“My child, lay aside that self-help book, it will not help you. My Book will help you! You will find the answers you are seeking in My Book.”
“Yes sir.”
“My child, . . . do ye still not know that I love thee so? It is My love that will deliver you. There is no self-help book that will bring you freedom and deliverance from your bondage, only My book will. Look no more for your answers in man written books, but choose My book. I will be your deliverance.”
“Lord, how wonderful it is! How thankful I am! Lord, I am bowing before You again. You Lord, have mercy for me yet again. For this, I offer praise unto You!”
At age 601/2, I am finally going to defeat this enemy of the extra weight that so easily besets me. Yep, the saddlebags and the bondage of overeating banished forever through the power of the Holy Spirit!
“Lord, I know You are my only hope of freedom! Diets don’t work, not for me! I either won’t or rather don’t stick to a diet or an exercise program. Lord, You are my only hope. I am coming before You, laying down the sacrifice of all my extra snacks and sweets on Your holy altar as my ‘sin’ offering.”
( “My child, I gave My life already as a sacrifice for your sins. Sacrifice is not required from you, My child, what I desire from you is your love and your obedience.”)
1 Samuel 15:22 NKJV: So Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams.
. . . Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians:6 NKJV
My child, I will finish what I have started. No matter how many times you turn away, I will draw you back – for I ALWAYS, ALWAYS get the glory! Defeat does not bring Me glory; therefore, I have planned for you VICTORY! Victory, My child, is coming! Continue reading LOOK FOR THE VICTORY!
Last spring, I started riding a bicycle to get physically fit. Then on May 16, 2011, I had a serious bicycle wreck. As a result, I ended up with surgery, seven screws and a plate, two months in a wheelchair, and several months of physical therapy. I am now released from the doctor, but I still walk with a serious limp and a cane for support. So much for getting physically fit! Continue reading BEGINNING A NEW WALK!!!
” I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature, for I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” Romans 7:18 NIV
Lord, here I am completely at “rock bottom”, fatter than I have been in years! Continue reading POWERLESS
BASED ON THE BEATITUDES By Pastor Rick Warren
Principal 1: Realize I’m not God; I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable (Step one*).
“Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Matthew 5:3
Principal 2: Earnestly believe that God exists, that I matter to Him and that He has the power to help me recover (Step Two*).
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 Continue reading THE ROAD TO RECOVERY
I have sung this song many times in church without even thinking about it. We are guilty of only singing the first two verses or just the chorus. I am guilty of just singing the words automatically in autopilot without even considering the words. But now, now that I have read these words, I realize just how powerful they are! This song is not just a “church” song, but it is “my life” song! Could it also your “life song”? Take the time to read all these words to the end for yourself. Let them speak to you now!
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now I’m found; was blind but now I see!
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved.
How precious did that grace appear; the hour I first believed.
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free! My God, my Savior has ransomed me!
And like a flood His mercy reigns; unending love, amazing grace!
The Lord has promised good to me! His word, my hope secures!
He will my shield and portion be; as long as life endures.
My chains are gone, I’ve been set free! My God, my Savior has ransomed me!
And like a flood His mercy reigns, unending love, amazing grace!
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun forbear to shine.
But God, who called me here below, will be forever mine……
You are forever mine!
Good morning Lord. Here I am before You again asking for forgiveness for my same old sin, because I ate too much again last night at supper.
(My child, do you want freedom once and for all from this bondage?) Continue reading 40 DAYS OF VICTORY-MANNA*
I wonder if Satan ever went to God to discuss my spiritual progress , just as he did Job so long ago? If so, it possibly could have went like this. . . .
God said, “Have you seen My servant ? She has taught Bible study to both children and adults. She loves to pray, study My Word and write about Me. Once, she even helped to organize a committee that brought unity and courage to a fearful neighborhood. Have you seen her?
I imagine Satan frowning as he replied, “Yea, I have seen her. It’s disgusting!” God would respond, “Oh no, it is wonderful! This child of Mine wants to bring Me glory! She has a heart seeking for more of Me! Oh, I am so thrilled with her progress, Satan, this one is Mine! You must admit defeat in this case!”
Satan probably then left in a hurry frustrated and determined to find a way to defeat God in the life of this child. He probably thought, “How can I destroy her confident testimony? How can I strip her of this abundant life of victory? Let me think, now, what . . . what is her major weakness? Is it bondage to alcohol? No, she doesn’t like the taste. Could she become addicted to drugs or cigarettes? No, she won’t even consider trying either one. Could I entice her with a lust for other men besides her husband? No, she won’t go there either! Besides, the last time I tried that she prayed so much that it just completely turned me off! Now, let me see. . . what can I use to entrap her in bondage? What will look innocent to her, just a little small sin, but it will appeal to the lust of her flesh; and in the end it will totally entrap and destroy her just as well as any other bondage?”
He probably frowned in deep concentration until suddenly he grinned in evil delight as he exclaimed excitedly, “I know! I know! I will entice her eye with the pleasures of food. I can also appeal to her emotions with the comfort of food!” He laughed with delight at his plan to destroy one of God’s children, “Then I will totally entrap her with the bondage of gluttony! Therefore, she will live a life of shame and defeat forevermore! It will also grieve the heart of God to watch one of His children choose food for comfort instead of Him. In addition, this plan will destroy God’s purpose for the life of this child. I will destroy her not just physically or emotionally, but also spiritually! This is just the perfect plan!”
He laughed gleefully to himself as he thought, “If I can’t use one pleasure to bring defeat to their lives, I can always find another! The desire for pleasure and comfort is a great tool of destruction. It starts out small and then they become so entrapped that they are in complete bondage before they ever know what happened. I am so great and awesome! I can even outsmart God! I will defeat all of His children and destroy His purpose for their life. Instead of Him getting glory from their lives, I will glory in their destruction! Everyone has a weakness that I can use!”
I guess that was Satan’s plan, to destroy God’s purpose for my life. All of my life, I have struggled with my excess weight. Throughout my adulthood I have tried all the tricks, all the diets, different diet pills, and once I even led a church Bible weight loss study only to back-slide into gluttony yet again and again.
This led me to think of myself as an embarrassment to God. How can He possibly forgive me when I keep running back to the same sin over and over? How I must have disappointed Him! How disappointed I am in myself! Many times, I have thought, “Oh God, what a failure I am!” BUT GOD HAS ANOTHER PLAN, A PLAN FOR VICTORY! HE HAS A PLAN FOR VICTORY FOR ME AND A PLAN OF VICTORY FOR YOU!
Satan’s plans will always be defeated as we kneel before God, confess our sins, repent (means turn away from) and then surrender our will to His will! God works out ALL things, ALL things for His glory! Therefore even this weakness of mine will bring Him praise for I yield myself to Him to do as He pleases with my life and I now offer this unneeded extra food as an offering to Him in submission. Just as King David poured out water in sacrifice(2 Samuel 23:15-17), I will pour out this abundant food that is before me. King David felt shame as he realized the life sacrifice of his men to get him water. I also feel shame as I consider how I have wasted the blood sacrifice of Jesus as I run to food, a false god, for comfort.
You can never conquer sin with an excuse, but you can conquer sin through surrender! THE KEY TO VICTORY IS SURRENDER!!
“And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:19
I have to ask, could one of the keys of the “kingdom of heaven” that will unlock bondage of any kind be “surrender”? In my life, I think so. Surrender will be the key to my freedom, yours too!
Christmas 2010 is over! All decorations are now put away. It has really been COLD!!! Continue reading STARTING OVER!
