Is Stolen Bread Sweeter? NIV: Proverb 6:30-31 Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry; But if he be found, he shall restore sevenfold; he shall give all the substance of his house.

MATTHEW HENRY'S COMMENTS; The word of God has something to say to us upon all occasions. Let not faithful reproofs ever make us uneasy. Shall Christians, who have such prospects, motives, and examples, be slothful and careless? Shall we neglect what is pleasing to God, and what he will graciously reward? May we closely watch every sense by which poison can enter our minds or affections.

MY OBSERVATIONS: Unlike the pity extended to a starving thief who though it might cost him all he has when he gets caught, restitution can put the crime behind him. You might say we were thieves in our eating habits and NOT because we were starving, but because we were greedy and wanted more than our daily bread. It is now restitution time and it can't be resolved by a monetary fine. Many times my eating habits were like the thief's, doing them in secret and overindulging in excess. No, stolen bread is not sweeter. I must now pay the time in restoring my body to God's design. When a criminal serves his sentence he says, I have paid my debt to society. As we diet to lose this excess we must think of it as paying our debt to what we owe our bodies and what we owe God in the precious gift of life. Food is eaten to satisfy appetite, for growth, to maintain all body processes, and to supply energy to maintain body temperature and activity - in short to keep alive. When we overeat and choose the foods that we know are not healthy, the body does rebel and we have to pay our debt.

O Lord, thank you for your Word which applies to all aspects of our lives. I humbly come before You and ask that I may change my eating habits so that it does not give me secret delight and comfort, but nourishment and health. Amen

NIV: Proverb 6:27 Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? My Observations: You will note that this is a rhetorical question---simply put it doesn't need a reply because the answer is obvious. I am learning what the fire in my lap is. For the present time, I cannot do two things: I cannot go to an all-you-can-eat buffet and I can not keep junk food in the house. I have yet to overcome these temptations, so I must learn to avoid them. What is your area of temptation where all your defenses and restraint crumbles? Learn well what they are--avoid them--and you will find your dieting attempts becoming easier as you push temptation away from you. To be tempted is not wrong, neither sin. It is in placing yourself intentionally in that path and succumbing to it that is sin. It will help you immensely if you know what areas you are not yet strong in, and avoid them with God's help and understanding. Healthy eating habits are a process that we must work our way through--one meal at a time.

Father God, I pray that eventually I will be able to walk away victorious from these areas of temptations in my life. I ask, for now, that You strengthen and renew me and my commitment to become a normal eater again, and I pray that You remind me often that I am dieting to find my way into Your highest will for me. In Jesus' name. Amen

Today's Diet Tip: 6.- Remember: You're learning a "way to live," not just a way to diet.

Today's Positive Thought: No one knows what he can do until he tries.