Part 3 ADG and Spiritual Growth

The second section of the ADG deals with taking care to:-

1. Limit saturated fat and moderate total intake.

In the physical body fat is an essential nutrient.  The individual needs only a small amount every day around 20g.  It is important for insulation (keep warm) and protection of vital organs and a person’s cells has a lipid layer.  The function of Fat in food is to provide flavour and texture.

In the Christian’s life faith is what insulates and protects the individual.  Faith is important as it has the element of trust built into it.  The Christian only needs a mustard seed size, but with it they can move mountains.

In the spiritual sense we give God our worries and learn to trust him with our every day concerns and activities.  In Matt 6:25-34 Jesus told his followers to consider the birds and the flowers in the field and how they had no cares. The Israelites were to burn the fat at the altar and not consume it. Thus the Christian are to cast all their cares upon him as he cares for each and every one of his children. To cast our burdens at the foot of the Cross and take up his for his load is light.

2. Choose foods low in salt

Salt has two types of characteristics (jobs).  It can enhance the flavour of food or it can be used as an abrasive.  Christians are referred to by Jesus as the salt of earth (Mat 5:13).  They are to enhance and flavour those around them by being encouraging and also concerned about their community’s morals and value.  However, too often the other characteristic that salt has is seen.  Too often the words and actions of other Christians affect an individual’s point of view or turn them away from coming to church every week.  Therefore a mature Christian should carefully chose how and when to use words and actions. 

3. Limit your alcohol intake

The bible has many references to the effects of alcohol on an individual.  This is where Paul and Solomon expound the topic of self control.  Alcohol also can be compared to anger.  In the bible there are two types of anger.  Natural anger and righteous indignation this is what it means when. “Vengeance is mine saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19).  

In the both the old and new testaments God has put in place guidelines to safe guard against this. Christians and Jews are told to turn the other check. Carry the load 2 miles instead of one. (Matt 5: 38-42). To work out their grievances with one another.  Do not let the sun go down on your anger.  We are also told not to judge others (Matt 7:1,2). At all times we must remember that “Man judges from the outside while God looks into the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). 

4. Consume only moderate amounts of sugar foods containing added sugar.

This one was a little tricky until I thought of the verse saying that we are to taste and see that the Lord is good.  However, if a Christian only attended the high times like Easter, Christmas times or the evangelistic campaigns this would limit the overall affect of faith development.  If a Christian chased only the high spiritual times all the time the effect of their experiences could be compared to a person with diabetes.  Thus we need a steady influx of spiritual growth (like meeting together regularly to study God’s word) and not sudden revivals or we become like the man in the story that Tony Campolo tells that turned up at all the revivals crying for the Lord to fill him because he was always empty.   This went on at every revival. Until some one called out from the back of the room “Don’t do it Lord he leaks”.

Prevent weight gain by being physically active and eat according to your energy needs

The Christian journey is not only about maintaining your own faith but it is about sharing the good news with world.  It involves using the gifts that the Holy Spirit has given each individual to carry out the task of taking the Great commission to the world.  Matt 28: 19-20 “so go and make followers of all people in the world.  Baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach them to obey everything that I have taught you” and again in Rev 10.    These are to do the works that God has called us to do in the book of Mathew Jesus tells the parable of the talents and the servants and also again in the parable of the Sheep and the goats.  These parables also indicate the attitude we are to do these things to advance to the kingdom of heaven.