Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Some verses I need to take to heart...

Why is it that we ignore these particular Scriptures? When did self-control, moderation, and temperance become so old-fashioned, and gluttony and self-indulgence become so popular?

Blessed are you, O land, whose king is of nobility and whose princes eat at the appropriate time--for strength and not for drunkenness. (Ecclesiastes 10:17)

"Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap..." (Luke 21:34) I had to remind myself what dissipation meant: wasteful expenditure or consumption; dissolute indulgence in sensual pleasure; intemperance.

For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. (Philippians 3:18,19)


Serious stuff.

We can try to pretty it up, make excuses, blame others, pretend that we just "like our food", accuse others of being harsh and judgmental and looking on the outward man, but the truth is that God has spoken clearly in His Word about gluttony. Maybe it's time we listened to Him instead of to our surrounding culture.

4 comments:

  1. This is good, although unpleasant, stuff, Rebecca.

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  2. I also want to add that it is encouraging and it spurs me on to keep on keepin' on in the goals I have set for myself and in one more way that I can obey the Word.

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  3. Hi Rebecca!

    You hit on the one thing no one wants to discuss...then they's have to give up all their "coffe times" before and after bible stidies, Sunday School, etc. Gluttony is the "unspoken" sin in the church today i do believe!

    Thin Within is a ministry that discusses this nad it is a blessing...thinwithin.org

    blessings
    Barbara

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  4. Give up coffee time?! I never thought of that!! (she says with a sudden edge of panic to her voice...)

    Back when I was a young mother, there was a group of us that would get together with our children and we always brought healthy snacks to share. We came up with a few ground rules:

    1. No caffeine. We wanted all the snacks to be for everyone capable of eating "real food", including pregnant and nursing moms, small children, etc.

    2. No added sugars, whether glucose, high fructose, artificial sugars, whatever.

    3. Low in fat.

    4. As unprocessed as possible.

    5. No junk food.

    There is something wonderful about sharing food together. It's even more wonderful when we can do so without guilt, without tempting one another to indulge in unhealthy junk, without causing sugar highs in our children, and without undoing someone's diet.

    Coffee, of course, is a sanctified drink...don't get me started!

    Seriously, Barbara, I really liked your comment and will check out Thin Within. Thanks!

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