Since I have used this Bible passage as an example of how the Lord God has positively influenced my overeating, this doesn't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the verse. Debbie

COE Support Note:

If you REALLY want to read how Christ helped me throughout this weight loss and even when I was tempted, you should read some of the 100's of previous posts on https://christianovereaterssupport.blogspot.com/

I Was Fuming!

Acts 16:30 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

We were traveling and someone we knew gave us two boxes of tuna and crackers.  Immediately, I planned that we should save the tuna for when we went to fly home the next day. I knew that eating options were limited at this little airport that we would be flying out of.

 Someone else decided to eat them right then and there! I was fuming! I tried to explain that I wanted to save them for the airport, but they really didn't want to hear it. They just wanted to eat them. 

 I said a brief prayer and asked for Tuna Grace. I've found that when I say quick prayers in the midst of frustrating or problematic situations, Christ gives me a calmness and keeps me from saying things I might regret. You can read more brief prayers at : Christ's Grace Abounds

Am I Truly Being a Beacon of Light?

2 Corinthians 4:7 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

 This is such an amazing Bible passage. Am I truly being a Beacon of Light for Jesus? Sure, I go through the motions of sharing lots of my many inadequacies with blog readers, hoping that readers will see that if Jesus can love me in spite of all my many faults, He can sure love them, as well.

 But, am I truly being a Beacon of Light for Jesus? Sure, I contribute to what I think are worthy causes, but that is usually a low risk thing. By giving money to a good cause, possibly shows the individuals that Christ cares enough about them to provide for them.

 But, am I truly being a Beacon of Light for Jesus? While I was writing the other two paragraphs, I realized that although I go through the motions, I do it from a distance. I'm not personally risking. Sure, people can log off my blog posts if they are so inclined, but that's not a personal risk. Sure, people can complain that the donations are not enough, not the right type, etc., but that's not a personal risk. I guess, Christ is calling me to share my faith personally with others. Yep! BIG RISK! BIG RISK! I'm not very good at that. But, if Jesus is leading me to this, maybe I just need to lean on Him and put my fears in Jesus' very capable hands and let Him lead me to what He truly wants me to do to be a Beacon for Him! (I have to admit, I've felt that He's been leading me to do Podcasts with some or all of my blog posts. This is out of my comfort level and involves more personal risk. Please be prayerful with me about this. Thanks!)

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

The Water of Life

Revelation 21: 6 And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 

I do have to admit, that I didn't intend to post three different things on the Christian Overeaters Past and Present blog today. I had scheduled the following post to be viewed today: Give God an Honest Try! 

 Then, I clicked something wrong and this accidentally got posted, without being complete. I, actually, didn't discover that until now. The reason I'm saying this is that I was writing a post: Am I Truly Being a Beacon of Light? and realized that if I truly wanted readers to help me be prayerful about the next step in my faith walk with Christ, I shouldn't wait and post it some time in January 2020. If I'm being truly honest with Christ about wanting to be willing to take risks for Him, I should post it now instead of later, which I did. When I looked to see if: Am I Truly Being a Beacon of Light?  posted, I realized that I had this blank post on this website and didn't think it was fair to readers to just leave it empty. 

 First of all, forgive me for my error! Second of all, if this is the first time you've read my blog, you will find that I share lots of my numerous short comings on this and on other Christian blogs that I've felt led to create. (See the links below.) I feel that Christ uses my many shortcomings to show how He works in my life through prayer and reading the Bible on a daily basis. Not that every person will relate to Christ or to the Bible in the ways that I have. My hope is that it helps people see examples which, might possibly, help them better to relate to Christ and to the Bible in a way that is personally significant to them. I actually have a blog that gives some examples of that called: Bible Study: Relating the Bible to YOUR Life!  (It's not an actual Bible Study, where you have to read the Bible and fill in blanks. It's just a variety of links of my personal examples which take viewers little time to read.) Although this was an accident, I often feel that Jesus works through some of the accidents in our lives for His good, so please consider praying for me about the next steps that Christ has in my faith walk with Him. Thanks! Debbie

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Give God an Honest Try!

Acts 2: 21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call the name of the Lord shall be saved.

As an overweight person most of my life, I thought that I would be better accepted by people if I lost all my weight. I tried diet after diet only to lose a few pounds to gain back more than I started with. I had enough and was giving up! I prayed, "God, I give up! If you ever want me to be thing, You'll have to do it, because I can't!"

Well, I wasn't really expecting anything to happen, because my intent in my prayer wasn't to ask for help, it was to let God know I was giving up. But, God, on the other hand, knew exactly what I needed. That very same day, some 30+ years ago, God took away my compulsive overeating, my need to have large amounts of food on a regular basis, and cravings for sweets and carbs.

 Now, that's not to say that I don't start slip-sliding back into old patterns, but if I listen to the instincts that Christ gives me to refocus on Him, He turns my eating and actions around when I listen to him. I've been very blessed that Christ has continued to allow the vast majority of the 80+ pounds weight loss He blessed me with to stay off for over 30 years! It's not that I'm so special, because God can do this for you, too, if you let Him and have regular prayer with Him turning your food, body, stress over to Christ on a daily basis. It can't hurt-give Him an honest try!

 Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

I Needed Humbling...

1 Peter 5: 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: 7 Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. 

Christ could have stopped me dead in my tracks when He saw how I was backsliding when I had two huge plates of food at the Chinese Buffet. He knew when I had a large lunch, but still chose to have sweets afterwards, although I know it affects my blood sugar. He knew when I ate the enormous muffin, telling myself that I needed to eat it when I drank my last serving of milk. 

 Christ knew what I was doing, but did He stop me? No, because He also knew that I knew what I was doing. I wasn't blindly doing this without realizing it. I knew full-well what I was doing every step or maybe I should say bite of the way! I was trying to fool God and myself, but it didn't work. I knew that none of these excesses were good for me. By the grace of Christ, He allowed me to lose over 80 pounds and to keep the vast majority of it off for over 30 years. It's hard to act innocent after all the many things Christ has shown me about my eating along the way. 

 I realized that I had been pushing my eating limits and Christ showed me that I needed to get my body back into alignment. I felt bloated and sluggish, but I knew exactly why I felt that way. Fortunately for me, Christ never gives up on me! He gave me the instincts to have oatmeal both for breakfast and for lunch to get my body back on track. I need to cast all my care on Christ, because He cared enough about me to give His life a ransom for all my sins, and a ransom for all of yours, as well.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Sure, I Needed a Muffin with My Milk!

1 John 1: 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

If you've been following my last few posts, you know that I went to visit a friend and blew my eating plan, several times over. I overate at a Chinese Buffet, I ate sweets after a big lunch, etc. What I haven't told you, but I even ate a muffin! It wasn't one of those small, normal sized muffins. It was one of those enormous muffins with enough sugar and fat to choke a horse! 

 So, how did I manage that when I know that those big muffins aren't good for me. Well, it started when my husband had one of the muffins the first night we were there. I asked him for a bite, which was a slippery slope to start with. It was so yummy that I devised a plan to eat one of the muffins the next day and secretly hoped that my husband didn't eat it before I worked out the details of my plan.

 The next evening, I knew I had to drink another serving of milk. I have Osteoporosis and need to be getting calcium at more regular intervals, not just through a supplement. Well, I decided that I needed to eat something with my milk. Did I select from any of the containers we brought with us with sliced fruit? No way! I decided that I had to have one of those muffins with my milk before my husband got to it. I woofed that muffin down in short order. Who was I fooling? My husband didn't care whether I had a muffin with my milk or not. I was trying to fool myself and God in the process, like Christ was going to buy that eating that muffin was necessary in order for me to drink a cup of milk.

 The only thing is, I didn't fool myself either, because I knew it wasn't necessary! Funny thing is, we brought home that other muffin and my husband hasn't even touched it. He has much more restraint than I do! I need to be much more focused on turning my vulnerabilities over to Christ's very capable hands, because that's a lot of times I've back-slid on this trip. I don't want it to become a pattern.

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Trying to Turn Things Around

1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Recently we went to visit a friend. In the time I was with her, I saw myself fall back into old eating patterns. This happened not because I was with my friend, but because I allowed myself to give into those old urges as some kind of special treat.

