The second way to honor
God with our bodies, express self-control and discipline and clean out the
excess junk is by…
2. The Word of God. (Never
let food or anything else become a replacement for God’s Word.)
-This is the GREATEST tool and most important one
to have.
-The Lord says, in
Matthew 4:4-"People need more than bread for their life; they must feed
on every word of God."
-When we
make this verse apart of us, meaning when we actually chew on this, swallow it
and let the Holy Spirit break it down within us, we will begin to realize how
much more fulfilling God is rather than the following.
a.
Food
b.
Materialistic items
c.
Money
d.
Appearance
e.
Fleshly Desires
-Food is a natural desire for
us. Food is a good thing, when used in the right way and for the right
reason. Let me ask you a few questions.
•
Do you eat just to eat?
•
Do eat when you are stressed?
•
Do you eat when you’re sad?
•
Do you binge eat?
•
Do you eat to fulfill a void?
If you answered yes to any of these, what is your
motive and reason behind doing what you do?
Your best results will come from getting to the
root of why you do what you do. This is something you will need to visit with
the Lord about. He is the only One that can show you the true reason you are do
what you do. Your greatest benefit will come when you are honest before the
Lord.
If food has become an idol, tell Jesus. Ask Him to
help you remove the foods that have taken the place where He and His Word
should be.
Ask Him to help you understand the role He created
food for, which is to nourish you and supply energy. Not to become an addiction
or misused gift.
One perfect example of many, is the daily supply of
manna, God gave the Israelites. God provided JUST what they needed, nothing
more nothing less. But what did they do,
they complained. They had tasted great food in Egypt, and longed for that, all
while missing the most important point God was making. True obedience and trust
that God would provide.
“Oh, that
we were back in Egypt, they moaned. It would have been better if the Lord had
killed us there! At least there we had plenty to eat. But now you have brought
us into this desert to starve us to death. Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Look,
I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. The people can go out each day
and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to
see whether they will follow my instructions. Tell them to pick up twice as
much as usual on the sixth day of each week...And the Lord said to Moses, I
have heard the people’s complaints. Now tell them, in the evening you will have
meat to eat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will
know that I am the Lord your God. That evening vast numbers of quail arrived
and covered the camp. The next morning the desert all around the camp was wet
with dew. When the dew disappeared later in the morning, thin flakes, white
like frost, covered the ground. The Israelites were puzzled whey they saw it.
What is it? They asked. And Moses told them, it is the food the Lord has given
you. The Lord says that each household should gather as much as it needs. Pick
up two quarts for each person. So the people of Israel went out and gathered
this food-some getting more, and some getting less. By gathering two quarts for
each person, everyone had just enough. Those who gathered a lot had nothing
left over, and those who gathered only a little had enough. Each family had
just what it needed.” Exodus 16:3-5; 11-18 (To know more-re-read all of 16 in
its entirety.)
What is the point of all this?
- God always provides our daily needs, especially when it comes to food.
- We must be obedient with how and what we eat.
- We should not over-indulge ourselves.
- We need to pay attention to the details of His Word when it comes to food.
- We need to be thankful for our daily bread, and remember that all these extras, they are luxuries that are not to be misused. (I.E. Candy, cheesecake, ice-cream, fast-food, etc.)
- Remember you are a reflection of Christ.
- God should be your go-to for comfort not food or anything else for that matter.
- Resist the temptation to eat unhealthy when stressed, in a hurry, to tired to cook, etc.
- Just as God gave the Israelites specific amounts to eat, He also gives us those same specific guidelines.
10. Remember
this, “Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors
ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. However, the bread from heaven
gives eternal life to everyone who eats it. I am the living bread that came
down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is
my flesh, offered so the world may live.” John 6:48-51-Jesus is your daily bread. He is fulfilling and satisfying. Seek Him
first.
