Well, good morning, everyone. We are taking one lesson today to go back into the book of Proverbs. This is kind of a transition period between completing the book study that we had been going through in the adult class and before we start the next book. So the pastors asked me if I might teach a Sunday school class on Proverbs. So I was thinking about You know, we've looked at a number of different themes from Proverbs, and what might we think about today? What have I not talked about from Proverbs? And seeing it was the beginning of the year, and many of us who make resolutions might think about, oh, I need to make a resolution about eating, or maybe drinking, or whatever it might be. So I thought perhaps we could take a look at the Proverbs and see, what does the Proverbs have to say to us regarding controlling our appetite? Not something that we typically talk about. The wise controls his appetite. So as we look at this, we're going to first seek to understand what are the consequences of a lack of control of our appetite. Then the need for self-control. Then some practical cautions, which I hope will be helpful for all of us in terms of helping us to control our appetites. And then finally, some closing comments. Getting into it, understanding the consequences. I think some of us might remember when I was going through Proverbs before, we looked at the prudent man. And we see here in Proverbs chapter 14, it says, the wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving. Every day we got to make decisions, right? What should I eat? What should I drink? What time should I get up? Should I drive on the ice today or not? And as we go and make those decisions, if we are wise and if we are prudent, it's important for us to understand that there are consequences for the decisions we make. It's going to lead us along a pathway. Here we see, as we make a decision, we may go along one pathway of the wise or another pathway of folly. And as we go down those pathways, ultimately it will lead us to consequences. Some of you might remember when we first began our talk about Proverbs. In Proverbs chapter 9, we saw that there were two ways, a way of wisdom and a way of folly. And with each of these ways, we get a call coming to us. There's wisdom's call that says, whoever is simple, let him turn in here. To him who lacks sense, she says, come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and live and walk in the way of insight. But at the same time we hear that call of wisdom, there's also a competing call. It's the call of folly. Folly is calling to us, whoever is simple, let him turn in here. And to him who lacks sense, she says, stolen water is sweet. Bread eaten in the secret is pleasant. But he does not know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of Sheol. Both wisdom and folly are earnest in their calls. Both of them are offering a feast, a feast of food, a feast of drink for enjoyment. However, it's important for the prudent man, the wise man, to discern that there is a difference. There's a difference between these two paths. Wisdom's offer leads to truth and life. But however, folly, folly's offer is deceitful. It's deceptive. It brings only temporary pleasure and enjoyment and can lead to death. So we have these competing calls as we're trying to make these decisions. So what do we do? How do we make a decision? How do we discern our path? Well, the Proverbs tells us in everything, in everything, the prudent acts with knowledge. So it's important for us to understand that as we seek to make decisions, we need to act with knowledge. Okay, knowledge. Well, what is the source of knowledge? Proverbs tells us, does it not that the starting point for knowledge is the fear of the Lord? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. So that's where we need to keep our minds focused on. Focus on the fear of the Lord and understand that as we seek to honor God and worship God, realizing that he is a God who is truth. He's the one we need to go to to understand knowledge and we need to also then obey him and submit our wills to him. In Ecclesiastes, Solomon the preacher concluded Ecclesiastes by writing these words, the end of the matter all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man. We must fear God and keep his commandments. Commandments found in his word. So as we're making decisions, we need to look to God's word to help us find knowledge to make decisions. Now certainly that doesn't mean we can't get knowledge from other sources. Sources such as education, our experience, counsel, examples of others. But whenever we look at these other sources of knowledge, we must be careful to always make sure that we consider them and compare them to God's word and the truth revealed in God's word. And we must only listen to and follow those sources of knowledge that are consistent with God's word. So that's just a little of a review. So now, okay, taking all that into consideration, what do we do with regard to appetite? Well, we look at God's Word. What does God's Word say? Proverbs says, my son, eat honey, for it is good, and the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. So as we think about eating food, we need to think about what are the consequences of eating food. Here we see that the proper use of food can lead to enjoyment. It is good. Food is good for us. It's sweet to our taste. It's something that we can enjoy. Honey is a gift from God. He's the creator of all things. He's given us all types of food for our bodily needs and enjoyment. You might recall in 1 Samuel