Develop Discipline

"For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life..." Proverbs 6:23

This past weekend, we went to church Saturday night at LCBC. The current sermon series is on "TWISDOM" and the pastor has asked the congregation to read one chapter of Proverbs each day for the day of the month. I thought this sermon was extremely good, and again it spoke right to me as if it were Jesus Himself sitting next to me teaching me. The notes and sermon itself will be available next week at www.lcbcchurch.com, if you're interested in hearing it for yourself.

Anyway, here are a few takeaway points from the sermon that I thought related to our journey of weight loss. First, we learned that discipline is an indispensable tool that will help our lives work well. If we lack discipline, it's hard to lose weight, I believe. At least I've found that true for myself (and how I need the Lord to help me in this area!). Then Pastor David Ashcraft, noting that he was borrowing from another author who's name I missed, gave us pointers for using the tool of discipline well.

First, we have to decide what our goals are - what exactly are we trying to accomplish? Discipline is necessary if we're ever going to reach our full potential. If your goal is to lose 50 pounds, it's going to take some discipline to reach it. If your goal is to lose two pounds, you might just hit it on your own. Are your goals big enough to require discipline? If so, begin praying and asking God to teach you and guide you in the way of discipline.

Second, we need to practice the concept of "delayed gratification." This is the most difficult for me, I think. David Ashcraft noted that we have to get the pain over with first so we can enjoy a season of pleasure. There are many days that I've chosen to nap while my kids nap instead of doing the work I should be doing or sleep in rather than waking up early to exercise. There are many days that I've decided to indulge in tasty food rather than experiencing this season of 'pain' to have the season of pleasure (i.e. healthier and thinner). He likened it to eating the cake first so we can eat the frosting second. But, people who eat the frosting first often have a rough life... not walking in the way of wisdom.

Third, and I think this is also critical for us on this journey, we need to develop the art of "advanced decision making." We need to make decisions while the lights are on and we're not being tempted, i.e. a safe environment. We're not going to just wake up on our own in the morning to do our exercising, we're going to have to set an alarm. The last three days, though, I've turned off my alarm and rolled back over. I need to decide in advance that no matter what, I'm getting out of bed and starting my day by working out my body. I also need to make a meal plan while I'm not starving or being tempted by foods I shouldn't have. When we're making those decisions, the pastor noted we should review the benefits of a disciplined decision while also reviewing the consequences of an undisciplined decision. I need to think of myself in a bathing suit, or not being able to do something fun with my kids because I'm out of shape to make the important decisions to lead a disciplined life. Also, the Bible says we should make our decisions in broad daylight before we're in a sticky situation. According to Proverbs 6:26, if we wait to decide until we're tempted, we're toast!

So, begin by asking yourself, what are the critical decisions I need to make now while it's still broad daylight and I'm not starving and not being tempted? People who embrace discipline usually live lives that work well, but people who are casual or eat the frosting first or rebuke discipline usually don't.

Finally the sermon ended with the phrase "There's no telling where my potential can go, what I can do or who I can impact." Again, there's a higher plan for our weight loss. We're meant to impact lives for Christ. We need to be healthy so God can use us mightily for His glory. If we're napping, overindulging or out of shape, we might miss our calling! I don't want that; I'd rather have discipline in my life. How about you?

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this message. Thank You that Your Word says: "He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding" Proverbs 15:32. Thank You that we learn from the above verse that discipline is the way to life. God, I must confess that I lack discipline. And, Lord, just like discipline sometimes means punishment, I pray and ask You to discipline me so that I can live to my fullest potential, realize my calling and glorify You. Father, we want to impact others for Your Name. We ask You to help us in practicing the concept of delayed gratification and developing the art of advanced decision making. Help us eat healthier, exercise and lose the weight. God, we need You. We can't stay motivated on our own. We can't lose a pound without You. But, Lord, with You, ALL things are possible. Please don't give up on us! Make us healthy and thin for Your glory. And may we always sing Your praise. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Be Strong & Do the Work

"Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work." 1 Chronicles 28:10

I was reading God's Word again this morning, and this verse made me smile. While I know that this is David speaking to his son Solomon, the correlation between this physical temple and our temple for the Holy Spirit was unmistakable. What did the father tell his son? Be strong and do the work. Obviously it takes work to build a worthy temple for the Lord, so we must be strong and just do it (not to copy the Nike slogan!).

Just before this verse, David says "...acknowledge the God of your father, and serve Him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever" 1 Chronicles 28:9. We must serve God with wholehearted devotion, we must have a willing mind, we must have pure motives and we must seek His face along this journey. If we do, God will make us strong to do the work required for building up His temple, i.e. our bodies.

