Open Heaven 25 August 2019: [Sunday] Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A Adeboye – Gluttony: Not a Christian Virtue
GLUTTONY: NOT A CHRISTIAN VIRTUE – Sunday August 25th 2019
And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Proverbs 23:2
Read: Proverbs 23:1-8 (KJV)
23 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee:
2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite.
3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom.
5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats:
7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee.
8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words.
Message:-
Gluttony is a trait that manifests itself through eating or drinking more than is needful. Indeed, this applies not only to food but to all material things.
OPEN HEAVENS 25 AUGUST 2019 GLUTTONY: NOT A CHRISTIAN VIRTUE
This habit is found in people who have given their belly or body free rein over their life, such that they are unable to hold back or restrain themselves whenever food or drink is set before them. For such people, the Holy Spirit says their god is their belly (Philippians 3:19). Gluttony causes a person to develop a deadly appetite for things that can destroy him or her. Food can do and has indeed done great damage to the destinies of many people throughout history. The story of Esau who exchanged his birth right for a meal of red pottage is a case in point (Genesis 25:29-34). No wonder Hebrews 12:16 says:
“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel or meat sold his birthright.”
From Esau’s story, we see that food can sometimes be used as bait covering the hook of the fishermen. An adage in my native language says, “The rodent is eating free bananas and is rejoicing; it does not know that sweet things kills.”
Open Heavens 25 August 2019: [Sunday] Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A Adeboye – Gluttony: Not a Christian Virtue
One man who understood the principles enunciated in today’s Bible reading was Daniel. On arrival in Babylon as a captive, he determined in his heart not to forget his background and heritage, so he did not allow himself get carried away by the king’s delicacies. He and three other Hebrew boys decided to discipline themselves in anticipation of a time when their stand in God would be tested and they would no longer have access to the king’s benefits. Whatever a man gives you, he can also take away from you; this is why the source of your daily bread should be God alone. Whenever someone offers you “free lunch”, try and decipher the motive behind the offer before accepting it. When I was growing up in my father’s house, the attitude and disposition of a person offering us food determined whether we accept it or not. Proverbs 23:6 says:
Open Heavens 25 August 2019 Sunday: Prayer Point
“Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats.”
Indeed, it takes self-discipline not to be gluttonous, especially in the time of need. As a rule in life, never allow your enemies know when you are ‘hungry’, because they can use your needs to get you down. It is not out of place to assume that Jacob had studied his brother Esau and was only waiting for the perfect opportunity to lure him with food. This is one of the benefits of a life of fasting. The Holy Spirit says in Proverbs 25:16:
“Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.”
A word is enough for the wise.
Prayer point
Father, I submit my appetite to the restraint of Your Spirit in Jesus’ Name.
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