THE PREACHER AND HIS PREACHING

1. QUALIFICATIONS:

   A. He must be physically fit. Public speaking inflicts a tremendous strain on one’s nervous energy. In fact, one hour of preaching is equivalent of 8 hours of physical labor in terms of nervous energy supply.

   B. The idea as far as preaching is concerned, is to have a healthy soul in a healthy body. The Apostle John wrote to his beloved friend, Gaius,  in (3^rd John 2-3 vss) “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health,   as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.”

2. THE VALUE OF THE BODY:

   A. It has been well said that “your body is the divinely ordained vehicle, through which the Holy Spirit expresses Himself. Therefore, take care of it.” The bodies in which we live, move, and have our being, are ours only for the duration of our life on earth.  

   B. At death, the spirit of the believer goes to be at home with Christ, which is “far better”(2 Cor. 5:6-10; Phil. 1:21-23; Heb. 9:27). At the next intervention of Christ, each believer’s body whether “raised from the dead” or “alive,” shall be changed and fashioned like unto His glorious body” (1 Thess. 4:16-17; Phil. 3:21). God gave us our bodies at birth, but it is up to us to take care of this divinely ordained vehicle that God has entrusted to us.

   C. Remember, it is only while “in the body” that we can serve as we should. We are carrying a precious payload, “a treasure in earthen vessels,” God’s word. Therefore, we must of necessity, take care of our “earthen vessels.” Each believer is responsible to balance the divine and human side of the question. Our bodies must neither be neglected nor occupy too much of our time or attention. We must not be neither careless, nor over anxious about it.

3. AVOIDING  HEALTH HAZARDS

   A. Each believer must take care as to what he puts into his body in the way of food. He should avoid what he knows, by personal experience, to be detrimental (hazardous) to his physical health, or what he knows makes him unfit for his most efficient service for the Lord. We should abstain from overeating or undereating and take only the kind and quality of food necessary to keep us at our physical best for God, and the work of the ministry.

   B. Any habit that is harmful to clear thinking, or pure living should be avoided. Such habits as the drinking of alcoholic beverages, or smoking should be avoided like the plague, or they might hinder the effectiveness of the preaching of the word of God.