Legalism Will Never Get You Closer To Christ

Galatians 4:15-17 -  Where is that happy spirit that we felt together then? For in those days I know you would gladly have taken out your own eyes and given them to replace mine if that would have helped me.  And now have I become your enemy because I tell you the truth?   Those false teachers who are so anxious to win your favor are not doing it for your good. What they are trying to do is to shut you off from me so that you will pay more attention to them.

Paul continues to try and explain the dangers of listening to false teachers…especially when they twist the truth to be the opposite of what God says in His word.  He reminisced about the time when their pure love for Christ created a sacrificial heart that let love fuel what it did every day.  He reminded them that the goal of these speakers was to separate them from God…so that they would be weakened in the faith that God had once built in their hearts.

Once again my Life Application Bible made four great points about the dangers of adhering to legalism… instead of allowing God’s grace and mercy to drive our every action.  Paul felt that they had lost some of their joy because they had listened to these false teachers…and were trying to make the law a part of how they were redeemed.

Someone bound to legalism uses guilt to power their decision to do right or wrong.  God’s word says that love should power these decisions.   Jesus chose to hang on that cross out of love for each of us.  He felt no guilt….it was pure obedience and a passion to follow God’s will and plan for His life. If guilt is powering our decision to help someone….we might be a little too connected to the law.

Someone bound to legalism is powered by a hatred of the inner self.  They take guilt to the next level….and forget completely the power of humility in a believer’s life. Following rules…and constantly knowing that you have broken them…repeatedly….lowers one’s self esteem.  Living in a truly humble state builds confidence in who God is leading us to be.

Someone bound to legalism is driven by performance…and forgets the importance of building a relationship with Christ. The strongest people of faith have deep relationships with God. They know and study His word…they pray without ceasing….they are driven by a knowledge of His will.  They have a passion to do what they are called to do. They know they don’t deserve or could ever do enough to buy God’s love. They do out of complete obedience.

Someone bound to legalism is always listing their short comings…instead of letting God build their confidence by feeling the strength in their progress. None of us will ever be able to accomplish a sin free life…we will mess up. God wants us to concentrate on how far He has brought us…so that we learn to depend more and more on His power. If we constantly berate ourselves for our mistakes…God never has a chance to build our strength to do what He called us to do.

I think of Moses…in that moment when he took his shoes off and began to get to know God on a personal level.  The law had not been given yet…it was just Moses…God…and a ton of excuses that prove to be examples of why God wants us to reject the notion that legalism will ever draw us closer to him. It was the choice to throw the rod down…and see what God could do with it…that gave Moses the confidence to move forward in God’s will and become one of the Bible’s greatest leaders…and prayer warriors…a most humble servant of God.

I am convicted…as I am most mornings of a lack of growth in my faith. I have failed each and every point God allowed me to see…and have a ton of studying…praying…and throwing the proverbial rod down to even come close to knowing what He plans to do with me. And the wonderful thing is…I get a do over….every day until I stop making excuses and learn to throw that rod down when God tells me too.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have provided a way for me to have a personal relationship with you. Forgive me for the times that I have made it more about following rules…than listening to you tell me how to let go of the guilt….poor self-esteem…the need to work for work’s sake…and the feelings of failure that hold me back from knowing your will for my life.  Help me to internalize the need to draw closer to you as my savior…so you can build me up to be all that you created me to be.   Amen.

Claim God's Promise...Be His Child

Galatians 3:26-29 -  For now we are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ,  and we who have been baptized into union with Christ are enveloped by him. We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same—we are Christians; we are one in Christ Jesus.  And now that we are Christ’s we are the true descendants of Abraham, and all of God’s promises to him belong to us.

Paul continued his loving rebuke of the false teachers that tried to convince these new Christians that they needed to follow the Jewish laws to be saved. He said that they were convinced so easily he was afraid a magician had hypnotized them. His rebuke contained a reminder of the first promise given of God to Abraham...and how we that choose to believe in Christ Jesus share that first promise and become children of God ourselves.

Perhaps it was…still is… too easy to believe in a gift that requires nothing back in return. The laws were never given as a way to be saved…it has always taken a proper sacrifice of blood to wash away sins.  Jesus just eliminated the need to kill and offer our own sacrifices like he required those of Abraham’s day. ….and in the process He offered all of us of any color….gender…or economic level the same rights to be His child.

The only requirement from God to claim that promise to be His child is to publicly announce our belief in the great sacrifice of blood that Jesus made.  His sacrifice fulfilled all the prophecy and laws and was just enough blood to wash all the sins of the world away….forever.  God opened the gates to Heaven for all who believe….that is called faith. He wants us to share that good news with everyone we meet….that is called faith in action.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you alone are the way to heaven.  Thank you for allowing your son to offer His blood in exchange for my sins.  Forgive me for the times that I take that precious gift for granted…and keep it to myself. Help me to claim the promises of God that he gives all His children and use them to introduce Him to all those that still don’t believe.  Amen.

Crucify Your Flesh...Every Day

Galatians 2:20-21 -   I have been crucified with Christ: and I myself no longer live, but Christ lives in me. And the real life I now have within this body is a result of my trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not one of those who treats Christ’s death as meaningless. For if we could be saved by keeping Jewish laws, then there was no need for Christ to die.

This 2^nd part of Paul’s letter to the Galatians continued to help them understand the great debate of their culture.  It was not the rituals …like circumcision…or the many laws that had been written into the Jewish faith that would save them from their sins.  It was the acceptance and belief on Jesus Christ alone that would save them and give them salvation.

Paul ended this part of his letter with one of the great scriptures that we use today for building maturity … faith … a serious understanding of the magnitude of what Jesus did for us.  We need never let our hearts lose the meaning of Christ’s death and resurrection….least we become so comfortable in our faith that we become hypocritical.

I messed up my usual routine yesterday with a long afternoon nap.  Then I found myself still awake way later than my usual bedtime. I even let my sleep overcome me without following the rule of my heart that I would never go to sleep without letting God’s word be the last thing I read before I close my eyes. So I found myself waking way later than sual….no notes to write my blog with this morning.

Long story condensed….I read and made my notes on the deck this morning…surrounded by the sounds of God’s creation….and visits by many of the beautiful birds He allows me to help Him care for with my feeders. When I came to the bold statement of Paul in verses 20-21…I was both convicted of my lack of strength…and comforted by the knowledge that God doesn’t keep track of the rules I keep or break… IF…. BIG IF…. I find a way to come back to Him and admit my sin…repent of it and use His love to try a little harder to get it right.

