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

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