N.E.W. LIFE book  (print version)

Christian believers are the “living stones” who comprise the spiritual temple of the Church, and are individual “temples of the Holy Spirit”.  

But are the walls of some of our individual temples breaking down?

"Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks 

self-control." 

Proverbs 25:28 (NIV)

Such is the man or woman who lacks the self-control to restrain passions, desires, and affections--like a city whose walls are broken through, helpless against temptation, in grave danger of being carried away and destroyed.  Believers have the answer to this dilemma--access to the Holy Spirit and the fruit of self-control.

Food is a blessing from God, but for a variety of reasons it is being misused and abused resulting in a national epidemic of "lifestyle diseases".  Furthermore, a hurting world is trying to find ways to fill emotional hunger and anesthetize pain.  Many of us allow food to take an inappropriate role when we use it as a substitute for our relationship with God and develop an emotional or addictive relationship with food instead.  The Church may be at particular risk for the consequences of food abuse because many Christians believe that other ways of anesthetizing pain--promiscuous sex, alcohol and drug abuse--are more sinful and grievous offenses.  As legitimate needs go unmet Christians often turn to the "legitimate" comfort of food.

When Hezekiah removed the idols and cleansed the temple in Jerusalem there was revival in Israel.  What kind of revival might it usher into the Church if we cleanse our "temples" of idols?  Great rejoicing accompanied the revival of the Israelites who responded:

"There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the days of Solomon son        of David king of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem.    The priests and the Levites stood to bless the people, and God heard them, for their prayer reached heaven, his holy dwelling place."  

2 Chronicles 30:26-27 (NIV)

The long reign of idolatry ended and the worship of God was restored.

Our country is in spiritual decline and in need of revival.  Perhaps the words I share will help some to have a closer relationship with God and produce a "quiet revival" within individuals.  I pray that this labor of love will contribute to better health of the Church, freedom for individuals in bondage to food and diets, and that those who have settled for a relationship with food would discover the incomparably more satisfying relationship with God and the abundant life that Jesus died to give us.

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

       Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask                or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations,           for ever and ever!  Amen."  

Ephesians 3:14-21 (NIV)