chapter 14, remember when Jonathan was fighting with the Philistines, and they were told by Saul not to eat all day. But Solomon hadn't, excuse me, Jonathan had not heard that commandment, and so when he was passing through the forest, he saw a little bit of honey. He dipped his spear in it, he put it to his mouth, and what was the result? He tasted it, it revived him. His eyes became bright. The little taste of honey revived him and helped him to continue his fight. But the people that did not eat, they fainted for lack of food. So this is kind of obvious, I think, but the consequences of eating. It's good for us. We need to eat. It's for our good, for our health. There's health benefits. But as I was thinking about this, it doesn't say, and I realize broccoli is not something common at that time, but it doesn't say eat vegetables for it is good, right? Eat broccoli for it is good. It said eat honey. I mean, I don't think of honey as something that is really that healthy. Now, I know some people will explain the many benefits of honey, right? But it's not something I normally will think of as something that is my go-to food for being healthy, right? But yet, we're not told to avoid it, right? God has given it to us to enjoy. It's sweet. We can enjoy that. So there are certain foods, even honey, it's good for us. It's gifts from God for us to be enjoyed. So, positive consequences of eating food. But beware, there are also negative consequences. A similar proverb. Proverb chapter 25, verse 16 says, if you have found honey, hear a caution, eat only enough, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it. It's quite a striking statement. Consequences of eating honey could be that we vomited up. I think it reminds, you know, too much of any good thing can be a problem for us, right? It can lead to problems. So if we overeat and we eat to excess, we are filled and then we just keep going, it can lead to physical or health problems. In this case, it says vomiting it up. So there are negative consequences to eating foods. We have to be careful there. Some people routinely eat to excess. Right? Taking more food than they need. And that can lead to obesity, other health problems. It can be a problem for people. Even in some cases, some people have to be very careful about the foods they eat. It's not necessarily eating to excess, but being careful. This type of food will cause me a problem. I might have diabetes, and so therefore I have to really control the amount of sugar or carbohydrates I take in. Or maybe we have food allergies, and I can't even eat a little of it. So I think we need to be aware to discern the consequences of eating food. Remember, there are positive consequences. It's a gift of God. Right? It's good for us. It's to be enjoyed. But we also need to be careful there are potential negative consequences that we might experience, either from eating to excess or eating certain types of foods. So. controlling our appetite, and understanding the consequences of eating food. Now, what about drinking wine or alcohol? Here's a topic or a question that I think some Christians will struggle with. Should I drink wine? Is it right to drink wine? Should I drink alcohol or not? Well, I think we need to look to God's word as our guide when we're making these decisions. We must acknowledge that, as we see here, there are verses that instruct us that there are legitimate uses of wine and alcohol. Here we read this in Proverbs 31, verses six and seven. It says, give strong wine to the one who is perishing. I'm sorry, give strong drink to the one who is perishing and wine to those in bitter distress. Let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. You know, I was thinking about this. This is not necessarily a situation where it's just routine, every day, all the time, saying to you, give strong drink to a person. But it's given to a person that is struggling with perhaps a very severe trial or difficulty or health issue. They're in bitter distress. They're perishing. And the result of giving them strong drink or wine is what? It's helpful for them. It can be helpful to help them to reduce or relieve their suffering or misery. Here we see there can be a positive, helpful effect of wine. Did not Paul even tell Timothy, take a little wine for thy stomach's sake and frequent ailments? So perhaps that was to relieve stress, perhaps anxiety or worry or some other health issue. But there wasn't a strict prohibition on drinking wine. Also in God's word, so there are certain times where it's useful, it has a health benefit, it has a benefit. But also just like with food, where food has a health benefit, but there's also food that we just enjoy. Wine is given to us to enjoy. In Psalm 104, verses 14 and 15, it says, you, speaking of God, God is the one. He causes the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for a man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth and wine. Wine to do what? To gladden the heart of man. Oil to make his face shine and bread to strengthen man's heart. God is the creator. He's the one who has created all things. The plants that grow. The olives, I guess, used for making wine. He's created those things for man to use, and God has given this to man, it says, for our enjoyment. I think it is clear here that it's the glad heart. Now, this is a tough thing to struggle with, I think, but look, even in the New Testament, we know Jesus turned water to wine at the wedding. It wasn't for health reasons. It's for them to enjoy. So I think that we have to look at God's word and see that when we are considering the question of whether to drink wine or alcoholic beverages or not, I think that God's word clearly tells us there is a proper use for wine and alcoholic beverages. It can lead to the relief of suffering, misery, and certain types of health issues. But also, its proper use, and I want to qualify, its proper use can also lead to enjoyment. that gladdens the heart. Now having said that, I want to remind us that there are the negative consequences of drinking wine and alcohol. And we cannot forget that as we're considering this question as to whether we should drink wine or not. Proverbs chapter 23 verses 29 through 35 is very, very vivid in its picture of someone who is drinking wine to excess. Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who tarry long over wine. Those who go to try mixed wine. Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. In the end, it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. You will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast. They struck me, you will say, but I was not hurt. They beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake? I must have another drink." Well, here we read of many of the negative consequences of drinking wine to excess. It begins with woe and sorrow. Many who have drunken wine to excess will feel and experience the shame and regret of actions that they did when they were under the influence of wine to the point where they might not have been in control of themselves. They may have said foolish things or done stupid things when they have drunk too much. We also see here strife and complaining. How often when people start to drink too much, they start to get into these arguments and quarrels over things that are just ridiculous and nonsense. And sometimes they're not thinking clearly, and they misunderstand what is being spoken. And then suddenly, they start to get offended, and they become unruly and disruptive. And it can lead to even trouble with family and friends, and co-workers, employers, and others. Another negative consequence is the wounds, redness of eyes. Drinking to excess can lead to a lack of judgment, a lack of actually a willingness to expose yourself to danger, dangers that could result in wounds, injuries, physical and health issues. So we need to be aware, as we're balancing this question as to drinking wine or alcohol, understand that there are severe negative consequences of drinking wine and alcohol to excess. Those who tarry long over the wine, beware. Beware of the consequences. They bite like a serpent, and they stink like an adder. So that's some of the consequences of drinking wine and alcohol, but then we look at, So this is, those could be someone who occasionally overeats, somebody who occasionally overdrinks, but there is some who have a lifestyle, a lifestyle that's characterized by going down the pathway of eating and drinking to excess. And here the proverb says, the father says to his son, be wise, be wise. and direct your heart in the way. So there's a way to go, a lifestyle, a pathway to follow. And he says, be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat. Why? For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty and slumber will clothe them with rags. This is a specific warning of the negative consequences for those who have a lifestyle, a lifestyle characterized by eating and drinking to excess. Here they're called drunkards, gluttons. They routinely, on an ongoing basis, all the time, they're found eating to excess, drinking to excess. This isn't just the occasional time. This is someone who has a lifestyle like this. And for those who are in this type of lifestyle, It says here, it's going to lead to poverty. That's the consequence. The consequence is it's going to lead to poverty. You might say, well, how is that going to lead to poverty? Well, think about, you know, they're drinking alcohol. They start to drink maybe expensive wines, but they're spending their money on wine and alcohol that they shouldn't be spending, or gluttons. They're just eating and eating to excess and buying all kinds of food to excess. And they're spending their money on excessive amounts of food or drink. But also we can find that they're wasting their time. Right? What are they doing? Instead of working, instead of studying, instead of doing something fruitful and profitable, they're over there eating. Eating away. I gotta have another whatever. Right? Or drinking. Drinking and I have to admit, you know, if I've eaten too much, what happens? I'm looking for the sofa. Right? I get kind of sluggish. I'm not really, like, real active after I've eaten a lot. I don't know, maybe. I'm the only one. Right? So, you can end up getting drowsy, sleeping too much, and here, even falling asleep. I mean, think about it. The person that drinks too much, they can drink themselves to the point they pass out, fall asleep. All of which lead to poverty and rags. So a warning to the drunkard and the glutton. There are negative consequences to this lifestyle. It's a pathway that leads you to poverty and rags. So those are the consequences. Well, what do we do then? Well, there is a need, I think, that we see clearly, a need for self-control. Proverbs chapter 23 verses, this is Proverbs chapter, I've got the wrong, quote here, but this is, a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. So here we have a comparison between a man that does not have self-control and a city without walls. Think of the ancient times. Cities had what? They had walls around them, right? Why