Devotions for Dieters

Isaiah 41:10
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea,I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Ben was afraid to even try a diet. He never had much luck with things that required a lot of willpower on his part. He caved in much too easily. If only someone else would make his decisions for him. He had never been overweight when he lived at home and had his mother around to tell him what to eat and what not to eat. Ben would be the first one to admit that he had no self-control. Unfortunately, we all have to learn to discipline ourselves. God doesn't tell us what to do. He gives us complete freedom, but He will help us have the strength to make right decisions if we ask Him to. Include God, and He will make some wonderful things happen.

Today's thought: True power is the ability to say no!
Copyright © 2008, Crosswalk.com. http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/fordieters/

Set Apart and Acceptable

Proverbs 19-21, 2 Corinthians 7
Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 7:1

Imagine sitting down at the table for a meal. A place has been set for you. Imagine looking at the plate and seeing on it the remnants of previous meals eaten from that plate. You just might protest a bit, especially if you are in a restaurant and don't know whose food was left on your plate! Now imagine the waiter saying, "Is there a problem? We set this place for you. What more could you want?"

Your answer would be immediate. "I want a clean plate!"

Now imagine you are the one setting the table for a very special guest. You would not want him to ask you, "Would you please bring me a clean plate?" Instead, you would make certain that not only was a place set for the guest but that it was immaculate.

This illustrates holiness. To be holy means to be "set apart." In a sense the place at the table is set apart for you; it is holy. But more is needed for it to be acceptable. It must not only be set apart but also clean. So it is with holiness.

Paul tells us to be "perfecting holiness out of reverence for God" (7:1). Being set aside and available are only part of what makes a person holy. We must be acceptable to God which will be the result of truly being set apart!

How clean is your life before God? If you know of "dirty food" on your plate, ask God to forgive you and to help you remove it from your life.

Numbers 13:1-2, 16

Fulfilling Our Responsibilities

The British naval hero Lord Nelson took his responsibilities very seriously. During his life he conscientiously served his nation in its ongoing conflict with France and Spain. Fatally wounded in the battle at Trafalgar, Nelson said before he died, "Thank God, I have done my duty."

Joshua carried heavy responsibilities as well. He was a leader among the people of his tribe. He was one of 12 chosen to spy out the land of Canaan. Later he would become Moses' right-hand man in leading the armies of Israel against their enemies. In fact, Moses gave him the nickname "Joshua," which means "he shall save his people." That was a tremendous responsibility to live up to as well. Yet with God's help, Joshua was able to come to the end of his days with the confidence that he had successfully fulfilled all the duties God had given him.

Most of us discover early that life has many obligations. There is schooling to complete, a family to raise, a job to perform, a church to support, bills to be paid, and so much more. And, if God calls you into leadership, there are usually additional commitments that come with your position. Some days can seem a bit overwhelming.

But don't be overpowered by it all. With God's help, you also can complete your responsibilities. When you get swamped, take time out, get alone with God in some secluded place, and read His Word for encouragement and strength. Ask God's Spirit to refresh you and to provide the wisdom you need to successfully fulfill all that is set before you. Be faithful to your obligations and discover the satisfaction of a life well lived.

A Balanced Diet

The psalmists were captivated by the God of creation. Of course, the world they lived in was a little cleaner, a little purer, maybe a little more beautiful, because man had not yet exploited it. They recognized their dependence on Him for their sustenance: "He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the service of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth, and wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread which strengthens man's heart" (vv. 14,15).

Food, wine, oil, bread--these were staples for Jewish people in that day. Do not think that because the psalmist mentions wine he's talking about drunkenness. The Bible certainly warns against being drunk. Rather, he says that God supplies our every physical need and even above and beyond those needs. "God . . . gives us richly all things to enjoy" (I Tim. 6:17).

In the Bible wine is a picture of the Holy Spirit. At Pentecost, when the people of God were rejoicing and worshiping and praising the Lord, the crowd said, "They are full of new wine" (Acts 2:13). Do you have the joy of the Spirit today? "Be not drunk with wine," Paul said, "but be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:18).

Oil also is a picture of the Holy Spirit, who makes the face to shine. Moses had a shining face because he fellowshipped with God. Stephen had a shining face because he gave his life for God. Jesus had a shining face on the Mount of Transfiguration.

Bread is a picture of the Word of God. It strengthens the heart. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Luke 4:4).