So, let's be strong and do the work!

Dear God, help us along this journey. Help us be strong and do the work required to make our temple, the body where Your Holy Spirit dwells, healthy and thin. May we glorify You today with our hearts, minds, souls, bodies, speech and actions. Forgive us where we fall short of our callings and may we start with a fresh foot forward. Thank You for Your mercy & grace and for saving us through Your Son, Jesus. We love You and praise You today! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

I Lifted the Yoke From Your Neck & Bent Down to Feed You

"I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them." Hosea 11:4

This chapter of Scripture is speaking of God's love for Israel. As I read it, this verse jumped out at me. After doing the "Breaking Free" Bible study by Beth Moore, I realized that being overweight has come from years of bad habits that were started early in my life. As I've said before, I've literally allowed myself to be enslaved to food and my cravings. Picture your life and how much you've eaten and visualize it as a literal yoke on your neck. I allowed myself to become burdened by this sin and yet I couldn't seem to break free from it because I was entangled by it. But, in His Word, God tells us that He loves us so much, He will lift the yoke from our neck. While He's speaking here of the Israelites, His chosen beloved,  I think that the verses apply to us now, who as His children are His beloved, too.

Instead of being yoked to the sin of overindulgence and laziness, we can be led with God's ties of love and cords of human kindness. I would love to walk freely, not yoked to oppression but instead being led by my Father's love. My favorite part is that He will bend down to feed us. In case I missed that this verse was for me, it includes being fed as part of the 'deal.' God will feed us. He will show us what we need to eat. He will lead us with His love. He will break us free from the sin we've allowed to enslave us. He will lift the yoke of obesity from our necks. Later on in Hosea, we see the Lord's heart and His amazing compassion aroused. Let us pray that He will show us the same compassion!

Dear God, we admit that we have sinned against You. We have indulged in food that was not healthy for our temple, which is Your dwelling place. We've chosen to allow ourselves to become so overweight we're not sure if we can even exercise or eat healthier. Lord, there are days I confess that I feel like giving up this journey. But, God, I praise You that You tell us that You lifted the yoke from our neck. We no longer have to go back to our old habits for they have nothing on us. Instead, You lead us with cords of human kindness and ties of love. Lord, help us realize what this means. Father, please forgive us and let Your compassion be aroused. Send Your mercy and help us along this journey of freedom. Allow us to be healthy and thin for Your glory. We love You, Father God. And we praise You and thank You for Your Word. May we continue to learn and obey. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Pour It Out Before the Lord

"At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David longed for water and said, 'Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!' So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead he poured it out before the Lord. 'God forbid that I should do this!' he said. 'Should I drink the blood of these men who went to risk their lives?' Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men." 1 Chronicles 11:16-19

I read this the other morning and it really struck me. I am the type of person who likes to please people. I thought of the three men first. What if I had been one of them? Picture this: your boss asks for something he really needs, and while difficult, you risk everything - even your very life - to give it to him, only for him not to take it after all that. I think I may have been furious! (There again, I guess it depends on your relationship with your boss). If my husband asked me for a drink of water in the middle of the night and I went downstairs to get it only for him to pour it out when I got back, I think I'd be upset. Let alone if I had risked my life to get it!

But, then I thought about David. David was a man after God's heart, and God promised to establish his throne forever, even bringing Jesus as one of his descendants. While David did commit sin in his life, for the most part he obeyed God's commands and did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. We know that he was thirsty. We know he desperately wanted the drink. But, when it was brought back to him, what did he do? The verse tells us: "But he refused to drink it; instead he poured it out before the Lord" (verse 18).

In thinking of my own battle with weight loss, there may be times that I need to have an awkward moment where I tell someone "no thanks" after they've made something delicious for me. I may have to tell them that God forbid me to have it. I also think there are things that may be okay in certain circumstances (after all, God certainly doesn't have a problem with us drinking water!), but God may require us to say 'no.' We may have already had enough to eat, we may still be hungry and yet it's not the right thing for us at the time, or it may be for another reason that we have to 'refuse' it.

