Paul says "Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves." Paul is encouraging us here to examine our lives and make sure that what we believe is being shown through our actions. It is hard sometimes to have a "looking-glass self", in other words, to see ourselves how other people might see us. But really, guys, we know how we are doing spiritually. We know if we are dropping the ball with doing God's will and being faithful to the work of His kingdom. Paul says to examine ourselves. Examine does not mean glance over, but to dig deep and find the messy, smelly parts of our lives that are keeping us from being closer to God and "in the faith"
Be in the faith. Being in the faith, though a somewhat ambiguous phrase, among other things means to make sure that Christ is really shining through your behavior. Paul is encouraging them to ask "Am I truly saved?" and if I am, "What am I doing to make that obvious to others?" I think it means that if a stranger was put in a room with you for a half an hour, what you do and say would make it clear that you passionately love Jesus and are faithful to God. Be in the faith. By being in the faith, we have a responsibility of carrying the whole Christian truth with us everywhere we go. Think of yourselves as constant beacons for the love of God. Daniel 12:3 says "And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament; and those who turn many to rightesousness, like the stars for ever and ever." Even children in Sunday School learn outdated songs like 'Rise and Shine and give God the glory, glory." As Christians, that is our responsibility. Accepting God's gift of salvation is not a ticket to apathy for the rest of our lives, but it is an understanding that from here on out, we will be in the faith, passionate followers of God who act according to our beliefs.
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith." I want to be in the faith.
~ Ben
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
2 Corinthians 11: Are you letting the truth be heard?
So many people just assume that those who call themselves Christian’s are truthful and following God’s word to the ‘T’ but there are those who twist God’s word for their own gain. Those who go around and preach that God says -this- about the world, and to the world but it doesn’t match up. We all have heard of these people. Just think about Westboro Baptist Church that has been showed countless times on the news they speak solely of God’s wrath and completely some type of fate.They go around, disaster to disaster preaching of destruction not out of the love, as Jesus says Christians meant to portray. If you don’t remember look up the story of the little girl that was killed during a shooting of a woman politician. She was around 10 years old and was born on September 11th. She had nothing to do with what the politician was saying, she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. After her death, Westboro took it upon themselves to picket the girls funeral saying it was a fulfillment of God’s plan. I wonder how anyone could ever say that about a little girl and get away with it.
In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul warns the church of those people. He worries of their faith being swayed from God to follow what the false prophets profess to be true. He wanders how they can be so blind as to listen and let that even pass through our minds. And yes, I said ‘our’. Because this is not something that once happened this is something is happening now. Christians are shying away and no longer preaching God’s love. Instead we are letting churches like Westboro poison the minds of those who do not know the word. We are listening and letting that pollute us. And if that doesn’t hit home enough for you what about our teachers in classrooms and the student. We say, “Oh, well it was a open discussion it is up to interpretation.” But is that really true. I wonder just like Paul why are we sitting back and just taking it. Letting them put that in the mind of the others. Why can’t we stand up against them not out of hate but out of love and show them what God says. Not overbearing, not resentfully but through complete love. The love Jesus told us to have for every sinner and every saint. We should show that light that God put inside of us. And we will be looking at as something different from those false prophets. We will be like a breathe of fresh untainted air. Showing God to all who are near. We should be as Paul, being battled for showing our faith. instead of shying away or opening our ears to what is not true.
So Flood just encourage you that God is with you. God is the word, the truth, and the way. God will be there right beside you holding your hand in the battle when you are standing up for his word. You’ll never know, you standing up could mean someone becoming saved. But it always means that you planted a seed.
I love you all,
Cat
In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul warns the church of those people. He worries of their faith being swayed from God to follow what the false prophets profess to be true. He wanders how they can be so blind as to listen and let that even pass through our minds. And yes, I said ‘our’. Because this is not something that once happened this is something is happening now. Christians are shying away and no longer preaching God’s love. Instead we are letting churches like Westboro poison the minds of those who do not know the word. We are listening and letting that pollute us. And if that doesn’t hit home enough for you what about our teachers in classrooms and the student. We say, “Oh, well it was a open discussion it is up to interpretation.” But is that really true. I wonder just like Paul why are we sitting back and just taking it. Letting them put that in the mind of the others. Why can’t we stand up against them not out of hate but out of love and show them what God says. Not overbearing, not resentfully but through complete love. The love Jesus told us to have for every sinner and every saint. We should show that light that God put inside of us. And we will be looking at as something different from those false prophets. We will be like a breathe of fresh untainted air. Showing God to all who are near. We should be as Paul, being battled for showing our faith. instead of shying away or opening our ears to what is not true.
So Flood just encourage you that God is with you. God is the word, the truth, and the way. God will be there right beside you holding your hand in the battle when you are standing up for his word. You’ll never know, you standing up could mean someone becoming saved. But it always means that you planted a seed.
I love you all,
Cat
II Corinthians CH7
Hey Flooders, as we've been reading through first and second Corinthians, I can't help but notice an increase in concentration or focus on Jesus that I've experienced in my own life. These letters that Paul wrote are excellent in educating ourselves on how to handle different situations in life while respecting God and the church. In chapter seven, Paul continues explaining that we are the temple of the living God and we must pursue holiness and rid ourselves of things that break down the body and the spirit. I feel like many Christians including me sometimes don't pursue holiness. Its very easy to let things into your life that aren't necessarily bad but can separate you from God. Attitudes and thoughts may seem small and harmless, but with enough time and attention these things can grow into uncontrollable emotions toward each other and God that weigh down on our lives and take us into worldly sorrows. Paul also explains that Godly sorrows lead to repentance and perfection, but worldly sorrows lead to spiritual death. This is something that I've learned to be very true. If we must insist on holding the things that separate us from God, we will certainly be broken down time and time again until our spirit is depleted. I've had small thoughts that have grown into monsters and had the potential to take me, but when we look to Jesus and view the convictions on our hearts we truly find God. He begins to perfect us and renew us. So don't find yourselves stumpling over the things that separate, but look at the convictions that God lays on us to perfect us, to make us holy; A Godly form of sorrow which leads us to repentance and salvation.
With Love,
Gabriel
Sunday, March 27, 2011
2 Corinthians 10
Yesterday Lauren and I along with a few other Flooders had the awesome privilege to meet a wonderful man named John. He was very smart, sweet, kind, greeted us with a smile on his face, talked about how he loves to read…but John is a homeless man who lives under a bridge in downtown New Orleans. He isn’t homeless because he was lazy, a drug addict, alcoholic, or because he chooses to be. He is homeless because six months ago he lost his job and he has no family left to help him. He only receives seventy five dollars a week in unemployment and that is just barely enough to get him food for the week. Most people’s first thought when they see a homeless person is they think they are lazy and are just trying to scam you out of a few bucks, but in reality we are no better than they are. The only thing that separates us from them is our circumstances. John mentioned to Lauren and me that most Christians he encountered weren’t as nice to him as we had been. When I heard those words come out of his mouth my heart sunk. That is exactly what Paul is warning us against in chapter ten.
Paul says in verse seven- “You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do” We are all equally undeserving, yet receiving, of Christ love and mercy and no one is better than any other- Christian or not. Lauren prayed the sinner’s prayer with John as I prayed along with him. John is now our brother in Christ and although the world may look down upon him, he’ll be standing side by side with us as equals in heaven. Let’s all remember we’re all the same in God’s eyes. God doesn’t see the material things that we have, all He sees is our hearts and willingness to serve Him. Just remember the next time we see someone that may not meet social norms or standards, that he or she is loved just as much by God as we are.
Love you all!
Laura
Paul says in verse seven- “You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do” We are all equally undeserving, yet receiving, of Christ love and mercy and no one is better than any other- Christian or not. Lauren prayed the sinner’s prayer with John as I prayed along with him. John is now our brother in Christ and although the world may look down upon him, he’ll be standing side by side with us as equals in heaven. Let’s all remember we’re all the same in God’s eyes. God doesn’t see the material things that we have, all He sees is our hearts and willingness to serve Him. Just remember the next time we see someone that may not meet social norms or standards, that he or she is loved just as much by God as we are.
Love you all!
Laura
Thursday, March 24, 2011
2 Corinthians 8
Paul is writing the church to prepare them for what is going on in the next few months. He starts by telling them about the church of Macedonia which was very poor. However, regardless of their financial standings, the church of Macedonia had already decided to completely commit to God....that meant staying committed even when things got rough. It says that they gave generously more than they could afford to give. That says to me that these people had some serious faith. They believed that if they sowed into the Word that God would supply all of their needs, and God did just that. He provided and they took that opportunity to help the poor. Paul uses this story to encourage the church to get a hold of that same passion as the church of Macedonia. We can all take a lesson from the church of Macedonia. We are all struggling college students. We know all about poor, yet that shouldn't limit us from sowing into the Kingdom. The Bible says that they were desperately poor but incredibly happy. When you give to God, don't look at it like the government taking your taxes. It should be a pleasure for us to invest in the Kingdom of God. God is faithful to provide so take a leap of faith and let Him prove it.
From the NO- Bri
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
2 Corinthians 6
About a week ago my mom came home and asked if Laura and I could pray for one of her best friends that was unsaved and very ill. She has an inoperable tumor in her colon and her prognosis is very poor. Even as she was in the hospital dying from cancer she told my mom she was unsure of being saved because she was afraid people would think she only got saved because she was dying. As I was reading the first part of chapter 6 I was immediately reminded of the situation with my mom’s friend. “For he says ‘In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.” The next day she came to know Jesus as her Savior. I say all that to say this, we shouldn’t put off the things that God has for us at the risk of losing whatever chance or opportunity He has for us right now. Whenever we feel the nudge of the Holy Spirit to do something for Him right we shouldn't put it off, but run with it, and God will use us in ways we couldn't even possibly imagine.
Paul goes on to describe all the things he's gone through, beatings, hunger, sorrow and just all these things that just cements the fact that the Christian walk means a blessed and amazing life, but not an easy one. Many people believe that when they become saved they’re not going to have to work, they’re not going to have to go through hardship, that life suddenly becomes easy, but when we trust God in those hardships and when we're broken that's when God can use us with an intensity that only that situation warrants. Paul also goes on to say that we should be set apart from unbelievers, that people that aren’t saved should be able to definitively tell the difference between us and the world. Christians become complacent in where they’re at with God and they begin to justify and compromise things that the Bible clearly says are sin. When this happens the royal Priesthood we belong to, the holy anointing we have been given becomes watered down in our lives, and the distinction we have from the rest of the world becomes blurred, and as disciples of Christ we become ineffective. Let’s never compromise or become complacent in where we are in Christ, and to rejoice when we endure hardship and not stand idly by when God is clearly telling us to move.
Love you guys,
Tyler
Sent by BlackBerry, available from NTELOS Wireless
Paul goes on to describe all the things he's gone through, beatings, hunger, sorrow and just all these things that just cements the fact that the Christian walk means a blessed and amazing life, but not an easy one. Many people believe that when they become saved they’re not going to have to work, they’re not going to have to go through hardship, that life suddenly becomes easy, but when we trust God in those hardships and when we're broken that's when God can use us with an intensity that only that situation warrants. Paul also goes on to say that we should be set apart from unbelievers, that people that aren’t saved should be able to definitively tell the difference between us and the world. Christians become complacent in where they’re at with God and they begin to justify and compromise things that the Bible clearly says are sin. When this happens the royal Priesthood we belong to, the holy anointing we have been given becomes watered down in our lives, and the distinction we have from the rest of the world becomes blurred, and as disciples of Christ we become ineffective. Let’s never compromise or become complacent in where we are in Christ, and to rejoice when we endure hardship and not stand idly by when God is clearly telling us to move.
Love you guys,
Tyler
Sent by BlackBerry, available from NTELOS Wireless
Monday, March 21, 2011
2 Corinthians: 5- Quit Yer Bellyachin’!
Hey gang! Seth here to let you in on some awesome stuff from the pages of 2 Corinthians 5! We are a bunch of complainers! Often times we complain and make excuses so well one might think we were being paid to do it. This is the view of the world. The worldly view is that we NEVER have enough and we ALWAYS have problems and deadlines and blah, blah, blah. The fact of the matter is that we have been given the Spirit as a deposit! We have a guarantee that we will have this magnificent place in heaven and we should be glorifying God in ALL things that happen to us and come from us. As Christians we live by faith, not by sight.
We are all new creations when we accept God into our hearts, meaning we are expected to know His power and understand his passion for greatness. A greatness He wants for us. God has so much in store for us and we often don’t have even an inkling about what it is. See life not through worldly eyes, but through the eyes of a new creation in Christ. Stop being greedy in what you seek, but remember that our God died for our sins and the sins of every single person that takes breath today. I know this is a quick entry, but it’s a simple one. REMEMBER. Remember that you are a child of God and that He loves you. He wants you to do great things, but He wants those great things you do to be for His glory. We are already victorious people! Share the wealth!
We are all new creations when we accept God into our hearts, meaning we are expected to know His power and understand his passion for greatness. A greatness He wants for us. God has so much in store for us and we often don’t have even an inkling about what it is. See life not through worldly eyes, but through the eyes of a new creation in Christ. Stop being greedy in what you seek, but remember that our God died for our sins and the sins of every single person that takes breath today. I know this is a quick entry, but it’s a simple one. REMEMBER. Remember that you are a child of God and that He loves you. He wants you to do great things, but He wants those great things you do to be for His glory. We are already victorious people! Share the wealth!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
2 Corinthians 4: Trading My Sorrows
My favorite song ever. I know many people apparently don't like this song made most famous, in my mind, by Israel Houghton, an awesome worship leader from Texas. Regardless, the song is taken from this chapter in the Corinthians and put to music. Verses 8 and 9 say we are troubled but not distressed, perplexed but not in despair, persecuted but not forsaken, cast down but not destroyed. This means that we are physically worn and battered through a close walk with Christ taking persecution for the brave preaching of His gospel, but our inward self and our eternity is strong and powerful to bear these hardships. The very last verse of this chapter says that the outward things which are seen are temporal and the unseen things are eternal. So criticisms, beatings (in the case of the apostles), political uproar due to religious intolerance, and so many more things are temporary. These things will pass, and the souls of those to stood for righteousness and for God will be living in eternal victory in Heaven when all is said and done. Go to class, be a bold and loud example of Christ. Don't sit back and watch dirty language happen or students disrespect a teacher or talk falsely about God and His Son. Stand up in class first to be the one to lead everyone in a God-glorifying manner whatever the situation. I really got to hand it to some of the athletes in FCA on Marshall's campus because there are some are the loudest and best and most effective voices for God on this campus. They use their leadership roles, however small or large, to influence others and openly tell them about God and ministries on campus and God's bearing on their lives. Props to them and their motivation. Many of us could learn a lesson from them.
All this to say, do not get tired of living a christian life because it's hard or because you would rather not bear the consequences of living for God in this world. Be strong, faint not, and reveal the gospel to the lost as best you can. This sharing of the gospel is our God-given ministry and our purpose.
Thank for listening to me,
Lance Pennington
All this to say, do not get tired of living a christian life because it's hard or because you would rather not bear the consequences of living for God in this world. Be strong, faint not, and reveal the gospel to the lost as best you can. This sharing of the gospel is our God-given ministry and our purpose.
Thank for listening to me,
Lance Pennington
Saturday, March 19, 2011
2 Corinthians 3
I love these letters that Paul is writing to the Corinthians because there is so much truth in them. Paul was not afraid to "tell them how it is". He always spoke the truth. Sometimes that's hard to do but Paul wasn't afraid. He accomplished many great things throughout his life, but he always gave the credit to God. Verse 5 says " Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ours; but our sufficiency is God." No one is competent with out Gods help. Without God none of us are able to fulfill the call He has placed in our life. Too many times we try to do everything on our own, when in reality that is not what God is asking. He is asking us to step out in faith and trust Him with our whole heart. Then He will equip us with what we need to complete the task at hand. I love this quote... "God doesn't call the equipped he equips the called."
