That being said, here is my catch-up recap...
Day 35~Perseverance
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:1-5
Perseverance develops character.
Character develops hope.
Hope doesn't disappoint.
Mike Cleveland writes:
If we study the life of Abraham we can see that he was simply a "faithful plodder." How about you? Are you in this lifestyle change as a sprinter or a marathon runner? What are your thoughts?
My answer is: A faithful plodder for the most part! It feels like it's taking a long time to experience full victory in the area of overeating. But I keep plodding along! I keep on keeping on. I keep pressing on.
And here is one of my personal favorite verses that wasn't mentioned in this lesson but speaks of perseverance...
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
I cling to that promise.
Perseverance must finish its work so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
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Day 36~God Nourishes His People
Christ Himself is the Bread of Life and He is "The Lord's Table" and is given to us for our nourishment. We begin to grow spiritually as we feed on Christ and do His will. As we grow we begin living in a self-controlled manner, and we develop habits of righteousness. These habits can last a lifetime and will mean permanent weight loss for us. The good news for us is that God nourishes His people. He causes us to grow. TLT workbook pg 117
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Day 37~Such Were Some of You
If we are sinners who are trying to be good we will inevitably fall. But if we are saints, who occasionally stumble and sin, then our nature is such that we hate sin, and our habitual pattern of life will be to walk in righteousness. TLT workbook pg 119
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Day 38~Food For the Soul
This lesson touches on the scripture I had discovered on our christmas travels: 2 Peter 1:5-8
Once again here is the chain...
1. Faith
2. Goodness
3. Knowledge
4. Self-control
5. Perseverance
6. Godliness
7. Brotherly kindness
8. Love
One thing that I took away from this lesson is to remember to focus on the fruits of the spirit. These are the new "clothes" of the new creation that I am in Christ. When Christ lives in me then I will bear fruit of the Spirit. Keep fixing my eyes on Christ. Let go of all sin that entangles. Nothing but Him satisfies fully so why would I even try to seek substitutes or have one foot on each side of the fence, serving two masters?
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Day 39~Live For Pleasure
The key is that we are to be a people who live for pleasure in God! TLT workbook pg 125
Ways I can do this are look to God for instruction, read and meditate on His Word, do His will, listen to praise music, pray and worship Him, read things that draw my eyes to Him, reach out and share His love and the gospel with others...and probably so much more!
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Day 40~Called to Suffer
I'm not sure about the premise of this lesson in regards to weight loss methods. I am not sure sure about needing to suffer to lose weight. I believe in "suffering" when denying fleshly lusts, but not necessarily "suffering" by denying hunger... Does that make sense? I think that our hunger and fullness are designed by God to help us take care of our bodies and we should be listening to our body's signals.
However this statement I do agree with...
The point is that God is glorified in our becoming free from sin, and there will be inevitable suffering in the flesh that comes as we are seeking to be free from sin. TLT workbook pg 129
"If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23
Deny myself.
Take up his cross.
This is a key verse I think. So often I do as I feel entitled, focussing on self. But my old self is crucified and I must deny self.
I must "die" daily to: greed, grumpiness, selfishness, anger, covetness, laziness, loose tongue.
As a new creation, as Christ lives in me I must "live" each and every day to: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. I must do daily housecleaning of my heart.
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Day 41~We Must Master Sin
Lessons learned fro 1 Peter 5:8-11...
Be self-controlled and alert. Resist the devil. Stand firm in the faith. Remember others are suffering the same. Remember Christ will give victory and will perfect me one day.
The biggest thing I need to do right now is to get intentional again and pre-plan more. This is being ALERT. I will continue feasting on the Lord which is standing FIRM IN THE FAITH. I need to use the sword of the Spirit (His Word) to RESIST Satan. I began to take action here.
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Day 42~Seek First The Kingdom of God
If I am seeking Christ first I will eat in a careful manner, so that I enjoy my food as a gift of God and so that I do not overeat. TLT workbook pg 134
Food is a gift from God. This is a good reminder. I must be a good steward of this gift. When greed is present it is NOT glorifying to God.
Looking to Matthew 6:25-34 I am reminded that because God knows our needs I can trust Him to meet those needs. My job is to SEEK HIM and the rest will fall into place in God's own special way.
