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.

Accept Mistreatment In Humility

1 Corinthians 6:6-8  - But, instead, one Christian sues another and accuses his Christian brother in front of unbelievers. To have such lawsuits at all is a real defeat for you as Christians. Why not just accept mistreatment and leave it at that? It would be far more honoring to the Lord to let yourselves be cheated. But, instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong, cheating others, even your own brothers.

 

Paul gives us a few pointers on handling things we disagree on within the Christian Community. He felt that taking our disagreements to a secular court to be settled defeated some of the character traits that Christians should build in front of non-believers. If we let greed and a perfect sense of justice overcome the need to be humble and accept mistreatment as a way to grow in Christ…we weaken our character… and send the wrong message to all non-believers that witness it.

 

Paul isn’t the only one who preached this concept. Jesus himself told the disciples to turn the other cheek in Matthew 5 and Luke 6.  His words gave them hard orders to never resist evil…but let others see them accept it and absorb it in humility.  He modeled it for us as He walked quietly through the hours before His death…not speaking out in His defense…never speaking the truth of His innocence. Jesus knew the humility He showed was strengthening Him for a greater purpose…the salvation of all who believed in His great sacrifice.

 

I admit that it is one of the hardest things God ask of believers. I struggle with it daily. Our selfish flesh cries out for justice as soon as we can have it.  We don’t want to wait on God’s timing…because the need for justice clouds our heart from the good humility would bring in that situation. Satan tricks us into thinking that justice will give us a feeling of closure and comfort. Satan uses our love of money and what it can do for us in this world to make our heart become greedy or revengeful.

 

Father….thank you for the reminder that I need to seek Christian counsel to help me solve my disagreements with others.  Forgive me for the times that I have let the world trick me into finding comfort and closure in arguing with others and demanding my own way. Help me to be more humble and accept injustice as a way to grow in understanding of the sacrificial love that you want me to have for others….especially those that need to believe in you. Amen.

Rebuking vs Judging

1 Corinthians 5:6-8  -  What a terrible thing it is that you are boasting about your purity and yet you let this sort of thing go on. Don’t you realize that if even one person is allowed to go on sinning, soon all will be affected? Remove this evil cancer—this wicked person—from among you, so that you can stay pure. Christ, God’s Lamb, has been slain for us.  So let us feast upon him and grow strong in the Christian life, leaving entirely behind us the cancerous old life with all its hatreds and wickedness. Let us feast instead upon the pure bread of honor and sincerity and truth.

 

Paul had learned of a blatant sin within the church.  He told them it was wrong to allow such sin to exist within the body of believers that called themselves the church. He called it leaven…the yeast that makes bread rise to twice its size…and said it would eventually destroy the validity of the church body. My Life Application Bible…compared it to the modern day disease of cancer…that destroys everything in its path till it kills its host.

 

I admit that I struggle with Paul’s harsh words here….and the commentary helped me very little understand the tough love of his words. I have this inner need to love all people…in spite of the sin they have fallen too…and would really have a hard time with the concept of kicking a member out because of Paul’s instructions.  If we really took Paul literally….purging all “Christians” currently involved in sexual sins….greed….swindling….worship of idols….drunkards….and abuse…..out of our churches…we might not be left with many people.

 

I agree whole heartedly that the sin destroys and paralyzes the church. The hypocrisy it creates to non-Christians distorts the love that God wants others to see in us. I see the need to get rid of it…but struggle with exactly how to keep it from being a form of earthly judgement. Paul made sure that he told the church to meet together with God’ spirit and power to lovingly remove the person who was sinning from the church. His advice was perhaps based on Jesus’ treatment of the woman caught in adultery in John 8. Jesus did not let her be stoned…after He convicted all the others sinners that wanted to kill her to stop…he simply told her to go and sin no more.

