(1 Corinthians 6:12) "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything."

Our church had a great study on this passage Wednesday evening. As Christians, we strive and desire for the Lord to be glorified in our bodies yet we treat our bodies poorly...as though they belong to us. We allow ourselves to be mastered by our flesh as we desire so many earthly indulgences more so than we desire Christ and His glory.

One of the core teachings through this study was that 'whatever we desire, we glorify'. So, if we desire a cigarette, we glorify tobacco. If we desire a 'twinkie', we glorify junkfood. If we desire to accomplish a long list of 'to-dos' by the end of the day, we glorify our ability to be productive and organized. If we desire to finish the book of Exodus by the end of the week, we glorify our ability to speed-read and to complete a goal.  Many of us realize quickly that we are mastered by earthly things if we analyze our desires and motivations very closely. Even something that is good, in and of itself (such as Bible reading), can become sinful if our focus isn't that God be glorified through it. If I read my Bible at the end of the evening and do it just because I know I should, I've sinned. I haven't read my Bible because I love the Word of God and want to see His glory in it. I haven't read it because I treasure Him and crave to know what He has to say to me today. I've read it as a chore! I've checked it off my 'to-do' list. What blasphemy to a Holy God who has written His Word so that His people may learn about Him and bring Him glory by loving Him with their minds.