"I am not sure sure about needing to suffer to lose weight"
ReplyDeleteFebruary 25, 2007 I SUFFERED greatly because of my overeating. Rushed to the hosptial by ambulance. Two weeks later to the day, rushed once again by ambulance. For years I cried out to God to set me free, to deliver me from gorging, from gluttony, from being consumed with wanting to eat. Food had become my idol. My 'haven'. the phsycial pain I experienced that day and two weeks later made me realize I was literally killing myself with food. Was it worth it? Was food worth the cost? NO!!
that suffering caused me to finally stop, finally come to God and submit to His will. Accept His healing, His deliverance, His freedom in Christ Jesus! It took that suffering to make me turn around.
Oh, I understand about that kind of suffering. I was at a point of obesity, weighing over 200lbs back in 1998. Though I didn't suffer to the extent you did, I did have many limitations that I no longer am experiencing.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am questioning is whether we need to approach eating the way TLT is...fast, liquid, half portion, normal eating days on schedule.
I don't feel called at this time to "suffer" in this way, but rather I feel called to consistently feed my body as it reaches physiological hunger and stop when it is satisfied. When I approach eating this way I don't feel I am "suffering". Does that make sense?
I was also equating suffering with the legalistic man-made rules that are found left right and center. Avoid sugar. Avoid meat. Avoid carbs. Avoid this and that and everything in between. Do this. Do that. Etc. This kind of suffering does not seem to be for the purpose of fixing our eyes on things above.
Am I making sense?
Totally making sense. These last almost two years, I have found such love, strength, blessings and freedom in Christ. No longer are foods 'off limits', no longer do I think, 'oh I can't eat this, I can't have that'. What an amazing breakthrough!
ReplyDeleteI have fasted in March for 40 days, two meals a day. Only ate dinner. I felt called by the Lord to 'fast', during Lent. I found myself falling back in old patterns, not only with food, but though life, relationships, etc. I felt the Lord leading me into this fast because bondages and strongholds were coming against me again.
Your right, we are not suffering when we eat only when we are hungry and stopping when we are full. In the mental we COULD be suffering, in the flesh also, because of the tendency to want our will, to eat as much as we want, when we are not hungry. So we are cruficifying the flesh, and the mind by eating this way, but our spirit's are being strengthened.
Does that make sense? lol...This is such a blessing going back and forth like this. Gleaning, sharpening, and being encouraged. Thanks 'baby sis'..lol
I was thinking more about what we have both written in regards to suffering.
ReplyDeleteIn general I don't consider eating within 0-5 (hunger/fullness) suffering. HOWEVER oftentimes my flesh CRIES out with wants and desires, often feeling like a magnetic pull towards food outside those boundaries. When I stop and say "no" to these fleshly wants it DOES feel like suffering...hence I don't do a very good job saying "no"! lol! Something I need to work on.
Also, I agree with you about the fasting. At times we are called to put aside our comforts, our very needs, to focus on God and HIS priorities more fully for a time. At those times there is a degree of suffering (also a large measure of grace I have found) that happens. So I'm not rejecting the practice of fasting...but rather the regular lifestyle of rejecting the God-given hunger/fullness signals.
Okay, enough from me for awhile:-) I gotta go and clean up the house. I'm back to teaching piano today so I have to get this office tidy and ready for students. Also I have to tidy the rest of the house as there is increased traffic in and out of my house on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
These little guinea pigs have really side-tracked my attentions lately:-) LOL! FOUR guinea pigs! How insane!!!
Love and continued prayers,
Christina :-)
Wow, I enjoyed reading the comments here too!
ReplyDeleteOh that I would have the same hunger for God's Word that I do for physical food. That is my prayer.
I used to take piano lessons, could have been a teacher myself if I didn't become such a 'bad girl' in highschool, loosening interest in the piano.
ReplyDeleteLike you Christina, traffic flow is IMMENSE in this household with daycare family's coming. I have 9 on my pay roll, so you can imagine how many children and parents coming and going.
God was so good today and filled me with much energy to dust, vacuum, organize the daycare room. The children 'helped'. lol.
Just at the computer now with a coffee while my wee ones are napping.Hope both your days are going awesome and resting in the Lord's love.