Dieting and Legalism

You are being strengthened toward the only diet plan that will truly work for you, and that is moment by moment abiding and moment by moment obedience.  You don’t have to discipline yourself; your challenge is not one of self-discipline.  It is nearly the opposite; it is a challenge of falling back into the Lord's arms, a release of your will into His hands.  You do not have to tame your will, you need to release it.  Release your right to yourself; practice releasing your right to yourself, and watch and see what God will do.   

 If the Lord were to allow you permanent success through your own efforts, you would acquire the inaccurate belief that your liberation arrived because you followed your own rule (or that of a diet plan).  With that belief would come judgment toward those who do not also follow your rule.  This is the tyranny of legalism, which enslaves not only those who believe in it but also everyone who has the misfortune to come into contact with that person.  Pity the one who is loved by a person who suffers the sin of legalism. 

The way to be truly thankful for the food you eat is to stop taking for yourself and start receiving from God's hand.   

Take the Grace Path

The Lord is always with you.  You will never be able to obey so perfectly that your path to Him is cleared by obedience.  It will always be grace that clears the path before you by the blood of Christ.  Do not try to approach Him in any other way.  It is not when you fail to obey that you become discontent and frustrated, it is when you try to gain access to God by any path other than grace.  Take the grace path and all will be well.  

Scripture:  "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—" (Ephesians 2:8). 

The Power of God's Love

Since the beginning of time creation has been pulled toward sin and decay.  Jesus came from Heaven to interrupt this inexorable, irresistible, inevitable power that came against God's most precious and beloved heart of hearts; humankind.  The power that sent Him was love: steadfast, unalterable, powerful, love. 

“This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4, KJV).  Place your faith in the love (God IS love, remember) that had the power to overcome the power of Hell.  Whether you believe or not, God’s love will win out, has won out.  But you will save yourself and those you love much suffering (between now and the end of time) if you will flow with His love now. 

The ones who cause you pain are victims of sin.  Victims are to be pitied and released, not condemned.  “Don’t blame the victim.” 

Release them by loving them. 

Pray for them and refrain from casting blame upon them. Defend them from the judgment of others if need be.  Trust the Lord to work in their minds and hearts, to reshape memories, to help them to see clearly.  Love precedes liberation.  Love is the key that opens the jail cell door. 

Scripture:  "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.  In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother" (1 John 4:15-21)