Saturday, August 5, 2023

This PREOCCUPATION with FOOD

 

Proverbs 25:16

King James Version

16 Hast thou found honey? 

eat so much as is sufficient for thee, 

lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.


You have to admit it.

The world is preoccupied with food.

And not necessarily food for the poor and hungry.

Look to the food channels, the selections and varieties at supermarkets.

Look to the restaurants, food businesses, and online food deliveries.

Strangely, the virus "outbreak" had been supplanted with focus on food.

There is now a delirious preoccupation with food.

More than ever.

As if a "virus" had never taken place.

People have been made "free" to roam again.

But you only need to look at the resulting "industries" birthed.

All that consumption's catching up with us.

Look at our salt and sugar consumption.

Look to the burgeoning dialysis industries, big pharma products, hospital expansions, ailments, and you'd know something's afoot.

People are getting sick.

People are getting vain.

People are getting gluttonous.

People are forgetting GOD all over again.


I once read an article about a particular European chef.

Who was truly particular.

He was "master of knives".

A knife for this.

A knife for that.

Only the choicest knives, for the choicest food, for the choicest customers.

I have been cooking for quite a while.

But you won't find me with an assortment of knives.

Give me one good, medium-sized, sharp, sturdy knife, and that would do.

I also normally cook one-dish meals.

Like what an old Italian cookbook taught me.

The ingredients were meager, for it was a time of war.

Thus, the lady author basically used tomatoes, olive oil, eggplant, garlic, and whatever was on hand.

Perhaps, I'm lazy.

Perhaps, I'm a minimalist.

But surely, it's because I'm born again.

The latter changes your outlook in life.

You look to JESUS for everything.

You'd be careful not to be a hypocrite.

1 Corinthians 9:27

King James Version

27 But I keep under my body, 

and bring it into subjection: 

lest that by any means, 

when I have preached to others, 

I myself should be a castaway.


You will be moderate in consumption, lest you be consumed.

1 Corinthians 9:25

King James Version

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.


Your focus is on JESUS alone.

Matthew 4:4

King James Version

4 But he answered and said, 

It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, 

but by every word that proceedeth 

out of the mouth of God.


When you are born again, you walk with SPIRIT.

Galatians 5:24-25

King James Version

24 And they that are Christ's 

have crucified the flesh 

with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, 

let us also walk in the Spirit.


You know the body is temple of the HOLY SPIRIT.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

King James Version

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.


You know everything must be for GOD's GLORY alone.

1 Corinthians 10:31

King James Version

31 Whether therefore ye eat, 

or drink, 

or whatsoever ye do, 

do all to the glory of God.


Everything in the world is vanity.

Everything in the world takes us away from GOD.

Know who rules the world:

2 Corinthians 4:4

King James Version

4 In whom the god of this world 

hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, 

lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, 

who is the image of God, 

should shine unto them.


Being born again really changes one's thinking.

You look at the world and you grieve at how much we consume, and waste, while others are left hungry.

You look at how much people consume, and you think how simple the LORD JESUS was.

He did not think of having parties, what food to buy, what to eat, how to impress others.

Instead, JESUS gave us imperishable food.

He taught us GOD's WORD.

Luke 9:11

King James Version

11 And the people, when they knew it, 

followed him: 

and he received them, 

and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, 

and healed them that had need of healing.


JESUS had heart for those who listened to Him.

Luke 9:12-13

King James Version

12 And when the day began to wear away, 

then came the twelve, and said unto him, 

Send the multitude away, 

that they may go into the towns and country round about, 

and lodge, and get victuals: 

for we are here in a desert place.

13 But he said unto them, 

Give ye them to eat. 

And they said, 

We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; 

except we should go and buy meat for all this people.


He was also master of organization.

Luke 9:14-16

King James Version

14 For they were about five thousand men. 

And he said to his disciples, 

Make them sit down by fifties in a company.

15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.

