Drink from the river of life

"Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart." Psalm 36:5-10

These verses were part of my Bible study the other day. Of course, "they feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights" jumped off the page at me. The basic premise for the inclusion of these verses was that we, as Christians, may know God and yet still long to do worldly things because they seem more fun, fulfilling or satisfying. I remember the analogy of doing the Christian-thing because it's good for us like bran but we desire the chocolate malt of what we mistakingly perceive people have who are not living according to Biblical principles.

How far that thinking is from the truth! God wants us to feast from His abundance and drink from the river of His delights. Beth Moore noted that in Christian circles, there are times that we're just simply doing what our parents did or what our church has taught us rather than trying to intimately discover who the Lord is and what He has for us. She discussed the Garden of Eden where God told Adam & Eve that they could eat of any tree except for one, and He had created an abundance for them to enjoy. Beth Moore said we've been living on apples & bananas and we're getting bored, but God has created all sorts of other things for us to consume and enjoy like mangos, papayas and pineapples. We're living off of sermons we hear and a strict diet of the same ol' thing when there's so much more that God has for us if we'd wholeheartedly follow Him! Within the confines of His authority, there are the greatest pleasures we could know! And, He doesn't withold good things from His children. He wants the best for us! He created love, marriage, family, and all sorts of other things for our enjoyment because He loves us.

God's love is unfailing. He will satisfy our deepest cravings. I'm learning that eating - while it may feel satisfying at the moment - does not really get to my deepest longings. I remember the feeling of being absolutely full and yet craving something to eat or munch on. Boredom or dissatisfaction was one of my biggest challenges. It's not certain types of food that will bring me delight - it's a relationship with the Creator of all sorts of delights. A river of them, in fact!  He encourages us to drink! He is the living water! And He is the giver of life. May you be encouraged to fall more deeply in love with Him today and feast and drink on what He has for you, which will make you healthier and thinner.

Dear Heavenly Father, first I must say how grateful I am that Your love reaches to the heavens and Your faithfulness stretches to the skies. Thank You for giving us refuge beneath Your wings and allowing us to feast on the abundance of Your house and drink from Your river of delights. Lord, I ask that You would take our breath away (well, not literally, but You know what I mean). Make us yearn for more of You. May we be satisfied in our relationship with the Creator of every good and perfect gift and not try to find some would-be-satisfaction from worldly pleasures that only make us feel more empty inside and fatter on the outside. Keep us in step with You and focused on You - show us the treasures You have for us. And, Lord, please make us healthy and thin for Your glory. We love You! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Present Your Requests to God

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

Are you anxious about losing weight? I admit that I have been. It's easy to see the holidays around the corner and start to worry about losing more now to make up for the times we'll be eating more or think we won't make it through this next season. But, God tells us not to be anxious about anything. In EVERYTHING - which includes weight loss! - by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, we are supposed to present our requests to God. So, we need to be praying... and we need to be thanking.

The other night as I was tucking my son into bed, he was thanking Jesus for everything, from triangles to trains to people. At first I was blessed, and then I was hoping to rush him along since it was time for lights out. But, God doesn't tire of our prayers, especially when we're thanking Him for His blessings. I think being thankful keeps us focused on the things that are noble, pure, just, etc.

What else I find special about these verses is that God promises to guard our hearts and minds with His peace. What an amazing thought! If it's true that the war will be won in the battle ground of our minds, we've found a key in guarding that area of our lives. God's peace, which is a result of bringing our petitions to Him. So, let's do that now!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for helping us lose weight. Thank You for each and every pound that has been shed. Lord God, help us not be anxious about this journey or the weight we need to lose or the time of year. Jesus, with thanksgiving, we come to you with the following petition: make each one of us healthy and thin. May we be transformed with new physical bodies for Your glory, prepared to do the good work that You've called us to do. We also ask that You guard our hearts and minds with Your peace. And, we thank You for it! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Challenge

We've had 56 days together on this journey of losing weight. I'm not sure how many people even read this blog, but I'm enjoying writing it. Writing is a passion of mine, and I love to journal, so this is just a public diary where I'm trying to put to practice Scriptures that I feel the Lord has given me in this weight loss journey. But, each person is on their own individual journey, I realize. And, if I've learned nothing else, it's that it's God's Word that is really going to transform us from the inside out.