did they have walls around them? It's for their protection, to provide them safety. Because without walls, they were what? Vulnerable to attack. Remember how Jericho was protected by its walls. They were safe inside. But when the walls came down, Israel was easily able to attack them and conquer the city. The need to have walls for a city is compared to the need for man to have self-control. Self-control is a means for us to protect ourselves from temptation and sin. It serves as a wall of protection around our heart. Without self-control, you're like a defenseless city. You're open to attack. You're susceptible to the temptations of your passions and lusts. And as we think about this when it comes to eating and drinking, think without self-control, our hearts just ruled by our senses. Our senses, that smells good, right? Oh, that tastes good. Oh, that looks good to eat. All my senses are just controlling me and I don't have nothing there to prevent me to go on. And we're at greater risk of falling in temptation to eat and drink to excess. We might find ourselves giving over to those temptations. We need to control our appetites. Because once it breaks in, once the walls are down, it can break in and take over our city, take over our heart. And then what's ruling? Our appetite for food and drink. Do you ever think about the fact that one of the big issues with the glutton and the drunkard is that they have made an idol of food, they've made an idol of drinking. Oftentimes, they turn to it for their comfort. They turn to it for a means to forget their problems or to feel better about themselves. It's become an idol. And as an idol, what happens? It controls them. They're no longer in control. They no longer have self-control. The walls are broken down. In Philippians 3, it says, their end is destruction. Their God is their belly. Their belly is the one controlling them, telling them what to do. And the end of that is what? Destruction. Well, hopefully, I hope we see here the need for self-control when it comes to our appetites, right? Well, that sounds fine, right? But then what, how do you do that? How do you practice self-control? Well, I'm hopeful here we have some practical cautions, some things I hope will help each of us as we think about how to control our appetite. First one is we need to set limits. I think if you look in Proverbs chapter 25, it says, remember it says, if you found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you vomit. Eat only enough. We need to set a limit. We need to set a boundary. In Proverbs 23, as it's talking about wine and alcohol, we see down here, do not tarry long over wine. Do not look at it when it is red. We need to set boundaries for ourselves, limits. So think about it. We've got to know where to draw the line. My line may be different than your line, right? I have to know myself. I have to know myself and how much I should eat or drink. A younger person can eat a whole lot more than me. I'm not as active by, you know, I'm not burning as many calories, so I have to be thinking about, I'm going to draw that line, that point of enough is going to be a whole lot less than somebody that's 16 years old and playing some sport and actively going, going, going. set boundaries on how much we eat or how much we drink. I remember when I was younger, somebody said this, I don't even remember where I came up with this or heard this, but I'll just say someone told me this. The most important exercise for a young man or an older man or any man, it's to push away. Push yourself away from the table. It's so easy to just stay there and keep eating, right? But we need to practice self-control and put limits on ourselves and push away from that. Push away from that temptation. Avoid the temptation. Don't look on it. Don't be exposed to that temptation. And we all know there's certain foods, man, they trigger our senses, right? Man, when I eat certain things, man, boom. I'm in dangerous territory. I've got to be careful. And sometimes once you start, it's hard to stop. The old commercial, no one can eat just one, right? Potato chips. I don't know if you, probably I'm too old for all of you to remember that. But there was a commercial. It was proposed. Anyway, so we want to be careful. Set limits. OK, so next. Another one, deny yourself. Here's a proverb that says, when you sit down to eat with a ruler, observe carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you're given to appetite. So if you know you're given to appetite, Whether it means you've got a weakness to eating too much. Maybe you have a weakness to drinking too much. And let's say you're going to be in a setting, in a situation. You know, at work sometimes, I've over my life had to go out and we go out to these group dinners, right? And so there's going to be alcoholic beverages. There's going to be all kinds of foods. And the foods, oh, as you consider the table that's before you, it's not just like your kind of lower levels. I mean, there's some really delicious, beautiful foods, desirable. Oh, it all looks so good. It all smells so good. OK, I'm going to be exposed to this. I need to consider that. I need to observe it. I've got to think about this. Be aware I'm going to be exposed to these temptations. Think beforehand. And as you're thinking about this situation, think about ways in which you should limit yourself. Decide to yourself, well, I need to be careful. I'm going to only take certain foods. I might have to skip certain foods. I need to set a limit. I need to put, you know, I want to reach