Holiness, the Holy Spirit, and James Coney Island
by Curtis Jones
Last night I swore off fast food. I’ve been having some stomach pains and a few days ago I ran out of Zantac. It’s not the first time. A few years ago I noticed I was starting to develop sharp pains in my stomach. Since I’m a male, I didn’t do anything about it. One day I was on the way to eat lunch with a friend and the pain was so unbearable I made him turn around and take me to the doctor. The problem was, since I am a male, I didn’t even have a doctor. So I looked one up in the yellow pages. I arrived at the doctor’s office, told him the situation, and waited as he ran some tests. He was perplexed, so he told me about Zantac (praise God), and scheduled me for an ultrasound the next morning. I was a little embarrassed to be having an ultrasound since the only people I knew who received ultrasounds were pregnant women. I was confident I wasn’t pregnant. In high school my youth pastor told us that if we filled out a True Love Waits card we didn’t have to worry about getting pregnant. It turned out he was right.
When I showed up for my appointment, I was escorted into a small dark room and asked to slip into one of those paper gowns. Then they made me wait as if it were some twisted joke among the staff. “The guy in room 1b is wearing the paper gown! How long should we make him wait?” Eventually, a woman came in and told me to lie down on the table. She took a wand and rubbed it around my stomach. I tried to peek at the screen, at which time she informed me that I wasn’t allowed to see it and then moved it out of view. While she did veil the screen from my eyes, she failed to veil her amusement at the state of my stomach. I’ll spare you the diagnosis, but suffice it to say that I needed to cut out soda and French fries.
Last night my gastrointestinal misery led me to proclaim to Amanda that I was done with any food you can get through a window. She seemed unmoved by my new commitment, probably because it is not the first time she has heard it. No doubt she knew I couldn’t, wouldn’t follow through. Turns out, she was right. Only thirteen short hours after my resolute decree I found myself in the drive-thru of James Coney Island (home of the best chili dog in Houston). They have the freshest buns, the juiciest hot dogs, and cheese that comes out of a gun. I was bewitched. I couldn’t resist the siren’s call. And I’m weak.
I’m the king of commitments. My specialty is spiritual commitments. I’m going to read through the Bible in one year. I’m going to share my faith every day. I’m going pray with my wife every night. You name the commitment and I guarantee I have made it. And broken it. Each time I come with good intentions, a pure heart, and an intense desire to do what is right, but rarely does it work.
Will-powered faith is the worst kind of faith. A relationship with God that is rooted in our ability or strength is doomed to fail for two reasons. First, a will-powered faith will result in self-loathing. We make commitments, try our hardest, give it our all, and fail. So we try again…and fail. And the only person we have to blame is ourselves. Some of us suffer from a spiritual depression because we have lived in a cycle between trying and failing for so long. Second, if our will-powered faith doesn’t end in self-loathing it is because it ended in self-righteousness. We make commitments, try our hardest, and we succeed. We congratulate ourselves on a job well done. Then we look around and notice that other people are not experiencing the same success we are. Why don’t they try as hard as me? Maybe they are just not as godly. Self-loathing or self-righteousness—God hates both.
That’s why he sent us a Helper. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you (John 14:16-17, ESV). Jesus said it was to our advantage that He went away so He could send the Holy Spirit (John 16:7) to rescue us from the inevitable cycle of human strength-centered living. He will give us the help that we cannot give ourselves. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21, ESV). The Holy Spirit’s power at work within you, the same power that raised Christ from the dead (Romans 8:11), is able to do for you supernaturally what you could not do naturally: live for Jesus and resist fast food.
Tags: Curtis
You have no idea how dramatically I’ve been having to live this out! As of April 1, (no joke!), I have had to cut out all wheat, corn, peanuts and sugar, including animals (meats) that have been fed these things. I am VERY hungry. 🙂
I have had a skin condition since birth that has recently spiraled out of control and has (literally) taken over my life. As there is no cure, apart from the power of God, for the skin condition, there is a lot of thinking/experience of some that it *can* be managed to a degree with diet.
As I have all-my-life disliked nearly all fruits & vegetables, it’s been an interesting 12 days (yes, I’m counting). 🙂 Starting to do this, I knew from the get-go that the ONLY way it **could** be done and stick to it was by the Holy Spirit’s fruit of self-control! I guarantee that Deborah couldn’t do it *at*all*!!!
