Move Your Body Part 3 | Plants and Daniels with Chris Schlotterbeck

You can hug or hug me

Every single little peace

You can have it all

Welcome to Hub City Vineyard.

To get connected or to give online,

go to hcv.church or give.htv.church.

If at any point during this message

you feel called to make a change in your life,

text change me to 970-00.

Thank you and enjoy the message.

Hey, good morning everyone.

So good to see you.

Excited to share this morning.

If you're joining us from home, thank you for welcoming us into your space.

Now some of you are looking up here on stage

at our wonderful artwork

that I had the joy of creating last week.

If you weren't here last week,

I took this beautiful flower portrait

and decided to graffiti it,

and made it look even more beautiful.

Wouldn't you agree?

And I connected, if you missed it,

how we quite often get upset about graffiti

and we get all upset about people that spray on walls

or destroy artwork,

but yet we destroy our bodies every single day

when we don't take care of them.

So we are going to continue that discussion

and I thought what a perfect way

to remind everyone of this graffiti

and how we destroy our bodies

by bringing out this wonderful piece of artwork

so we get to see it

and identify with it

as I share about food.

That's right.

We're going to be talking about food today.

But before I jump into it,

I do want to make an announcement.

On Sunday, June 2nd,

Jess and I will be sharing about our journey to Africa.

Right here in our main auditorium at 4 o'clock,

I want to encourage you to be a part of that gathering.

Because we believe, Jess and I believe,

that our trip to Africa wasn't just for her and I.

It was actually for our entire community of faith

to expand our vision

that yes, we do an incredible job of making a difference

here within our local community in the tri-state area.

We serve people, we pray for people,

we give away things, we pay for bills,

we do everything that the church should be doing,

but Jesus did command us to go into

all the earth.

And we believe our community of faith is now set up

in a place where we can change lives around the world.

And you'll be seeing pictures of our trip,

you'll be seeing and hearing testimonies from what God did,

and you'll even get to see me dance again in a video.

Now you know I can't dance real well,

but that's okay.

I was dancing with a bunch of Kenyan kids,

and they don't care how you dance,

as long as you move.

So like I said earlier,

we are continuing our May series,

Move Your Body, Change Your Life,

and we're discussing how God desires

that we live healthy lives.

Rudy kicked off this series discussing the importance

of physical health and why we should make it a priority.

Last Sunday, I challenged all of you to be active

and to start moving your body,

doing something every single day.

Now humor me by a show of hands,

how many of you took a walk this week?

All right, not bad, about half.

That was about the same first gathering.

You know, in about half the people say, yeah, they did.

So that means the other half of you,

I'm really praying for you,

or you're too embarrassed to simply raise your hand,

which I don't know,

but I want you to live a long life,

to start walking every day.

So another question, okay?

And it's okay, you don't have to be embarrassed

to raise your hand, just participate.

It's a lot of fun,

and it engages you in our talk.

If I had a pill that promised you a healthy life

and the ability to live longer,

how many of you by show of hands would say,

yes, Chris, I want it?

Okay, all right, about three quarters of you, that's good.

But what if I simply told you this?

That as a follower of Jesus,

you already have the key to a long and healthy life,

and you can get it for absolutely free.

See, God has given us all the principles

for a healthy lifestyle in the Bible, right?

The Bible is the owner's manual for your body.

How do I know that?

Well, David shared these words in Psalm 119, verse 73.

Psalms 119:73

You made my body, Lord,

now give me sense to heed your laws.

Give me sense to follow your instructions.

Deuteronomy 32, 47 says this.

These instructions are not mere words,

they are your life.

By obeying them, you will enjoy a long life in the land.

So essentially, in those two verses,

God is saying to us,

if you do what I tell you to do with your health,

you will enjoy a long life,

a prosperous life, an abundant life that Jesus promised.

Now, in writing the book of Proverbs,

Solomon hoped that his readers

would attain practical righteousness

in all aspects of life, in every area of your life,

and that we would do this by living our lives

under the authority and direction of God.

And he specifically explained the book's purpose

in Proverbs chapter one,

and he focused on imparting understanding

that would impact every area of your life.

