What does that mean? Most of us will relate this to the health issues of being over weight whether we ourselves are overweight or not. Though there is a great deal of wisdom in keeping physically healthy and avoiding the eating of too much fat, the greater point to this discussion is in the extended use of the term "fat" when applied to the rest of our lives.

Jesus says in John 4:32, "I have meat to eat that you know not of." and in verse 34, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work." Notice He says "meat" and not "fat" or "fatty meat". His meat is to do the will of the Father, and complete what He has been assigned to do. In light of this, wouldn't fat be anything extra, in excess to, and not in accordance with the strength of the meat?

As I pondered this in my own life, and in the lives of many of us in the church, I conclude that some of what we do in ministry or calling or gift is prone to have more fat than is needed.

In essence, this kind of fat comes from religious behaviors that exist along side of or instead of our life giving relationship with the Lord. They fill in and take the place of the true presence and life of the Lord with religious works. They are self-serving. This fat includes wasting time, undisciplined life styles, imitated ministry styles, going through the motions of worship without worship from the heart, and having a form of godliness while denying the power of it. We tend to like fat or justify fat, but it is not good for us or for others we influence.

Here are some of my observations concerning fat and why I believe the Lord said it is not healthy:

1. Fat is clogging the arteries that are to provide for the flow of life. The flow of anointing, the flow of revelation, the flow of life giving ministry, the flow of grace and mercy can all be affected by to much fat. In this scenario, ministry is a struggle that produces little results. Cut the fat and life flows freely.

2. Fat is slowing us down. When we carry too much fat, we lack the energy to rise up and do marvelous things. We wear out quickly. We can't run fast. We breath heavily when we have exerted ourselves but a little. There are so many things that can be done, that need to be done, that should be done, but if we lack the energy to do them, then they are often left undone. Cut the fat, and strength returns to revitalizes all that we do.

3. Fat weighs us down. We find ourselves living just to get through the day. We settle into dealing with the urgent, the immediate, and necessities of life as a hard labor. We don't have the strength for the important, because we have been consumed by the mundane. Much of life becomes a great sigh as we wear ourselves out and fill ourselves up with the fat. Cut the fat, and we will be able to give strength to the important. Fill our time up with the fat, and we have no time left over for the meat.

4. Fat is slippery, greasy staff, and when it is thrown around it causes others to slip and stumble.. We throw fat around when we force others to live with our excess. We throw fat around when we waste other peoples time with our self-importance. And we throw fat around when we make others endure our likes and dislikes as the right way to live. Cut the fat, and we encourage others to stand sure footed in their own God given strengths. Cut the fat, give others no cause for stumbling.

5. Fat obscures the meat. We want people to see and know the Lord through our lives, but too much fat shows our flesh instead of His character. Cut the fat and Jesus will be revealed. His work will be fulfilled in us.

6. Fat is good for burning! Cut the fat and give it to the Lord. Let it be consumed as a sacrifice. Let's give up our fat ways for the meat of the Lord. Let the fire of God consume the fat. What remains will bring glory and honor unto the Lord. What remains will be the meat we need to eat, the portion of life that
reveals and fulfills the will of the. What remains will accomplish more than all our fat ever could.

Cut the fat-it's not healthy!