out and grab that next whatever. For me, pie. I want that next piece of pie. And you know what I need to do? I need, yeah, she laughs, she knows, I need to put a knife through my throat. It's almost like I'm trying to reach for it and then in my mind I've got to be like holding myself back, restrain myself, deny ourselves, take radical action to avoid overeating and overdrinking. We've got to be on increased guard at these times. Guarding our senses. Be ready to stop yourself from going for that second helping. Restrain yourself. Sometimes you just got to look away. Okay, I'm not going to look at that. I'm not going to go to the dessert table. Right? Don't linger there. That smells good. Don't just linger there. You need to take radical actions. Put a knife to your throat. Deny yourself. But I also would say this to some of you that don't struggle with overeating or overdrinking. Keep in mind this. We also should remember others because even if we're not necessarily struggling with our appetites, others might be. And so we need to be sensitive to the challenges that those others are faced with and be willing to deny ourselves. I think of it as though, and I think most of you know my life, I don't drink alcohol because I have an issue with alcohol. Early in our marriage, Jill never ordered a glass of wine. She denied herself. There's nothing wrong with her having a glass of wine at dinner, but she didn't do it for understanding my weakness and not knowing if that would be a temptation for me. And I think we need to be sensitive to our brothers and not cause them to stumble. If you know somebody that's struggling with eating too much, let's say, and they're over at your house, and they say, oh, just have a little taste of that, OK? They really mean just a little taste. Don't give them the super big piece of pie, right? Just give them a little taste, it'll satisfy them, right? Okay, so deny yourselves. Also, another warning, another practical caution, be careful of what you keep. Here it says, be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat. You know, let's be honest. I mean, the companions that we keep contempt us to sin, right? And we need to be careful to avoid those companions who have a lifestyle of eating or drinking to excess. Here, drunkards are gluttons. Don't avoid yourself or be exposed to situations where you will be tempted to eat or drink to excess. I don't go to the bar. Everybody, oh, we're going to go to meet after whatever and go down for a social time. I just don't go to the bar. That's because of my, I don't want to be exposed to that temptation. Don't go to drinking parties. Why does the word pie keep coming up in my notes? Don't go to the pie shop. It was actually, OK, just funny. We were down in South Carolina, and we were going down this road. And there's this wonderful dessert place. And we went in, Jessica and Jill and I. And I mean, Jessica laughed at me. I was like a kid. I'm like, looking at all those pies and desserts. Oh, the temptation. Anyway, but avoid those temptations. Be on guard. And I would also say, beware of overconfidence. Some of us just think, oh, I can handle it, right? Oh, I can handle that. I'm OK. I can handle it. Well, I won't fall into temptation. Well, what does 1 Corinthians tell us? In chapter 10, verse 12, it says, therefore, let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he falls. Be careful. Don't be overconfident. Be careful of the company you keep. They may lead you to increased temptation to eat to excess or drink to excess. And here's just a side point. This proverb came and I thought it was... Helpful for leaders to understand that it's really important in their positions to exercise self-control. In Proverbs chapter 31, it says, I think just simply put is that those who are in authority, leaders must always seek to maintain clear thinking and maintain good judgment. Wine and strong drink can distort their thinking, can distort their judgment, and the consequences could result in error or harm to those who they rule over. Now, this is not a complete prohibition against leaders to drink wine or alcohol, because I think, as we said before in 1 Timothy 3, you know, Timothy says that you can, you know, drink a little wine for thy stomach's sake. I'm sorry, that's not the right verse, but also it talks about that we must exhibit self-control. I'm sorry, that's in 1 Timothy 3 for overseers to exhibit self-control and not a drunkard. So that means not a lifestyle of over-drinking and over-eating. It's not a prohibition, just a caution. Okay, so then, practical cautions. This is, I understand this as well as anybody because I understand the enslaving power of alcohol. We need to be careful of the enslaving power of our appetites, of drinking too much or eating too much. In Proverbs, at the end of that discussion of the one who is drinking too much, after all that he went through and all the craziness that we read about, he wakes up. And what does he say? I think it's shocking. I must have another drink. Did you not just go through all this woe, all this sorrow, all this complaining, all these wounds, and yet you wake up and say, I must have another. There is the potential enslaving power of alcohol. It can be a terrible struggle for some people. Once they start drinking, they keep drinking. They keep drinking until they're drunk. They're not able to stop. One drink leads to another and another and another. Once it starts, it's almost like it takes over. It takes control of them. The person is enslaved. Alcohol has become their master. But