Appetites

A very good friend of ours, Paul Klahr, regularly sends us emails of encouragement. This one just needs to be read by more people. So I'm sharing. (Thanks, Paul.)


Over indulgence in any appetite is not liberty, it is slavery.

An overactive appetite in any area produces an insensitive person.

“Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial.
“Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by
anything. [I Cor. 6:12]

The nature of a creature determines its appetite. It is the nature
of sheep to desire the pasture and not the garbage dump. Nature also
determines behavior. An eagle flies because it has an eagle’s nature
and a dolphin swims because that is the nature of the dolphin.

If nature determines appetite, and we have God’s nature within, then
we should have an appetite for that which is pure and holy and our
behavior should be Christ like. The paths of a righteous man are
ordered of the Lord.

I Peter 2:2 speaks of our need of an appetite for God’s Word. It
should be like newborn babies desiring milk. The Greek words suggest
the voracious, hungry impatience of a baby at its mealtime.

Appetites are not limited to physical edible substances. Have you
ever heard someone say, “Feast your eyes on this?” Our habits and
sights need to be regulated by the direction of the Holy Spirit. The
question we must ask ourselves is, “Would I be willing to entertain
Jesus while doing this?”

Over indulgence in any appetite is not liberty, it is slavery.

Covetousness may seem out of place next to fornication, but the two
sins are but different expressions of the same basic weakness of fallen
nature, uncontrolled appetite. The fornicator and the covetous person
each desire to satisfy their appetite by taking what is not theirs. The
lust (appetite) of the flesh and the lust (appetite) of the eyes would
describe these two sins. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives
birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

If I recognize my body as the temple of the Holy Ghost, my life
should be directed by the Holy Spirit and centered on Christ. My
appetite for God’s word develops spiritual nutrition, which will make
Christ’s likeness visible in me.