Scriptural Foundation:
1 Corinthians 9:26-27 – New King James Version (NKJV)
Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
2 Timothy 2:14-16 – New King James Version (NKJV)
Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.
Reflection:
This past Christmas we got our daughters a Barbie Dream house. While shopping for Barbies, I was delightfully surprised at the wide variety of diversity in the physical representation of the dolls. There was a doll that had vitiligo, one that had a prosthetic leg and another in a wheelchair. I loved how I could have the conversation about differences with my children through the medium of play. The one thing that remained the same, however, was the shape/figureof the dolls. They all had beach ready bodies, which doesn’t represent most of the population.
The projection of perfection is very much prevalent in all areas of life. Society objectifies perfection to the point that most of us walk around in shame because we cannot live up to that fictious standard. We then take that same soulish mind set and apply the Word of God to it. We think when we come to Jesus, we are expected to be perfect, but the truth is he chose us BECAUSE we were different. The “beach body” that is not attainable for most of the population in the physical realm can be obtained in the spiritual realm with the Holy Spirit as our guide. The Bible talks about how we will have a glorified body in eternity. I do not think body size will matter as much as our words and our actions.
For the first time in my life, I recently completed an extended fast. Prior to that, I had been loosely participating in what I thought was fasting for a day or two. Looking back, I was just starving myself without a purpose. The act of fasting is steeped in our Biblical heritage. It is done to reset us spiritually to our Heavenly Father like no other activity can do.
We are spirit, soul, and body. At any given time, our soul (mind, will, and emotions) is either tied to our spirit or tied to our flesh. It will always be two against one, and eventually the spirit is leading all three parts, or your flesh is leading all three parts.
For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. – Romans 8:5-6
Fasting is one of those activities mentioned at church, but the Body of Christ is not taught in depth about it. It is not an activity just for the leadership of a church body. We are the church saints, the tabernacle of the living God. It is for each one of us to show this type of reverence and sacrifice onto the Lord. During the process of fasting, we are starving our flesh and feeding our spirit. That means not just skipping a meal but using that time for prayer and seeking the Lord. This brings us to another realization that may be missed…if you are not taking the time to sit and eat but are multitasking every minute of your life you may want to rethink if you are even giving God a quality time offering.
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering. And Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. – Genesis 4:3-5
Do not misunderstand me, there will be seasons of your life that you literally have only time to do a five-minute devotional and take a moment of silence with Him, but that will be your quality offering to the Lord. Just let your time with Him be focused and authentic. Every year there are pastors and priests that are leaving the ministry in droves. Most burn out or cast out due to falling short. Many thinking in their own physical efforts they are making things happen.
Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:23-27
The life of Jesus is a life of authenticity. He is the one that is perfect and the rest of us are disciples. That is from the pulpit down. We are each supposed to seek the face of God and rightly handle the Word of God for ourselves.
Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to [a]strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. – 2 Timothy 2:14-15
Then there are people in church with their plastic façade projecting a narrative that is not true, only to be exposed later themselves when someone gets too close to them. We are all one body in the Spirit, but to attain that connection is going to take some work with the Holy Spirit. It is in that time that we as many parts become one because there is One Spirit. The Body of Christ is the one true beach body.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by [the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 12:7-13
Seeking Revelation:
Grab your notebook:
- Read Chapter 12 and meditate on it.
- What part of the Body to you think God created you to be? If you don’t know, pray, ask and seek the Lord.
- Evaluate your time, are you presenting to the Lord your best in the area of time? Please remember there are different seasons of life and it is not the amount of time, but the quality of that time.