God wants to give us gladness; He wants to give us radiance; and He wants to give us strength. The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to make the child of God more like Jesus.

* * *

Do you maintain a balanced spiritual diet with the staples God provides? Food, wine, oil and bread are symbols of how He nurtures and nourishes you. Feed on His Word and allow the Spirit to control your life.

Jesus First

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Just as Genesis, the first book of the Bible, is a book of beginnings, Revelation, the last book of the Bible, is a book of new beginnings. Before these new beginnings can occur, however, a series of endings must transpire. Thus the book of Revelation represents numerous "finals" in the Word of God.

Genesis 3:9 is God's initial call to man: "And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" Revelation 22:17 is God's final call to man: "And the Spirit and the bride say, come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." Somewhere between Genesis 3:9 and Revelation 22:17 everyone who would enjoy eternity in heaven with Christ must answer one of God's calls. Perhaps you have answered Jesus' call in Matthew 11:28, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Or maybe it was the call of Christ in John 4:14, "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." But if you have not responded to the call of Christ, if you have never received Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you must respond to His call in order to receive eternal life.

Once we have responded positively to the Lord's call to salvation, we have a whole new outlook on the future. Our destiny is brighter. Our lives are sunnier. The birds' songs are sweeter. We look forward to serving Jesus every day and anticipate the day we shall live with Him in glory.

Just before God's final call in Revelation 22:17, Jesus verifies that He is indeed the one to whom we are called in salvation. He says, "I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star" (Revelation 22:16). These titles are applied to Him elsewhere in Scripture (cf. Isaiah 11:1; Numbers 24:17), but nowhere do they take on more meaning than just prior to the final call in the Bible. When we come to God in salvation, we come to the offspring of David. When we leave the darkness of sin, we enter the light of the Bright and Morning Star. It is the shining face of Jesus, the one who died for us, that we will first want to see when we enter the brightness of heaven. After all, being with our Savior is what makes heaven heavenly.

When Fanny Crosby, the hymn writer who wrote more than 8,000 gospel songs even though she was blinded at the age of six weeks, was pitied by a friend because she could not see, Miss Crosby replied, "Do you know that if at birth I had been able to make one petition, it would have been that I would have been born blind?" The friend was puzzled by this answer and asked her for further explanation. "Because when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior!" We too will want to see our Savior first of all.

There is a story about Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, who once captured a prince and his entire family. When they came before the monarch, Cyrus asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?" The prince replied, "The half of my wealth." "And if I release your children?" The prince replied, "Everything I possess." Finally Cyrus said, "And what will you give me if I will release your wife?" The prince replied, "Your Majesty, I will give myself." So moved was Cyrus by the devotion of this young prince that he freed him and his entire family. As the prince, his wife and children returned to their home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!" With a tender look of love in her eyes, the wife said to her husband, "I did not notice. I could only keep my eyes on you the one who was willing to give himself for me."

Morning by morning we arise to give praise to the one who saved us. Day by day we serve the one who saved us. Evening by evening we rejoice in the one who saved us. Let's concentrate today on loving the Lord Jesus and adoring no other face than the one who loved us so much that He died for us (John 3:16).

MORNING HYMN
All hail the pow'r of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem,
And crown Him Lord of all.

Be Cautious When You Criticize

Romans 14:10-13

When we realize that each of us must give an account to God, it will cause us to be more cautious about criticizing a Christian brother.

We will then heed what 1 Corinthians 4:5 says: "So do not make any hasty or premature judgments before the time when the Lord comes [again], for He will both bring to light the secret things that are [now hidden] in darkness, and disclose and expose the [secret] aims (motives and purposes) of hearts. Then every man will receive his [due] commendation from God" (Amplified).

This is advice that Paul gave to the Corinthians, and it applies just as directly to each believer today.

We shall all be judged one day--not by each other's standards and not even by our own standards. We shall be judged by the standards of Christ. Before God alone, we shall give an account for our own actions and not for those of the other person.

I do not have to give an account for you, and you do not have to give an account for me. Before God, I will have to give an account for myself.

No wonder Paul said, "Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way" (Rom. 14:13). In other words, we should stop turning critical eyes on each other.

This is sometimes a difficult instruction to follow. It is natural to always justify oneself and one's own actions in the face of what others are doing. It is natural to criticize the other person because he does not see or do things our way.

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10).