Text: Ecclesiastes 10:16-17
Memory text:
“For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭29‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God created us to derive glory, even in the most ordinary things of life, like in eating and drinking. Paul said, “…whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” ‭‭(I Cor‬ ‭10‬:‭31‬). To eat to the glory of God is to bring your eating and drinking under His authority.
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to ask for our daily bread. Jesus gave thanks for the provision of bread. Paul said we should receive all God’s provisions with thanksgiving (1 Tim 4:4). You honour God when you acknowledge and thank Him for providing your food and drink.
Secondly, when you eat moderately, you glorify God but dishonour Him when you are gluttonous. Gluttons worship their stomachs and not God. Their belly is their god. “whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly…” (Phil 3:19). The CEV says, “they are headed for hell! They worship their stomachs…”. They are controlled by their stomach instead of the Spirit. Whatever controls you is your master. They can’t abstain from food for a time. They eat anytime and anywhere. The Spirit-controlled life honours God. According to our text, food is eaten for strength and not for pleasure or to indulge oneself.
Thirdly, you don’t glorify God when you eat just anything, including foods and drinks that are injurious to your body. You are redeemed to glorify God in your body and in your spirit (1 Cor 6:20). Your body needs to be cared for and not to be destroyed. Food that nourishes your body glorifies God, but that which damages it dishonours Him. Unhealthy foods will weaken you, reduce your productivity, and shorten your life, and these won’t glorify God. Like Robert Murray McCheyne said while dying at age 29 from the misuse of his body, “God gave me a message to deliver and a horse to ride. Alas, I’ve killed the horse, and now I can not deliver the message.” His body was the horse which was destroyed. Your body needs to be cared for to continue to be useful. Foods that can destroy your body include alcohol, animal fats, added sugar, fast food stocked with preservatives, charred foods, salty foods, highly refined carbs, artificially sweetened foods, etc. God satisfies my mouth with good things and not junks! (Psa 103:5).
Friends, glorify God with what you eat, how you eat, and when you eat. Let God have control over your whole life, including your foods, drinks, and your stomach. God won’t be glorified if you kill the horse He gave you to deliver His message!

Prayer points
1. Father, let me not kill the horse You gave me to deliver Your message through uncontrolled and unhealthy eating habits, in Jesus’ name.
2. Father, I surrender my eating habits to You, and I bring my stomach under the control of the Spirit, in Jesus’ name.

Today’s declarations
1. Unhealthy foods and eating habits destroy my body, and this does not glorify God.
2. I glorify God by eating foods and drinks that nourish my body and by submitting my eating habits and stomach to the control of the Spirit.

Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng