Eating Cold Cereal Isn't Sinful!

I just felt led to share this with those of you who read my blog, in case you might think otherwise - I don't believe eating cold cereal is sinful! Or any food for that matter.

1 Timothy 4:1-5

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.

So, if all I had was cold cereal in the house, then that is what we would eat and we would do it with thanksgiving! The same goes for the white flour filled pre-made frozen biscuits that are about to be sitting in my oven! Those will be gratefully received after we have our green smoothies this morning.

As most of you know, I've struggled with my weight for a long time. Up and down went the scales - like a yo-yo! Unfortunately, unlike a yo-yo, the weight never dropped and stayed forever.

(Just put those biscuits in the oven and realized I really need to clean my oven! Something has dropped in there and is burning up! Yuck!)

Back to the weight thing... So many times I have looked for a program, a method, a diet to fix the problem I've had with my weight.

My resent search for information on health wasn't at all related to my desire to lose weight... at first! The true and primary reason that I went searching for a more health-FULL way of eating was because of the very extreme bouts of tiredness I was feeling. I was having a nap everyday, feeling lethargic every morning (before I drank my coffee), having a lull after my coffee until lunch, feeling irritated and just over-all "blah". I knew this could not be how God intended me to feel, considering all the littles I have to keep up with. Hence my search for foods that He truly created for me to eat and have the energy that I need to keep up with all these little blessings.

Yet after I started the challenge, temptation crept in and I thought "hmmm, I could lose a ton of weight if I just followed these steps...". I'm sure that it was spared on by me reading something about someone losing 167 pounds on a raw diet or some such idea. While I don't have anywhere near that much to lose, I'm sure I thought "well, if she could lose that much, I could easily take off what I have."

But as we know from James...

James 1:13-15

Let no one say when he is tempted, "^AC)">I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then ^AD)">when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when ^AE)">sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

So, while I'm sure I could lose a ton of weight eating only green smoothies and plunging into an all raw diet, eventually, I will indulge my flesh if I'm trying to follow a set of rules; according to Paul.

Colossians 2:20-23

^BA)">If you have died with Christ to the ^BB)">elementary principles of the world, ^BC)">why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to ^BD)">decrees, such as,"Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" (which all refer ^BE)">to things destined to perish with use)--in accordance with the ^BF)">commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in ^BG)">self-made religion and self-abasement and ^BH)">severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against ^BI)">fleshly indulgence.

That scripture became very real to me this morning when I was reminded of it after feeling led back to The Lord's Table Bible Study from Setting Captives Free (which is a ministry that offers free Bible study course in several areas that keep us in bondage). See, after all the green smoothies that I have drank, I haven't lost any weight. It's because in the afternoon and evening, I indulge my flesh.

I don't need another yoke of slavery...

Galatians 5:1

^A)">It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore ^B)">keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

...and yet I do believe that God created foods that are BEST for us. So, how do you balance that?

I have to come back to why I was seeking out a more healthful way of eating in the first place - because I was tired, listless, and worn-down (sound like a Vitameatavegamin commercial?). So, based on food alone, I have to know that what I was eating wasn't working and I need to go back to the basics of what God originally created for me to eat.

You might think at this point that I'm talking pre-flood and that we aren't going to eat meat or animal products. Ha! We now have 2 cows grazing pasture on our farm, and I will thankfully partake of the meat our soon-to-be steer, Steak, will produce for us! Our next venture is going to be chickens and I will gladly have my children gathering eggs for us to eat!

But, I also have to remember that we need a balance and moderation and I haven't indulged my flesh just once to end up overweight, but many many times. Green smoothies won't make you lose weight if you are indulging the flesh all afternoon and evening, as I have been. However, green smoothies will give you a ton of energy, while helping you to get in a lot of greens and fruits and helping you to balance out your meals for the rest of the day.

Keep up the green smoothies, but don't be deceived that eating cold cereal will somehow make Jesus love you any less or will give you a magic pill for losing weight. I've honestly never thought that my eating right would somehow win me favor with God. I know that God loves me abundantly and couldn't love me any more or less than He does right now - overweight with a green smoothie in my hand!

p.s. Occasionally Big P will ask me to get some cold cereal as he loves it for a snack and I love to treat my honey to something special like that. :) However, as much as my children love cold cereal and would eat it every morning if I allowed that, they know they are hungry within 20 minutes of eating it and I'm still trying to teach them to have good, healthful eating habits.