Tue, Sep 29th - 3:29PM

RECOVERY

Brothers and sisters, let us continually give thanks to the Father for sending His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. All praises to Lord Jesus, raised from the dead never to die again, by whom we understand that our sins are by Him forever cleansed. By Him, also we understand that our sins were evidence and proof positive of our old dead Adamic sin nature. Therefore, by Him were we baptized by the Holy Spirit into His death that the old man, that old Adamic inherited sin nature, the inborn love of sin and the very source of sin in us was slain.

Then by faith in Him God, just as Lord Jesus was raised up from the dead never to die again, He also raised us up from the dead, and made us alive in Jesus, born anew of the Spirit and sealed, eternally redeemed. By Lord Jesus Christ, we walk in the newness of life everlasting.

Let us keep in remembrance and continually give thanks, holy brethren, to our great and Only sinless Saviour, Mediator, High Priest, Prophet and King, Jesus Christ, under whose priesthood, we are made priests and kings. Just as the inferior Aaronic priesthood was ordained, under the Mosaic law, we the people of God have received the greater everlasting ordination, through faith in Jesus Christ.

Those priests ordained or invested with authority to act as priests under the Mosaic Law or old covenant, were called by God based on being circumcised male descendants of Aaron, those with certain blemishes could not serve the altar nor enter within or near the veil in the temple, but all were anointed with oil, and sprinkled with the blood of a perfect animal sacrifice and consecrated and sanctified to do service to God serving as mediators between God and the people.

Nevertheless, brethren, we know that only the human high priest alone could enter into the holy of holies, but once a year with the blood of animals to make a yearly atonement for the sins of the whole nation of Israel. However, first he had to make an atonement for his own sins before He could make an atonement for the sins of the people.  The perfect animal sacrifice once slain, their bodies and blood corrupted and decayed away, therefore the efficacy of the sacrifice was lost and had to be done yearly to gain forgiveness for the people.

However, holy people, through the true and only eternal and perfect High Priest Jesus Christ, God the Son and the Saviour through whom we receive the everlasting blood covenant, God has declared: 2 Cor 6: 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Heb 10: 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. 15Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

16This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

19Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

There is so much more we can say about our identity given to us by and through our God, but that would be a study within a study, feel free to look further into this on your own,  holy people, understanding that our identity is in Jesus Christ as laid out in the new testament or covenant, not the Mosaic law or any doctrines of men which contradict scripture. The Bible compares and contrasts the covenants/priesthoods in meticulous detail from the general to the specific and to the minutiae, and clearly declares absolutely that  the new covenant of Lord Jesus is the better, eternal and everlasting one. All are equal in Him.

The question, dearly beloveds, that the unsaved gentleman who humbly admitted that he had destroyed his own life did not ask, is how did he get to that point. It is interesting that he desired to somehow get his life back without ever asking that question. Yet we know the answer, it is the same for the whole world-SIN, although in the world is not recognized as such, but that is exactly what it is.

love

serola

Fri, Sep 25th - 2:01AM

RECOVERY

What would Jesus do? Brothers and sisters, this is the tragedy of nominal churches that sends people off into their imaginations to think of what Jesus would do in particular situations, or under certain conditions. This is really an oblique refusal to acknowledge the authority of God over His people. No nominal church is guided by correct interpretation of the Bible, and all have false doctrines directly contrary to the scriptures.

The true church composed of every believer in Christ, recognizes the absolute authority of God over His church and therefore asks: What does Jesus command of His people to obey, according to the correct interpretation of the Bible? God’s commands, we know, brethren, are not requests, because obedience is not optional.

There is so much talk, brothers and sisters, about renewal of our minds. However, dearly beloveds, we know full well that the nature of this renewal is not vague nor sketchy, we do not have to cogitate on what it means. This renewal is always to be grounded in rightly understanding, believing, obeying and living the gospel message of Jesus Christ, not tentatively, but absolutely.  This is authentic renewal in the will of God, any renewal without this is a false and deceptive renewal and unacceptable to God: Ro 12:  (1 Corinthians 3:16-18; 1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

Romans 12:1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Reasonable: rational ("logical"):—reasonable, of the word.

