Give Glory to Him

Revelation 14:6, 7 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

God in His love sends a message calling men and women to repentance, calling them to turn to Him their loving Creator. The devil’s counterfeit system has permeated the world and God must call back to loyalty and obedience. The devil comes to steal from us and to kill and destroy us, but Jesus wants us to have life even more abundantly. Because Jesus wants us to have more abundant life, He sends a message to all the world warning of the devil’s counterfeits. This first angel’s message sounds, “Fear God and give glory to Him.” How do we give glory to God?

1 Corinthians 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Giving glory to God involves more than just praising His name. As we verbally praise God, that no doubt does give glory to God, but the Bible reveals that giving glory to God involves more than just that. Paul says, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Giving glory to God involves what we eat and drink and everything that we do. The Lord wants us to be in good health so that His name will be glorified. As the world sees that His people are stronger and healthier, they are led to ask what the reason  is for this, and it will give glory to God.

There is another reason that giving glory to God involves our health, and that is because our bodies are not our own. They were bought with the most costly ransom price ever paid—the price of the life and blood of the Son of God. Through creation we are the Lord’s, but through redemption we are doubly the Lord’s. He made us once and has bought us back again; thus we are indebted twice to the Lord for every breath we take. Since we are bought with the price paid upon Calvary, the Lord says that we are glorify Him in our body and our spirit. Because our bodies and everything that we have are the Lord’s, He asks us to take wise care of them and by so doing give glory to Him.

God Cares About Your Health

Revelation 22:1, 2 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

3 John 2, KJV  Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Romans 12:1, 2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

The Lord’s first and foremost concern for us is that we give our hearts fully to Him. He wants us more than anything else to acknowledge Him as our Lord and Savior. The Lord wants our spirituality to prosper, but He wants more than this. The Lord is concerned with the whole person, not just one part. The Lord wants us to be in the best possible condition mentally, spiritually and physically. When Jesus walked the earth, He was very concerned about the physical health of each person that He met. Thousands of times He healed those in need of physical healing. It was His greater desire that they would receive both spiritual and physical healing, but the physical healing was a major aspect of His ministry. It is the same today. The Lord wants us to be physically healthy as well. He has made the leaves of the tree of life for our physical healing. He writes through the apostles that He desires above all things that we may prosper and be in health. The Lord desires the healthy physical functioning of all of His creatures. It is the devil who has introduced the diseases and pestilences that make man’s life one of suffering and pain. The Lord knows that in order to have optimal spiritual health, we need physical health. For the person who is wracked with pain, it is hard to consider spiritual things because his mind cannot be set free from the physical suffering he is in. For the person whose mind is fogged from vices which destroy health and becloud the mind, it is difficult to comprehend the messages that the Lord has for him. Thus the Lord desires, not just our spiritual health, but our physical health, as well.

Temperance Essential

1 Corinthians 3:16, 17 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Not just does the Lord desire us to be in health, but if we recklessly disregard His instructions and willfully compromise the gift of life and health that He has given us, we will be called into account for our unfaithfulness. Imagine the landlord who rents his beautiful house and property to a poor family who has fallen into straits. He rents it to them at a much reduced rate so that they will have a place to live, but he gives them specific directions of how to care for the beautiful property. Not only does this ungrateful family neglect the instructions given by the landlord, but they trash and destroy the property so beneficently given. What would that landlord do? Although he was trying to help this family in need, he would have no other option but to evict that unappreciative family. How much greater of a gift the Lord has given to us in our entire being, but how many, like the unthankful family, are recklessly destroying the body that God has given them and purchased on Calvary. What else could the Lord do? Paul tells us if we defile or destroy the body that the Lord has so graciously given us, the Lord will destroy us. Paul says that even though he had preached to others, if he was not temperate in all things, he would become a reprobate or castaway. The Lord desires our health, and if we flagrantly disregard the gift of life He has given, we will suffer the consequences—not just in this life but even the next as well! How we treat our bodies is a serious matter in God’s eyes.

Slow Self-Murder

Exodus 20:13 You shall not murder.

Revelation 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Instead of just discussing broad principles, it would be helpful to look as some specifics that God has given. Not every health destroying vice is mentioned by name in Scripture, but if it destroys our health, we can be certain that God would have us give it up. For example, cocaine or methamphetamines are not mentioned by name in the Bible, but no one would argue that these were innocent habits or spiritually beneficial. The Lord has said, You shall not murder. He spoke it with His own lips and wrote it with His own finger. If we murder we are in violation of the Law of love that the Lord gave from Mount Sinai and unless we repent, will be pronounced wanting in the judgment. All will readily agree that killing another human being is wrong, but what about killing ourself? Is not this murder, as well? What about gradually killing ourself? Would not that be wrong, as well? It makes little difference whether someone pulls a trigger on someone or gradually poisons the food until they die, both are murder in the eyes of God. Are there practices that are gradual self-murder today?