So, my challenge to you is this, has God given you any Scripture verses along the way that you would like to share? You've listened to me, and I'd like to listen to you. Feel free to post a comment with one! If you're not actively searching the Lord in His Word for Scriptures to help you along your path, then I'd like to encourage you to start today! There's nothing like it... when you're reading the Bible and seeking God's direction for your life and lo and behold, there is a verse that God wrote directly to you to motivate and strengthen you for that day and the coming weeks. If you ask God to give you something, He is gracious and generous with His portions! So, don't wait. Start reading the Bible and seeing what God says about weight loss and healthy living in there. Then comment here. I'd love to hear from you.

May you be blessed in this journey beyond measure!!!

Transformed With Ever-Increasing Glory

"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18

I actually read the Amplified Bible version of this verse today in my devotions, which words the verse as follows: "And all of us, as with unveiled face, [because we] continued to behold [in the Word of God] as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; [for this comes] from the Lord [Who is] the Spirit." 2 Corinthians 3:18 (Amplified Bible)

I immediately was humbled at the thought. I read several versions, and some noted that when God removes the veils from our faces, we see God with nothing in between us; and like a mirror, we radiate His awesome beauty. But, what was a distinction for me in the Amplified Bible version was that we are reflecting on (or contemplating) God's glory through His Word. I believe there is a distinct value that comes from meditating on God's Word every day and applying it to our lives. If we want to be transformed into His likeness, display His splendor and radiate with His beauty, we need to spend time with Him, learn from Him and have a 'real' relationship.

I believe God's holy Word is the only thing that can change my life and make me thin. I've tried other things that don't work. I need Him for my strength, my motivation and my saving grace. Without God's Word grounding my life, I'm left open to temptation, I'm left hopeless thinking there's no way that I can beat this struggle, and I'm left feeling alone in an uphill battle.

But, when I contemplate God's glory in His word, when I leave nothing untouched by my Savior or closed off from Him, when the veil is removed in this life (after all, the verse says with 'ever-increasing glory' and 'being transformed' as though it's a process here on earth rather than an instantaneous thing like when we die) and we are able to mirror our Savior's radiance, I believe the end result is true beauty and nothing less. May my life be a true reflection of God's glory and may He receive all the honor and praise for it.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Word, which says that we are being transformed into Your likeness with ever-increasing glory. God, I want my life to mirror You. I give you the key to every area of my life and offer You the veil that comes between us. May we reflect Your glory. God I pray for each person reading this... may they come to know You in a mighty way through Your Word. And, Lord, I pray that we would all become thin and beautiful for Your utmost glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Prepared to Do Any Good Work

"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." 2 Timothy 2:20-21

More and more I see how being overweight can inhibit your activities. From not being physically capable of doing whatever it may be that we're called to do to not having the burning desire or motivation to keep going, there's just something about obesity that can weigh us down from doing the work we're called to do at times. My desire is to be an 'instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.'

Therefore, I should follow the instructions in these verses to cleanse myself from ignoble purposes. When I looked up the word 'ignoble' I found the following synonyms: "dishonorable, shameful, immoral, base, low, reprehensible, dastardly." Are we doing anything with our bodies that could be classified in one of these categories? If so, we need to be sanctified through the forgiveness and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I decided also to look up 'noble' and found synonyms including "righteous, good, splendid, decent, dignified, gracious, gallant, upper-class and...self-sacrificing!" Are we dignified, gracious, upper-class and self-sacrificing? Um... I think I could use a good refining like the gold mentioned above.