Living sacrifice: metaph. to be in full vigour, to be fresh, strong, efficient, as adj. active, powerful, efficacious. As opposed to the dead sacrifices offered under the Mosaic Law, in as much as these sacrifices were killed beforehand and upon death, once offered its efficacy being limited thereby, decayed/faded away -was lost, with no ability to restore it. However, you, me, all of us, brethren, by the grace of God serve unto Him as living sacrifices, as those that were dead beforehand but now raised to life by Christ through faith in Him, and having been raised to life everlasting, the efficiency of our divine service/ministries to Him,  by the power of God, is ever alive and effective in the will of God.  Think on that brothers and sisters!

Holy: G40 hagios, sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated):—(most) holy (one, thing), saint.
 2Co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

As we head on into this study the thread of God’s warning light regarding our old dead Adamic sin nature flashes throughout as never beneficial, but harmful and damaging where ever it appears. It appears amongst believers where we find that Paul does an intervention with the Corinthians:  1Co 5:1; and James also with certain brothers and sisters following the ways of the flesh and not the Spirit of God: Jas 4:1  . We are to do like wise among ourselves, even as the scriptures instructs, not to condemn but to turn one another towards doing things God’s way and never our own, why? God’s way is the only right way and the only right way is God’s way. Therefore, holy people, as those becoming to grace let us gather unto our God: 1Pe 1:14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Brothers and sisters, let every one of us take the place given to us under Lord Jesus Christ, Head of the church High Priest/Saviour/Mediator of the royal priesthood, as kings and priests, the very temple in which our God dwells. This is the eternal identity of every believer, through faith in Jesus Christ.  We know without doubt that Under the limited temporary Mosaic priesthood, done away in Jesus Christ, that those priests had no earthly inheritance, the Lord was their inheritance and portion. Even more so now under the superior and everlasting High Priest Jesus Christ, we have here, holy brethren, no continuing city. However, our portion and inheritance are not of this earth but of the sinless blood of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God, and the eternal promises of salvation that do not fade away nor corrode with time. Nations of this world rise and fall. Even those who were deemed great and powerful are remembered if at all, it is mainly in dusty books of history  visited  by those who ruminate in antiquity.  

But we have, brethren, under our Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient God an unshakeable, unmovable, eternal kingdom that endures forever: Dan 4:35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?

 Our worship, we know brethren, is direct because Jesus is our Door into which we enter into the very throne room of God. Let us confidently, reverently with humble joy and gladness freely enter therein, bringing unto Him our worship, prayers, petitions, intercessions and all of our needs: 1Jo 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

According to God’s will: as set within the unchanging eternal standard of Jesus Christ, and encompassed within the eternal boundary eternal, final, finished, and completely new covenant. All scripture is inerrant; however, the old testament verified in both the old and new testament, is final, finished and complete in its understanding and validity within the new covenant of Jesus Christ.

Love, serola

Sun, Sep 20th - 8:43AM

RECOVERY

The message trans; Heb 12: An Unshakable Kingdom

^18-21 Unlike your ancestors, you didn’t come to Mount Sinai—all that volcanic blaze and earthshaking rumble—to hear God speak. The earsplitting words and soul-shaking message terrified them and they begged him to stop. When they heard the words—“If an animal touches the Mountain, it’s as good as dead”—they were afraid to move. Even Moses was terrified.

^22-24 No, that’s not your experience at all. You’ve come to Mount Zion, the city where the living God resides. The invisible Jerusalem is populated by throngs of festive angels and Christian citizens. It is the city where God is Judge, with judgments that make us just. You’ve come to Jesus, who presents us with a new covenant, a fresh charter from God. He is the Mediator of this covenant. The murder of Jesus, unlike Abel’s—a homicide that cried out for vengeance—became a proclamation of grace.