Paul goes on to write about the new and the old covenant. Paul is comparing the old and new testament laws and using the veil as the analogy. When Moses came down from Mt. Sinai he was glowing from Gods presence. He had to put on a veil to keep the people from being afraid of this glow. This veil hid Gods presence wether it was full and bright or wether it was fading away. In the new covenant, as soon as we ask for forgiveness the veil is removed so we can be like mirrors reflecting Gods goodness, grace, and mercy. I think that too many times Christians argue and debate all the old testament laws and forget that Jesus came to free us from that. No longer do we have to sacrifice animals and go to the temple. Jesus came and died for us so that we could have direct access to the father. So that we could pray anytime no matter where we are or what is going on and God will hear us. All we have to do is call upon his name and he will be there. No longer are we bound in sin and condemnation but we are free!! By trusting in God we are now loved, forgiven, and accepted. The more closely we follow him the more like him we will be, which should be our ultimate goal.
In His Love,
Karissa
Friday, March 18, 2011
2 Corinthians 2: Eww Eww that smell, can't you smell that smell?
I LOVE PAUL! He was so blunt and practical in his teaching. And this chapter is no different. Let's spoil this chapter by starting with the end. 17 "You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us." (NLT) (this is called a theological foundation- it's where a solid truth is established to build an entire point). Did you see that key word? WE. Who's gonna preach? (Dora style) WE! Who? WE! Foundation: You are called to preach, we all are. Not from a podium. Not in a church. Not as a Pastor. We are all called to preach the Gospel, throughout our lives, with our lives. God has a plan to bring the good news to the world and it hinges on you. We are all full time ministers. Speaking the gospel through a prayer at lunch time. Worship music in your office. A bible open on break. Through using those God given key moments in your life to love someone, anyone, everyone, enough to tell them about eternity. To tell them the answer. To point them to Jesus. The hard question: If you truly live and love and believe in the God of the Bible; how can you not tell others?
Perfume. Don't you just love it. My wife walks in and her perfume fills the room. It subtly chases out the other smells and refreshes everything. And it stays after she is gone. It's there. I can walk in and know she was there. Paul likens this kind of lifestyle preaching to a perfume. It drowns out the other voices and foolishness of the world that exalts itself against God. It brings a freshness to others lives. It up lifts. And it lingers in their life. When your ministry is effective. When we really get in the presence of God and carry that with us. We bring His love and peace into the room with us. It literally changes the dynamic of our homes, dorms, classes, offices. Just like light drowns out darkness. Gods love on us acts like a perfume and drowns out everything else.
Don't be a fragrance of doom to the world. Don't be the "christian" the represents everything but Christ. Don't be the statistic and give them a reason to doubt the whole "religion thing." Be Christlike. Be the difference. Let the fragrance of your life be the perfume of God's love that ministers to all those you encounter. Don't live so that they remember you. Live so that they can know Him.
Grace & Peace
D.
Perfume. Don't you just love it. My wife walks in and her perfume fills the room. It subtly chases out the other smells and refreshes everything. And it stays after she is gone. It's there. I can walk in and know she was there. Paul likens this kind of lifestyle preaching to a perfume. It drowns out the other voices and foolishness of the world that exalts itself against God. It brings a freshness to others lives. It up lifts. And it lingers in their life. When your ministry is effective. When we really get in the presence of God and carry that with us. We bring His love and peace into the room with us. It literally changes the dynamic of our homes, dorms, classes, offices. Just like light drowns out darkness. Gods love on us acts like a perfume and drowns out everything else.
Don't be a fragrance of doom to the world. Don't be the "christian" the represents everything but Christ. Don't be the statistic and give them a reason to doubt the whole "religion thing." Be Christlike. Be the difference. Let the fragrance of your life be the perfume of God's love that ministers to all those you encounter. Don't live so that they remember you. Live so that they can know Him.
Grace & Peace
D.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Chapter 16: Again
Hey kids - it's Dennis, I got my days messed up and miscommunicated with temp and Morgan - so we had a double post from 16. But it's cool to see how the Holy Spirit can amplify different things when we read. So enjoy, and make fun of me later. Peace
So it’s almost 2 o’clock in the morning and I have read chapter 16 over and over and over…for the most part Paul is just summing up his plans for travel and leaving instructions for the church.
In verses 13 and 14 Paul says “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong, Let all that you do be done in love.”
So I am here to reiterate the instructions Paul left.
Be watchful….guard yourself. This doesn’t mean to put up walls and shut people out but to protect yourself from the temptations of the world. Watch what you say and do. Guard what you allow in your home. Be watchful of how you live your life.
Stand firm in the faith. Our God is the God. He is a mighty God. Full of hope and overflowing with grace. Stand in that comfort do not be weary but have faith that he will provide.
Act like men. I think Paul is calling men to step up to act no longer like children or boys but to be the men needed to lead this church.
Be strong. Paul is aware that much strength is needed with faith. Many will doubt and question and trials and temptation will come, strength and faith are so intertwined.
Let all that you do be done in love. This pretty much sums it up. Be love. In everything you do show love. Christ can so easily be seen in love.
Stand in your faith with strength. Watch for temptations and as you walk through life do it all in love.
Much Love
Morgan
So it’s almost 2 o’clock in the morning and I have read chapter 16 over and over and over…for the most part Paul is just summing up his plans for travel and leaving instructions for the church.
In verses 13 and 14 Paul says “Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong, Let all that you do be done in love.”
So I am here to reiterate the instructions Paul left.
Be watchful….guard yourself. This doesn’t mean to put up walls and shut people out but to protect yourself from the temptations of the world. Watch what you say and do. Guard what you allow in your home. Be watchful of how you live your life.
Stand firm in the faith. Our God is the God. He is a mighty God. Full of hope and overflowing with grace. Stand in that comfort do not be weary but have faith that he will provide.
Act like men. I think Paul is calling men to step up to act no longer like children or boys but to be the men needed to lead this church.
Be strong. Paul is aware that much strength is needed with faith. Many will doubt and question and trials and temptation will come, strength and faith are so intertwined.
Let all that you do be done in love. This pretty much sums it up. Be love. In everything you do show love. Christ can so easily be seen in love.
Stand in your faith with strength. Watch for temptations and as you walk through life do it all in love.
Much Love
Morgan
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
1 Corinthians 16: Here’s some advice!
In chapter 16 Paul talks about giving your first at the beginning of the week to God. Paul is talking about having a stewardship financially toward God. I think that when we bring our first and our best to God he is going to bless us with his best. I would say that most Christians and non-Christians believe that all churches care about these days is money. People don’t know where there money is going to they don’t want to give. Some people don’t have any motivation about giving away their money because the church has failed to provide a clear vision for how their money will make a difference. There are so many places in the bible that talk about giving, one being here in 1 Corinthians. The bible teaches us to give, for our own good and for our own blessing, from a cheerful heart. You’re not giving to a church or to a pastor your giving to God, and once you give you need to let God be in control of what is done with his money. God wants believers to be free from the love of money because money “is the root of all evil”. When you give you are honoring the Lord, and you are allowing his work to go on. Also when you give it builds faith. God is not our paycheck, but he is our provider. He WILL meet our needs.
Next Paul gives us some good words of encouragement. In verse 13 Paul tells us to “Be on guard”. Stand firm in what you believe in and don’t let someone come in who has contrary views. There is always going to be people out there who will test your faith and what you believe. Next he tells us to “stand firm in the faith”. If you have more doubt than faith then your faith is not going to work. If your faith is 50.5% / 49.5% over your doubt, that is 1% of faith that is stronger than the doubt of the devil. Last, Paul tells us to “be strong”. There is going to be many challenges that Christians are going to face. The bible say there will test and trials, so if you have strong faith and the word then you have to weapons to take on anything.
