Daily Devotions for Daily Dieters: February 2015

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Help Wanted BLUES (song for Dieting Blues!) - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 28
"HELP WANTED! BLUES" song    (Album: Amazing JOY 'n' Choices)
Song location:   http://DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com/Songs-2008-2012.php
CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO download (FREE)

Song Story: THE MUSIC:

This entire song was built upon a single, accidentally-found chord.

I never have found the chord in my own chord books.

Whatever, it’s a cool chord FULL of conflict, which is exactly what Paul describes in Romans 7 as our human nature—

even when we dearly want to serve and reflect our wonderful God, we keep doing things we know hurt God, or keep missing doing things we know God wants us to do.
Paul concludes Romans 7 with a version of WOE IS ME.

But God gives us hope through Paul in the first two verses of Romans 8…

our salvation is not from our own works, but in depending on God to help us do what is right. But we must ask God for help.
With thanks to Johnny Kyle of J & T Studio for his amazing guitar work!

Dedicated to The Understanding God, 17 July 2010

LYRICS

I need Your help, God.    I don't want Your help, God.
I DO need Your help, God.... just to really want help!
This sin is much fun.   Help me, God   or I'm done.
Romans chapter Seven:   I like sin.......   Please help!
I don't do what I want to do. I don't do what I want to do.
And I do things I don't want to. And I don things I don't want to.
God, who can deliver me from this body of death?
          Only You! Only You!
God, who can deliver me from temptations to sin?
          Only You! God, please do!

INTERLUDE READINGS
First Corinthians 10: 13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man;

but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation

will also make the way of escape,

that you may be able to bear it.

James 1: 13- 14
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God";
for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by

his own desires and enticed.

PRAYER
LORD GOD, Help me to remember this passage... Help me to remember that
I'm NOT helpless, like I often feel,
   for You the God of this Universe offer to help me.
I am so out of focus sometimes, Lord God.
So enticed by lovely little foods, intriguing things to buy,
by TV and internet including Facebook, Twitter, other social media,
to distract me from my problems...
but that also distract me from You.
I NEED Your help to follow You, to obey You,
to WANT to obey You.
Please help, I give You permission to help --
I surrender my will to you of my own desire.
Most of all, I want to please You.
And I pray this fearfully, lest I later tell you "I changed my mind, go away."
Please never listen when I give in to that temptation, LORD God.
I want Your help!
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©2013, 2015 (registered with USCO) by DianaDee Osborne (all material),
all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.
** But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format. Additional encouraging resources at
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Friday, February 27, 2015

Facebook Hiking Dieting Parable - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 27

Why are so many Christians AFRAID
to learn how to Facebook
& blog & Skype & twit etc incl phone texting?

Jesus walked 100s of miles without fancy jogging shoes to share God's message.

Took a LOT longer for Him to use

that method of reaching people with God's Truth,
than it would take for us to learn
how to do things on a computer

that most youth and many children know.

AFTER ALL -- James 1:5 SAYS the

Holy Spirit will TEACH us how, if we simply

ASK for wisdom.

HERE WE ARE with WONDERFUL promises from God......

No matter what our sin, God will HELP us FIGHT it.

HERE WE ARE with WONDERFUL good news (Gospel) from God......
We must pay the CONSEQUENCES of daily sins, but

Jesus saved us from the FINAL consequence of HELL

because of His love for us and willingness to take our

punishment of death for sin.

So why are so many Christ-FOLLOWERS AFRAID to learn how to Facebook and blog and use phone texting?

It's a matter of priority.

Are we more concerned for people to know that God will help -- including when they're desperately fighting temptations like over-eating and over-shopping, and drinking and drugs, and

even just stopping gossiping... which is a sin as bad as -- lumped with -- murder at the end of Revelation -- than we are about

failing a few times learning something new?
Do we cherish personal time more than time sharing God's Word?

People say "I don't have time to Facebook."

Well, friends, others are DYING without Jesus.

Got time to share with them the

ways God has helped you?

Even just that He loves them enough to

help them in something as simple as dieting?

PRAYER

LORD GOD, help me to get over my self-centered fears of
admitting to other people that I have a problem with overeating....
with (ouch but I'll say it:) gluttony.
Only by admitting my faults and how You God have helped me in specific times,
can I share with them first the small news that You help in diets....
and then the GREATER News that Jesus hiked for miles to
share Your Word of HOLINESS as well as Love
to as many people as He could physically reach.

The least I can do, not needing to hike 100s of miles, is to learn common communication ways to reach people with Your Word now.

I pray James 1:5 .... It was impossible for me to figure out at first,
and then You helped me learn blogging and texting and Facebook.
And "Skype" ........ Oh, LORD:                                                    :)
HELP ME TO LEARN WAYS TO SHARE YOUR WORD.

