#MuscleBound

There is a condition that can develop when an individual has exercised so much that his or her muscles become rigid. The muscles are hindered because of inflexibility and cannot function. This person may look absolutely wonderful with a full six-pack and well defined biceps and triceps, but they are useless. This condition is known as being muscle-bound.

Christians or even a church can become bound with much knowledge of the Bible or church polity and become rigid or inflexible and utterly useless. Knowledge not put into practice will bind you to maybe looking good but useless. It is a good thing to exercise in order to have strength to use your muscles when needed, but be careful to not over do it. Using your muscles is better than looking good.

Jesus told his disciples to keep His commandments in John 30:21, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."  First off you have to know His commandments in order to keep them and they are found in the Bible. Reading that is a requirement to knowing and the keep stated here is not to just keep them in your head, but keep them, observe them, do them.

We are not to hoard them in our minds. We are to put them into practice. We may not become muscle-bound, but we sure will become like the Dead Sea which has living water flowing into it but no outlet. There is so much concentrated chemicals in the water of the Dead Sea that nothing can live in it. It is useless water.

We were put on this earth to benefit others and not to just build ourselves up. We are to be a conduit of God's grace. Jesus also said, "He that believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water,'" We are to give every which way possible - it could be a word of encouragement or a ten-spot or a shoulder or a verse or an invitation to dinner. Giving is better than receiving or keeping.