Walking In A Fog

As we walk around and drive around we are bombarded with communication. There are signs everywhere. Every shop has signs covered in words. The streets have words written on them. The traffic signs have words. There are banners and placards everywhere.

But for me, it looks like squiggly lines. I am sure for the average Okinawan it all makes perfect sense, but for me, I am lost. And yet I know that the squiggly lines have meaning, but the meaning is hidden to me. They are in plain sight, but I don't know how to understand them.

The Scriptures tell us that the things of God are hidden and unable to be understood by someone who isn't a Jesus-follower. We read in 1 Corinthians 2:14

"The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit."

It is as though the Spirit acts as a translator for the believer. The Spirit opens the heart and mind of the believer enabling them to accept the things the Spirit wants to send. They are able to see the wisdom in what seems to others foolishness.

To the non-Jesus-follower, many things that happen in life are a mystery. Even when the LORD shows up in tangible ways, there is confusion and an inability to accept a different reality. Their thinking is locked into seeing the world one way, and one way only.

For those of us who have the Spirit, life is full of new and exciting possibilities. We can see His presence in so many places. We see Him working. He has opened our eyes and hearts. It has nothing to do with us other than yielding to His influence.

As I try to decipher the characters of the three Japanese alphabets (you read that correctly, three alphabets) I need a translator desperately. By the way, there are over 2,100 differently characters taken from Chinese used by the Japanese language. They learn all 2,100 as part of their primary school education. And to top that off, they assign different meanings and different pronunciation than the Chinese equivalent. So even if I was fluent in Chinese, it wouldn't help me much in Japan.

So even though I don't know what the thousands of signs are saying, I can be confident of the LORD's direction in our being here. We sense His fingerprints all over our interactions. We are right where the LORD wants us to be.

Please pray that we would be like the many banners along the streets, willing to move at the slightest movement of the wind of the Spirit.

Day 126

Reminders about spiritual helpers

1 Corinthians 16

Key Verses: 2, 9, 10, 18,

Giving money has always been part of a faithful life. It is not something invented by TV preachers to fatten their retirement portfolio. Notice that Paul ensures the integrity of the process by not carrying the money himself, but having people from their own body do the gift giving. Money can be a stumbling block for many people. By keeping the process above reproach, Paul ensures integrity, both his and theirs. We must be careful to keep our financial dealings above reproach, both personally and professionally.

Paul faced opposition, but that opposition did not signal that he should move on. Instead, he saw the opposition as a signal that he was right where God wanted him to be. God was doing great things even in the middle of the opposition. So often we run when difficult times come. Instead, we ought to discern the opportunities for effective ministry in the middle of the difficult times. Opposition does not mean God is absent. On the contrary, Paul found that opposition and fruitful ministry go hand in hand.

I have noticed over the years that too many of us avoid conflict. Confrontation can be a very powerful thing when done in love. Just because things get tough does not me we should get going in the opposite direction.

Paul looks out for others in ministry. He wants to make sure Timothy gets treated well. He tells of Apollos’ struggle with timing and the Stephanas household’s faithfulness. We should encourage one another with reports of other’s faithfulness. It can be lonely on this journey of faith. Paul needed connection with others, and so do we. Seek out those connections, because we all need them. Without these connections, we will wither on the vine and become unfruitful. We set ourselves up for attack and failure.

Day 125

Order in the resurrections

1 Corinthians 15

Key Verses: 1, 3-5, 14, 19, 22, 31, 42-43, 50, 51-52, 55,

This chapter contains perhaps the most concise synopsis of the Gospel message. Death for sins, burial, resurrection, appearances. This is what sets Jesus apart from other religious figures. Jesus claimed to be God (not that unusual for a religious figure) and then He proved it by rising from the dead. And when we trust Him based on these facts, our lives are changed. This is the gospel in a nutshell. So many other things can occupy our hearts and minds, but Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection are the core, must believe items. We must believe in the resurrection or our faith is empty. Without the resurrection, the gospel is not even a good idea or a good way to live. If there is no resurrection, then Christianity is a useless belief system, not worthy to be considered.

Christ’s death and resurrection reverses the effect Adam’s sin. Adam’s sin killed us all spiritually. His sin transferred to us through birth. Life comes in Christ through our second birth. And if the resurrection did not happen, Paul realizes that his life has been a waste, and he doesn’t want a wasted life.

Do you ever feel like you are wasting your life, that you lack direction and purpose? This is the very thing Paul wanted to avoid, and in Christ he found that direction and purpose. Without Christ there is no meaning. Without Christ suffering is just randomness getting personal. And if evil is just randomness, then good must also be randomness at work. But in Christ everything gets put into a larger scheme of things. Things can make sense.

Some of the Corinthian believers had specific questions about their own resurrection, like the physical characteristics of the new existence. Paul answers this by saying that it will be different than this existence, and we can’t really tell what that difference will be by looking at the present existence. All we know is that after death, things are different. Imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual; that is what we know about the future body.

All this physical world does not transmit to the spiritual. They are two separate realms. When we die, we leave behind this existence to pick up a new existence. We continue, but this physical existence does not. We are changed instantaneously. Death no longer holds any weight for us, because death itself has been conquered. Death simply marks the point in time between here and there. We know what is on the other side, so we can be at peace. Jesus gave us the victory over death.

Day 124

Instructions on using tongues

1 Corinthians 14

Key Verses: 1, 5, 12, 14, 18, 25, 32, 34,

One of the conclusions that could be drawn from the previous chapter on love is that only love matters, that the outworking of the Spirit in the church was not important. But God gives gifts to the church, including the gift of tongues. The Corinthian believers seem to have gone hog wild with this gift, going beyond where the Spirit was leading and into self-serving exploits. They elevated the expression of tongues beyond all other gifts.

The goal of all the gifts of the Spirit is edification, the building up of the spiritual component of man. If an expression appears to be from the Spirit, but it does not edify, then the origin of the expression can rightfully be questioned. Paul goes to great lengths to emphasize that all expressions of the Spirit are to build up the church. Prophecy, the proclamation of the Word, is a prime example of a gift that builds up believers. People can understand prophecy since it is in their native language. It can easily lead to edification. Tongues, since it is a language unknown to the speaker, and usually the hearer, does not easily lead to edification. So Paul says the gift of interpretation needs to go with tongues. Edification is the goal.

When gifts are in evidence, but there is not edification, then we are being spiritually childish. The goal of the gifts is a drawing closer to God, whether it is believer or non-believer. Tongues by itself is just a sign, but without meaning. There must be meaning connected to the sign. That is why Paul emphasizes prophecy for unbelievers. It leads to understanding, conviction and conversion. Signs got people to pay attention on the day of Pentecost, but it was Peter’s preaching that brought understanding and edification.

Chaos in worship is not the goal, but neither is rigid ritualism. We can get so stuck in “we never did it this way before” that we resist the leading of the Spirit. Some people are so afraid of the Spirit’s moving, that every element of worship must be spelled out and programmed to the second. There can be flexibility without disorder. Just because things change doesn’t mean it is chaotic.

Verse 34 can get blown out of context so easily. Whatever these women were doing, culturally it was a sign of rebellion. Men and women often sat on opposite sides of gatherings in that day and time. So for a woman to ask her husband a question about what was being said, she would have to raise her voice, thus disrupting those around both of them. This is the context of verse 34.

Day 123

Virtues of true love

1 Corinthians 13

Key Verses: 1, 4, 8, 11,

This chapter is about the best way to function as a coherent, functioning unit in the church. Although it is quoted at many weddings, this is really about how to get along with each other in the church. This is Paul’s answer to the things raised in chapter twelve. Devaluing other people will not happen when love is present and in charge.

Paul tells us that we can have all sorts of outward spiritual acts coming from our lives, but if love is not present, it is all worthless, just a bunch of noise. If they don’t value each other in the body, they are missing the point. Love demonstrates that Christ is present and that He makes a difference where nothing else can. If we say we are Jesus-followers, but love is not demonstrated, then we are fake.

This is what love looks like, Paul says, and he gives us a quick list of love’s attributes. Patient, kind, with a proper understanding of who we are and who others are, forgiving, even tempered, positive, protecting, trusting, hoping, and never gives up. The best earthly loves fall short sometimes, but when this kind of love is present, miracles happen. When a body of believers strives for this, lives are changed. Love lasts longer than any of the outward spiritual acts.

Immature believers get focused on the outward spiritual acts. It is natural as we begin a journey to focus on the fundamentals we can understand. When learning a new sport, you learn the rules and how those rules are applied. Then you can begin to play the game. But that does not mean you have mastered the game. The same is true in our walk with Christ. In the beginning we focus on the Word, prayer, and fellowship. These help us get our footing, but love is the goal, not a mechanical practice of these three. These three continue, but now the focus should become love working in us and through us. When love is the focus, then be can mature.

I love watching my grandchildren master the simple tasks in life. But learning to walk is not the endgame. Walking is just a means to accomplish something much more important. They continue to walk, but then they learn to run and give me a big hug! That is the purpose of walking, giving grandparents hugs!

Prayer is important, but it is only a means to express love. The same is true with the Word and with fellowship, and any other spiritual discipline or expression. They are only a means to love better. Just as my grandchildren will continue to walk, so we continue with the basic disciplines, but now they are channeled toward the greater goal of love. They are not the goal themselves, but only foundational stepping stones to love.

Day 122

Abilities within Christ's body

1 Corinthians 12

Key Verses: 2, 4, 7, 12, 18, 28,

Some people can be too easily manipulated and led astray. We see it in our ‘quick fix’ culture, every week a new fad to cure our ills. Diets multiply, miracle cures for this and that, bailouts and prop-ups; will it never end? It happens in the church as well. All the books on prayer, but no one seems to pray. We don’t study the spiritual disciplines anymore because we don’t want discipline, we want our individual freedoms. We want the power without the connection to the suffering.

The Corinthians were very much like us. They wanted God to work, but only if they were in control and they got the ‘best’ gifts. But God is the one who gives the gifts and abilities to whomever He chooses. Spiritual gifts are not on a buffet line. We don’t fill our plate with the ones we want. God instead uses us in a way that fits us and brings Him the glory. And all the gifts work for the benefit of everyone. No one can boast because they got a certain gift, since God is the one who gave it. We can put someone else down because they didn’t get a certain gift, because God gave the gifts, and the reason for the distribution is often beyond our understanding.

The body has a purpose, and in order for that purpose to be fulfilled, every part must do its job. Some parts are not so glamorous, and so we hide them. Some we want to show off. If you have a six pack stomach, you know what I mean. If you are like the rest of us, you keep it covered.

Some members of the church are going to be upfront kinds of ministries, but they are no more important than those behind the scenes. In fact, if the behind the scenes did not happen, it would all fall apart. Each part, no matter what that part is, must happen for the whole to function the way God intends. All members of the body are needed and important. And we must all learn to value each other in love.

We need to recognize the contributions of the other members of the body and value them as God values them. We need to deflate our own egos, and take our spot in the body, ready and willing to serve any and everywhere God is present. This is love in action.

Day 121

How to approach Communion

1 Corinthians 11

Key Verses: 3, 11, 21, 23-24, 26, 30

There are some cultural references that don’t seem to make sense to us as we read these verses. This application of dress and correctness fit with their culture, but not with ours. We generally don’t wear headgear as a way to demonstrate our relationship to God and to others. Remember a few months ago the news about the young man who was wearing a “hoodie” when he was killed. The “hoodie” was viewed by some as a sign of rebellion and by others as a sign of solidarity. But a “hoodie” is just a hooded sweatshirt. In and of itself, it has no meaning.

The point Paul is making is that there are signs of rebellion against God that are understood in a culture. We should be aware of those rebellious signs and not be in rebellion against God. Husbands and wives have different roles in a relationship, complementary roles. They might be configured differently in different marriages, but those roles are different. When one person rebels against their role, they are in rebellion against not only their spouse, but against God. What we do in our earthly relationships affects our heavenly relationship.

The Corinthian believers misunderstood some basic principles about being a Jesus-follower. They missed that we are all in this together, that when one has a need, we who have resources have a responsibility to meet that need. When they came together for their fellowship meal which included communion, some pigged out and others were hungry. They missed their connection to each other. They ignored the needs.

Our times of fellowship, including communion are a time of celebration and proclamation. We celebrate the freedom we experience in Christ, the freedom to not sin and the freedom to obey. But we also proclaim a unity that is only possible in Christ. Red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in His sight…. In Christ all the old barriers are broken down. Prejudice has no place in the Body. This is one place where rich and poor can come and compassion can reign. No free handouts, because laziness isn’t present, and no shaming or superior attitude is shown. God’s grace gives us all a proper perspective on our positions in life.

Christ changes our priorities. Are you willing to let Him change yours?

Day 120

Expect victory over temptation

1 Corinthians 10

Key Verses: 2, 5, 11, 13, 21, 23, 27, 31

If I have to choose a team that I identify with, it would be the Redskins. I know they haven’t won in years, but that just shows you how important sports are in my life. I can identify with the Redskins.

The Israelites identified with Moses. They had gone through experiences that shaped their identity. And yet, only two of the millions actually had the privilege of entering the Promised Land. The odds were against them because of their unbelief. They wanted evil more than good. They wanted pleasure more than holiness. They wanted short term gains rather than long term stability. Sounds like the stock market of spiritual things!

The thing we all have in common that gets in the way of our spiritual progress is temptation, or should I say yielding to temptation. Remember that when temptation comes, God guarantees you the ability to resist. Some people pull part of this verse out of context and say that God will never give you more than you can bear. But that promise is about not temptation, not about tragic circumstances in life. Sometimes life gets the best of us, and we must lean on others to make it through. We allow others to help bear our burden.

But we always have the ability to say NO to temptation, no matter how great that temptation is. God will provide the ability to stand up against that temptation, to say YES to Him. That is a promise we need to hear in our times.

You see, we are united with each other through Christ. We celebrate that connection when we worship together. Communion gives a wonderful picture of this. Unfortunately, the Corinthians polluted communion by choosing to participate in some of their old pagan rituals as well. They said YES to temptation, to the old familiar, rather than to the life we have in Christ. We all face this same decision. We can choose the new or the old; it is our choice. But Paul says that not every choice is a good choice.

Facebook at $38 a share was not a good short term investment, especially since it has dropped down into the $20s. Maybe it will rise in the future, but as of today, it was not a beneficial purchase. Some of our liberties in Christ might not be good long term choices. We are free to eat whatever we want, since all foods are acceptable, Christ having fulfilled the requirements of the Law on our behalf. But pork rinds eaten in our typical quantities are not healthy for us. But lobster always is, until we plunge it in the butter!

There is no need to change our diet in order to please God. He is pleased already. We are forgiven! Eating a vegetable filled diet might be good for us, but it is not necessary for salvation or even living a life pleasing to God. Food is just food, so enjoy the fellowship around the table.

Day 119

Believers must yield rights

1 Corinthians 9

Key Verses: 3, 7, 14, 18, 22, 24, 27

Have you ever had to defend yourself against an unfair onslaught of false accusations? I can tell you from personal experience, it is not at all fun! Paul was facing this from the very people he had led to faith in Christ. They should have been his greatest defenders. They knew his character and his integrity. But instead, Paul has to lay out his credentials to them. Other apostles drew a living from their work, but Paul did not. Paul remained single, but others didn’t, reducing the burden on them. Paul continued to work his profession while he preached, which the others did not do.

Those whose primary work is sharing the Gospel have the right to receive compensation for what they do. This principle makes sense in other areas of life, soldiering, farming, and herding, why not with preaching. Even animals when they are helping with the harvest get to eat some of what they are harvesting. This is the reason we often pay our pastors at church. This is a sound Biblical principle, which Paul presents to the Corinthians in this rebuke.

Paul is willing to serve anyone in an effort to win them to Christ. He is not too proud to serve in the small things. He adapts. So you adapt the way you bring the message of hope, the unchanging Good News, depending on who you are trying to reach? Or do you present it from a can? When someone is hurting, talk about the comfort He brings. When they feel weak, talk about His strength. On all occasions, pray for wisdom. We shift our approach to present the whole Gospel in a way that they can hear, always sensitive to the direction of the Spirit. Not everyone will respond to someone shouting about the end of the world on the street corner. Some will, but many won’t. Some will respond to a cup of coffee and a good conversation about their kids.

And in all this, Paul knows it takes discipline to finish life well. It can be easy to slack off our spiritual disciplines as life goes on. We must take charge of ourselves and push forward to the prize, as Paul illustrates it. We do this so that others would hear the message of hope found in the Gospel and respond positively. It is not about our comfort or convenience. It is about eternity.

Day 118

Never be a stumbling block

1 Corinthians 8

Key Verses: 4, 8, 9, 13

Here in the United States we don’t confront idols on a daily basis as other cultures do. Hinduism has over a hundred million gods, so those in India face it daily. And yet we hear certain groups of people pushing for human rights to be applied to animals, plants, and even the planet itself! They are making a god out of these things. There is only one Creator God, one ultimate eternal being, who is separate from and prior to the creation itself.

For the Corinthians, food offered to an idol took on special significance culturally. And once it had that special significance, it was hard for some of them to not be influenced by that old way of thinking, even though they were Jesus-followers now.

Let me give you an example that might help bring this dilemma up to the 21^st century. I have many friends for whom Facebook is a way to stay connected to friends far and wide. Sometimes FB can have very negative connotations, like when a spouse starts an affair using FB. FB takes on a new significance. It becomes the vehicle of affairs, and they have trouble allowing FB any role in their lives because FB = affair. So when someone else talks about their use of FB it brings up all these connections with the affair that are very detrimental.

So it was with food offered to idols for the Corinthians. Although they knew that idols are nothing, the connection was still burned into their experience of life. They had problems disconnecting idol worship from the food itself, like FB from the affair.

Paul says that we need to be aware of these connections in other people’s experience and avoid things that might cause them to stumble. This does not mean that we must all give up FB, but it might mean that we don’t spend all our time talking about FB when that friend is around.

I don’t know if you have ever heard the term “recovering catholic” before, but for some people, their experience of the church was so negative that they avoid any experience that even comes close. They will avoid all organized religious activity because it brings up such powerful negative images. I know some people who watched a documentary on food production and are now vegetarians in reaction to what they saw.

We are connected to our fellow Jesus-followers, and have a responsibility to help them in their spiritual walk. Paul says that food is just food, that there is no innate connection between its past and now. FB is just a tool with no innate good or bad.

Day 117

Instructions for marriage partners

1 Corinthians 7

Key Verses: 1, 3, 9, 10-11, 17, 32-34

It seems as though we are not the only ones who have questions about our faith. Is living together before marriage better than just getting married? Suppose we are not compatible sexually? With so many divorces, we should try it for a while, to see if it works out, right? But out questions come out of our contemporary culture. Their culture included a teaching that promoted celibacy above all other relationship models. Since Jesus was returning, so the teaching went, it doesn’t make sense to waste time and energy on physical pleasures like sex. Instead, we should be devoting everything to the cause of Christ, including our physical bodies.

Paul writes fairly plainly for his day, and for ours. When people get married, they no longer have the right to refuse sexual relations with their spouse. But the spouse cannot demand sex either. Love brings us together, and there is no mandatory denial of physical pleasure that is required by the urgency of the Gospel. This physical world and its pleasures are not automatically evil. We can’t throw the “God card” when we want to win an argument. “God told me …” does not automatically win the argument. Sex is not to be used as a weapon against our spouse.

Physical passions can be very strong pulls on our lives. If they pull too hard, they can pull us off track from the mission God has for our lives. If singleness is not the gift you have received from God, then get married without any guilt. But divorce just shouldn’t be an easy option. And remarriage is no option at all, according to Scripture. That does not mean that those of you who did remarry are automatically expelled from God’s family. There is forgiveness available. But divorce and remarriage are not part of God’s plan. There are certain circumstances where divorce is an option, but very few. I will leave this discussion for you and your local pastor. But incompatibility is probably not one of those circumstances. If they are willing to stay, then the believer should not divorce the spouse. If the unbeliever leaves, then the believer has no reason to live with guilt.

There is no need to keep the outward expressions of the old life. They can’t undo the physical signs of being Jewish, nor should they try to undo them. These signs don’t affect the eternal state of the person. In today’s culture, there is not “NEED” to remove tattoos of the old life; they don’t determine our eternal destiny, our relationship with Jesus does.

Being single back then was being pushed by certain teachers because they felt marriage detracted from the mission of God. Paul makes the case that either state is OK; there are advantages and disadvantages to each. Singleness allows for a greater focus on ministry to outsiders. Marriage divides our focus; we must be concerned about our spouse and family, as well as reaching the lost.

Day 116

Sins against the body

1 Corinthians 6

Key Verses: 1, 7, 9-11, 15, 19, 20

One of the things that saddens me is when I hear that people who claim to follow Jesus are suing each other. How do we let things go so wrong that we end up in court on opposite side of the bench? We should be able to settle these things between each other, or at least be able to gather some other believers and sort through these things. Instead, we allow a worldly system to determine our fate, and we end up paying court fees!

Paul says that it would be better to just be wronged rather than fight over stuff. When we take a fellow Jesus-follower to court it says that both parties have their priorities wrong. This is a hard truth that gets lost in our litigious society where lawsuits are a way of life.

There are some things listed here that are just plain wrong everywhere, every time, every place. Some of these are at the center of a cultural battle raging here in the U.S. Some have become a cultural norm years ago, and sadly have infiltrated even the church, like adultery and greed. But there is hope. Some of us used to be these things before coming Christ. But God intervened in our lives and cleaned us up, so that we no longer practice these things. God is in the business of cleaning up our messes. But once they are cleaned up, He expects us to keep our rooms cleaned! He wants us to choose to do the right things, rather than falling back into the old pattern of living.

When we participate in these sinful things, we bring Christ right along with us into the sin. We can’t participate in sexual sins, as an example, and expect that we can “get away with it” and not have consequences. I have a friend who out of loneliness had one night of passion. Pregnancy! She thought it would be a small sin that would soon fade into the background, be forgiven and she could move forward in Christ. This blessing of a child will be a reminder of her need for grace for years to come. Not all sins carry as visible a reminder of themselves as this one did, but all do have consequences.

We have a responsibility to honor the Lord with our physical body. Sexual sins bring our physical body into the mix. In Paul’s day there was a teaching that the physical world was not important, so sins committed with the physical were not important. The inner world was what was important. Paul says both are important, inner and outer world, spiritual and physical. The Holy Spirit is now present with us as we live in this world in a way that creates a new intimacy with God and with the world. We need to remember that wherever we are, we bring God into that space in a new relational way. We need to honor that relationship.

Day 115

Rebuking immorality in church

1 Corinthians 5

Key Verses: 1, 5, 11,

What I find so revealing about the times in which we live is that they are so similar to so many other times in history. If this son were alive today, he would be on the afternoon talk shows making his circuit, and being rewarded for it! Maury Povich would be interviewing the whole family. He might even get his own TV series “The Exploits of ….” I our day there are those who even sleep with their own mother, not just their step-mother.

The Corinthian church thought they were being so progressive, so enlightened in their practices. But Paul says to kick him out of their fellowship in order that he might repent and be restored. There are some things that are wrong no matter what the circumstances. We don’t seem to like that reality, except when someone steps on our right to sin and then we raise the alarm bells. We need to have boundaries beyond which we do not cross. This is especially true in the church. When an obvious sin like this is allowed to continue and be known in the congregation, sin will increase just like yeast in bread. The only way to deal with sin is to cut it out.

This rarely happens these days. In our church-hopping, entertainment driven, take it or leave it, have it my way church culture we rarely impose church discipline. When someone claims to be a Jesus-follower and wants to be part of our fellowship, but won’t repent, we have an obligation to deny their continued entry. Their sin cannot be accepted as the new normal.

Day 114

Observations of Paul's ministry

1 Corinthians 4

Key Verses: 2, 7, 9, 15, 20

Faithful. Only the Lord is able to look at the motives of our heart and know if we are faithful or not. We can even deceive ourselves sometimes. But God calls us to be faithful, to be doing what we are supposed to be doing for the right reasons at the right time. All of us fall short of this goal sometimes. Paul uses himself as the example of faithfulness, and uses the readers as his contrasting group. He uses sarcasm to sharpen his point. They were not being faithful in their conduct, he was.

Paul references the common practice during his day when a general returned from battle bringing prisoners. The prisoners were at the end of the victory parade, like trophies on display. He feels like the Corinthians are enjoying all the spoils of the battle that the apostles fought, and that he is treated like a prisoner, forgotten and condemned to being at the bottom. He did not seek a position of importance, even though he is responsible for carrying the message of Jesus to them. He should have a place of honor in their lives, but he does not demand that place. He instead serves them without fanfare or recognition. He is faithful to God’s call.

This challenge to live what we claim is a hard pill to swallow. We need to be consistent. We need to practice what we preach. Our kids see it when we are inconsistent, saying one thing and doing another. No wonder they don’t respect us as they should. They imitate us. If they are inconsistent in their obedience, maybe we need to become consistent, so they can follow our example. Our faithfulness will lead to theirs.

Words are cheap. Anyone can claim almost anything, but to live it is another story. When we are faithful, then God’s power is able to be present. So if we lack power, perhaps we are not being faithful to God’s call on our lives. Perhaps disobedience is robbing us of His power. Are you being faithful? Are you living what you say you believe? Or are you saying one thing and living another! Consistency is much easier to live than inconsistency.

