GROWING IN 4 AREAS

"Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."  Luke 2:52

Growing is something even Jesus did.  He grew in 4 areas:

1. He grew "in wisdom" - intellectual development.
2. He grew "in stature" - physical development.
3. He grew "in favor with God" - spiritual development.
4. He grew "in favor with men" - social and emotional development.

Your spiritual growth should not be compartmentalized, but integrated into every other aspect of your life.  This is where we have been missing it!  You cannot neglect one of these areas without endangering your growth in all of them.  So do not limit Jesus to some religious compartment of your existence and say, "A chapter a day keeps the devil away."  Wake up to the realization that you can give the Lord of your life greater control over every aspect of your being.  This is what makes the Christian life dynamic, not static.

But notice something: this is a highly individualized process.  We are each in different stages of our development.  That is why comparison is foolish.  Do not spend your life comparing yourself to others, because you are not them.  You are you!  Each day examine these 4 major areas and ask, "Lord, how am I doing?"  In some areas you will show up well, in others you will have a long way to go.  When it comes to your values and your habits you will discover that:

• Some are good and just need to be reaffirmed.
• Some are inconsistent and need to be reinforced.
• Some are underdeveloped and need to be refined.
• Some are harmful and need to be repented of.  

Bottom line?  You will grow if you commit yourself to it!

A LIFE TIME GUARANTEE

"Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."  Psalm 23:6

Goodness and Mercy.  Not just goodness alone, for we all are flawed and in need of mercy.  Not just mercy alone, for we all are fragile and inadequate, in need of God's goodness.  So He guarantees both.  And if that does not impress you, try this phrase: "all the days of my life".  Think of the days that lie ahead of you: tough days raising children, days in a dead-end job, underpaid and financially strapped, days of loneliness, days of ill health, days of care giving.  Listen: "Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life."  All of them!

And what will the Shepherd do during those days? He will follow you. What a surprising way to describe God.  We are accustomed to a God who remains in one place; who sits enthroned in the heavens and rules.  But no, like a Shepherd who comes behind, gently coaxing His sheep forward, our Lord follows us.  Pursues us.  Tracks us down and wins us over.  Have you sensed Him pursuing you? So often we miss Him; we do not know our Helper when He is near.  Yet He is always there; through the kindness of a stranger; through the question of a child or the commitment of loved one; through a word of encouragement spoken or a touch well timed we sense His presence.  Even when we choose our hovel over His house and our efforts over His grace, still He follows.  Never forcing us.  Never leaving us.  Using all His power to convince us that He is who He is, and that He can be trusted to lead us home.  What more could we ask for?

EXPERIENCING THE MIRACULOUS

"Do whatever he tells you."  John 2:5

Do you need a miracle?  Read the story of Jesus turning water into wine.  Notice what Mary said to the attendants at the wedding reception: "Do whatever [Jesus] tells you."  Do it, even though:

• You are not in the right place.  They were at a wedding, not a church, when Jesus performed this miracle. Some of our greatest blessings will be at "other places" if we will just be sensitive and obedient to God.
• You have got a lot of problems.  They did run out of wine for their guests.  How embarrassing.  Too often our problems drive us away from Jesus instead of to Him.  Miracles begin when we focus on God's power instead of our problems.
• You are not being encouraged.  When Mary turned to Jesus for help He tested her faith saying, "Dear woman, why do you involve me...My time has not yet come" [Jn 2:4].  But she passed the test.  Instead of being discouraged Mary laid hold of the possibility of a miracle, believed God and received one.
• You have not walked with Christ very long.  The attendants who obeyed Jesus had just met Him.  And His disciples had just started following Him.  Yet they were all expected to obey Him.  So are you?
• You have not yet seen Him work miracles in your life.  This was Jesus' first miracle.  They had to obey Him without the faith that comes from a previous track record.  That is always challenging.
• You do not understand the process.  Why pour water into empty containers? Answer: give Jesus what you have got and He will give you back what you need.  That is how to experience the miraculous!

DIABETES

WHAT IS DIABETES?

It is a chronic disease that affects over 30million people worldwide. Simply put, People with diabetes are unable to utilize the glucose in their diet for energy. The glucose accumulates in their blood stream and can damage the heart, kidney, eyes and nerves. If left untreated, its complications are quite devastating. It is usually irreversible and although patients live a reasonably normal lifestyle, these late complications may result in reduced life expectancy and considerable uptake of health resources.

Much of its care is “Self-Managed”, meaning if you have this condition, you owe it to yourself to take day-to-day responsibility for your own care.

TYPES OF DIABETES

A.  Type  I  (also called juvenile onset or insulin dependent DM). It is an auto immune disease. This means your immune system which fights off infection for you has gone hay wire and is destroying your insulin producing cells. Without insulin, your body can’t use the sugar and fat broken down from food you eat. People with Type I Diabetes depend on external intake of insulin to live.