Paul knew the strength of crucifying himself every day to Christ…so that God could help him wash a little more of that human flesh away…that satan uses to trip us up when we stray too far away from the truth.  God doesn’t care when I read my Bible….he just wants me to read it often.  God doesn’t care when I write the insights he gives me to what I read…He just wants me to write.  God gave us rules to help us realize how close or how far away we are from His will.  They don’t save us…they let us know we are doing what is right…or what is wrong.

Father… thank you for loving me so much that you make a way for me to abide so close to you that I can die to my sins every day and let you take away another piece of the flesh that connects me to the world. Help me to learn to use your law to crucify the things that hold me back from pure and unconditional love…of you and those you send for me to share your love with.  Amen. 

Nothing Is Needed For Salvation But The Blood Of Christ

Galatians 1:6-7 -  I am amazed that you are turning away so soon from God who, in his love and mercy, invited you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ; you are already following a different “way to heaven,” which really doesn’t go to heaven at all.  For there is no other way than the one we showed you; you are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ.

Paul was concerned that the Jewish converts of Galatia were trying to teach that the Gentile converts needed to also follow the Jewish laws in order to complete their salvation. The ritual of circumcision was at the top of their list.  It created quite a stir between the two groups of Christians… threatened the unity of the church…..and more importantly altered the pure words of the gospel message.

Paul wanted to be clear…there is only one way to heaven.  Salvation comes completely and instantly to those who believe on Jesus Christ.  They recognize their sinful state….and repent of them by claiming the blood that was shed for them by Christ on the cross. They believe that he rose again to claim victory over death….and that alone is the only way to be saved.

Paul wanted them to see that the law was created solely to help us recognize the sin in our life.  All of the covenants that man made with God before He allowed His son to pay the total cost for our sins were replaced with this act of sacrifice. Nothing else was needed to prove your love to Jesus except an admission of sin…repentance and acceptance of the free gift He gives to all that believe.

I am very thankful that I was raised to believe from the beginning that Jesus is the only way to salvation. But I needed the reminder to keep in mind that many people are raised with others beliefs. Jesus spoke the concept plain and clear to Thomas in John 14:6….^” Jesus told him, “I am the Way—yes, and the Truth and the Life. No one can get to the Father except by means of me.”

I am called…like Paul…to teach the truth to all those that have been tricked to believe that anything else will put them on a path to Heaven. My actions should show all those around me the transformation of my heart when I accept that free gift from God. The rules God left with Moses should be used to keep my life pure and holy so God can take up permanent residence within me….so God can continually let His love take charge of everything I do.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you gave your son to die for my sins and once I believe in Him my name is written in permanent ink in your book of life everlasting. Forgive me for the times that I let life and the world water down and twist my faith into thinking that anything else will please you. Help me to accept the gift of grace you gave to me completely…so that you can use me to tell others about the life changing grace and mercy you give to all who believe on your son.  Amen. 

Apply Tough Love To Yourself

2 Corinthians 13:4-5 -  His weak, human body died on the cross, but now he lives by the mighty power of God. We, too, are weak in our bodies, as he was, but now we live and are strong, as he is, and have all of God’s power to use in dealing with you.  Check up on yourselves. Are you really Christians? Do you pass the test? Do you feel Christ’s presence and power more and more within you? Or are you just pretending to be Christians when actually you aren’t at all? 

Paul ended this great book of 2 Corinthians by reminding the church that this would be his 3^rd warning to stop sinning and live Godly lives. He believed in tough love….even modeled for them how to apply the concept to examining their own walk with God. Even Jesus walked this earth in a weak human body…but through a completely perfect walk with His father…He was able to use God’s mighty power to take what satan meant for harm and turn death into a victory over all evil.

He told them to check themselves…to examine their hearts for evidence of God’s love inside them. In order to say they were really Christians they should learn from each test God allowed so that they could feel God’s power inside their heart grow more and more inside their hearts.

He left them with a pretty comprehensive check list of outward signs they were really Christians…and not just pretending. He said to live good lives…not just for what we could get out of it. He also said to encourage others at all times…helping to keep evil no way to sneak in at all.  Paul was an advocate of using our weaknesses to teach us maturity….a permanent strength built in faith and trust. He said be happy…grow in Christ…live in harmony and peace…and to greet all people warmly in the Lord.

I will admit as usual that I needed the reminder to keep my relationship with God fresh by evaluating my own ‘realness’ more often. The lack of a routine checkup allows all kinds of cracks in our relationship that might be a way for satan to attack our very foundation. I put off the ‘exam’ sometimes for they are not always painless….exposing one more thing that I need to work on to be a better person.  Constant growth means that I need to feed that fire spiritual wood…so the flame stays bright. Sometimes I need to feed that spiritual fire even more….so the fire gets big enough to handle what lesson might be coming next. God has to teach me how to use the next gift of power he needs me to use in my next job for Him.

Father…thank you for the reminder that tough love is not just for me to use on those around me...it is for my own person evaluation of how well I am doing as your child.  Forgive me for the times that I have missed the opportunity to grow because I put off an exam.  Show me how to use Paul’s great advice to keep the fire of love inside my heart burning with passion and zeal…so others can see you through the flames. Amen.

Let God help You Screen Out The Serpents Tricks

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 -    But I am frightened, fearing that in some way you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to our Lord, just as Eve was deceived by Satan in the Garden of Eden.  You seem so gullible: you believe whatever anyone tells you even if he is preaching about another Jesus than the one we preach, or a different spirit than the Holy Spirit you received, or shows you a different way to be saved. You swallow it all.

Paul felt completely foolish…having to remind these Christians to beware false teachers. They had let down their guard…allowing their heart to open up to many teachings that were not supported by the scriptures God gave Paul to teach from. He reminded them that satan can present himself to man in any form he wishes...making himself look good …even sound good at first impression.

Paul wanted them to learn to recognize the false teachers that tried to earn a living preaching anything they wanted….twisting scripture to allow more of the culture they had known before…just like the serpent twisted the words of God to sound like He was hiding something great from Eve.

My Life Application Bible reminded me that all teachings should be checked carefully against scripture. We live in a world where most believers can hold their own personal copy of the Bible in their hands….and use it to check all teachings against its words. The Bible teaches that only what affirms and proclaims Jesus as the Messiah who came as a baby to sacrifice His life for our sins…then rise again to conquer death and sin for all to provide salvation in all that believe in Him is truth.

