Daily Inspirations

  Good morning. Continuing with the theme that things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal: for we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. A tent is a temporary thing, while a house is an “eternal“ one. The tent of course represents our earthly body; the building represents our resurrected one. The tabernacle of Moses was temporary, while the temple of Solomon was “permanent”. Both contained the Ark of the covenant with the tablets of God. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. It is easy to damage or destroy a tent (just like our body), it is much more difficult to damage or destroy a building. Just like astronauts wear a space suit, someone has compared that to our body being our “earth suit“. Astronauts need space suits to exist and...

  Good morning. Therefore we do not lose heart (how can he say that after all that he has been through?), but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man (the real us) is being renewed day by day. It is hard to do, but we need to keep that in mind. What happens to our physical body is “inconsequential“. Notice the contrast in the following verse. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison. The affliction is momentary and light (though it may not seem like it), while the glory is eternal and heavy (like gold). While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. We have to look at beyond the now. As we used to joke about the verse that says “and it came to pass” - thank goodness it didn’t come to stay. We have all heard it said about someone, “he/she is so heavenly minded, they are no earthly...

  Good morning. Paul then mentions bad things that have happened to him, but he has not given up. Always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. It did not matter what happened to Paul, it would not turn him away from doing what was best for the Lord and them. So death works in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke.“ we also believe, therefore we also speak (he couldn’t help but speak), knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. Do we have that kind of faith, or would we let bad things happening to us deter us from speaking the truth of God? All things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people...

  Good morning. For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “light shall shine out of darkness (let there be light),“ is the One who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (who is the image of God). There was darkness in our hearts until God said “let there be light“. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves. According to my Bible, it was customary to conceal treasure in clay jars, which had little value or beauty and did not attracted attention to themselves and their precious contents. The same is true of us. We are but “clay jars“ with a precious content, the glory of Christ, within us. It is not our “beauty“ that attracts others to God, but God Himself within us. Father help us to remember that we are not the “main attraction“ but rather You Your...

  Good morning. Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. (back to the veil) and even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. Remember that he said earlier that whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. It is not veiled to everyone, but only to those who are not born again. In whose case the god of this world (the devil) has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. In Luke, speaking of Jesus with the disciples in the upper room, “then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures“. Until that point, they too could not understand the Scriptures. To me this references what John talks ...

  Good morning. Completing the discussion about the veil: But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. Remember that the veil was on the face of Moses upon whom the glory shown, because he had been in the presence of God. “Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord“: go to the bathroom sink and look in the mirror. What do you see? You see your reflection. So when you behold the glory of the Lord in a mirror, you are seeing that glory upon yourself. It’s as if you are seeing the Lord standing there instead of yourself. We are being transformed into that image - of the Lord. So that when the devil and his minions look at us, they should be seeing the glory of the Lord. In other words, they shouldn’t be able to tell us apart. The word translated transformed is the same one in the verse that says “do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by...

  Merry Christmas! I hope you have a really great one with friends and family. The following is without comment. Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee call Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was very perplexed at the statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." Mary said to the angel, "how can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel answered and...

  Good morning. Continuing with the veil: but their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. Whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Then one of our favorite verses: now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty/freedom. We sing about it; dance to it; but do we really live our lives by it? Remember that the Spirit gives us life, and this life gives us freedom. But it is not a freedom to do just anything we want. Jesus was free to do anything He wanted; but He still went to the cross because of the Spirit. Jesus did things that were unlawful according to the Pharisees. He did not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. We have two main campuses. When I came here 30 years ago, the math department had many rules and regulations. About 10 years ago, the two campuses ...

