The Temple of God......more like a shanty

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 says, "Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple."

Our body is God's temple. That is said because the Holy Spirit lives in us. But do we live our lives that way? For the most part we do not live our lives as if we have even read the Bible, let alone as if we are a temple for the Holy Spirit to live in. A lot of us treat our bodies more like a garbage disposal or an amusement park. If we cannot control our consumption habits, how can we possibly control other habits such as lusting, lying or being a gossip?

When I say garbage disposal, what I mean is that we will throw any and all trash into our bodies. This ranges from junk food to eating too much food. Just because we have mega-Churches springing up does not mean that we need to have mega-waist sizes so that our personal temple matches the one we worship at. This is called gluttony, or overindulging.

Ever heard of gluttony? I hear that it is a sin! The Bible has a few things to say about gluttony. Proverbs 23:21 says that the glutton will come to poverty. Proverbs 23:2 goes as far as to say "put a knife to your throat if you are given to gluttony" and Phillipians 3:19 says that those who will come to destruction will treat their belly as their god. Does not sound like gluttony is a good thing. It sounds like gluttony is something to be avoided. Maybe this is something we as Christians should attempt to focus on. After all, sin is sin.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 states, "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

Now we will look at treating our bodies as amusement parks. By that I mean we smoke cigarettes, have premarital sex, overindulge in alcohol and abuse drugs. Is that honoring God with our bodies? I should certainly hope not. That may be honoring the little "g" gods, not the big "G" God that I worship. We tend to take the path of least resistance and focus on what we want to do and what is popular and cool. This is not how we are to live, though. We are to live like the Holy Spirit resides in us, because it does. We should desire what God wants us to do.

Romans 8:5-6 says, "Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace."

Somewhere in the course of our lives we have to ask ourselves if we are living as though our mind is governed by the Spirit. Are we doing as we have been instructed to do. I would argue that we are not. The way we live our lives shows that we have no self-control, which is a very important thing. 2 Peter 1:6 says we are to supplement knowledge with self-control, and Galatians lists self-control as one of the fruits of the Spirit. If we are led by the Spirit, then we will have self-control. If we have the Spirit, you will know it by our fruits.

We may have trouble acting with self-control, but there are ways that we can build it. We need to acknowledge that when Christ died he brought us salvation that allows us to deny our worldly urges (2 Titus 2:11,12). In order to take advantage of this salvation, we must be baptized (Galatians 3:27), cleanse ourselves from the impurities of flesh and spirit (2 Corinthians 7:1) so that we can pursue peace and holiness and through them see God (Hebrews 12:14).

We show that we are truly following Christ by doing several things. In Acts 8:22 the Bible tells us that we should repent and pray so that our hearts can become right with God. Prayer and meditation will open us up to receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Just because it is there does not mean that we use it. As an example, I use public rest rooms all of the time. It has been my experience that almost every one that I have ever been provided both a sink and soap to wash your hands. Yet, I frequently see people walk out of those bathrooms without washing their hands. So it is with the Spirit, accessible to us but left unused.

Another thing that we need to do is surround ourselves with people who are living their lives led by the Spirit. There is a reason to do this. Birds of a feather, flock together. The Holy Scriptures also tells us that not only does bad company corrupt good behavior (1 Corinthians 15:33), but being around positive  Christians who are like-minded allow us to be built up and encouraged (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

When we get rid of the negatives in our lives, we need to replace them with positive things and people. If we do not, then bad things are surely going to seep back into our lives. I would rather be in relationships with healthy people than those who are living in sin, positive Christians as opposed to those who continue to make negative choices and accept no responsibility or hold themselves accountable for their actions.

In my life, I have decided I need to make some changes because there are areas of my life that I could improve in, that I do not have self-control in. The area is gluttony. I overeat all of the time, I do not know moderation when it comes to food and that has began to add up, leaving me with a waist that is almost as big as my chest. I will keep you updated on my progress as I attempt to overcome my last addiction, which is eating pleasure food in abundance, and drop 55 pounds and keep it off.