16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, 

and looking up to heaven, 

he blessed them, 

and brake, 

and gave to the disciples 

to set before the multitude.


And there was plenty left to feed them.

Luke 9:17

King James Version

17 And they did eat, 

and were all filled: 

and there was taken up of fragments 

that remained to them twelve baskets.


With the LORD, we have sufficiency.

With the world, things will never be enough.

With the WORD, we are saved.

With the world, we perish.

For the true born again, JESUS is all we need.

Not the perfect knife to use.

Not the perfect food to eat.

Not the perfect company to eat with.

JESUS -- GOD's WORD -- suffices.


Related material:

MEALS with HEART

FOOD for spirit

BORN AGAIN articles


Image: Clipart Library


Monday, May 15, 2023

WORD made FLESH

 

John 1:14

King James Version

14 And the Word was made flesh, 

and dwelt among us, 

(and we beheld his glory, 

the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) 

full of grace and truth.


Such is GOD's love for us.

That He sent His only Son.

That we may be saved from our sins.

And believers given eternal life.

But how many people thank GOD?

How many people care to know Him?

How many people truly love Him?

How many people know the WORD?

How many people know JESUS is the WORD?

How many people live by the Bible?

It's time we did.

The coming of the LORD JESUS had been prophesied:

Psalm 118:22

King James Version

22 The stone which the builders refused 

is become the head stone of the corner.


Isaiah 9:6

King James Version

6 For unto us a child is born, 

unto us a son is given: 

and the government shall be upon his shoulder: 

and his name shall be called Wonderful, 

Counsellor, 

The mighty God, 

The everlasting Father, 

The Prince of Peace.


Jeremiah 23:5

King James Version

5 Behold, 

the days come, 

saith the Lord, 

that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, 

and a King shall reign and prosper, 

and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.


Micah 5:2

King James Version

2 But thou, 

Bethlehem Ephratah, 

though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, 

yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me 

that is to be ruler in Israel; 

whose goings forth have been from of old, 

from everlasting.


Zechariah 9:9

King James Version

9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; 

shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: 

behold, 

thy King cometh unto thee: 

he is just, and having salvation; 

lowly, and riding upon an ass, 

and upon a colt the foal of an ass.


Malachi 3:1

King James Version

3 Behold, 

I will send my messenger, 

and he shall prepare the way before me: 

and the Lord, 

whom ye seek, 

shall suddenly come to his temple, 

even the messenger of the covenant, 

whom ye delight in: 

behold, 

he shall come, 

saith the Lord of hosts.


Luke 1:33

King James Version

33 And he shall reign 

over the house of Jacob for ever; 

and of his kingdom there shall be no end.


Luke 1:35

King James Version

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, 

The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, 

and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: 

therefore also that holy thing 

which shall be born of thee 

shall be called the Son of God.


Romans 11:26-27

King James Version

26 And so all Israel shall be saved: 

as it is written, 

There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, 

and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:

27 For this is my covenant unto them, 

when I shall take away their sins.


Galatians 4:4

King James Version

4 But when the fulness of the time was come, 

God sent forth his Son, 

made of a woman, 

made under the law,


Luke 2:11-14

King James Version

11 For unto you is born this day 

in the city of David 

a Saviour, 

which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; 

Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, 

lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel 

a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, 

and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, 

and on earth peace, 

good will toward men.


Luke 5:32

King James Version

32 I came not to call the righteous, 

but sinners to repentance.


Luke 19:9-10

King James Version

9 And Jesus said unto him, 

This day is salvation come to this house, 

forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

10 For the Son of man is come 

to seek and to save that which was lost.


Revelation 19:11-13

King James Version

11 And I saw heaven opened, 

and behold a white horse; 

and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, 

and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, 

and on his head were many crowns; 

and he had a name written, 

that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: 

and his name is called The Word of God.


Related material:

Bible DISCOVERY 12: Tracing the Day JESUS was BORN

JESUS

WORD of GOD


Image: Clipart Library


On FOOD fixation

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