May 8, 2008
Appetite
For What?
For
many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that
they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is
destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is
in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. For our citizenship is in
heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 3:18-20
What foods do you crave?
Which ones simply make your mouth water just thinking about them? Chocolate?
Pizza? Being from Texas, I love to visit my old stomping grounds and drive to
the nearest Tex-Mex restaurant for enchiladas with Ranchero sauce! Yumm…
If we don’t discipline our
flesh we would certainly do our body harm by giving in to its cravings. I have
recently had to change the way I eat to correct many years of bad habits and
allowing my body to have whatever it craved. After several months of no soda and
more fruits and vegetables, I feel better and have lost my craving for the
things that have empty calories and are not good for me. Matter of fact, they
don’t even taste as good as they used to.
Of course this principle
applies to our spiritual life as well. What do you have an appetite for? Do you
crave the things of the world, or do you crave the things of the spirit? How
hungry are you for the things of God? When we find that our appetite desires the
things of the world more than God in areas, we must discipline ourselves to
change those habits. For giving into the cravings of the world, is our
destruction. Everything that works against the spirit is an enemy fighting
against our destiny. As we discipline ourselves and say no to the flesh, we will
find that our appetite will actually change, and the things of the world will no
longer satisfy. No longer will the enemy of our soul be able to pull us into the
self-gratifying world that only holds us back from the things of God.
What is holding you back
from growing spiritually?
Find a way to prioritize the
things of the spirit. The Lord knows what you have need of. Seek first the
Kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. Our citizenship is
in heaven. Let us begin to develop a stronger appetite for eternal matters by
disciplining our flesh. May the Holy Spirit reveal how much of the world you are
still ingesting!
Whoever
therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
James 4:4