Are You Fat And Disrespectful?

By Rev. Elder Johnny Lee Clary



Deuteronomy 32:15 says “Jeshurun got fat and disrespectful. (You got fat! You were stuffed! You were gorged!) They abandoned the God who made them and treated the rock of their salvation like a fool.”

Jeshurun was another name for Israel which meant ‘righteous nation.’

Here is the problem in a nutshell. Israel had everything it could possibly want as it was blessed of God, as well as protected by God. (Deuteronomy 32:9-12) It is almost like Israel being chosen by God to be the CEO of a billion dollar corporation. The possibilities and potential was limitless.

So what happened? Well, once the contract was signed and the agreement was made Israel was not hungry anymore. They felt like there was no longer a need to ask God for help or to pray for the crops because they now had everything. See that was the problem. When you have everything you can forget real easy the fact that you still need God which is what Israel did and they grew fat and lazy.

The very people God had blessed and prospered rebelled against Him.

Isn’t it interesting how we tend to forget about God when everything is going well? Before the big test at school, we pray. When we are sick, we pray. When we need money we pray. When we are looking for a mate, we pray. When we want that job we pray. When we want that promotion we pray.

Yes whenever someone is in trouble, all of a sudden God is first and foremost in their life and all they can do is pray. Then when the prayer gets answered and the blessings start rolling in, that prayer time seems to diminish and people end up spending less and less time talking to God.

When we first join the football team, we are ready and willing to do what the coach says to do no matter how hard it is or how much discipline it will require. Then give us a few victories and we become fat and sassy and busy reading our own headlines. We let the fans praise us and forget to give praise to the One who made it all possible which is God. This same thing happens to many Christians in their relationship with God. A few successes and we forget about God and His word. They fail to realize that it is through Him that we move and have our very being. (Acts 17:28)

I remember someone making fun of me one time for praying over my meal. They said “I won’t give thanks to God like you do, because I worked for my money and earned what I have!” What the guy didn’t realize is without his legs that God gave him and as a matter of fact a good healthy body, he would not be able to work. He was too stupid to realize that.

Let Israel’s rise and fall be an example to us. Being fat and filled up does not always lead to you being faithful. It can lead to you being faithless if you are not careful! Be sure and give thanks and honor and praise to God after every success and victory that cokes your way.

I remember a guy that had an ex-wife back years ago in the 80’s, that packed on 40 pounds within a few months after getting married. She hit the couch, stuffed her face with junk food, and let herself go. He asked her why she was gaining so much weight and why she was not taking care of herself anymore. She replied that she was married now and didn’t need to diet and do all that special stuff to look good anymore. That did not make him feel special at all which is probably why they are divorced today. What she did was take him for granted and show him that she had no respect for him whatsoever. Did you ever stop to think that is how God feels sometimes?

How about you? Have you taken God for granted in any area?

Pray this: God I repent of my pride and ego that has kept me from seeing that I need you all the time and in everything I do. Please remove conceit and arrogance from me. Help me not to get too fat and filled up that I forget that it is you that gave me the blessing. I need you in everything I do and I give you honor and glory. Always remind me of this prayer in case I forget. I pray I never again become fat and disrespectful! Amen.

©Johnny Lee Clary
All Rights Reserved
www.johnnyleeclary.com

Rev. Johnny Lee Clary is one of the leading advocates for racial unity in the United States and has appeared on countless television and radio shows such as The Billy Graham Radio show, Fox News, Morris Cerullo, Oprah, Morton Downey Jr., Rolanda Watts, Geraldo, Sally Jesse Raphael, Jerry Springer, Ricki Lake, Queen Latifah, Montel Williams, Phil Donahue, A&E Investigative Reports, ABC World News Tonight, Bertrice Berry, Sunrise Today,
The Today Show, A Current Affair, The 700 Club, and Kenneth Copeland's TV show. He has also been a regular guest on TBN's Praise The Lord show and has been featured in America's top newspapers and magazines, including a seven page feature story in Charisma magazine in April 1999, Moody Magazine, Guidepost Magazine (Sept. 1998), Kenneth Copeland's Believer's Voice of Victory magazine, as well as appearances on TV programs in Australia, England, Holland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, and Wales.