  Good morning. Continuing: For if the ministry of condemnation (The law could only condemn you for not obeying it; it could not help you to obey it.) has glory, much more does the ministry of righteousness abound in glory. For indeed what had glory, in this case has no glory because of the glory that surpasses it. For if that which fades away was with glory, much more that which remains is in glory. Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech, and are not like Moses, who used to put a veil over his face so that the sons of Israel would not look intently at the end of what was fading away. Moses would go into the tent of meeting to talk with God. When he came out, his face would be glowing after being in the presence of the glory of God. Everyone would be amazed. But after a while, the glow would fade away (which symbolized the eventual fading away of the law of Moses). To keep them from seeing the glow fade away, Moses would put a veil over his face until the...

  Good morning. Continuing with “our adequacy is from God“: who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life. Now the 10 Commandments were written by God on tablets of stone; but the law of Moses was written with ink on parchment. Throughout the centuries, the priests’ job was to make sure that everyone obeyed “the letter of the law“. One can obey the law outwardly while despising it inwardly. The law does not invoke life in the doer of the law. But if the ministry of death, in letters engraved on stone, came with glory, so that the sons of Israel could not look intently at the face of Moses because of the glory of his face, fading as it was, how will the ministry of the Spirit fail to be even more with glory? The law in itself could not give life, but could only show you how you did not measure up. Father help us to allow Your Spirit to control all that we say or do.

  Good morning. But in actuality, Paul did have a letter. You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Letters are nice, but they are not permanent. Ink can fade or run, and paper/parchment can be torn or destroyed. What is written can only be seen by those people with whom you share the writing. But what is written on the heart by the Holy Spirit lasts forever and can be seen by all people that you come in contact with, whether or not you desire for them to see it. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God. Father thank You for another beautiful day. Help us to show what You wrote on our hearts to those around us.

  Good morning. For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God. The word peddling invokes the imagery of a movie about the old west where you have a man in a wagon traveling from town to town selling various items to people. These so-called preachers would travel from town to town “selling“ the word of God to people in the churches. Do we need, as some, letters of commendation to you or from you? Apparently these peddlers of the word as they went from town to town would get someone from the church in the town to write a letter of recommendation that they could take with them to the next town. By the time that person discovered the truth about the “preachers”, it was too late, they had already bilked the people in the next town out of their money. Paul said “I don’t need no stinking letter“, I’ve got you as my letter of recommendation to others. Father go with the reader and help him/her to have a gr...

  Good morning. Skipping some verses: but thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph (my Bible says that the imagery is that of a Roman triumph in which the victorious general would lead his soldiers and the captives they had taken in festive procession, while the people watched and applauded and the air was filled with the sweet smell released by the burning of spices in the streets) in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things? So non-Christians are the “walking dead“, with toe tags on their feet; while Christians are “walking bags of potpourri”, bringing a sweet smell wherever they go. Father help us to bring the sweet smell of Christ wherever we go.

  Good morning. It is possible that the “sorrow“ that Paul was talking about was from First Corinthians where he talked about someone having his father’s wife (stepmother), and them being complacent about it. He scolded them and said that he had already judged him, and had decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Continuing where we left off in Second Corinthians: if any has caused sorrow, he has caused sorrow not to me, but in some degree to all of you. Sufficient for such a one is this punishment which was inflicted by the majority, so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, otherwise such a one might be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him. For to this end also I wrote (this makes it seem like the writing we talked about yesterday was First Corinthians instead of some unknown letter), so that I might put you to the t...

  Good morning. Just a few verses before, Paul had been saying he was not vacillating about coming to see them. To spare you, I did not come again to Corinth. I determined this for my own sake, that I would not come to you in sorrow again. It sounds like that on a previous visit to Corinth there had been sorrow connected with the occasion. My Bible says that if so, it is an unknown visit. For if I cause you sorrow, who then makes me glad but the one whom I made sorrowful? This is the very thing I wrote you, so that when I come, I would not have sorrow from those who ought to make me rejoice; having confidence in you all that my joy would be the joy of you all. There is debate as to whether the “l wrote you” Paul was talking about was First Corinthians, or a separate letter that we don’t have a copy of. We will continue this next time. Father continue to go with the reader and his/her family, giving them wisdom and understanding in all that they encounter.

