Gluttony Notes from Sunday

As promised, I am posting the notes from Sunday's Message on Gluttony. This is something that a lot of people struggle with. This is something that I have struggled with. God has challenged me personally this week. I hope this is beneficial to you.

Gluttony

Proverbs 25:27-28 (NLT) “Just as it is not good to eat too much honey, it is not good for people to think about all the honors they deserve. 28A person without self-control is as defenseless as a city with broken-down walls.”

What is Gluttony?
· Gluttony - excess in eating or drinking
· Gluttony is a lack of self-control.


Gluttony is sin. Why is it that we see all the other "seven deadly sins" as sin, but we struggle to call Gluttony sin. Have you ever heard of "Comfort Foods?" These are the foods that we eat to find comfort. Many times, when we are upset or stressed, we turn to our Comfort Foods. When we do this, we are making food our God. Let me explain, the Holy Spirit is to be our "comforter." When we look to food instead of God to be our comfort, then we are elevating food into God's place. Thus, Gluttony makes food our God. Philippians 3:18-19 (NLT) states "18 For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their future is eternal destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and all they think about is this life here on earth."

The Enemy uses food as temptation. Look back at the very first sin, Eve took the FRUIT from the tree and ate it. The serpent enticed her with the knowledge of good and evil...the ability to be just like God and with the fruit....(Look up Genesis 3:6-7 NLT). It says the fruit looked fresh and delicious. What would have happened if the fruit was spoiled....if it looked gross....if it smelled nasty, perhaps we would still be in the garden. Fast foward to the New Testament, Luke 4:1-4 (NLT) records Jesus being out in the wilderness for 40 days. He was tempted by the Devil. The very first recorded temptation of Jesus was at a time when he hadn't had anything to eat for 40 days. The enemy comes and tells him to turn the stone into bread. The enemy of our soul will trap up any way he can. The sad things is that we do not see Gluttony as sin and therefore, we are entangled in a web of gluttony and don't even realize it.

Keys to Overcoming Gluttony

Be Filled With The Spirit
Ephesians 5:18 (KJV)


Practice Self-control
Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) gives us the fruit of the spirit. One of those fruits is self-control. If we truly are filled with the spirit, then we will bear those fruits in our lives.

Proverbs 25:27-28 (NLT) “Just as it is not good to eat too much honey, it is not good for people to think about all the honors they deserve. 28A person without self-control is as defenseless as a city with broken-down walls.”

Titus 2:11-12 (NIV) tells us that the grace of God has appeared to all men and it teaches us to live self-controlled lives.

As Christ Followers, we need to practice self control.


Find Comfort In God
Psalms 34:8 (NIV) "Taste and see that the LORD is good;blessed is the man who takes refuge in him." Our comfort needs to come from God and not from our comfort foods. We are blessed when we take refuge in him.


Take care of God’s Temple
1 Corinthians 6:12-13, 19-20 (NIV) “Everything is permissible for me"-but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"-but I will not be mastered by anything. 13"Food for the stomach and the stomach for food"-but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” We use this portion of scriputre often when talking about sins that are sexual in nature. That is true, but it also refers to food. Everyday, we pile things that are high in fat, calories and things that we don't even know how to pronounce. We need to take care of God's Temple

Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 (NLT) “Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do. 10So refuse to worry, and keep your body healthy. But remember that youth, with a whole life before you, is meaningless.”

Use Wisdom when selecting foods
Proverbs 23:19-21 (NIV) “Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path. 20Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, 21for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.” Go for something that is healthy. Don't overdo it! Use wisdom. Ask yourself: Is it wise for me to eat this type of food?

Eat in Moderation

Proverbs 25:16 (NIV) “If you find honey, eat just enough — too much of it, and you will vomit.”

If you find something you like, don't eat too much of it. Get a small or medium instead of the large. Don't supersize. Enjoy your favorite foods, but do it in moderation.


Put Food In a Proper Perspective
Proverbs 13:25 (TLB) “The good man eats to live, while the evil man lives to eat.” We need to view food as fuel for the body. We should eat to live, not live to eat.

Fast
Matthew 6:16-18 (NLT) “"And when you fast (not if you fast), don't make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, who try to look pale and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I assure you, that is the only reward they will ever get. 17But when you fast , comb your hair and wash your face. 18Then no one will suspect you are fasting, except your Father, who knows what you do in secret. And your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you.” Fasting is one of the greatest combats to gluttony. Nothing tells your body who is in charge like not eating for a few days or radically changing your diet. I'm not a fruit and vegetables type of guy. Periodically, I have done what is called the Daniel Fast. The Daniel Fast is based on the passage of scripture in Daniel where he and the three hebrew children denied themselves the pleasures of the king's table for "pulse." Pulse is vegetables, fruits, etc. Things that are sown with seeds. You can check out this link to find out more about the Daniel Fast. http://www.daystar.com/Daystar/Prayer/Daniel+Fast_landing.htm

My prayer is that this will start a brand new life for you as you combat gluttony. :)