Because every creature of God is good and nothing to be rejected with thanksgiving being received, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.1
To most saying grace or giving thanks for meals is a tradition we do not understand. We can become like ungrateful children who take their parents gifts for granted, for even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks...2 Adoration and thanksgiving, gives glory to God. When we are thankful He is pleased. Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?4 Jesus was in the midst of Samaria and Galilee, these ten lepers healed included both Jews and at least one Samaritan.5 Our prayer should be as, thank you, you are my God, worthy of the sacrifice of my lips, worthy of praise. And bless this food, as there is something to this sanctification of food.
Prayer is a time of introspection. We should be in awe of his blessings. The Jewish word for prayer, Tefilah, surprisingly means to judge oneself. Whether the prayer was of Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, or of Supplication, it was to be a time of introspection.6 This introspection included two important purposes; to increase the awareness of God, his presence and purpose, and for practice, as this attitude of prayer doesn't come naturally to us. Jesus often rebuked the Jewish leaders because they judged others while they themselves were not judging their own hearts, their motives were often for their own glory, not Gods'. I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.7
One day the disciples were walking through a wheat field, they grabbed the wheat twisting them in their hands eating the seed revealed. The Pharisees saw this and accused them of being unclean, they did not wash their hands before eating. This they said defiled them, made them unclean. But Jesus responds, it is not what goes into the mouth which defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.8 This is an important principle of God; God measures the heart.9 Even before the new covenant, God always looked at the heart. These hypocrites cared more about external appearances of following the law rather than being clean in the heart.
Paul warns we are not to be captive in philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. It is important to note in Christ here, not according to old covenant traditions, in Christ the fullness of God dwells, he has been given all authority to bring in this new covenant. I am to put to death the old, the fleshly things even that which was good in the law, along with the evil shown in the law, I am to put away all things carnal so to walk in newness of Christ. Setting my mind on the things above, on spiritual things, not carnal things, including these things of do not taste, do not touch, do not eat. I am to walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.10
I can not go back to the old covenant for justification. In the new I am not to think carnally but spiritually of the things of Christ. If I have died and been raised with Christ I am to set my mind on the things above, in Christ. My life is hidden in Christ, when God looks down he sees Christ in me, this spirit I have been sealed with. It is no longer my righteousness but Christs'. And this is how I walk, in Him. I have flesh and spirit, I am to learn to walk in the spirit, my body a living sacrifice, not conformed but transformed by the renewing of my mind, having the mind of Christ. God's word which was in the beginning, who created all things now gives eternal life. It is not that He takes over me completely, flowing from me, but I am yoked to him in trust and obedience, he is along beside me in this walk. He is meek and lowly but this trust and obedience doesn't come naturally, so through the word of God I am being transformed, I am being regenerated into the new. Not reformation but transformation.
When God called Peter to reach out to the Gentiles, who were considered unclean, he showed Peter, in a vision, unclean animals and then told him to eat. Surely not Peter said. While God was pointing to this new covenant of bringing in all people into the family of God, he would not have used such in a vision if it were not also true of what we eat, surely not. Also when Jesus turned the water into wine, this water was the water used for Jewish purification, like the eating of unclean meat he showed Peter, it is significant that these jars of purification water were used. There are reasons why we shouldn't eat and drink certain things, animal fat can clog arteries, blood can transmit diseases, some animals are scavengers... And my body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit, but the significance is that if I do I am no longer considered unclean, as of the Mosaic law, and I can bless this food.
