The Expulsive Power of a New Affection

Before I became a Christian, my career goal was to study medicine and become a doctor. On my college campus, I would go to the pre-med department on the third floor of the Science Building to read through the medical school pamphlets (these were the days before the internet). I was always reading books about medical schools and medical school students. I participated in a medical school summer program for prospective students at the University of Virginia Medical School. I savored every moment of it as we visited the different units in the hospitals and sat in lecture halls listening to the latest medical topics.

Medicine was my passion, my first love (career-wise). Until…the expulsive power of a new affection entered my life. At the end of my college career, I became a new creature in Jesus Christ. A brand new world opened up to me and I was seduced. I fell in love with Jesus Christ and His Word. My heart’s desire now is to pursue Him and learn and serve Him for the rest of my days. I have moved across the country to study His Word. I no longer have the desire to study medicine. There is a sense of a lost love for medicine, but my new love in Christ has my heart completely.

Thomas Chalmers in The Expulsive Power of a New Affection could have written this sermon in the 21st century. He powerfully illustrates the differences between loving the world and loving God. His concern was for the Christians in the church to replace their love for the world with love for God. The thesis of this sermon is the heart of man holds on to one love until another love that is stronger than the first comes along. There are several principles Chalmers lays out in this sermon. He describes two ways for a person to stop loving the world: 1. by observing the vanity in the world or 2. by displacing the love of the world with a new love, God to be exact. Ultimately he shows that the only sufficient replacement is the love of God in the Gospel.

Thomas Chalmers teaches that it is futile or even dangerous to take away an old affection without replacing it with a new one. It just won’t work. A new desire must replace the old one. Chalmers says, “...the most effectual way of withdrawing the mind from one object, is not by turning it away upon desolate and unpeopled vacancy-but by presenting to its regards another object still more alluring.” Pointing out the world’s flaws is not enough to dislodge worldly affections from the human heart. The heart is not left without something to hold on to. There is always an object of its affection in place.

Chalmers points out that overindulgence in gratifications and enjoyments can bring on weariness. Solomon spoke of this in the Old Testament when he came to the conclusion that the pursuit of worldly things is vanity. I can see this in America in terms of gluttony. Americans have an abundance of food. We have not only abundance, but a variety of foods to choose. We have indulged so much in this area of sin, that we are physically debilitated or dying from abusing our bodies. With all the weight loss solutions and exercise programs, we have become weary of our overindulgence in our affection toward food.

Man can only find usefulness in a loving relationship with God. Chalmers states, “The love of God and the love of the world, are two affections, not merely in a state of rivalship, but in a state of enmity - and that so irreconcilable, that they cannot dwell together in the same bosom.” Chalmers is so on target with this statement. Our hearts can not love the world and love God. But there are so many Christians deceived into thinking that this is possible. We are worshippers by nature. Our hearts can not be devoted to more than one thing at a time.

The believer has but one hope; as Thomas Chalmers says, “...to live without hope, is to live without God. The Gospel is our greatest and only hope in breaking from the world’s chains. The Gospel of Jesus Christ in more powerful and appealing than anything the world has to offer to those who are the elect. At the end of his sermon, Chalmers appeals to his audience to find access to their hearts for the love of God who is greater than the world.

HELP! I'M A SLAVE TO FOOD

Do you describe yourself as a food addict?

Do you feel that the Chocolate Chip Cookie has power over you?

If you do, then read this little booklet to help you break free from that prison!


I have written this booklet for two compelling reasons.

FIRST, my interest in this topic is very personal. There have been times in my life when I was a slave to food. You could say that food was my drug of choice. It consumed my life. I tried to use food as a balm for unwanted emotions. I used food to distract me from undesirable responsibilities. It brought a false sense of pleasure and satisfaction, only to end in confusion and betrayal.

Today, by God’s empowering grace, I am walking victoriously in the words of Jesus that “life is more than food” (Luke 12:23) and “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). I realized that food was not a magic pill to make all of my problems go away. I finally turned to Jesus for real this time. I surrendered my sinful motives to Him. Then and only then was I able to experience John 8:32, “and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."


SECOND, I’m concerned about the effectiveness of the Christian church. Excessive overeating, which is called gluttony in the Bible, can no longer be considered a subtle, respectable, and silent sin. It is hindering the spiritual growth and effectiveness of many Christians. In the Bible, excessive eating and drinking are often associated with each other. Proverbs 23:21 and Deuteronomy 21:20 put overeating in the same category as drunkenness.

Elyse Fitzpatrick says, “Think about it as the difference between having a glass of wine with dinner and getting drunk. Gluttony is similar to getting drunk on food.” If practicing alcoholics were attending your church, would you not have the compassion to reach out to them and help them? The same thing goes for church members who are in bondage to overeating.
This little booklet isn’t the latest diet plan for losing weight. It is a compass to point you in the direction of getting to the heart of your overeating and to lead you to the only way of escape, which is through Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can truly bring you out of slavery and into true freedom.

Women Discipling Women Conference 2010

Thanks to all of the ladies who came out for my seminar titled, "Room Service: Exposing the Sin of Overeating!" at the Women Discipling Women Conference today.


Thanks for all of your kind faces. It was my first presentation ever and first time using powerpoint!


I appreciate your patience as I went through a lengthy outline. I know I gave you alot of information in a short amount of time. Please feel free to contact me for more information about this topic.


Here are some references for your own personal study:


1. Setting Captives Free

Setting Captives Free exists to offer Christ-centered Hope and Freedom to those in the grip of sin through accountablity to Bible-based Truth resulting in the true enjoyment of Life in and for the Glory of God.


The Lord's Table is a FREE 60-Day in interactive course that will teach you to enjoy a newfound relationship with the Lord and how to find freedom from bad eating habits.


http://www.settingcaptivesfree.com/


2. Uncommon Vessels: A Program for Developing Godly Eating Habits by Elyse Fitzpatrick

Uncommon Vessels is a comprehensive program developed to deal with the issues at the heart of undisciplined eating habits. With the Bible as a guide Elyse Fitzpatrick has created a program that can be used with ease in your church to help women grow in the following areas:

*Discovering God's perspective on food, eating and dietiing
*Determining God's goals for the development of godly eating habits
*Describing the Bible's plan for disciplined eating
*Detecting habitual thoughts and habits that thwart growth in discipline
*Developing a stronger fellowship and prayer among participants

3. First Place 4 Health

The First Place 4 Health is a reliable, proven method of weight loss and healthy living. It is a biblical approach to weight losss and overall health management, which puts Christ first and improves every area of a person's life. This Christ-centered, balanced weight-loss and healthy living program has guided hundreds of thousands of people to a healthy lifestyle and a closer walk with the Lord.

http://www.firstplace4health.com/

4. God's Answer To Overeating: A Study of Scriptural Attitudes by Ann Thomas Betea

5. Overcoming Overeating: It's Not What You Eat, It's What's Eating You! by Lisa Morrone, PT




Matthew 22:37 And He said to him, "You Should Love The Lord Your God With All Your Heart, And With All Your Soul, And With All Your Mind."