David poured out the drink before the Lord. I think this was an act of worship to God, telling the Lord that He meant more to David than anything, even the very water he thirsted for. Food has somehow made its way up my priority list in life, as comfort, as social fun, etc. But, as I'm struggling to lose some weight and glorify God with my body, I'm going to need to lay it down before the Lord and worship Him instead. May God be honored by this action, and may those around us understand our need for refusal.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for this piece of Scripture. Thank You for Your insight into our weight loss battle. God, we long to honor You today. Help us pour out before You whatever we need to; help us refuse what we're supposed to refuse. Give us the strength to worship You alone and not food. God, may we instead thirst for more of You. We love You! Help us be healthy and thin for Your glory. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Godly Sorrow Brings Repentance that Leads to Salvation

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldy sorrow brings death." 2 Corinthians 7:10

Something that I'm having the most difficult time with in my journey is to remember that overeating and abusing my body is sin. I have bought into the world's view that eating a little too much is okay, that eating things that are wrong for my body is okay. But, I have to remind myself that this same worlds says that having an affair is okay, so long as you and your spouse aren't having a good go at your relationship. The same world says that getting drunk on the weekends is 'normal' and just fine. The same world would lead me into traps that aren't good for me or glorifying to God. It's the Bible that must direct my life and my behavior. The following verses are key to our survival in this battle, I believe: “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17  For if we view obesity as 'normal' then we will continue to destroy God's temple. Obesity kills people every year. I knew a woman whose lungs collapsed from so much weight on her body and she died. It's sad but true. I don't want to get to that point. I want to glorify God with my body. I want to be able to say no to overeating and eating the wrong types of foods. I want to be able to exercise even when I don't feel like it so that I can keep my temple as sacred.

As I think about my eating over the holidays, I must confess that I went back into the mindset that eating these desserts were okay - after all, it's Christmas! But, truly, this is a 24/7 365-day a year battle between me and sin. I saw the above verse and thought that I need to have some godly sorrow and repent for my behavior. I need to recognize my actions as wrong and allow God to bring my salvation. I don't need to have worldy sorrow where I dwell in the past and keep hold of my regrets. Instead, I must recognize today as a new day, a day where I can serve God with my body and leave temptation behind. This is the day that God can free me from the bondage of the obese-lifestyle where I willingly give myself over to my indulgences and become trapped once again in mentally needing too many calories.

I don't write this with judgment directed at anyone for being overweight. I don't see people and point the finger at their sin. I don't even think about it. Instead, I'm talking about my own battle with gaining weight lately. I need to stop the upward trend, which truly has been sin in my life in allowing myself to revert to old habits. I need to recognize that I'm sinning against the Lord, which brings godly sorrow that brings repentance that leads to salvation. I need my Savior!

Dear Jesus, I am so sorry for sinning against You when I treat my body unhealthily. I recognize that this body is the temple of Your Holy Spirit's dwelling and I'm commanded to treat it well in the Bible. Lord, please forgive me for taking on the world's views that overeating is okay, that indulging our senses for our own pleasure is just fine. God, I'm truly sorry for the choices I've made, and I repent of them. Please change my behavior, my heart and my thoughts. Please save me from this sin and help me glorify You with my body. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

I Can Do Everything Through Him Who Gives Me Strength

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

How do we begin this New Year? This new decade, even? There's only one way that we can lose weight, exercise and keep our New Year's resolutions. We need to rely on God. Let this verse give you hope today! YOU can do everything (not just some things - everything... even a new workout, a new way of life, etc.) through Him (our holy and precious Lord) who gives YOU strength!!! Be encouraged! And praise our Savior for giving you strength when you didn't think you had any left.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your strength. May it carry us into this New Year. We ask once again to be healthy and thin for Your glory. May You receive the honor and praise that You're due. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

You Must Not Eat Bread or Drink Water or Return By the Way You Came

"For I was commanded by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.'"1 Kings 13:9

When I read this story from 1 Kings 13, I was struck by what happened to the man of God. For you to really understand my awe, please read this chapter in its entirety first.

1 Kings 13

The Man of God From Judah

 ¹ By the word of the LORD a man of God came from Judah to Bethel, as Jeroboam was standing by the altar to make an offering. ² He cried out against the altar by the word of the LORD : "O altar, altar! This is what the LORD says: 'A son named Josiah will be born to the house of David. On you he will sacrifice the priests of the high places who now make offerings here, and human bones will be burned on you.' " ³ That same day the man of God gave a sign: "This is the sign the LORD has declared: The altar will be split apart and the ashes on it will be poured out."  ⁴ When King Jeroboam heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, he stretched out his hand from the altar and said, "Seize him!" But the hand he stretched out toward the man shriveled up, so that he could not pull it back. ⁵ Also, the altar was split apart and its ashes poured out according to the sign given by the man of God by the word of the LORD.

 ⁶ Then the king said to the man of God, "Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored." So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.

