Thursday, March 3, 2011

Choices are for the Living
                                                 
Blessings readers last week we talked about the three different eating disorders in the body of Christ, the first one being a bulimic believer.  This week we are going to discuss the second eating disorder in the body of Christ which is the anorexia believer. 
James 1:23-25  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it, he will be blessed in what he does.

The anorexia believer goes to church every week, sitting in the same place, talking to the same people, remaining in the same mind set they were in the week before, never really occupying the Word of God.  Oh sure they say a couple of amen’s, throw a few praise the Lord’s and for show why not a hallelujah, but as they leave the building, get into their cars, put their bibles in the back seat, they remain untouched by the Word of God.   An anorexia believer never really partakes in the actual eating of God’s word they feed off the desires of their flesh…  Oh they will hardly miss a Sunday their attendance is almost perfect but no one is ever changed by their presence they remain the same, their world remains the same, their existence is complacent.  Will they go to heaven?  I am sure they might, but will they take anyone with them?  No, probably not.  How can we look in the mirror and forget what we look like? They same way we can listen to a message and remain the same. The anorexic believer is starving to death, because the world is feeding them a man made diet consume with self.  We have become cannibals in a sense, because we feed off each other instead of the word of our God.   Can I be as bold to say that maybe the anorexia believer has cared more about the appearance of being in the body Christ instead of a true authentic relationship with Christ?  Has church become nothing but a social event where you show off your latest dress or talk sports with your buddies?  Is it your standard way of thinking if you show up it counts?  Oh maybe someone is taking attendance but I don’t think it amounts for anything if you become just another check in box.  
The Apostle Paul said in Philippians 3: 7-11 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.  I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the death.
Paul was saying, whatever I valued before fails in comparison to Christ.  I consider it all rubbish which really translates to crap.  I consider it all worthless waste, everything I have done, everything I have accomplished, any money I have earned, anything I have bought, any education I have accumulated, I consider it all rubbish compared to my relationship with Christ. Can you really say those words?  Can you say I find it all rubbish in comparison to my relationship with Christ? Whatever you do first thing in the morning holds the most value in your heart.  Stop right here and ask yourself what do I really value?  What do I spend my time doing?  Does God own a place in your life in addition to Sunday mornings?  What have you replaced God with?  Has it furthered eternal fulfillment to anybody else’s life?  If Jesus came back today would He be pleased with what you are accomplishing for His kingdom?   Are you an anorexic believer?   Matthew 13:44 says, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.  When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”  Choices are for the living…
Michele Davenport
For prayer, comments, or questions please feel free to e-mail me at fbministries@comcast.net

1 comment:

  1. Loving this! Had a great time reading this and soaking it in

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