To the praise of God’s grace and by His power, I have not knowingly broken my commitment to do so and even managed yesterday to NOT take a second sip of *delicious* sweet tea that someone got for me, having ordered UNsweetened tea, but being given the wrong order. There is no way that Deborah-on-her own could have resisted! 🙂
I will be glad to pray for you ask you seek to honor God & take care of your body with your eating choices as I trust Him and work hard to do the same with my own!
~Deborah 🙂
AMEN!! What a great reminder! Thanks so much for those good words…keep ’em coming!
So timely…I need to plaster that verse to my forehead!
Thanks for sharing!
Love, Sarah
Thank you!!! I really needed that reminder. You see two years aso I lost 80 pounds to the glory of God! It is not an easy thing to do but I finally realized it is only through Jesus that I could do it. It’s a great reminder that when we are weak He is strong. I am so thankful for a helper. Our God is soooooo Good!
Welcome, Curt. My husband wanted me to say a special “howdy” from him. As a fan of Beth’s studies, he nearly jumped out of his chair in excitement when I told him you had come on board. He may even check out the blog now. Thank you for sharing your gift with us.
You can’t know how timely this post is! Thank you.
thanks, this afternoon I gave up on self-control and just gave in to food. God used this to remind me it wasn’t to be me controling my self anyway but letting him do it in me. I’ve been carrying Romans 5:10 in my pocket since Easter wanting to be “…saved (daily delivered from sin’s dominion) through his [resurrection] life.” (Amplified) and not quite feeling it. I’ll recommit and ask him to do it in me by his control. Thank you
I give that one another AMEN. I so needed to hear that message.
Stacy
I’ll bullet point for the sake of being brief:
1. Glad to know you’re not pregnant. Saw the Church of Oprah have a show about a pregnant man! Turned it off and got in my Word!
2. In the name of Him who joins us all together, Welcome!
3. As soon as you do a men’s Bible Study, my husband will be in line to buy it. He loves to hear Beth teach, but her work books are a little “girlie” (his word) for him.
4. And yes, I’m overweight and had the same stomach pain yesterday after I ate the “2 Hot Dog Combo” at Snoopy’s in Raleigh. Yes, I’ve been relying on my own willpower to get everything done.
5. I’m on my way to my face-down position to repent!
Thanks for a powerful word.
Kim in Apex, NC
Thank you for the Word Curtis! Looking forward to more posts from you! My husband and I both struggle with food issues, so we can relate! To be honest we struggle with a lot of “control” issues.
Praying for you and everyone at LPM!
Kristi B.
Thank you, Curt, for speaking the truth (and for being so willing to join us as a miesta – not ever man has your courage!). This was what I needed to hear today – it was a little painful, but, WOW, did it ring true. Welcome to the LPM family!
Wow Curtis! Exactly what I need to hear today!! I just told my husband last night that I’m so frustrated with saying (and meaning) that I am going to do things…and then forgetting all about it 5 minutes later!
Thank you
love,
lisa in RL, IL
Nice to hear some testosterone every now and then. I enjoyed your teaching that is posted on the LPM website too. By the way… hear of prilosec? Its an over the counter acid helper that beats zantac out of the water! Does not help the waistline or the cholesterol unfortunately!
sandy
YOU GO, CURTIS!!!
As a smoker, I have failed and failed every me-inspired act of faith. There is nothing harder then being caught in the cycle. I’ve done “Breaking Free” and failed there too. But there are so many more areas of my life that I am freed from, because of Him. Thank you for reminding me, that He who is with in me, is greater…even then my strong will. To Him be the glory, now and forever.
I know He is not done with me yet on this, just not so sure how to get from me to Him on this. I have no doubt He will direct my steps, I guess it is a lot like your chili dogs…
Mair
Curtis, welcome to the blog! Beth, I heard San Diego was AMAZING!! I am sad sad I had to miss it (I got sick) but a friend was able to use my ticket. Thank you for loving on my ladies! They have faithfully called me with updates, and also made sure to tell me that you were just bee-yoo-tiful. 🙂 Thank you for your ministry.
Hugs and hugs,
~Sara
A-MENNNNNN Miesta Curt!!!!!
I am right there with you. I don’t think that Paul had to deal with the temptation of Burger King, Wendy’s, and McDonalds when he wrote Romans 12:1-2! And yet God knew we would need those verses for our time! This is the big thing that I constantly struggle with–self control in eating. I too eat the wrong things and pay for it later. I cry out to God regularly to help me change my ways! Thanks for the post. It is refreshing to hear a man’s perspective and how nice that its not too far from my own.
