Daily Inspirations

Good morning. Love: does not act unbecomingly (King James - unseemly); it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered. When we act   unbecomingly, it is very likely that people around us will become uncomfortable. If we are walking in love, we will not act in a manner that makes other people feel that way. If we are walking in love, we will not seek our own well-being, but that of others. If we are confident in who we are, we will not provoke others. Provoking others usually happens when the provoker does not feel his or her self worth or is having a “bad hair day“. In the book of Ephesians, Paul tells fathers, “do not provoke your children to anger“. Sadly that also happens between spouses. Speaking of spouses - too many times one spouse takes into account a wrong previously suffered. Every discussion is tainted with the remembrance of what happened in the past. We should “bear no grudges”, whether it is a spouse, a child, or someone else....

Good morning. Now Paul goes into some things that love is not. Love is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant. We get jealous when we are insecure in our relationship with someone. We see others as a threat to take our place in the other person’s life. Human love is self-centered. God‘s love is others centered. You are familiar with the saying, “if you love something, set it free“. When we do “set someone free”, we usually hold on to them, and don’t really set them free. After all, we are humans. Does not brag: bragging also comes from insecurity. We are not confident in our own self-worth, so we have to proclaim our achievements to those around us, hoping that that will raise up our worth in their sight. Love does not have to proclaim its self-worth. Is not arrogant: remember that earlier Paul said that knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. This again comes from a lack of self-worth. You find some thing that you feel you are better at than others. You feel that th...

Good morning. Continuing where we left off: and if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Remember that Jesus did tell the rich young ruler to give all of his possessions to feed the poor. The young man had felt that he was lacking something, and his reliance on his possessions were keeping him from surrendering completely to God. Even if he had done so, it is highly unlikely that he would’ve done so in love for the people who were poor. Humans want to “do something“ to gain acceptance into the kingdom of God; but the reality is that God has done everything, and we simply have to believe it and accept it. Now Paul lists some of the characteristics of love. He alternates between what love is, and what love is not. Love is patient, love is kind. It says that love is patient, not that it has patience. What’s the difference? You can have patience, but do so without love. In other words, you merely en...

Good morning. And now for the “still more excellent way“: if I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. The “tongues of men“ could be knowing how to speak various languages of the earth; or it could be the gift of tongues in which he/she spoke in a language of the earth, but not known to the one speaking. In either case, it could be a point of pride. Regardless, without doing so in love, it would just be a bunch of noise. The reason it might be the gift of tongues is what follows: if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. Notice the word “all“ in several of those. That would be beyond the “word of wisdom”, the “word of knowledge”, and “faith” among the gifts. If you had any one of those, it would be something that some people would brag about; but if you operated in that without love, you wou...

Good morning. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. Some think that the ordering is the importance of each to the church; I.e. apostles are the most important etc.; but I think there is another possibility - that it is the order in which they need to appear in the formation of a church. In other words, apostles are the first in order to lay a foundation, then the prophets are needed to build up the body and to point out those who are in leadership in the church, then teachers to instruct, etc. These too are gifts to the church; but they are people and not “things“. And just like “not everyone has the same gift of the Spirit“, not everyone has the same ministry. Just like the gifts, it would be useless to have a church full of apostles and nothing else. As I have said before, you see too many people saying “I am apostle so and so, or I am prophet so ...

Good morning. One part of the body cannot say to another “I have no need of you“. On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no divisions in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers/is honored, all the members suffer/rejoice with it. What affects one of us, affects all of us, whether it’s something good or something bad. Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. We are to work together for the best of each individual, so that the entire body may have what is necessary. Father go with the reader and his/her family and meet all of th...

Good morning. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. Remember a couple of chapters before, Paul was talking about the Israelites drinking the same spiritual drink. We are not all clones of one another; we are all different - yet together we are one. For the body is not one member, but many. He then goes through a list of the different parts of the body saying either “I’m not good enough because I’m not…”. Just as each part is needed in the physical body, each part is needed in the body of Christ. But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. One part of the body cannot say to another part “I don’t ne...

Good morning. And now we have the nine gifts of the Spirit. Some people group them in groups of three, saying that each threesome has a type of relationship. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit (notice they both say word; it doesn’t mean all knowledge and all wisdom for all time); and to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing(s) by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. They pretty much take care of any possible situation that might come up in a meeting, though it does not have to be in a meeting. They can take place anytime, anywhere. You hear various interpretations of exactly what each one means. The one I take issue with is the interpretation of what it means by “faith”. The interpretation that I hav...

Good morning. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. Remember that we are talking about spiritual gifts. These are not things that you go to school to learn how to do, though through the years you learn how to better make use of them. The individual does not get to choose which one(s) that he or she receives – it is decided by the Holy Spirit. Not everyone has the same gifts; that would be useless in many cases. However in a particular meeting, there may be several that normally operate in the same gifts. Also in a meeting there may not be anyone who normally operates in a certain gift, but that is the gift that is most needed at that time. Then the Holy Spirit may choose a person or persons to operate in that gift for that particular situation. It i...

Good morning. Finishing Paul’s commentary about communion: but if we judge ourselves rightly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. Now concerning spiritual gifts, I do not want you to be unaware. (FYI the word “gifts“ is in italics, which means it’s not really in the Greek text; it was placed there by the translators to help us understand what it meant. It literally says “spirituals”, which would not make any sense to us.) Paul starting this section with “now concerning…“ Suggests that they had written to him asking about these. You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb (as in mute) idols, however you were led. Corinth was a place full of idols. Many of the people there who became Christians had been worshipers of idols. While we do not have people in America today led astray by physical idols, many Americans are led astray by other types of idols. Therefore I make...

Good morning. Continuing: in the same way He took the cup also 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. It is through His death that we have our salvation. It is through communion we remember it. If we did not have communion on a regular basis, we would tend to only think about ourselves and our lives. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. Remember that Paul had just been talking about them eating and even getting drunk when they came together as a church. It was very possible they then would not take communion seriously. But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the ...

Good morning. Remember that Paul just said that there were divisions among them. Therefore when you meet together, it is not to eat the Lord’s supper; for in your eating each one takes his own supper first; and one is hungry and another is drunk. What! Do you not have homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this I will not praise you. It sounds like they were having the old fashion dinner on the ground; but instead of after the service, it sounds like it was before it got started. They were more interested in eating and socializing than they were in remembering the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus through communion. For I received from the Lord (from the detail which follows, it sounds like it was during one of the times when Jesus appeared to Paul) that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He h...

Good morning. Paul then goes through several more verses talking about men/women praying or prophesying with their head covered. However, in the Lord, neither is woman independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. He talks about long hair for men/women. But in giving this instruction, I do not praise you, because you come together not for the better but for the worse. When you come together as a church, I hear that divisions exist among you; and in part I believe it. (remember that he has already dealt with them saying “I am of this one” or “I am of that one”) For there must be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you. Can you believe that – that there “must” be factions among us? You only hear about how we must be united and nothing about there being factions. Of course the truth shines a light on divisions in the church. If you don’t hear truth from the pulpit, then it’s easy for everyone to get along; but there will be no spiritual mat...

Good morning. Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ. At first that seems arrogant – we would never have the audacity to tell someone to do that of us. However it does say as Paul imitated Christ, not everything he did. I praise you because you hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. Now traditions in the church can be a bad thing. A church has been doing a certain thing for dozens of years. When it was first started, it may have been a great thing; but now they dare not do anything differently, and anyone who suggests doing something different is a heretic. The traditions Paul is talking about are those from the beginning of the church on the day of Pentecost. And now what many have made to be a controversial verse. But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. Some have used that verse to say that whatever the husband says, the wife must submit to it without any ...

Good morning. Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? The Catholics believe that the communion (wine) is turned into the actual blood of Jesus. Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? They believe that it is turned into the actual body of Christ. We believe that it symbolizes both. Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. Paul then goes back again talking about things sacrificed to idols. Then: Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor. He goes back to talking about eating meat sacrificed to idols. Then: Whether then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. If only we practiced that every day of our lives, we would never do anything wrong. Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God; just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved. That i...

Good morning. In context, the following verse is talking about situations similar to those that came upon the Israelites when they had a “bad hair day” and rebelled against the Lord; but it is apropos to things that we are tempted to do in our everyday lives. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. Part of the reason that I said that in context it was talking about what the Israelites went through is the use of the word endure. You normally do not talk about enduring temptation; but that is exactly what they did not do – they did not endure the situations, but rather rebelled against the Lord. However, the verse is true in our everyday lives. We are tempted to do some thing. We feel like we cannot resist it; but God will show us a way out – to not succumb to the temptation. It is n...

Good morning. Paul continues telling of the different instances in which the Israelites sinned and complained about what they went through in the wilderness. He even tells what awful things came upon them and sometimes mentions how many died. These things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. As you have heard many times, history repeats itself. We need to make sure that that history does not repeat itself with us. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. If you read the accounts Paul talks about, you will see that they became arrogant instead of humble. They acted like they did all of the miracles and not God. The same thing can happen to Christians today. God performs some miracle in their lives or for their church, and they take credit for it. They get what we call a “big head“. Then they won’t listen to God when He tells them to change something in their lives. Father hel...

Good morning. Paul now goes back to Israel‘s experience during and right after the exodus. Our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and that rock was Christ. All of those things were symbolizing what Christians go through. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. Even though they had what they had dreamed of all of their lives in Egypt, they were still not satisfied with what God gave them. Too many Christians are the same way. At the time they get saved, they rejoice greatly because of what they were brought out of. But after a relatively short time, they go back to behaving the way they did before they got saved and complain about “what God has done to them”. They got zapped in the wilderness. Wou...

Good morning. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. When people are in a physical race, they don’t just lollygag; they put forth full effort and try to win. We should do that also in our Christian life. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Their reward will soon fade away, but ours will last forever. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air. We should not be living our lives aimlessly; but we should have a purpose, and everything we do should be to fulfill that purpose. I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. Sometimes we have to reject the desires of our physical body in order to achieve a higher goal. Our body wants to eat, but we need to fast. Our body wants to ...

Good morning. The Lord directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living from the gospel. So he was saying that he and Barnabas should not have to take care of themselves. For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me. Paul had no choice but to preach the gospel. It wasn’t just a job to him; he was divinely directed to preach by the Lord Jesus Christ. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. And then he lists various categories in which he behaved acceptably to both sides of the issue. However, he did not compromise himself or the gospel. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. Father help us to do the things necessary to bring others to Christ without compromising the gospel. Help us to...

Good morning. Paul then gets a little heated under the collar. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. Apparently there were some people who were questioning his apostleship. My defense to those who examine me is this: do we not have a right to eat and drink? Or do only Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working? Most ministers who came to churches in a city expected the churches to take care of them financially. It appears that some were saying that Paul and Barnabas needed to take care of themselves. He continues on making the case that he and Barnabas had a right to not have to work to take care of themselves; instead to concentrate on ministering to the people. If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure ...

Good morning. Remember we are talking about doing things that other Christians might think is wrong. For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food (doing something that my fellow Christian thinks is wrong, but I believe is right) causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat (do that thing) again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. In today’s world, probably the most obvious example would be whether or not to drink alcoholic beverages. One Christian might think that it is OK to drink alcoholic beverages, and there are many who do, but a Christian who does not believe that with whom he/she associates sees that Christian drinking. He/she might either condemn that Christian or think that is OK for themselves to drink. Remember that whatever is not from faith is sin. Our tendency is to say, well t...

Good morning. In the following, Paul is talking about meat being sacrificed to idols, which in itself does not apply to us, but some of the things he says about that have applications in general to us. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. That is so true and is very evident in today’s world. If someone thinks they know more than you, they think that makes them better than you, and that your opinion is worthless. If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. For us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. The following is about meat sacrificed to idols, but it is applicable to things in our lives. I will paraphrase what Paul says. Take care that this liberty of yours (to do something that other Christians might think is wrong) does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. ...

Good morning. Remember the last statement: he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. You were bought with a price (just as a slave is bought); do not become slaves of men. Of course Christ paid the ultimate price for us. Some people had no choice as to whether or not to become slaves of men. Others because of economic necessity became slaves of men. Each is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called. I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, that it is good for a man to remain as he is. (That does not mean that Paul thought it would be true for all time). Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you marry, you have not sinned. Similarly for virgins. He then makes the argument that those that are married, men or women, are concerned about pleasing their spouse. Those that are not are concerned about pleasing the Lord. This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint ...

Good morning. Paul then goes through a discussion about believers being married to unbelievers; that they should not divorce them simply because they are unbelievers. However, if the unbeliever desires to leave, they should let them, since the believer has no guarantee that the unbeliever will eventually come to the Lord. Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Of course that is impossible, and is just hyperbole. But the next statement would be possible: has anyone been called in   uncircumcision? He’s not to be circumcised. There was a lot of pressure from Jewish Christians upon the Gentiles to adopt all of the religious ways of the Jews in order to become Christians. We talked about that in Acts. Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called. For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewi...

Good morning. Remember last time: the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? In chapter 3 he talked about the collective body of Christ being a temple of the Holy Spirit; now he’s talking about the individual person’s body being a temple of the Holy Spirit. For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. If we were constantly conscious of God dwelling inside of us, would we even dare to sin like we do? It reminds us of Watchman Nee’s book “Practicing the Presence of Jesus”. He then talks about the marriage relationship. Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am (unmarried). However, each man has his own gift from God. But I say to the unmarried (FYI this is a masculine noun) and to widows that is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry. Father help us to always be c...

Good morning. Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. It’s one thing for God to raise His Son from the dead (which is understandable); but it’s so much more that He would raise us from the dead. We are not just an afterthought. Since our bodies are to be raised from the dead, we should keep ourselves in holiness. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Our complete selves (spirit, soul, and body) belong to God. The one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. Paul then urges us to - flee immorality. You cannot cozy up next to it and expect to remain victorious. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body. The next verse, which we will look at next time, expands on what this means. Father thank You that we are one spirit with You. Help us to keep our eyes on...

Good morning. Last time Paul listed a bunch of despicable people and said they would not inherit the kingdom of God. He then says: such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified (note that all are in the past tense) in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. So there is hope for all. You don’t have to be perfect to become a Christian. God will transform you and renew your mind. Of course it is much more than that – it is a transforming of your heart. But if your mind is not transformed, it will get in the way and put you in the mindset where you will want to do the old things. All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. This should be our attitude at all times. In all situations, we should be in charge, not the activity or substance. Even if in itself it is OK, the fact that we can’t do without it is a warning sign. We are being...

Good morning. I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren, but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers! That’s pretty harsh, Paul. Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? Could we do that? Would we be willing to give up our belongings that someone might take away from us without any fighting back? Would we be willing to “take one for the team“? I doubt it. Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; (he then lists a bunch of despicable types of people that we would consider to be sinners) will not inherit the kingdom of God. But we will see next time that there is good news for these people. Father help this to be a great week for the reader and his/her family. Give him/her peace and patience in the midst of storm.

Good morning. Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints? My Bible says that it is probably talking about property disputes, and not criminal ones. The Romans allowed them to do that, but not when it was a criminal case. Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more matters of this life? Would you be willing to trust in the members of the church to make the right decision about some property dispute you had with another member of the church? Probably not in today’s world. How about the statement that we are to judge the world and angels? Does that seem possible to you? So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of no account in the church? That is eye-opening. How many Christians think of t...