Paul was hesitant at the end of his reminder to list the many things God had helped Him accomplish and the trials God had allowed in his life to train his heart to be completely obedient. It was his way of reminding them that a teacher or preacher of God will have a lifestyle that mirrors the sacrificial life of Christ….completely consistent with all the scriptures teach is right and wrong.

Father…thank you for the reminder that all men do not teach your pure and literal word. Forgive me for the times that I have allowed a false teacher sway my thoughts and obedience in the wrong direction. Help me to discern the truth by always checking for myself the things that anyone presents as a Godly concept….so that I may allow you to always screen out the serpents tricks before they lessen my faith.  Amen.

Thank God For Your 'Thorn.'

2 Corinthians 12:5-6 -   That experience is something worth bragging about, but I am not going to do it. I am going to boast only about how weak I am and how great God is to use such weakness for his glory.  I have plenty to boast about and would be no fool in doing it, but I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than he should from what he can actually see in my life and my message.

Paul took more than one chapter to address the problem the many false prophets that were rising up in Corinth…and trying to win the church community to doctrine not completely based on the Bible. God allowed him many supernatural experiences to help him prove that only his words were true…but Paul did not accept any praise or elevation for this favor of God.  He chose instead to give all the glory to God…and brag about how God took his human weaknesses and used them to help others.

Paul did not go into detail about the ‘thorn’ that God had refused to take away from his physical body….but we know that it was obvious….causing him great anguish at times…even to the point that he asked God to remove it from his life…three separate times.  God said no each time….choosing to let this physical aliment remind Paul of who was in charge of his life….keeping him humble… allowing God a tool to keep his heart soft enough to mold into what God could use the most at each moment of his life.

God uses the thorns he allows in our life to teach us.  He builds Christian love and character…  He deepens our faith…He molds us into usable vessels…humble enough to always know that it is God’s power that allows anything we do to be revered as great. He uses our thorns to teach us how to come to him in worship…recharging each time we are in His presence so that we can be obedient in the nest task He calls us to do.

I am learning as Paul to be happy with the thorns God allows in life. I will admit that it is not easy…but when I accept the thorn with humility …it brings about a great feeling of inner strength that can’t be described in any human terms. The peace that God promised in Philippians 4:7…passes all my human understanding and washes over any doubt… pain… or worry that I may have harbored….and God takes over from there.

Father...thank you for the thorns of life you say no to removing from my life.  Forgive me for the times that I have allowed the forces of the world to make my heart bitter and hard and refuse to accept the thorn as a good thing in my life.  Help me to trust in you so completely that I look forward to thorns as a teaching tool and an opportunity for the world to see your great power manifest in these dark times. Amen.

Are Your Using God's Weapons Against The Temptations Of The Flesh?

2 Corinthians 10:3-5 -  It is true that I am an ordinary, weak human being, but I don’t use human plans and methods to win my battles.  I use God’s mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil’s strongholds.  These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. With these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change them into men whose hearts’ desire is obedience to Christ. 

Paul constantly dealt with false teachers and preachers that satan had planted everywhere God’s truth was taking hold. They tried to tear apart the teachings from God’s word and replace it with subtle changes…changes that would lead men just far enough from the truth to be more easily tricked into placing their trust in anything other than God.

Since we still face the arguments of many of these teachings in today’s world…Paul’s advice to be sure we are using God’s powerful weapons to protect our hearts from these false ideas is even more important. We are to be sure that we always place our hearts in God’s complete truth…by using His weapons of prayer….faith….hope….love…The Holy Spirit…and the Bible He gave us.  It is only by using these weapons that our hearts cannot be swayed by the thoughts that man tries to add to His truth….thoughts that help to justify living any way they want and calling it Godly.

Using these weapons to protect ourselves from false doctrine also builds our weak flesh into the kind of passionate believer that Paul was. We begin to see and claim the truth… that when we give our whole self over to the way of God…He fills us with everything we need to do the work He set as our destiny when He formed us in our mother’s womb. Our power is not of this world…the battle is not ours alone…God can use us to help others understand the power that God has to transform a lost heart into one more resident in Heaven.

I admit as usual that I do not claim that power near enough.  I let the darkness around me pull me into flesh mode and have to wait for God to rescue me more than once a day. I believe my weakness is compounded by the habit I have of trying to deal with things on my own. I need to learn to use those weapons with a lot more consistency….knowing in my heart that the one I use the least is prayer. And even though I read my Bible every day…and even reflect on how to apply its words better in my life…I have also prayed recently for God to help me memorize more of it. I recognize these days the value of reciting scripture back to the darkness…like Jesus did when the darkness tried to tempt Him in the wilderness.

Father….thank you for the reminder that you have given me the most powerful tools that exist to fight the darkness that satan uses to pull me into His way of thinking. Forgive me for be so easy a target for him….and letting Him win control over my flesh more than you. Help me to take the love you placed in my heart and use it to create a passion and commitment to replace any weapon in my current arsenal that is not from you…with a regenerated….stronger form of the weapons Paul reminded me of this morning. And God…don’t just let them be a thought in my mind…but help me learn to use each one to its fullest power…so that I can be the best vessel of service for you that I can.  Amen. 

God Is Able To Take Care Of Every Need...And More

2 Corinthians 9:6-8  -   But remember this—if you give little, you will get little. A farmer who plants just a few seeds will get only a small crop, but if he plants much, he will reap much. Everyone must make up his own mind as to how much he should give. Don’t force anyone to give more than he really wants to, for cheerful givers are the ones God prizes. God is able to make it up to you by giving you everything you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others.

Paul needed two chapters to finish everything he felt led to say about giving. He was proud of them for the idea of helping others…but wanted them to understand that a true gift came from a heart that did not look to receive anything back. He wanted them to know that once they stopped thinking about what was too much…and started thinking about what was too little…they would see that God was already providing everything they needed and more.

I am reminded of the basic economics lessons I had in high school and college. There is a difference in needs and wants. We only need 3 basic things…food…shelter….and belonging. The rest of what we think we need fits into the wants category….and many of the things we think we need are drive by the standards that the world sets for us. God has fought our need to switch out the needs and wants columns since the first of time.  Adam and Eve had all three needs…but ventured into the wants column and let sin enter the picture.  The Israelites had all three…not just the way they wanted…even after God delivered them they created idols to worship cause God didn’t send Moses back down the mountain quick enough for their taste. They complained about the manna he sent daily…and well on and on the story goes.

