Daily Inspirations

  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 hopin...

  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. 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...

 G ood 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 ...

  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 eye...

  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...

  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 ...

  Good morning. Therefore let us celebrate the feast (not just during Passover), not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote you not to associate with immoral people; I did not mean those of this world, for then you would have to go out of the world. I wrote to not associate with any so-called brother if he is an immoral person, or… - not even to eat was such a one. Again, this is part of the “shunning” process. What have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? Remember that bad company corrupts good morals. Why, because it always spreads to the entire church. There are two extremes. Some accept everyone no matter what kind of lifestyle they have; and the other extreme immediately condemns those who even have a hint of what the accusers think is wrong (not necessarily what the Bible says is wrong). Those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man fr...

  Good morning. Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? This probably refers back to the procedure right before Passover. Many times in the Scriptures, leaven represented sin. So before Passover began, they made sure that there was no leaven whatsoever in the house. They would sweep it just to make sure. If there was even a tiny speck of leaven in the dough, the dough would have to be thrown out. Similarly, there’s no such thing as a “little sin” in your life. Clean out the old leaven so that you may be a new lump, just as you are in fact unleavened. For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. This verse is one of the reasons why I believe that the last supper was not the Passover meal. If it were the Passover meal, then Jesus our Passover sacrifice died 24 hours after the Passover lambs were sacrificed. Father help us to clean out all the old leaven of sin in our lives. Help us to start each day a pure and fresh lump o...

  Good morning. Remember last time that Paul said he was going to find out the power of those who were arrogant. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. You can give all kinds of fancy “teachings”, but they are useless if there is no power in you or in what you say. The Gospel has transforming power. It can not only bring about healings and so on, but it can also bring a change in your heart and your attitude. He then goes through the thing about someone among them having his father’s wife (not talking about his mother – stepmother). Paul gets a bit “hot under the collar“. I on my part, though absent in body but present in spirit, I have already judged him who has committed this, as though I were present. In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, and I with you in spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus, I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan (my Bible says that means to put him out of the church, so that he does not have the fellowship o...

  Good morning. Paul then gives a list of a lot of things that he has gone through as an apostle. I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. There could be many people that you listen to either in church or through the Internet or other means; but there was only one person (as a general rule it was a person) that lead you to Christ. Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. He was saying that just like a child imitates his or her father, they were to imitate him. He says that again seven chapters later. Since it is easy to forget some things about people we have not seen in a while, Paul says that he sent Timothy to them to remind them of his ways which are in Christ, just as he taught everywhere in every church. Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. I shall find ou...

   Good morning. Back to those who are arrogant: For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast is if you had not received it? All of that is why they are arrogant. Paul then gets sarcastic: you are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. For I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. My Bible says that the word spectacle in Greek means theater. Paul is referring to the gladiatorial contests in the arena or perhaps to the triumphal procession of a victorious Roman general. He pictures all the world and even angels looking on while the apostles are brought in last to fight to the death. How would you like to live your life that way with everyone rooting for your failure or demise?...

  Good morning. Last time Paul said that it was no big deal if he were examined by them or anyone else, and that he was conscious of nothing against himself. It was the Lord who was to examine him. And so what should we do? Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. Ultimately, God is the one who will judge. However, as the old saying goes: we are to be fruit inspectors. Is the one ministering bearing the fruit of the Spirit? If not, then their ministry is suspect. Now these things I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. Sometimes Christians who follow certain “evangelists” think that theirs is better than others’, which ...

  Good morning. So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (not us belonging to some leader) or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God. Some ministers think that they deserve special privileges and don’t have to lift a finger. But Paul says about himself: let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. We should listen to others, because they may see something wrong in us that we do not see. However, just because they think we are doing something wrong does ...

