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May 3

Psalm 94:10
He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know?

Jill watched the television program to see the author of a diet plan she wanted to try. She settled in, hoping to be inspired by the man who had helped millions lose weight. When he came on, her heart sank. The man must have weighed three hundred pounds! How could you be inspired by someone who couldn't even practice what he preached? She had really hoped that at long last she had found a winner. Every time Jill put her faith in some new fad, it always seemed to fall apart. Jill guessed her mother was right: The only source worthy of her faith was Christ. Perhaps He really could help where everyone else had failed.

Today's thought: Following fads is frustrating and foolish!

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May 4

Proverbs 16:20
He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.

Ben couldn't believe all the people he was talking with. They all wanted to lose weight overnight! None of them seemed to be looking at any practical programs. They had all latched onto crash diets with pills and books and foolish promises of miraculous results. Ben sat down and worked out a practical diet that he could live with, so that once he lost weight (and he realized it would take some time), he could stick with the diet and avoid putting the weight back on. When he said his prayers that night, he put in a special request for some common sense for his friends.

Today's thought: Trust is a must for weight to abate!

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April 5

Philippians 4:7
And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Leah was still terribly overweight. She had tried dozens of diets, none of which had made an impact. She attended church regularly, and she prayed continually for God to help her with her problem. She realized that she wasn't ready deep down inside, so she often ignored the voice of her conscience and the comfort of her prayers. Leah lived from day to day asking God's forgiveness and resolving to try harder in the future. She told her friends, 'When I'm ready, I know God will be there, and I know He will help me lose all the weight I need to.'

Today's thought: Lord, make me ready to lose weight!

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May 6

1 Peter 1:7
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

When the heavy-duty drearies set in, it is easy to question whether you believe in anything at all. Dieting is tedious, taxing, and trying. If there is a God, you may ask, why doesn't He just put us out of our misery? The Lord knows what we need, and He brings us through tough times so we might be made better for it. Just as gold is purified when subjected to intense heat, we are purified by our struggles. When we come through a situation, we are able to look back on it stronger than we were before. Trust the wisdom of the Lord, and He will reward you with faith and love.

Today's thought: I am made stronger every day that I diet!

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May 7

Galatians 3:26
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Sarah loved chocolate, but when her parents found out she was seriously allergic to it, they made sure she never got any. Sometimes when they were out, she would beg for some chocolate, but her parents never wavered. They allowed her other treats, but they were able to stand firm in their denial of chocolate out of the love they had for their daughter. Our Lord watches all of us as beloved children. He wants us to have good things, but not things that are harmful to us. Over eating is indeed harmful, so we should not be surprised that God doesn't want us to do it.

Today's thought: Lord, help me avoid things that could harm me.

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May 8

2 Chronicles 20:20
And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, 'Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.'

Too many people fail in their endeavors because they have no backup system. When their own strength fails, they have nothing to fall back on. We Christians have a special advantage in the person of Jesus Christ. When we call out to Him, He is faithful to save us. When we believe in God, He establishes us and helps us attain the desire of our hearts. We need never doubt, as long as the power of the living Lord is on our side.

Today's thought: All my friends may rely on their own devices, but I will rely on the One who makes all things possible: Jesus Christ the Lord.

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May 9

John 20:29
Jesus saith unto him, 'Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.'

Too many of us suffer from Missouri disease. Missourians are noted for their skepticism, and that is why Missouri is known as the 'show me' state. We look for some kind of impressive, spectacular sign. If we don't get it, then we disregard the source. God doesn't work through flashy signs and gimmicks. God works quietly and intimately, and He works His will in His own time. We may not always see the results when we want to, but relax; the Lord is at work, and we need have no fear that He will let us down.

Today's thought: The Lord is helping me, whether I can sense it or not.

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May 10

Matthew 17:20
And Jesus said unto them, 'Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, +Remove hence to yonder place;' and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.'

Too often we miss the point of the mustard seed. We think quantity of faith is the determining factor in getting our hearts' desires. Quantity has nothing to do with it. Jesus used the mustard seed to show that we all have at least that much faith, and if we will learn to employ it, we will see miraculous things happen in our lives. Because of Christ in our lives, nothing is impossible for us, including our diets.