The key words of the problem that Paul was trying to speak to are…’not the way we want.’ Our idea of how God should care for us is hardly ever the way God sees it best. Just like Adam and Eve…we let the world in the shape of the serpent that we love best…guide our hearts and sway us to think that we deserve more than he has given. Perhaps that is why Jesus said in Matthew 19:24….”  It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a man with riches to enter the kingdom of heaven.”  And let’s not forget the story of the talents Jesus told in Matthew 25:14. We let what we want…trick us into mistrusting what God wants to give. Once we trust what God has given…use it to its fullest….then He will give us in abundance…knowing that we will use it to help others.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you will provide all that I need…and expect me to use the abundance of your provisions to help others.  Forgive me for the times that I have let my wants make decisions about my life and giving to others.  Help me to refocus my heart on the basic needs that will sustain me in all things…so that I may begin to see how you want me to use what you have given to help others. Amen.

Giving...Use God's Heart..Not Our Own

2 Corinthians 8:2-3 -  Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, they have mixed their wonderful joy with their deep poverty, and the result has been an overflow of giving to others.  They gave not only what they could afford but far more; and I can testify that they did it because they wanted to and not because of nagging on my part.

Paul encouraged the Corinthian church to continue in the attitude of giving they had developed when he was there on earlier visits. He reminded them specifically of the Macedonian Christians…who were struggling financially themselves…but cheerfully and routinely found something that they could share with the Jerusalem Christians who were struggling even more.

Paul reminded them that it was not the size of the gift…but the size of the heart that gave it that mattered most to God. It is our willingness to give cheerfully …not out of any pity or guilt…that shows God the true measure of our love for others. We are not to see our gifts as mere handouts…but a way to support another….so God can reveal to us the joy that comes from helping others.

Paul makes one more point in this chapter about giving. Our giving should be in response to Christ….not what we can get out of it. These Christians had dedicated themselves first to God…so that He could direct their hearts in all matters….even the resources that He gave them to live from day to day.  If we follow their example….and dedicate all that we have to God…then he will reveal to us what to do with everything He places in our hands.

I am guilty of thinking more of my own needs than others at times. Paul said to care for our basic needs…to fulfill our commitments to family… then to consider others before we begin to spend on luxuries.  Perhaps it is a blessing of retirement life to find myself with a fixed income that is way less than I was accustomed as a full time teacher. It is uncanny how I have wanted less…seeing that God had already given me way more than I deserve. It is a reminder that I need to rethink this morning how I can do more for others with the resources God has given me.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have and will provide all that I need.  Forgive me for the times that I have tried to hoard the resources you have given me to think only of myself….or the rainy day that funds might not flow so easily.  Give me a heart like Christ…willing to give all that I have to others…so that they can know who you are and experience the great joy of living with you that salvation brings to the heart.  Amen.

Confrontation ....A Reason To Cause Deep Reflection

2 Corinthians 7:1 -  Having such great promises as these, dear friends, let us turn away from everything wrong, whether of body or spirit, and purify ourselves, living in the wholesome fear of God, giving ourselves to him alone.

Paul longed to be with these Corinth Christians and praise them in person for the way they handled a problem that could have destroyed the faith of the whole church. His words are deeply personal and remind them that all confrontation should cause us to reflect personally on the right or wrong of what we are doing.

Confrontation has a way of causing us to go on the defensive….finding ways in our heart to support the actions that brought the words of conflict.  We build an argument that justifies our behavior in our mind…even thinking of scripture that may support what we have done that others are questioning. The only problem with that is it only looks at one side of the issue.

Paul is telling us to make sure that the confrontation brings about a total reflection of the right or wrong. In seeking God’s viewpoint on the issue…we must compile a list of scripture that might support both sides…..then ask God to reveal the weaker side…the side that might be tricking us into sin. 2 Timothy 3:16 says …. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.”

Father….thank you for the reminder that your word is comprehensive…and has all the answers I need to live a pure holy life…. if I always let you help me focus on the part that will help me identify sin in my life.  Forgive me for the times that I have used your word in a one sided fashion….finding scripture that supports my choice…instead of letting it lead me to a conviction of my sin. Help me to always look at the full picture of my actions….seeking your guidance from a thorough search of everything you left in your word to help me make the right decision. Amen.

How Big Is Your Heart?

2 Corinthians 6: 11-13 -  Oh, my dear Corinthian friends! I have told you all my feelings; I love you with all my heart.  Any coldness still between us is not because of any lack of love on my part but because your love is too small and does not reach out to me and draw me in.  I am talking to you now as if you truly were my very own children. Open your hearts to us! Return our love!

Many false teachers existed in the Greek area of the Corinthian church. They were so believable that many of the Corinth Christians had begun to doubt Paul and the message of salvation he preached. Paul poured out his heart to these people…in hopes that they would see that he was telling the truth…and let go of any partnerships with false teachers that were leading them away from God.

My head jumped immediately to a character in one of Dr. Seuss’ great books.  I could see the Grinch….stealing all the Christmas trimmings and believing all the time he was doing those Whoville residents a favor.  It wasn’t till he heard the passionate song from their huge hearts….singing praises for another Christmas…with no apparent worldly trappings…that he realized that Christmas wasn’t tied up in any traditional bow.  He realized that Christmas was a bigger present…contained inside the heart of those wo believed in it…allowing his heart to grow three sizes …make restitution….receive full forgiveness…and join in the celebration party they had after as the honored guest.

What a great reminder that we need to keep our own hearts from shrinking in size from all that the world hurls against it every day. It would be easier sometimes to let the anger and bitterness of our problems drive us to be hermits…steeping in our own loneliness or hate. Paul called us to be like those Whoville residents….to see beyond what the world  had to offer and see the truth of how God uses love…kindness….forgiveness…and the Holy Spirit’s power to help us live in the truth of what Christ did for us on that cross.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you want to give us the truth and tools to grow a heart a big as Jesus.  Forgive me for the times that I have let my heart shrink in size from bitterness and loneliness. Help me to open my heart to the tools and love that will help it grow big enough to be more like Paul…ready to go through anything if it meant one more person would come to know you.  Amen.

Are You Controlled By Christ's Love?

2 Corinthians 5:14-16 -  For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.  And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.

Paul knew the Greek believers struggled with the concept of the resurrection of their earthly bodies.  He had to convince them that not just the soul would separate from our bodies at death….but that God would give them the same resurrected immortal body that Jesus had when He rose in victory from the grave.