©2013, 2015 (registered with USCO) by DianaDee Osborne (all material),
all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.
** But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format. Additional encouraging resources at
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Drenching Rain Comfort - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 26
Drenching rain outside. Cold, pelting rain.
But it's ok. I'm covered >>> Umbrella while walking in it.
Car roof while traveling in it.
Home's roof while enduring through it.
Some yucky wetness as I pass from cover to cover....
but I dry out.

   Drenching rain IN-side me:
Cold, pelting troubles that seem to go on and on.
That sometimes drive me to seek comfort in food.
Or hours of TV or computer... TIL I remember God:
Because it's ok. I'm covered >>>
God "Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth,
who makes grass to grow on the mountains" (Psalm 147:8)
actually cares about me.
Actually offers help to any of us who call on His name, humbly.

BUT God WARNS about one kind of cover ...

He who covers his sins will not prosper,

A warning with God's PROMISE:

But whoever confesses and forsakes

them will have mercy. Proverbs 28: 13

PRAYER

LORD GOD, please help me to stop trying to cover my sins.... to confess and forsake them. To quit making excuses that of course I would sin as I try to find comfort in the rains of Life........ for YOU O LORD God are my only TRUE and SAFE Cover.

ALSO ON PSALM 147: CLICK HERE FOR LINK

Praise the LORD! For [it is] good to sing praises to our God;
For [it is] pleasant, [and] praise is beautiful...
He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.
He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.
Great [is] our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding [is] infinite.
The LORD lifts up the humble;
He casts the wicked down to the ground.
Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God,
Who covers the heavens with clouds, Who prepares rain for the earth,
Who makes grass to grow on the mountains....

The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.
============================================================

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Barking Geese Dieting Parable - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 25
Yesterday, early, I went to sit by a very large inlet of a very large river. Prayed. Read God's Word. Listened... not just to God.

On the river were at least a hundred Canada Geese, quite noisy in the pre-dawn mist. Apparently this is going to be a longer lay-over as they wait before flying northward for the spring. And, as you might imagine, 100 geese are pretty loud. They sounded like they were barking.... and barking..... and.....

Many houses have waterfront yards, so as I went in to prepare for the service, I asked the band's technology guy who's lived in the area for years, whether people ever complain about barking geese.

"Oh yeahhh........" he drawled. Paused. Added "And about the church bells, and about.... and about...."

We people seem to always have something to complain about. Gets you to feeling sorry for God when you read Psalm 106.

The basic story here:
People disobeyed God. Complained. God punished them. They repented.
People disobeyed God. Complained. God punished them. They repented.
People disobeyed God. Complained. God punished them. They repented.

Many times He delivered them; But they rebelled in their counsel, And were brought low for their iniquity. (verse 43)

SCRIPTURE LINK

PRAYER

LORD GOD, It seems I am always complaining to you about something.
Or sorta ignoring you as I just seek comfort in food, or TV, or internet...
At the top of my list on many days are complaints something like

"It's not fair that I have to diet when other people can eat

anything they want and not gain weight."

PLEASE, Lord, help me to compare myself only to Jesus....
2nd Corinthians 3:18...... to, with Your Spirit's help,

reflect You more and more each and every day. SCRIPTURE LINK

Including stopping this complaining.
Help me to be a person who brings YOU joy....
and I know that then the joy will become mine also. 'THE JOY OF THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH....." including strength to not sound like nasty raucous barking geese sounding off in Your ears without any praise or worship for You Our Mighty LORD and Creator.
====================================================
©2013, 2015 (registered with USCO) by DianaDee Osborne (all material),
all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.
** But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format. Additional encouraging resources at
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Rescued From Darkness - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 24

From God to us through Colossians 1: LINK

COMFORT in our frustrations that drive us to
seek comfort in anything besides God, so very often... including in food, TV, even gossip...

verses 13 - 14

For He [GOD] rescued us from the domain of darkness ,

and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son [Jesus],

in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

15 He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.

16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him.

17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

19 For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.

21 And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds [including self-centered ones],

22 yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to
present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach—

if indeed you continue in the faith firmly established & steadfast,

and not MOVED AWAY from the hope of the gospel
that you have heard,

which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven.... ( >> see also Romans Chapter 1) LINK

=================

SUMMARY: Jesus Christ LOVES You and

came to reconcile you to God...

to be the sacrifice through whom you are forgiven

as soon as you honestly repent

(Romans10:9, definition of LORD includes putting Jesus's wants before yours).

There is HOPE!

Even when temptations to sin keep bringing us down

by own own choice to allow them to.

For with Jesus, we can fight and WIN ....

God's promise, via 1st Corinthians 10:13.