 Special Treat, my eye! I ate two heaping plates of Chinese Food at a buffet. I have a very full lunch, but bought one of the German treats afterward, full-well knowing that sweets have a negative impact on my blood sugar. I saw that I was allowing Satan to impact my eating again, which is sad after all that Christ did to change my priorities. Christ had healed my compulsive overeating and my need to eat excessive amounts of foods and sweets over 30 years ago and had by His grace, allowed me to keep the vast majority of the 80 pounds off all these years! 

 I didn't want to give up all that Christ had done for me and continues to do for me over the years. It was He that let me know, that He could turn my eating around. When it came to going to dinner, the instincts that Christ gave me were to eat a salad and have a bowl of soup. That hit the spot! Besides, my poor stomach couldn't have handled much more of the garbage that I had been cramming into it! Fortunately, Christ never gives up on me, even when I've given up on myself!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

What Kind of Example Am I Being?

Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 

I was recently visited a good friend. We went out to several times during that visit. In that time, I feel prey to several plates of food at a Chinese Buffet. I ate sweets, when I know my body doesn't handle them well. I also, ate more than I should have. 

 She knows that Christ has healed my compulsive overeating and allowed me to lose over 80 pounds and to keep the vast majority of it off for over 30 years, but kind of example was I being? She was seeing me giving in to my compulsive overeating tenancies that Christ had worked so hard to cure me of!

 She saw me joking off the two plates of food that I ate at the Chinese Buffet, while rationalizing it. I wasn't being an example of how Christ has healed me of compulsive overeating and the need for large quantities of food and sweets, both of which have a negative effect on me! I thought it was all about me and how good the food tasted, but I don't think that's the point. The point is that I am supposed to be a walking billboard of how Christ works in my life 24/7, not just when it's convenient or there's no buffet around. There's a lot in this post that I need to be prayerful about. Debbie

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

I Went Back for Seconds

Ephesians 6: 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Well, this Bible passage seems very fitting for me, because I was at the Chinese Buffet the other day and went back for seconds, knowing that it has been my downfall many times in the past.

Sure, I rationalized things. I primarily took things that seemed healthy like broccoli beef, pork roast, broccoli chicken, roasted chicken and fruit. It tasted sooooo good and seemed pretty healthy, so I figured that it wouldn't hurt if I went back for another plate.

Well, when I listen to Satan rather than my Savior, I let myself get suckered in. Satan knows that buffets are one of my many weak spots. I, on the other hand, know it too! I'm the one who picked the restaurant. I could have picked out a place that would be less tempting, but did I do that? No, that's why I'm being honest with you right now!

Although the food I selected seemed basically healthy, I don't know about the ingredients in the sauces on those dishes. Regardless, I felt bloated and lacked energy the next day. I should have focused on Christ, Who has by His grace allowed me to lose 80+ pounds and to keep the vast majority of it off for over 30 years. Although I feel Christ's strength, I allow myself to be put into tempting situations periodically, where Satan is waging a tug-o-war game with my soul. If I focus on my Savior, He will allow me to wear the full armour of God, so that I am not sucked into the wiles of the devil and my sinful human cravings!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

Eating While I Watched This

2 Corinthians 13:4 For though He was crucified through weakness, yet He liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you. 

I was watching the rest of The Gospel of Matthew on Netflix while I ate my breakfast. [I'm very impressed with this series. I've watched several, but they have occasionally deviated from what's stated in the Bible. This Gospel series goes distinctly by what the Bible says. I'm impressed!] 

 Anyway, I was eating breakfast as they showed Jesus being flogged, mocked and crucified and had to put my breakfast down. How could I sit there eating, while the TV was depicting all the anguish that Christ went through on my behalf? He did this knowing that I am a very sinful human being with many flaws like: my eating, my worrying, being judgmental, at times, being an all-around sinful human being. Yet, Christ loved me so much even with all my flaws that He was willing to go through all of this for me! He also went through all of this for you, too!

 The show went on to show how on the third day, Christ arose from the grave, conquering death, sin and the devil. So, even though I am a less than perfect person, I will have salvation with Christ in heaven, not by being perfect, but by continuing to having faith in Him as my Lord and Savior! He's done the same for you, so don't put your faith in Christ off until tomorrow or when it's more socially acceptable with your friends, because you never know what tomorrow might bring!

Because these posts are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my life, they don't necessarily reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verse. Debbie

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