Recently our pastors have been taking our church congregation through a Margin Series. Margin is the space between your load and your limit. We need margin space in our lives so that we can make the best decisions in areas where we are not overloaded with busyness. One area in our lives where we need more space is in our physical space. Today, we are talking about setting physical margin space.
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| Setting Physical Margins |
This post is written from my personal Bible study notes taken during my pastor's sermon titled Physical Margin.
Margin is a heart issue. Margin is ultimately about God's glory.
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all things for the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
Physical margin glorifies God.
Setting Physical Margins
1. What is physical margin?
Physical margin is intentionally taking care of the body God gave us. This is for His glory and our blessing.
For bodily training is just slightly beneficial, but godliness is beneficial for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8
1 Timothy 4:8 tells us that bodily training is slightly beneficial. We should definitely take care of the body God gave us. We should eat the right foods. We should exercise to keep our bodies strong and fit. We should also use caution so that we don't idolize fitness. Physical fitness is important. Staying in good health and in good physical shape pleases God. He gave us our bodies so we should take care of what God has given us but if health and physical fitness is an idol, then we don't have good physical margin space.
2. Why should I care about physical margin?
So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27
I reflect God's image.
Do you reflect God's image? If you have a relationship with Jesus, do people know?
Then God said, "Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the livestock and over all the earth, and over every crawling thing that crawls on the earth." So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; make and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27
God intentionally chose to make you the way you are. YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT. You are here for a purpose. God values ALL life but only people are made in God's image.
God took time to knit you.
For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalms 139:13-18
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You have purpose.
Your body is not your own. The body is the Lord's.
All things are permitted for me, but not all things are of benefit. All things are permitted for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 1 Corinthians 6:12
We cannot be controlled by anyone or anything but God. Are you being controlled or dominated by something?
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God and that you are not your own? 1 Corinthians 6:19
You are not your own. You were bought with a price so glorify God with your body.
3. Physical margin is an act of worship.
Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2
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You can have physical margin. In fact, God wants us to have physical margin.
Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such as way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way as to avoid hitting air; but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Start with small wins. Small wins every day are good. Here are a few tips.
Go to bed on time.
Slow down and rest.
Jesus said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath." Mark 2:27
When you aren't at work, don't be at work. Be home.
Find physical margin in Christ.
Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
Keep all things in perspective.
There is a high price for sin. Jesus paid it.
You will never make a greater decision than the one to follow Jesus.
This post was written from my personal Bible study notes taken during my pastor's sermon. You are invited to watch that sermon in its entirety here.
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| Setting Physical Margins |
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