LINK

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Monday, February 23, 2015

Scary Foil Dieting Parable - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 23
One of the scariest days in my life was when I opened a serving of yogurt and missed a tiny piece when removing the foil cover.
I was enjoying my self when--- suddenly----
I realized that I had swallowed something slightly sharp
and very constricting in my throat.
I began coughing and coughing -- trying to catch my breath--
while trying to work out the mystery thing CHOKING me.

Finally figured out that I must have missed a bit of foil.
The sharpness seemed to dig deeper into my throat.
Finally listened to thought in my head from God, I'm SURE:
        Eat Some Bread to soften it.
Finally coughed up the     TINY piece.

===================================================================

There's NO SUCH THING

AS A TINY SIN

IN GOD'S EYES.

Each sin... the tiny-est .... will CHOKE us.

Even just depending on FOOD for comfort,

instead of on LORD God.

PRAYER

LORD GOD, I dearly do love You. Help me to remember how disgusting sins are to you... and should be to me. Please forgive me--- Help me to see that "normal" doesn't mean "right".
================================================================
©2013, 2015 (registered with USCO) by DianaDee Osborne (all material),
all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.
** But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format. Additional encouraging resources at
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Not Giving Up Dieting - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 22

   So-called common sense says
         'Just give up already!"

When you've struggled for a month and lost 2 pounds....
but then gain 3 in 2 days (it seems..... according to the scale).

The temptation to tell God "I quit on this."
The temptation to tell God "I quit on You."

But the joy of hearing instantly, if we're listening,
"I'll never quit on YOU, my child."

Though we must keep RESPECTING God as LORD...
       LINKS about turning away from God by OUR choice:   LINK

The knowing that    God loves us "anyway" --
even when we're quite honest in our prayers.

God's SUPPORTIVE Word:

"God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.
CLICK ON LINK: First John 4: 9-10

PRAYER

LORD GOD, Help me to not give up. Help me to not give up. Help me to trust Your Love. Help me to ALWAYS LOOK UP and know You'll help if I sincerely ask.... because You LOVE me. And You've promised.
==============================================================

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Awful Discoveries while Dieting - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 21
This morning I made an awful discovery.
Although my doctor (the new one who finally did the tests proving that no, I'm not
overweight because I'm depressed and overeating significantly)
doubled my thyroid medicine 6 months ago,
the scale is inching down a mere tiny bitty miniscule
1/2 pound per week... or 1/4 .... or "holding my own!" ... :(
Yet I've been taking COMFORT in the fact that
my waistband on my jeans has been staying snug because I
REFUSE to buy jeans a larger size.... I'd rather be uncomfortable
than to have that proof of how badly I've let myself become.
Because- even with a low functioning thyroid, I know I
COULD have worked a lot harder in self-control
& turning to God instead of to snacks & nice coffee when 'down'.

And Then this morning I made an awful discovery.

I thought, "I wonder....." and I went to go get some of those magnifying glasses I keep in the kitchen for reading phone numbers. Then -- rather stupidly, in hindsight -----
I returned to my bedroom and looked at the label on my jeans.

I'm already wearing that larger size...... sigh..............
==============================================================

A Perfect Parable of what we're like to God.

We measure our sins on a scale --
-- Keeping that extra nickel in change the store clerk gave us, oh maybe 2 points of sin.   Not bad. Anyone would do it. Don't want to embarrass the woman.

-- Taking 3 pens out of the bank.
Maybe no points at all.... The bank charges so many new fees that I've actually paid for these pens. Besides -- they'd like the publicity (if I later lose the pens somewhere).

-- Speeding 11 notches over speed limit....
Hey, I don't want to get run down. I'm just passing all these people so I can get to that big open space 1/2 mile up.

-- Robbing someone's home -- now that's BAD. We all know God says not to steal.

-- Beating someone up -- Really bad. God says anger is a terrible sin.

-- Murder -- Hey, ARE there enough points for how Bad that sin is?

I'd really rather not remember that the tiniest sin I do is   ANATHEMA --- NAUSEATING -- to our Holy God.

-- Abusing my body by overeating OR UNDER-EATING...... the same number of points as murdering a person,   IN THE EYES OF HOLY GOD.
PRAYER

LORD GOD, HELP me to remember that You are so Holy and Righteous that you do NOT grade on a point scale. That overeating is a way of abusing this temple body you've given me. THANK You for the encouragements of Romans 7 .... yes, we repeatedly do sins we do not want. And I also. And Romans 8, that You still have mercy.
Help me to STOP WANTING to put me first and You after...

Help ME to be nauseated by the

CARELESS way I treat You,

presuming upon Your grace,

O my dearest LORD God.

=====================================================

Friday, February 20, 2015

Hostility Remembering Diet Helping - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 20
God's SUPPORTING WORDS:

When they had twisted a crown of thorns,

they put it on His [Jesus's] head, and a reed in His right hand.

And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"

Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and

struck Him on the head. And when they had

mocked Him, they...led Him away to be CRUCIFIED. --Matthew 27:29-31

“...Jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame....

