The Solution We Won’t Accept and the Root Issue of Food Addiction - Purity 1475

Welcome to the MT for Christ 247 podcast. I'm M.t. Clark, and this is today's photo. To see today's photo, go to mtforchrist.com or follow me, M.t. Clark, on Facebook or Twitter, or watch us on YouTube. Good morning. Today's photo of a trail of fallen leaves, uh, trees showing their autumn splendor, and Mount Willard in the distance comes to us from yours truly as I captured this scene before making my way back to my countryside home from the clearing at the end of Freedom Road, and I was overcome with the joy of the Lord and the thrill of the season yesterday afternoon. Well, it's Saturday, and I don't know if it was just the thrill of getting out of work, the fact that I was reunited with my wife for the weekend, or the appreciation of the fall foliage, but by the time I reached the turnaround point of yesterday's afternoon walk, I was positively filled with joy to the point that I just had to speak it. Oh, the joy, Lord, uh, the joy! And proceeded to give him thanks and praise for the life he has given me. Um, so yeah, I'm pretty happy, and I pray that anyone hearing, reading, or seeing this message will take some time to look around and appreciate the good things in their life and give the Lord, uh, thanks and praise. Anyway, part of my joy may have had to do with the discovery of the answer to my struggles with food addiction. I shared yesterday how I have been inspired by Dr. Michael and Nancy Brown's Breaking the Stronghold of Food audiobook and how it has led me to further research and to begin reading Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book Eat for Life, which claims to provide the breakthrough nutrient-rich program for longevity, disease reversal, and sustained weight loss. Now, before you get your hopes up, although you should get your hopes up, uh, get ready for some hard truth. Uh, the answers that Fuhrman provides may not be so groundbreaking or earth-shaking, but in presenting the solutions to our biggest concerns regarding our health, such as having a long and healthy life, being cancer, diabetes, and heart disease-free, and curing obesity, we may discover that the biggest problem we face regarding our health aren't out there in the world as much as they may be within us and due to the choices we make. Fuhrman's nutritarian lifestyle solution calls for a radical change to the way we eat, suggesting the virtual elimination of animal-based food products and receiving 90% of our calories from vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and intact whole grains. Fuhrman's recommendations are based on conclusions of a multitude of scientific studies that reveal the truth that most of the foods that we crave and are staples of the standard American diet cause obesity, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and premature death. Fuhrman's research also reveals that nutrient deficiencies that result from eating a standard American diet also leaves us vulnerable to these debilitating and life-ending conditions. So not only are the things that most of us choose to eat bad for us, but we are also depriving ourselves of nutrients that can help us. Fuhrman's book, although somewhat over my head with much of the science causing me to power through reading it, uh, makes it clear that we have all been deceived and pridefully refuse to do what is right when it comes to being good stewards to our bodies. Although all the medical research supports Fuhrman's findings that we should become virtual, if not total vegetarians, and that we can likely prevent more than 90% of all cancers and more than 95% of heart attacks and strokes with advances in nutritional science. The problem is that many Americans don't like the solution. Our willful ignorance, rebellion, and pride when it comes to food is perhaps the most insidious of all the of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual bondage that permeates the earth. The ruler of this world, Satan, undoubtedly uses our attitudes and preferences regarding food to steal, kill, and destroy what could other— be— could be otherwise healthy and long lives. And we are complicit in following the god of our bellies, um, the god of our lives, our bellies, to a lackluster, diseased, hindered life and an early grave. So I'm currently transitioning to a nutritarian lifestyle and have already begun feeling the joy of setting myself free from the god, the god of my belly, I guess. But just knowing the truth and having the supporting evidence, you know, by just knowing the truth and having the supporting evidence to back it up, you know, when we want to make a change in life, whether on the physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual level, we have to know what we believe and why we believe it. In our myopic or self-centered view of life, I think we consider that our choices in life are mostly based on our individual preferences or opinions, and that this world system, systems bent toward relativism, makes the matter of truth cloudy or subjective. That scientific results vary and one opinion is as good as another, and then we can't really know what's best for us, and that it would be unloving or unkind to suggest that anyone is doing anything wrong or bad decisions. So the matter of what is true, right, or healthy is wrongfully judged through the lens of individual preference— what's true for me or what works for me— while in reality, the thing that works for me is killing us. Most of us would warn a loved one afflicted with an addiction to opiates to stop and get help, but when it comes to what is perhaps the true opiate of the people food, we turn a blind eye to or reject the solution presented to us because we don't want to be holier-than-thou by fat shaming anyone, a term that was developed to silence us, or that it's too hard for us in our struggles with food to ever feel confident in telling anyone else what is best. The issue of food all comes down to pride. Never mind the truth, I want what I want. It is only through confessing the lies we believe and humbly submitting to the God of all truth that we can ever be free. As it turns out, today's Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah addresses pride, and I'm sharing it on the blog today to inspire us all to humble ourselves and to repent of the things that our pride has kept us from experiencing the fullness of freedom that the Lord has for us. And, um, David Jeremiah writes— what does he write? He writes, if my people humble themselves. And he shares 2 Chronicles 7:14, which says, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. Uh, and David Jeremiah writes, Anglican Pastor John Stott said, pride is our greatest enemy, humility is your greatest friend. When it comes to the national revival we need in the family of God, pride is the greatest obstacle, humility is the open doorway. It's impossible to confess our sins if we're not humble enough to recognize and acknowledge them. Is there a sinful habit quenching the Holy Spirit in your heart? Is there an attitude that is grieving him? Could it be a secret life of pornography, bitter attitudes or anger towards someone, lack of physical discipline when it comes to eating or drinking, impure sources of entertainment, or neglect of church and Bible reading? We can't accommodate recurring known sin and at the same time experience revival. Ask God to show you the changes you need to make today. And he also shares a quote from Charles Spurgeon. And Spurgeon said, we are to humble ourselves. Should we not be humbled by the fact that, that after receiving so much love, we yet transgress? O Lord, we bow before thee in the dust and own our grievous ingratitude. Oh, the infamy of our sin. Amen. Uh, Jeremiah calls us to humbly ask God for his help to set us free. Our pride is the root cause of our recurring sin and is the root issue of all addictions. To be free, we must surrender to God's truth and agree to live according to the wisdom of his ways. To admit to God that his word and the secrets revealed by investigating the ways of his creation are the truth that we should base our choices on is giving up our lordship over our lives and surrendering to his superior intelligence. That requires humility, but as hard as that first step of humbling ourselves may be, it will be the step that leads to freedom, peace, and joy. As, um, today's Bible verses, uh, come to us from A Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling by John G. Cruz. This morning's meditation verses come from the section on forgiving others, and Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 2:5-11, where the word of God says, now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure, not to put it too severely to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough. So you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs. Today's verses fall under the 12th point of our Counseling Reference Guide's resource section on forgiving others, and that 12th point Says Paul tells us we must forgive and restore one, one who has sinned against us. Today's Bible verses encourage us to be diligent and compassionate in forgiving those who have sinned against us, and to do so as a spiritual defense against the father of lies. This passage presents the hard truth of forgiveness, that it hurts because the person who sins inflicts pains on themselves, on those they have hurt, and on those who are in relationship with them. You're friends with that sinner? Uh, but the Apostle Paul acknowledges the pain, but still, for the good of all involved and for the obedience to Christ's commands, calls us to forgive them and comfort them, to lead them back into the fold and to live the way they should. But beyond the solid advice, this passage also reveals that the demonic spiritual forces of darkness are also present. Demons want to cause sin. Demons want to cause division. Demons want to cause bitterness and isolations. Demons don't want us to forgive. So to fight the devil, we forgive and come alongside one another to walk in unity, because our bond of peace defeats the world, the flesh, and the devil, and it gives glory to God. As always, We encourage everyone to go to mtforchrist.com, where we always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist our brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk. Today we continue sharing from According to Your Word: Morning and Evening Through the New Testament by Stephen F. Alford. And in Alford's devotional, he prompts us to read a chapter of scripture, and today's scripture is 1 John 4. And from that chapter, he shares a portion of verse 4, which says, he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. And Stephen Alford writes, here is a marvelous thing, that in me is a power vested in a person that is greater than he, the devil, and all his powers that is in the world. The chapter goes on to reveal that I am indwelt by the Godhead, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his spirit. Notice also verse 16: He who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Here is a verse that shows that God indwells me. Actually, the fact that I am indwelt