Blessings to you and yours.
Siesta in Fl.
Curtis, thank you for sharing this word…it was a blessing to me…I needed to hear it. I have been at both places in my own life…filled with self-loathing and self-righteousness. I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead me and that I will seek to do everything by His great power.
“Will-powered faith”–great term to chew on. Faith is an act of the will to choose to believe, isn’t it? Yet it is the Holy Spirit who empowers–‘His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness”–you are so right, it is so easy to take our journey into our own hands—words of wisdom here..thank you so much–
From a self-loather learning that it is His strength, not mine…
[By the way, you are proof that when a godly woman prays for the spouses for her children, He answers big-time!..What a perfect addition to this ministry.]
This is totally off the subject, but I don’t care!!! I attended a local Autism Walk today to raise monies and awareness of this devastating problem. I took my camera and had a blast taking pictures!! In a 4 1/2 hour time span, I managed to get about 250 pictures and had so much fun doing it. I just love Rich (no, I don’t know Rich, but do love his gift of photography) and his gift and commitment to taking pictures of Beth Moore events.
Thank you so much Rich! I thought of you today and had more fun than ever!!
Janet
Thanks for that Curtis. That is exactly what I needed to hear. I have battled with weight issues all of my adult life. I have been doing it on my strength which is NONE! And not relying on GOD’S strength. I’ve got to do this for myself(God’s temple) and for my family. I was just about to give up again when I read your post. Please be in prayer for me as I battle this on a minute by minute basis. GOD IS MY STRENGTH!!!!!!
Jill in Clinton, Mississippi
Curtis, I listened to your sermon on “Worship” from LPM home page and I just want to tell you, WELL DONE!!! That was awesome. I told all the women in my ladies group about it. I could hear you passion for Christ. I can’t wait to hear more from you. Praise God! HE is doing mighty things through LPM, glad to have you aboard. Please know that you are being prayed for.
I know this isn’t where I should put this but I wanted Beth to know she wasn’t the only Texan at the San Deigo conference. I am a Texan transplant. Beth was right on on so many things this weekend. Thank You, Thank You,
Please come back and soon.
Roma
Welcome Mr. Jones! Awesome word!
C-
I know what you mean – I’m so “down” (self-loathing) about not being able to be consistent in certain areas that I’m almost “committment shy”.
You gave God’s Word in your post. Now, how are you going to APPLY the TRUTH to your area of defeat? *** Will you please SHARE as you, with God, begin to overcome that area?
I need encouragement & help and certain I’m not the only one.
By the way, glad to have you on board!
Bring it! Thanks for making me laugh and think on God’s word! My husband loves this ministry, and the Bible studies, and I told him to check out the new addition to the site….he’s deployed in Iraq, so this will be a great connection for us!
Welcome, Curtis. It’s good to hear from a brother! A big AMEN to everything you said!!!
Kelli
Do you ever read the daily devotional My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers? April 10,11,12 speaks directly to this issue. It’s not the power OF the Holy Spirit. The power IS the Holy Spirit. God Himself! Amazing!!
That was awesome Curtis! Just what I needed to hear! Keep it coming. I see those two traits in myself usually when I begin to look around me and see what others are doing. How pitiful of me. Thank you for the reminder that anything we do for the Lord, is only done through the power of the Holy Spirit!
Can’t wait to read more!
I notice most of the posts are about the 2nd 1/2 of the note but in regards to the beginning… “In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan. Check it out.
Spare us the details?! Why the cruelty, Crampy Curtis? It was just getting good! It’s something really gross, isn’t it?
Sweet Melana, yours is the post prompting me to comment. As the poster child for ADHD, I have often had big, new ideas all in a genuine effort to declare my commitment to God. A whirl wind (I was recently corrected of saying world wind…) of confusion comes in deciphering whether or not it’s coming from me or the Holy Spirit. Left disheartened and exhausted, I am then reminded of the one who would prefer me to live in a cloud of confusion, while my faith weakens. I’ve found it so useful to recognize the enemy and his tactics–anything to keep us ineffective. But, Psalms 37:23 says “The steps of a man are established by the lord…” So, I just keep steppin’. I pray BOLDLY for precise direction and divine intervention (for when I’m particularly distractable), and I just keep steppin’. I’m sorry, I usually can’t stand it when random people offer insight or advice. I just found myself so touched by your authenticity. You mentioned that you love Jesus. How precious it is that we can all connect on that level. Love Jesus, and just keep steppin’. You’ll certainly be in my prayers.
