Food Glorious Food. Deuteronomy 8:1-6

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1 Food Glorious Food Deuteronomy 8:1-6

2 Who likes food? Food, glorious food, Hot sausage and mustard! While we're in the mood -- Cold jelly and custard! Peas pudding and saveloys What next is the question? Rich gentlemen have it, boys -- in digestion! Food Glorious food We're anxious to try it Three banquets a day Our favourite diet Just picture a great big steak Fried, roasted, or stewed Oh food! wonderful food! marvelous food! glorious food! Food glorious food What is there more handsome? Gulped, swallowed or chewed, Still worth a KINGS RANSOM! What is it we dream about? What brings on a sigh? Piled peaches and cream about- SIX FEET HIGH Food glorious food Eat right through the menu just loosen your belt two inches and then youwork up a new appetite in this interlude then food once again food fabulous food glorious food

3 Hungry Yet?

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10 The Truth without food you die We all know that it is obvious that we need food for body, mind, emotional and spiritual health. Food to feed our physical being Food to feed our Emotional Being Food for our intellectual being and food for our spiritual being

11 Deuteronomy 8:1-6 Moses has been reminding the Israelites that God has promised them a land of milk and honey,, fruit and meat, something they had a taste of when the spies reported back what they saw The people were pretty excited about this But here Moses warns them here to remember to Obey God first its not all about the food - so he reminds them about the manna in the desert because he is worried they may go astray

12 Manna Exodus 16: 1-36 V 31. It was white like Coriander seed and tasted like honey wafers V35. They ate Manna for 40 years until they came to border of Canaan Numbers 11:4-6 The people complain about the boring food Numbers 11:7-9. even though it tasted like pastries in olive oil

13 Manna was a spiritual food, and a type of the spiritual sustenance to come Psalm 78:24,25 the food of angels 1 Cor 10:3 Spiritual Food of Christ John 6:49, 58 your ancestors ate the Manna but died, whoever eats of the Bread of Christ will live for ever John 6:48 Jesus said I am the bread of Life

14 Manna had more than one purpose Moses notes in 8:2,3 that God made them eat manna to 1. Humble them 2. Help them know their own hearts 3. Learn that Man does not live on bread alone but by every word that comes from God (Matt 4:4, Luke 4:4)

15 The Manna showed them their need Testing them to know their own hearts (God already knows our heart - 1 Chron 28:9, Acts 15:8) (1 John 3:20 know your heart) Jer 17:9 the heart is deceitful To build our character (NLT) The purpose of Spiritual food is to humble us, to trust in God and make us more like Jesus so he can fulfil his purpose in and through us.

16 21 st Century Western Problem

17 Concerning our Spiritual diet At the same time we are checking our food labels, perhaps we should be checking that what we call Christian feeding is indeed feeding our spirit and not just exciting our taste buds

18 1 sermon

19 Remember the Manna

20 Something interesting? At a time when we have more Christian teaching than ever, books, tv, sermons, seminars etc with more programmes, more understanding Church numbers are declining in the western world. Churches are closing, and although some who leave claim to remain Christians the overall effect is the loss of the local expression of Gods family.

21 Also Interesting? With the increase in Christian Education, knowledge and worship has expanded, one might expect a growth in the number of Christian Disciples and mission stepping up. Personally I am a little distressed about how much money some people have made out of the Christian education Restaurant entertainment industry

22 The warning in 2 Timothy 4:3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear It s a warning for all of us

23 My Concern Churches are closing and Christian people are off chasing the latest tasty meal This affects preachers and leaders pressured to provide a varied menu to satisfy our excitable tastebuds? It adds expectations of local worship teams to have the latest and greatest music rather than having a selection of old songs and readings that feed your soul and reinforce the truths of God And so the kids are taught to look for excitement in church rather than working through the regular service and so be found building their life on the Rock of Christ

24 Remember the Manna

25 The effect on our personal devotions It isn't often that exciting doing your own bible reading, prayer, spiritual breathing, reflection, supervision, witnessing, worship, praise and adoration, going to Church, Submitting to others (not just the ones we like). It is easy to be distracted to want a tasty meal with a nice how to thought even though we may discover it has no nutritional spirit value But if it hasn t changed your heart it is only as if you rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic

26 So what feeds our spirit? Deut 8:3 every word that comes from God. Scripture that is enlightened by the spirit A word of knowledge or wisdom come from the Spirit through some one else A prayer A liturgy A challenge or some dietry Fibre God s purpose. Not that we would have great knowledge but a great attitude. 1 Cor 8:1

27 How do we know we are eating the right stuff? I m not sure one meal makes a difference or if it is about a particular feeling Consider Manna If our hope and trust in God has grown But over time, we know it is of him if it makes us more like Jesus If our character is being transformed (Rom 12:2) If our Character has changed 2 Peter 1:5-8, Rom 5 May your love abound more and more in knowledge (Phil 1:9)

28 Becoming like Jesus Heb 12:2 looking to Jesus Jon 12:26 whoever serves me must follow me John 10:27 my sheep listen and follow Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matt 11:29 Phil 4:5-12 Be Like Jesus Galatians 5:22,23

29 The Daniel Diet Dan 1:12 People have made this about the food they eat, but it could also be about the way they feed themselves spiritually vegetables and water 1 John 3:7 - Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous 1 Cor 2:14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

30 Finally If we don t feed our spirit it may die within us Be discerning about what you might consider is food for your spirit Be wary of using your feelings as the judge of what is good for your soul. Boring might be just right If you have been critical, Take time to confess this attitude to the Lord Seek to be more like Jesus and know this comes not by rules but through a transformed heart Knowledge puffs up, Love builds up And Remember, Chasing after taste may be good for the economy but might not be good for our spirits