The Bible makes it quite clear that we may either lengthen or shorten our life-span by our life-style. There seem to be exceptions to this rule, but generally speaking this has proven true, over and over again. The rule applies to Christians and non-Christians alike. Today we will point out from Scripture the fact that we all shorten or lengthen our life on earth in a number of different ways.

Now things have drastically changed -- I sometimes have to force myself to eat. I also have to force myself to exercise. I must admit that I am now inclined to be lazy. I have been asked, “Don’t you enjoy walking?” The answer is, “No!” Not when every step is painful! It would be easier to sit in my office chair, stretch out on my comfortable bed, or use my big recliner. The Bible has something to say about that, too:

“How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?” (Proverbs 6:9,10 NKJ).

“The soul of a lazy man desires, and has nothing” (Proverbs 13:4 NKJ).

“Six days you shall labor and do all your work” (Exodus 20:9 NKJ).

“If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10 NKJ).

Question? If it is wrong to work on the Sabbath Day, is it not wrong not to work on the other six days of the week?

“Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger” (Proverbs 19:15 NKJ).

I am convinced that if am to live and preach, as scheduled, on my 100th Birthday, I will have to give my body every possible advantage. It is evident that, if I were to indulge in the wrong kind of food, I would be dead in less than a week. I have at last decided that henceforth “I will not live to eat, but I will eat to live.” It would be extremely easy at my advanced age to shorten my life span.

My son-in-law, while young and reckless was associated with some rather tough characters; half of whom were full time thieves and the other half were alcoholics. Then he became a Christian and moved to another state. After 3-4 years, he returned to his home town and discovered that every one of his former buddies were either dead or in jail. Sin has a tendency to shorten lives!

“This bread represents My body which was broken for you. (I Corinthians 11:24 NKJ).

Paul, while giving instructions concerning Holy Communion, further declared:

“But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats or drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” (I Corinthians 11:28-30 NKJ).

Not many, in our day and age, are aware of the fact that in His substitutionary atonement on the Cross of Calvary, Christ died for our bodies as well as for our souls.

When Paul stated the fact that “many sleep,” he was actually saying that many Christians die before their time, because divine healing and “divine health” is part of our inheritance in Christ. Just as His blood was poured out to atone for our sins, so His body was broken that our bodies might be healed.

--Uncle Ben’s Quotebook p.37