"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" 1 Corinthians 6:19

Alright, it's about time for this verse to appear. It very easily could have appeared back on August 19, but it's time for us to consider why we take care of our bodies and what that may look like in each of our lives.

Now before I get accused of taking this verse out of context, let's look clearly at the context. Paul wrote this after writing about fleeing sexual immorality and not being "joined" with one whom you are not married. In verse 18 he says, "Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body." And then the readers are exhorted: "...your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you." The verses leading up to Paul speaking about sexual immorality are the ones we discussed on August 19 - the sin of overeating. Overeating and sexual immorality both lead to the same conclusion: "Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?" (v 15) and "Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" (v 19). My body, your body, our bodies are not our own just to do whatever we please, or don't please.

Everything we do with or to our bodies impacts the house of our Living God! (Take a moment to let that statement sink in and consider its full meaning in your life.) Have you considered lately the incredible truth and blessing it is that your body, if you have placed your faith in Christ, is the Holy Spirit's dwelling place? Before Christ came, God's dwelling place on earth was with the Ark of the Covenant in the inner most room of the temple in Jerusalem. And before that, it was in the middle of a TENT! And neither you nor I probably would have EVER been allowed to approach it. Only priests could carry the ark because God's dwelling place is so holy. Once a year, the head priest chosen by lot by God was to enter the innermost room and make an offering of atonement for the people on an altar located in front of the ark and the mercy seat (God's dwelling place on earth, on top of the ark). This is where God promised to meet with mankind (Ex. 30:6-10). So let's recap that: one man (a high priest) met with God once a year. That was it; unless God chose to reveal Himself to someone else, but that was seldom in the big picture of humanity and the history of the Israelites.

In Christ, this changed. The final atonement sacrifice was offered in Christ on the cross - that's why the veil that separated the innermost room of the temple was torn in two (Mt. 27:51)! We no longer need a priest to represent us to make sacrifices and pray for forgiveness on our behalf - Christ IS our great high priest who has made atonement for us and speaks directly to the Father on our behalf! (Heb. 9) And He has given us direct access to Himself in the Holy Spirit! And how are we able to communicate or find the Holy Spirit? We do not have to look any further than ourselves - "Your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own."

This is why we should seek to exercise, care for and feed our bodies nutritiously and in a God honoring manner. You have been bought with Christ's blood and your life belongs to Him - HALLELUJAH! This is not a sentence of limitation or legalism, but a gift of freedom from the tyranny and destruction we bring on our own bodies through sin, including our own individual sin.

God, You are great and powerful! You have paid every price and made every sacrifice so that I can be free and know You, thank You. I confess that I do not always view my body as being yours instead of mine, and I make selfish decisions because I think I know what I want and what's best. Please help me to trust You and what You say is best for me and the body You have blessed me with. Help me take care of this body, that I may hear You say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant" when I see You face to face. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? I, The Lord, search the heart, I test them mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds." Jeremiah 17:9-10

This has been one of my favorite passages for the past few years. Written by the prophet, Jeremiah, as he spoke God's pronouncement of judgment on Judah, God gets to the true reason for his anger against them - what or whom they have put their trust in (17:5-8). Their hearts, like all hearts, are deceitful - they have deceived themselves. In this case, they take credit for all their wealth, health and life of comfort when it is God who deserves the credit and glory for all they have.

This statement about the heart and about trusting in anything other than God Himself can easily be translated into every part of our lives. This encompasses both our mind and emotions - how we think AND feel about situations, people and, well, anything!

"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?" When reading these verses, I try to change the impersonal "the heart" to "Alyssa's heart." Otherwise, it is easy for me to try to pass this off as an issue for others or just for Judah. And I'll be honest, this is initially very depressing! I don't want to think of my heart as deceitful or sick - but in the next verse we see that it is God who can understand it, who searches the heart and tests the mind. He just answered His own question, just to make sure we don't deceive ourselves even more into thinking we can figure ourselves out and that we always have pure motives!

"I, The Lord, search the heart, I test the mind." As depressed as I can get over that last verse; this verse gives me hope. I can't know my mind and heart perfectly and will be deceived by it, but God knows my every motivation, hidden thought, want, desire - He is not deceived!!! If this doesn't excite you, I don't know what will! I'm sitting in Starbucks right now and want to exclaim how good God is that He can't be deceived! This truth excites me and encourages me because I know that means He will not let me continue to be deceived if I turn to Him and trust Him. I know this is true because Jeremiah 17:7-8 says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in The Lord and whose trust is The Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit." That is a promise you can hold on to - your heart and mind may betray you or deceive you that you are in the right, have pure motives, or are doing well, but God will search your heart. In trusting Him, He will show you the truth and grow you strong, and even a time of spiritual dryness cannot uproot you.

"Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, for You are my praise" (Jeremiah 17:14). Although our hearts are deceitful and sick, we can join with Jeremiah and pray for healing. In Christ, we are saved, but our hearts will not be completely remade new so that they do not deceive us until the day we get to see Him face to face in heaven. Since He has given every person that belongs to Him His Holy Spirit, we can believe and trust that He will let us know when we are wrong, when our hearts have led us to sin, and that He will not allow our hearts to continue to deceive us when we turn to Him in prayer and seeking Him in His word.

Precious Jesus, thank You for not letting me stay the same as I was before knowing You. Please help my heart trust in You alone. Please search my heart and test my mind - show me where I have deceived myself and help me believe You and Your word. In Your Name I pray, Amen.

Take some time today and throughout this week to read and consider Jeremiah 17:5-18 & Psalm 1. Please pray and ask The Lord to show you what is in your heart where you may be deceived.