Day 113

Reasons for Christian carnality

1 Corinthians 3

Key Verses: 4, 6, 10, 16, 18, 21

So, what does immaturity in Christ look like? How can you know if you are not growing in your faith? Paul gives us a simple example: denominations! At least that is how we name these kids of groups today. Charles Stanley, Beth Moore, TD Jakes, Billy Graham, Greg Lorie, Chuck Swindol, Kay Arthur, Ravi Zacharius, Southern Baptist, Pentecostal, Methodist, Evangelical, non-denominational. And the list goes on! Mature believers don’t identify themselves as ______; they identify themselves as followers of Jesus. We are God’s. Period.

You see, everything that happens of eternal importance happens by grace. The things we do that are done by grace will last through the judgment. Those things that are done in our strength and for selfish motives will disappear. Grace gets a reward. Self gets burned up. Build with Jesus Christ: reward. Build with anything else: loss.

We are the place God chooses to live here in this world, not a building or an organization. He lives in us. He demonstrates His existence by working through us. So when we build our spiritual life, it should be made of the same kind of permanent elements as the foundation. Some things survive fire; some things don’t. When we allow God’s grace to work in and through us, then what we do survives. If we get stuck on thinking we know more than God how to accomplish His purposes, we will lose out in the end. Our wisdom and understanding or His; we can’t have both. We can’t hedge our bets with God. Either He is right and we are wrong, or He is right and we are wrong. You get the picture! He is always right!

So, let’s stop fooling ourselves in thinking that we have things figured out. When someone is used by God in spreading His message or encouraging others in their faith, they are just allowing God’s grace to move through them. They don’t get credit for God’s grace. They are just a pipe through whom God moves. Become a clean, clear pipe. Allow God to move His grace in and through you. Give Him all the credit. Let people see Him. Move into the background. Get out of His way. Boast about Him and His work.

Day 112

Response of natural man

1 Corinthians 2

Key Verses: 2, 7, 10, 12, 14,

Sometimes we are our own worst enemies! I have a tendency to enter a room in such a way that everyone knows I have arrived. The first time my wife saw me I was walking through an auditorium on the tops of the backs of the chairs. There was so much of me showing that there was little space for Christ to shine through. To my shame, people remember my name, often not because of my Christ-like character, but because of the noise I make. I am so thankful that I have had people speak truth into my life on this issue, and now I can say that I am aware of this tendency and actively work against it.

Paul could have come with “Paul”, the eloquent man filled with wisdom, but instead he came proclaiming Christ crucified and God’s power confirmed the truth of the message. People saw Christ, not Paul. That is to be our aim as well. To the degree people see us, that is the degree they don’t see Christ. Paul wanted to showcase Christ!

This is not to say that the Gospel does not contain the greatest wisdom, but that it is a wisdom that can’t be discovered with human strength alone. It is a wisdom that requires God’s Spirit revealing it to us. Someone without the Spirit working in them cannot understand the wisdom of the Gospel, no matter how hard they try.

This can be a hard truth to grasp. We want to be able to share the Truth with others, but we can’t do it on our own. If the Spirit is not working in them, our efforts are wasted. That is why it is so important for us to be sensitive to the presence and moving of the Spirit. When we share with someone in whom the Spirit is working, they are able to respond positively to the message. They can still reject the Truth, but at least they have the possibility of understanding the wisdom contained in the Gospel. They can hear the good news of forgiveness of sins. They can respond positively to the message.

What can happen when we share outside of the Spirit’s action is that we get disappointed and disillusioned about the Gospel. People don’t respond, or they respond but without permanent change. And when we see this we can think that the Gospel has lost its power. And if it has lost power, it is just another belief system that requires human effort, and is devoid of God’s power. It becomes about our efforts to reach God instead of God’s efforts to reach us. It becomes like every other human religious system. But God reached us in Jesus. He made the effort. He bridged the gap. He paid the price.

Day 111

Exhortation to Christian unity

1 Corinthians 1

Key Verses: 7, 10, 17, 18, 22-23, 31

The believers at Corinth had embraced the good news of Jesus a few years before Paul wrote this letter to them. But even in this short time, they had allowed some of their old pagan practices to creep into their Christian worship and daily life. Their worship services must have been packed with the moving of the Spirit, but their lives lacked spiritual discipline.

