God Loves to Repurpose People.

It seems like repurposing (or re-purposing) things has become a trend.  There are so many pictures of old pallets being repurposed for deck furniture, walls, among many other uses.  Back in the Great Depression, people didn’t throw many things away because they never knew when they’d discover a way to repurpose it.  But back then, it wasn’t called repurposing; it was reusing things.

When I was a junior higher back in the 70s, I got bored during the summer.  We had an old, rusty coaster wagon that was just sitting around the garage because my siblings & I had gotten too big for it.  A friend of mine had a go-cart that was so cool, and he even let me ride it a few times.  So I decided to repurpose (again, I’d never heard of that word back then; I thought I was just reusing) some old stuff laying around the garage.  I took the wheels & axels off the coaster wagon, & attached them to a piece of plywood the appropriate size.  I used a 2 by 2 piece of wood and some clothes line to make a crude steering rod that could control the direction of the front wheels.  The only problem was that we didn’t have an extra small engine around, & I didn’t have the mechanical ability to put it on my crude go-cart anyway.  But we’d take turns pulling it uphill a block, & then riding it down the street to our garage.  It was great for going downhill.  I could never think of a way to make a brake; so we just had to put our shoes out on the pavement to slow it down to stop.  Not the safest, but the hill wasn’t that steep; so braking wasn’t a problem.  At that point, none of us in the neighborhood had yet been on a fast amusement park ride; so riding that crude co-cart was a thrill.  When my older brother Jim saw what I’d built, he was impressed with how I’d reused some old stuff from the garage to make something we could ride on like that. 

In the 80s, some of us started recycling as a way to help the environment, which was a form of repurposing some things.  I heard of a guy in Iowa who’d figured out a way to recycle used plastics into a 4 x 8 sheet the size of a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood.  He’d made a few simple hog enclosures for them, and began selling those to farmers.  He developed it into a small business.  As the years went on, more people began finding new ways to reuse or repurpose used material into a new use.  So it’s fairly common now, to find new recycled things for sale in stores.

God is also in the repurposing business.  God specializes in repurposing people.  God could take a rejected shepherd (Moses) and remake him to lead God’s people out of slavery and guide them through the desert-wilderness.  God can take a shepherd boy named David, and reuse him to kill an agnostic giant and become a famous warrior-king.  Take another look at the disciples.  Jesus repurposed a fraudulent tax-collector, a terrorist (Simon the Zealot), and uneducated, undisciplined, crude fishermen like Peter and Andrew, James & John.  After the resurrection and the Spirit’s arrival at Pentecost, these men with dubious backgrounds, became the first missionary-pastors to a society similar to ours.  They went out and taught God’s Word, healed people, escaped from the authorities who could not get them to stop talking about this Jesus of Nazareth.

Are you feeling over the hill or washed up?  Tired of the daily grind?  Do you feel like a used up plastic bottle?   The good news is that you’re a prime candidate for God’s repurposing.  God specializes in repurposing people who humbly feel like they have nothing to offer.  Matthew had cheated so many Jewish taxpayers that the priests and religious authorities never bothered to say anything to him.  Simon the Zealot was part of a group, the Zealots, who were so patriotic that they assassinated those who publicly disagreed with them; how could God have anything to do with a murderer like that?  Those fisherman never received any attention from the religious crowd because they were just blue-collar, working-class people.  No one would have predicted that these guys would be chosen by God’s Son to be sent out as God’s ambassadors. Yet God saw their potential and repurposed them to become his representatives to do amazing things in the world.  If you think you’re not worthy of God’s call, you actually are ready for God’s repurposing. 

Managing the MOOD for FOOD

Gluttony (overeating) is the 3^rd deadly sin.

A few years ago, I heard of an ancient Old Testament manuscript.  Some believed that it’d been lost for many yrs.   It could be part of Gen. 1.  You know, Gen. 1:1 “In the beginning, G created the heavens & the earth.  Then it goes on to tell u what G did Day 1, Day 2, Day 3.  G created trees, vegetation, seed-bearing plants, & it’s possible the next part was lost: 

God populated the earth w/ broccoli, cauliflours, spinach, & vegetables of all kinds,

                                                      so that man & woman might live long & healthy lives. 