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." James 1:2-4

What trials or "stuff" have you been going through lately? Sickness or injury? A hurt relationship? Continual financial hardships? Persecution? Whatever it is, you and I can take comfort because we have been saved by a God who knows all things and is in control of everything. These verses assume that trials and difficulties are going to occur - James says "when you encounter various trials"! If nothing else, be encouraged because these trials are not a surprise to our great and glorious God!

"Consider it all joy": The first phrase is difficult to do though! If I was writing this letter, I would have followed this phrase with "when things are great" or "when you've met the man/woman or your dreams" or even "that Christ has saved you!" But I certainly wouldn't have said, "when you encounter various trials." I am not that crazy, but I am also not inspired by the Holy Spirit as James was as he wrote.

How is this realistically possible? James gives us this answer: "knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance." Remember last week we studied 1 Samuel 12 and that Samuel told the Israelites to serve God in truth with their whole hearts? Well, here is a great example of that! We dwell on the truth that God has given us - all trials and hardships we encounter test us and our faith. They are an opportunity for us to really reach our full potential - being like Christ. The endurance that James speaks about - it is an unwavering trust and faith that believes God is who He says He is and will do what He has said He will do. Trials are an opportunity for us to believe and trust.

But let's not stop there - no! James also tells us to continue that endurance "so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing!" There are different views on being made completely like Christ - some believe it is possible in this lifetime and others (myself included) believe that this total and complete work of being transformed into Christ's likeness only happens after we leave this world and see Him in our real home. No matter what you believe, these verses tell us that being made into Christ's likeness comes, at least partially, through the trials we encounter. God desires your good (Romans 8:28), and His absolute best for you and me is holiness. He wants to make us holy, like Christ, and that is what being perfect and complete, lacking in nothing means!

"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." What an amazing promise. In your trials and hardships (or any time at all!), ask God for wisdom - He WILL give it to you! God delights in giving His wisdom - James says He gives it willingly, generously and without reproach; He will not make fun of you for not having wisdom! Scripture teaches us that "The fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Ps. 111:10; Job 28:28; Prv. 1:7, 9:10) and that God honored and delighted in Solomon's request for discernment and understanding (1 Kings 3:5-14). Trust and believe Him, take Him at His word that He will give you wisdom to go through every day - and remember that wisdom begins with fearing Him.

Our Perfect God, I praise You for always seeking my good, to make me like You. I praise You that my trials are no surprise to You, but actually Your plan to complete me and make me who You want. Please help me trust You in the good times and the bad, and grow me in Your wisdom. In You Holy name I pray, Amen.

"Samuel said to the people, 'Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following The Lord, but serve The Lord with all your heart. You must not turn aside, for then you would go after futile things which can not profit or deliver, because they are futile. For The Lord will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because The Lord has been pleased to make you a people for Himself. Only fear The Lord and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.'" 1 Samuel 12:20-22, 24

1 Samuel 12 is a speech by Samuel to the Israelites after Saul has been accepted as king. He is encouraging Israel to obey God as they follow their new king's leadership, because the only alternative is to rebel. There is no in between, and there is no in between for us.

The people of Israel finally realize their rebelliousness in asking for (even demanding) a king, to be like the nations around them, and so they ask Samuel to pray for their forgiveness. Our passage above picks up with Samuel's response: "Do not fear. You have committed all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following The Lord..." Yes - the Israelites have royally screwed up, but this was not a surprise to God - He knows everything! Instead of getting hung up on their sin which can't be changed, Samuel tells them to look forward and commit - "serve The Lord with ALL your heart." This was God's Word for the Israelites then, and it is still His Word for us today.

Often, when I read my Bible, I want to identify with the hero or good guy, like David, Daniel, or in this case, Samuel! But that's not right. Samuel is a representative of Christ - Samuel couldn't lead God's people perfectly, but Christ could and does. You and I aren't like Samuel, we're like the Israelites (take a deep breath - I know it hurts my pride a little too). Like the Israelites, my heart is easily persuaded to seek what I think will make me happy and even "fit in" with those around me. Why do you think there are so many commercials, billboards, magazine and internet advertisements?! We've been told that we'll be happy if we accumulate more, have a bigger home or drive the best car! (And yes, my heart is coveting a new car right now as one of ours is sitting needing $800 worth of repairs and the other has just been returned to us by an auto shop that couldn't figure out why it keeps dying on us! Oy!)

Samuel tells us above that turning aside from serving God with ALL of our hearts means giving our hearts to "futile things which cannot profit or deliver." There's no in between - either God has our heart or He doesn't.

Why should He have our entire heart?! That's a GREAT question! Seriously! At the beginning of 1 Samuel 12, Samuel reminds Israel of their history with God - His calling of Abraham, preserving Isaac, Jacob and all in Egypt, delivering them from slavery and giving them a land of their own. Verse 24 above calls us to fear and serve God because of the great things He has done for you. I know God has done great things in each of our lives, but none is so great, important or impactful as sending Christ, His only Son. This is our motivation for obedience! Christ sacrificed Himself for you and has rescued you from ALL that you truly deserve!!!

That last verse says, "serve Him in truth with all your heart." That means that what we believe determines how we act. What our hearts truly love, desire and serve will be evident by what we talk about, how we act and what we pour our time and energy into. We can easily say that we love God with our entire heart, but does your lifestyle, choices and thoughts reflect this? And do you spend time gaining truth about God through His word so that you can love Him even more? Get to know Him better every day through His word and prayer. Meditate on His word, and this will teach you His truth. Pray and ask for help to believe who He is and that what He says is right and good.

Heavenly Father, I praise You for Your mercy and grace, and I thank You for sending Christ so that I could know you and can pray to You. Lord, I believe You are good and that nothing is outside of Your control - help my unbelief. Help me know You better every day. In You powerful name I pray, Amen.