WORD OF THE WEEK - NUTRITION - "SUSTENANCE SERIES" - 8-2-26

DEFINITION:  Nutrition is the process of consuming, absorbing, and using nutrients from food that are necessary for growth, development, and maintenance of life. It covers everything from the moment you eat something to the point where your cells put those nutrients to work.Add to word list
SCRIPTURES:Anchor Scripture:  Psalms 34:7-9   The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.   Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
Psalm 104:14 - "14God makes grass grow for the cattle,  and plants for people to cultivate bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.

Website:  www.wow-newton.com

Website: www.wow-newton.com
Email:  osnewton@wow-newton.com

Transcript

DEFINITION:  Nutrition is the process of consuming, absorbing, and using nutrients from food that are necessary for growth, development, and maintenance of life. It covers everything from the moment you eat something to the point where your cells put those nutrients to work.Add to word list
SCRIPTURES:Anchor Scripture:  Psalms 34:7-9   The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.   Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing.
Psalm 104:14 - "God makes grass grow for the cattle,  and plants for people to cultivate bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts,
oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts.

Hello My Dear Family,
“MMM-MMM Good!” is the effect we go for when we sit down to a meal, grab a bite, or order take‑out. Whatever we choose to eat or drink falls under the collective category of food.
Food is one of the most important—and most enticing—elements on the planet. How often have you heard someone say, “I would kill for a good ole juicy steak,” or “I just can’t get enough of that sweet potato pie,” or any variation that reveals our deep relationship with food?
In the United States, food consumption has become a national obsession. Marketing campaigns are designed to train our brains to crave more food, more often. Portion sizes have tripled since the 1970s. These campaigns encourage overeating of high‑salt, high‑sugar, high‑fat foods that offer low nutritional value but high profitability. Now our nation faces epidemic levels of obesity and death from overeating and nutritionally deficient, food‑related diseases.
The human body was designed to interpret food through the nose (smell), mouth (taste), stomach and intestines (digestion), liver and kidneys (processing), and rectum (elimination). While these mechanisms exist to sustain the body, our constant pursuit of pleasure has turned food into a source of misuse.
Food was given by our Creator for sustenance—to be enjoyed, yes, but also to provide what the body needs for development, energy, and health.
Most wild animals eat only what their bodies need, unless they are hibernating or storing food for winter. Their senses and instincts guide them toward what sustains life. They eat to survive and will only overindulge when food is abundant.
Yet somewhere along the way, humans shifted from eating for nourishment to eating primarily for pleasure. For many, food has become an addiction. It is no longer consumed to curb hunger or meet nutritional needs, but to satisfy cravings, soothe emotions, stimulate the body, or provide psychological escape.
As long as “the food tastes good,” little attention is paid to the nutrients required for the body’s effective operation. We eagerly consume empty‑calorie foods—candy, cakes, alcohol, processed oils, dressings—that fill the stomach but leave the body starved. These foods offer little to none of the nutrients needed to repair, heal, or replenish the body.
During our last episode, we discussed that just as the body needs food, the soul needs food as well. The Word of God feeds the soul.
We also explored another truth—God created us to need one another. Yahweh has given us spiritual food to share—kindness, prayer, encouragement, compassion. These are ways we nourish the souls of others.
Just think about it:How effective is a smile across a crowded room to a stranger who feels lost and alone?How beautiful is a kind word to a brother or sister who simply needs to know someone sees them and cares?How impactful is a prayer offered during a moment of distress?How meaningful is an offering given in love to a man sitting at the gas pump wondering how he will make it home?
Spiritual food is nourishment we don’t have to pluck, pick, or prepare. Love is the kind of spiritual food that comforts, encourages, strengthens, and provides hope. That kind of “food addiction” is nutrient‑rich and calorie‑free.

Show a little love today.

The nourishment it provides may be exactly what someone’s body—or soul—needs.