There are some simple things about your health that you had better not ignore. These have a great effect on your body:

A. Eating and sleeping - see above verse

Drink should be mostly water and juices - 1 Timothy 5:23
Eat as much or less as you are going to burn up in work and exercise
Proverbs 25:16 Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
Don't oversleep and don't under-sleep. If you can't stay awake during the day, you're probably not getting enough sleep. If you're not sleeping well at night, you may be trying to sleep too long and not working long and hard enough.
Romans 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Ecclesiastes 5:12 The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

B. Exercise and sweating

God has ordained that man work and earn his food from the sweat of his face. I THINK that if you don't sweat regularly you're hurting your health.

C. Enjoyment and self-destruction

1. Strong drink (alcoholic beverages)
2. Cigarettes and tobacco
3. Drugs

II. PAY ATTENTION TO HONORING PARENTS

Ephesians 6:2-3 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.

A. Consider them

B. Communicate with them

C. Care for them in their senior years

III. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR HUMOR

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

A. Think about things that bring joy and merriment to your heart

B. Talk about things that bring joy and merriment to your heart

IV. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR HOLINESS

Proverbs 3:1-2 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: 2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.

Proverbs 3:7-8 Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

A. Sin decays health

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

B. Scourging destroys health

I'm referring to chastening as in Hebrews 12:5-11.

C. Sanctification strengthens health

Proverbs 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.

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