But Paul doesn’t stop with an explanation of the concept at death….he combines it with how God transforms us into new creatures at our conversion. The world should cease to be our focus and we should be completely controlled by God’s pure love. The process of atonement…the beginning of this new body we receive to live with Him in heaven…should become a part of us when God removes the sin in our life at conversion. The rest of our days on earth should be spent allowing God to pour Himself into us….transforming us one day at a time into likenesses of Him.

Paul explains in Galatians 5 the fleshy battle we enter into to keep this pure concept of transformation active in our lives. That is why it is so very important to stay connected to the source of power and strength in Bible study….prayer….and support of other believers that want to conquer the temptations of the world and become all that Christ intends for us to be.

I admit that I am still learning how to let God win my battles of flesh for me. It is a daily battle…that I feel the strongest when I have the help of other believers…like Moses when Aaron and Hur held his hands up when they grew tired.

Father…thank you for the reminder that I should be completely controlled by your love. Forgive me for the times that I have failed to call for help and fallen to the flesh that causes me to sin.  Help me to let pure humility keep me ever ready for you to pour more of your love into my heart…so that I may be a better vessel to show it to others. Amen.

See The Unseen With Your Heart .... Not Your Eyes

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 -   Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Paul said that God in His mercy had given him a great work to do and he would never give up…then he spends the rest of the chapter trying to help the Corinthian church understand this deep commitment he had made to God. He called God’s power to shine in the darkness that surrounded his life a ‘precious treasure.’

Paul tells us that one of the reasons that God does not remove all the struggles from our pathway is so that we will always be reminded that the power and light He gives us are completely His….never our own. We might become perplexed…hunted down…knocked down…or pressed by all manner of troubles….but if we remain in God…the results will always be an increase of strength and power.

My Life Application Bible commentary made five clear points for why this is a good thing. It helps us to remember the great suffering of our Lord on the cross.  It helps to remind us that pride always weakens ones faith.  It helps us look beyond the brief life we have here on earth…and focus on the eternal promise God gives all believers. It proves our faith to others. It provides an opportunity for God to demonstrate His love and power to others. 

I needed the reminder this morning to fix my eyes on what is unseen…rather than the present circumstances around me. God placed me in a new season of life where I am clearly out of the routines of the past. It is a wonderful time of rest and leisure…while I search for the unseen reasons He sent me here. I am trying not to feel guilty about the resting…enjoying it immensely…but finding it very hard to believe that this is all He has for me to do. I know now this time is somehow preparing me for the unseen just around the corner.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are the light of the world and have been from the beginning when you spoke light into existence. Thank you for never giving up on this world but making a way for the seen to become an even more glorious unseen. Forgive me for the times that I have taken the light you have provided for granted…and let selfishness and worry dim the light that you meant for me to shine to others.  Help me to rest completely in your love and power like Paul…and learn to see the unseen with my heart instead of my eyes.  Amen.

Clean Your Mirror

1 Corinthians3:2-3 -  The only letter I need is you yourselves! By looking at the good change in your hearts, everyone can see that we have done a good work among you.  They can see that you are a letter from Christ, written by us. It is not a letter written with pen and ink, but by the Spirit of the living God; not one carved on stone, but in human hearts.

The Corinthian church was being approached by men with letters of all their many qualifications that gave them the authority to preach and teach at their church….but many of these were false teachers looking for a way to lessen the faith of these great Christians.  Paul wanted the Corinthian Christians to understand the difference in a man who puffed himself up with all his possible credentials on paper…and a man like himself who had given his life over to God….and let the Holy Spirit control and transform him into a vessel of service for God.

He goes on to talk about how the spirit inside us should be a mirror….letting other’s see how the Holy Spirit is transforming us into God’s likeness….one small step at a time. Moses had to veil his face when he met with God…the brightness would have scared the Israelites.  It wasn’t until the evidence of God’s presence faded away from Moses face that he was able to walk around them without covering the glory he mirrored from God’s face.

The veil that hung between the holy of Holies ….the veil that protected man from the pure presence of God….was torn the moment Jesus conquered death on the cross. But man still has trouble grasping the concept that God’s presence is all around us…anywhere we go. Even I admit that I sense Him more in a church…or on the bank of a river. In essence…His Spirit was placed inside me…the moment I believed in Him.

Paul wanted them to understand one more thing about the presence of God. Satan knows earthly veils that prevent us from feeling God’s presence in our own lives….and that keeps others from seeing Him mirrored in what we do every day. Paul described it as a pride that allows man to puff himself up…but we could all name other veils that satan uses to keep our hearts from fully experiencing God’s presence and love. Perhaps vanity….or money….or new cars…or expensive houses…or name brand clothes…or video games…or TV.

I will as usual be the first to admit that I am guilty. His words are a great reminder to me to rethink what is important in my life. God is the only one who can give me power to do anything here on earth….any time I allow a veil to cloud my judgment…I have to backtrack to get back to where God wanted me to be. I need to clean my mirror this morning….it has become dirty with life and is not shining as bright as it could if I took the time to clean the veils off.

Father…thank you for the reminder that my life is to be a mirror of you.  Forgive me for the times that I have reflected things that you would never have done.  Help me to keep watch for the veil that satan tries to dirty my mirror with…so that ore of you can shine through to others.   Amen.

Forgiveness Brings Restoration

2 Corinthians 2:5-8 -  Remember that the man I wrote about, who caused all the trouble, has not caused sorrow to me as much as to all the rest of you—though I certainly have my share in it too. I don’t want to be harder on him than I should. He has been punished enough by your united disapproval.  Now it is time to forgive him and comfort him. Otherwise he may become so bitter and discouraged that he won’t be able to recover.  Please show him now that you still do love him very much.

 

Paul is speaking here of the power of forgiveness when a sinner has taken the steps to repent.  He tells the church to forgive and comfort so that God can begin to heal and restore the love that was lost in sin.  He says that loving the sinner helps to encourage them and give them a reason to continue to search for healing.

 

It reminds me of the saying…love the sinner…not the sin. It reminds me of the way Jesus modeled how to love past the sin…and grasp the hurting heart of someone that has been tricked by satan to stay chained to the sin that separates them for God.

 

Paul knew well the restorative power of forgiveness…he was a walking example of just how powerful love can be when we listen to God and repent of the sin in our lives. Paul was calling the Corinthian church to be Ananias….the man who was called of God to confront Paul after he was struck blind in Acts 9. God told Ananias to look past the fear he had of the man who killed Christians…and love him with a love that only God can give.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you call me to love past the sin in someone’s life.  Forgive me for the times that I have withheld your love…because of fear…bitterness…or anger.  Help me to be more like Ananias…and be your vessel of love and comfort and forgiveness to all that seek a new start in you. Amen.