"For consider Him [Jesus]
who endured such hostility from sinners
against Himself,
lest you become weary &

discouraged in your souls."

-- Hebrews 12: 2a, 3.
Verse 4: “You have not yet resisted to bloodshed,
[in your ] striving against sin.” Scripture LINK

When I think of these words,

this TRUTH,

it is much easier to choose healthier foods and purchases,

choose to pray James 1:5 for wisdom to speak
right words even to people treating me disrespectfully.

It is much easier to fight temptations

when we remember, JESUS UNDERSTANDS.

Jesus who has PROMISED to help when we
feel overwhelmed.... and ask.

JESUS INVITES ME....... INVITES YOU:

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden,

and I will give you rest.

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me,

for I am gentle and humble in heart, and

YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.

For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

============================================================

A YOKE was used when a farmer 'hooked' two oxen together to plow the field for

the farmer's good.... for the good of those around him. A stronger ox would thus

help the weaker ox.

Do you know what the Hebrew letter ALEPH which

represents God

looks like in Hebrew's picture language?

AN OX.

Prayer: LORD GOD, please help me remember what YOU did for me....
and to obey you. Hebrews 12: 1 to 3.... oh, LORD, help me remember and obey.

=============================================================

With thanks to Rick Blankenship for Hebrew lessons. Grafted in Fellowship org
©2013, 2015 (registered with USCO) by DianaDee Osborne (all material),
all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.
** But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format. Additional encouraging resources at
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Hiding From Fire SONG and Dieting Parable - by DianaDee Osborne

FEBRUARY 19
Smoke was filling the room as I raced in, searching. I barely saw a shoe under a huge antique dresser. Got on knees, saw 2 people hiding. I called, "The building's on fire! Come follow me
and I'll lead you to safety!" They said "We're ok."

I pulled at their ankles, trying to get them to come out to safety.
They said "GO AWAY!"
I said "YOU'LL DIE! PLEASE come!"
But they kicked at me and told me

"We know what we're doing. We have the right to think what we want. Quit trying to force your ideas on us."

And then I awoke. Don't know if my love kept me there calling them, or if I ended up walking away.

The song that I wrote with God's inspiration help based on this dream is described on my other daily blog,
http://dianadeesongstories.blogspot.com/2013/02/hiding-from-fire-by-dianadee-osborne.html

"HIDING FROM FIRE" song

ALBUM: Amazing LORD 'n' Life

WEBSITE Song location: http://DianaDeeOsborneSongs.com/NEW-Songs.php

CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO download (FREE)

============================================
I think God's dream came from remembering talking with a friend the night before. One of her friends had been hurt by church. And then blamed God for that plus seeing loved ones sick and dying. My friend said she'd told him about Jesus's true love,
but he didn't want to listen.
So she didn't want to hurt his feelings.
Didn't keep telling him she cared and why Jesus could help him through the new sorrow in his life.
Suppose the fire came that night?

Another reason for setting aside pride,
and telling people there IS a HELL fire and the escape is only by coming to Jesus. Sharing words of love even if they laugh at us for our own faults (sins)...... not always living the way God really approves. To SHOW them that God DOES keep calling them despite anything they do:

COME TO SAFETY. THE FIRE IS COMING! OPEN YOUR EYES TO TRUTH BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

BECAUSE IF WE REALLY LOVE THEM,
WE'LL CONFESS OUR WEAKNESSES.

ONLY WHEN WE SET ASIDE PRIDE

CAN WE SHOW THEM WE REALLY LOVE THEM....

ENOUGH TO RISK GREAT EMBARRASSMENT

as many yell back, "fix your own life and leave us alone."

PRAYER

LORD GOD, Help me to QUIT being afraid of being EMBARRASSED by my weight and apparent sins of gluttony (whether or not physical reasons make my weight worse). Help me to CARE more about SAVING other people from Hell Jesus SAID is coming to ALL who refuse to come from the fires of self-centered pride and living..... to care more about THEM than about potential words they may say about me. I can't be this self-less without You.

Oh, please help me be loving even when it will hurt me, I pray.

Just as You, LORD GOD, are always loving even when I hurt YOU.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The intriguing true story of someone who risked EVERYTHING while trying to save people he didn't even know in a nearby city. Genesis 18: 22 and on into Chapter 19 ..... Even risking angering GOD HIMSELF in his yearning to save people and give them time to QUIT CHOOSING BLINDNESS.
============================================================
©2013, 2015 (registered with USCO) by DianaDee Osborne (all material),
all rights reserved. FREE personal usage; see website.
** But feel free to print with copyright info, & share for nonprofit usage!
With thanks to BlueLetterBible.org for providing God's Word in easy-to-research format. Additional encouraging resources at
http://DianaDeeSongStories.blogspot.com