What I have decided to do is join Weight Watcher's, because it is a lifestyle change as opposed to a diet. I have tried juice fasts for a week, and the Daniel Fast for 40 days, but I have always returned to my addiction to food after it was over. I do not need a phase, but a permanent change. I need a change in lifestyle and a community to support it. I have done that with my other addictions, choosing to attend church for the community it provides, removing myself from those who were engaged in the lifestyle I was trying to leave behind me and actively associating with people who are accomplishing what I am striving for.

That is what Weight Watchers offers me: support, hope and encouragement. I know several people who are active Christians that are also involved in Weight Watchers and have been successful that can offer me support and encouragement in our journey. I will win in the battle with obesity and overeating, because my God is an awesome God. Don't forget what it says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all this through Him who gives me strength."

Matthew 5:13

I was looking at the Sermon on the Mount last night, and it really got me thinking. I am pretty sure that many of us have read this passage, but have we actually applied it to our lives. I think that I will spend my next few blogs discussing it in part due to the relevance of the scriptures to all Christians but also because of how interesting it is to dissect. I will start with Matthew 5:13, which says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

We are the salt of the earth. That is a profound statement when you think about what salt’s purpose is. Salt has several beneficial uses. One of the ways that we utilize salt is to enhance the flavor of other foods. When Jesus says that we are the salt of the earth He is implying that we can enhance those around us, even the places that we go. We can make them more flavorful. Read that as saying that those on the earth will be bettered by us because we can enhance them.

We are to make those who are around us improved. It should be easy for us to do. After all, we have the Holy Spirit in us as a guide, to lead us so that we are positive examples to others. As salt has a beneficial effect on food, we should have a beneficial effect on those around us. We are to be the meek, the merciful, the pure at heart even the peacemakers according to the beatitudes. We are to lead by example and continue to follow the example that Christ has set for us.

Another way we employ salt is to preserve food so that it does not get rotten, so that it does not go bad. We live in a world that is strongly urged on by sin, which is ruled by Satan. How does this affect us? People are leaving the church at a horrific rate. In 1990 86% of America professed Christianity; in 2009 it was 75%. As the devil tries to take over, we need to try to preserve what is still good.

We can cause others to stumble, and we can cause them to prosper spiritually. The choice is ours. This is made apparent when the scripture says that salt can lose its saltiness. Salt can become weakened and/or watered down. I think that for many of us the Gospel has become watered down because our faith has become watered down. We only want to know how much we have to do in order to be saved. Since I was baptized and go to church twice a week, I am good.

Francis Chan challenges that America has become filled by lukewarm (I read this watered down) Christians. We try to see how much we can get away with, we make excuses, and “Surely God meant do not murder, but it has to be okay to lie.” We rationalize our sin. We imagine that since the Bible states in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” that it is okay to sin, since we are doomed to do it anyway.

The true question is not how do I lose my saltiness, for that is as easy as becoming part of the world, of allowing the world to take hold of you again. The scripture says that if we lose our saltiness, we cannot regain it again, we become good for nothing. I personally don’t care how I lose my saltiness. If I am playing baseball, I do not train to not lose, I train to win. The most important question we can ask ourselves on this verse is HOW DO I KEEP MY SALTINESS!!!!!

If the world truly accepts you and all that you do, you are not keeping your saltiness. If you do not drop to your knees multiple times daily in prayer and meditation, you are not keeping your saltiness. If you think that church is only for Sundays, if people would not know that you are a Christian if they did not see you in church…..you are not keeping your saltiness.

God has called us, Jesus died for us and the Holy Spirit lives in us. What more do you need. If the Holy Spirit truly lives in us, we should not be comfortable in our lives. We are called to evangelism, discipleship, ministry, worship and praise. If we are always comfortable, then we are reaching out to the wrong people. Honestly, I would say that we are probably not reaching out to anyone.

