March 15, 2019
Philippians 3:17-19: “Their end is destruction; their god is the belly; and their glory is in their shame; their minds are set on earthly things.” vs. 19
Not everyone bought in to the message Paul was bringing to the people of God on his missionary journeys and he doesn’t hesitate to use harsh language to describe his detractors. Like Jesus he believed that there are two basic ways to live in this world: we can either tend to the welfare of our souls or we can chase after earthly treasure. He had seen the consequences of both kinds of living and there’s no doubt in his mind which is better. The group that serves the belly and that glorifies the desires of the flesh will have a sorry end. His words strike close to home in our pleasure seeking times. We love to eat and find it hard to avoid rich and fattening foods. Some would even say that gluttony is a national issue and argue that the evidence is all around us. It’s not that overweight people can’t love Jesus … many are his faithful servants … but over-indulgence of any kind is an insidious enemy. Paul encourages his Philippian readers to get back on track by observing how Spirit-filled people live. As we watch those who seem to have it together spiritually we can learn new disciplines … new ways to nourish the soul and grow in faith. It could even be that we can pick up some new pointers about healthy eating.
Thought for the Day: Why is it so hard to be a disciplined eater?
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