One such practice is found in tobacco. Not one would argue that tobacco is healthful, but many are slaves to this destructive habit nonetheless. There is no doubt that tobacco, whether smoked or chewed, is health destroying, and I think it would not be far fetched to classify it as self-murder. It has been estimated by Dr. Linus Pauling, a winner of two Nobel Prizes, that every cigarette you smoke will take 14 ½ minutes off your life. Every pack takes over four hours off your life. Suicide on the installment plan. Doctors William Foege and J. Micahel McGinnis reported that annual mortality from smoking was four times greater than any other single cause. Other studies have indicated that smoking accounts for one out of five deaths in the United States, totaling five million years of potential life lost annually. Smoking is slow self-murder.

Promises of Victory

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:37 For with God nothing will be impossible.

Generally, it is not that people who are smoking do not want to quit, but rather that they have tried and failed. Smoking becomes more socially unacceptable with every passing year, and smoking becomes prohibited in more and more public places. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus has the power to set us free. We can do all things through Christ. We may not be able to quit of our own strength, but the Bible says that we can do all things through Him. If we think that smoking is impossible to quit, then we must tear out that page of our Bible. Either smoking is stronger than the Lord Jesus Christ or He can give us the victory. There are many practical tips that can be given and that are important, but the most important is to claim the promises and make our mind that through the power of Christ, we are going to get the victory. After we have made that decision, we must keep resisting the devil and keep choosing that we are not going to smoke. As we claim the promises and trust in an all powerful God, we can be delivered from the slavery of sin. I have seen many who have fought a long hard battle with tobacco, but through the power of Christ came off the conqueror and you can, too!

James 4:7, 8  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Two Wines

Isaiah 65:8 Thus says the LORD: “As the new wine is found in the cluster, And one says, ‘Do not destroy it, For a blessing is in it,’ So will I do for My servants’ sake, That I may not destroy them all.

Deuteronomy 32:14 Curds from the cattle, and milk of the flock, With fat of lambs; And rams of the breed of Bashan, and goats, With the choicest wheat; And you drank wine, the blood of the grapes.

Matthew 26:29 “But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker, Strong drink is a brawler, And whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

Another subject that has caused even more confusion is the wine in the Bible. First of all, it is important to note that throughout the Bible there are two types of wine that are mentioned. The first wine is the pure fruit of the grape. There is indeed nothing wrong, but rather much is beneficial, about grape juice. The Bible says that there is a blessing in it. It was clearly this fruit of the vine, or pure grape juice, that Jesus used when He instituted the communion service. Then there is the alcoholic wine, which the Bible says is a mocker and if we are led astray by it, we are not wise. The problem is that many times the Bible uses the word wine to refer to either of these two very different drinks. In the Old Testament there is a definite distinction between the two words (yahyin, the alcoholic drink, and teerohsh, the pure unfermented grape juice), but in the New Testament there is not the clear distinction and thus we must look to the context to determine if it is referring to alcohol or grape juice. Either way, the Bible is very clear that one wine (the grape juice) is a blessing and the other wine (alcohol) is forbidden.

God Prohibits Alcoholic Wine

Proverbs 20:29-33 Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things.

Isaiah 5:11 Woe to those who rise early in the morning, That they may follow intoxicating drink; Who continue until night, till wine inflames them!

Proverbs 4:17 For they eat the bread of wickedness, And drink the wine of violence.

Proverbs 31:4, 5  It is not for kings, O Lemuel, It is not for kings to drink wine, Nor for princes intoxicating drink; Lest they drink and forget the law, And pervert the justice of all the afflicted.

The Bible commands us not to look upon the wine when it is red and sparkles in the cup. God knows that even one drink of alcohol will begin to affect our mind so that we cannot communicate with Him as readily. Thus, He asks us to leave it totally behind. If we are preparing for heaven, there is no need that we numb our mind with alcohol. One can hardly imagine that the Lord has blessed a substance that has created so much havoc in the world throughout history. How many horrific crimes have been committed, how many children beaten or abused, how many homes split apart by alcohol will never be known until the judgment books are opened. Certainly our loving God is not behind the trail of misery alcohol leaves behind. Not alone does alcohol ruin society, homes and lives, but it is responsible for over 100,000 deaths annually. This is more than five times as many as all illicit drugs combined! The much greater enemy is lurking in every grocery store and gas station aisle.

Even moderate drinking brings with it health risks and the possibility of a drinking problem. Two out of every five people who use alcohol develop a drinking problem; surely we would not gamble with our life if we knew that we had a forty percent chance of dying. The best option is to follow God’s plan and leave the bottle behind. The Lord has far better things for His children than mind numbing alcohol.

Sobriety Essential

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

Romans 13:13, 14 Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

1 Peter 1:13-16  Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

1 Peter 5:8, 9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.

1 Peter 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.

It is known that from the first drink the mind begins to be affected. Some reason that they are not drunk until they cannot walk in a straight line. Others think that they are not drunk unless they are on the floor. The Bible gives us no definition of when drunkenness begins, and since we know that we begin to be drunk with the first drink, the only safety is total abstemiousness. Nothing else will match the Bible injunctions to be sober and vigilant.

Promises of Victory

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Psalms 107:13-16 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, And broke their chains in pieces. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He has broken the gates of bronze, And cut the bars of iron in two.

No matter how strong the temptation is, the Lord has a reserve of power to strengthen us for the battle. For some, giving up the occasional glass of wine is a snap, but for others it is an ongoing battle for years. The Lord has promised to breaks the bars that hold us. We can be delivered no matter how entrenched the habit may be. The Lord’s hand is not shortened. He can and will deliver us if we will choose to be set free and claim the powerful promises in His Word.

God’s Original Diet

Exodus 15:26 If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you.”

The Lord has made a promise that all of us can do well to claim. He has said that He would put none of the diseases of the Egyptians upon us. When He brought Israel out of Egypt, He did not just want to set them free from Egypt, but from the lifestyle and curses of the Egyptian lifestyle. As Egyptology has become a popular science, we know a great deal about what the lifestyle and the diseases of the Egyptians were. We know that their diet consisted of a free use of alcohol, lots of sugary food and an ample supply of roasted pig. As a result, they were plagued by diseases that are not so uncommon today, either.

Because of the careful preservation of the Egyptians, scientists have actually been able to x-ray and do autopsies on some of the kings of Egypt. Their discoveries were remarkable, considering this promise and the diseases that we see today. The diseases of Egypt are the diseases of America! An autopsy of Ramses II revealed that his arteries were nearly completely clogged. After x-raying many mummies they found that the common diseases were: cancer, heart disease, arthritis, rheumatism, obesity, and sexually transmitted diseases. They were dying of the same things that Americans are dying of today! But God had a different plan for His people; He wanted to set them free from the captivity of Egypt, but also the diseases of Egypt; but in order to be set free from the diseases of Egypt they had to be set free from the lifestyle of Egypt. What is God’s plan for our diet that we may not have the diseases of the Egyptians?

Daniel 1:8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

Daniel 1:12 Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink.

Genesis 1:29  And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.”

Originally God intended man to eat the fruits, nuts and grains. After sin, God added vegetables to the diet. Daniel understood God’s original diet; so in the courts of Babylon, Daniel requested a vegetarian diet. God knew what was best to promote life and health and strength in humanity, and that is what God gave to man. In the garden of Eden there was to be no death, and God bountifully supplied man with all that he needed from the produce of the earth. After the flood, God allowed certain animals to be eaten. He did not give man free license to eat whatever he wanted, but gave specific directions about what was acceptable and what was not.

Clean Animals Permitted

Genesis 7:2  You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female;

Leviticus 11:2 Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth.

Deuteronomy 14:2-3  For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth You shall not eat any detestable thing.

Deuteronomy 14:4-8 These are the animals which you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the mountain goat, the antelope, and the mountain sheep. And you may eat every animal with cloven hooves, having the hoof split into two parts, and that chews the cud, among the animals. Nevertheless, of those that chew the cud or have cloven hooves, you shall not eat, such as these: the camel, the hare, and the rock hyrax; for they chew the cud but do not have cloven hooves; they are unclean for you. Also the swine is unclean for you, because it has cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud; you shall not eat their flesh or touch their dead carcasses.

The principles for dividing between clean and unclean animals are clear and unequivocal. God wants His people to be His special treasure. He does not want them to have the diseases of the Egyptians. There are certain animals that God has seen are not fit for food. There are two principles that God has given for how we can know what should be eaten and what should not. An animal must have split hooves and it must chew the cud. Animals that eat anything and everything are not clean for food. Your dog might enjoy any manner of unsavory things and thus your dog should not be eaten. What your dog eats becomes a part of it, and then if you eat your dog, the filth that it might have eaten now becomes a part of you. Chewing the cud involves a complex digestive system that helps to remove the impurities. Snakes, rats and mice simply are not to be eaten according to God’s plan. He sees that these animals will not increase our health, but will lead us to the diseases of the Egyptians. Animals that do fit into the categories given by the God of heaven are cows, sheep, goats, deer, etc. Animals with these complex digestive systems and that subsist off of foliage are clean. Animals that do not, like camels, rabbits and pigs, are unclean.

Leviticus 11:9-12 These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers—that you may eat. But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you. They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination. Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales—that shall be an abomination to you.