The first issue that Paul addresses is their tendency to follow people more than Christ. They would be fans of all the TV programs that center around a personality, like “Idol” or “Dancing with the Stars.” But when we put a person in the place that rightfully belongs to the Lord, we get ourselves in trouble, because people will fail us. But more importantly, when we follow people, the separate groups that naturally follow, divide us. They become walls which hide the unity we have in Christ. Denominations can do this same thing, divide where there is unity. When we allow divisions in the church, we empty the Cross of its power.

Paul wanted nothing to stand in the way of the spread of the message of the Good News. He didn’t want people to notice the public relation firm’s spin on the truth. He wanted nothing to stand in the way, including himself. The message contained a power that could change lives. The glitz of a campaign could hide that power. The simplicity of the message needed to be at the forefront. People need to hear about God’s power to change lives, including the change He has made in our lives. It doesn’t come filled with miraculous signs or powerful wisdom. It looks on the outside to be harmless, lacking wisdom or strength.

God uses what seems to be weak and foolish so that He gets the glory for His work. Since it is all His work, then we have nothing to boast about. This is like boasting about your natural hair color. Your hair color is something over which you had no choice or control. It was given to you by your parents. Despite Miss Clairol or age, your hair color is nothing you can boast about. The same holds true to our spiritual heritage. Christ paid for our entrance into heaven. Nothing we do add to that payment. We accept it and live lives that reflect this new reality. We are God’s children: now live like it.

Review: Romans

Day 110.99

1 Corinthians: Errors in Behavior

Acrostic Theme: ERROR IN BEHAVIOR

Author: Paul

Date Written: 57 A.D.

Audience: The church at Corinth whose errors in belief led to errors in behavior.

Key Verse: 1:10

Outline:

Introduction (1:1-9)

I. Problems Reported By The House Of Chloe (1:10-6:20)

   A. Factions In The Church (1:1-4:21)

   B. Sexual Immorality (5:1-13)

   C. Lawsuits Among Brethren (6:1-11)

   D. Moral Defilements (6:12-20)

II. Problems Mentioned In The Letter From Corinth (7:1-16:9)

   A. Marriage & Celibacy (7:1-40)

   B. Eating Meats Sacrificed To Idols (8:1-11:1)

   C. Women Praying and Prophesying With Heads Uncovered (11:2-16)

   D. The Lord's Supper (11:17-34)

   E. Spiritual Gifts (12:1-14:40)

   F. Resurrection From The Dead (15:1-58)

   G. Collection For The Saints (16:1-4)

Concluding Remarks, Instructions, And Benediction (16:5-24)

First Corinthians

01. Exhortation to Christian unity

02. Response of natural man

03. Reasons for Christian carnality

04. Observations of Paul's ministry

05. Rebuking immorality in church

06. Sins against the body

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07. Instructions for marriage partners

08. Never be a stumbling block

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09. Believers must yield rights

10. Expect victory over temptation

11. How to approach Communion

12. Abilities within Christ's body

13. Virtues of true love

14. Instructions on using tongues

15. Order in the resurrections

16. Reminders about spiritual helpers

29Apr 2011 1Corinthians 16:9

⁹because a great door for effective work has opened for me, and there are many who oppose me.

Sometimes we interpret opposition as removal of the Lord’s blessing. Paul seemed to not worry too much about opposition. He had a great opportunity to share the Gospel and there was opposition. Don’t the two often go hand in hand? I don’t know about you, but I don’t like opposition. I like the things I say and do to be accepted, to be embraced with enthusiasm. That makes me feel good. I like to be liked! But I often question myself when I face opposition, when things are not going easily. Paul saw both the opposition and the opportunity. He chose to focus on the opportunity. He did not let the opposition stop him from pursing the opportunity. Some people thrive in situations that have lots of opposing voices. I have to be honest with you, I do not. I am not a fighter. I tend to hunker down and wait for the winds to blow over. Then I stand and continue to pursue the objective. I can picture Paul standing, face into the storm, moving forward.

27Apr 2011 1Corinthians 15:33

³³Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

In the middle of life we can get connected with non-believers and they can influence how we see the world. The Corinthian believers were being influenced by some teachers who were saying that resurrection did not exist, that once you are dead, you are dead, that there is no life after death. And if there is no life after death, then why not just sin like crazy since there is no hell. What we believe changes what we do. If we hang around with people who are always drinking in order to have a good time, pretty soon we will be drinking to have a good time. Peer pressure does not stop when we pass the teen years.