  Good morning. In addition to God establishing us in Christ and anointing us: who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. The word sealed means to stamp (as with a signet ring) for security or preservation, and the form of the verb denotes a special interest of the sealer in His act. My Bible says that a pledge is a part given as a guarantee that the whole will be forthcoming. The part is of the same kind as the whole. According to Vine’s, it is the same word in modern Greek that is used for an engagement ring. The Holy Spirit in our hearts is our engagement ring from God. What could our wedding band be but our resurrected body? Father thank You that You sealed us and gave us the Holy Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is ours to come. Help us to be conscious of that every day.

  Good morning. Paul had told them that he wanted to come; but he had been prevented. But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no. For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. He was saying “I am not wishy-washy and neither is Christ”. For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us. You can believe what God has promised us. He is not going to take it back. Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God. God is the one who establishes us, not we ourselves. We cooperate with Him; but we are not the ones who do the establishing. Some preachers try to “stir up” an anointing; but if there is none there, they can not create one on their own. Father thank You that Your promises are yes and Amen. We can stake our lives and our souls on them. Give the reader energy for the tasks ahead.

  Good morning. Indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead. Sometimes we have to get to the point where there is no hope for us to trust in God. Even if we don’t make it, God will “raise us from the dead” in the end. Who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us. He in whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us. We can be confident in Him. For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. No matter what bad things people may say about him, Paul knew that he had done nothing wrong. For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end. Paul said what he meant, and meant what he said. Father go with the reader. Help him/her to remember the goo...

  Good morning. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort. That’s easy for you to say Paul. We always think of Paul as being above the fray and not afraid of anything. But the following says something a little different. For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burden excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life. Bummer! Paul, don’t you know that you are more than a conqueror? Of course he did. It just shows how even the best of the best can let things get them down. And if that happens to them, it can happen to us. Remember, if you get knocked down, get back up. It is only when you don’t get back up that you lose...

  Good morning. Today we begin second Corinthians. Paul begins with his usual greetings to churches. And then some verses that are appropriate to your situation. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. While Paul was talking about being afflicted because of their faith, it also applies to our every day life. God comforts us in our time of need, not just for our sakes, but also that we may give comfort to those around us when they are in horrible situations. Jesus went through much more than we ever will, with His Father even turning His back on Him, so He knows what we have need of in any situation. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. Farther help the reader to have words of comfort.

  Good morning. Therefore be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not vain in the Lord. We shouldn’t be wishy-washy. We have a firm foundation, and hope for life after death. We should not keep that to ourselves, but rather share it with those around us. He then talks about collecting for the saints. This money was to be sent to those in Jerusalem. He tells them that if Timothy comes, “see that he is with you without cause to be afraid”. Remember that Paul told Timothy that God has not given us a spirit of fear/timidity. Perhaps this was an issue with Timothy. Remember we began this book with this statement, “I am of Paul“, “I am of Apollos“. Was there conflict between the two? But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren. That does not sound like they had problems with each other. And then some good advice for now just as then: be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like me...

  Good morning. Regardless of when the last trumpet sounds: for this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. This physical body of ours cannot put on immortality; there has to be some kind of change. What will happen when it does? But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?“ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of Adam’s sin, death came into the world. Physically it did not happen until hundreds of years later. Relating it to the Middle East: it was like being stung by a scorpion, but death not coming till some time later. Spiritually, it happened instantaneously. Father thank You that fear of death no longer reigns over us. Help ...

  Good morning. Now we are about to see some of Paul’s most famous verses. Behold, I tell you a mystery (something of God and His doings that was not understood before, but now has been revealed); we will not all sleep (die), but we will all be changed (from this physical body), in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye (not some long process like the Egyptians embalming a dead person), at the last trumpet (there are seven trumpets in the book of Revelation, but that does not mean this is referring to the seventh one. Vine’s had something about it being a special trumpet. If it were referring to the seventh trumpet in Revelation, that would mean that there would be six trumpets of very bad things happening. That would create questions about the Rapture being before the Great Tribulation.); for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will all be changed. We will continue this next time. Father thank You that everything is going to turn out just the way...

