Lord's Table Testimony: JAMES

I was the absolute textbook example of a sinner. I was eating in a manner that I knew was wrong. My wife told me was wrong. My Doctor advised me was wrong. God's Word told me was wrong and sinful, and made me feel horrible. Lack of confidence, lack of energy. Lack of fun. Lack of Joy. I was searching and searching. If only I could eat this, or ignore that. If I cold resist that temptation and overcome that temptation. Self Denial overtook me as I realized that I wasn't to blame, it wasn't my fault. It wasn't what I was eating, because I'd eat a salad or a Subway sub like Jared. Finally, I just gave up. I mean God loved me just like he made me and I was just being a good Christian and doing what he was leading me to do. When I heard a singer's testimony on the radio about a "christian diet" I was intrigued. I decided to check it out and see what it was all about. I was thinking maybe I could eat some nuts, dates and maybe learn to make some unleavened bread? I was expecting Weight Watchers for Fat Christians.
What I discovered was simply life changing. Life restoring. Life affirming. It was simply amazing. An amazing revelation of God. I was redeemed by Christ through His word. It was simply amazing to me, God fully revealing that I was simply sinning against him. I was openly, earnestly and defiantly in rebellion against His Word. Yet, I was expecting him to save and rescue me from Sin, while wallowing in it fully. The God shaped hole I was filling with twinkies, donuts, Slimfast and Grilled Chicken Salads was filled up instantly with God. Fully and Gloriously God. Praise Him. All Glory to Him. It was so hard, then so blatantly open and easy to see, once my eyes were no longer blind. It is simply amazing how fully and completely he showed me the way, once I simply opened that part of my life to him. The Joy is seeing God come into my life in a way that I felt was beneath Him and act so swiftly and mightily is testimony to His awesomeness. I'm am so thankful for a God who can reach down and lift up someone as defiant and deceitful as me. I am just fully joyous in my love for Him and what he's done for me. Amazing Grace, truly. I don't worry about my eating and I don't have to "control" my eating. My battle won, I just give it fully to Christ and he guides me, he strengthens me. It's no longer Man against Food, it's just not my battle anymore. That is freedom. Truly being liberated from something that was an anchor in my life, a complete distraction and wall between me and God. I am overjoyed by my liberation from addiction through Christ who strengthens me and gives me Hope.