Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 8,10; Romans 14

But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. – 1 Corinthians 8:1.

What a powerful statement! The context of this statement was Paul’s answer to the question of whether or not Christians should eat meat that has been offered to idols, which was a practice in those days. So each believer was faced with this question:

DO YOU LOVE OTHERS ENOUGH TO GIVE SOMETHING UP IF IT IS CAUSING THEM TO STUMBLE?

It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it and we don’t gain anything if we do. But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble…

And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat as long as I live — for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble. – 1 Corinthians 8:8-9,12-13

Paul spent a lot of time on this topic so it must have been a big concern voiced by the church in their letter to him. Paul’s answer is summed up in the concept of LOVE — loving someone else enough to abstain from something we have no personal conviction about.

DO YOU LOVE OTHERS ENOUGH TO ABSTAIN?

You say, “I am allowed to do anything” – but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything” – but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. – 1 Corinthians 10:23-24

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God. I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ. – 1 Corinthians 10:31-33

Wow! I find those verses SO powerful! Paul’s words convict me in some ways, and in some ways they inspire me. Reread those last two passages if you do not know what I am talking about.

IT’S MISSIONAL! SOMETIMES YOU MAKE A DECISION BASED ON SOMEONE ELSE’S SALVATION.

When I am with those who are weak, I share in their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. – 1 Corinthians 9:22

Paul challenges each of us to decide what is more important — our freedom to do as we please or someone else’s salvation? He encourages his readers to live a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. He challenges us to aim for harmony among believers, building each other up instead of tearing each other down. At times God calls us to make a decision in order to prevent someone else from following in our footsteps and consuming something that could potentially destroy them or alter the course of their life.

GOD CALLS US TO ACT IN LOVE, NOT CONDEMNATION.

Consider this exhortation from Paul in Romans 14:
So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.

I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong. And if another believer is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died. Then you will not be criticized for doing something you believe is good. For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat. Remember, all foods are acceptable, but it is wrong to eat something if it makes another person stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another believer to stumble. You may believe there’s nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who don’t feel guilty for doing something they have decided is right. But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning. – Romans 14:13-23

Please fill me anew with your Spirit this morning, Heavenly Father. I want my life to glorify you in all that I say and do! Nudge me if something I am consuming or something I am doing or something I am saying would hurt someone else. Guide my words and my actions so that I can be used by you to build someone else up today. Give me a missional heart that sees beyond my own desires to recognize someone else’s needs.

Lord, there are many different points of disagreement between believers in the church right now. Help us to get our hearts focused on you so that we can consistently live in harmony with each other. I love you, Lord, and it is my desire to honor you in the way I walk out my faith today. Thank you for Paul’s words of advice and wisdom. May your Spirit prompt me throughout each day so that I can put the scriptures I daily read into practice! Amen.

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 7

LOVE EACH OTHER THE WAY GOD INTENDED

Paul continues in chapter 7 to warn the church to run from sexual sin, only he brings his advice into the context of the marriage relationship. God created sex for marriage, but Paul makes it clear that we can also sin within that relationship if we do not love each other the way God intended.

The church in Corinth had written Paul a letter with their questions and he answered those questions, first based on what He knew God had commanded and second based on the wisdom the Lord had given him. Let’s look at Paul’s advice based on direct commands from the Lord:

Yes, it is good to abstain from sexual relations. But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.

Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. Yet each person has a special gift from God, of one kind or another.

So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows – it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust. But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband. But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife. – 1 Corinthians 7:1b-11

Paul goes on to instruct those who are believers, but whose spouse is an unbeliever, to remain in the marriage relationship. If the unbeliever insists on leaving, let them go. And perhaps it is through your love for your spouse that they will find salvation in Christ (7:12-16).

LOVE EACH OTHER INTENTIONALLY

Paul has a message for those who are married and for those who are single — God has given you a special gift (7:7). To those who are married, God has given you the gift of your spouse; to those who are single, God has given you the gift of freedom from many of the earthly responsibilities that come in a marriage. His advice for everyone is to live in such a way that we are able to serve the Lord with our best, with as few distractions as possible (v.35).