Today's thought: If I can remove mountains, then I can remove pounds!

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May 11

1 John 5:4
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

When Jesus faced the devil in the wilderness, He was weak and hungry. He had fasted long and hard, and He would have given anything to be able to break that fast. Bread is a great temptation to a starving man. Yet, Jesus refused to give in to the temptations of the devil. No matter how enticing Satan was, Jesus was able to resist him. By resisting the devil, Jesus overcame him, and in so doing, He overcame the world and all it could offer Him. We, too, can overcome the world by having faith in the One who has already triumphed. No temptation on earth can bring us down, because we follow the One who overcame the whole world.

Today's thought: I will turn to Jesus whenever I need a faith lift!

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May 12

Romans 8:24
For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

Gwen stopped by the dress shop every few days to look at the gown she had picked out. Though it was a couple of sizes smaller than she wore, she dreamed of the time she could fit into it. It was a perfect gown. She could visualize in her mind's eye how stunning she would look in it. For the next month, Gwen stuck to a strict diet and made her dream a reality. She lost the two sizes and bought the dress she wanted so badly. We need our dreams, hopes, and plans to make it through our diets. Hope helps us bolster our faith and makes our dreams come true.

Today's thought: Hoping helps believing!

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May 13

Hebrews 6:12
That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Beverly held a support group at the church every Tuesday morning. Bev had been enormous before she began her diet, and to the amazement of the entire congregation, she had lost two hundred pounds. After losing her weight, Beverly had determined to help others in their fights to lose weight. Many people found help in turning to Beverly, because they knew she could sympathize with what they were experiencing. Other people had little use for Bev, because her way of losing weight was too demanding. Being a Christian often means taking the hard way, but the hard way always offers us the greatest rewards.

Today's thought: Help me to benefit from the faith of others!

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May 14

Luke 8:48
And he said unto her, 'Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.'

When all is said and done, the determining factor in our diet is going to be our frame of mind. No one loses weight who doubts he can do it. The mind is a tricky thing, and it will tell us time and again that there is no way we can hope to succeed. It will create all kinds of monsters for us to overcome, and defeating them is not easy. Only the person who is mentally and spiritually prepared stands a chance of overcoming. When we truly believe in ourselves and our Lord, then we can go in peace, knowing that nothing on earth can get the better of us.

Today's thought: God is bigger than any craving my mind and stomach can come up with!

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May 15

Matthew 14:31
And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, 'O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?'

Peter asked the Lord to allow him to walk on the water. Seeing his Master walking on the waves caused Peter to wish to do likewise. However, once he began his walk, he found himself sinking and afraid. What did the Lord do at this sign of unbelief? Did He allow Peter to sink? Of course not! So long as Jesus is nearby, we need never fear for our lives. Jesus Christ reaches out His hand to us when we get in over our heads. Though He wants us to develop unshakable faith, He is forgiving and loving, and He lifts us up when we are too weak to stand up on our own.

Today's thought: Thank the Lord that Christ holds me up when I'm most down!

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May 16

James 5:16
Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

The group began every week by admitting all their transgressions. Having to admit all the wrongs that were done really helped act as a deterrent during the week. It was embarrassing to tell people about the things you shouldn't have eaten, even though they were all friends. What really made a difference was the period of prayer that ended each session. What a source of strength and courage! The group was the best thing Janet had ever gotten into. Dieting was almost a joy when it was done with such good friends. Sharing the experience helped Janet make her diet a success.

Today's thought: Confession is good for the soul and for the diet!

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May 18

Romans 1:17
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Jean had gone to church for years and had always known she was welcome there. Barbara attended a church across town from Jean's, and she was beginning to think it just wasn't right for her anymore. Both women saw each other at an exercise class that met on Monday mornings. One morning Barbara lamented about her disillusionment with her church, and Jean invited her to come to church with her on Sunday morning. Barbara immediately felt at home in Jean's church, and the two women developed a strong relationship. Faith met faith at an exercise/weight class, and a beautiful friendship was born.

Today's thought: I will use my diet for the glory of God.