I also say, you know, here it talks about alcohol, but in our day, I mean, we can apply this for drugs, illegal drugs. They can have an enslaving power. Even prescription drugs. We know the power of opioids. They overtake. They can enslave a person. So we need to be careful about and be realistic about and understand the enslaving power of alcohol. But also, the same enslavement can happen with food. There are those that cannot control their eating. As I said before, one chip leads to another. One cookie leads to another. One piece of pie leads to another. One of this leads. The food takes over. They can't control their consumption. Their mouth is almost the one. I mean, I got to tell you, I mean, I've eaten, right? I mean, when I'm, I eat, I mean, obviously. So when I'm eating dinner sometimes, and I've finished, you know, I've just eaten something, oh man, that tasted good, right? And my mouth is just saying to me, more, right? It's saying more. My stomach, I need to pause a moment, wait, wait. What is my stomach saying? My stomach is saying no. But there's some people that they can't control that. That no isn't heard. And their mouth just keeps going, and they keep going, and they just keep eating. It's enslaving. In 1 Corinthians 6, we're told in verse 12, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be enslaved by anything. We've already seen it's lawful to eat food. I believe based on God's word, it's lawful at times as legitimate use to drink alcohol, right? It's lawful, but we need to be careful. For some of us, it can take over. It can take control. We lose control. And therefore, even though it's a lawful thing for me to have a glass of wine, I believe, It's lawful for me to maybe eat a certain food. I need to be aware that it has an enslaving power over me. And therefore, because it's not helpful, I will not be enslaved by it. And the best way at times may be to just abstain. Just say no. Because I understand, we understand, that some of these things can lead to sin. Now, listen, I get this. This is a struggle for some people. I went through this in my life. Earlier in my life, I struggled with drinking alcohol. When I was young, I mean, it was, I could not say no, I couldn't stop, it was controlling me. I thought I could do it my way, right? And I would try at times, and I would fail, and I'd fall into it. again and again. And I think there's people that have eating problems like this as well. All the best intentions of the world and in their own strength, they're trying to control it. And honestly, I have to say that ultimately it comes to my only way of controlling it was to go to Christ. He's promised us that we can do all things through him who strengthens us. In Christ, we can find the power to say no. If we're struggling with eating too much or drinking too much, we have hope. We can go to Christ. Pray to him that he would give us the help we need to exercise self-control. He's the one that can break the chains, and they are chains. that hold you down and enslave you to gluttony or drunkenness. But also realize that there's still gonna be times when we fail, and we can be thankful, but there is forgiveness with Christ. 1 John, we remember that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So if we fall, and if we sin, and if we eat too much, or if we drink too much, go to Christ, confess it, ask for his forgiveness. God knows our frame. He knows our weaknesses better than we know him. He loves us, he will forgive us and cleanse us. We need to go to him for forgiveness and then we need to repent because we can have the victory. As a child of God, we can have the victory over these terrible enslaving sins. They no longer have dominion over us. We can have the victory over gluttony and drunkenness. It's no longer our master. Christ is our master. I'll leave you with this final verse. It says, so whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. So as It's the chief end of man to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. So as we can do it even in the most mundane things, as I seek to eat something today or drink something today, do I do that with the mindset, even in something as simple as that, will this bring glory to God? If I'm overeating or overdrinking, I doubt that that's going to bring any glory to the Lord. And we need to keep that in mind. As we make these decisions regarding eating or drinking, ask ourselves if that action will bring glory to God. And if not, we need to deny ourselves and say no. We need to practice self-control. The wise controls his appetite. I hope it's helpful for you. It's helpful for me. Let us pray. Our dear God and Father, we thank you for our Lord and Savior. We thank you that he is the one that has conquered sin, and he is the one that we can come to for the help that only he can give at times, to overcome sin and all these temptations that we face in life. We thank you that we can have triumph and victory through Christ. We thank you for what he has already done for us. paying the penalty for our sin, and that we are no longer under condemnation, but we are now your children. And we can cry out to you for help, whether it might be with eating, whether it might be with drinking, whether it might be with anything that we do. Help us to have self-control. Help us to control all of our appetites. Help us to do all things to your glory. We pray, Father, that you would be with us now, even this day. We pray that our worship today would be honoring and glorifying to you. And we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.