HOW TO KEEP FROM GETTING OLD

HOW TO KEEP FROM GETTING OLD BEFORE YOUR TIME

                                               Eight Keys to Health and Success

The Apostle John said, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers,” 3 John 2.

Have you ever stopped to analyze how we came into this world? Before we were born everything was done for us. We had all the protection and comforts of home. We slept on a waterbed for nine long months. And then, what was our introduction to this world? They turned us upside down and spanked our fanny. That was our introduction. That was our welcome mat into the world. Then they did a very horrible thing. They cut the umbilical cord, and we were left all by our lonesome selves. And, unfortunately, too many of us spend the rest of our life trying to find another place to plug it in, so we won’t have to do anything. 

Just as soon as we are born the aging process begins, and we are in a fight for survival the rest of our life. The first half of our life we spend our health trying to get wealth. The last half of our life we spend our wealth trying to get our health back.

While we can’t stop the aging process, there are some things that we can do to slow it down. That’s what I want to talk to you about. How to keep from getting old before our time.

What is it that makes us get old in the first place?

Laying aside the “Adam” factor, it is a scientific, medical fact that one of the things that accelerate the aging process is the drying of the marrow in our bones. Marrow is the soft, vascular tissue that fills the cavities of our bones and produces our red and white blood cells and platelets.

According to the Bible, the marrow in our bones is the innermost necessity for good health. The drying of this marrow is the major cause of getting old.

In Hebrews chapter 4, verse 12, the Bible tells us that “the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing, even to the division of soul and spirit, and the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (That is penetrating the marrow in our joints and affecting our senses, feelings, thoughts and even the intents of our heart.)

I would like to share with you eight keys that will slow down the drying of the marrow in our bones, and keep us from getting old before our time.

These eight keys will also give us some overwhelming advantages in being healthy and successful in life.

1. Key #1. The first key that will keep us from getting old before our time is obvious. Take care of our body.

Dr. McMillen, M.D., in his book, “None of These Diseases," lists four things that scientific studies have shown to make us old before our time, and can even cause a premature death. They are: 1. Eating the fat of animals. 2. Overweight. 3. Smoking. 4. Negative emotions and stress.

I know a lady who has done just about everything possible to keep from getting old before her time. She has had so many face lifts when she blinks her eyes, her eyelids pull up her stockings.

A man’s wife asked him, “Do you still love me?” “Of course, I do," he replied. She said, “Will you still love me when I’m old and gray?” He told her he had loved her through seven other colors, why not gray.

I know a man who died when he was only 42 years old. They didn’t bury him until he was 82.

I heard of a woman who went to the doctor. He told her she needed to diet. She said what color? She was rather large. I was told she had to wear an inner tube for a garter and had to grease the sides of the bath tube to get into it.

I used to be so skinny I had to jump around in the shower to get wet.

I heard of a woman who was so skinny when she got a runner in her hose, she fell out of them.

I realize that none of us are perfect. Unless you are like the man, I met the other day. He said he was perfect and getting better and better everyday.

When I was going to school as a young evangelist, I didn’t know enough theology to be much of a Bible preacher. So I had to preach against social issues, like smoking, drinking, cursing, dancing and spiting in the kitchen sink. 

When I was in collage, my car was in the shop, and I wanted to go to town. I got a ride from a friend. He was smoking so much I had to stick my head out the window. I told him smoking would not send him to hell, but it sure made his car smell like it. I told him if the Lord wanted him to smoke he would have given him a smoke stack by turning his nose upside down. He stopped and told me to get out of the car. He told me if the Lord wanted me to ride he would have made me with wheels. If we take care of our body, it will keep us from getting old before our time.

I’ll share Key #2 shortly.