No ramble there ROSEBUD!

I understood every word....

What you say is so true...our society....Christian and not has adopted this unhealthy lifestyle that is now showing the results in waves!

I just don't feel the church should "preach" this from the pulpit...

But I do believe we...being the church...need to address it in our congregations in ways to encourage and not condemn.

What has helped me to understand the OT is to do as Paul tells Timothy(2 Tim 2:15), . .to rightly divide the word of truth. Which means, we need to separate what was said, to whom it was spoken to, during what circumstance and at what time.
Though all scripture is for our learning and understanding, not all scripture is for us. Romans 15:4
Once we come to understand what is meant for us, which are all of Pauls epistles. . Romans thru Philemon, we will not be confused or fearful because Paul teaches to us believers in the Body of Christ. Paul was made the Apostle to the Gentiles to preach the gospel of grace which someone on here touched on in the first page.
God said that every creature is good to eat, if received with thanksgiving. 1 Timothy 4:4.

We don't follow what God put in place for Israel. That's where churches get their rules and regulations. We are NOT under the LAW, but UNDER GRACE. And we are under the dispensation of grace as our risen Lord gave Paul many revelations pertaining to believers. It would behoove us to study his epistles and understand clearly what the bible says.
I know for me, when I came to understand this, it has made reading the bible so easy now. I know what is for me and what is not. . and what is just for my understanding. ;)

RIGHT ON ... DIANA ... I agree! :D

Diana,

Thank you for stating so clearly my own beliefs. It seems to me,also, that Paul's letter to the Galatians is a special warning to not put ourselves under the law again, now that we are under Grace.

Very interesting conversation. I lurk around this thread a lot but rarely post. In regards to Men and Women of God preaching on health as opposed to gluttony, thankfully my Pastor and his wife teaches that often. We even have an outreach group that helps members dealing with health and weight issues. The church I attend is a "mega" church so no potlucks for us. We do have a gym on campus as well as a cafe and the food served is all healthy choices. My schedule does not permit me to participate in the activities but I did at one time. I appreciate my Pastor in that there is something for about everyone and where they are in life. As for the eating of this or that, I find what Paul said would apply in any situation...all things are permissable but not all things are convenient for me. Which is how I conduct my life. If you like it I love it. We should seek to love as God loves and allow others to observe/worship/commit as they decide.

The original question about the Old Testament. It was for me a lesson on God's Love, Faithfulness, Grace, Power and Unwillingness to give up on man. Understanding when He made a promise/gave His word nothing would stop Him from making it good. Knowing that above all He can be TRUSTED. I usually read the KJV because it's what I grew up on but when I'm STUDYING, I use the KJV, AMP and NLV. If you are using the KJV and having trouble go to crosswalk.com or biblegateway.com and read different translations. You should be able to find a translation that you understand and is easier reading for you. I have several translations on my iPod Touch as well as my Blackberry. The the Word is always within arm's reach and in my heart.

:) Bootsie as we go through life each day we are faced with choices. Sometimes we make the wrong one today but through growth in His Word it helps us to make a better one tomorrow.

When we reach a Y in the road of life not every choice is necessarily a right and a wrong one. God teaches us as we follow, looking to Him for guidance and prayer.

Pray for guidance, use the common sense he gave you and go forward, knowing that each step of the way He is with you....

He isn't grading you ;)

Didn't god design our bodies not to lose weight? He designed them to stay alive during famine and our metabolism would slow down so we could live. Isn't a diet kind of a famine? Didn't he give us hunger and satisfaction for a reason? And now we can't trust them. God's ways are always best.

CAROL ~ I think that is very true ... I mentioned something relating to that somewhere to someone (maybe in another thread) -- while there are many people in this world starving from lack of food; we are dieting or starving ourselves to lose weight. I am trying not to cut my food too low, as I have mentioned before; just trying to make healthier choices about what and how much I eat. Over the years, we dieted becuz that is what the doctors and experts told us to do; now I am not so sure they were right.

I was told recently that some of us have a genetic quirk where our bodies don't listen anymore; and also read that we have literally become "over-efficient fat-making machines" ... from being deprived or starved or dieting, or whatever we want to call it. I suppose this will be a long-standing debate until we find out from GOD some day where we went wrong.

Some say just cut back on how much you eat; others say change what you eat; and still another says, change what you eat and cut down too. No wonder we get confused and don't know what to do. The scriptures say that is not from GOD; for GOD is not a GOD of confusion, but of peace ... (see 1st Corinthians 14:33)

I'm trying to find some "balance" on middle-ground somewhere, so I am trying to eat as healthy as I can -- and for me that means: not too much and not too little, of good healthy foods; and the other part, is to keep as busy as I can, getting some exercise of any kind, each and every day.

I want to enjoy this life too; and I believe GOD wants us to as well. There are comments like that all over the scriptures, some of which I posted in the thread about "Encouraging Scriptures".


BOOTSIE ~ good advice there from Gary -- I also ask GOD to specifically tell me which one NOT TO DO ... asking the Holy Spirit to confirm in my heart and mind which one isn't the best choice. I find asking from that perspective is easier for me to sense the direction from GOD. Everyone is different, but that works best for me. Sometimes, I even ask Him to give me a sign of some kind or put a fleece out like Gideon did (he asked GOD to give him a sign 3 x times to confirm something for him).