By: Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

“Multiplying God’s Word Around the Globe”

October 14, 2016

Jesus or Olive Oil?

Ephesians 6:10-13

¹⁰ Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. ¹¹ Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ¹² For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. ¹³ Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

This catchy title packed a powerful punch in my salad bowl at lunch today! Little did I know the Lord would ask me to share it as today’s devotional, glory to His name. Last night when the Lord asked me to give up my breakfast muffins, I agreed quickly to make the adjustment to my dietary intake. I haven’t always been this cooperative I assure you. But those days are behind me – glory to God!

Being on a 1200 calorie diet requires careful attention to what one eats in a day. I happen to use a very helpful tool on my smartphone called “My Fitness Pal.” It really helps me to keep track of my calories throughout the day so I know right where I am at all the time. As I began to make my salad for lunch today, I had asked the Lord if I could add an additional tablespoon of olive oil to my food because I took away the breakfast muffin.

No answer came. As I proceeded to make the salad, having just read the Psalm for the day in preparation of the bigger Bible study that goes out Monday through Friday, I was thinking of how good God has been to me. He has rescued me and delivered me from so much. Then I heard the little voice in my head say this, “Just go ahead and put an extra tablespoon of olive oil in the salad. It will be fine.” Something like that anyway. I continued to think about all the times I have disobeyed the Lord over a lousy “bowl of stew” so to speak.

In the past I had given in to my flesh, or the temptation of the devil and eaten things I knew I shouldn’t have eaten. Today as I thought about a little tablespoon of olive oil and then the Lord, it became obvious what I should do. I changed my mind and my plans. I removed the olive oil “extra” from my fitness pal app and passed on the additional calories. I decided that I would much rather please the Lord and not have to go through yet another process of repenting because I was just plain rebellious.

A person can get so weary of that process. We say we want to do the right thing to the Lord, but in reality many times it is just lip service – just like we saw in Psalm 78 today. And God is not pleased with lip service – He is pleased with faith, and action that shows our faith at work. As I sat down to eat my salad, the dressing recipe that I made up was very tasty and quite satisfying. I was so grateful that the Lord had brought about this change in my heart. We looked at this very topic at church tonight.

When I was making my salad today, I thought about how Jesus had told us to “go the extra mile.” We have talked about that in this devotional before. So today I thought, “I am going the extra mile for my Lord today.” I was able to sit down and eat my lunch with a clear conscience and it felt so good! Obedience and faith always brings a tremendous blessing. No longer do I desire to focus on my flesh and try to feed it rather than my faith.

As God’s children, His Spirit living in us is going to urge us on to do the right thing. But if we keep ignoring that, the light that we have will grow dimmer and dimmer over time until our hearts become hardened again. I don’t want that and because you are reading this, I am believing that you don’t either. If there was ever a person who is out there praying for you, my reader, it is me. I want to see you succeed in living out the word of God. I want to hear the testimonies of how working God’s word has worked in your life. I know it will and I look forward to hearing the good report from you.

Friends, remember, the Lord has done so much for each one of us. Now we need to do something for Him. For the short time that we are here on the earth, we need to be willing and obedient. We need to do things His way – the right way. A measly little tablespoon of olive oil may not sound like much to most folks, but I can say this. If anyone has struggled terribly with food and sugar addiction (among other things), they will understand that to be at the point where one wants to obey even to the point of one little tablespoon of olive oil is to give God glory. He has brought me a long way from the times when I used to eat an entire half gallon of ice cream topped with a whole lot of Hershey's syrup. Praise His name forever. His word works. Will you work it and see for yourself? Jesus is far better than any olive oil. Hallelujah!