Friday Night Sermon Surprised Me

[Hannah83 214]

It was an encouraging thing to hear a message from my paster about his own personal weight and gluttony struggles. The message centered around 'do you want to be made whole' the example of many given when we go to the ER or hospital outside there are those with an IV pole, smoking with an oxygen mask. The obvious is they want healing but not wholeness.

He was convicted by God about his weight when various health issues came crashing down on him. He elected to have a gastric bypass done a year ago. None but a few in the congregation knew.

As Jesus said to the man at the pool, 'do you want to be made whole' who'd been sitting there for 38 years. He took up his mat and walked, was made whole.

It takes courage to come forward and admit to this, I struggle myself with gluttony and it is sinful to willfully abuse my body in that way because, in the end, it's not being a good steward of my body, and I'm not able to live fully without being whole in every way.

Potlucks, dinners etc. at church are a thing, and it's an issue that is swept under the rug a lot.

The following are quotes from his notes:

"I know this is an extremely sensitive issue. As a recovering obese man, and I purposely choose this phrase and terminology as it is an addiction, no different than drugs or alcohol. Eating sweet and high-fat foods releases dopamine in your brain, pleasure stimulants."

"A recovering alcoholic should never take the drink any alcoholic drink, a recovering smoker shouldn’t partake of any tobacco product, a recovering gambling addict shouldn’t be buying lottery tickets! I can’t eat Desserts, snack foods etc… It’s certainly permitted in the Bible but I can’t control myself with them. I needed an intervention. As most of you already know, with great conviction, prayer, prompting of the Holy Spirit coupled with the loving support of my family and the leadership of the congregation I elected to undergo Gastric By-Pass surgery a year ago, January 2017. 162 pounds later it's off! But its not over. "

"I’ve had comments such as: “oh, you took the easy way”. First I can tell you that no surgery is easy. Second, I recently, much to my chagrin gained 8 pounds of which I immediately got off. Even though I had the surgery I can gain it back by eating the wrong things. The surgery just kicks started my weight loss, I must continue to exercise daily (a fit bit) and log everything I eat, and I mean everything. "

His wife Barb has been doing low carb, high Protein high veggies some fruit for the last year with him and has lost 60 pounds. She herself is short, but her testimony floored me.

God asked her, 'What will you do when you say here I am Lord send me, and yet you are physically unable to be sent?'

That stuck with me, and in tears, I repented and daily come to God for assistance.

The Bible has a lot to say about taking care of our bodies:

Do you 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.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

It was so encouraging to me that I went to my paster and told him I had the sleeve done in Oct. and he smiled and said congratulations, keep going you look great!

As a couple that leads our church, I admire them for their honesty and commitment to God, themselves their family and us as a congregation they've been entrusted with. They both are servant leaders and I am thankful for them.

I just thought that this would encourage others, for it says in the scriptures that we are to encourage one another with the very thing we've been encouraged with. Hope this helps someone.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Hannah83

[kakatlady612 1,053]

Anna amen,and amen
Give my best to your pastor he is not only my brother in the Lord he is My brother in bariatics. May our loving God Bless all of you.

Sent from my VS880PP using BariatricPal mobile app

[Creekimp13 5,838]

If this is the case, I think God should worry less about fat people and more about starving kids in Africa. Lousy priorities.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Creekimp13

[kandywolf 161]

It was an encouraging thing to hear a message from my paster about his own personal weight and gluttony struggles. The message centered around 'do you want to be made whole' the example of many given when we go to the ER or hospital outside there are those with an IV pole, smoking with an oxygen mask. The obvious is they want healing but not wholeness.
He was convicted by God about his weight when various health issues came crashing down on him. He elected to have a gastric bypass done a year ago. None but a few in the congregation knew.
As Jesus said to the man at the pool, 'do you want to be made whole' who'd been sitting there for 38 years. He took up his mat and walked, was made whole.
It takes courage to come forward and admit to this, I struggle myself with gluttony and it is sinful to willfully abuse my body in that way because, in the end, it's not being a good steward of my body, and I'm not able to live fully without being whole in every way.
Potlucks, dinners etc. at church are a thing, and it's an issue that is swept under the rug a lot.
The following are quotes from his notes:
"I know this is an extremely sensitive issue. As a recovering obese man, and I purposely choose this phrase and terminology as it is an addiction, no different than drugs or alcohol. Eating sweet and high-fat foods releases dopamine in your brain, pleasure stimulants."
"A recovering alcoholic should never take the drink any alcoholic drink, a recovering smoker shouldn’t partake of any tobacco product, a recovering gambling addict shouldn’t be buying lottery tickets! I can’t eat Desserts, snack foods etc… It’s certainly permitted in the Bible but I can’t control myself with them. I needed an intervention. As most of you already know, with great conviction, prayer, prompting of the Holy Spirit coupled with the loving support of my family and the leadership of the congregation I elected to undergo Gastric By-Pass surgery a year ago, January 2017. 162 pounds later it's off! But its not over. "
"I’ve had comments such as: “oh, you took the easy way”. First I can tell you that no surgery is easy. Second, I recently, much to my chagrin gained 8 pounds of which I immediately got off. Even though I had the surgery I can gain it back by eating the wrong things. The surgery just kicks started my weight loss, I must continue to exercise daily (a fit bit) and log everything I eat, and I mean everything. "
His wife Barb has been doing low carb, high Protein high veggies some fruit for the last year with him and has lost 60 pounds. She herself is short, but her testimony floored me.
God asked her, 'What will you do when you say here I am Lord send me, and yet you are physically unable to be sent?'
That stuck with me, and in tears, I repented and daily come to God for assistance.
The Bible has a lot to say about taking care of our bodies:
Do you 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.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
It was so encouraging to me that I went to my paster and told him I had the sleeve done in Oct. and he smiled and said congratulations, keep going you look great!
As a couple that leads our church, I admire them for their honesty and commitment to God, themselves their family and us as a congregation they've been entrusted with. They both are servant leaders and I am thankful for them.
I just thought that this would encourage others, for it says in the scriptures that we are to encourage one another with the very thing we've been encouraged with. Hope this helps someone. [emoji4]

Very inspiring! Thank you for sharing! God Bless you!

[BrandNewMe495 10]

I love it, so encouraging
God bless

[goldenbarbie 329]

If this is the case, I think God should worry less about fat people and more about starving kids in Africa. Lousy priorities.

[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

[gr8ful1 122]

Thanks for sharing! Would there happen to be a recording of that sermon available online somewhere?

[Hannah83 214]

22 hours ago, gr8ful1 said:

Thanks for sharing! Would there happen to be a recording of that sermon available online somewhere?

Yes, there is... https://livestream.com/zionsake/events/8031340/videos/169695117 seek forward to the 1:20 mark and you will get the message.