 

Jesus would not let those “Christians” stone her because they were judging.  Read a little bit of Matthew 7 if you need a definition of what Jesus saw wrong with the whole display. They had huge planks in their own eyes…and were more interested in vengeance …or merely trapping Jesus in a sin Himself…. instead of seeing a change in this woman’s behavior.

 

Paul’s words are much like Galatians 6:1….which says…. “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.”  I bet it was very hard for Nathan to obey God and go to speak with David about his sin with Bathsheba…but he did it…and look at the change that made in David’s life.

 

Father...thank you for the reminder that there is a fine line between rebuking a Christian brother…and judging them.  Forgive me for the times that I have judged others when I am guilty myself of many sins.  Help me to always let you do the judging…and let you give me the courage and discernment to stand against sin that you bring to my heart…. while loving the person that needs to let that sin go. Amen.

We Are All Equal Servants

1 Corinthians 4: - 5 - So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether someone is a good servant or not. When the Lord comes, he will turn on the light so that everyone can see exactly what each one of us is really like, deep down in our hearts. Then everyone will know why we have been doing the Lord’s work. At that time God will give to each one whatever praise is coming to him.

 

Paul gave these Christians a warning about judging others. He wanted them t see all the teachers of God’s words as equal servants distributing God’s blessings. Servants are not in charge of their own lives…they do what their masters tell them too. We strive to do our best for God…but even then we can’t be sure we are truly good until He comes back to judge us.

 

I needed the reminder to be careful of this practice that builds false pride in our hearts…for I used to be really good at it. I learned that when we judge others…it automatically exposes the feelings we had deep down that we are better than the one we judged. Just because one has a past…doesn’t mean they have not accepted God’s forgiveness and grace. It doesn’t matter what they were forgiven for…forgiveness puts us all on the same level according to Christ.

 

Paul goes on to tell us that religion can make us foolish. It builds our minds up to think that we are wise instead of letting our heart constantly realize we are weak.  It’s hard to grasp the reality of humbleness when you are constantly sure of how great you are compared to others.  Christ calls us to His kingdom… a place where living by God’s power is more than just talk… it is a real faith built by daily communication with the father Himself.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you are the only one that is worthy of judging anyone.  Forgive me for the times that I have judged others for any reason.  Help me to see others as partners in the great commission you gave us to spread your gospel to everyone that does not know you.  Amen.

Give Up Your Milk And Start Eating Solid Food

1 Corinthians 3:3-4 -  For you are still only baby Christians, controlled by your own desires, not God’s. When you are jealous of one another and divide up into quarreling groups, doesn’t that prove you are still babies, wanting your own way? In fact, you are acting like people who don’t belong to the Lord at all.  There you are, quarreling about whether I am greater than Apollos, and dividing the church. Doesn’t this show how little you have grown in the Lord?

 

Paul gently chides the Corinthian Church for their lack of growth. He uses the analogy of babies who still need simple milk to eat.  Instead of growing and starting to eat solid food…they were living on the milk they first started with.  He tells them the evidence of this is their quarrels and divisions within the church.

 

Paul repeats how important it is to remember that God gives us all different jobs to do for Him. Paul was a seed planter….Apollos watered the seed to give it the nourishment it needed to grow.  Neither of them were the source of the lesson…their intent was for them to bind together to follow Christ…not an individual man.  God is the only one that could make that seed within them grow….so that the solid food they ate from others would help them discover the work God wanted them to do for Him.  

 

It reminds me to never get so caught up in a person’s teaching that I begin to see them as the only authority on God.  God raises up many people to help us discern and apply His great words from the Bible….but none of them should ever be raised on human pedestals to have their own religion. We worship God…but listen to the men and women he chooses to give us solid food to eat…so we will grow and find our own jobs to do for Him.

 

Father…thank you for the reminder that you intend for me to grow into a mature Christian that becomes a worker for your kingdom. Forgive me for the times that I wanted only milk to eat…and let myself stop growing for a time. Help me to be controlled by what you want and not my own desires….so I can become what you planned for me to be when you came into my heart. Amen.