For example, Proverbs chapter three, verses five through eight

says this, trust in the Lord with all your heart.

Do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.

Don't be impressed with your own wisdom.

Instead, fear the Lord, turn away from evil,

then you will have healing for your body

and strength for your bones.

See, these verses simply highlight some factors

that many of us don't realize lead to a healthy life.

Factors like peace, trust in God, integrity,

humility, and generosity.

See, these things will cause your health to be better

because our physical health is influenced

by our spiritual health and our emotional health.

And much of the book of Proverbs emphasizes

listening to others so that we might learn from them

and apply the combined knowledge

of those who have gone before us,

such as a young man named Daniel.

There's this guy in the Old Testament,

he was a prophet, his name was Daniel,

and he and his friends were forced to live in Babylon.

They were far from their home, far from the land

that God had promised them.

They were actually teenagers when they were taken,

and they found themselves in the midst

of a strongly polytheistic religious culture.

And what that simply means is

they had many opportunities to worship other gods

and to fall into practices of sin,

such as self-indulgence and pleasure.

But Daniel and his friends stood firm in their faith

among the Babylonian people on several significant matters,

including what they ate and how they worshiped.

Now, many of us know Daniel for his time in the lion's den.

That story is told frequently in the kids' wing,

and chances are, if you've never even been in church

or have been exposed to church,

you know the story of Daniel and the lion's den.

But I believe we can learn more from Daniel

by looking at how he lived his everyday life,

including what he ate and how that impacted his life.

And that's what we're gonna do this morning.

We're gonna dive into Daniel's story,

and we're gonna allow him to speak to us

and change our lives.

But let's open in prayer this morning

so that we can invite the Holy Spirit

to open our ears, our minds, and our hearts

to receive all he has for it.

Holy Spirit, come.

We're just thankful, God,

for each and every person gathered here

that it's your divine purpose

that they're sitting in these chairs

or watching online, God.

Now, change us.

Make us different than when we came in.

God, use me.

Speak through me.

May my words be yours.

And we're just thankful

for all that you're gonna do this morning.

In Jesus' name, amen.

So all of that leads to our first thought this morning.

You see, God's people should eat God-given food.

God's people should eat God-given food.

Now, Daniel, like I said earlier,

is an Old Testament prophet.

He was forced to leave his home in Israel.

He was taken into exile into Babylonia around 605 BC.

Babylon is now located in modern-day Iraq.

The Babylonians attacked and destroyed Israel,

taking away a group of young Israelite nobles.

These were men of promise,

whom the conquering power felt could be helpful to them

in serving in their kingdom.

See, Daniel was a young man amongst the exile.

He was identified quickly for his strength,

his intelligence, and his leadership potential.

He was selected to be a part of a rigorous training program

that would make him one of the governors

in the Babylonian's royal court,

meaning the Babylonians had this expansive empire,

and they needed people to oversee their territories,

so they wouldn't lose them.

And Daniel was chosen to be a part of this training regiment.

One of the perks that came along with being selected into this training

was all the participants were permitted to eat daily at the royal buffet.

Right? It was just a spread laid out before them.

And they had the opportunity to eat till they were full,

and beyond that, right, they could continue to eat

because this was the world's largest buffet,

and it included pig, shellfish, horse, camel, turtle,

and along with plenty of wine to drink.

And quite often what happened with these buffets,

they would actually become parties that lasted for hours

and included much more than eating

once the participants had too much to drink.

Daniel chose not to eat at the king's table,

and the Babylonians, you have to understand,

were pressuring these young men to give up their Jewish identity

by living and eating amongst the Babylonians

and violating the Jewish food laws found or written in the Torah.

Daniel quickly refused and instead chose faithfulness to God.

This decision, you must realize, puts them in danger of death,

but let's pick up the story and what happens in Daniel chapter 1 verses 12 to 16.

Daniel 1:12–16

Daniel went to the Babylonian chief of staff and says this,

please test us for 10 days on a diet of vegetables and water.

Now when the word vegetables is written in the Bible,

that includes green leafy plants, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and grains.