CHARACTERISTICS/SYMPTOMS

·         Most common in children.

·         Often comes on suddenly and severely with thirst, frequent urination, weight

loss which develops and worsens within weeks.( despite a good appetite and regular eating)

·         Usually no known family history.

·         No major risk factor, but chances are higher in those with a family history.

·         Insulin injection is required to control it.

·         Dry mouth weakness, tiredness and blurry vision.

B.  TYPE II (also called Non Insulin dependent DM or adult onset). It defers from type I in that the body makes some insulin but not enough and the body can’t make use of the small amount produced.

CHARACTERISTICS / SYMPTOMS

·         Most common in adults

·         Cuts or sore throat that heals slowly.

·         Itchy skin and yeast infections, dry mouth and leg pains.

·         Slow onset with thirst, frequent urination, weight loss which worsens over weeks or months.

·         Usually runs in families.

C.  GESTATIONAL DIABETES( PREGNANCY INDUCED)

3% to 5% of all pregnant women get this during mid-pregnancy and it usually ends when the baby is born. However some women go on to develop type II DM late on in life. It does not cause birth defects, but the babies are usually larger than normal and may suffer low blood sugar immediately after birth. Treatment is often diet modification.

WHAT PUTS YOU AT RISK?

·         Obesity

·         Family history.

·         Over weight baby (birth weight greater than 4kg) or a history of gestational DM)

·         High blood pressure greater than 140/90mmhg.

·         Abnormal blood sugar level in a previous testing.

CHECKING YOURSELF FOR DIABETES

Fasting blood sugar is the most common diagnostic test carried out. This is carried out by taking a blood sample from an individual who has not eaten anything for a minimum of 8 hours (i.e. first thing in the morning after an overnight fast where the last meal was before 9pm).

Normal levels are between 70-110mg/dl. So figures above this recorded on two different occasions are diagnostic of DM.

COMPLICATIONS.

 

·         Leading cause of adult blindness.

·         End stage kidney disease.

·         Limb amputations as a result of nerve disease.

·         Coronary heart disease and stroke.

·         65% of diabetics are also hypertensive.

Preventing or delaying its onset is often dependent on diet modification (eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as our regular diet is more of the class which puts us at risk). This should be backed up with adequate exercise to prevent obesity.

Early detection is necessary to prevent its devastating late complications.

Dr Ibare-Jones Eyitope

FINDING THE RIGHT CHURCH

"Understanding our lives together as a church". 1 Corinthians 12:25

What should you look for when trying to find a church?  The first is Christ-centered worship, the celebration of God for who He is, and what He has done for us.  A biblical sound church places a high priority on praising God.  Second is quality Bible instruction.  Does the church you are considering believe, honor, and teach God's Word in such a way that you understand the Bible and see how it applies to your life?  Remember, you cannot grow beyond what you know.  A third characteristic of a good church is fellowship - the sharing of the life of Christ among the members.  This goes far beyond Sunday morning attendance or coffee and donuts in the fellowship hall.  True fellowship occurs when we are involved in each other's lives - caring, encouraging, correcting, loving and engaging with one another.  The church should provide us with a meaningful sense of belonging.  Fourth is the church's ministry of outreach.  A church that wants to grow, cannot be ingrown.  There is nothing wrong with being a small church - as long as you are not a small-minded church.  The church you identify with should provide you with opportunities to use your gifts and talents to touch other lives, emphasizing the importance of demonstrating your faith in word and good deeds.  In other words, the church's impact should extend well beyond its walls.

When you find a church where these priorities and experiences are regularly offered in an environment that is saturated in grace and charged with faith, you have found the right church.  Join it!  And do not ask what your church can do for you - ask what you can do for your church!

KNOW YOUR ENEMY - HE KNOWS YOU!

"I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray." 2 Corinthians 11:3

Temptation begins in your mind.  Satan gave Eve the idea of eating the forbidden fruit.  Eve was not just standing there trying to figure out how to disobey God.  You must understand that the initial thought to do evil, is not from you.  The new nature you have from God would not come up with that.  The devil studies you the way a coach studies the game film of his opponents.  Satan knows your weak spots.  He knows which temptation has the best chance of success against you.  How often have you ended up "I promised God and myself that I did never do that again," yet you did it.  That is because Satan knows what works on you.

But before you feel defenseless and get discouraged, God gives us this assurance: "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man [we are all cut from the same bolt of cloth]; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." 1 Co 10:13.  God builds a back door into every temptation with a lighted "exit" sign over it.  The key word in this Scripture is "with".  The way of escape comes with the temptation.  So while you will never be exempt from temptation, you can be victorious over it.  And the Good News is, when Satan discovers that his strategies against you are not working, he goes looking elsewhere.

KIDNEY OR RENAL FAILURE

What are the Kidneys?

