Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Growing Beyond~~~~95 Days till Easter Days 85-87

Growing Beyond    Day 87              Jan 3, 2013       Man-Made Rules

On this day I need to concentrate on getting rid of all the man-made rules that hinder my success. Rules such as: 1) I need to eat when everyone else eats, 2) I need to clean my plate even though I’m already satisfied, 3) the clock tells me when to eat, and 4) food gives me comfort when I need it.

Truly when spiritual issues and sensual indulgence are not tackled or addressed and redirected using the good news of Jesus Christ, then all we have are man-made rules. It’s hard to understand how we will follow a man made rule in a heartbeat but ignore the rules set out by God.

Why is it we are so willing to self-destruct using man-made rules and ignore the things designed to give us life not take it away which are the rules of God. Too often people think the Bible is outdated that the rules shouldn’t apply to the current century. Well let me ask you, “How long ago did man make up the rule that if you murder someone you will be convicted and stand the possibility of being put to death yourself?” That is an old rule made in an earlier century therefore it should be considered to be outdated. Right? Wrong!

As much as we would like to believe that rules were meant to be broken they aren’t. They are there for a reason but we need to make sure we are following all the right rules when it comes to our eating habits or our spiritual lives. God’s way is better than any man-made rule that ever could have been designed. Therefore its up to us to stay away from the man-made rules that have only lead to our self-destruction and follow God’s design of eating right. Rules such as: 5) eating when you are hungry not when the clock says to; 4) eating till you are satisfied not until the plate is empty; 3) getting my comfort from God instead of chocolate covered donut I thought was my friend; and 2) Eating when its right for me not when its right for everyone who happens to be eating at the time.

The number one rule: 1) Allow God to rule in my life, to have control over me instead of food and my desire to eat it whenever I want.

 

 

Growing Beyond    Day 86     Jan 4, 2013                    Desire for Extra Food

Whether I want to admit it or not I need to get rid of my evil desire for extra food. No, evil is not too harsh of a word as it really does describe it well. Just because I love something I’m eating doesn’t mean I need to eat more of it than I should. When I allow food to call my name and eat beyond what my body needs that is, evil. It goes against God’s plan for me to wait for my body to call for food and tell me when it’s time to stop.

I won’t die if I pass the opportunity for a maple bar donut. The extra helping of scalloped potatoes I think I need really doesn’t do a thing for me except round my hips out a little more.

 
I need to live my life taking in the food my body needs, not the extra my mind wants.

 

Growing Beyond    Day 85   Jan 5, 2013              Self-Control and Self-Discipline

Ten days into my 95 days till Easter journey and I am now thinking of self-control. Duh! The whole journey is about self-control and self-discipline. It’s almost a test to see if the spirit of God is alive and strong in me. Or maybe what I should say is it’s a test to see if I am going to listen to the spirit of God in me to use His eating system designed in me from the moment of conception. 

 
The extra rolls of fat on my belly, the added weight showing up on the scales shows just out of control I am when it comes to eating. My eating habits are at their worse and my body advertises that as I jiggle when I walk. I have no one else to blame but myself. McDonald’s is not to blame; it wasn’t Burger Kings fault I got fat. Dunkin Donuts had no clue of my intensions to over eat and carry with me on my hips the extra calories I consumed.

 
As much as we would like to blame everyone else, we are to blame. We are the ones who need to learn the dying art of self-control and self-discipline. This doesn’t apply to food only. It is something that needs to be practiced in everything we do. In our handling of money, the desire to do drugs, the way we treat others, studying for a school exam, coming to work daily on time, and the list goes on and on.

 
Now is the time for us to start controlling our own lives and stop allowing food or our emotions and desires to control us.