Keep on, Keepin on
Temp
Next Paul gives us some good words of encouragement. In verse 13 Paul tells us to “Be on guard”. Stand firm in what you believe in and don’t let someone come in who has contrary views. There is always going to be people out there who will test your faith and what you believe. Next he tells us to “stand firm in the faith”. If you have more doubt than faith then your faith is not going to work. If your faith is 50.5% / 49.5% over your doubt, that is 1% of faith that is stronger than the doubt of the devil. Last, Paul tells us to “be strong”. There is going to be many challenges that Christians are going to face. The bible say there will test and trials, so if you have strong faith and the word then you have to weapons to take on anything.
Keep on, Keepin on
Temp
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
1 Cor 15: Nice Bod
Ok so that was a really terrible title.
But how fitting is it that the day after my grandma passed away, I would be reading and blogging about the resurrected, incorruptible body that she has now! My grandma would have been 90 years old in July. She has been married to my grandpa for over 70 years and has lived for Christ for nearly the same amount of time.
In chapter 15, Paul questions the church at Corinth as to why some of them say that there was no resurrection of the dead. Basically Paul counters there ignorance by explaining that if there were no resurrection of the dead, then all that Christians live for is completely pointless because Christ would have never been raised from the dead.
I wonder about what my grandma will look like in heaven? What does her heavenly body look like? How does it all work? After reading in verses 35-42, I feel somewhat silly. Paul lays it out clear to us; our physical bodies are simply seed that must perish in order to become fruitful. Our heavenly bodies are what we reap once our physical bodies have died. They are completely different kinds of splendor. Because of Adam’s sin, our physical bodies die and return to the dust that we came from; but because of Christ’s resurrection, our spiritual bodies are raised up with Christ.
Death has no victory over the saints of God. Death has no sting or power over the saints of God. In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet, the dead bodies that were the seed of the earth shall be raised up and will be harvested into imperishable bodies. I know that my grandma has no more pain, no more suffering, and no more tears.
Paul beseeches the church at Corinth to stand firm and not be moved because we have been assured that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. For over 70 years, my grandma has never wavered in her faith in Christ. She and my grandpa have been shining Christ-like examples in their marriage to not only my family and I, but to the whole community. I am so grateful to have had the privilege to know her and be influenced by her. Just like Paul said to follow him as he followed Christ, I want to follow in my grandma’s footsteps to live for Christ for my entire life, never wavering.
-Ryan F
But how fitting is it that the day after my grandma passed away, I would be reading and blogging about the resurrected, incorruptible body that she has now! My grandma would have been 90 years old in July. She has been married to my grandpa for over 70 years and has lived for Christ for nearly the same amount of time.
In chapter 15, Paul questions the church at Corinth as to why some of them say that there was no resurrection of the dead. Basically Paul counters there ignorance by explaining that if there were no resurrection of the dead, then all that Christians live for is completely pointless because Christ would have never been raised from the dead.
I wonder about what my grandma will look like in heaven? What does her heavenly body look like? How does it all work? After reading in verses 35-42, I feel somewhat silly. Paul lays it out clear to us; our physical bodies are simply seed that must perish in order to become fruitful. Our heavenly bodies are what we reap once our physical bodies have died. They are completely different kinds of splendor. Because of Adam’s sin, our physical bodies die and return to the dust that we came from; but because of Christ’s resurrection, our spiritual bodies are raised up with Christ.
Death has no victory over the saints of God. Death has no sting or power over the saints of God. In a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet, the dead bodies that were the seed of the earth shall be raised up and will be harvested into imperishable bodies. I know that my grandma has no more pain, no more suffering, and no more tears.
Paul beseeches the church at Corinth to stand firm and not be moved because we have been assured that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. For over 70 years, my grandma has never wavered in her faith in Christ. She and my grandpa have been shining Christ-like examples in their marriage to not only my family and I, but to the whole community. I am so grateful to have had the privilege to know her and be influenced by her. Just like Paul said to follow him as he followed Christ, I want to follow in my grandma’s footsteps to live for Christ for my entire life, never wavering.
-Ryan F
Monday, March 14, 2011
Bloggin' it up with the Corinthians 14
Hey guys, let's dive right into this. In the first verse of Corinthians 14, we are told to embrace the gifts that are just waiting to be given to us by the Holy Spirit. This doesn’t limit us to the spirits that we are only comfortable with. Paul speaks to us about the use of these spirits within the church body.
Each gift of the Spirit owns a specific purpose in our lives. The gift of tongues, ( 1 Corinth. 14:2) is a form of communicating with God. When you speak in tongues alone, without any interepration, the church is left with no understanding. The 2nd verse calls this “mysteries of the Spirit”, because that is just what it is. Without a translator, it’s a secret language between God and you. Remember Acts? The disciples were speaking in tongues to God, not the crowd of people. We cannot write off speaking in tongues because we simply can’t understand it. It is not meant to be understood by everyone. When someone intereprets the language, they are interepreting a message from God, not man.
But that isn’t the stopping point. The gift of prophecy speaks to the church, comforting them with words straight from God. In the 4th verse, Paul says that anyone who prophesies, is helping to build up the church. Although we encourage everyone to embrace speaking in tongues, he really desires for the church to prophesy. Why? Because the church needs to have that understanding that we discussed earlier.
Not a good enough answer?
Paul takes on this challenge by telling us exactly why it is more necessary. He explains this with the use of instruments. If notes were not particular, but instead monotonous and not distringuished, we would not have a way of knowing what song or tune is being played. Unless your Gabe, of course! Just kidding. Paul envisions the trumpet playing to sound a clear call for battle. Can you imagine if no one could distinguish the call? We would stand there with our eyes open, but our ears muffled with only noise. We wouldn’t make a move, because we wouldn’t know that we were supposed to. This is what Paul was telling us about only speaking in tongues. This is why we mst speak to the church. This is why we must prophesy.
I really enjoyed grasping what Paul was telling us about the order of worship. What the what? There is a specific order of operation? Because God is a God of peace and not disorder or confusion, He wants us to take control of our spirits. When someone speaks in tongues, the Holy Spirit will be moving among the people, so he asks us to speak one at a time. If no one is called to interepet, then they must keep quiet and speak to himself and God. It is even instructed that we should quit speaking if another interepreter begins. This all comes hand I hand with the church having understanding. Have you ever been in Marshall’s Harless cafeteria trying to speak with a friend across the room? No. Because you knew that the millions of conversations were happening at once and there was no fat chance of you understanding them! God instructs us to not jumble everything together. It is of peace, not confusion, remember?
Paul ends this chapter with encouraging the church to be eager to prophesy and do not be afraid to speak in tongues. Embrace them. They are of God. They are real.
Embracing,
Ashley
Each gift of the Spirit owns a specific purpose in our lives. The gift of tongues, ( 1 Corinth. 14:2) is a form of communicating with God. When you speak in tongues alone, without any interepration, the church is left with no understanding. The 2nd verse calls this “mysteries of the Spirit”, because that is just what it is. Without a translator, it’s a secret language between God and you. Remember Acts? The disciples were speaking in tongues to God, not the crowd of people. We cannot write off speaking in tongues because we simply can’t understand it. It is not meant to be understood by everyone. When someone intereprets the language, they are interepreting a message from God, not man.
But that isn’t the stopping point. The gift of prophecy speaks to the church, comforting them with words straight from God. In the 4th verse, Paul says that anyone who prophesies, is helping to build up the church. Although we encourage everyone to embrace speaking in tongues, he really desires for the church to prophesy. Why? Because the church needs to have that understanding that we discussed earlier.
Not a good enough answer?