Daniel going on to say at the end of 10 days,

see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king's food.

Then make your decision in light of what you see.

The attendant agreed to Daniel's suggestion and tested them for 10 days.

At the end of 10 days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier

and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king.

So after that, the attendant fed them only vegetables

instead of the food and wine provided for others.

In just 10 short days.

Now think about that. That's a little over a week.

Daniel and his friends were healthier than everyone else who ate from the king's buffet.

How? How can that happen?

Because it's all about what they ate, right?

And we have to realize that healthy people eat healthy food.

And I get it. You know, so many people they think,

but Chris, doesn't all food come from God?

And the simple answer is no. No, it doesn't.

Because see, during the 20th century, we experienced a revolution in the food industry.

Culture moved away from real food grown on farms to processed foods,

to fast foods developed in industrial plants.

And as a society, people began to trade real food grown on plants and in plants

that is God made and created for fake food.

They went after the fake food that is manmade.

Manmade food is prepackaged, processed, fast and convenient.

Our society was so delighted that this was good for us.

This was best for us, in fact, because it enables you people to get more work done.

You can stay on schedule. You don't have to slow down.

You can drive through the drive-through and out and have a meal in five minutes.

But listen to these studies.

From 2009 to 2012, the CDC, that's the Centers for Disease Control,

did two studies and published their findings.

These are their findings.

One in two Americans suffer from chronic disease.

50% of Americans suffer from some chronic disease.

Heart disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia, autoimmune disease, allergies, acid reflux,

irritable bowel, neurological problems, depression, ADD, ADHD, ADD-HHD, thyroid,

skin problems, along with hormonal and menstrual problems.

That's a long list.

Now listen to this, Americans spend nearly $3 trillion every year in our health care system,

and almost 80% of that money is spent on chronic lifestyle and preventable diseases.

Can I give you the Cliff Notes of that quote?

Because a lot of that just went, whoa, what was that?

It just went right over my head.

Cliff Notes.

$3 trillion is spent on health care every single year.

Friends, that's a lot of money.

In fact, I don't even know how many zeros that is other than a lot.

80%, listen to this, of this $3 trillion is spent on treating diseases

that are both preventable and reversible if we simply changed our lifestyle.

And that's from the Centers of Disease Control.

That's not from Chris, and that's not from the Bible.

This is out of control, right?

So many Americans, there's an election coming up, oh, insurance is too much,

health care costs are rising, when in reality these costs would significantly go down

if we simply made changes to our diets and put more activity into our lives.

See, friends, when we read studies like this and we become aware of the truth

that our food choices have on us, you and I, we're responsible to change.

We have to make a choice to no longer eat from the royal buffet, right?

We have to make a choice to educate ourselves on what is the best practices

for our food consumption, otherwise, dare I say, we are simply living in sin.

You're like, Chris, really? Yeah, James 417 says, remember,

it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

And listen, this whole series, these series is throughout the year,

it is our desire that as a community of faith that we are challenging you to be better.

We looked at our mental health, now we're looking at our physical health, right?

Because when we focus on these areas as Jesus grew in them and we grow in them,

that leads to abundant life. I am in no way going to try to make you feel comfortable.

I want to challenge you to change in every area of your life because Jesus changed.

Read Luke 2 52. And today we're focusing on what we eat, which leads us to our next thought.

Food should nourish our bodies. It should nourish our bodies.

Listen to the definition of nourish. To supply what is necessary, not gluttony,

to supply what is necessary for life, health and growth to cherish, strengthen, build up and keep alive.

Right, true or false? Food and drink are necessary for the body.

It's true because without it, we're going to die. Right?

But too much of the wrong food and drink, obviously from those statistics earlier,

where are they going to lead to? Early death.

They're going to lead to us dying early, which eliminates our opportunity to really walk out all that God has for us.

Now, what was God's intentions when he created food for us?

So let's go all the way back to the beginning. Right?

Let's jump all the way back to creation. We're going to go back to Genesis 1 and we read these words.

So God created human beings in his own image.

