Are you sometimes conflicted on giving book reviews? Sometimes much of the book is great and then there is that one thing that makes you think—humm, maybe I shouldn’t share that.

As Christians, it is important for us to share books that are helpful, line of with the Bible, and share truth. And, when we think of it, the only infallible, inerrant book, is God’s word. All other books will have issues in them.

There are books that I have given up on in the past because the author started out strong for God and then chose a different path that didn’t even line up with what they first expressed as their belief’s in their book.

Are we all capable of doing that?

YES!!!

So it is important to take note and be very careful. Even as we consider people in the Bible. You know the story— David and Bathsheba. What a picture of a huge fail and redemption. Do we not read or comment on the Psalms because of what David did?

What about Moses? He murdered someone, and yet he wrote the first five books of the Bible. Do we not read those?

Look at Solomon. He was worshiping fake gods at the end of his life. 1 Kings 11:9-10 says, “And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.”

Should we not read Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, or Song of Solomon?

What about Paul’s books in the New Testament. He was having Christians killed prior to his conversion.

There are definite lessons to learn from people who have failed, and because we are all made of flesh, we have to be extremely careful or we will fall in the same ways. They are there to teach us what not to do. We also note, that even the ones that are very strong for God can be taken down by Satan. The Bible warns us to be on guard at all times.

Now— that being said— there is one book that has been extremely helpful to me over the years, and I have turned to it once more for help in losing weight, based on Biblical principles. I need to lose weight to help with Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure, and knee issues.

Different diets have been recommended to me over the years— Paleo, Auto-immune Paleo, and Mediterranean. I’ve tried a vegetarian diet and had the highest Cholesterol of all time on that—go figure. Then there has been Atkins, Keto, Cabbage soup diets. I didn’t try those.

What does the Bible say about man made food rules?

Although they have an appearance of wisdom, they have no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh and since these diets are made up by humans, they are all destined to perish with use.

See Colossians 2:20-23.

And there-in lies our problem. We have to stop the indulgence of the flesh. If we just eat less food, it doesn’t matter what it is, we will get smaller amounts of the things that cause us problems like sugar, cholesterol, salt. And it is all about the heart and Who we are devoted to. Do we want to end up devoted to idols as Solomon was? The idol of excess food?

Over-eating is a problem of greed, idolatry, and lust. God in His amazing creation of us, has put in us, the mechanisms of hunger and fullness. And I for one have overridden that to the point that I am having to relearn when I am hungry and when I am full. He also put into us to crave what our body needs. We don’t have to measure calories, fat grams, or choose only certain foods. We just have to eat what our body is calling for.

Do you sometimes want bacon? Our brains can’t function without fat.

I’ve been on a magnesium supplement for years. I recently looked up foods rich in magnesium, and they are all my favorites. I eat them all the time. Why do I need a supplement? My body craves: dark chocolate, cashews, avocado, pumpkin seeds, whole grains, legumes, yogurt, peanuts (in the form of peanut butter), ect.

I think often of 1 Timothy 4:1-5 and what it says about the “latter times”. It speaks of false teachers and verse 3 says they command you to abstain from certain foods. But God says that He “hath created [meats/food] to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.” 1 Timothy 4:3b-5

And that is what I learned from the book titled, The Tablet by Gwen Shamblin. The material was originally copyrighted in 1981. The Tablet was copyrighted in 2014.

She speaks of our hearts and what our hearts are devoted to. Are we devoted to God or to the idols of the world like food, money, prestige? Gwen teaches how to once more wake up our internal senses of hunger and fulness and to have self-control (which is a fruit of the Spirit). She teaches how to stop focusing on self and focus on God and others. Although Gwen had some issues later in life that I don’t agree with Biblically, this earlier writing seems to be written at a time when her heart was in tune with God. But as in all things—test this book against the scriptures. Be like the Bereans in Acts 17:10-12. Search the scriptures. Learn. Apply.

Many people think the Bible has very little to say about food, but God has steered our hearts with food. Think of manna. Think of the “Bread of life”. Think of the feeding of the five thousand and the four thousand. Those miracles got their hearts. They were hungry and really chased after Jesus once He fed them. What did Jesus feed them? Bread and fish. How many diets take out bread?

If you are struggling with any addictive behaviors, I recommend this book to get you back on track. And I pray for all of us—that we will stay true to God in all areas of our lives and not be brought down by Satan in any area.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust (desires), and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:12-15

“Submit yourselves therefore to God. resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you.” James 4:7-8a

Do you have a book that has really helped you, but you hesitate to recommend it due to a conflict?