I'm asking God to make me His instrument, holy like Him, used for noble purposes, useful to the Master (which I would take as a HUGE compliment!) and prepared to do any good work. If we're going to be prepared to do good work, I think we're going to have to have the physical bodies and stamina for what God calls us to do. May this weight loss journey have a higher purpose in your life than you even recognized when you first started. May you be called useful to the master and ready to do ANY good work!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for these verses. Thank You that You can cleanse us from ignoble things. Please refine us like gold and make us Your instrument for noble purposes, holy, useful to You, and may we be ready to do ANY good work. Father, please make us healthy and thin for Your glory and Your kingdom purposes. We love You and long to be useful to You. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Think On These Things

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8

This is one of my favorite verses. I remember writing it on an index card and hanging it in my room when I was in high school, along with many other favorites that I didn't want to forget. And, while you may think it has nothing to do with weight loss, I'm learning that it has a lot to do with every temptation in our lives.

I've personally discovered throughout this journey that if I focus on food and I start thinking about it non-stop, I ultimately give way to overindulging in something that is not necessarily good for my body. (After all, it's not often that vegetables overtake my thoughts!) On the other hand, I've found the same to be true on the opposite end of the spectrum. If I think about healthy things I can have and plan out my meals, I can usually stick with them. I somehow convince myself to be in the mood for them. For example, one day I decided I was going to eat veggies for lunch. Now, these are veggies I like, mind you (in fact, on a side note, I would highly recommend the 'immunity blend' frozen steamer veggies at Giant). But, steamed vegetables was what I decided I wanted for lunch in the morning and when I ate them that day, they were extremely satisfying.

Likewise, I met a friend for breakfast the other week who also is trying to lose weight. Breakfast is an easy meal at home for me but a tough one out at restaurants. She told me that she visualized her plate before getting to the buffet, sectioning out what part was going to be fruit, what part would be reserved for eggs, etc. I thought it was a wise move that kept her focused so she didn't overdo it. I think it's good to have a game plan of what you're going to eat for that day so that you're not starving or overindulging and so that you're getting enough good stuff to be healthy. After all, that's the point of this journey, right?

That said, we can't just focus on food or we would eat far more than we need. We should focus on that which is "noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable and praiseworthy" like the verse above says. When I think about God's goodness, when I'm thankful for what He's done in my life, when I listen to worship music, when I hear a testimony about His faithfulness to someone else, when I look around and see the beauty of His creation, when I choose to intentionally focus my thoughts on things from above, the battle seems easier. When I allow myself to start craving things I shouldn't have or think about negative things going on around me, it's instinctive for me to want to eat my sorrows away.

And while we think that it's okay to 'lick the plate clean' from chocolate cake in our mind so long as we're not doing it physically, I think that we are setting ourselves up for failure if we continue to focus on such things.

It's more than ironic that my devotions were on the same thing. I had written this entry out in my mind, and then the book I'm studying had the exact same focus. I'll give you bits and pieces that I found interesting from Beth Moore (2003) "When Godly People Do Ungodly Things":

• "Many of us may not be committing grievous sins with our bodies, but we are entertaining them in the recess of our minds..." Beth likened the mind to the most secret chamber of our temple (our body). We read Ezekial 8:1-12, which I would recommend you read, too. She notes "we kid ourselves in thinking that sin is safe in the secret places."
  
• The mind is the biggest battlefield we have on which our Spiritual battles are fought. [If you're losing this battle right now, I challenge you to search your heart and your mind...that seven pounds was a wake up call for me that something needed to change on the inside of my heart. And, thank God, the scale is starting to go the other direction!]
• My favorite quote: "The redeemed of God who are inhabited by the very Spirit of Jesus Christ weren't bought by His blood to be typical" (p. 70). Wow! If you think that you are 'normal' or 'typical' in what you're feeding your mind or thinking about, this is truly an OUCH moment. "Much too often we have adopted a relative standard based on the wickedness of the world rather than the holiness of God."
  