Let God Build Empathy For Helping Others

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 -  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Paul begins this letter to the Corinthian church with a great reminder that all God allows in their life has a great purpose.  He praises God for allowing things in his life that trouble him…because he realized that God was going to use the lesson he learned in his struggle to help someone else.

There is a great difference in sympathy and empathy.  We can feel sorrow for someone in a pain we have never experienced….but there is a great empathy created in our soul when God allows someone we know to experience the pain that he has already helped us to overcome.

It is one of the great promises that gives me hope and courage to keep going through my own hardships… for there is a great joy that comes from helping others through a situation that God has brought me through before them. The joy helps to combat the pain that never completely goes away….bringing even deeper comfort…and drawing you even closer to the source of all help and strength.

Father…thank you for the reminder and confirmation that everything I view as a hardship has purpose in helping someone else know you. Forgive me for the times that I have sat in selfish pity parties…knowing that I was becoming stagnant and useless to you as a disciple. Help me to see all hardships and trials as lesson in how to help others know you. Help me to praise you in my storms…and let them give me strength and courage to do more work for you.  Amen.  

Giving...More Than A Tithe

1 Corinthians 16:1-3 -   Now about the collection for the Lord’s people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do. On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.  Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem.

Paul has one last teaching before he closes his letter to the church at Corinth.  He stresses the importance of helping the Christians that are struggling in Jerusalem by putting a small amount of their weekly income away to send to them when it can be arranged to take it safely to them.  He wanted them to feel a responsibility for Christians that struggled in other places….and understand that what God gave them was meant for more than just their church.

Paul is going to talk more about this humble practice later in 2 Corinthians 9….telling them not just to give…but give cheerfully. God means for us to internalize the concept of helping others so deeply that it is second nature to us…not a duty or routine we follow simply for the sake of following a tithing rule.

The giving that Paul is explaining to these Christians is more than the tithe that we should give to care for the church we have become a part of.  It is extra…an amount that God lays on your heart to go to a need that the Spirit leads to you to be a part of. It sometimes becomes a routine practice that supports something for your entire life… or sometimes a onetime thing that blesses someone in need.

I will testify that giving feels very good to the soul….and that the times I have withheld a gift I have always wondered if I missed a blessing. Giving to what God leads me has never left me without… God replacing what I gave in amounts way more that I gave. When you give from your heart to everything God lays on your heart…the blessings that you get to witness as your gift is received swells your soul with a humble love for all things.

Father…thank you for the reminder that you I am called to help others with the resources you allow me to manage for you.  Forgive me for the times that I have mismanaged what you gave me…and not cheerfully used it to help others. Help me to always remember to actively channel a portion of what you give me each week to help someone else that the Spirit leads me to help.  Amen. 

The Great Promise Of Everlasting Life

1 Corinthians 15:51-52 - But I am telling you this strange and wonderful secret: we shall not all die, but we shall all be given new bodies! It will all happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For there will be a trumpet blast from the sky, and all the Christians who have died will suddenly become alive, with new bodies that will never, never die; and then we who are still alive shall suddenly have new bodies too.

 

Paul spent a great deal of his letter to the Corinthians speaking to the great promise of life after death for all Christians. They needed this detailed explanation to counter the belief that only the soul continued any form of life after death.  The new converts needed to understand one of the great promises of God that came with their belief in Jesus Christ.

 

Jesus conquered death during the three days he spent in that tomb.  We can only conjecture about how it was done…but we can glory in the final result and know that we get to share the same glorified body someday. Some of us will…’fall asleep’ in Paul’s words…..to be awakened to a trumpet sound and rise to meet Him in the air. Then those that are still alive will be caught up in the air with them….all in a moment….as God allows Jesus to conquer evil as well.

 

I stayed up too late last night….and found myself reading this long chapter after 1 in the morning. I read all Paul’s descriptions that confirmed my own beliefs in hurried time.  But the words of promise at the end…. prickled up my skin in goosebumps and a huge smile took over my face that forced my soul to take great notice of these words. I am a child of the father…and I will share His Heaven someday.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you gave your son Jesus Christ to die on a cross for me…allowed Him to be buried in death for me…and raised Him up again victorious over death.  Thank you for the promise that gives me of a great life with you after my earthly time is over.  Forgive me for the times that I have taken the sacrifice of your son for granted.  Help me to use the power of this knowledge to give me courage…and boldness while I remain on this earth…knowing that this is not my permanent home.   Amen.

All Gifts Of The Spirit Should Be Useful To All That Hear It.

1 Corinthians 14:26 - Well, my brothers, let’s add up what I am saying. When you meet together some will sing, another will teach, or tell some special information God has given him, or speak in an unknown language, or tell what someone else is saying who is speaking in the unknown language, but everything that is done must be useful to all, and build them up in the Lord.

 

Paul spends a great amount of time addressing the gift of tongues. Many Christians had been filled with the ability to speak in an unknown language…but the gift had been overused and become a problem for the Corinthian church.  They had let it become a sign of spiritual power…and pride was taking over when and why it was used.

 

Paul is clear that using the gift of tongues should have purpose for all that heard it… it should be interpreted and used to enhance the whole church. It should never be used alone…but as a part of the full worship service. It was always better to choose the language that people spoke where you were preaching…so full understanding could be made by all. The final goal of all worship practices being to save the lost.

 

I struggle to fully explain my personal views on this gift…God has never seen a need for me to possess it…even though I have asked for it. I have heard tongues that deeply disturbed my spirit…feeling that it was faked…orchestrated for emotions to run as high as possible.  I have also heard the softest prayers lifted in a sweet tongue that blessed me just from the intenseness of its offering….hanging onto every soft syllable and hoping it would never end. I have heard stories where missionaries never trained in the language where God sent them are given the gift of speaking exactly the foreign words they need to share the gospel in an unknown tongue. It seems that the last two scenarios are the only ones that follow Paul’s directions here.

 

I will take Paul’s words here as reminder to make sure that all my worship time is spent glorifying God…preparing my heart to hear God’s words with music….learning new wisdom from his Bible through preaching… reflecting on the sins I have yet to purge from my heart so that God can draw me closer to him each day that he allows me life. It’s okay for tongues to be a part of that…only if they enhance that full experience of worship and lead others to God in salvation.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have given us supernatural gifts of the spirit that can help us to spread your gospel. Forgive me for the times that I have failed to grasp the full use of this power in others…and judged too harshly whether it was needed or not. Help me to open up my heart to all the supernatural powers that you can embed in me to do your work…so that if you ever see a need for me to use an unknown tongue…I will accept and know its power in that moment. Amen.

