The Apostle Paul disciplined his body and made personal discipline a requirement of an elder (Titus 1:8). Without personal discipline, abilities, talents, gifts and belongings will lie idle or be misused. Here are some practical examples:
Christian Worldview - What kind of literature is being read and how often? Is the radio, Internet, and TV tuned to the unacceptable and inappropriate?
Time Management - Is time being set aside for fasting, daily prayer, and Bible study? Is time being wasted?
Stewardship - Is debt being abused? Is money being wasted? Do we need four-dollar specialty coffees and gas guzzling cars when alternatives are available? Does the house require major repairs due to neglected maintenance? Is money being used for tobacco, alcohol, lottery tickets and donations to prosperity teachers? Is God getting the first fruits?
Relationships - Are the lost being prayed for and is the Gospel being preached? Are we willing servants in the body of Christ? Are we easily angered, impatient, or hurtful towards others? Are we putting into practice the warning that, 'for every idle word men may speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgment?' (Matthew 12:36). Is our speech gracious, kind and merciful? Do we have inappropriate relationships? Are we heeding the warning that 'evil company corrupts good habits' (1 Corinthians 15:33)? Is our conversation and thought life pleasing to God, especially as it relates to members of the opposite sex?
Calvary Chapel of Richmond is a local fellowship of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Our supreme desire is to know Christ and be conformed to His image by the power of the Holy Spirit through the continuous study and application of God's Word.