  Good morning. Let no man deceive himself. Did you realize that you can deceive yourself? We do that all the time in the natural. We want something so badly that we come up with all kinds of reasons or excuses to justify obtaining it. “If we buy this or that, we can use it for God’s glory”. In the end though we are just deceiving ourselves. If any man among you thinks he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. Say what? Remember that in the beginning of Corinthians we were talking about the difference between the wisdom of this world and God‘s wisdom. It is foolishness to believe in the power of the cross, but that is where true wisdom lies. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness.”; and again, “the Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.“ In the book of James, he says that the wisdom of this world cannot compare to the wisdom from above...

 Good morning. Now we come to a couple of verses that are commonly misapplied. Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. Sometimes people apply these verses to an individual’s body. However, Paul has just been talking about building the church. In chapter 6 he is talking about your own personal body. My Bible says that when it says temple of God, Paul is talking about God’s church. Paul does not mean here that each of his readers is a temple of the Holy Spirit. He says, “you yourselves (plural in Greek) are God‘s temple (singular in Greek)”. All of us together are a holy temple of God. Here he is not talking about each of us individually being God‘s temple. If you ruin God’s church, He will ruin you. Father help us to always work together to build Your church, not to tear it down. Keep the Destroyer and his allies from ev...

  Good morning. All right so we have laid the correct foundation for the church – Jesus Christ; now what? Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; but the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. The one building upon the foundation chooses which materials they’re going to use to build with. Even though the foundation is solid, if the builder uses flimsy materials, the house will not stand during a storm (I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down). It may be “cheaper“ to use wood, hay, or straw; but they won’t last. Paul just said it would be tested with fire: if any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer a loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. My Bible says that that last statement is perhaps a Greek prov...

  Good morning. According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. Paul was the one that helped start the Corinthian church. He laid the foundation, which is what an apostle does. If the foundation is bad, the building won’t stand up under a storm. You remember Jesus talking about the man that built his house upon the foundation of sand. But just laying a good foundation is not enough. If the ones building upon the foundation do not do a good job, the building will also collapse. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. If you lay a foundation of good works etc. instead of Christ, the building will not stand. It will crumble at the least disturbance. Once the foundation is laid, then one must choose what type of materials to use the build the building. Of course there is a parallel with our own lives. The ...

  Good morning. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. The building of a church generally takes more than one person. Each one is important for a particular stage of the work. In the end, no matter how many or how great the people that build, the church will be nothing without God causing the growth. So then neither is the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Therefore no one can claim that it was their doing that established the church. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God‘s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building. God used several different ways of describing His church. Each way gives a different aspect of the meaning of the word church. It’s OK to expand a little bit on the interpretation of those different ways. Sometimes people will take it too far and make generalizations that really don’t exist in real life. Fa...

  Good morning. And I could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food; for you were not able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? They were still trying to operate in human wisdom, and not the wisdom of the Spirit. When you do that, your human desires get in the way of hearing from God. What jealousy, and what strife? For when one says, “I am of Paul,“ and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? They were looking to men for their teaching, not to God. Paul did not want even himself to be the one they looked to, but rather for them to look to God. What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. Sadly even today Christians look to men rather than to God for their inspiration. T...

  Good morning. The things freely given to us by God: which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. Paul did not talk about things that his human mind came up with. He only talked about things that the Spirit of God revealed to him. Why did he do that? A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. Paul was not trying to persuade them about anything from the natural point of view. Once they were born again, he could then speak to them about the things of God. Unbelievers try to reason out the things of God; but their reasonings never come up with the truth. But he who is spiritual appraisers all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. That does not mean that we...

  Good morning. In Isaiah: Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him. That sounds encouraging. Man can think of many wonderful things; but they are all temporal. For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. That would mean that you cannot know anything about them unless you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. Who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. That would mean that there would be no way that we could know about these things unless the Spirit of God revealed them to us. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. The spirit of the world seeks for things of the world; but the Spirit of God seeks for h...