Paul takes on this challenge by telling us exactly why it is more necessary. He explains this with the use of instruments. If notes were not particular, but instead monotonous and not distringuished, we would not have a way of knowing what song or tune is being played. Unless your Gabe, of course! Just kidding. Paul envisions the trumpet playing to sound a clear call for battle. Can you imagine if no one could distinguish the call? We would stand there with our eyes open, but our ears muffled with only noise. We wouldn’t make a move, because we wouldn’t know that we were supposed to. This is what Paul was telling us about only speaking in tongues. This is why we mst speak to the church. This is why we must prophesy.
I really enjoyed grasping what Paul was telling us about the order of worship. What the what? There is a specific order of operation? Because God is a God of peace and not disorder or confusion, He wants us to take control of our spirits. When someone speaks in tongues, the Holy Spirit will be moving among the people, so he asks us to speak one at a time. If no one is called to interepet, then they must keep quiet and speak to himself and God. It is even instructed that we should quit speaking if another interepreter begins. This all comes hand I hand with the church having understanding. Have you ever been in Marshall’s Harless cafeteria trying to speak with a friend across the room? No. Because you knew that the millions of conversations were happening at once and there was no fat chance of you understanding them! God instructs us to not jumble everything together. It is of peace, not confusion, remember?
Paul ends this chapter with encouraging the church to be eager to prophesy and do not be afraid to speak in tongues. Embrace them. They are of God. They are real.
Embracing,
Ashley
Sunday, March 13, 2011
1 Corinthians 13
1 Corinthians 13 is about something we’re all familiar with, something we all hold true in our lives as Christians, something so precious and important that all of our beliefs and motivations are based off of it…love. Jesus suffered the most painful and humiliating death ever devised by man and displayed perfect and selfless love for us by doing so. We as Christians are constantly striving to be imitators of Christ, meaning we must also strive to achieve this perfect love and it should be the motivation for everything that we do. God’s love is never conditional and ours shouldn’t be either. Just look at the status of the world today, there’s so much hate, disruption, and violence and it’s becoming commonplace. When we display true selfless love the world takes a step back in disbelief, and that is what distinguishes us as followers of Christ from everybody else. If you want to shake a non-believer to their very core then love them. The chapter says that there’s only three things that will last forever and that’s faith, hope, and love and love is the most important out of the three, and if we don’t have that behind our actions then it’s all for nothing.
So next time when that dude cuts you off in traffic, don’t freak out (I’ve done it too), but take a deep breath and remember Jesus loves that person unconditionally, and we should too. The same love that flowed out of Christ and His disciples while they were on the earth is the same love that should flow out of us today. I know this is fundamental to us as Christians, and I don’t write this to make it seem like those reading don’t know what this is about, but sometimes we all need a reminder of why we do what we do, because God is love.
Love you guys
Tyler
So next time when that dude cuts you off in traffic, don’t freak out (I’ve done it too), but take a deep breath and remember Jesus loves that person unconditionally, and we should too. The same love that flowed out of Christ and His disciples while they were on the earth is the same love that should flow out of us today. I know this is fundamental to us as Christians, and I don’t write this to make it seem like those reading don’t know what this is about, but sometimes we all need a reminder of why we do what we do, because God is love.
Love you guys
Tyler
Saturday, March 12, 2011
I Corinthians 12: If We Are The Body
So 1 Corinthians 12 is all about the body of Christ. Here we have all these spiritual gifts which are compared to the different parts of the body. Without one, the others suffer. I realized I never thought about spiritual gifts in this way but it makes complete sense. Before I just thought of spiritual gifts as these amazing gifts that God has given us in order to better expand his kingdom. But when we come together and use our gifts alongside each other, we are like a body, working together in unison towards the same goal.
A person who has no legs is going to have a much harder time functioning in this world. The same goes for someone who has no eyes. But with the help of each other they can accomplish anything they set their hearts on. This is the same when it comes to our spiritual gifts. While you will be able to function alright on your own, having the support of those who have other gifts will make your journey not only easier but will take you farther in his kingdom. God has a purpose for your life and he is going to place the right people in your path.
Like 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 says, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." God gives different gifts to different people, based on how he wants to use that specific person for His good. You should never feel inferior to another person because you think they have a better spiritual gift than you. Each needs the others in order to be able to get the most out of it. No one person can stand on their own and that is the same with their spiritual gifts. "...God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." (1 Corinthians 12:18) Embrace what God has given you and look around to see how you can use your gifts together.
With all my love,
Beth
I Corinthians 11 : The Lord's Supper
‘The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.’ I Cor. 11:23-26
Everyone who grew up in a church has probably heard this scripture spoken before communion. In my church, we would have communion every fourth Sunday of the month. After worship, we would all sit down and the pastor would come up to the pulpit. He would say “Ushers come down as we prepare for communion” then he would give what I at first thought was a speech on how we should make ourselves ready. He would talk on how in coming to God our hearts should be clean. Meaning that as we consume Jesus’ body and blood nothing should be standing in the way between us and the Lord keeping us from standing in his presence. My pastor told us that if there was any sin in our lives that we should lay it before God. When I was younger, in Elementary school, I really didn’t understand this and just wanted food because Mom hadn’t fed us our breakfast yet, so I took and ate unknowing what it really meant for my heart to be clean. But why would I? I was a child. As I got older I understood what my pastor was saying and I began to pray so that I could part with a clean heart but I still didn’t shake that idea that it was also a meal.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul speaks to the Cortinthian’s Church about this same issue and why many of them became weak and ill, or died. He tells them that as a church they are not eating the Lord’s supper but selfishly eating his own meal; leaving some to go hungry while others drink heavily of the wine. In verse 27, it says, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.” ‘Concerning the body and blood of the Lord’: the bread is the Lord’s body and the cup is the Lord’s blood. Drinking and eating of an unworthily is just as if you dishonored the Father and snuffed at him sending his son to save our sins. He goes on in verse 29-32, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement on himself. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” The Lord in no way wants to condemn us but he does ask that we do these thing in remembrance.
Paul instructs the Corinthian church on what they should do in two simple steps:
1. Is that when in coming together we should wait on one another. - Communion should be done in fellowship with other believers and the Lord. And there should be no divisions in the church when communion is taken or that would be going against God’s word.
2. If anyone is hungry they should eat at home . - in order not bring judgement upon themselves and in dishonoring God.
So Flood, just remember that communion is a gift from God. God sent his Son to die on the cross for us but before he died Jesus lefts us this intimate fellowship with the Lord.
Catrese
Everyone who grew up in a church has probably heard this scripture spoken before communion. In my church, we would have communion every fourth Sunday of the month. After worship, we would all sit down and the pastor would come up to the pulpit. He would say “Ushers come down as we prepare for communion” then he would give what I at first thought was a speech on how we should make ourselves ready. He would talk on how in coming to God our hearts should be clean. Meaning that as we consume Jesus’ body and blood nothing should be standing in the way between us and the Lord keeping us from standing in his presence. My pastor told us that if there was any sin in our lives that we should lay it before God. When I was younger, in Elementary school, I really didn’t understand this and just wanted food because Mom hadn’t fed us our breakfast yet, so I took and ate unknowing what it really meant for my heart to be clean. But why would I? I was a child. As I got older I understood what my pastor was saying and I began to pray so that I could part with a clean heart but I still didn’t shake that idea that it was also a meal.
In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul speaks to the Cortinthian’s Church about this same issue and why many of them became weak and ill, or died. He tells them that as a church they are not eating the Lord’s supper but selfishly eating his own meal; leaving some to go hungry while others drink heavily of the wine. In verse 27, it says, “Whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.” ‘Concerning the body and blood of the Lord’: the bread is the Lord’s body and the cup is the Lord’s blood. Drinking and eating of an unworthily is just as if you dishonored the Father and snuffed at him sending his son to save our sins. He goes on in verse 29-32, “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgement on himself. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” The Lord in no way wants to condemn us but he does ask that we do these thing in remembrance.
Paul instructs the Corinthian church on what they should do in two simple steps:
1. Is that when in coming together we should wait on one another. - Communion should be done in fellowship with other believers and the Lord. And there should be no divisions in the church when communion is taken or that would be going against God’s word.
2. If anyone is hungry they should eat at home . - in order not bring judgement upon themselves and in dishonoring God.
So Flood, just remember that communion is a gift from God. God sent his Son to die on the cross for us but before he died Jesus lefts us this intimate fellowship with the Lord.
Catrese
Thursday, March 10, 2011
1 Corinthians 10: What CAN’T Kill Me, Makes Me Better
Hey gang, Seth back once again to talk to you about 1 Corinthians 10! This chapter of Corinthians addresses struggles and stresses that we all experience. Everyone deals with temptations, tests, and trials every day, but we shouldn’t allow ourselves to give in to these worldly things. We find ourselves saying we can’t do something or things are “too hard” and that we can’t handle it. We even find ourselves questioning God, asking Him why He would do something to us. We can find relief in scripture here that God will never abandon us and never place us in a situation that we cannot handle.
1 Corinthians 10:13- No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to us all. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will provide a way out so that you can endure it.
God knows EXACTLY how much we can stand, how much pain we can endure, and how much potential we have. I love the scripture above because it lets us know that God wants us to be the best we can be for him. Through these tests that we endure throughout our lives, God is building us up to serve the purpose he has for every single one of us.
From personal experience, that I’m sure most will share with me the biggest breakthroughs have come in times of great trials. God increases us by trusting in Him and in ourselves to do what he has laid out before us. The best part about this is that anything that we may face, we can rest assured that we will come out victorious! We should view these tests as reassurance that God has something amazing he wants for us.
Along this same message, in 1 Corinthians 10, God shows us that we cannot live a semi-Christian life for him. Everything that we do should be to glorify God. He has given us the will to choose to love and obey him. From our freedom, we should not squander it with worldly things, but give God glory in all things. The importance of being free is that we have the ability to show affection to our God in so many ways. The bible tells us to seek the good of many and not ourselves. So remember people, saved and unsaved, we are all children of God!
1 Corinthians 10:13- No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to us all. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will provide a way out so that you can endure it.
God knows EXACTLY how much we can stand, how much pain we can endure, and how much potential we have. I love the scripture above because it lets us know that God wants us to be the best we can be for him. Through these tests that we endure throughout our lives, God is building us up to serve the purpose he has for every single one of us.
From personal experience, that I’m sure most will share with me the biggest breakthroughs have come in times of great trials. God increases us by trusting in Him and in ourselves to do what he has laid out before us. The best part about this is that anything that we may face, we can rest assured that we will come out victorious! We should view these tests as reassurance that God has something amazing he wants for us.
Along this same message, in 1 Corinthians 10, God shows us that we cannot live a semi-Christian life for him. Everything that we do should be to glorify God. He has given us the will to choose to love and obey him. From our freedom, we should not squander it with worldly things, but give God glory in all things. The importance of being free is that we have the ability to show affection to our God in so many ways. The bible tells us to seek the good of many and not ourselves. So remember people, saved and unsaved, we are all children of God!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
I Corinthians 9
Man, if we neglect Paul as an example of how to live a Christ-like, evangelical life, then we are really missing out on something. In verses 19-23 (which would be easy to copy & paste, but I won't because hopefully you have read it, or will read it) Paul is essentially testifying how he has become like the Jews to win the Jews, become weak to win the weak, and "become all things to all men so that by all possible means" he might save some. This is true effective evangelism to a T.
Becoming all things to all men involves a very complicated, enigmatic idea. You ready for this? .............Be a friend to someone. Paul became all things to all men by forming connections with unbelievers. He found a common ground with the unbeliever, whatever that may be depending on who it was, and befriended them, loved them, and (not in a fake, preachy way) told them about God. Paul did not treat the unbeliever as an object to be converted, or someone to shout damnation at. Paul used the strategy of love to lead the lost to salvation. Paul was not the first person to use this strategy of love. Jesus was the perfect example of this love strategy. Jesus befriended the prostitutes, the drunkards, the homeless, the criminals, the lepers, you name it. And he did this much to the disapproval of the so-called 'religious' too. Jesus did not come as an unapproachable deific figure, but he came humbly as a friend and "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped" [Philipians 2:6]. So if we are saved and have truly experienced the love and presence of God, let's not separate ourselves so far from the lost that we refuse to make any connections with them. Making Christian friends and meeting other new believers is great and that is what is called "fellowship", which is crucial. But there is another integral part of our Christian walk: winning souls. There is a video link I provided of the famous magician Penn Jillette from Penn & Teller (and who is a staunch advocate of atheism) commenting on receiving a Bible from a guy after a show. It certainly convicted me. So instead of writing a unnecessarily lengthy conclusion to finish this blog, I'm going to let Paul and the truth (coming from an atheist no less) in this video speak for itself. I simply urge you to watch this vid, and you'll get the point of this whole 'strategy of love' thing that Paul is talking about.
http://www.facebook.com/l/1cfc03MQva9dKczFABJIiBNKlOA/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhG-tkQ_Q2w
Becoming all things to all men involves a very complicated, enigmatic idea. You ready for this? .............Be a friend to someone. Paul became all things to all men by forming connections with unbelievers. He found a common ground with the unbeliever, whatever that may be depending on who it was, and befriended them, loved them, and (not in a fake, preachy way) told them about God. Paul did not treat the unbeliever as an object to be converted, or someone to shout damnation at. Paul used the strategy of love to lead the lost to salvation. Paul was not the first person to use this strategy of love. Jesus was the perfect example of this love strategy. Jesus befriended the prostitutes, the drunkards, the homeless, the criminals, the lepers, you name it. And he did this much to the disapproval of the so-called 'religious' too. Jesus did not come as an unapproachable deific figure, but he came humbly as a friend and "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped" [Philipians 2:6]. So if we are saved and have truly experienced the love and presence of God, let's not separate ourselves so far from the lost that we refuse to make any connections with them. Making Christian friends and meeting other new believers is great and that is what is called "fellowship", which is crucial. But there is another integral part of our Christian walk: winning souls. There is a video link I provided of the famous magician Penn Jillette from Penn & Teller (and who is a staunch advocate of atheism) commenting on receiving a Bible from a guy after a show. It certainly convicted me. So instead of writing a unnecessarily lengthy conclusion to finish this blog, I'm going to let Paul and the truth (coming from an atheist no less) in this video speak for itself. I simply urge you to watch this vid, and you'll get the point of this whole 'strategy of love' thing that Paul is talking about.
http://www.facebook.com/l/1cfc03MQva9dKczFABJIiBNKlOA/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhG-tkQ_Q2w
1 Corinthians 8
Before I begin in 1 Corinthians 8, I have to preface with a story.
This one time when I was a little girl, my older cousin Kristi and I were at my grandparents home. We only had one rule and that was to not rough house in my grandmother’s formal living room, where all the really expensive stuff was. One day I saw Kristi jumping up and down off the couches and doing flips all around this large room. Being that she was older and I looked up to her as an example of how I should behave, I mistakenly did the same thing she was doing. After my grandmother heard the shatter of one of her expensive plates from South Korea, only then did I realize that it’s easy to mislead others either intentionally or accidently.
The same example applies to 1 Corinthians 8, I think Paul is trying to tell us that our actions in our everyday life can have an influence on others whether we realize it or not. Our obligation as Christians is to hold each other accountable and lift each other up. Each of us are at a different point in our walk with God, we should always be aware of how we may be influencing fellow believers and how they may be influencing us. I like how Paul best explains it in verses 9 and 10, how we can hinder the weak in our everyday witness:
9.Only be careful that this power of choice (this permission and liberty to do as you please) which is yours, does not [somehow] become a hindrance (cause of stumbling) to the weak or overscrupulous [giving them an impulse to sin]. 10.For suppose someone sees you, a man having knowledge [of God, with an intelligent view of this subject and] reclining at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged and emboldened [to violate his own conscientious scruples] if he is weak and uncertain, and eat what [to him] is for the purpose of idol worship? (AMP)
A touchy subject that Christians are always debating is drinking. Does drinking ruin ones witness and cause others to stumble? In 1 Corinthians 8 Paul uses the example of meat and its representation of worshipping false idols. In our society today drinking represents being drunk; this is sin. (Eph 5:18). When a new Christian sees a more mature Christian out drinking socially, that new Christian could think it was okay to drink because they don’t know how many drinks that mature Christian has had. Paul explains it best in verse 12 and 13:
12. And when you sin against your brethren in this way, wounding and damaging their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13. Therefore, if [my eating a] food is a cause of my brother's falling or of hindering [his spiritual advancement], I will not eat [such] flesh forever, lest I cause my brother to be tripped up and fall and to be offended. (AMP)
So if something we are doing could possibly hinder someone else’s walk with Christ maybe we should take a step back, pray, and reassess our priorities. We all make mistakes, it’s part of our everyday life, but we should make sure we’re not the source of the mistakes to be made by others no matter what it is.
With His Love,
Laura
This one time when I was a little girl, my older cousin Kristi and I were at my grandparents home. We only had one rule and that was to not rough house in my grandmother’s formal living room, where all the really expensive stuff was. One day I saw Kristi jumping up and down off the couches and doing flips all around this large room. Being that she was older and I looked up to her as an example of how I should behave, I mistakenly did the same thing she was doing. After my grandmother heard the shatter of one of her expensive plates from South Korea, only then did I realize that it’s easy to mislead others either intentionally or accidently.
The same example applies to 1 Corinthians 8, I think Paul is trying to tell us that our actions in our everyday life can have an influence on others whether we realize it or not. Our obligation as Christians is to hold each other accountable and lift each other up. Each of us are at a different point in our walk with God, we should always be aware of how we may be influencing fellow believers and how they may be influencing us. I like how Paul best explains it in verses 9 and 10, how we can hinder the weak in our everyday witness:
9.Only be careful that this power of choice (this permission and liberty to do as you please) which is yours, does not [somehow] become a hindrance (cause of stumbling) to the weak or overscrupulous [giving them an impulse to sin]. 10.For suppose someone sees you, a man having knowledge [of God, with an intelligent view of this subject and] reclining at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged and emboldened [to violate his own conscientious scruples] if he is weak and uncertain, and eat what [to him] is for the purpose of idol worship? (AMP)
A touchy subject that Christians are always debating is drinking. Does drinking ruin ones witness and cause others to stumble? In 1 Corinthians 8 Paul uses the example of meat and its representation of worshipping false idols. In our society today drinking represents being drunk; this is sin. (Eph 5:18). When a new Christian sees a more mature Christian out drinking socially, that new Christian could think it was okay to drink because they don’t know how many drinks that mature Christian has had. Paul explains it best in verse 12 and 13:
12. And when you sin against your brethren in this way, wounding and damaging their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13. Therefore, if [my eating a] food is a cause of my brother's falling or of hindering [his spiritual advancement], I will not eat [such] flesh forever, lest I cause my brother to be tripped up and fall and to be offended. (AMP)
So if something we are doing could possibly hinder someone else’s walk with Christ maybe we should take a step back, pray, and reassess our priorities. We all make mistakes, it’s part of our everyday life, but we should make sure we’re not the source of the mistakes to be made by others no matter what it is.
With His Love,
Laura
Monday, March 7, 2011
1 Corinthians 5
Don't you just wish we had directions on how deal with the iffy situations that life throws at us. Well thankfully we're in luck, when Paul was writing the letters to the church in Corinth, he had a lot to say; especially about how followers of christ should live their lives in ways that please God. It's so important to follow through with our decisions we make concerning following Jesus. Being a Christian is much more than walking up to an alter and saying a few words. Being a follower of Christ literally means FOLLOWING Jesus and having a personal relationship with him. We serve the God of yesterday today and forever, and a God that wants to be there with us every day and every night. In Corinthians 5 the topic comes up concerning sexual immorality among other sins. Its very simple in the fact that being sexually immoral has harsh consequences that we know of this very day. There are so many strong social, ethical, and spiritual ties to sex...no wonder God desires for us to be pure in this area. There are even consequences in hanging around people who do not live pure lives especially those in the church that know its wrong, and Paul saw this as well. We're surrounded by people who purposefully make exceptions for sins everyday. He simply says that we're called to be in this world, but not of. We must surround ourselves with other people that are strong in there faith and make us better, because we cannot possible go through this world alone not being held accountable by our brothers and sisters in Christ. Surround yourselves with Godly people. Be in this world, but not of it.
With Love,
Gabe
With Love,
Gabe
1 Corinthians 7
Ok so this chapter is definitely a chapter for college students. It’s pretty much all about sexual immorality and marriage. There are many ways to make it awkward and to offend people, so I’m just going to stick with the facts and present the truth in love.
Let me sum up the first few verses and say that sex belongs to married couples…period. Also let me say that married couples commit to spending the rest of their lives with each other…period. Now that these two facts are undoubtedly clear, let me move on to what is probably going to be the most beneficial part of this blog for everyone.
Verse 27 states, “Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife.” Now hold on a second is Paul seriously telling us to never ever get married? No he is not, but what he is saying is essentially enjoy single life. Verses 32 and 33 say that, “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs-how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world-how he can please his wife-and his interests are divided.”
I think everyone wants to be married at some point, but unless you are satisfied with Jesus Christ, your life will be messed up. C.S. Lewis put it best when he said, “You do not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” Your physical desires are important, but unless your spirit is satisfied with Jesus, you will never be happy.
If you are married or engaged like at least half of flood it seems like, God bless you. But if you are not even in a relationship you don’t have to have someone. Look for opportunities to please God before you look for opportunities to get the attention of that random hot girl or guy across the room.
Love,
Zack
Let me sum up the first few verses and say that sex belongs to married couples…period. Also let me say that married couples commit to spending the rest of their lives with each other…period. Now that these two facts are undoubtedly clear, let me move on to what is probably going to be the most beneficial part of this blog for everyone.
Verse 27 states, “Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife.” Now hold on a second is Paul seriously telling us to never ever get married? No he is not, but what he is saying is essentially enjoy single life. Verses 32 and 33 say that, “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs-how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world-how he can please his wife-and his interests are divided.”
I think everyone wants to be married at some point, but unless you are satisfied with Jesus Christ, your life will be messed up. C.S. Lewis put it best when he said, “You do not have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.” Your physical desires are important, but unless your spirit is satisfied with Jesus, you will never be happy.
If you are married or engaged like at least half of flood it seems like, God bless you. But if you are not even in a relationship you don’t have to have someone. Look for opportunities to please God before you look for opportunities to get the attention of that random hot girl or guy across the room.
Love,
Zack
Sunday, March 6, 2011
I Corinthians 6
Everyone of us has screwed up. Whether it’s intentional or not, it happens on a daily basis. However, in chapter 6 I believe that Paul is stressing the importance of not holding yourself accountable by the world’s standards, but instead by God’s standards. It is very hard as Christians to maintain a Christ like image all the time. We all have weaknesses that we struggle with. That is why it is crucial that we find a fellow brother or sister in Christ that will hold us accountable for our actions. Find someone that isn’t afraid to get in your face when you’re about to do something stupid and say “hey man, you really don’t want to do that.” Because what happens when we don’t have those accountability partners is instead we get friends that don’t know the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and they encourage us to do the things we know are wrong because they hold themselves to the world’s standards instead of God’s standards. They look for worldly things to fix their problems. They will persuade you to have a drink or smoke a cigarette when you’re stressed out, or they’ll convince you to watch something that you really shouldn’t be watching, or put yourself in a compromising situation with a guy or a girl because “you only live once”. Those are not the people you need to be asking to help you do the right thing.
I love the Message version of verse 12: “Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate…” You need Christians who are sensitive to God’s spirit who will encourage you to read your Bible, pray with you and for you, physically remove you from tempting situations even if they’re legal situations, and will discourage you from taking advantage of worldly opportunities to fix problems. You need people around you who are not afraid to tell you that just because you’re old enough to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes or have sex with whoever doesn’t mean that God permits it. If you don’t have an accountability partner---find one but make sure they’re in tune with God’s spirit and hold you to God’s standards and above the world’s standards.
Love yall,
Bri
I love the Message version of verse 12: “Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate…” You need Christians who are sensitive to God’s spirit who will encourage you to read your Bible, pray with you and for you, physically remove you from tempting situations even if they’re legal situations, and will discourage you from taking advantage of worldly opportunities to fix problems. You need people around you who are not afraid to tell you that just because you’re old enough to drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes or have sex with whoever doesn’t mean that God permits it. If you don’t have an accountability partner---find one but make sure they’re in tune with God’s spirit and hold you to God’s standards and above the world’s standards.
Love yall,
Bri
Thursday, March 3, 2011
I Corinthians 3: Follow Me.....
People worship. Let's be honest this is a popular thing in the church right now. As leaders emerge and begin to have large ministries; they gain a following, if you will. We all have them. Individuals who just seem to know how to reach us. A pastor, worship leader, author, evangelist. They just seem to get it. They have this way of ministering the word of God that seems to reach straight into your soul and shake you at a level that only God can touch. So we follow them. We read their books. Buy their albums. Go to their conferences. Podcast, YouTube, tv- we watch and listen with attentive ears. We defend them, fight for them, they are the best at what they do. We, dare I say it, worship them.
Paul has run into the same thing here in this chapter and it would behoove us to attend to his words of guidance. Paul, Apollos, Cephas - the church has been divided. They have begun to pick sides and draw lines. Don't get me wrong. It is great to have leaders that you trust, and let those leaders influence your life. What you can't do is let that leader become the only influence in your life. Truth: no matter how great a man/woman may seem; at the end of the day they are made from the same dirt you and I are. I don't mean this in a derogatory way. Respect the gift that God has placed in your leaders. Respect the anointing. Show them the honor they are do. But do not let them take the place of the one King. He is God and He is the giver of all gifts. At the end of the day we are all vessels he is using.
The church in Corinth was struggling. The church today is struggling. There is too much competition. Too much bickering about who is better and what my ministry is doing. It's not your ministry- it's Jesus' ministry. While the church argues the enemy roams. While we compete, the world is going to Hell. You have been called to a specific ministry to be used, to assist, to support the vision of God. Run after that. Do your part. Heed Paul's words from 1 Corinthians 11:1 -follow me: as I follow Christ. Never loose sight of who you are really following. Don't buy into the competition. Guard your heart. Fulfill your call. Assist your leaders. Run toward Jesus.
Only a man - Dennis.
Paul has run into the same thing here in this chapter and it would behoove us to attend to his words of guidance. Paul, Apollos, Cephas - the church has been divided. They have begun to pick sides and draw lines. Don't get me wrong. It is great to have leaders that you trust, and let those leaders influence your life. What you can't do is let that leader become the only influence in your life. Truth: no matter how great a man/woman may seem; at the end of the day they are made from the same dirt you and I are. I don't mean this in a derogatory way. Respect the gift that God has placed in your leaders. Respect the anointing. Show them the honor they are do. But do not let them take the place of the one King. He is God and He is the giver of all gifts. At the end of the day we are all vessels he is using.
The church in Corinth was struggling. The church today is struggling. There is too much competition. Too much bickering about who is better and what my ministry is doing. It's not your ministry- it's Jesus' ministry. While the church argues the enemy roams. While we compete, the world is going to Hell. You have been called to a specific ministry to be used, to assist, to support the vision of God. Run after that. Do your part. Heed Paul's words from 1 Corinthians 11:1 -follow me: as I follow Christ. Never loose sight of who you are really following. Don't buy into the competition. Guard your heart. Fulfill your call. Assist your leaders. Run toward Jesus.
Only a man - Dennis.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
1 Corinthians 1 & 2
Kinda long and difficult, but let's get into it.
There are just so many things in the Corinthians and specifically in chapters one and two! I can try my best to go ahead and list them all to you and explain all the Points Paul wanted to convey. First, was the fact that Paul wanted us to act in the power that God gives to us! We must understand that the name of Jesus has so much power that we can claim if we are believers! We can claim His power and His promises. The very second thing Paul mentioned was that the church in Corinth was fighting amongst itself, and he pleaded with them to work together, believe together, and become of one mind. Paul made the point that God cannot be ripped apart into bunches of little pieces that different groups can claim. Another point was that the gospel of Jesus' death and resurrection wouldn't make sense to unbelievers but it would make perfect sense to the saved. Verse 19 says that convention wisdom will be turned on it's head. The non leaders will lead, the seemingly foolish will be wise, basically everything reverses because we, as the world, distort God's intentions. Verses 27 & 28 say that God will use the people that world ignores and He will use them to reveal the world's faults. Just realize here that God has plans above our own. We have no idea of God's plans for us until it really just happens, so just follow a God of Eternity and believe He will bring your life into accordance with His plans and you will be used! Ok, I hope there was some connection between all of that because the chapter has so many different points that it was kinda hard to collaborate them all.
Next chapter. Verse nine really says it all. "no one has seen or heard, never so much as imagined what God has arranged for those who love Him." Paul says how magnificent Gods ways and plans are and tells of the gospel again. He says that this gospel of Jesus is not of intellect but rather of spirit. He said that formal education and speech skills is not the basis and background of this gospel but the spirit of God that dwells in us if the basis for sharing with others and really having passion about God. He does say also that an unspiritual self cannot experience the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Unless we are spiritually alive, we cannot tap into all that God has for us. In addition, and so so so important, is that we believers cannot be judged by the non-spiritual. That means to not worry about what others thick about your spiritual gifts, embrace them. Man, I hope I put these chapters into a possibly simpler light. I hope that you all get the points made in these chatters and really act on them!
Love you flood,
Lance Pennington
There are just so many things in the Corinthians and specifically in chapters one and two! I can try my best to go ahead and list them all to you and explain all the Points Paul wanted to convey. First, was the fact that Paul wanted us to act in the power that God gives to us! We must understand that the name of Jesus has so much power that we can claim if we are believers! We can claim His power and His promises. The very second thing Paul mentioned was that the church in Corinth was fighting amongst itself, and he pleaded with them to work together, believe together, and become of one mind. Paul made the point that God cannot be ripped apart into bunches of little pieces that different groups can claim. Another point was that the gospel of Jesus' death and resurrection wouldn't make sense to unbelievers but it would make perfect sense to the saved. Verse 19 says that convention wisdom will be turned on it's head. The non leaders will lead, the seemingly foolish will be wise, basically everything reverses because we, as the world, distort God's intentions. Verses 27 & 28 say that God will use the people that world ignores and He will use them to reveal the world's faults. Just realize here that God has plans above our own. We have no idea of God's plans for us until it really just happens, so just follow a God of Eternity and believe He will bring your life into accordance with His plans and you will be used! Ok, I hope there was some connection between all of that because the chapter has so many different points that it was kinda hard to collaborate them all.
Next chapter. Verse nine really says it all. "no one has seen or heard, never so much as imagined what God has arranged for those who love Him." Paul says how magnificent Gods ways and plans are and tells of the gospel again. He says that this gospel of Jesus is not of intellect but rather of spirit. He said that formal education and speech skills is not the basis and background of this gospel but the spirit of God that dwells in us if the basis for sharing with others and really having passion about God. He does say also that an unspiritual self cannot experience the gifts of the Holy Ghost. Unless we are spiritually alive, we cannot tap into all that God has for us. In addition, and so so so important, is that we believers cannot be judged by the non-spiritual. That means to not worry about what others thick about your spiritual gifts, embrace them. Man, I hope I put these chapters into a possibly simpler light. I hope that you all get the points made in these chatters and really act on them!
Love you flood,
Lance Pennington
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