^25-27 So don’t turn a deaf ear to these gracious words. If those who ignored earthly warnings didn’t get away with it, what will happen to us if we turn our backs on heavenly warnings? His voice that time shook the earth to its foundations; this time—he’s told us this quite plainly—he’ll also rock the heavens: “One last shaking, from top to bottom, stem to stern.” The phrase “one last shaking” means a thorough housecleaning, getting rid of all the historical and religious junk so that the unshakable essentials stand clear and uncluttered.

^28-29 Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!

 Heb 12:25

See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Refuse: refuse, excuse, reject; to avert by entreaty or seek to avert, to deprecate or make light of, to see a thing as of no importance.

Brothers and sisters, God does not present us with steps but with His principles of the new covenant. God’s will for all of us His children is to grow and mature beyond the superficial to gain the comprehensive understanding of these spiritual principles of the inerrant, explicit, exhaustive, exclusive, absolute, unchanging, uncompromising, eternal gospel message of Jesus Christ, to which there are no excuses nor exceptions, of any kind whatsoever for anyone whosoever they may be.  God commands us, brethren, to understand, trust, obey, live and apply them in our character, conduct, conversation, time, talent, and treasure, hearts, minds emotions, spirits, bodies and in all of our relations including with himself.

Dearly beloveds, we can rejoice because we know the truth and have experienced in our own lives the ugly consequences of any areas where we have fed our bodies, and neglected feeding our spirits. We know the painful truth of the self- inflicted damages of sin that result, whether out of ignorance or intentional.

Holy people, again and again, no Christian, is condemned.  All glory and honor and thanks be to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ working in us with the power of the Holy Spirit, to enable us to overcome any sin, and have the joy of sharing our experiences with other brothers and sisters to encourage, help and encourage them that they too will overcome.

 Act 14:17 Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.

Dearly beloveds, with knowledge of the holy our journey begins with the understanding that there is no need for self -pity nor condemnation. We know the course of our journey that it is necessary to face the truth that habituated flesh will generate pictures in the mind, delicious imaginary, odors, dreams, powerful cravings, lusts and desires to over eat and continue on in the destructive way that we led and fed it.  Stay away from bizarre rules or weird tricks, or strange eating patterns, as there are no short cuts in this matter. Things like that just shows our lack of trust in Jesus who will grant us nothing due to our lack of trust. God’s way is the only right way and the only right way is God’s way.

Now however, children of light, armed with the truth of a redeemed conscience we employ it to overcome the irrational, unreasonable desires of our old dead Adamic sin nature. Jesus will take us through, brothers and sisters can offer support, and we can stand on the word of God out of love for Him patiently trusting that in time He will surely bring us to victory and wisdom by His power.

Ultimately, brethren, God commands us to see even eating as an act of worship. Say what!!??.

1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Love

serola

Wed, Sep 16th - 2:33PM

RECOVERY

Brothers and sisters, the -tell-tale evidence of the Adamic sin nature of the human race can be denied, however, it can never be hidden. It shows up in people all over the earth, some wonder when it appears in their lives, often with exclamations of puzzlement such as “I can’t believe I said or did that, or it wasn’t me”. Most certainly, dearly beloveds, there are those who proclaim man can be good without God, yet fail to understand the truth is that all over the world mankind is  proven not good and  has been and continues to be restrained in “soft” cages by various civil, and moral laws and in “hard cages” of criminal laws. Holy people, we know that Corruption is clearly found even in the lawmaking systems from which these restraining/punishment laws sprang. There is some form of corruption in all of the earth’s systems including the family system, and in all of the sciences, including the medical.

False teachers/churches too have sprung up amongst the body but are not of us, misleading many with heretical doctrines.  However, brothers and sisters let us always thank God for the multitude of faithful under shepherds who out of love for Lord Jesus Christ are true ministers who care for and help their flocks to develop, love the Lord, and love one another more and more.  Moreover, praise God who has sent His Son the only One who saves eternally all who believe in Him.

He has left all who are saved to serve as an example of His power over sin and to partner with Him in spreading the gospel to all men.