• If we don't allow God to sanctify our thoughts, our minds will taint our hearts and ultimately affect our actions. "But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ" 2 Corinthians 11:3. This verse shows that even those who are sincere and pure in their devotion to Christ can be lead away through  the serpent's cunning their minds!
• Christ tells us the greatest commandment was to "Love the Lord your God with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength" (Mark 12:28,30). We need to love God with our minds and make our thoughts obedient to Him.
• "We must apply the principle of feeding what we want to live and starving what we want to die. We need to start feeding the Spirit and starving the flesh." While these are Beth Moore's words and not Scripture, I'm amused by the analogy. She talks about what we're feeding our minds - is it junk on TV, R-rated movies, trashy magazines or books or are we conscious of the choices we're making to feed ourselves good things that make us focus on what is right, noble, pure, praiseworthy, etc.
• Romans 8:6 tells us that the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. If we practice not thinking about sinful things but rather on the good, Beth notes "then our feelings start changing and improving. We often feel better all over. We start feeling full and satisfied." Again, I love that God can use a simple workbook to let me know that He's thinking of our struggle to lose weight. After all, when we feel "full and satisfied" we're not as tempted to go over-indulge in something that will harm our goals!

This week, start empowering the Holy Spirit to allow you to focus on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable...anything that is praiseworthy or excellent."  Practice controlling your thoughts, being intentional about your choices and allow God to make your life holy, pure and altogether thin and lovely!!!

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for showing us the way to victory. It is only by Your Spirit and the work You've done on the cross that we have any hope for our future. We know that You want the best for our bodies, and we thank You that You've come right alongside us in this journey. Lord, please help us focus on that which is pure, noble, right, true, admirable, lovely, excellent or praiseworthy. Keep our thoughts high above and may we honor You with our choices. We love You, Lord Jesus. May our lives be a pure reflection of that... we live for Your glory. In Jesus' powerful and precious name, AMEN!

Strengthen Your Walls

"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control." Proverbs 25:28

My devotions this morning were on building up walls to protect ourselves from the attack of the enemy. First, Beth Moore (2003) talked about a fence that had fallen down between two properties due to tree roots, which seemed harmless when the trees were planted but had grown to the point of uprooting the soil and knocking down fences on both neighbors yards. One neighbor had exotic animals while the other raised miniature horses. Neither neighbor had noticed the fence coming down due to the acreage until one day, a property owner went out to see her favorite horse being torn apart by a hungry lion. To quote a paragraph from the study: "Tragically, we often don't realize part of our fence is down until Satan, the roaring lion, is devouring something precious to us right on our own property. Mind you, he has no right to be on our property, but all he needs for a written invitation is a weak spot in our fence" (Moore, 2003, p. 64).

Next, she recalled that God is a believer in walls, noting places in Scripture where God had placed walls or boundaries around his beloved things (like the Garden of Eden, the Old Testament tabernacle and the city of Jerusalem). We did an exercise where we drew a temple and then labeled it our bodies based on 1 Corinthians 6:19 (so cool that these Scriptures keep coming back as we seek God's direction!). Next, we looked at how the Holy Spirit is inside of us and that there is a wall that God has built with His seal of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).

Finally, the above Scripture was referenced, and it stood out to me above all else in the lesson. For one, I must admit that I've read it dozens of times before (in fact, it's in one of my son's favorite books on being a godly boy) but I never really understood the analogy until today. Maybe I'm just thick-headed, but I didn't think about the seriousness of a broken-down wall to a city. City walls represented protection at the very least. All I keep picturing is a lion ripping to shreds something very loved like the little horse she described, and I want my walls to be fortified rather than broken down. Self-control is that important!

And I've been lacking it lately. Just like planting trees didn't seem like a big deal they day they went in, the tree roots continued to grow until they were a BIG problem (I can relate since we've gotten rid of two big trees since moving into this house and had to have some of our plumbing re-done because of the roots that had gotten into the pipes!). We sometimes think giving in here or there isn't a big deal, but we're tearing down the wall between us and the roaring lion when we don't practice self-control. Think of those fences and fortify your walls!

Dear Heavenly Father, first of all, we thank You that You have sealed us with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You that You are more powerful than any devouring lion. Lord, we don't want to do anything that opens the door to an attack or worse, lose something important to us. Please help us maintain the walls of safety and practice self-control. Help us! Remind us! Strengthen us! Motivate us! May we be ever focused and alert so we don't give into temptation. We love You and fear You alone. Thank You for protecting us and keeping us on the straight path. May our temples - our bodies where Your Holy Spirit dwells - be made pure, holy, healthy and thin for Your glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN!