Thoughts for Today
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Disciplined or Disqualified?
By Robert H. Schuller
"But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." – 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NKJV)
By Robert H. Schuller
"But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." – 1 Corinthians 9:27 (NKJV)
Faith is focusing all of your conscious and subconscious thoughts and your natural and supernatural powers to create a spiritual cable more powerful than any steel cable. Faith, through this cable, moves mountains. This cable is discipline!
The words discipline and disciple come from the same root. Early Christians were called disciples. That means they became persons so totally and completely committed to the Christian cause that they were willing to die for it. That, essentially, is the spirit that makes up the word discipline.
Solomon wrote: "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls" (Proverbs 25:28). The person who disciplines his body practices faith, whether it's through controlling appetite for food or drink, or any other natural physical appetite.
There are mysterious, intricate, and complex connections of body, brain, and soul. Persons who discipline their eating, drinking, and sexual appetites often experience a mysterious upsurge of creativity and rebirth of spirituality. In contrast, the undisciplined person who "lets himself go" and doesn't care about proper exercise, physical fitness, or dietary discipline finds his faith becoming "flabby." Undisciplined is another word for disqualified.
Today, determine to qualify as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Pledge to discipline your eyes, your ears, your mouth, your stomach, your hands, and your sexual desires.
With God's help, bring your body under control. Become a spiritual athlete!
The words discipline and disciple come from the same root. Early Christians were called disciples. That means they became persons so totally and completely committed to the Christian cause that they were willing to die for it. That, essentially, is the spirit that makes up the word discipline.
Solomon wrote: "Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls" (Proverbs 25:28). The person who disciplines his body practices faith, whether it's through controlling appetite for food or drink, or any other natural physical appetite.
There are mysterious, intricate, and complex connections of body, brain, and soul. Persons who discipline their eating, drinking, and sexual appetites often experience a mysterious upsurge of creativity and rebirth of spirituality. In contrast, the undisciplined person who "lets himself go" and doesn't care about proper exercise, physical fitness, or dietary discipline finds his faith becoming "flabby." Undisciplined is another word for disqualified.
Today, determine to qualify as a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Pledge to discipline your eyes, your ears, your mouth, your stomach, your hands, and your sexual desires.
With God's help, bring your body under control. Become a spiritual athlete!
Physical discipline and spiritual discipline walk hand in hand.
* * *
Help me, O God, to succeed in this colossal challenge. Let my life give evidence, O Lord, of being a disciplined disciple! Amen. 
