EVER GONE ON A CRASH DIET? This is what happens: you get fed up with your weight (or health problems) and so you drastically change your diet. You begin to lose weight and feel better, your blood pressure and cholesterol drops; but since you didn’t make a lifestyle change you go right back to eating the same way and gain all your weight back. Your health problems come back with a vengeance. You did not attack the root of your wrong patterns. You put a bandaid on an open and gaping wound. Sound familiar?
This is often how people treat their Christian walk. Adversity hits. They get tired and frustrated with the way things are going and so they will begin to read their Bible more, pray and cry out to God more and attend Church more often. Ladies start coming to Bible study and seeking out others for help. I have been leading a weekly Bible study for 20 years (by the way, I’m still there every Tuesday morning) and rarely do ladies remain faithful to attend. But as soon as they begin to go through difficulty, they will attend regularly. But once their life gets straighten out, I never see them again. This is a regular occurrence.
These crash dieters begin to lose weight, feel better, circumstances in their life change and so they go back to their old lifestyle. They haven’t actually made a life change. They did not get to the root of their problem: some pet sin, rebellion, selfishness, pride, envy, jealousy and the like. They feed their pain instead of bringing it before the Lord to be healed. History has shown repeatedly that in times of ease and plenty, God’s people are prone to forget God and to stop seeking His face.
“But Jeshurun (Israel) grew fat and kicked. You became fat, you grew thick, you were gorged and sleek! Then he forsook God Who made him and forsook and despised the Rock of his salvation.” Deuteronomy 32:15
Is this you? Are you a spiritual crash dieter? As soon as circumstances turn around, do you go back to your old ways? Here’s the truth: you cannot endure because you have not been planted in the House of the Lord. The Word has no place in you and you have no roots. The sun comes out and scorches you and you whither away. You cannot take the heat of the day.
“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”
Psalms 1:1-3 NKJV
“Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God.”
Psalms 92:13 NKJV
Only a planted man will flourish. Their roots go down deep and no amount of storm can shake them. Whether in the valley of the shadow of death or on the mountain top high in victory, the planted man remains unchanged and faithful to endure. Instead, you have allowed a root of sin and bitterness to defile you. Scripture tells us that in the latter days, many (this is a very large amount according to the Greek word) within the church will become offended. Why can you only endure for a time? Jesus said, “take heed what you hear”. What are you giving your ears over to and who has your attention? What crack did you leave open?
It would behoove you to notice that while in times of ease people forget God, but in times of adversity, however, people are more likely to approach God earnestly. My dear friend, God will allow adverse circumstances in your life to draw you back to Him. Be careful what you pray for. Just be warned, a continual disobedience can draw you away from the Lord. The more you backslide, the harder it becomes to return. Sin and disobedience leaves marks. This is a Spiritual principle. Guard your heart and your walk. You need to be firmly anchored on the Rock, so that in times of ease or in times of adversity you can say, “I SHALL NOT BE MOVED!” Besides, crash diets are bad for you.
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