  Good morning. So Paul did not preach in persuasive words of wisdom: yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature (it’s kind of like in math in that I cannot talk about calculus to those who are in Intermediate Algebra); a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God‘s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. It was a mystery in that people did not understand it; it was not a mystery because God did not hint about it in the Scriptures - for He did. God had to hide it or Jesus would never have been crucified, and we would not have salvation today. The Jewish religious leaders certainly would not have turned Him over to Pilate (they saw the messiah as the conquering king, not as the suffering servant), and the devil would have tried to preven...

  Good morning. So Paul says that he didn’t come with an arrogant attitude but: I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of man, but on the power of God. When you read Paul’s words in all of his letters, he doesn’t sound like he was in fear and in much trembling; and he even mentions that fact specifically later. He didn’t just have a bunch of pretty words; but he had words ignited by the Holy Spirit that produced salvation in the listeners, confirmed with power. My Bible says that the Greek word translated demonstration is used of producing proofs in an argument in court. I guess you could say that Paul was the Perry Mason of the gospel. Father help us to have Your words and not ours when we speak to others about salvation. Go with your people during the coming storm. Move and control it so tha...

  Good morning. So it is not by our greatness or achievement; but by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “let him who boasts, boast in the Lord“. It is all because of God’s doing, not ours. Some people use these verses to say that we have the wisdom of God through Jesus. But remember I said we would revisit an earlier verse which said “Christ the power of God and the wisdom (His dying on the cross) of God”. We do obtain God‘s righteousness and sanctification and redemption through Jesus. We have nothing to boast about. Then Paul says to the Corinthians: and when I came to you, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom (unlike some evangelists today) , proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. Others tried to wow the Corinthians with their oratory; but Paul preached the sim...

  Good morning. For consider your calling that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. That’s easy for you to say, Paul. If man were going to devise a system of religion, he would set it up so that the people that were involved in it would be intelligent, strong, rich - the cream of the crop. Then man could say that he did it; that it was his vision that created the salvation. But God says like Lee Corso on College GameDay, “not so fast“. It cannot have anything to do with you; it has to be strictly My doing. He did the impossible thing with improbable people. Now no one can boast in himself; it strictly depends on God ...

  Good morning. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom. And so if God chooses to reveal Himself in a way different from these, then they will not believe it. But we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness. To the Jews, the Messiah was supposed to remain forever (in the book of John you even had the public saying that to Jesus); and so saying that the Messiah was crucified was heresy. The whole thing sounded ridiculous to the intellectuals. Surely you had to seek God in some philosophical way, and by using your great intellect find Him. But to those who are the called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (we will refer to this last phrase again at the end of the chapter). The Jews wanted signs - Jesus rose from the dead. The Greeks wanted wisdom - God‘s wisdom had the perfect way to bring about salvation, so that it depended on Him and not man. Because the foolishness of God (simply believing in what Jesus did for ...

  Good morning. For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. It does sound foolish in the natural. How can someone dying on the cross save me, and all that is required of me is to believe that it will? Shouldn’t I have to do something to obtain salvation? “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside“. People today are trying to show off their “wisdom“ by saying they have figured out how salvation should come about. And of course it is not the way that God says it is to come about. Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Mankind through its various philosophies has concluded that it has found another way to God; in fact there are many ways. In all of these various supposed ways to God, they all depend on man’s beliefs or actions instead of solely on God’s. For since in the wi...

  Good morning. So after Paul tells them to all agree and that there be no divisions among them, He says: I have been informed concerning you by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,… and I am of Christ“. Has Christ been divided? We have that today in the church, in that people will say I am of this evangelist or of that apostle or this Pastor. And what’s worse, if you don’t agree with what my idol is saying, then you are not a good Christian. Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you except…, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. For Christ did not send me to baptize (remember that in the book of John people were saying that Jesus was baptizing, but John said that it was not Jesus, but rather His disciples that were baptizing), but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ ...