Siesta Sam*
Is it wrong that your post makes me want to jump a plane to Houston and discover the beauty of James Coney Island, and the cheese out of a can?
I think maybe it is.
Welcome!
Ummm….I had Cinnamon Rolls this morning….but I have given up Cokes! Not Chocolate though!
OK, I just got home from LPL San Diego, and it seems that God may be trying to get my attention on the Self-Loathing/Self-righteousness thing! How awesome is God to keep hounding me! Thank you Curtis for sharing what God is doing in your life, Thank you Beth for sharing what God wants to do in mine!
Love you guys!! Praise you Jesus!!
A very timely message for me, as well. I’ve noticed that the positive changes that have been made in my faith walk have taken time. After reading your comments I realize that those changes have come about by a slow yielding to the Holy Spirit. (I just completed Beth’s study on the Fruits of the Spirit). Praise God I don’t have to do this on my own!!!!
Amanda and Curtis~ so proud of you for proclaiming this. Just keep doing it. To encourage you my family has not eaten at McDonalds in over 2 years. Landon hates it because the holy spirit had him throw up on his first hamburger at age 3 although we have fallen with the local SONIC. If you want your flesh to give it up, The Makers Diet is a must read and watch Fast Food Nation. But I want to warn you, you may never touch fast food again.
~Hugs from Dallas~
The Granniss Fam
Amen, brother! Mary Anne in Colorado Springs
Hey Curtis!
Welcome aboard..we are excited to have you and thrilled to see your first post to us! 🙂 My “drug of choice” is Pepcid (a close friend to Zantac) and after all that fried shrimp I ate tonight, the Pepcid was calling my name!
One sentence you said stopped me dead in my tracks. You said “some of us suffer from a spiritual depression because we have lived in a cycle between trying and failing for so long.” Unfortunately this describes me exactly. I needed to hear your post tonight. Thank you.
Blessings~
Missy
oh man – that was just the Word i was to receive and I did!! thank you!!! thank you for bringing it to a bunch of girls that just love to get a WOrd – however we can!! Hungry for Hiim!! thank you our new friend!! welcome home! Leigh
Ahhh, Curtis. I’m immediately swept away to Romans 7. I wish I had a nickel for every time I wanted to do the right thing and failed.
And on a lighter note, I’m thinking Travis C. must be so happy to have a fellow Miesta.
Welcome! 😉
Lisa
I LOVE IT! So true! Well said!
That was AWESOME!
Emmy : )
Curt- This could not have been more timely. I have a 16 year old who has struggled with a problem that he just can’t seem to have victory in. He has a keen conscience therefore when he fails, he does the self loathing thing. Which is exactly what Satan wants so he will become paralzyed and ineffective. I am letting him read what you have written as encouragement. Thanks so much.
Wow! Thank you for sharing!
Perfect timing Curt….I also have been having some recurring stomach problems and love ZANTAC!! Praise God for it. However, like your teaching said…the Holy Spirit must be our ultimate helper, not Zantac. Thank You for reminding me as I get my eating habits under control. Could be the reason I have been struggling is because I AM trying to do it on my own, knowing full well that never works.
Thank You again and have a Blessed Sunday!
Blessings & Prayers to all
Georgia in MI
Well done, Curt, and AMEN!!!
Anne in MO
This is perfect. Our bible study group just finished “Classic Christianity” by Bob George. This is the essence of the entire book. We get so burned out because we try to be good Christians on our on strength. But is only by abiding in the vine that we are renewed with God’s strength. I will share this with my bible study group. Well said, Curtis!
Welcome, Curt! Wait to hit me square between the eyes your first time out.
Keep ’em coming.
Curtis,
Great job on the blog! I can see already that you are going to be a wonderful asset to the Living Proof ministry team. Great writing – entertaining, poignant, and relevant. Your heart for the Lord shines through.
God bless you!
Curtis,
Great job on the blog! I can see already that you are going to be a wonderful asset to the Living Proof ministry team. Great writing – entertaining while poignant and relevant. You “connect”, brother, and your heart for the Lord shines through.
God bless you!