Jesus teaches us the works of the flesh: The works of the flesh are listed in Galatians 5:19-21
19) “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;
Adultery [one person married but having sex with someone else],
Fornication [having sex and not being married to each other],
Uncleanness [morally impure, evil, vile, unlikable],
Lasciviousness [indicating sexual interest or expressive of lust or lewdness],
20) Idolatry [the worship of idols, excessive or blind adoration, reverence or devotion to anything other than God],
Witchcraft [practicing magic using demonic powers],
Hatred [intense dislike or hostility],
Variance [bitter conflict, fighting]
Emulations [resentment against a rival, a person enjoying success or advantage],
Wrath [vengeance or punishment as the consequence of experiencing fierce anger],
Strife [struggling together in opposition of each other],
Seditions [rebellious disorder],
Heresies [divisions in religious communities],
21) Envyings [close to jealousy, a feeling of discontent or covetousness with regard to another's advantages, success, possessions],
Murders [the intentional killing of another human being],
Drunkenness [intoxication, in this case alcohol but can include any mind altering drug],
Revellings [partying hard, indulging in loud boisterous festivities for no apparent reason],
and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

1 Peter 4:3 - For the time past of [our] life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

The works of the flesh, saints (G40 hagios) are in total contrast with the fruit of the Spirit, detailed in Galatians 5:22–23. What pleases the Lord in our lives is not a “work” but a “fruit” that the Spirit alone can produce. We can avoid works of the flesh by staying continually submitted to  Lord Jesus and allowing the Holy Spirit to direct every aspect of our lives (Galatians 5:25).

If you love me:  Jhn 14:15.

Children of light, we know some in error teach that God will not force any Christian to obey Him. However, the eternal truth is that we are not our own, we have been bought with the precious blood of Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God:  1 Co 6: 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Obedience to Jesus proves our love to and for Him, it is not optional. Jesus is absolutely not going to compromise His standards with anyone ever. Jesus proved His love  in giving us all of His love, His death, His life, the forgiveness of all sins forever, a new birth, the indwelling of the Triune God, eternal life, and He commands, rightfully expects, deserves, and is worthy for us to give all of ourselves to Him out of love, proof positive that we really love Him though our obedience. If we truly belong to Jesus, we understand that He will not take no for an answer to His commands, and He will discipline us as well as allow the natural consequences of disobedience. Those who unrepentantly disobey the Lord cannot claim to belong to Him: God’s word trans: Heb. 12: 7Endure your discipline. God corrects you as a father corrects his children. All children are disciplined by their fathers. 8If you aren't disciplined like the other children, you aren't part of the family. 

 Heb 12:8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

Obedience/patience, dearly beloveds, is the practice and acceptance of the authority and will of God. It includes submitting to Him and expressing that submission in actions, words and thoughts in agreement with God, which puts us to be in a position of power in Jesus Christ.  

Love

Mon, Sep 14th - 2:04AM

RECOVERY

Brothers and sisters, again and again we must remember that there is nothing reasonable nor rational in our old Adamic sin nature that we inherited from our first human father Adam. Again and again, there is nothing in our old dead Adamic sin nature that any of us can change by reasonings, or various -ologies. Our old Adamic sin nature is incapable and unwilling to forgo its lusts regardless of the consequences as it has no good conscience, for truth is that it has no conscience at all due to its total corruptness. God commands us to relentlessly crucify it for there is no cure for it, and it is no longer a part of our true selves.

One example of the insatiableness of the lusts of our old Adamic sin nature is the famous former talk show host who in 1988 resorted to a fasting program bragging that she had lost 67 pounds,  only to go on a yo yo journey for years, of weight loss and gain,  despite having her own trained cooks, doctors/various -ologies, exercise coaches, even had some surgery to remove some of it only to arrive in 2020 having lost 40 pounds due to weight watchers diet program, in which she owns a share. Sadly, she is a false teacher who promotes that there are many roads to God.