Bless this food. I will glorify him with thanksgiving and in sanctification of this food. It would glorify God for food or drink to be sanctified by the word of God and prayer. I am called to be an Ambassador of Christ, to deny a gift of food or drink based upon some religious preference according to human traditions would be an insult. Such would not persuade people to the cause of my King and as such would not glorify my God. Jesus said, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
In this new covenant of His blood, Jesus challenges us to look pass the carnal, drink my blood he said. What, drink blood? such violates an old covenant commandment. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, take, eat; this is my body. Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.11
Change My Heart
To most saying grace or giving thanks for meals is a tradition we do not understand. We can become like ungrateful children who take their parents gifts for granted, for even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks...2 Adoration and thanksgiving, gives glory to God. When we are thankful He is pleased. Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?4 Jesus was in the midst of Samaria and Galilee, these ten lepers healed included both Jews and at least one Samaritan.5 Our prayer should be as, thank you, you are my God, worthy of the sacrifice of my lips, worthy of praise. And bless this food, as there is something to this sanctification of food. Prayer is a time of introspection. We should be in awe of his blessings. The Jewish word for prayer, Tefilah, surprisingly means to judge oneself. Whether the prayer was of Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, or of Supplication, it was to be a time of introspection.6 This introspection included two important purposes; to increase the awareness of God, his presence and purpose, and for practice, as this attitude of prayer doesn't come naturally to us. Jesus often rebuked the Jewish leaders because they judged others while they themselves were not judging their own hearts, their motives were often for their own glory, not Gods'. I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.7
One day the disciples were walking through a wheat field, they grabbed the wheat twisting them in their hands eating the seed revealed. The Pharisees saw this and accused them of being unclean, they did not wash their hands before eating. This they said defiled them, made them unclean. But Jesus responds, it is not what goes into the mouth which defiles a man; but that which comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man.8 This is an important principle of God; God measures the heart.9 Even before the new covenant, God always looked at the heart. These hypocrites cared more about external appearances of following the law rather than being clean in the heart.
Paul warns we are not to be captive in philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. It is important to note in Christ here, not according to old covenant traditions, in Christ the fullness of God dwells, he has been given all authority to bring in this new covenant. I am to put to death the old, the fleshly things even that which was good in the law, along with the evil shown in the law, I am to put away all things carnal so to walk in newness of Christ. Setting my mind on the things above, on spiritual things, not carnal things, including these things of do not taste, do not touch, do not eat. I am to walk in him rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.10
I can not go back to the old covenant for justification. In the new I am not to think carnally but spiritually of the things of Christ. If I have died and been raised with Christ I am to set my mind on the things above, in Christ. My life is hidden in Christ, when God looks down he sees Christ in me, this spirit I have been sealed with. It is no longer my righteousness but Christs'. And this is how I walk, in Him. I have flesh and spirit, I am to learn to walk in the spirit, my body a living sacrifice, not conformed but transformed by the renewing of my mind, having the mind of Christ. God's word which was in the beginning, who created all things now gives eternal life. It is not that He takes over me completely, flowing from me, but I am yoked to him in trust and obedience, he is along beside me in this walk. He is meek and lowly but this trust and obedience doesn't come naturally, so through the word of God I am being transformed, I am being regenerated into the new. Not reformation but transformation.
When God called Peter to reach out to the Gentiles, who were considered unclean, he showed Peter, in a vision, unclean animals and then told him to eat. Surely not Peter said. While God was pointing to this new covenant of bringing in all people into the family of God, he would not have used such in a vision if it were not also true of what we eat, surely not. Also when Jesus turned the water into wine, this water was the water used for Jewish purification, like the eating of unclean meat he showed Peter, it is significant that these jars of purification water were used. There are reasons why we shouldn't eat and drink certain things, animal fat can clog arteries, blood can transmit diseases, some animals are scavengers... And my body is a Temple of the Holy Spirit, but the significance is that if I do I am no longer considered unclean, as of the Mosaic law, and I can bless this food.
Bless this food. I will glorify him with thanksgiving and in sanctification of this food. It would glorify God for food or drink to be sanctified by the word of God and prayer. I am called to be an Ambassador of Christ, to deny a gift of food or drink based upon some religious preference according to human traditions would be an insult. Such would not persuade people to the cause of my King and as such would not glorify my God. Jesus said, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
In this new covenant of His blood, Jesus challenges us to look pass the carnal, drink my blood he said. What, drink blood? such violates an old covenant commandment. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, take, eat; this is my body. Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.11
Change My Heart