In the image of God, he created them, male and female, he created them.

Then God blessed them and said, be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and govern it,

and then rain over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky and all the animals that scurry along the ground.

Then God said, look, I have given you every seed bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food.

OK, so God created male and female. He gave them a body, made it from the ground.

Then he breathed his life into them and we became a living soul.

Then God gave them a purpose. What did he say?

He said, multiply, fill the earth and govern it. He said, work, care for, tend the garden.

And then what is the next thing that God says to them? He doesn't say, hey, go build churches.

Right? He doesn't say that. He says, no, this is what you should eat. He gives us a diet.

See, before sin, before the fall in humanity's perfect state, God gave us everything we needed for life,

for health, for energy, for nourishment and for strength. What did God give us?

Well, we just read he gave us trees, seeds, plants, fruits and vegetables.

Right? Why would God design that diet? Right? Because he designed the body.

He knew what was best for our nourishment.

So before the fall, before there was killing without sin, dare I say we were all vegetarians.

And let me take it a step further. We were actually vegans.

And this is not a political sermon. We were all vegans before the fall. Right?

In Genesis 1 and 2, there was no sin. And because there was no sin, there was no murder.

And if there's no killing, there's no eating of meat.

But in Genesis chapter 3, we learned that sin enters the world because of humanity's choices, of course.

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

Right? We're separated from God and God has to kill the first animal to cover their nakedness and as a sacrifice for their sin.

Does everyone remember? Then in Genesis chapter 9, after the flood,

Genesis 9 · chapter mention

God gives humanity permission to eat meat with strict dietary restrictions on what meat is optimal for human consumption written in the book of Leviticus.

Now, a few, it's probably about 10 years ago now, maybe a little longer, Matt Walker was still on staff and he and I went to see the movie Noah.

Does anybody remember that movie? Did anybody see the live action movie Noah?

It was the gladiator guy that starred in it. Russell Crowe. Yeah, Russell Crowe was Noah. Right?

And when the movie came out, when all the Christians went to watch it, you know what happened?

They all were in uproar. It's a political agenda. They want everyone to be vegan.

Everyone should eat vegetables. That's what this movie is about. Don't go watch it.

When in reality, it was biblical. So all the Christians were wrong. They just didn't know their Bible.

Noah would have been vegetarian. Noah would have been vegan because it wasn't until after the flood that he said you could eat meat.

Isn't it interesting how we get upset at things that actually step on our toes?

Hmm. Fast forward to today. Meat is the number one cause of cancer and heart disease

because of all the hormones that are pumped into the animals that are industrially processed for food consumption.

Do the research. It's all right there.

Now in the New Testament, Paul writes these words to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 4 verses 3 through 5.

1 Timothy 4:3–5

They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods, but God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth.

Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it, but receive it with thanks.

For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer.

Now this is the scripture that many followers of Jesus point to as, hey, you need to pray for your food.

You need to bless your food before you eat it. But Paul, when writing these words, is saying that

if you are following Jesus, you should not allow food to separate us from sharing the good news with others.

Because see, there was Christians in the early church and they weren't going to dinner with Gentiles because of the food they were being served.

And Paul is saying, no, you need to go and receive what they give you as long as it doesn't cause you to sin.

And as long as you pray over that food, it's good to eat.

If you're invited to dinner, do not offend your guests by refusing to eat what is given.

Simply pray over it, right? And you are good to go.

So go ahead and eat whatever is presented to you.

But friends, this does not mean that we can blindly indulge in food that we know is bad for us every single day just because we say a simple prayer.

It doesn't work that way, which leads us to our final thought and a new outlook on food.

Food is actually medicine for our bodies.

How do we know that? Well, look again at Daniel 1.15.

At the end of the 10 days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king.

And listen, if I promised you that would happen to your life, many of you would do it.

You would want to be healthier.

Now, Dr. Mark Hyman, who was a contributing author to the book, The Daniel Plan, writes this.

Food can reinvigorate your health, reconnect families, restore vibrant communities, improve the economy, improve the health of the environment, reduce pollution and even help our kids get better grades and avoid eating disorders, obesity and drug abuse.