  Good morning. The first man is from the earth, earthy (I guess you could call him a dirt bag); the second man is from heaven. As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. We may need something like Ancestry DNA to find out from whom we are descended physically, but we only need the Bible to find out from whom we are descended spiritually. Now I say this, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Notice that it says flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. In Luke, when Jesus appeared to the 11, He said, “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.“ That can’t be the only difference. After all, Jesus would appear and disappear at will. Father we know that for only ...

  Good morning. But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. He then talks about different types of flesh, animals, and heavenly bodies. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. This is all related back to the sewing of a seed, which does not look like the plant that grows. So also it is written, “the first man, Adam, became a living soul.“ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural (like the seed), then the spiritual (like the plant). We will finish his comment next time. Father continue to help the reader and his/her family.

  Good morning. Become sober minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to you shame. Now wait a minute Paul! Did Alexa tattle on us? From what came before and what follows, most likely he was not talking about sinning in general, but about them not believing in the resurrection from the dead. Someone will say, “how are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?“ You fool! (that was harsh. I thought Jesus said to not say that about someone) That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or something else. Possibly they were thinking that if God did raise their body from the dead, that it would be just like their current body only without any frailties, and would simply last forever. Paul is saying concerning plants: what one sows, is not what grows. Similarly, your resurrected body will not be like your physical body...

  Good morning. Why are we also in danger every hour? And then a very familiar verse: I affirm by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. Of course he does not mean that every day he died. However, in the book of Acts we see many times that he faced situations in which he could have been killed. If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? Was he talking about fighting with literal or figurative wild beasts? And then a statement that is the philosophy of most people of the world: if the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. If the dead are not raised, then this is it; who cares whether we do the right thing or not? And then a warning which too many Christians do not heed: do not be deceived - Bad company corrupts good morals. That is so true! While we cannot avoid the people of the world, they should not be our BFFs. There are many anecdotes, including myself, where spending time with a...

  Good morning. After Paul’s digression, we return to the thought that the Corinthians were concerned about their friends or relatives who had died earlier. Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? Exactly what is he talking about here - being baptized for the dead? My Bible says that the present tense suggests that at Corinth people were currently being baptized for the dead. But because Paul does not give any more information about the practice, no one knows for sure what he’s talking about. Many attempts have been made to interpret the concept, none of which are for certain. The passage does not say that Paul approved of the practice; just that he was using it to amplify his argument that the dead are raised. Father thank You for all that You have done for us. All we can do is to praise You every day for everything that You have done for us.

  Good morning. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. Is this reigning Paul is talking about happening right now, or is it during the millennium? Of course it does not look like He is reigning right now. For He (the Father) has put all things in subjection under His (the Son’s) feet. But when He says, “all things are put in subjection”, it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. The book of Hebrews also has similar statements. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. Just like “wives be subject to your own husbands“, it does not mean that He is a voiceless slave to the Father. Father thank You that there is no fear of death to those who are believers. To quote from the movie The Mummy, “death is only the beginning”. Of course there it was not the beginning of s...

  G ood morning. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. As a side note: Paul is saying that Jesus was not just God, He was also man. There are heresies that say He was not a man. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in its own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming. According to the Rapture, all Christians who are already dead will be raised before the Great Tribulation. The verse continues: then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. That comes after the Millennium, i.e., 1000 years after the Tribulation. Father help us to be a great week for the reader. Help this to be a time of relaxation and fun with family.

  Good morning. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. That makes sense. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. Is your head beginning to swim? For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. From what he says later, they must have had great concern about their friends or relatives who were Christians and had died earlier. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits (The first sheaf of the harvest given to the Lord as a token that all of the harvest belonged to the Lord and would be dedicated to Him) of those who are asleep. Jesus was just the first to be raised from the dead, not the only one. We will see next time tha...

