By: Hanny Lynn Stearns
Fish N
Loaves Ministries, Inc.
“Multiplying
God’s Word Around The Globe”
September 1, 2016
All
Things Are Lawful – Not Everything Is Beneficial
1
Corinthians 6:12-13a
All things are
lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me,
but I will not be brought under the power of any. Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will
destroy both it and them.
This is a powerful
scripture when it comes to breaking free from addiction. As a reminder I will
speak on the issue of food addiction, however, please hear me on this. It is
not limited to food addiction. This can be applied to any area of a stronghold in
our lives. As a former food and sugar addict, I know what it is like to allow
the flesh to dominate my thinking. In the case listed above, Paul was speaking
to the Corinthian church about sexual immorality. But we can apply this to any idolatry or
addiction because it all bears the same meaning within these many verses. If it
is sin, the born again Christian should have no part of it.
Taking this one step
further, Paul said in essence that he was free to do anything (within reason
that is). He was not bound up by laws and religious traditions. The only thing
Paul was bound by was the gospel and the grace of God. There are many things
that we can do if we were to choose to, and it would be OK, if it didn’t lead
us to sin. But those things could be harmful in the end.
Let me give you an example
from my own life and issues with eating. Back in 2007 the Lord placed me on a
food plan. It is a 1300 calorie diet that is well balanced. It covers all the
basics of a low carb (not carb free) eating plan and gives me the nutrients I
need to lead a perfectly healthy life. One of the things the Lord has asked me
to give up was sugar – even the healthy sweetener substitute Stevia unless it
is already added to a food.
At first giving up sugar
was terribly difficult because it is so addictive – known to be about 8 times
more addictive than cocaine. In fact, it was easier for me to stop using
cocaine than it was the sugar! I have been allowed to eat just about anything.
The Lord has been gracious to me and called me to follow a plan that He
provided and He knew that it would keep me healthy. I struggled many times with
sticking perfectly to my plan. When I stuck with it, I saw great progress. But
when I “slipped” here and there, eating things that were not the best for me,
my weight loss would slow down and hinder my progress.
We have to remember that
what we do for the Lord must be done willingly. Whatever He is asking us to “give
up” or quit is for our own good. To some it may sound like a death sentence and
well it should be. We need to crucify the desires of the flesh every day and
there are many things that though they are permissible – they are not
beneficial for us to partake in. I am allowed to have pizza if I take a notion
to, but it really isn’t on my food plan and would not bring about the best
results.
As I began to “work the
word” more seriously in my life by saying it out loud over myself every day in
faith, I have begun to notice an even deeper change in me. I have always been a
hearty eater, but lately I find myself not being able to eat as much. The more
I have stuck with my food plan, the less food I am able to comfortably hold at
one time. So how can we apply this to what Paul is saying today really? I like
what this verse says when it talks about “food
for the stomach and the stomach for food.”
The more I let go of
allowing myself to “desire” certain foods, the more I have come to realize that
following God’s food plan for my life is working extremely well for me. I am
getting stronger, healthier and more peaceful with it all. I started looking at
food like it should be looked at – it is only fuel for my body. It is not meant
to be a “comforter” or anything else. It is just food. Just like pouring
gasoline into the tank of our cars, we must pour healthy food and water into
our bodies in order to function properly.
I always liken it to
pouring a can of Coca Cola into our automobile’s gas tank. Would we do such a
thing? No way! If we did we could take that engine out and toss it to the junk
yard – it would break down and not function correctly. It is the same with our
bodies where food and water are concerned. Too many people in the world today
have made food a center focal point. It is the center of holidays, birthdays,
and well, you name it; just about any gathering that people have centers around
the food.
When I see a family at a
park having a celebration, I can see very obese people just standing around the
food table nibbling this and nibbling that. It is as if that is the only reason
they are there. I am not condemning them – I have been there and done that
myself. But if we turn to something other than the Lord to comfort us, we will
lose out on the only true “Comforter” that we have. Let’s look at this verse…
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to
comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves
are comforted by God.
God alone wants to be
our Comforter. He will not share His glory with another. So it is sin when we
turn to food, alcohol or anything else to comfort us. Another example of all
things being lawful would be drinking. Did the Lord ever tell us in His word
not to touch alcohol? The answer to that is no. But is it beneficial to be
drinkers in the body of Christ? Not really. Why? Because it can easily lead to drunkenness
and all kinds of evil behavior. Back in 2006 the Lord asked me to quit alcohol
altogether and I replied, “Yes, Lord, I would be happy to do that for You.” I
have kept my word ever since. For me, it was easy to give up because I wanted
to honor the Lord and I despised the things that happened in my life as a result
of drinking.
But the food was another
deal. Why? Because we have to eat it every day to live. The sugar had such a
hold on me that I truly could not put it down in my own strength. I was completely
powerless to help myself with that. The Lord did not tell us to avoid
cigarettes in the Bible either – not specifically. But are they beneficial to
our health? Not even hardly. Both my parents, otherwise healthy passed away
from lung cancer long before they should have.
Let’s close with a great
reminder from the same chapter…
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have
from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore
glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
Friends, I could talk
for hours on the subject of addiction because it has been a big deal in my
life. But the thing we have to remember is this – when we gave our life to
Jesus, we were saying, “Lord, have Your way in my life. My life and my body are
no longer my own. I am offering myself up to You as a living sacrifice – holy and
pleasing to You. Show me what You want me to do and I will obey.” We may have
the freedom to do many things, but if we really are Christ’s, then we have
decided to leave our own passions and foolish desires behind so that we can
follow Him and do the work He has called us to do.
In the end we will
discover that it was not the big thing we thought it was after all. We will get
to the point where we wonder why it ever seemed to be such a big thing. When we
discover the “peaceful stream” of obedience, we will enjoy how we feel on the
inside so much more. Remember my precious friends – the word works when we work
it. I am seeing it like I have never seen it before. We cannot leave our tools
in the tool shed!
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