Month: September 2024

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9.30.24. Comfort

2 Cor 1 God of all comfort

If anyone has suffered greatly it is Paul. He has walked the road of suffering so he might bring the gospel to others. He knows the Corinthians personally and he is aware of how they have come to know Christ. He also knows their strengths and weaknesses. Where is our heart? Do we know others so well that we can speak with honesty to them about their weaknesses and their strengths? The other side of this coin is to ask ourselves if we have such close communion with others that we can share our own needs with them as Paul has done in this letter? What characteristic of God can we share with others who are suffering? 

Paul now speaks to these precious friends in Corinth to remind them of God’s comfort when they face suffering. In another letter we read: be strong and courageous  and that is what Paul is telling these Corinthians about how he has faced suffering. “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” Why does God reveal that character quality to us? Paul answers that by saying it is so we can in turn comfort others as they face sufferings. 

Who today needs this message? 

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9.29.24.Praise God Always

Psalm 106-108 The Long-suffering of God 

No matter what we read in these psalms, the repeated theme is to praise the Lord. Why praise Him when we are suffering? Stop and consider this: God sends suffering to purge us of our iniquities and so we will recall what He has done in the past. He is ever patient with His rebellious children. God sends them food and water in the most challenging times and yet they, and us, refuse to give Him praise. Over and over God’s long-suffering is present. If that were us, we would not be so patient and our lives reveal that truth. We are, like the Israelites of old, impatient and ungrateful. Why are we so? We are like the trees that snap at the water that rushes against them and snaps them and we grouse and complain for the hardship. What is God saying? 

God’s love and patience are ever before us but at some point, God will bring suffering into our lives so we may stop and rehearse His blessings and what He has done in the past. Stop today and praise God for what He has done. 

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9.28.24. Wisdom Nuggets

Whom do you fear?

Proverbs 22 Wise Sayings

How many times have we experienced a situation only to realize later that had we paid attention, we would not have had to face these end results. One of the wisdom proofs is when God provides that nugget of truth we should learn from it rather than from facing the consequences of not paying attention.  For example: “Thorns and snares are in the path of the perverse,but the one who guards himself keeps far from them.” [ Prov 22:5] Keeping oneself from those who dishonor God is the best path to follow. I can hear you saying that we need to press on and present the gospel message to the perverse;those whose perspective is warped and twisted. Yet, truth is that these are the unbelievers that even when the truth is presented, will deny it and choose to reject it. 

This chapter is filled with admonitions to stand strong and be faithful to God so pay attention to these words of wisdom. Wisdom says learn the easy way, otherwise you will have to repeat the lesson again until you learn from it. 

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Our Plans & God’s Plans

1 Cor 16 Making Plans 

Today we are busy about many things and one of them is making plans for this and that. We draft calendars and send messages to others to remind them of our plans. We live in the internet age when messages fly faster than the crow flies to others and then we wait for their answers which come quickly. Paul was no different, but he had to send his messages via couriers or by some other means. He said, “I will come to you after I have gone through Macedonia.” [vs 5] Then he added “perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter,” [vs 6] We know from history that Paul’s plans, in fact were disrupted by jealous Jews and a 2 yr. Extended stay in Israel. Sometimes our plans go awry, and we wonder why, but we can trust God has a plan that as He told Habakkuk: “Look…I will do something in your lifetime that you will not believe even though you are forewarned.” [Hab 1:5] Paul could not have considered that he would have opportunity after opportunity to share Christ with Felix and Festus. Even though they did not repent, Paul shared, and they now stand without excuse. [Rom 1:20] 

Even though our plans may go astray, according to our thinking, Paul reminds us: “Stay alert, stand firm in the faith, show courage, be strong.  Everything you do should be done in love.”  [1 Cor 16:13] The Apostle John echoed that same thinking as he wrote his three letters to the flock. Love is the evidence that we are loved by God, and we now share that love with others.  

Are you sharing that love of God with someone today?  

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9.25.24. Orderliness

1 Cor 14 Orderliness in the Church

God gave us the church through His Son, Jesus Christ. As it was then, it is to be today; a place of order, not confusion. It seems that the Corinthians had taken this a separate further because the issue of speaking in tongues had caused much disorder. Thus, as Paul often does, he writes to clarify this issue. Plainly speaking, Paul writes that the tongues issue should be understood this way, as you speak, its whole purpose is to speak to God. Paul encourages the church that prophesying is of greater value than speaking in a foreign tongue. “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.” 

Each of those words direct us to the proper use and place in the worship service of the church. Edification is to build another up through words of encouragement. Exhortation is the orderliness in the preaching and teaching God’s truth.  Many come to the service seeking words that will comfort to console and strengthen them and speaking in tongues does neither for the speaker is speaking to God not men. 