  Good morning. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. Wow Paul. If you were not fit to be called an apostle, who was? It shows that no matter how low you go, God can still receive glory through you. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. It didn’t have to be the original apostles who preached to them. In fact, it did not have to be an apostle at all. Someone preached to them, and they believed. From Paul’s long logical argument that follows, apparently some were proclaiming that when Christians die that was it - there was no resurrection from the dead. Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of...

  Good morning. Now back to Paul’s description of what is meant by the Gospel: for I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the 12. After that He appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. The gospel (good news) is: First, He died for our sins. We don’t have to do anything else other than to believe and receive it. That was especially good news for the Jews because they believed they had to do all the sacrifices and to “earn” their salvation. Second, He was buried for three days and nights. He didn’t just pass out and later revived. He was “most sincerely dead“. Third, He did not stay in the gr...

 Good morning. Paul then talks about women keeping silent in church 😇 . Of course that does not mean to not participate in a service verbally. In Acts it talks about Philip the evangelist having seven daughters who were prophetesses. Probably the key to this is when he says, if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. He concludes the chapter by saying “therefore, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner”. Now I make known to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which you also stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. So he is getting ready to tell us what the gospel (good news) is. Just because someone hears the gospel, does not mean that he or she receives it - remember the different types of soil upon which the seed was sown. He says that you are saved by it, ...

  Good morning. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted. It does not say that all can be prophets, but that all may prophesy. If he’s talking about in one service, and I’m not sure that he is, that would definitely disprove the belief about only two or three prophesies occurring in a service (personally I believe that there should not be more than that to the entire body in a service; however, there could be more than that to individuals that are in the service). And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Note again that he says prophets, and not ones who prophesy; however, it is also true of those who prophesy. In either case the individuals should be in total control - you are not compelled beyond your will  to speak. There have been many times that I have “eaten a prophesy“ because it would disrupt the service. Father help the reader to ...

  Good morning. Back to the “let two or three prophets speak“: but if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. Now if it were talking about them prophesying, we would have the following scenario: One of them would be standing up saying something like this, “Thus saith the Lord…“ Right in the middle of him/her prophesying, another prophet would stand up, interrupting the prophecy because he/she had been given a revelation. That would be total chaos like Paul has been speaking against in a church service. I can think of a couple of other possibilities. The prophet is giving a “three point sermon“, while the other prophets are passing judgment on his/her message. (We forget that everything was new to them. They did not have the New Testament. They were getting OJT). In the middle of the message (some of which may be just the person’s opinion), God reveals something about the topic to another prophet seated which needs to be shared with the people....

  Good morning. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. This has been used to say that like the “messages in tongues“ you should have at most two or three prophecies in the service. There are a couple of things to note. First of all, it says prophets. Just because you give a prophecy, does not mean that you are a prophet. You are just operating in that gift. If I remember correctly, Kenneth Hagan used to say that to be a prophet you had to operate in two or three other gifts of the Spirit also. I personally do not know what differentiates between someone who regularly operates in the gift of prophecy and one who is a prophet. What I do know is that like I’ve said before, too many people are going around proclaiming that they are a prophet. The second thing is that it says to let them speak; it does not say to let them prophesy. They are two different Greek words. In the book of Acts it talks about Judas and Silas, also being prophets encouraged and streng...

 Good morning. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. Not long after I began participating in a Friday night Bible study, which later turned into that house church l spoke of before, I began giving the tongues part of “tongues with interpretation” (we call it a “message in tongues”, but that term does not occur in the Bible, merely tongues). I had no teaching or training on how to do it. My heart would begin racing for no apparent reason, and I would get the impression to speak out loud in tongues; so I just “let her fly“. For me the next step was not interpretation of tongues but prophecy. I did not give an interpretation of tongues until years later after I moved here. Notice that it says by two or at the most three, and not at the same time, which would produce confusion. One reason would be that the...