How many of us have ever considered that food can heal?

This is the biggest scientific discovery since the germ theory of disease and antibiotics.

Food is medicine.

Food is the most powerful drug on the planet.

It can improve the expression of thousands of genes, balance dozens of hormones and optimize tens of thousands of protein networks.

It can cure most chronic diseases, and it works faster, better and cheaper than any drug.

And all the side effects are good ones.

Have you ever thought about that when you're watching a commercial on the TV and you see this new drug that came out and it's going to change your life?

And then as you watch it and you think, wow, that's really cool, maybe I should check into it, and you hear all the side effects that kind of get snuck in at the end.

And you think, dear God, why would I ever put that in my body?

Right?

May give you cancer, may cause you paralysis.

You may have a stroke next week.

You may.

I'll pass.

And remember, remember how I started this talk.

If I told you there was a miracle drug that can improve your mental health, physical health, ears to your life, right?

We want to be interested in it.

Well, you just learned that miracle drug can be the food we eat.

When we choose to eat the right kinds of food, when we choose to eat God given food, God provides the vitamins, nourishment and medicine needed to live a healthy life.

Now, when we choose to eat the wrong foods out of habit, tradition or convenience, right?

Oh, I got to get in and out.

These foods lead to depression, obesity, fatigue and a growing reliance on medicine.

Eating the right food leads to more energy, strength, stamina, better sleep, clear minds and better moods.

Again, Dr. Mark Homin reported in the book that patients who were willing to change their diets, listen to this, saw a 62 percent reduction in symptoms of all diseases like headaches, joint pain, irritable bowel, acid reflux, brain frog and allergies in a matter.

Did I say frog?

Kathy, did I say frog?

You guys were wondering if I caught that, didn't you?

That was funny.

That was good.

You got it.

You got me.

Let me say that again.

Brain fog and allergies.

Now, listen to this.

In a matter of how many days?

Ten days.

Now, does that sound familiar?

That's Daniel chapter one, right?

And now some of you think, well, Chris, this is positive information.

I didn't really know I wanted a health class in church, but it's all good.

Why should I change?

Why should I change the way I eat?

Well, let's go back to 1 Corinthians chapter six when Paul tells us, don't you realize your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you and was given to you by God.

That's a gift.

God is living inside of us.

You do not belong to yourself.

God bought you with a what?

High price.

So honor God with your bodies.

We are called to honor God with our, everyone say it, bodies.

And if we choose to eat food that's not real food, this is what our bodies look like.

A complete mess.

Which leads us to our action steps.

Let's challenge ourselves to begin making healthy eating habits.

Four dietary shifts, real simple, that I believe will bring absolute change to your life tomorrow.

And if you follow these simple shifts in ten short days, you will see a significant difference in your health.

It's been proven and it's biblical.

Number one, you have to reclaim your kitchen.

Reclaim your kitchen.

First Corinthians chapter 10 verse 31.

1 Corinthians 10:31

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for what?

The glory of God.

Cooking is a revolutionary act for many people in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Just ask my driver.

When you leave here, invite yourself over to Mike Shriver's house.

He's not in here.

At least ten of you.

If you don't know Mike, he's the parking lot guy, wears a yellow jacket.

When you leave here, find Mike Shriver and say, hey Mike, I'd love to come over for dinner.

Because he told me after the first gathering, even sitting through this talk, that he doesn't cook and he doesn't know how to.

Okay, so go up to him and be like, hey Mike, I'd love to come over for dinner.

Why don't you have me over and just see how he responds.

And don't tell him I told you that because he's not in here and I just want to see how he responds.

Because I want to challenge him that he can cook.

Right?

But see, for many people in the 20th and 21st centuries, since the creation of microwaves and fast foods,

Americans have allowed the food industry, which is big business, multi and multi-million dollar business,

to provide our food and we simply heat it up and eat it trusting what they give us.

We have become food consumers rather than food producers and many people have lost the ability to cook or believe that they can't cook their food.

And I said to him after the first gathering, Google a recipe.

It's not that hard.

