“All that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:16-17)

Have you ever heard that expression before, the ‘lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life’? It is pretty much the gateway to sin and yes...a door for a ‘spiritual enemy’ we hear much about in scripture who we are told to ‘resist’ and to ‘give no place to’ (Eph. 4:27; James 4:7). And if we don’t deal with him...and ‘the sin that can so easily ensnare us’ (Heb. 12:1), then things won’t bode well for us (John 5:14; Matt. 12:43-45; Luke 13:3,5).

Those were the three ‘windows’ through which the serpent tempted Eve back in the garden (Gen. 3:1-5) when she yielded to it and ate from that tree (Gen. 2:17); and it is the three areas in which Jesus was tempted by the devil...and He resisted on all accounts (Luke 4:1-13). We are told in 1 John 2:3-6 that ‘if’ we are abiding in Jesus...we too...’ought to be walking as He Himself walked’.

Obviously, we are all well acquainted with sin and temptation, given we have ‘all sinned...’ (Rom. 3:23). Some of us may have been more proficient at it (sinning) but whether you have sinned more...or less than anyone else around you...should not be a point of boasting or a badge of honor. It is God’s will and plan for all of us to turn from sin (repent), overcome it...and to be about doing the ‘will of God’ (1 Pet. 4:1-2; Matt. 7:21; Eph. 5:15-17).

So as promised yesterday...I feel compelled to address two specific areas which we all can relate to when it comes to battling with what we will refer to as ‘legitimate physical needs and appetites’ which center around food consumption and sexual intimacy. These can actually prove to be more challenging for many of us because it’s not like eating food or having sex is a ‘sin’; but it can become that... when not properly ‘regulated’ or ‘brought under the control of the Holy Spirit. And may I remind us all that ‘self-control’ or ‘temperance’ is one of the nine ‘fruits of the Spirit’ (Gal. 5:22-23)? Yes...fruit matters!

Years ago, I was in a grocery store and found my attention diverted to a beer display in the center aisle. I got to thinking how it is for many people who can sit down and drink a single cold beer or a glass of wine, enjoy it, have no issues or problems with it...and then go about their business unaffected by having one drink. And yet there are plenty of others...where any form of alcohol is like ‘kryptonite’ and causes them to succumb to an uncontrolled pull or addiction, and they seem incapable of ‘hitting the brakes’ and will drink one drink after another until they lose control of their ‘faculties’ and spiral downward into dark places. I began to wonder what it was in people...that enables some to have control...and for others to not have control...when it came to drinking a beer or glass of wine.

Then I saw another display rack close by...of Oreos...and I was like...”Oh...yeah...now I get it!”. I’ll give you a moment with that one.

Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to see and focus on other people’s ‘vices’ or shortcomings (sins) than it is our own? Funny...how everyone else’s sins seem far more serious than our own. Jesus touched on this when He spoke about looking at the ‘speck’ in our brother’s eye while failing to see the ‘plank’ in our own eye; then advising us to deal with our plank first before attempting to ‘fix’ other people (Matt. 7:3-5). You might also jot down Rom. 12:9-21 while you’re at it, as a reminder that God knows how to do the ‘fixing’...and ‘correcting’.

But I do want to touch on two areas that many sincere Christians struggle with as it has to do with ‘regulating’ or ‘controlling’ physical appetites that our bodies do indeed have, and were given to us by God. Yes, I’m talking about the consumption of food, in order to nourish and strengthen our physical bodies and to keep us alive; and then the area of ‘sexual needs’ that once again...God created us to have. I don’t pretend or profess to be an authority on anything these days, but I have learned a few helpful tips in recent years when it comes to abiding in Jesus; and I will simply continue to share those things with you here. Let’s talk about our ‘diets’ first; and no...I’m not going to break this down into a health and nutrition course...rather just offer up some basic ‘guidelines’ that you and the Holy Spirit can work through.

We all know that anything that is ‘good’ and/or ‘God given’...can be quickly and easily abused and actually turned into an ‘idol’, which is something that we can end up loving more than God. That would include food as well. When God led His people into the Promised land, He reminded them that as they were blessed and increased (with earthly goods)..to be careful that their hearts not be lifted up and turn from Him (Deut. 8:11-17). It happens.

I should also point out that when you study what is behind ‘idols’, you will discover that there are ‘spirits’ associated with them, and not good spirits. Why do you suppose certain things can take such a ‘hold’ of us, be it a few beers or a package of Oreos or worse? How many books and studies have been published on the power of ‘addictions’ and how to break or overcome them? And what did Paul have to say when it came to what was really behind our ‘struggles’, in Eph. 6:12?

Do you remember when Jesus promised to send us His ‘Comforter’? (John 14:16). Do you really think He was suggesting that He would come in the form of pasta, chocolate cake, and a ‘bottomless’ basket of chips and hot salsa? Funny...how we refer to some foods as ‘comfort’ foods that we turn to when discouraged or depressed, and we actually do find ‘comfort’ in those foods; but it only last temporary, does it not? And how do you usually feel after that ‘comfort’ has worn off? Then, when self-loathing and frustration set in due to our lapses...we find a need for more ‘comfort’ again and the cycle only deepens...as our waistlines...expand. Then come the related health issues associated with all that.

We are told that Moses “chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin’ (Heb. 11:25). God is to be the source of our comfort as well as our lasting joy; so why do many people find an uptick in their 'happiness' as it relates to various foods, or the building anticipation that comes when we know we are going to prepare a spread of food, or better yet...make reservations at our favorite restaurant? Now I should mention that we are told that God does 'give us all things to enjoy' (1 Tim. 6:17), but there is a fine line we should be made aware of that we can easily cross.

Is it possible that our ‘enemy’ who comes to ‘steal, kill, and destroy’ (not to mention deceive) can actually capture the affections and desires of our hearts by steering them away from God and to those ‘things’ that God has given to us? And when, where, or how...does ‘self-control’ come into play here? Join me tomorrow?