
1Corinthians 9:24-27
Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
If you do not have the book "The Disciplined life" by Richard S. Taylor I highly suggest you get a copy and read it through at least twice and take some notes for your self the second time. We have been using this for material in our teen class and have been having a great time with it. One thing teens and adults could use today is some self-imposed discipline. You do not find much of it in "Modern Christianity" today and in fact in many places it is looked down upon and spoken against.
In this passage Paul speaks of bringing his body into subjection so that he would not be just another castaway. When Paul mentions the term "castaway" he is referring to "failing shamefully of the prize myself, after I have called others to the contest." JFB. How sad it is to see those who have ministered to others fall into sin and have a ruined testimony because they had no self-discipline which God can use in your life and can give you.
Paul is speaking of bringing his body into subjection in this passage so that is what we will look at in several areas for this post. There are certain areas which stand out the most in our churches and society today. The ones that stick out the most to me are Sex, Appetite, Sleep, Fitness, and Work.
Sex: DO NOT PANIC! We are not going into detail here.
1Corinthians 6:18-20
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
Of course today there is little-to-none self discipline in this area and that is among the single crowd and the married crowed. Marriages are destroyed and many before they even start because of this. Preachers disqualify themselves from the ministry due to this and young people ruin their lives and even murder over this. It is very important that we control what kind of media we listen to, watch, and read. Exercise can also help with this however, being in the Word of God and prayer as well as faithfully serving God and being where we need to be when we need to be there as King David found out the hard way. If you were blessed when you were young, you had some parents that said, "NO" and meant it and did not let you have your way all the time. If you have never been told no and always get your way, if you are smart you will start disciplining yourself in other areas of your life as soon as possible which will help a great deal when it comes to controlling your body in this area which is any sex out side of marriage.
Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
1Corinthians 7:1-5
Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
Not only do some believers have a hard time bringing their bodies into subjection when they should not have sex but some can not bring their bodies into subjection when they should. I could not believe my eyes when I read a report that most men over 30 prefer to work out in their yard rather than be romantic with their wife. Some men have a hard time leading their home in this area and the reason I mention it is because marriages are ruined this way too. Men who show no leadership and women, for whatever dumb, prudish reason, deny their husband what the Bible says is his and hence one is tempted because of incontinency and a divorce or at minimum a lot of pain and sadness. So, before one starts throwing blame around they need to take a look in the mirror. Adultery is always wrong and those who commit it are always wrong and so are those that help it out.
Sleep - Pulling back those warm covers and lifting your head off that soft pillow.
Proverbs 6:9-11
How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.
Yes, we need a certain amount of sleep and it is not healthy if we do not get it however, laying in bed because we are lazy is a sin and I am not talking about an occasional day off or the like. Those who spend most of their time sleeping are wasting good opportunities to get something profitable done and are just contributing to their self-discipline problem of letting the flesh run your life and becoming soft and weak. Sleep is sweet to those who work and should be enjoyed but when it is time to get up you need to get out of bed. Start getting up a little earlier each day until you get no more than eight hours. Most studies that are recent that I have read show that six hours gives you rest and does not shorten your life span as some would suggest. I would get at least five though. Normally I will get five to six.
Work - Pull your pants up, put a shirt on and get a job.
Proverbs 10:5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
Proverbs 12:11 He that tilleth his land shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth vain persons is void of understanding.
I remember the day when a young man that my Dad was allowing to live and eat at our house for free told him that his hands were too good to flip burgers because he was an artist. The young man left for a while and when he came back my Dad literally had set his clothes in bags out on the porch and told him to hit the road. My Dad's rule when I grew up was that if you lived in his house, you worked, or went to school full time. This is the same rule in my own house today. I was in a store recently that was closing and I could tell the clerks were rather bothered by the idea because they were losing their jobs. My heart breaks for those kinds of people who want to work and are willing to work but cannot. Once I saw a man with a sign that said "will work for food" while he was standing next to a business that had a help wanted sign. When I asked him why he did not apply he said he was too good to work there. Learning how to work hard and smart is a skill that is built over time and should be started when you are a child so you are ready when the time comes that you have to. Chores should be looked at as on the job training, not punishment.
Fitness - If it is not built in it needs to be worked in.
1Timothy 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
The Bible does not say that bodily exercise does not profit and is not a good thing to practice. Last year the Lord showed me a few things about this and after a series of events that my 220lb fat boy body needed to be in shape and a bit healthier. I was teaching in an Addictions Ministry that teaches self restraint and I was very unhealthy and overweight. At 36 I had no idea where I was going with a workout program and had already been going to a gym for some time. Less than a year later I am about 55lbs lighter and can run eight miles and when I started I could not run a city block. Now I am not saying you need to make fitness you hobby or go overboard however, you should have some kind of program to get in or stay in shape so you can take care of the temple of the Holy Spirit and stay sharp while serving Him for years to come.
Appetite - A good area to begin some self discipline.
1Peter 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:
Duet 21:20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.
Proverbs 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
As I said when we began our Addictions Ministry and have always preached against smoking and drinking I was convicted of how I was taking care of my own body. The last thing I wanted to be was a huge fat guy telling people that smoked that they were not taking care of God's temple so they needed to stop. I am not advocating fad diets either or living off of carrots. We should however watch our food intake and what we eat and when. So just remember to ask yourself the next time you tell someone to stop destroying the temple of the Holy Spirit with tobacco what are you putting in your mouth and in what amounts.
Pastor Matthew Brasel