 ⁷ The king said to the man of God, "Come home with me and have something to eat, and I will give you a gift."

 ⁸ But the man of God answered the king, "Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. ⁹ For I was commanded by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came.' " ¹⁰ So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.

 ¹¹ Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king. ¹² Their father asked them, "Which way did he go?" And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken. ¹³ So he said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me." And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it ¹⁴ and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, "Are you the man of God who came from Judah?"

      "I am," he replied.

 ¹⁵ So the prophet said to him, "Come home with me and eat."

 ¹⁶ The man of God said, "I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. ¹⁷ I have been told by the word of the LORD : 'You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.' "

 ¹⁸ The old prophet answered, "I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD : 'Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.' " (But he was lying to him.) ¹⁹ So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.

 ²⁰ While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet who had brought him back. ²¹ He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, "This is what the LORD says: 'You have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. ²² You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore your body will not be buried in the tomb of your fathers.' "

 ²³ When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. ²⁴ As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was thrown down on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it. ²⁵ Some people who passed by saw the body thrown down there, with the lion standing beside the body, and they went and reported it in the city where the old prophet lived.

 ²⁶ When the prophet who had brought him back from his journey heard of it, he said, "It is the man of God who defied the word of the LORD. The LORD has given him over to the lion, which has mauled him and killed him, as the word of the LORD had warned him."

 ²⁷ The prophet said to his sons, "Saddle the donkey for me," and they did so. ²⁸ Then he went out and found the body thrown down on the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it. The lion had neither eaten the body nor mauled the donkey. ²⁹ So the prophet picked up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back to his own city to mourn for him and bury him. ³⁰ Then he laid the body in his own tomb, and they mourned over him and said, "Oh, my brother!"

 ³¹ After burying him, he said to his sons, "When I die, bury me in the grave where the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones. ³² For the message he declared by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel and against all the shrines on the high places in the towns of Samaria will certainly come true."

 ³³ Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places. ³⁴ This was the sin of the house of Jeroboam that led to its downfall and to its destruction from the face of the earth.

The man of God was duped, wouldn't you think? In verses 18-19, we see that the other prophet lied to him and said that an angel told the man to come back and eat & drink with him. So, the man of God who had prophesied the truth went ahead and did just that. However, we see twice (in verses 9 and 17) that he knew that he wasn't supposed to eat or drink or return by the way he came. When he chose to listen to the falsehood of a fellow sojourner over the Lord, the Lord told him that he had not obeyed His commands and therefore would not be buried with his fathers. Not only that, but it all happened on his way home! There was an immediate response to his sin. And what was his sin? Eating, drinking and returning by the way he had came. Not even the king who never changed his evil ways was treated so harshly...

But, it spoke to me (as Scripture does, praise God!). When we know better, there are harsher consequences here on earth, I think. God has told us how to treat our bodies, He has given us insight into what He requires, and in two verses in this chapter in the Bible, we see the phrases you must not eat, drink or return by the way you came. Now can we eat bread? Yes, I think so (unless God tells us not to!). And can we drink water? By all means! But, I think these verses jumped out to me because they were about eating and drinking. The real message to me was "don't go back where you came from." Don't go back to the life of sin where you ate what you wanted where you wanted. Don't go back to overeating, becoming trapped by our indulgences and gaining weight.

Over the holidays, I haven't been allowed to exercise because of my gall bladder surgery. But, I've also chosen to eat things I know that are wrong. My pants are tight even though the scale says I've only gained a couple pounds. But, the whole idea is to lose weight! I'm not to eat or drink whatever I want to - I am to follow the Lord's instructions for my body and His promptings on what's proper for me. And I'm surely not supposed to return to where I came from... I can't go back to being obese!!! And it's so easy to yo-yo back to where we've been. But, God says no. And He says no so 'violently' that these verses show His immediate discipline for those who do. I believe the Lord wanted me to take this passage very seriously. While the enemy is prowling around like a lion, we have the Savior on our side. We just need to obey His instructions and glorify Him in all we do. Be careful to listen to the Holy Spirit and not others who say "hey, what can eating this hurt, just this once..."

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You that Your Word is living and breathing, sharper than any two-edged sword. God, I confess I've made poor choices like this prophet. Father, please forgive me. Please don't let the lion in to devour my life and the plans You have for me. Please help me reach my goal of being healthy and thin for Your glory. Please help us all not to return by the way we came. Help us make better choices and listen to Your promptings. And speak clearly and loudly to us, God! May we follow You all the days of our lives. In Jesus' precious and holy name, AMEN!