Like just type in the Google of food that you love to eat and it will give you step by step instructions on how to make it.

Right? Buy a cookbook.

Is that really going to hurt you?

Right? Read the Daniel Plan.

I downloaded it.

It's free on Kindle.

The Daniel Plan is free on Kindle.

I downloaded it this week, read it.

It's an easy read.

It gives you recipes.

It gives you what you should be eating on your plate.

It gives you what food you should be eating.

It is simple.

Right?

And then if you're still struggling, get a friend to help you reclaim your kitchen and use it.

The benefits are endless.

But if you'd ponder, three simple ones to ponder, it's going to save you money.

Right?

It's going to cut your budget for food because eating out all the time is expensive and you have no idea what is in the food they are cooking.

Number two, you have control over what you eat.

Right?

You choose what you are putting into your bodies.

And finally, you will strengthen relationships with your immediate family because you're eating together.

You'll grow stronger bonds with your kids and you'll build community by inviting friends over for a meal.

Dr. Mark Hyman again writes, we must take back our kitchens and our homes.

Transforming the food industry seems like a gigantic undertaking, but it is in fact an easy fix.

The power lies in your shopping carts, your refrigerators, and your cupboards, and on your dining room tables.

It is the hundreds of small choices we make every day, choices that will topple the monolithic food industry.

I don't know what that word means, but I'm thinking it's big.

OK?

We need a revolution.

Cooking real food is a revolutionary act.

We have lost the means to care for ourselves.

And all you have to do is reclaim your kitchen, which leads us to our next step.

Replace fake food with real food.

Right? Look at Daniel 1.

At the end of the 10 days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than young men

who had been eating the food assigned by the king.

And what were they eating?

Vegetables and water.

They were drinking water.

And I remember vegetables were a few things, it was just green leafed plants, fruits, legumes, nuts, those kinds of things.

What is fake food?

Fake food is packaged, processed, and made for convenience.

Pop it in the microwave and eat it.

But unfortunately, those foods are full of chemicals designed to give the food a longer shelf life with no added benefits of nutrition.

Actually, these chemicals in those foods are now being linked to many diseases and cancer, along with feeling sluggish, foggy, and depressed.

Listen to this statistic that's going to blow your mind.

The National Institute of Health, another government agency, spends $800 million a year looking for the cause of obesity.

Could it be?

Are you ready for this?

Could it be that 29 pounds of french fries, 23 pounds of pizza, 24 pounds of ice cream, 53 gallons of soda, 24 pounds of artificial sweeteners,

2.7 pounds of salt, and 90,000 milligrams of caffeine that is consumed by the average American every single year could be the cause?

Could it be?

Guess what?

We just solved the problem with obesity.

I wonder if they'll give us the 800 million.

Think about what we could do with that.

I mean, we could change the world with $800 million.

Right?

In contrast to fake food, real food is anything that is whole, fresh, and unprocessed.

Foods like vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, eggs, fish, turkey, and chicken.

Real foods heal.

Real foods nourish.

Real food helps the body to function the way God intended.

Say it this way, okay?

When you start buying food, read the food label, and if there's anything in the ingredients that you can't pronounce, don't buy it.

It's pretty simple.

If there's a word in there like monosupoglutinate nation, just put it back.

Because it is absolutely no benefit for you whatsoever.

When just the opposite, plants contain an anti-inflammatory detoxifying compound called phytonutrients,

these compounds support cardiovascular health and cognitive function, and they can help to protect against cancer.

Plant foods are our main source of our vitamins and minerals, along with fiber that is super important for our digestive systems.

Now listen to this statistic.

Most Americans eat between 8 to 12 grams of fiber every day when our bodies need daily 30 to 50 grams.

Real food helps support our bodies be nourished, healed, and be strong.

And simply stated from many of us, including myself, for changing our diets, we need to double our vegetable intake every single day.

And for those of you who don't like vegetables, learn to like them.

But don't overcook them because then you cook out all the nutrients.

So it's a balance.

Learn to love the vegetables that God has given us.

And for some of you, I want to challenge you, it may be time to do the Daniel Plan detox.