There are many more examples of people of all incomes and walks of life that are literally digging their graves with a spoon. So, holy people, our work is clear. In the past some have failed to bring their weight under control because they didn’t understand the kind of total war their habituated flesh would wage, emotionally draining and relentlessly to generate sustained barrages of  tormenting, lustful cravings and, temptations, to demand , enforce and keep up the old destructive eating patterns that brought  it so much pleasure, although it brought the brother or sister so much shame and disgust. It will be absolutely necessary for those struggling with their weight to forbear continuing to yield to our old sin nature and resist all the emotionally draining relentless and tormenting barrages of cravings, lusts, and temptations it will generate, and with patience God will grant the self-control desired. None of us are alone in this matter, or any matter, we know our great all-powerful Lord is here to help us always, and a multitude of many seasoned saints well experienced in this issue among many others. After the brother or sister recovers, gains self -control over our old nature, then they will be able to follow whatever sensible healthy plan of their choosing to lose and maintain their weight.

EPHESIANS 4:24 KJV "And that ye put on the new man, which ...

www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ephesians-4-24

Ephesians 4:24 Context. 21 If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Love

serola

Sat, Sep 12th - 1:43PM

RECOVERY

Exo 23:20  Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. 21Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my name is in him.

Beware: to be on one's guard, take heed, take care, beware.

Act 3:22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.

 Rev 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Brothers and sisters, praise God that we are not of those who are perishing because they reject the only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, we should keep in remembrance that God is no respecter of persons, and that none should dare to treat Lord Jesus Christ lightly. God gives no exceptions and will not compromise His word nor His integrity with anyone, whosoever they might be. Saints (G40 hagios) let us also be careful to obey Him out of love not fear of punishment, however by His authority He will discipline us for our good and His glory, so that we shall not be condemned with the world.

Col 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Dearly beloveds, some have been misled to believe that they have no power over sin based on misinterpretation of: Rom 7:23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

However, these verses clearly present the power of Jesus Christ which delivered us from the law and a weak human conscience that had no power over sin. Instead Christians have been given a mind like that of Christ that puts no confidence in corrupt flesh, understanding that flesh is corrupt always and forever.

Firstly, holy people, if the Bible taught Christians remain victims of sin and have no power over it, this would conflict and nullify all of its teachings to the contrary: 1Co 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.

 1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

 Gal 2: 20I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Again and again, brethren, we know that the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ alone has been appointed by God as the Head of the church His people, and He is the source of eternal life indwelling in them; therefore we must heed His warning:  God’s word trans: Ro 8:12So, brothers and sisters, we have no obligation to live the way our corrupt nature wants us to live. 13If you live by your corrupt nature, you are going to die. But if you use your spiritual nature to put to death the evil activities of the body, you will live. 14Certainly, all who are guided by God's Spirit are God's children. 15You haven't received the spirit of slaves that leads you into fear again. Instead, you have received the spirit of God's adopted children by which we call out, "Abba! Father!"

I pray that any brother or sister suffering from obesity not due to medical or genetic issues will be fully convicted, convinced, and fully persuaded to patiently resist the corrupt demands of the old nature. For many it will take time, however Jesus Christ will reward and give victory and surprising rewards, insight, hindsight and foresight to them along their journey to self -control over their old corrupt nature.

Then as a multitude of brothers and sisters have done, they will know the joy of eating and being satisfied without excess, rather than living to eat and that to excess and destruction.

love

serola

Fri, Sep 4th - 2:02PM

RECOVERY

Patience:   patience (29x), enduring (1x), patient continuance (1x), patient waiting (1x).

I.steadfastness, constancy, endurance

A. in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings

B. patiently, and steadfastly

II.a patient, steadfast waiting for

III.a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance.

Brothers and sisters, we know that it is not uncommon for people to desire to achieve their goals quickly and with as little effort or duress as possible. But we also know it doesn’t work that way in God’s wheelhouse. We are just spinning our wheels and going no where trying to do things our way. Thanks be to God we spin our wheels less and less as we fully embrace His teachings that obedience to Him is not optional, and that He is God and we are not:  

Children of light:  (Eph 5:8; 1Th 5:5), we should pay no attention to any false teachers including teachers of victim theology, the flip side are the teachers that teach we achieve things by our own power alone, none of this is true nor pleasing to God.

Brethren, can we talk? Look the obese among us might know how many calories to eat to reduce weight, know the most efficient diet to lose and control weight, know how to exercise and how many steps to take to lose an ounce and none of it has worked. Even when it did work it didn’t last; yet all these things are right and reasonable. Except your old nature isn’t reasonable. The downfall of the human race is the dead Adamic sin nature. The human race has not stopped falling since Adam into further abominable sin and degeneracy.

Some amongst us, holy people, having failed to control their flesh seek help from pundits/gurus, -ologists, who try to explain their failure in the light of resulting from some psychological damage, biochemical malfunction, or genetics, etc., or  in desperation try quick fixes -how to lose weight in ten easy steps,  or thirty days, not to mention the use of bizarre substances, or surgery or drugs.

However, brothers and sisters, we know that there is not enough room here to put the teachings of God and His warning that although our old nature is dead it cannot be conquered by secular means. Yes, pay attention to diet and exercise, but if we fail to understand that God gave us power to put in use to bring our old dead nature into subjection we will continue to fail. This is because, again, the old dead nature cannot be reasoned with, only crucified period.

 Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

I.Let not sin therefore reign: to allow to be king, to exercise kingly power, to reign

II.metaph. to exercise the highest influence, to control.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

I.Sin shall not have dominion over you: to be lord of, to rule, have dominion over you.

A. to exercise influence upon, to have power over

Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

The old Adamic sin nature is dead and everything that is under its dominion dies. We are not victims of our old dead sin natures, saints (G40 hagios). This old dead Adamic sin nature is not going down without a fight. When we habituate our flesh by not controlling what and how much we eat, understanding it is of an animal nature, it develops a taste and desire to continue that way and generates extreme cravings and powerful desires to command continuance in what we have allowed.  This is why all the aforementioned reasonable things we do to lose weight fails; we are putting the cart before the horse.

Love

serola

Fri, Sep 4th - 2:02PM

RECOVERY

Patience:   patience (29x), enduring (1x), patient continuance (1x), patient waiting (1x).

I.steadfastness, constancy, endurance

A. in the NT the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings

B. patiently, and steadfastly

II.a patient, steadfast waiting for

III.a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance.

Brothers and sisters, we know that it is not uncommon for people to desire to achieve their goals quickly and with as little effort or duress as possible. But we also know it doesn’t work that way in God’s wheelhouse. We are just spinning our wheels and going no where trying to do things our way. Thanks be to God we spin our wheels less and less as we fully embrace His teachings that obedience to Him is not optional, and that He is God and we are not:  

Children of light:  (Eph 5:8; 1Th 5:5), we should pay no attention to any false teachers including teachers of victim theology, the flip side are the teachers that teach we achieve things by our own power alone, none of this is true nor pleasing to God.

Brethren, can we talk? Look the obese among us might know how many calories to eat to reduce weight, know the most efficient diet to lose and control weight, know how to exercise and how many steps to take to lose an ounce and none of it has worked. Even when it did work it didn’t last; yet all these things are right and reasonable. Except your old nature isn’t reasonable. The downfall of the human race is the dead Adamic sin nature. The human race has not stopped falling since Adam into further abominable sin and degeneracy.

Some amongst us, holy people, having failed to control their flesh seek help from pundits/gurus, -ologists, who try to explain their failure in the light of resulting from some psychological damage, biochemical malfunction, or genetics, etc., or  in desperation try quick fixes -how to lose weight in ten easy steps,  or thirty days, not to mention the use of bizarre substances, or surgery or drugs.

However, brothers and sisters, we know that there is not enough room here to put the teachings of God and His warning that although our old nature is dead it cannot be conquered by secular means. Yes, pay attention to diet and exercise, but if we fail to understand that God gave us power to put in use to bring our old dead nature into subjection we will continue to fail. This is because, again, the old dead nature cannot be reasoned with, only crucified period.

 Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

I.Let not sin therefore reign: to allow to be king, to exercise kingly power, to reign

II.metaph. to exercise the highest influence, to control.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

I.Sin shall not have dominion over you: to be lord of, to rule, have dominion over you.

A. to exercise influence upon, to have power over

Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

The old Adamic sin nature is dead and everything that is under its dominion dies. We are not victims of our old dead sin natures, saints (G40 hagios). This old dead Adamic sin nature is not going down without a fight. When we habituate our flesh by not controlling what and how much we eat, understanding it is of an animal nature, it develops a taste and desire to continue that way and generates extreme cravings and powerful desires to command continuance in what we have allowed.  This is why all the aforementioned reasonable things we do to lose weight fails; we are putting the cart before the horse.

Love

serola

Tue, Sep 1st - 7:30PM

RECOVERY

Obesity: Health and Economic Consequences of ... - World Bank

https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/nutrition/.

“Obesity has a major impact on national economies by reducing productivity and life expectancy and increasing disability and health care costs”.

Brothers and sisters, even the world bank among others has declared obesity a pandemic not just in America but world -wide. One could say money talks in a secular sense. Even the secular world fully understands that obesity is nothing to play with or take lightly for it has very serious consequences to the obese individuals and to the fabric of the economy as a whole as well. It should be of much more importance in the house of God.

However, dearly beloveds, we know without fail that in God’s house He alone speaks for His people. and through His people.  While most under shepherds rightly and faithfully preach and teach the power of our Lord in helping His people to overcome sin, some among us foolishly preach a “VICTIM THEOLOGY”, a false doctrine that paints the Christian as suffering from an epic, fatalistic, and incurable “brokenness”; whose identity is a weak so-called “saved sinner”, at the mercy of his or her own so called sin nature, whose only hope is to “keep short accounts” and/or confessing all sins lest they should die with unconfessed sins and /or “lose their salvation”.  Once a Christian in error takes on this false identity is it any wonder that he or she becomes that very thing in living?

Dearly beloveds, we are clearly meant to live in community, not just a few times a week in the church building staring at the backs of one another’s heads. Biblical preaching and teaching is always a great blessing, and praise God for the wise under shepherds, that aid the flock to grow and develop their gifts and ministries, because they understand fully that  iron sharpens iron and we feed, nurture, comfort, correct, guide, encourage and strengthen one another in hearing, and doing the word of God in community. We benefit greatly from shared experiences in successfully dealing with many problems in life through faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Dearly beloveds, we all feel compassion for the obese brother or sister, struggling with their weight, struggling with controlling their appetites, and understand the disappointment and for some even a deep sense of shame and failure, although they are successful in many other areas of life. Sadly, sometimes due to ignorance also, they do not know the joy of having full control over their appetites as many of their brethren, even as our apostle Paul declared: God’s word trans: Phil 4: 12 No matter what the situation, I've learned the secret of how to live when I'm full or when I'm hungry, when I have too much or when I have too little. 13I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me. 

Saints (G40 hagios), some who are struggling with their weight might think it is necessary to just give the solutions already. This kind of thinking shows a lack of patience, and one of the reasons why such persons remain struggling with their weight. A sister called me one morning and straight out said she understood that she was going to have to just obey Jesus and do what He wanted in a certain matter as she understood He would not grant her any victory trying to deal with it her way. This is a lesson we must all  keep in remembrance and take to heart without doubt.

Brothers and sisters, we know that Jesus Christ is eternally alive and well forever, and He rules His house that is His people. He is our Advocate for us before the throne of His Father in heaven and in His omniscience, He is the head of the church and indweller in His people:  Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 Why we all need and must have patience:  Luk 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

 Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

 Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

Essential take away, holy people, we know and fully accept that instead of in error thinking we are to try/prove God, let us embrace the truth that it is our Lord and Saviour who does  the trying to prove our faith is real, for our good and His glory. When we fail Him, He takes pleasure in giving us further opportunities to teach us so we can pass the next time, and help other brothers and sisters do the same. 

love

serola