Compromise built upon compromise equals failure. Instead, resisting temptation allowed promise upon promise to be built up in my heart, and that creates empowerment.

He knew even before I was born that i could easily allow food to be an idol in my life, that I would go to food, instead of to Him, to fulfill my needs

Eve was saturated in the object of her desire. Jesus was saturated in God's truth.

Being ruled by anything other than God is something God takes quite seriously. And so should I. I don't want to live as an enemy to the cross of Christ. In other words, I don't want to live resistant to the power Christ's death and resurrection provides for me just because I can't walk away from my unhealthy cravings.

Obviously, the core of Eve's temptation was she wanted to be like God, knowing good and evil. But we can't ignore the fact that the serpent used food as a tool in the process. If the very downfall of humanity was caused when Eve surrendered to a temptation to eat something she wasn't supposed to eat, I do think our struggles with food are important to God.

Dear Lord, help me to be courageous enough to speak honestly to You and to myself about areas where I'm giving in to compromise. Show me how to rely on Your strength for more self-discipline in my life — not for my glory, but for Yours. In Jesus' name. Amen.

God seems far away and French fries are right around the corner at the drive-thru.

Everything in me wanted to just cross out that ridiculous 3.5-hour scheduled writing appointment and go eat fries in the midst of colored plastic tubes and screaming kids.

lion looking for someone to devour.

if we find that certain foods are impossible to walk away from—we can't or won't deny ourselves an unhealthy choice in order to make a healthier choice—then it's a clue we are being ruled by this food on some level.

If we pay attention to foolish things or things that fuel foolishness in us, we will bankrupt our perspective. And we will be more likely to fall prey to Satan's schemes.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.