  Good morning. Last time it was about someone entering a church, and everyone speaking in tongues. But if all prophesy (it doesn’t say whether everyone was prophesying at the same time, or one by one. Because of what follows, I assume the latter), and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he’s convicted by all, he’s called to account to by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed (if it were all at the same time, it would be hard for him to hear what was directed at himself); and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. So what should a church service be like? When you assemble, each one has a Psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. It sounds like Paul was expecting participation by everyone - maybe not all in one service, but over time they would. That is totally unlike today’s church services. Nowadays almost no one in the congregation participates l...

  Good morning. Do not be children in your thinking (remember last chapter: “when I was a child …”); yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers (seems to imply that speaking in tongues was a natural outcome of being a believer); but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and   ungifted men (not exactly sure what is meant here, whether it means those who are saved but have not received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, or those do not operate in the gifts of the Spirit - specifically interpretation of tongues) or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? That would be a reasonable assumption and may be why Pentecostals get a bad reputation. Father make this a special weekend for the reader. Open his/her eyes to the future as to what he/she should do for his/her family.

  Good morning. Continuing with the thought of only praying with the spirit: “otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “amen“ at you giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified”. Remember the goal of a church service is the building up of the body, not just yourself. OK Paul, so do you refrain from speaking in tongues? I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all (Southern translation - y’all); however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than 10,000 words in a tongue. This does not mean that you do not ever speak in your “prayer language“ in a church service. It does mean that it should not draw attention to yourself like the example I gave when I visited my friend’s Pentecostal church. Father thank You that if we follow the leading of Your Holy Spirit in a chu...

  Good morning. So after yesterday, what should we do about praying in tongues? What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. We should do both, and not one to the exclusion of the other. What does he mean when he says sing with the spirit? What is that all about? Before I moved to this area 30 years ago, the churches I belonged to spent time in every service singing in the Spirit. It wasn’t this tiny bit that we occasionally do almost under our breath. It was the whole congregation joining in with full volume. (my roommate and I would even do that when we worshiped together at home) It wasn’t but a couple of minutes, but it seemed like longer. After we finished, everything was very still as we basked in the presence of the Holy Spirit. (None of the churches I have been in since I moved here do that. There is almost never a pause in the service.) After a few moments of silenc...

  Good morning. Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. Just praying in tongues without an interpretation can help flush out what is clogging up your spiritual pipeline; however it does not give you any direction as to what you should do. You need an interpretation. However, when you flush out your spiritual pipeline, many times the thought will come do your mind of exactly what you should do. There is this teaching out there that says go ahead and pray in tongues; pray that you may interpret; and then whatever comes to your mind is the interpretation of what you said in tongues. They are to then take that as coming straight from God. I’m not saying that it does not work for some people; but I am alarmed at the thought of most Christians doing that. They don’t have the spiritual maturity and/or are not well grounded in the word of God. You will hear something in your mind, but it’s p...

  Good morning. Paul mentions several items that if they make sounds only, what good will that be? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. If I then do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. He’s talking about using a learned language that the hearers do not understand. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. The whole purpose of a church service is to glorify God and to edify the body of believers. If you are speaking in your “prayer language”, out loud in a church service, you’ll be edified, but not the church. Father give the reader wisdom to help his/her family member. We know that You can make everything to work out for the good to those who believe and...

  Good morning. So is Paul saying that we should not speak in tongues? Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than one speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying. (when one operates in the gift of tongues, he or she does not have to worry about “is it correct, or am I using good grammar?” They simply “rear back and let her fly“) So is Paul talking about our daily speaking in tongues using our “prayer language“ as some call it; or is he talking about in a church service supplying part of a message to the people? Since he mentions the “one who prophesies”, it is probably in a church service to bring a message. What he says next seems to amplify that idea. But now, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will it profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or knowledge or prophecy or of teaching? Father help this to be a great day for the reader and ...