Strive To Have Unconditional...Sacrificial Love... For All

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 -  Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love does not demand its own way. It is not irritable or touchy. It does not hold grudges and will hardly even notice when others do it wrong.  It is never glad about injustice, but rejoices whenever truth wins out.  If you love someone, you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.

 

Paul spends some time in this chapter defining love and making sure the church knows its priority in our lives. Real love knows no boundaries….has no limits…and sacrifices all for others…just like Jesus did. Paul also says that love should be the basis for everything we do. It should be the result of letting God sharpen the reflection of our weak faith into perfect hope in Him. It is directed upward toward the father in service…not inward to care for our self.

 

I am always reminded just how weak I am when I read this chapter.  I have so much work to do in the area of learning and applying the love that God wants all of us to eventually possess for others. I have gotten really good at loving myself….and fairly good at loving my family and close friends.  I even make an effort to love strangers at times by donating a portion of my time to various ministries. But I have to admit that I needed the reminder to keep growing….not to become complacent with what I am…and let God continue to refine me into a less selfish person. I need to let go of a little more of the child in me…and let God transform it into a more mature Christian. 

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that the love you call me to is a pure …unselfish….sacrificial love. Forgive me for the times that I have let my own wants and needs dictate the love I share with others. Instill in me a passion to grow so full in your love that it spills out onto everything I do. Help me to grow up….and be a more mature Christian…able to sacrifice more of what I want for the things that you want.  Amen.

Are You Using Your Spiritual Gift?

1 Corinthians 12:22-24 -  And some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary.  Yes, we are especially glad to have some parts that seem rather odd! And we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen,  while of course the parts that may be seen do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that might otherwise seem less important.

 

Paul reminds the church that God gives each of us spiritual gifts to help us do His work. Each gift is unique and cannot be measured by the world’s standards. No gift is more important than another…they are all meant to work together to keep unity and strengthen the body of Christ. They are not for our own self advancement…but for serving God and enhancing the spiritual growth of all believers.

 

Everyone is given a gift…..everyone. No one is meant to do more than the other…we are all meant to have a part in helping others come to Christ.  We are all meant to be active participants in sharing the gospel of Christ. God gives each one a special ability to use for him….Paul lists some of them here…but the list is continued throughout the Bible.

 

Paul also wants us to remember how important humility and courage is when using our gift…and how going too far in either direction can hinder the faith God uses to bind us together as believers.  If you think to highly of your gift… then spiritual pride will puff up your heart and make it less effective in ministry. If you think too little of your gift…then your gift is never used...and your faith is weakened as well.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you have given each of us spiritual gifts to use to strengthen and enhance the body of believers  Forgive me for the times that I have thought to highly of my gift…and let pride decrease how you could use me.  Forgive me also for the times that I have failed to use my gift at all…thinking it unimportant.  Help me to always seek your will and direction in using the gifts of the spirit that will help others know you better.  Amen.

Communion...A Time Of Reflection And Repentance

1 Corinthians 11:27-29  -   So if anyone eats this bread and drinks from this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, he is guilty of sin against the body and the blood of the Lord.  That is why a man should examine himself carefully before eating the bread and drinking from the cup.  For if he eats the bread and drinks from the cup unworthily, not thinking about the body of Christ and what it means, he is eating and drinking God’s judgment upon himself; for he is trifling with the death of Christ.

 

Paul was concerned about the manner in which the Corinth church took Holy Communion…the last supper that Jesus instructed us to repeat often in remembrance of His death and sacrifice on the cross.  The Corinth church had let it become a time of overindulging in food and drink…even a meeting time where many argued over various theological points of the faith. The communion service was a small part of the evening…no one really taking the time to consider why Jesus commanded them to remember the body and blood He sacrificed to allow their salvation.

 

Paul wanted them to understand the difference in a meaningless ritual….and participation in a regular time of examination and repentance of sin.  Jesus wanted them to remember Him….and use the time to examine their life for things that might be forming a barrier to their faith. Taking of the cup and bread should be a time of recommitment to God…asking forgiveness of the sin in our lives and receiving a fresh dose of His mercy and grace to power a closer relationship with God the father.

 

Paul adds one last thought to his explanation. If we take communion without examining our sin….and asking God for His forgiveness….we run the chance of bringing God’s judgment on ourselves. I admit…the process of true examination is sometimes hard. Sin hides in places we don’t want to look at sometimes….we don’t want to remember that brother or sister in Christ that we had a falling out with. We don’t want to forgive that person that hurt us in divorce.  We certainly don’t want to admit that our behavior has been anything less than acceptable to God. But Paul’s point is clear here…our refusal to admit and ask God to help us move past the sin will result in judgment on us…not them. If we really think about it...that should be a daily undertaking…not just at communion time.

 

Father…thank you for the sacrament of communion…and the opportunity to remember the sacrifice of your body and blood that provided me with my salvation. Thank you for the reminder that you require me to examine myself continually and seek out the sin that threatens to separate me from your love.  Forgive me for the times that I have just gone through the motions of communion…and not taken the time to examine my life for sin that needs to be forgiven and removed from my life.  Help me to make this a daily art of my time with you…so that I can draw closer to you each and every day.  Amen.

Practice Humility In All You Do

1 Corinthians 10:31-33 -  Well, I’ll tell you why. It is because you must do everything for the glory of God, even your eating and drinking.  So don’t be a stumbling block to anyone, whether they are Jews or Gentiles or Christians. That is the plan I follow, too. I try to please everyone in everything I do, not doing what I like or what is best for me but what is best for them, so that they may be saved.

 

Paul continues to explain why considering others over ourselves is God’s perfect way for Christians.  Paul was specifically addressing the controversy in Corinth of eating meat offered to idols in sacrifice...but the concept of putting others first makes sense in all things that we do.   The bottom line is that the humility we show in these acts glorifies God….but the greatest reason is that in doing so we might just help point a few more lost to salvation.

 

Practicing humility in all we do helps to develop the servant’s heart that Jesus modeled for us. This heart…the humble heart… listens better to God’s voice…sees more of what God sent us to do… and understands more of the reason God created the world in the first place.  This world was not created for man…but to glorify God.  He walked around in the dark nothingness and created a place that was exactly what He wanted. Man was created to care for it….and glorify God by His obedience.