& Satan created McDonalds.  & McDonalds brought forth the 99-cent cheeseburger,  & Satan said to the man, you want fries w/ that?  & the man: Supersize them.  & the man gained pounds. 

God created health-food yogurt, so that woman might keep her figure that man found so fair. 

Satan froze the yogurt & brought forth chocolate, nuts, & bright candies to put on yogurt. 

& woman gained pounds.

God said: Try my crispy, fresh salad. 

& Satan brought creamy dressing, bacon bits, & shredded cheese.

                                             There was ice cream for dessert, & woman gained more pounds.

God said: I’ve sent u heart-healthy vegetables & olive oil in which to cook them.

Satan brought forth chicken-fried steak so big that it needed its own platter.

                                                         & man gained pounds, & his cholesterol went sky-high.

God brought forth running shoes, & man resolved to lose those extra pounds.

Satan brought forth remote-control cable TV,

   so man would not have to toil to change channel bet ESPN & ESPN2.  & man gained pounds.

God said: Devil, you’re running up the score.

God brought forth potato, a vegetable naturally w/ low-fat & high nutrition.

& Satan sliced the starchy center, & deep-fat-fried them & created potato chips,

                                                                                                            & created sour dips,

Man clutched his remote-control & ate the potato chips loaded w/ cholesterol.

& Satan saw & said, It is GOOD.

Man went into cardiac arrest.  God saw, & created triple bypass surgery.

That’s how the missing text ends.  Wow, there may be more truth in there than we realize. 

Managing the Mood for Food.   -7 Deadly Sins – gluttony. 

Message overview:             MANAGING THE MOOD FOR FOOD                           7-7-13

-dieting - Have you ever gone on a diet of any kind?

               When your diet ended, did you gain the weight back, & maybe some more?

So how much are we supposed to care about our bodies?

God wants us to RESPECT & PROTECT our body…

 

The New Testament Greeks associated one’s emotions & heart w/ the stomach, or gut.

Old KJV: bowels of passion

-idea: The stomach is the seat of your emotions; it controls a lot in your life.

           If your stomach feels good, the rest of your life feels good.

Philippians 3: 18-19

               For, as I have often told you before & now tell you again even with tears,

              many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.

              Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach,

              & their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.

For some people, their PHYSICAL APPETITES -food, drink, lust, drugs - are so strong that they live to fulfill their passions; their physical appetite becomes their primary drive or motivation in life.  Thus they make a FALSE GOD out of their STOMACH, out of that feel-good in one's stomach.  So they live by the philosophy - if it feels good, do it.

So we need to learn to bring our appetites, mainly food, under God's control.

6 KEYS TO CONTROL YOUR APPETITE, instead of letting your appetite control you.

Key 1:  COMMIT YOURSELF TO GLORIFYING GOD WITH YOUR BODY.

My body & your body matter to God.  The freedom from letting our appetites control us is found in YIELDING OURSELVES to the Lord Jesus.  When you surrender to Christ, the Holy Spirit comes INSIDE your body, and at that point, there's a transfer of ownership of your body.

Corinthians 6: 19-20  Do u not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you,

         whom you have received from God?

         You are not your own; you were bought at a price.   Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Some say, I can do whatever I want with MY body.  But if you're trusting Christ for salvation, God says, No, your body belongs to me, because my Son paid for your body with his life on the cross.

Key 2: IDENTIFY HOLES IN YOUR HEART THAT YOU MAY BE TRYING TO FILL WITH FOOD.   & ask GOD to reveal that to You.

 We've been created w/ 2 empty, needing-to-be-filled holes - the stomach & the heart.

The holes in our heart include hidden hurts, resentments, anxieties, fears, etc.  