Stop and consider this; how is your church fulfilling each of those commands? 

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9.24.24. Love is…

God is LOVE

1 Cor 13 Love is Supreme

God so loved….therefore we are to emulate His love. “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue but in deed and truth.” [1 John 3:18] Without the Father’s love, we are wandering in the wilderness and are bereft of His blessings. Love is the mark of those who belong to God and the opposite is true, you have no claim to be God’s child. The Apostle John explained it this way; love is what is required, not as a convenience thing to do as Cain attempted to do. 

So what is this love thing? It is what God requires of His children so that the world will know we are His and He has bestowed it upon us as His precious gift. It is the gift of life through His Son Jesus Christ. Practically speaking, it is being kind to those who are undeserving. It is a gift that is ongoing with no end. It is as John said, what we do and what we think and what we say. Paul explains it this way: what love is and what love is not. The contrast is clear and is worthy of our reflection. Is God first in our thinking, our motives, our actions? What do we love: God or the world that fancies itself as loving. Reader, remember this:  actions speak louder than words and without God’s love you are empty and void of this truth: God is love and He so loved. 

Use 1 Cor 13 as your checklist. 

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9.23.24. Spiritual Gifts

God gifts men/women to do the work of the ministry

1 Cor 12 The Spirit Gifts

When one believes and accepts Christ as Savior, it is the Holy Spirit that reveals to our hearts that Jesus is Lord. Is He Lord of your life? If so, then the Spirit is yours as well and with that He gives the gifts that are needed to develop the person and the church. “To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.”  [1 Cor 12:7] As you ponder this thought, consider what gift the Spirit has given to you and not for you alone, but for the many believers out there. 

Paul then takes time to teach the Corinthians and us in turn the many gifts that the Spirit shares out of His abundance of wealth. Has He given you wisdom? Know this, that wisdom comes from the throne of God to edify the church’s believers. Has He given you knowledge? If so, what are you doing with it? Paul then lists many more gifts too numerous here to note. Believer, God has saved you and blessed you with a gift perfectly suited for you and the church so that many would come to salvation. 

What are you doing with your gift today? 

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9.22.24 Rules

Whose rules do you follow?

1 Cor 11 Rules 

We live in an area where the churches have women who place coverings over their hair for each and every service. Having not grown up with this demand, it is uncomfortable for me to worship in these churches. Paul is sharing not just the cultural ways in Corinth but it is to be shared every where and at every time. In my neighborhood there are women who wear a head covering at all times as well as skirts and dresses that touch the heel. What are we to do, what am I to do? Having thought long and hard on this issue, I have concluded it is a cultural thing not something demanded of me. Am I right or wrong? 

Paul’s second set of thoughts is more important; it is about how to serve the Holy Communion which is done every Sunday in our church. We follow Paul’s steps and do serve it just as the early NT church did but also our church plays music during it which is uncomfortable for me, but it is our church’s way so be it. 

How do you think about each of these areas? Share your thoughts with me. 

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9.21.24 Do’s…Don’t’s

1 Cor 10 “Do’s and Don’ts”

Can you hear your parents saying those words to you as you grew up? Paul considers himself the parent to the Corinthians, and as such, he reminds them of those who went before them and they did not obey the Lord thus incurring consequences. That is the same for us today. God has given us the “do’s” so that He might bless us and the “don’ts,” thus incurring the consequences if we do not. 

So where are you obeying the Lord today OR are you disobeying? Read this chapter closely to learn what is acceptable and what is not. 

Paul reminds the Corinthians of their ancestors: they were all drinking from the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ.” But, then they were distracted by the idolatry of the nations around them and fell into their ways. Beloved, this should not be! “God was not pleased with most of them, for they were cut down in the wilderness.” You may not be in the literal wilderness, but you may be in a wilderness of your choices. At one time you chose to follow the Rock, Jesus but along the way you were distracted by the glitz and glamor of the world. John reminds us to not love the world or the things of the world for they will pass away. 

Today where is your focus? Are you devoting yourself to the earthly things or to the eternal things? Check your heart and your actions. 

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9/20/24 Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord

Psalm 105 Recall and Share

The psalmist who wrote these words had one basic reminder: seek the Lord and give Him praise. You wonder as he penned these words if he was recalling the past of his nation and how God preserved the family of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the land of Egypt just as He had promised. As we read this, are we encouraged to recall God’s faithfulness to us today as we seek the Lord, recall His faithfulness and praise Him and Him only. It is good to praise the Lord. It is good to recall His faithfulness. It is good to recall His work to remind us that He alone is faithful. It is good to recall these words so that we are reminded that we too are of the lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob because we are grafted and  part of the true vine, Jesus Christ. 

Praise the Lord and His faithfulness. 

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