  Good morning. Today we continue with why Paul said “but especially that you may prophesy”. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation (King James - comfort). Remember that the one who speaks in a tongue speaks to God, not to men. In other words, The one who prophesies builds up other people, not themselves. That is why the pastor says that if a prophecy or interpretation of tongues puts down someone, it is probably not from God. On the other hand, the word exhortation can have with it the idea of “quit messing around and get your life straight“. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. So that is the crux of the matter - why Paul said “but especially that you may prophesy“. One may speak in tongues at any time (though not the gift of tongues), but normally, prophesying occurs in a church situation; though there are times when someone made prophesy outside of a church situation to a single indi...

  Good morning. We ended last time with Paul saying to desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. Remember though, you must operate spiritual gifts in love or you are not benefited, even though the other person may have their need met. Why did he say “but especially that you may prophesy”? For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. He’s not talking about speaking in another “learned“ language, like French or German. True, if one spoke in a foreign language that no one there spoke, it would be a “mystery“. Only God would be able to understand what he or she said; but the mysteries that Paul is talking about are not mysteries just because people do not understand that language. They are mysteries because they are spiritual things that are unknown to the people in the church. Not long after I received the baptism in the Holy Spirit, I visited a church of a friend who was P...

  Good morning. Finishing the “love“ chapter: Now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. Once again, “then“ could not be when the New Testament had come in its complete form, because we do not know fully just as we have been fully known. So if “then“ refers to when the “perfect” comes, that would seem to suggest that the “perfect” coming was Jesus when He returns. Therefore you cannot use those verses to say that the gifts of the Spirit and tongues no longer exist. But now abide faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. We need all three of these here on earth; but “when we all get to heaven” (“what a glorious day that will be”), we won’t need faith or hope. Faith and hope are for when you cannot see or touch that for which you are believing. When Jesus returns, we will experience everything that we are believing and hoping for. Faith and hope may fail (many people experience times when they cannot keep on ...

  Good morning. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. My Bible says that the imagery is of a polished metal (probably bronze) mirror in which one could receive only an imperfect reflection in contrast to seeing the Lord directly and clearly in heaven. That is so true. No matter how “mature“ we’ve become in the Lord, we still only see dimly. What about the word “then“? When is “then“? The closest reference is “when the perfect comes”. If that is what it is talking about, the “perfect“ could not be the New Testament in its complete form, because we don’t yet see “face to face”. Again, if the “perfect“ is Jesus, then tongues and the gifts of the Spirit have not yet ceased. Father help us to see You clearly and to be conformed to the image you see us being.

  Good morning. Love never fails. Everything else may fail, but love does not. Paul then lists some things that will “fail“; that is, disappear. But if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. These are things that are important in the “here and now”; but there will come a time when they won’t be necessary. Then they will no longer exist. There are some groups that try to use these verses to say that the gifts of the Spirit no longer exist, and that tongues for every day personal use no longer exists. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. These people say that the “perfect“ is the New Testament in its complete present form. Therefore we don’t need these things; and they have ceased. We will return to that idea later. Father You are love, and You never fail.

  Good morning. Love: does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. Even when it does not fit our narrative, we should always abide in truth. Love - bears (covers) all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. When we are walking in love, we should want to believe the best in others, instead of the worst. We should not be quick to shun them. It does not mean that we put on blinders when it comes to the action of others. It means that we should not assume the worst in people, but rather desire that there is really good in them and in their intentions. Again we don’t turn a blind eye to peoples’ actions. We have seen too many cases where a parent believes that their child can do no wrong, when we have seen the wrong actions ourselves. That is not what we mean. We should believe for the best in others. Enduring of things does not mean putting up with bad behavior. No matter what happens to us or to the other person, we should continue our l...

  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 e...

  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 tha...

  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 mer...

  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...

  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...

  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...

  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...

  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. ...

  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 ...

  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 ...

  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 ...

  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...

  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 ...

  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. ...

  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 ...

  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...

  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 wildernes...

  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 wan...

  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 u...

  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 e...

  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, ...

  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 ...

  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 rest...

  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; li...

  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 ...