This multi-part series was originally published in 2008 by Alea under a strong urgency to point people, even His church, to Him and Him alone in the ever increasing times that further “fill, distort and distract” us from the only Source of Hope, Help and Salvation, Jesus Christ. He is coming soon and we need to be ready and prepared…
Father God, please open our eyes and ears, soften our hearts and minds, change and help us to choose wisely, to know Your ways and live them. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Food
Just the Facts
Food is important for our survival. Even though it’s nowhere near as critical as going without water, much like dehydration, hunger can bring on many adverse complications long before it causes death.
In survival situations, food is everywhere if one knows where to look. The basic knowledge of animal trapping, hunting, and fishing can provide meat. It is important to be able to recognize edible plants, fungi, and lichens. Plants offer the most widespread and complete wild food source. Here are a few simple rules to help us stay safe, note there are always exceptions. Stay away from all plants with white sap, tiny hairs, umbrella shaped flowers and white or green berries. Red berries are less dangerous, but one should only eat if they’re recognized as safe. Black or blue berries are generally safe. Aggregate berries, like raspberries, are always edible. Single fruits on a stem are usually okay. It’s good to avoid mushrooms and fungi, plants with bulb roots and fruits from plants with shiny leaves.
To survive for long periods of time we must maintain a balanced diet. A balanced diet provides sources of energy and nutrition for optimal health. We need protein sources such as beans, peas, nuts and seeds. We also need a variety of fruits and vegetables; grains like rice, pasta, whole grain breads and cereal. More than 840 million people in the world are malnourished. An unbalanced diet can cause problems with maintenance of body tissues, growth and development, brain and nervous system function, as well as problems with bone and muscle systems. Undernourishment also negatively affects people’s productivity, sense of hope and overall well-being.
Revealed in the Source
Hunger is our body’s signal demanding to be fueled so that it can continue to operate. It’s important to fuel our bodies with good foods. The higher the nutritional content the more nourished we are and the better we live.
God has provided an abundance of food sources all around us and for all living things. This is another parallel to knowing God as our source. Many foods can provide a full stomach but not all things are safe or good for us. We can eat all the right things and yet God declares to us that food for the body is not enough in Deuteronomy 8:3 and again in Matthew 4:4 as Jesus quoted, “It is written: man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God’.” God certainly doesn’t want us to lack for food. However, He wants more for us and invites us to partake in the wholesome goodness of Himself. In Him we’ll receive all that we need. Psalms 34:8-10 says, “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. O fear the LORD, ye His saints: for there is not want to them that fear Him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.” Jesus also revealed to us God’s personal love in John 6:48-51 by saying, “I am that Bread of Life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread that cometh down from Heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the Living Bread which came down from Heaven: if any man eat of this Bread, he shall live forever: and the Bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Jesus was helping us understand that He and His Word are God’s provision for all of our needs, true life, John 6:63, "It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the Words that I speak unto you, They are spirit, and They are life." John 1:14, “And The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His Glory, the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of Grace and Truth.” Jesus is the Word made flesh.
As the bread from heaven, Jesus gave His life for us, His own flesh, dying on the cross for our sins, our hunger, our sicknesses, our grief and our failures. He was placed in the tomb becoming the perfect sacrifice defeating Satan completely. On the third day, He rose from the grave, and presented Himself to the Father and now is offered to us as the Perfect Bread from Heaven. By believing Jesus Christ is the Bread from Heaven, we eat of God’s provision and He becomes part of us and nourishes us. We are to hunger for Him and His Word as is written in 1 Peter 2:2-3, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is Gracious.” Hebrews 5:14, “But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern good and evil.” Would you like to eat God’s Heavenly Food?
Let’s Ask Him
Father God, Living Word, I hunger for You. Lord Jesus, I believe You are the Living Bread. I cry out for You to nourish and mature every area of my being. Holy Spirit remove all malnourishment and ungodly cravings and eating disorders from me and bring me into balance and wholeness. Help me to discern between good and evil as well as to want Provision that only comes from You. Thank You for Your loving kindness and goodness, in Jesus name. Amen.
Until next time...
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