"YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN!"

1 Corinthians 6:19-20                  (ESV)
"19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the HOLY SPIRIT within you, whom you have from GOD? "YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN",
20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify GOD in your body."



As a man in my mid 50's there are many demands on my aging body, most of them self-imposed demands that have no connection with eternal rewards.  But how do I allow such seemingly trivial matters to become so paramount in my life?  How does the unworthy temporal ideas get mixed in with what GOD is trying to accomplish in my life?  How can I "keep my eyes set on the things above" and not on the things of "this world"?

The enemy can keep me so busy at doing what's seems like "good things" that I don't have time for the things GOD has for me to do TO DRAW GLORY TO HIM!  My mind can wander down so many avenues which all appear to be beneficial for the Kingdom, but that GOD may not have CALLED me to do?  GOD uses HIS entire army to do differing tasks and my desires sometimes don't figure into HIS PLAN.  The main purpose of my life SHOULD be to draw honor and glory to HIM, not to grow my bank account or draw recognition to self!

"YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN" needs to be emblazoned across my Spiritual forehead as a reminder to always seek to glorify GOD, NOT TO BE GLORIFIED BY GOD! This body isn't my eternal abode, only a rental I have been entrusted with for a few short years.  JESUS paid a tremendous price to ransom my SOUL from the enemy, and the actions of my body should reflect that fact more and more as my soul is drawn closer to HIM.  We should "glorify GOD in your body" for some are unable to SEE a difference from the soul and body.  Their eyes have yet to be opened to the ETERNAL vs. the temporal and all they can SEE is the things of "this world"!

Even the "thoughts and intents" of my heart should reflect "YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN" as we are occasionally directed to do some things that do not make SENSE!  Romans 14:23b says ".........For whatever does not proceed from FAITH is sin".  Hebrews 11:6a instructs "And without faith it is impossible to please HIM......".  GOD is calling me to TRUST HIM more and to remember "YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN" as I journey through "this world" glorifying HIS NAME!!