So if you are single, God has given you the ability to give yourself wholly to Him. If you are married, live in that relationship the way God intended so that you do not create distractions for each other, but that you enhance your spouse’s ability to serve God, and they do the same for you (7:32-35).

We have talked about sexual sin for three days now. It is not the most comfortable subject to discuss, but it is necessary. The enemy tries to destroy the meaning and purpose of sex, perverting what God intended for good. When we mess up in this area, we are missing out on God’s perfect plan for our lives. It is how reputations are stained, expectations are misaligned, and marriages are destroyed. So here we are in our chronological journey through the Bible reading Paul’s advice in 1st Corinthians and talking once more about sex. It is a topic we have to understand in order to avoid Satan’s attempts to destroy us and break apart what God has joined together.

SO WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ABOUT SEX?

Not the most comfortable discussion to have, but if we do not know what we BELIEVE, it will be the very thing that pulls us away from God. I believe Paul’s best advice for all of our relationships is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. If we define love for each other the way God defines it, we will build each other up and make each other better servants of Christ. If we let selfishness and quarreling into our relationships with each other, we become a distraction from God’s purpose for our life and for the lives of those around us, spouses included.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no records of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance…Three things will last forever — faith, hope and love — and the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13

Let’s take time right now to pray for that kind of INTENTIONAL LOVE.

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 6; Psalm 119:9-32

I think we would all agree that society no longer sees sex outside of marriage as a problem. What was once defined as sin is now seen as permissible and natural. Curriculum in schools has changed from encouraging abstinence to expecting promiscuity and sexual exploration, including same sex attraction and gender fluidity. 70% of Americans fully support gay marriage. I cannot say I am surprised by this cultural shift, but I am grieved to see how this way of thinking has made its way into the church.

So many young people in the church want to have a relationship with God that allows them to be sexually active. They want a doctrine that fully affirms homosexuality, even if it means disregarding scriptural direction. When the church preaches from passages like 1 Corinthians 6, they are seen as judgmental and unloving. But what if we could be 100% GRACE while still being 100% TRUTH? What if it is more unloving NOT to share the truth of verses like these:

DON’T YOU REALIZE THAT THOSE WHO DO WRONG WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD?

Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive or cheat people — none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. – 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Society condemns teen pregnancies while Hollywood romanticizes sexual promiscuity. Stigmas are placed on individuals with sexually transmitted diseases but, through all forms of media, expectations push teenagers and adults toward sexual activity. No wonder abortion rates are so high and chlamydia is the largest breakout of any infection in the history of our nation. Society punishes those who commit a crime against another person but ratings show that Americans love to sit and watch programming that glorifies violent crimes. Our society is no different than ancient societies who were entertained by death and by the perversion of sex.

Paul addressed issues of sexual sin within the church that would keep them from experiencing ALL that God had planned for them. He boldly addressed homosexuality and prostitution, as well as promiscuity. He went to great lengths to beg the Corinthian Church to run from ALL forms of sexual sin.

OUR BODIES WERE NOT MADE FOR SEXUAL IMMORALITY.

You say, “I am allowed to do anything” – but not everything is good for you. And even though “I am allowed to do anything,” I must not become a slave to anything. You say, “Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food.” (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can’t say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! And don’t you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, “The two are united into one.” But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.

RUN FROM SEXUAL SIN!

No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? – 1 Corinthians 3:16

Paul says, “Run away from sexual sin!” May we, as the body of Christ, heed Paul’s warning and start eliminating what the enemy intends to use to harm us. May we, as the temple of God, protect our minds from all that glorifies sin, and instead fill our minds with what glorifies God. May we go back to what we learned at the beginning of 1 Corinthians and allow the Holy Spirit to make us who God created us to be. May holiness be a result of the seed God is growing.

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you. – Philippians 4:8-9

Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honor you.
With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever,
for your love for me is very great.
You have rescued me from the depths of death. – Psalm 86:11-13

How can a young person stay pure?
By obeying your word.
I have tried hard to find you—
don’t let me wander from your commands.
I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:9-11

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 5; Psalm 1

I can hardly believe the report about the sexual immorality going on among you — something that even pagans don’t do. I am told that a man in your church is living in sin with his stepmother. You are so PROUD of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship…Your BOASTING about this is terrible. Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? – 1 Corinthians 5:1-2,6

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE SINFUL PRIDE OF A BELIEVER

When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, “You must remove the evil person from among you.” – 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

This is difficult to read. I think it takes wisdom from God to handle a situation when a member of our church family continues to sin. It takes both love and strength to protect the congregation while also doing what we can to extend grace as we help a brother or sister turn from their sinful ways or addictions. We cannot use Paul’s words as permission to push someone away in disgust but instead to allow leadership to lovingly handle a situation. Remember, it was also Paul who said the following:

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should GENTLY and HUMBLY help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.” – Galatians 6:1

Rather than embracing the sin of those who are lost in order to show them the love of Christ, God is calling us to humbly and gently help them find their way back to God. He is calling us to sincerity, and we pray that the one we are approaching will see that it is with authenticity and sincere love that we are entering into this difficult conversation. God is calling us to stand confident in the truth, rather than repeating the lies of affirmation that this world promotes with pride.

So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth. – 1 Corinthians 5:8

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE SINFUL PRIDE OF OUR NATION

There is a famous recording of another Paul – Paul Harvey. In this 1964 recording, Mr. Harvey is warning America that sin is crouching at the door. If Satan could have our ear, he could convince us to live a life of generational sin that would change America as we know it. Sadly, what Paul Harvey described in 1965 is what we are experiencing today.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:19-21

Lord, forgive us for thinking too much of ourselves instead of depending on you — as individuals, as the church, and as a nation. Lord, heal our land and bring our focus back on you. Help us to recognize pride and arrogance in our own hearts. Give us wisdom to handle those inside the church who are continuing in sin — in love and with truth. We worship you in confidence, knowing that you are more powerful than the attempts of the enemy and you have equipped us with your Spirit for any battle that comes our way. We love you, Lord. Amen.

Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. – Psalm 1

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 4; Psalm 76; Proverbs 16

The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished…
Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. – Proverbs 16:5,18

It is a privilege to be called by God into ministry. We are blessed to gain from the preaching and teaching of those who have accepted that call. But the leader must be careful to guard the responsibility of this calling, while also protecting themselves from the temptation of arrogance and pride. It is easy to get caught up in the glory of the position and forget that we are called to be humble servants of God.

So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God’s mysteries. Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don’t even trust my own judgment on this point. My conscience is clear, but that doesn’t prove I’m right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. – 1 Corinthians 4:1-4

As a congregation, it is important for us to respect the calling of our leader and pray for them as they serve God by serving the church. God is not calling us to treat their position like royalty or worship the ground they walk on. They are human just like we are. We need to find a healthy balance of loving support and godly wisdom, demonstrating appreciation and honor without contributing to the enemy’s temptation of pride and haughtiness.

So don’t make judgments about anyone ahead of time — before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due. – 1 Corinthians 4:5

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE SINFUL PRIDE OF THE LEADER

One of the saddest things to watch is when someone in leadership messes up, whether it is a politician or a pastor, or simply a highly respected individual in the church or community. So often we watch someone who has been blessed in SO many ways start thinking SO highly of themselves that they have an affair or are caught in some kind of ungodly or illegal behavior. Pride is dangerous, and Satan loves to convince us that we are invincible and that we deserve what we want — that no one will ever know our secret. The lies of the enemy take hold and we fall into the trap of arrogance.

What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? – 1 Corinthians 4:7b

You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God’s kingdom without us! – 1 Corinthians 4:8a

ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE SINFUL PRIDE OF THE CHURCH

Paul warned the church of how destructive their arrogance and pride was becoming. He cared about these believers and he wanted them to serve only God and not their own selfish ambitions. He knew they needed accountability in order to stay focused on the gospel and not on themselves. Paul’s words of instruction and warning to the church in Corinth are helpful for all of us to listen to as well.

Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. But I will come – and soon – if the Lord lets us, and then I’ll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God’s power. For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit. – 1 Corinthians 4:18-21

Lord, help us to keep our eyes on you as we daily live out your purpose for our lives. May we never get so caught up in position or title that we forget our place in your Kingdom. Forgive us for those moments and seasons when we have been found trusting in our own abilities and talents instead of fully leaning into your power and wisdom. Amen.

Make vows to the Lord your God, and keep them.
Let everyone bring tribute to the Awesome One.
For he breaks the pride of princes,
and the kings of the earth fear him. – Psalm 76:11-12

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:6 – 3:23; Psalm 119:105-120

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. – 1 Corinthians 2:10-13

If we long to know God and grow in our relationship with Him, we spend time with Him. He fills us with His Spirit and by His Spirit we begin to understand Him and the wonderful things He has for us. God opens our minds and increases our knowledge and wisdom. God also uses those whom He has called to teach us through their writings and preaching, just as the Corinthians were learning from Paul and from other teachers.

We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building. – 1 Corinthians 3:5b-9

WHO PLANTED THE SEED AND WHO IS WATERING IT?

Paul uses two different examples of how we grow in our relationship with God. The first follows the style of Jesus, using the example of seeds being planted and growing (Matthew 13:3-9). Someone introduced us to Christ — they planted the seed in our hearts; perhaps someone else discipled us, watering the seed that had previously been planted when we accepted Christ. Still others come into our lives and continue to teach us God’s ways and we grow as a result of those interactions.

WHO LAID THE FOUNDATION AND WHO IS BUILDING ON IT?

Paul’s second example is of building a house, another comparison similar to one Jesus made (Matthew 7:24-27). Someone laid a foundation of faith for us when we first heard the message of the cross. Others have taught us along the way using a variety of materials or teaching methods. For most of us, our life has been influenced by many different teachers, preachers and writers over the years in addition to our own personal study of God’s word.

I first accepted Christ as a little girl while attending the First Church of the Nazarene in Bloomington, Indiana. I can still remember my teachers and how much I enjoyed singing the songs and hearing the bible stories. The Lord called my dad into full-time ministry and we moved to Alabama and then to Illinois. A long list of teachers influenced me as I continued to grow in my understanding of the Bible. Over the years, I have grown through the preaching of Mark Barnes, David Felter, Don Tyler, Larry Fortado (my father), Stephen Manley, John Bowling, Jack McCormick, Rob McDonald, D.L. Huffman, Jim Kraemer, Scott Sherwood, Crawford Howe, Lloyd Brock, Todd Keller, Kevin Donoho and many more. I have read books, listened to podcasts, and learned songs with spiritual truths. So a foundation of faith was laid in my heart as a little girl and many have invested in my spiritual growth and built upon that foundation.

Human leaders, teachers and preachers have drawn close to God in an effort to spread the message of Christ. Chances are that I have heard some wrong information mixed in with all the right. There have been times when I misunderstood scripture or read ideas that missed the mark. Well-meaning followers of Christ (including myself) have at some time or another taught something they believed to be right that was not right at all. Here is what Paul has to say about this kind of building or growth.

But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have – Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials — gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames…

So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you – whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life or death, or the present or the future. Everything belongs to you, and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God. – 1 Corinthians 3:10-15, 21-23

GOD MAKES THE SEED GROW AND JESUS CHRIST IS OUR FOUNDATION.

As we learn and grow in our understanding of God, it is vital to take all of that new information directly to God in our quiet times. By drawing near to Him and spending time in His presence, His Spirit can help us sort through all we have learned. He promises to give us wisdom and understanding as we seek His truth. All that we have heard, all that we have read, all that we struggle to understand — He wants us to come to Him with all of it and then live by His power.

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. – 1 Corinthians 4:20

Dear God, thank you for being the source of all wisdom and all power for us! Reveal the truth to us as we daily study your word; teach us and give us discernment over the content that we are daily exposed to. Guide our thoughts and lead us towards opportunities to grow, as we also help others around us to take their next steps on their journey of grace. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1 – 2:5

In his next letter, which he wrote to the church in Corinth, Paul took the gospel that they had received beforehand and applied it, making it a very useful letter for us to study today. The letter is built on this foundational idea: Now that you have a relationship with Christ, this is what your life should look like — NOT a new set of rules or a new law to oppress the people but a call to holy living born out of a marriage with Christ and an outflow of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be HIS own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours…

I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you BELONG to Christ Jesus. Through him, God has enriched your church in every way – with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 1:2-7

OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST CHANGES US.

Jesus Christ died on a cross so that we can be forgiven of our sins and freed from our sinful nature. This is THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS that Paul preached and the message we believe. Our faith in Christ and the forgiveness of our sins brings us into a relationship with Him that forever changes our lives. We now belong to Christ; we have been united with Him.

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. – 1 Corinthians 1:30

So, since I belong to Christ and am united with Him, and you belong to Christ and are united with Him, is it too much for God to ask us to live in harmony with each other? Paul answers that question with clarity: Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose (1 Corinthians 1:10). How do we do this? We rely on the power of the Holy Spirit (2:4).

THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ENABLES US TO LIVE IN UNITY.

The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18

United in Christ, we know with confidence that He was crucified and raised to life and that He now reigns in our hearts, but the world around us does not understand our faith. They call it a “crutch” and see it as a weakness or craziness. But we know the message of the cross is the definition of the power of God!

So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it is nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength… God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose the things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. – 1 Corinthians 1:23-25,27

THE POWER OF GOD LIVES INSIDE OF US.

So why do we feel inadequate? Why do we pull back and wait for someone else to do the work of God? We buy into the criticisms of the enemy and the world. We think of ourselves as incapable of doing anything great for God. Yet it is not about how simple we are but about how committed we are. It is not about how strong a vessel we are for God to fill, but about how strong He is and how capable He is to do something great even in and through us!

My message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God. — 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

Father God, thank you for THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS — the message that frees us from our bondage to sin and gives us new life in You, Lord. Please shut out all of the discouragement of the world around us and of the enemy so that we can hear only you today, cheering us on and calling us to do great things. Remind us that we only need to rely on the power of the Spirit and not on our own wisdom or abilities. Remind us that you have equipped us with every spiritual gift we need and graciously poured out your Spirit on us. As we are united in you, help us to be united with each other, living in harmony – being of one mind, united in thought and purpose. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Acts 20; Psalm 31

Paul made many more stops as he hurried to make his way back to Jerusalem for the Festival of Pentecost. Rather than go into Ephesus, Paul sent for the elders of the church at Ephesus to meet him in Miletus, where he said these words of farewell:

“You know that from the day I set foot in the province of Asia until now, I have done the Lord’s work humbly and with many tears. I have endured the trials that came to me from the plots of the Jews. I never shrank back from telling you what you needed to hear, either publicly or in your homes. I have one message for Jews and Greeks alike — the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus.

“And now I am bound by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it to finish the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus — the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God.

“And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again. I declare today that I HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL. If anyone suffers eternal death, it’s not my fault, for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know…

“And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:18-27, 35

What a wonderful testimony — one I hope to have as my time on earth comes towards an end.

• To be able to say I served humbly and opened my heart up to others.

• To be able to say I survived hard times or opposition, not because I shrank back and avoided, but because I stayed true and committed regardless of the situation.

• To have no feelings of regret – regret that I didn’t say enough or that I wasn’t bold enough in my faith, that I loved others enough to have tough conversations.

• To have worked hard in order that those in need can be helped – to have lived a life that echoes Jesus’ words – “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” – (Acts 20:35)

Paul knew that jail and suffering were in his future, and he was right. Yet Paul said, “My life is worth nothing to me unless I use it to finish the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus – the work of telling others the Good News about the wonderful grace of God” (Acts 20:24).

Lord, give us that kind of passion and determination. Help us to keep our eyes focused on you and your calling, knowing in confidence that you will be with us — even when suffering is ahead. May we never shrink back but remain faithful to what you have called us to do and say.

And Lord, we pray this morning for all who are currently living in war zones. Lord, we pray for your protection of the innocent and we pray for those who are daily giving their lives to protect others from harm. We pray for all the refugees as they struggle to protect and provide for their families. Help them to reach their destinations safely and provide for their needs, we pray.

Lord, we include in this prayer all of the individuals and organizations who are on the “front lines” with a willingness to do what you have called them to do, regardless of the resistance against them or the danger to them. Help them to continue to be strong, to be courageous and to be faithful. Amen.

But I am trusting you, O Lord,
saying, “You are my God!”
My future is in your hands.
Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly.
Let your favor shine on your servant.
In your unfailing love, rescue me…
How great is the goodness
you have stored up for those who fear you.
You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,
blessing them before the watching world.
You hide them in the shelter of your presence,
safe from those who conspire against them.
You shelter them in your presence,
far from accusing tongues.
Praise the Lord,
for he has shown me the wonders of his unfailing love.
He kept me safe when my city was under attack.
In panic I cried out,
“I am cut off from the Lord!”
But you heard my cry for mercy
and answered my call for help.
Love the Lord, all you godly ones!
For the Lord protects those who are loyal to him,
but he harshly punishes the arrogant.
So be strong and courageous,
all you who put your hope in the Lord! – Psalm 31:14-24

Today’s Reading: Acts 19:23-41; Psalm 7

Paul was wrapping up his ministry in Ephesus and making plans to go to Macedonia and Achaia before going to Jerusalem and then Rome. But before he could carry out those plans, trouble began to brew for him.

Those who made their money from the worship of false gods were losing business and creating accusations against Paul. A silversmith named Demetrius gathered together the other craftsmen and convinced them of the need to protect the profit-making industry surrounding the goddess Artemis. They took a posture of anger, causing confusion that led to a riot of historic proportion in the Amphitheatre. God rescued Paul from this intense situation, allowing Paul to leave and go to Macedonia and then to Greece, where he wrote the second letter to the Corinthian Church.

Paul was doing a good thing in Ephesus. People were given the freedom to choose the message of Christ over what the culture of Ephesus was promoting. They were throwing out their confidence in incantations and sorcery because they had seen the power of Jesus’ name, and they wanted to embrace all that God had for them. But the anger and jealousy of a small group of people caused confusion in the community and chaos broke out. Paul had to hold on to the words the Lord had spoken over him.

DO NOT BE AFRAID. SPEAK OUT. DO NOT BE SILENT. FOR I AM WITH YOU.

Reading through Acts 18 and 19 over the last few days has shed new light on what is happening in the state of Illinois right now. For over 40 years, pregnancy help organizations have been making a difference in the lives of both men and women. Hundreds of thousands of families have received resources and emotional support during difficult times, and the hope they have received has made a generational impact.

But there is a small group of angry people who are upset about what this community impact is doing to their own profit-making abilities, and they are doing everything they can to discredit the professionalism and authenticity of pregnancy help organizations. But we must stand confident in who we are, what we do and how we do it. The words of the Lord to Paul in Acts 18 are a good reminder to us of the Lord’s presence and protection.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision and told him, “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” So Paul stayed there for the next year and a half, teaching the word of God. – Acts 18:9-11

Perhaps there are some voices in your life that are seeking to discourage you or shut you down. I pray this morning that you, too, will hear the truth that God is with you. I pray you will see the large number of believers in your life who are there to encourage you and shut out the voices of the few who seek to emotionally destroy you. You are created by God for a beautiful purpose, and you should never be ashamed of how God is calling you to live out your faith. I pray the Holy Spirit will fill you this morning, giving you the power and authority to do all that the Lord is prompting you to do in the lives of others.

DO NOT BE AFRAID. SPEAK OUT. DO NOT BE SILENT. FOR I AM WITH YOU.

Let’s pray Psalm 7 together:
Lord, I come to you for protection this morning. Save me from those who wish to make my life difficult or to stand in the way of what you have called me to do. May your righteousness at work in my life be evident to those around me. Thank you for being my shield — the One who saves those whose hearts are true and right. I am grateful for the reminder this week that you are with me. I will thank you, Lord, because you are just; I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Acts 19:1-22; Psalm 21

Paul did not spend much time in Antioch before he set out on his third missionary trip, which had an itinerary to go back to many of the areas he had previously visited. His purpose was to encourage and strengthen them. When he stopped in Ephesus, Paul found many believers who had repented of their sins and had been baptized with John’s kind of baptism of water, but they had not yet been baptized by or received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

THEY NEEDED TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR JOURNEY OF GRACE.

The first thing he said was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? Did you take God into your mind only, or did you also embrace him with your heart? Did he get inside you?”
“We’ve never even heard of that — a Holy Spirit? God within us?” – Acts 19:2 (The Message)

Paul laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. They began praising God and telling others about the actions of a God who would love them enough to live in them. They spoke in other tongues and were given the gift of prophecy. The presence of the Holy Spirit immediately made a difference in their lives.

Paul stayed in Ephesus to continue preaching about Jesus and the way to salvation. For three months, he went to the synagogue to debate with the Jews, trying to persuade them about the Kingdom of God. But they stubbornly rejected Paul’s message, speaking out in opposition against the way. So Paul left the synagogue and began teaching in a lecture hall instead, taking the believers with him. I guess you could say that he planted a new church. He stayed there for two years teaching both Jews and Greeks, and possibly writing his first letter to the church in Corinth.

God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled. – Acts 19:11-12 (NLT)

PAUL WAS ABLE TO DO AMAZING THINGS BECAUSE GOD GAVE HIM THE POWER TO DO IT.

The City of Ephesus was known for its worship of Artemis, the goddess of fertility, otherwise known as Diana. With this pagan culture, they were in awe of all that Paul was able to do. Some began casting out evil spirits “in the name of Jesus, whom Paul preaches.” When the evil spirits acknowledged both Jesus and Paul, the tone of the city changed. The name of the Lord Jesus became greatly honored among the Ephesians because it was evident there was power in Jesus’ name.

Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect. – Acts 19:18-20

REVIVAL BROKE OUT WHEN THEY WERE WILLING TO WALK AWAY FROM THEIR OLD LIVES IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE LIFE THAT JESUS HAD DIED TO GIVE THEM.

So what is the Lord eager to do in your life and through your obedience? What is the next step on your journey of grace? Are you willing to walk away from something in order to receive the life God has for you?

You have endowed him with eternal blessings
and given him the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord.
The unfailing love of the Most High
will keep him from stumbling. – Psalm 21:6-7

Lord, we humbly come before you this morning to ask you to guide us towards the next step on our journey of grace. We long to grow in our understanding of you, daily preparing ourselves for each conversation and opportunity you place before us. We pray for revival to break out among our churches in such a way that our communities take notice. Lord, be glorified through your power at work within us. May the message of salvation spread widely and have a powerful effect because we were not afraid to speak out. May each of us experience the powerful presence of your Holy Spirit living within us, giving us the courage to not be silent so that someone else can experience the next step on their journey of grace. Amen.

DO NOT BE AFRAID. SPEAK OUT. DO NOT BE SILENT. FOR I AM WITH YOU.