  Good morning. God is faithful (even when we are not), through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I exhort you by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree (literally, speak the same thing) and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. That’s pretty harsh, Paul. Sadly though, it can be necessary in some churches. It’s hard for any group to do much of anything unless there is agreement on most topics. This is especially true in the church. My interlinear New Testament translates the phrase that is here translated “be made complete“ as “having been joined together”. Instead of division, we are to be joined together. The only way we can do that is to be “in the same mind and have the same judgment”. Father help the church to be in agreement and that there be no divisions; instead that we be made complete, in the same mind, and in the same judgment; that we may s...

  Good morning. I think my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, so that you are not lacking any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whew, what a sentence! It is only through the grace of God that we can have or be anything of worth. Some people get all puffed up about their knowledge or about their eloquence of speech. We need to realize that we depend on Him for any speech or knowledge that is worthwhile. In chapters 12 and 14 he will be speaking specifically about their giftings in the Holy Spirit. What everyone who operates in the gifts of the Holy Spirit needs to realize is that it is a gift; it is not through some special power or ability of your own. We should be eagerly awaiting t...

  Good morning. Last time we finished the book of Romans, and today we start the book of first   Corinthians. My Bible says that in Paul’s day the city of Corinth had a population of about 250,000 free persons, plus as many as 400,000 slaves. Paul starts out like he does a lot of times listing his credentials. Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. As was the custom, he starts the letter with his name instead of having it just at the end. An apostle was a messenger, or one sent by some one or group. Paul says that he was sent by Jesus according to the will of God – he did not go out on his own. We now find out to whom he wrote this letter. To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all in every place who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. My Bible says that the term “church of God“ was only used by Paul and only in one place in Acts, here, and one...

  Good morning. For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil. There are a lot of people in the world today claiming to be wise; but their wisdom is not in what is good, but in what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. Satan is all about discord and unrest. God is all about peace. It is through His peace that we will overcome. Notice that it was under their feet – they were the ones that were going to be walking all over Satan. Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith. God only gave hints throughout the Scriptures of the ...

  Good morning. Now I urge you, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. We do have to watch out for those people. Their “doctrines“ can be insidious, and if we listen to them for very long, we will start to believe the way that they do. Remember that the Bible says elsewhere “be careful how you listen”. That’s also why you need to be careful what you listen to or read concerning the news. If you listen to or read news that is slanted, you will eventually start to believe that it is true. That’s why advertising works. For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetite; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. I’ve mentioned this type of person before who flatters pastors to get the pastors to accept them as being men or women of God. By the time their true self is revealed, it is too late – the sheep have been sheared. Father k...

  Good morning. Paul says that he’s going to Jerusalem, and that he will be taking a contribution for the poor from Macedonia to the saints in Jerusalem. This trip that he’s talking about is the one that ultimately led to him being put into prison. Now I urge you, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea (it looks like he already knew that there was going to be problems in Jerusalem), and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. He finally did make it to Rome, but it was years later, and he was in prison. That was definitely not the way he intended it to be. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. He then mentions a large number of people, some that lived in Rome, and some that might be coming to Rome. Father thank You that You ...

Good morning. What Paul reminded them of was: the grace that was given to me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. For I will not presume to speak of anything except but what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that I have fully preached (in the region) the gospel of Christ. Paul was not just full of hot air. There were signs and wonders that accompanied his preaching. God was putting His stamp of approval on the words. And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation. Paul went where no other one would go. Father help there to be great weath...

  Good morning. Therefore - remember that when you see the word therefore, check to see what it is there for. In order for us to be of the same mind, with one accord, and with one voice, we need to: accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. Christ accepted us despite all of our faults and failures; and so we should accept our fellow believers despite their faults and failures. I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy. God promised the Jews through Abraham, and so Christ came for them to confirm that promise. They had a “right“ to that promise, being Jews. The Gentiles did not deserve anything but death and destruction; but God wanted to show us mercy, so He sent Christ to die for us also. Father help this to be a super week for the reader coming up. Show him/her how to find true happiness.