Dr. Harmon has laid out a 10-day fast where you simply remove all the food that is bad for you,

foods like flour, sugar, gluten, dairy, all processed foods, and you simply replace them with God-given foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, and nuts.

And he says in 10 days, just like Daniel, the same results will happen to you.

But it's a choice to replace fake food with real food, which leads us to our next step.

You've got to respect your body.

Why do all this, Chris? Why even do this series?

Because our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and we are what?

Masterpieces. This is not a masterpiece.

Right? But we are masterpieces when we're in a relationship with Jesus.

Right? How do we honor God with our bodies when it comes to food?

I came up with, God just downloaded a simple idea for many of you know, when I talk about prayer, right?

Some of you are like, Chris, I struggle with prayer.

I say, OK, when you wake up and you do your daily routine, when you pour yourself a cup of coffee or a cup of water, whatever you do in the morning, right?

Whatever it is you do, because you're all different. Maybe it's a cup of juice.

Pour Jesus a cup of juice or a cup of coffee or a water and sit down, have your coffee, have your water, have your juice, and give it to Jesus and have a conversation.

Is that prayer? That's prayer. It's talking to Jesus. It's sharing your concerns and your needs with Jesus.

It's having a conversation with a friend. So if we do that when it comes to prayer, how about if we adopt a simple practice of inviting Jesus over for dinner?

If Jesus was joining us for dinner, what would you feed him tonight? Right?

Are you going to go out to KFC because his finger licking good? Right, Lance? Right?

Hey, are you making a run for the border and going to buy him some Taco Bell?

No, because you're not running for the border. You're running somewhere else. Right?

No. What are you going to buy and cook for Jesus at dinner?

You know, it's going to be healthy. It's going to be fish. It's going to be whole grains. You're going to want the best for him.

And I believe if we begin to adopt that practice, we're honoring God's spirit that's living inside of us.

Friends, we have to treat our bodies with kindness and respect. Right? So what do we got?

Cook, eat real food, not fake, honor your bodies. And number four, this is really important because it's a part of our community faith.

You build community when you eat healthy. Romans 15, 1, we who are strong must be considerate of those who are sensitive about things like this.

We must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. Educate yourself.

In preparing for this talk this week, I watched two documentaries on Netflix, absolutely free. If you have Netflix, the first one's called What the Health, OK, not What the H-E-Double, What the Health and the Game Changers.

Now, let me preface this documentaries. They're both documentaries that encourage you to go vegan. I'm not encouraging you to do that.

I'm simply encouraging you to educate yourself on the value of eating plants. Watch the documentaries. Educate yourself. Read the Daniel Plan. Read the Maker's Diet.

Write just two excellent books. I'll put them on social media this afternoon that you can read that will change your outlook on food.

And listen, you don't have to become a religious nut about your diet. I'm not sitting here saying, hey, cut ice cream out. Right?

Like go have a treat every now and then. Just don't have it every night for a snack because it's going to kill you. Right?

Because it raises all your sugar levels and it's just not good for you. Last week, I shared that Jess and Lisa are launching Revelation Wellness next month.

Ladies, get to the Welcome Hub and sign up. Invite friends over for dinner. Invite yourself to Mike's house. Right?

Because it forces us to cook. Right? And then we live. First Thessalonians 5 11. Encourage each other and build each other up just as you are already doing. Amen.

Will you stand with me this morning? Now, listen, before we before we leave, before we get out of here, I was praying about how to end this talk. Right?

And I am in no way, listen, friends, I am in no way condemning you saying you're a bad person. I'm not judging you.

I'm encouraging you to live what? An abundant life. And that happens by what we put in our bodies.

We live in abundance when we choose to live well and eat right. It's God's best for you. So is it OK if I just pray for you? Can I pray for you?

So Holy Spirit, come. God, just change our outlook on food and how we eat. Change our outlook on overall health.

God, may we be a people that is an example of you to others. That we desire to live right, live whole and live healthy.

God, give us wisdom in our food choices. Give us wisdom in what we are putting into our bodies in Jesus' name and together we said.

Amen.