Journey To Lent

Spring is just around the corner, the weather is getting better, the birds are singing as if they are expecting some green branches soon. We just had Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday (people overeat on Tuesday before they begin fasting on Wednesday). Lent is observed for 40 days, until Holy Saturday, the day after Good Friday.

Mostly observed by Catholics, Lent is a time of sacrifice, doing without, preparing the believer for the celebration of the second greatest event in the history of the world: the crucifixion of our blessed Lord and His Resurrection. Without His Resurrection, our faith is in vain. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain (1 Corinthians 15:14). The thought occurs to me, and always has, the Christian should live a life of self-denial all the time. Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24). I find that most people who observe lent say they are denying themselves of certain foods...chocolate, steak, etc. My retort, “why not eat sensibly all the time?”

I am convinced there is much evidence to suggest that you can extend your life up to 10 years through “calorie restriction”. The oldest recorded death in recent history has been 123 years, we know that people are living longer, the largest and most expensive segment of our population, as far as healthcare, are those over 85. When I was young, very few people lived to my age (80). I remember the oldest member of my family was 72 when she died. My great grandfather was 50 when he died, and most of the people of that time in history only lived to be mid-centenarians. The biggest problem in geriatrics is people living longer, but not better, nursing homes filled with old people, obese, diabetic, needing joint replacements, etc.

Some of the most exciting research involves prolonging life with gene therapy, limiting food intake, the science of resveratrol. I know of nothing any worse for the human body, especially for the elderly than meat eating. God gave man dominion over animals, we can kill animals and eat them, but we cannot kill one another because God has dominion over us. Science has polluted our world with aspartame, monosodium glutanates (MSGs), fluorides and chlorides in our water, genetically modified plants, and God help us, vaccinations and pills for everything.

If you will notice, ants and birds are always working. There is nothing better for the homostasis of the human body than movement, work. Most human beings who live to a very old age are thin and healthy. I have traveled every continent in the world, America is the only place where you find fat people. The greatest act of Christian hypocrisy is the undisciplined life. Pope John Paul said that his greatest seminary education was in his boyhood home. It is in the home that good habits of diet and hygiene are established. I will give you this promise as a scientist, a fat child will result in a fat adult. Addictions in childhood will leads to an adult addict. An undisciplined life is not worth living, character determines destination.

It does not bother me in the least for anyone to call me a fundamentalist. When the Southern Baptists became so liberal, fundamental baptists grew from them. When Republicans became so liberal, fundamental “tea party” people grew from them, and so it has been with every denomination and every political party. The prophets and patriots were fundamentalists. God willing, church house pulpits will be filled with fundamentalists, court house benches will be filled with fundamentalists, school house administrator's offices will be filled with fundamentalist, jailhouse authorities will be fundamentalists...Let us pray to God that one day the White House will have a fundamentalist.

My family never liked me because I was fundamental. I was hard on myself in study, life habits, conservation of money, time, talent. Oh, your family and friends will put on a front, pretending just as with their religion, but you know they resent you, are jealous of you if you have the courage to walk in faith and accomplishment without sight.

There must be self-control, discipline in everything you do, for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). If you claim the name of Christ, you do so 1440 minutes of every day, 365 days of every year. The word fear is talked about 365 times in God's Word – perfect love casteth out fear (1 John 4:18) You have no problems discerning people who love you from the hypocrites. Those who resent you will never ask you to pray for them because they do not want God meddling in their lives. In silence, learn to suffer the disparity of their world. God will give you the grace for suffering, the humility to reach the final destination. The journey to Lent is a continuous travel.