  Good morning. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It would take a lot of perseverance and encouragement for believers to be of the same mind. Otherwise, we would give up and not even try. Being of the same mind does not necessarily mean that you will all believe exactly the same. The motivational force behind our thinking, though, will be the same. We will want the same results, though we may use different means to get there. Why do we want to be of one mind? So like an orchestra playing in tune with one another, we will show forth the glory of our God and Father. You cannot have the members of an orchestra all playing the way they want to instead of the way the conductor wants. Father thank You that we can all blend together in harmony. Then the world will truly know that we are one w...

  Good morning. Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Yeah, right! I can see that happening. If we love our neighbors as ourselves… Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. We have our great example: for even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me “. If Christ, knowing that that would happen to Him came to do the will of the Father anyway, shouldn’t we take His name with us into the world, knowing that those reproaches will fall on us? In the following, Paul is talking about the old testament. Whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. We should do the same thing. Mostly we would read the New Testament, but we can even get some guidance from the old. We can see what hard times the early church went th...

   Good morning. So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another. That is so the opposite of what a lot of Christians do. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food (or anything else). All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. Again this applies to all areas not just food which he is talking about. Still we don’t necessarily give up things just because another Christian thinks they’re wrong. It is good not eat meat (that might have been sacrificed to idols though not known for sure. They only burned part of the animal; the rest was sold in the meat market) or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin. So if you’re not su...

  Good morning. Do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil. Remember back in Matthew 6:33; but seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. I said that the Greek word that was translated “and” between His kingdom and His righteousness, in that case should’ve been translated either namely or even. That is, it should have been translated seek first His kingdom even/namely His righteousness and all these things will be added to you. When you translate it as “and“, it makes it sound like two different things – His kingdom and His righteousness instead of two different ways of talking about the same thing. Notice that it says His righteousness. Paul writes different times about the Jews seeking to establish their own righteousness. This next verse in Romans helps to confirm that His righteousness is synonymous with His kingdom. For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking (yesterday we talked about the Jews being concern...

  Good morning. To the Jews there were a lot of things that were considered unclean. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. He is talking about food here; but it could apply to other things for Christians. In today’s world, there are some things that are in a gray area – are they OK, or are they sin? There are some things that come to mind, but I’m not going to mention them because I don’t want to get your dander up 🤗 . If you think they are wrong, then it is wrong for you to do them. Then there are some things that you believe they are OK to do, but if a fellow Christian sees or knows that you do them, they might take offense, because they believe they are wrong. For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died. Again we are not talking about food here, but rather those things whic...

  Good morning. But you, why do you judge your brother? And you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. Take care of your own little red wagon. When someone feels inadequate, he/she always looks down on others and puts them down, hoping to lift themselves up. As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. We always compare ourselves to someone who is “less than“ we are. We wouldn’t dare to compare ourselves to God. So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God. So you better watch out you better not cry you better not pout I’m telling you why; God is watching you each day. Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this – not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way. The stumbling block was the part of a trap that held the bait. It would be the person through whom the temptation came. He/she is the one who ...

  Good morning. Then Paul goes through a bunch of verses about eating versus not eating, but you can actually apply it to just about any topic that Christians have different opinions about. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats, for God has accepted him. Again pick a topic about which Christians have opposing views. This applies in most cases. There are certain topics though in which there is only one way, and that is the Bible way. A few verses later Paul writes: for not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord, therefore whether we live or die we are the Lord’s. That is an excellent attitude to have in life. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead, and of the living. He was the epitome of someone living and dying for others. Father help us to view othe...

  Good morning. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in .... Remember that most of the bad stuff goes on at night. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. It’s almost like a mission impossible episode where people cannot tell that it is Tom Cruise; instead they think he’s really that bad guy.  When people look at you, they’re not supposed to see you, but rather Jesus. This does not mean that we’re pretending that we are Jesus. The transformation that takes place inside of us is supposed to come forth in our lives, and we are supposed to behave just like Jesus would if we really were He. Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. It is too easy to look down on others who do not believe the way we do, and in fact come up short (at least in our opinion). One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only – vegan! There were ma...