Want to share some things with you today…

In reference to 1 Timothy 4:1-5, The Lord’s Table course says:

“…to put restrictions on the diet for the purpose of gaining favor with God is wrong. God says that all foods are to be received with thanksgiving (verse 4) because the kingdom of God is not a matter of food and drink but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).

“Why is this truth important to those who wish to lose weight? The answer is that the Christian only changes as he or she focuses intently on Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18), and not on food or any other such distraction.

The major problem with most diets is that they draw the attention to food; either to deny certain foods (i.e., vegetarianism, low-fat diets, etc.) or to focus on the content of the food (such as counting points, calories, fat grams, or carbs).

Now for the one who has an adulterous affair with food, these diets are good and acceptable because they allow us to think about food all day long.

But, to the one who desires a pure heart and a single mind, continual thoughts of food is not acceptable, for we recognize it as idolatry.

Instead, we are encouraged to simply enjoy any food in moderation … This is God’s way of spiritual and physical health. It’s much simpler, takes much less time, maintains our focus where it should be, and produces good and lasting results.

(From The Lord’s Table, Day 55 – Mike Cleveland)

I share this because someone mistakenly thought I had lost all my weight with Weight Watchers and that I was now maintaining with Thin Within. I did lose 100 pounds with Weight Watchers in 1995-1996. When I began releasing weight in the summer of 2006 and, more diligently, in November of 2006, I did it only by applying the principles of Thin Within with mesh beautifully with the quote above from The Lord’s Table course. I was 70 pounds heavier at that time than at my “goal” from Weight Watchers.

Every bit of the weight removed this time…all 100 pounds (70 that I had gained back, plus 30 more)…has been released by eating whatever food I chose, not counting a single point, calorie, fat gram, or logging a single thing. The primary tool has been to focus on the Lord and to ask him about it all…to lean on Him, to thank Him for His will, His way. I am thankful because after losing 100 pounds with Weight Watchers, I gained a heart that was glued to food, worshiping it all the more, just like the quote above mentions. My testimony is long, but may be found here. Releasing weight this way…through the principles of eating when I am hungry, stopping when I am not hungry, and leaning on the Lord for all the other reasons I might go to food…it ministers to my whole heart and soul. It doesn’t just treat the symptom (being overweight), but goes to the heart focus…to get that heavy, I had to be very greedy and gluttonous. God continues to work on me…while the work outwardly may appear to be “done,” the work inwardly is tremendously involved. Each day uncovers a new layer of hidden muck and mire that the Lord wants me to be free from. I praise Him that this is *not* just about my weight, but about so much more. .