by the Trinity is a truth that the Lord Jesus taught in, see, John 14. That is to say that potentially I am indwelt by the eternal power and Godhead. Who is he that can stand against me? And Stephen Alford ends by praying, thank you, Lord, that I am never alone, especially when I face the enemy who hates me because you indwell me. Amen. Amen. You know, he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world, and that is the Holy Spirit, God in us. When we put our faith in Jesus, we get made spiritually alive because the Holy Spirit comes in, quickens our spirit, and stays with us. And he helps us when we decide to follow Jesus and live a Christian life. He empowers us to, to overcome, to change our lives, to change our minds, to change the things we do, and to start doing good things. You know, there's two parts to everything, you know, the things you do and the things you don't do. And in the Christian life, we not only stop doing the bad things we used to do as our former darkness was filled with sin, those recurring sins, but we start doing good things. You know, and in terms of food, that will be talked about. We stop eating the bad food and start eating the good food. And you know, that's wisdom. And it— so it's on the physical realm and it's in the spiritual realm that God presents his truth for us to follow. But we do have a choice to accept or reject it. And I'm— I for one want to accept as much truth as I can get. And this latest Nugget of truth has been hard to swallow, um, that vegetables are the way to go. Um, you know, personal preference and your upbringing goes against, you know, the wisdom of God, uh, in many respects. And it's no different in the realm of food. Just because something tastes good doesn't mean it's good for you. And, uh, you know, science reveals it to be true. So, you know, science and the word of God. So we ask the question: have you fully surrendered to God? There it is. Uh, and, um, uh, that's the question. And how much have you surrendered to the Lord? Um, just a little bit of your life, or a lot? Have you opened the door to the Lord completely? You let him into every room of your house? Um, we invite you to to consider that question and to do so. Um, we're trying to surrender as much of our life to the Lord as we are prepared to do. You know, we, we, we discover that, uh, we all tend to be a little deceived about how we're walking with the Lord. And, um, as we go, the Lord reveals, uh, through the Holy Spirit in us, reveals all truth and tells us to work on this next thing next. You know, to, to follow you, follow Jesus completely. And, uh, when you do that, um, amazing things happen. Life change happens, transformation happens, and sometimes you get called to ministry. And in terms of me, um, my call, uh, I've been called to lead this Celebrate Freedom Christian Recovery and Discipleship support group at Starpoint Church. We meet on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM in Clifton Park. So anybody in the Upstate New York Capital District region who to Clifton Park is invited to join us for, uh, Christian discipleship fellowship recovery, um, and to, to find your freedom. We teach walking in the spirit and how to live the new, new life in Christ. And just because you're not in Upstate New York doesn't mean you can't find your freedom too. So we encourage you to go to our playlist page on YouTube and, uh, discover the teachings we have for Bondage Breaker, Victor Over the Darkness, Freedom in Christ, and our very own Celebrate Freedom Discipleship Course. Um, we've discovered that, uh, you know, the word of God is truth, and when we come alongside that and decide to follow it and, you know, follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, the Lord does amazing, amazing things in our lives. So we encourage everyone to check those out and to share them with others because there's not enough freedom in Christ, in the body of Christ, and when we repent, when we humbly repent, revival can happen. So maybe it's just freedom for one person at a time, but, um, it's glorious to experience it individually and to be able to share this message of freedom in Christ with others. So we invite you to do that. And we ask the question: Are you empty for Christ too? Have you emptied yourself to be made available to God, to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Um, it's just really about surrendering to the And so we ask that question: are you empty for Christ? If so, keep on walking and talking with God. If not, we suggest you pray. And that's why we do that every day. Lord God, Heavenly Father, thank you for another day in your kingdom. We thank you so much that it's Saturday. We don't have to work today, and we'll be able to enjoy the company of our wife and, uh, stepkids today. And, uh, we look— well, we don't know what the day holds, but, uh, we know that you're in charge, and that, um, while we're praying, that, that it'll be a pleasant one, Lord, um, that we'll be focused on you, Lord. We also pray for anyone who's listening or reading or watching today's message, that you come alongside them and their prayer requests, their walk of faith, Lord, uh, because we all need your help. And, um, so we're asking for it today. So we just pray for you to open our eyes to the things you want us to see, lead us in the way we should go. And, uh, help us, Lord, because all we want to do is represent you in your kingdom, and we desperately need your help with that. Lord, we thank you, we praise you, we love you, and we pray all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.