If you will recall, in the “Let The Stories Begin” section of this website, I made the open and bold statement that the selected or created information shared around the campfire would have no restrictions or limitations except that all materials shared and discussed must be appropriate, proper, correct, and without any vulgarity.  Other than those guidelines, all subject matter would be acceptable and highly desirable.

Well, this day comes around the campfire with a True Truth of what God Almighty, The Creator of the Universe, has to say loud and clear to all of His creation regardless of who they are and what they personally think.  True Truth is indeed God’s Truth.  As such, it applies equally to all persons living on this earth regardless of race, color, creed, religious persuasion, or personal beliefs.  Truth is Truth!  And the Truth of Life will always prevail over the lie or deception of the adversary (the devil).

So grab hold of something sturdy and immovable and hang on!  We are going to go through some huge rocks and other types of hard places.  Pay close attention to what I am going to tell you, and most importantly do not make any final conclusions about the subject matter until after you have read or listened to the entire discussion and thoroughly pondered it in your own mind.  Put on your long-sleeved shirts, as I do not want anyone to brush up against something that might scratch or sting their beliefs or feelings.

In order to gain the True Truth of Life, all one needs to do is to go to the Holy Bible and read what it has to say about the subject matter under discussion.  Following my own advice, permit me to take you the the Book of John, Chapter 8, verses 31—36. NKJV:

The Truth Shall Make You Free

(31)   “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you
            abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.

(32)   And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
          free.’

(33)   They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and
           have never been in bondage to anyone.  How can You say,
           ‘You will be made free?’

(34)    Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you,
           whoever commits sin is a slave to sin.

(35)    And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son
            abides forever.

(36)   Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free
           indeed.’ ”

As I grow older and acquire more knowledge, and as I age and gain more godly wisdom and understanding of the Truth of Life, I can clearly see where man’s lack of belief in God Almighty, as well as his continual disobedience to the instructions of the Lord, have caused him so much misery, heartache, and suffering.  God really means what He says.  Remember that we are told in the Book of Romans, Chapter 6, verse 23 NKJV:

(23)  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
           life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

It truly is quite sad, but also amusing, to watch how people today for the most part are so infatuated with their own physical bodies; its size, shape, color, and tone.  Sexuality is rampant.  It is everywhere you look.  Style, fashion, fads, and over-exposed “skin” and sexually attractive measurements, muscles, and curves are all around you all day and night in hidden places as well as unashamedly out in the open everywhere you go and in all areas of living while you conduct your personal affairs each and every day.

Half of the marriages end in divorce, mostly caused from unfaithfulness and extramarital love affairs.  More people today are living together as if they were actually married but who are not legally married.  There just seems to be “no holds barred” when it comes to sexually active men and women outside the marriage bed.   

How does all of that balance with “till death do us part” that you promised your mate and your God, in front of witnesses through the vows you gave and received in your wedding ceremony?  Man, the flesh, your own interpretation, allows you to, at least, think that you can deal with these problems and enticements and still survive.  Such is not true!  Sin is sin is still sin, no matter what you say or do.  Sin has a price tag and the sinner will indeed pay it in full, regardless of who he is, who he says he is, or who he thinks he is,…about his own ability to be sinless.  The wages of sin is death!  Those are God’s words,…not mine.

Lets us now take an honest and truthful look at what God’s personal instructions are to man and woman while they live here on earth.

1 Corinthians 6 : 12—20  NKJV:

Glorify God in Body and Spirit

(12)   “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful.
            All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under
            the power of any.

(13)    Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God
           will destroy both it and them.  Now the body is not for
           sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the
           body.

(14)    And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by
           His power.

(15)    Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?
           Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them 
           members of a harlot?  Certainly not!

(16)   Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one
           body with her?  For “the two,” He says, “shall become one 
           flesh.”

(17)   But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

(18)   Flee sexual immorality.  Every sin that a man does is
          outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality 
          sins against his own body.

(19)   Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy
          Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are 
          not your own.

(20)   For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in
          your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

In New Testament times, most philosophers believed that only the mind mattered, more precisely, the things on which you focused and concentrated your mind mattered—the “ideals” you constantly thought about.  The human body therefore was base, and either you got it into proper line or you simply gave up on it and went for any and every thing you desired to and for your body with all the gusto you could possibly muster.  Stoic or Epicurean, monk or drunk, it made no difference because one was the same as the other,…the body was truly bad.  Well, may I say to you, the Apostle Paul would greatly disagree.

First, God is the body.  Saint Francis was indeed right when he said, “Brother Ass” is just the right name for the human body,…often stubborn and always absurd.  Yet Paul affirms that the Lord is for my body.

Second, the human body is for the Lord.  He not only loves it, but He also has a definite purpose for it.  Our bodies were made to contain the living God and make His invisible attributes known.  Physical looks don’t really matter—tall, dark, and handsome; short, shot, and shapeless—our bodies are beautiful when they make His beauty known.

God has an eternal purpose for our bodies.  What we see externally is not all that there is to them.  By His power, God raised the Lord form the dead, and He will raise us also” (See 1 Cor 6 : 14 above).  When our bodies are redeemed and perfected, they will display His beauty forever.  That is precisely what our bodies are everlastingly made for.

Because our human bodies have an eternal destiny, Paul maintains that we must not misappropriate them now here on earth.  The human body has not been made for self-indulgence and impurity.  Make no mistake about it.  Sex is good, but illicit sex prostitutes our bodies.  It’s a sell out.  God calls us to “flee from sexual immorality.” (See 1 Cor 6 : 18 above).  Sex outside the marriage is uniquely a sin against the body because it violates the purpose for which the body was made.  The human body is not meant to be indulged on any slight whim or spur of the moment physical desire; our bodies have a much more nobler purpose.  They are made to contain God Almighty and openly display Him forever.

There was a saying in Corinth: “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food” (See 1 Cor 6 : 13 above).  The Corinthians meant by this saying that nature demanded satisfaction.  The stomach was made for food and food was made for the body.  So when you desired food for your well being, you should indulge yourself and eat something that was good for you and your body.  True, Paul agreed, the body was made for food and food for the body, but people who believe in God must not extrapolate from that principle to another—that the body was made for sex and sex was made for the body.  No, the human body is more than its parts and is made for more than sex and self-indulgence.  It is indeed a sanctuary intended for God and meant to house Him—a place where He can be seen and known to and by all observers.

This piece of knowledge and understanding leads Paul to his bottom line:

“Therefore, honor God [manifest His glory] with your body” 
(See 1 Cor 6 : 20 above).

That’s what human bodies are for!

But you might just say,…why would He want my body?  It’s the source of almost everything that is wrong with me.  It has a dirty mind; it’s lazy and self-indulgent, it’s been abused by drugs, and booze, and too much partying.  It has a sexually transmitted disease.  It’s wasted and ruined!

And yet God Almighty still wants your body.  It doesn’t need to be tanned, toned, curvy, well-proportioned and terrific for Him.  All He asks is that you bring it to Him with its attendant problems so that He can make something good of it.

Most of us don’t really know what to do with our bodies.  We have a love-hate relationship with them—alternately trashing and treasuring them.  They will never truly please us unless and until we give them totally to God.  He made our bodies and only He knows what they are for.

May I exhort you to give your body to God and He will let you know how to use it!  

Just be totally honest with yourself.  Given God’s unconditional love for you and your body, giving your body completely to God is truly the only reasonable thing for you to do….wouldn’t you agree?  You will be glad that you did!

Peace and Love to All of You……………………..Poppa Bear