Yes, there’s gluttony, and there’s guilt; but there also is God. The Bible talks a lot about gluttony and warns against it. On several occasions, God talks about not hanging out with gluttons. It’s even attached to gratifying the flesh.
When it comes to gluttony we can sometimes get into things that we shouldn’t eat, and feel guilty about afterward. The same is true spiritually in our walk with God. If we’re a glutton for sin, we then wind up experiencing guilt. Guilt is a very real and arresting emotion, shutting down all other emotions.
When guilt isn’t dealt with properly it stifles your relationship with God. It adds to the frustrations you can have, stymies whatever progress you’re trying to make; and steals whatever joy you’ve been holding onto. Guilt is very real.
Many of us have been gluttons with food, gluttons with sin; and guilt has come. But thanks be to God, He has a plan for both.
God desires that we would take care of our bodies. That we would not be given to gluttonous ways, that we would walk in grace, and walk in the wisdom of the Scriptures concerning health. God doesn’t throw us out. It doesn’t have to stop at guilt. God’s grace can overcome such things. When gluttony and guilt come, you can combine spiritual wisdom with the abilities God has given you to realize yes there’s gluttony, and there’s guilt; but there also is God.
Gluttony, Guilt, And God
Psalm 32
March 4, 2018 • Pastor Ray Parascando • Psalm 32
How To Avoid Get-Fit-Quick Schemes
February 11, 2018 • Pastor Ray Parascando • 3 John
Don’t settle for get-fit-quick schemes. These schemes are all over with promises of “take this pill, drink this powder and you’re going to lose weight and feel great.” That may work for a few days, but it’s not about just applying a short-term strategy to your health. If you want to be healthy physically and medically it needs to be deeper and better than a surface level fix just to get through. This is much deeper than trying to look good for the upcoming spring, or because you’ve put on weight after your resolutions didn’t pan out. Even bigger than trying to fit into a dress or suit for a wedding, God wants you to be healthy in a long-lasting way. You can be healthy by adopting a lifestyle of how you are to conduct yourself both physically and spiritually. Along with get-fit-quick schemes for health, there are a lot of get-right-with-God-quick schemes out there too. You may have heard some of these schemes saying to “send $100 in,” touch the screen to be healed,” “use this special oil and your pain will go away” There’s also fast food theology out there saying all you have to do is pray specific prayers and follow a set of steps and everything will be okay. While we all want life to go okay, the truth is that Jesus told us there will be trouble in this life. But you can take heart even in the troubles because Jesus has overcome the world, so you can put your trust in Him. No matter what the claims are, there are not any get fit quick plans out there that work. Physical and spiritual health comes from living a disciplined life. When you give yourself over to God and live a life of physical and spiritual discipline then you will find lasting health.
Fasting For Greater Health
February 18, 2018 • Pastor Ray Parascando • Daniel 1
Fasting is much deeper than giving up chocolate, not watching reruns on tv, or anything like that. Fasting is much deeper. When you learn about and apply the wisdom of fasting, you’ll find that fasting is for greater health in your life both spiritually and physically. There are some bad habits that you want to get rid of right? First we shape bad habits in our lives then they start to shape us. Then we identify ourselves by our bad habits. You may find yourself doing that as well. If you say that you’re a worrier, you’re not a worrier, that’s not your identity; but you have the habit of worrying. If you call yourself a doubter, you’re not, but you have the habit of doubting. If you say you’re lazy, your identity is not in laziness, but you have developed the habits that lead to lacking diligence. Even if you say that you’re a bad Christian, that’s not who you are, but you’ve developed habits that have led you to be that way. In order to take out those habits and bad disciplines, we need to replace them with good ones. Fasting does just this.
Getting Rid Of Ego Inflammation
February 25, 2018 • Pastor Ray Parascando • Philippians 2:1–11
Set yourself up for health by detoxing your body from inflammation and your spirit from unhealthy pride. When we eat unhealthy foods it is like throwing a grenade at our digestive system. Your body tries to wage war against those unhealthy foods to prevent their toxins from being released into your bloodstream. When this war rages, your body becomes inflamed on the inside, and as you research it, internal inflammation is a detriment to your health. Spiritually our ego and our pride can become inflamed to the point where our spirit is in an unhealthy position. When our hearts aren’t given over to God, ego can be on the throne of life instead of God. Before major problems come forcing you to turn around the bad choices you’ve made, keep a focus on detoxifying your body and your spirit from unhealthy ego inflammation.