Once again we have an easy description of which water animals are clean and which ones are not. If it has fins and scales, you can eat it. If it does not, don’t even think of putting it in your mouth. The animals that don’t have fins and scales are very useful for cleaning up the option, but they are not to be eaten. While in the Philippines, I was amazed at what people thought was food. Many people build shanties over the ocean because then they pay no rent. There are entire communities that stretch out into the ocean that you must walk on rickety planking to get to. All of the wastes and filth just empties right into the ocean. When you bathe, you can look down and see the water splashing into the ocean. Then when the tide goes out, all the filth and trash is exposed, but something else is exposed. The crabs and the shellfish love it there. They thrive off the filth. Then the people go down underneath their houses and collect those creatures and cook them up and eat them. There is a reason that God said don’t eat those things. They are the garbage disposal’s of the ocean and God knows it won’t give you health. So crabs, oysters, lobsters, shrimp, catfish, frog legs are all unclean. God has a better plan.

Deuteronomy 14:11-20 All clean birds you may eat. But these you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, the red kite, the falcon, and the kite after their kinds; every raven after its kind; the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the seagull, and the hawk after their kinds; the little owl, the screech owl, the white owl, the jackdaw, the carrion vulture, the fisher owl, the stork, the heron after its kind, and the hoopoe and the bat. Also every creeping thing that flies is unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. You may eat all clean birds.

With the birds, an entire list of unclean birds is given. As we look at this list, we can see that those that eat carrion are unclean. Those that eat seeds and plants are clean. Thus chickens and turkeys are clean, but vultures and eagles are not.

Destroyed When Jesus Comes

Isaiah 65:2-5 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, Who walk in a way that is not good, According to their own thoughts; A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face; Who sacrifice in gardens, And burn incense on altars of brick; Who sit among the graves, And spend the night in the tombs; Who eat swine’s flesh, And the broth of abominable things is in their vessels; Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day.

Isaiah 66:15-17 For behold, the LORD will come with fire And with His chariots, like a whirlwind, To render His anger with fury, And His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword The LORD will judge all flesh; And the slain of the LORD shall be many.  “Those who sanctify themselves and purify themselves, To go to the gardens After an idol in the midst, Eating swine’s flesh and the abomination and the mouse, Shall be consumed together,” says the LORD.

Some have thought that these health instructions were just for the Jews, but are Jewish bodies any different than Gentile bodies? If God saw that these foods were not healthy and life giving for Jews, then surely the same would be true for Gentiles. In addition, the Lord has told us that those who persist in eating unclean animals will be destroyed when Jesus comes. Certainly we do not want that experience. There are two unclean animals that are specifically mentioned—mice and pigs. If we love Jesus, we need to obey His directions fully and leaven behind these injurious things.

Peter’s Vision

Acts 10:10-15 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance  and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.”

Acts 10:17-20 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

Acts 10:28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.”

Acts 10:34, 35 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality but in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.”

Some have thought that in the New Testament, God’s loving dietary information is no longer valid. There are a few texts that can be used to make it appear this way. Among them is Peter’s vision. The Lord gave Peter a command to kill and eat. With a sheet full of snakes, lizards, bats, rats and other unsavory tidbits, Peter asked to be excused. (Much like many of us would done.) The thrust of the vision is then given, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” God was obviously showing Peter that God had cleansed something and it should not be called common any longer. As Peter is questioning what this mysterious vision should mean, the Lord speaks to Peter saying to go with the Gentiles doubting nothing. This was a major hurdle leap to a Jew in Peter’s day. You would become unclean by associating with Gentiles, and he was in danger of the reproach of his fellow countrymen, but God said, “Go,” and Peter went. After arriving at Cornelius’ home, he reminds them that what he is doing is totally unlawful, but that God had revealed something to him. Peter says, “But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean.” Did Peter understand that God had changed rats, lizards and snails into healthful food? Did Peter say, “Let’s dine on some Roman delicacies?” No. God had shown him that He should call no MAN common or unclean. God revealed through this dream that there were no loner to be the exclusive Jew/Gentile divisions. God showed Peter that the gospel was to go the world. God showed Peter that the Gentiles needed the message of salvation, also. No longer was Peter or were we to refer to any man as common or unclean. Jesus died on the cross to save sinners, not to cleanse pigs.

Sanctified Wholly

1 Thessalonians 5:23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

When faced with any lifestyle change, there are challenges. But we have a God greater than any challenge or challenges. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. The Lord Jesus Christ loved us so much to give His life on our behalf. Are you willing to give up the hurtful indulgences that the Lord sees are not for our good? He wants us to have life more abundant and free. Will you determine by the grace of Christ to have that free and abundant life? Will you strive to give up what Jesus says should not be eaten or drunk? Will you allow Him to sanctify you completely and wholly?