When we go through a tough time, we tend to eat whatever makes us feel better.  That's using food as a Feel-Better-Drug.  Others may use alcohol, tobacco, lust, or drugs, but the result is the same - trying to dull the pain or fill the hole in our heart.

-An acronym called S.A.L.T. to help identify hidden issues of the heart:

Overeating can be a response to STRESS in your life.  When we're feeling stressed out, it'd be better to  talk to God about our stress, and plan a strategy for dealing with it.  But we usually to the fridge or cupboard & find something that tastes good to eat instead.  We use food as a drug for our stress.

Matthew 11:28  Jesus said,

       Come to me, all you who are weary & burdened, & I will give you rest for your soul.

Overeating can also be a response to ANGER.   -A in SALT acronym.  We may be mad at people around us, ourselves, or even God.  Ephesians 4:31  Get rid of all bitterness & rage & anger, brawling & slander, along with every form of malice.  Ask yourself if you're using food to deal with anger or hostility in your life.

Overeating can be a response to LONELINESS.  I Peter 5:7  Cast all your cares upon Him because He cares for you.  It doesn't say: Cast food on your plate.  Cast your cares upon Him.

Overeating can be a response to TIREDNESS.  We all get tired.  I know I eat sometimes because I'm tired.  It's easy to turn to food whether we're physically tired or emotionally tired.  A better response would be to take a break, take a nap, talk to God, read, or depending on the time  of day, go to bed.

S.A.L.T .. =  stress, anger, loneliness, tiredness.

These are not ALL the responses to holes in our hearts. There are more. 

We need to identify the holes in our hearts, that we’re trying to fill with food.

-Ask:  How much of our eating occurs because of legitimate stomach hunger?

        & how much eating occurs because of heart hunger & food being a drug for it?

Key 3: ASK G TO HELP U IDENTIFY THE DIFF HUNGER ISSUES & NOT CONFUSE THEM.  A simple secret: Eat ONLY when our stomach is hungry.

Am I eating out of hunger?  Or am I eating for another reason?

If a restaurant brings too much food to eat, take some home.  No one is forcing you to eat everything.  Like many, I was taught to clean my plate when I was growing up.  But there's NO rule that you must clean your plate.  But there is a rule that says: you'll be healthier if you stop eating when your stomach is satisfied.  Ask yourself: Am I eating out of hunger?  Or am I eating for another reason?  Can I stop eating when my stomach says it's full?

We're not talking about giving up your favorite foods, & you don't have to eat seaweed.  :)
But we do need to bring our eating under the Holy Spirit's control.

Key 4: FOCUS ON LETTING GOD CHANGE YOUR BEHAVIOR, NOT ON LOSING WEIGHT.  Diets work only in the short term, because being on a diet is just making the food behave. 

We change the food behavior, but not how we behave.  Very few diets deal with WHY we eat.

Changing our behavior takes God’s power to bring our stomach into line with His will & His control.  Only God can set us free to enjoy food as we're designed, without destroying our bodies in the process, or drugging the issues.

Key 5: CONSIDER THE PRACTICE OF FASTING IN UR LIFESTYLE.

If you have diabetes, hypoglycemia, pregnant, etc, check with your dr. or nurse.

Fasting can release amazing spiritual power in your life.  When you use fasting to seek God’s will on any issues or big decisions you’re facing, it’s a powerful tool.  Fasting is a way to bring all your appetites under G’s control. 

One way to start fasting, would be to fast for 1 meal/week.  Instead of eating, use that time to drink water & pray & seek God for a closer relationship.  Ask God to reveal anything about any appetites in my life that are not under His control, & what needs to be done about it.  Just drink water & juice when you fast.  Fasting is a powerful way to let God help bring one’s appetites under control. 

Key 6: CONTEND FOR G’s PROMISE OF HEALTH. 

Here’s a great prayer to pray for your health:

3 John 1:2:  Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health

                   & that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

Pray this for yourself and give a copy of it to someone you care about.

Much of this is adapted from a message by Pastor Cal Rychener.