We are called the salt of the earth. That means that we alone have the ability to influence those around us, to flavor this sinful world by giving others hope that not all is lost. We need to restore those who have lost their faith, and bring to Christ those who have never met Him. If you wonder how to do this, the answer is simple. Be Christ-like! Do not be a complacent Christian! Lead by example. Remember Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

Holy Spirit

Today I was thinking about the Holy Spirit, which is a very regular thing for me. I have noticed the huge impact that the Holy Spirit has had in my life, and I cannot help but think on it all of the time. But today, I was thinking of how blessed we are in this day and age. When Jesus was here, He walked with the disciples. Can you believe actually getting to walk next to Jesus. I have some friends, that have visited the places that Jesus walked when the disciples were with Him, and they have always talked about how life changing that experience was.

That sounds amazing, walking beside Jesus. I would argue that we now have something even more powerful than Christ walking beside us. Something that is more life changing than walking the same paths that Christ walked, and we do not have to go anywhere to experience it. I am talking about the Holy Spirit and the amazing power that we are blessed with. It came when Christ left the Earth, and has been here ever since.

Jesus told the disciples that He had to leave so that the Holy Spirit could come.  He discusses this in John 14:16,17 – “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be IN YOU.”

This means that the Holy Spirit does not just walk beside us in our lives as Jesus did with the disciples, but instead lives inside of us. The Holy Spirit permeates our body and will guide us in all that we do, and can give us the power to do all that God has planned for us in our lives. Would you be a better basketball player if Michael Jordan coached you or if he took over your body and played through you? The last, of course. The same is true with the Holy Spirit. Jesus walked beside and coached, the Holy Spirit lives inside of us and guides! 

Jesus speaks very highly of the Holy Spirit. In John 16:7,8 he says,  "But I tell you the truth:  It is FOR YOUR GOOD THAT I AM GOING AWAY. Unless I go away, the Comforter will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.  When he comes he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment...."

I would say absolutely no excuses can we truly make when it comes to sin for one reason. Jesus took our ability to make excuses away from us. In John 14:26 He says, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will TEACH YOU ALL THINGS and will REMIND YOU OF EVERYTHING THAT I HAVE SAID to you.”

We were not only taught by the words of Christ and his disciples; we also have the Holy Spirit inside of us to remind us of what is right. The Holy Spirit is like a moral compass. We will know right from wrong, and we will know our sin is sin before we do it. Christ does not give us a way out. Will we all sin? Of course we will, sadly it is in our nature. But the Holy Spirit will guide us away from doing wrong and towards doing right!

We must rely on the Holy Spirit in our lives. We must learn to listen for its whispers in all that we do. If we can begin meditating that is a great start. Take solace in silence and prayer. That way we have a much better chance of hearing how the Holy Spirit would direct our lives. The Holy Spirit actually convicts us of right and wrong. To be convicted means to have a firmly held belief or opinion. That is what the Holy Spirit provides us with. Look at how it convicted the disciples:

The disciple that claimed to love Jesus the most denied that he was his disciple when confronted 3 times in Mark 14:66-72. He loved Christ, but yet could not stand up for the person that he loved out of fear. In fact, Mark 14:50 says, “everyone deserted Him and fled.” These are the same disciples that all agreed with Peter in Mark 14:31 in saying that they would never disown or desert Jesus. This is how the disciples behaved before the Holy Spirit was here.

After Jesus left and the Holy Spirit came down to dwell inside of the disciples, look at how strong and unwavering their faith was. Eight of the disciples were executed. They were martyrs when they died, which means that they were vocal about their belief in Christ, and never backed down when questioned. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit bolstered their spiritual strength and they became steadfast in their belief.

So never forget the power of the Holy Spirit. It will lead us into victory and allow us to accomplish things both great and small. It will mold us and make us more like Jesus every day. The Holy Spirit will guide our actions so we can be God's hands and feet every day. The Holy Spirit will show us how to be salt and light to all that we come in contact with, if only we listen and follow where we are led!