The kidneys are two bean shaped organs each about the size of a fist located in the lower back.  Each person is normally born with two kidneys.

What do the Kidneys do?

The kidneys have many functions but their major function is to clean the blood by removing waste products and regulating the body fluids. They produce urine through which unwanted waste products are eliminated from the body. They also regulate blood pressure, red blood cells and calcium through the production of some hormones.

What is Kidney Failure?

Kidney failure occurs when both kidneys are so damaged that they can no longer clean waste products from the blood. When only one kidney is lost the other one is usually strong enough to do the job. There are 2 types of kidney failure: Acute and Chronic.

A  Acute Kidney (Renal) failure is a sudden decrease in kidney function. It can happen for example with severe infections, severe vomiting and diarrhea with dehydration, intoxications or allergic reactions. With treatment in the hospital, there is almost always return to normal kidney function.

·   

   Chronic Kidney (Renal) Failure is the gradual loss of kidney function because of kidney damage. Sometimes Chronic Kidney disease may be hereditary. Other causes are repeated infections in the kidneys, inflammation of kidney blood vessels or heavy use of certain drugs and medications.

What are the factors that increase the risk of developing Chronic Kidney Failure?

The main risk factors are:

·    

         Family History: Diabetes and High blood pressure are hereditary conditions and they are the major causes of Chronic Kidney Disease.

·         

    Age: The kidneys begin to get smaller at about age 35. At age 80 most people have lost about 30% of their kidney mass.

·         

    Race: Chronic Kidney Failure is commoner in people of African and Native American descent.

·         

     Sex: Men have been found to have a higher risk of developing chronic kidney failure.

What happens when the kidneys fail?

Harmful waste products and excess fluid accumulate in the body. This will result in the affected person having a poor appetite, vomiting, inability to concentrate, getting tired easily, looking pale, bruising, ankle swelling and elevated blood pressure.

How is Kidney failure treated?

At first, the decrease in the ability of the kidney to regulate the body chemistry requires only medications and changes in the diet; Treatment helps to prolong the life of the kidneys. However when the kidney failure becomes severe (usually less than 10-15%of the normal kidney function, it is called end-stage renal disease and treatments that replace the work of healthy kidneys must be started.

What are the treatments for End–stage renal disease?

When the kidneys fail completely there are 2 options available to sustain life: Dialysis or Transplantation.

·     

          DIALYSIS is a process through which the blood is cleaned of waste products and excess fluid is removed. There are two types of Dialysis namely peritoneal dialysis and Hemodialysis. Hemodialysis is the form of dialysis widely practiced here in Nigeria. It involves running the patient’s blood through a dialysis machine which filters out the waste products and excess fluid before returning the blood back into the patient’s body.  It is best performed 3 days a week and usually lasts from 3-6 hours per session in a dialysis centre.

·        

   TRANSPLANTATION- Kidney transplantation refers to a surgical procedure whereby a healthy kidney is removed from one person (a donor) and placed into the patient with the kidney failure (the recipient). The donor may be a living person preferably a family member or a very recently deceased individual who has prior to his /her death given permission to have his/her organs donated. Because the kidney is foreign to the patient’s body he/she will be required to take a number of immunosuppressive medications daily to decrease the chances of transplant rejection. He or she will also need life-long medical check-ups.

      How long can a person live with chronic Kidney Failure

    Many people think that if their kidneys fail, they will die immediately. This used to be true 40-50 years ago when there were not enough dialysis machines to go around and medical knowledge about kidney disease was limited. Today however the life span of a patient with kidney failure varies depending on their age, other health problems and how involved they are in their care. Today we have better drugs, know better about how to slow down kidney failure and have technically advanced dialysis machines. The most important factor is the individual who has the disease because research shows that patients who take a more active role in their own care live longer , so patients should ask questions and explore with their doctor what is the best way to manage their disease.

     How good will my life be with Chronic Kidney Failure?

     This depends on the patient, in the early stages; the symptoms may be so subtle the patient often does not notice them. In later stages fatigue, loss of appetite, itching and the other symptoms mentioned above can reduce the patient’s quality of life if he/she does not act fast because all these symptoms can be treated. The patient should talk to his/her doctor about signs and symptoms to look out for. Taking medications on time can also slow down the progression of kidney disease.

     How do I prevent Chronic Kidney Failure

   Chronic kidney disease may sometimes be prevented by controlling the other diseases or factors that can contribute to kidney disease. Because chronic kidney disease is often caused by high blood pressure and diabetes, keeping your blood pressure and sugar levels near normal can help prevent damage to the kidneys. Others steps that may help reduce the chances of developing chronic kidney failure include eating a diet low in protein and fat, and also avoiding the long term use or dependence on medicines that can damage the kidneys such as some pain relievers and antibiotics.

     

    

     Dr. Olukayode Williams