 

I admit that it isn’t always easy to remember that all we do should glorify God.  We were created in His image…the problems on earth starting when man put his own wants and needs above God’s.  And since God created all of us with free will…we will forever and always have the ability to choose self over God at any time.  Paul was stressing the other choice we have…and how to let it dominate the life we live once we have accepted Christ into our heart. His gift of the Holy Spirit can help us always make the choice that will glorify God….the choice that puts self at the last of the line.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that all I do should glorify the one that created me. Forgive me for the times that I have put myself over all others choices.  Help me to strengthen my desire to glorify you by putting myself last. Teach me the kind of humility that sees God’s way first so I am less tempted to look for a way to please myself….and more people see you in my life.  Amen.

Run God's Race To Win

1 Corinthians 9:22-23 -  When I am with those whose consciences bother them easily, I don’t act as though I know it all and don’t say they are foolish; the result is that they are willing to let me help them. Yes, whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him.  I do this to get the Gospel to them and also for the blessing I myself receive when I see them come to Christ.

 

One reason Paul was such a good preacher was his ability to be flexible with all kinds of people. He was given special discernment and insight with each group of people he encountered….helping him adjust his words and sermons to give them just what would feed their spirits the most. He tried to find common ground with them…so God could use him in any situation he encountered.

 

He went on to explain that his ability to do this came from careful training. He explained that doing your best sometimes involves denying self….and working hard to learn all we can about God. We cannot be inactive observers and sit in the bleachers…listening only from a pews on Sunday. Running just a few laps is not effective either. No race was ever won with a partial effort. Our best effort means that we become completely sold out to what God wants us to do and we do it with all our heart and soul and mind. We don’t stop till we cross the finish line.

 

I understand this concept all too well.  I am guilty of stopping in the middle of projects all the time.  Sometimes it is because I got too busy…other times because it was too hard….and still others because I was just too stubborn to finish it and wanted to do something that I wanted more. I needed the reminder that what God starts…I need to be more faithful to finish. He will give me everything that he gave Paul…if I am doing His will.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that the world contains all kinds of people…each one needing you just as much as the other.  Forgive me for the times that I have started something for you and stopped for all the wrong reasons.  Help me to be more faithful to the things that you have me do…so that more people can learn about your great love.  Amen.

Being Responsible Means Not Demanding Our Own Way

1 Corinthians 8:10-11 -  You see, this is what may happen: Someone who thinks it is wrong to eat this food will see you eating at a temple restaurant, for you know there is no harm in it. Then he will become bold enough to do it too, although all the time he still feels it is wrong. So because you “know it is all right to do it,” you will be responsible for causing great spiritual damage to a brother with a tender conscience for whom Christ died.

 

The Corinthian church was smack in the middle of a culture that worshiped idols on a regular basis.  After the meat was offered to an idol …it was sold in the markets and restaurants that were close to the temples where these pagan rituals took place. Many of the converted Christians remembered the process of that idol worship…and related it to the sin they had been convicted of when they were saved. Eating any portion of that meat… brought guilt and shame to their heart.

 

Paul knew that watching a more mature Christian…one who never equated sin with eating a meat offered to a god that did not exist…would give these new Christians a false sense that they could eat it without guilt too.  But Paul knew that deep down the action would trigger guilt feelings that in the long run would damage their growth as a Christian.

 

Paul’s words remind me that to a Christian…freedom does not mean that anything goes.  We have been called to be responsible for the growth of others. It speaks to why we need to be very careful where and when we partake of anything that others might deem wrong because of their personal convictions in Christ. I can’t have the mindset that because I found a scripture that washed away any guilt I feel in doing a certain activity that I can do that in front of all others. God may not have shown that same insight to someone still struggling to grow and mature as a Christian. Watching me do something that they deemed sinful will hinder their growth and make them question the validity of their salvation experience. If what I do in front of others makes them question their conscience …it is wrong for me as well in that moment.

 

I admit that it is hard to always give in to another one’s way of thinking. But doing so shows the kind of humility that Christ showed when He gave up His own life to prove to the world that He could conquer death and be raised up to provide salvation for all people. Giving up something we enjoy because someone else will be strengthened by our sacrifice shows the greatest form of love….and models the father’s heart for them.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that I am called to be responsible with the wisdom and insights you have shown me in the Bible.  Forgive me for the time that I have used a scripture to justify doing something that may have caused a Christian brother or sister to question and weaken their faith. Help me to always consider others before myself when choosing the things that I partake of and in…whether it be food….drink…or recreational activities. Help me to be responsible with the truths you have revealed to me in front of all others.  Amen.

Be Content...Single Or Married

1 Corinthians 7:17 - But be sure in deciding these matters that you are living as God intended, marrying or not marrying in accordance with God’s direction and help, and accepting whatever situation God has put you into. This is my rule for all the churches.

 

The church had asked Paul some specific questions about marriage.  They had been living in a culture where idol worship and pagan gods required many immoral acts of a sexual nature. The newly converted Christians were afraid that sexual relations in any form would be considered sin. Paul wanted them to know that marriage was the only avenue that sexual relations was deemed good in God’s sight…and that marriage was between one man and one woman.  It was a relationship that should be considered binding unto death.

 

Paul also wanted the single people that had been saved to know that they had a unique opportunity to be more committed to God’s work. The fact that they were not bound to another in marriage gave them freedom to work for God in a more time consuming way. They could devote their complete being to God…not having to share time with a family or spouse.

 

He said to be content with the place God had put them.  If they were single…they were not to go looking for a mate. They are to consider the fact that God may have a job for them to do that will take all of their time and effort.  If they were married…they were to give their spouse the respect and time needed to have the best relationship they could have.

 

I admit that Paul’s words here are not what most of us think is the way of the world.  We grow up in families…and naturally think that life is incomplete if we don’t fall in love and marry the perfect spouse ourselves. The world tries to trick singles into thinking that we are not whole people if we haven’t found that perfect soul mate to share life with. I remember feeling like a total failure when I signed my divorce papers…and even more of a failure when my second husband died. If I had a dollar for everyone who has tried to convince me to put myself back out there in the dating pool…my retirement fund would be rich beyond my dreams.

 

I must testify that there was something in the way that God pulled me close to him after my first marriage fell apart in divorce…and let me crawl up in his lap after my second husband died…that helped me understand the truth of what Paul tells us here. It is so hard to convince others that I am fully content to be single in this season of life.  I am not bound by the world’s concept of love…but feel so completely loved by God that I can’t imagine ever knowing anything better. I will not turn down an invite for coffee or dinner if asked…but don’t feel slighted anymore if I never get asked.