Love

In 1 Cor 13:1-2, Paul is talking about a subject that I love to talk about.  Paul brings out three truths from this portion.  1.  Without love a person produces nothing of real value.  You can actually go through life and produce nothing of real value and this should never happen.  2. You can recieve nothing of real value.  This life has so much to offer but anything from this world will fade away.  Real things of value come from God and must be tempered by His love.  3.  You are of no real value.  To really count you must let your life by shadowed by God's love and power.  You are of real value when you walk in God's love and let it flow through you.  Your promises today are:  1 John 4:7-8, 1 Cor 13, John 3:16 and John 3:17.  Your Insightful Sayings are:  Beauty is wonderful on the first view but not always when the makeup has not been applied.  Those that are wisest in love are those that speak with deeds and not words.

Many yet one

In 1 Cor 12:4, we learn there are different gifts and ministries, yet it is the Spirit of God who does the giving snd the administration of these gifts and ministries.  God works through mankind by the Spirit.  Each person is unique and so is their ministry.  One time there was a person who was very unhappy with what they were doing in the church.  They began to envy the position of another.  This grew into jealousy and over time they withdrew into themselves.  One day the pastor went over to see this person.  He asked why their countenance had soured over the past few months.  When it was revealed that this person had become jealous and envious, the pastor lovingly showed them that the profile of the ministry is not the important factor.  What is important is that you are doing what God wants you to do.  After careful instruction the person began to realize that what they were doing was important.  They repented and everything turned out fine.  Today realize that God will give you a ministry that is unique to your particular gifts and qualities.  Your Bible promises are:  Isaiah 55:7, Matt 6:14-15, Natt 11:25-26, Rom 12:14, Col 3:12-13 and Luke 17:3.  Your Insightful Sayings are:  Lies always die in the face of truth.  Never believe a rumor about anyone until you have talk to the person and verified it or not.

What is Communion

In 1 Cor 11:23-32, Paul deals with the subject of communion.  Communion is such a special time for me.  It brings to me the cenrtal message of the gospel.  It represents what Jesus did on the cross.  He died for our sins.  He allowed His body to be broken and He shed His blood for us.  He rose from the dead to break the power of sin over mankind.  Through the act of communion we remember His death.  This will be done until He comes again.  Paul says we have a new covenant through His blood.  Paul states that both Jew and Gentile can stand before God as equals because of Christ.  This covenant is greater than the old covenant.  It was wrought through the death of one man and it is for all men.  Let us remember Christ's death, in a very special way.  Your promises today are:  2 Sam 22:31, Job 13:15, Psalm 25:2, 40:2, 115:9-11, Prov 3:5-6, 1 Thess 2:4.  Your Insightful Sayings are:  Be careful to watch your words they have a habit of returning to haunt you.

Personal Freedom

In 1 Cor 8:9, Paul talks about our Christian freedom.  1 Corinthians tells us, that as Christians we have great freedom.  We have freedom from sin, sickness and death.  We have freedom to serve Him as long as it lines up with God's word.  We have the freedom of choice of directing our lives under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Much of what we do according to our conscience and what is revealed to our conscience is through the Holy Spirit.  To one Christian one thing is wrong but to another that thing may be perfectly acceptable.  Coming from the Holiness movement our fellowship has a real problem with certain social issues.  Many of these issues are more personal choice than biblical standards.  I choose as a Christian to not do certain things because of what is known as the stumbling block principle.  This principle is primarily about not causing another Christian to stumble in their faith because of something we believe or do.  We are our brother's keeper.  Our lifestyle has much to say about us and our relationship with God.  If something we are doing is going to cause another's faith to waver we should not engage in that practice or belief in their presence.  Everyone is accountable for their own actions but whether we realize or not what we do does affect others.  Now as I close today, I do not want you to live under condemnation with this truth but use t as a guideline to success.  Your pomises are:  Rom 12:1-2, James 4:7, 1 John 4:4, Rev 12:11.  Your Insightful Sayings are:  Communication is the key to strong relationships and marriages.  So keep your messages clear and simple.  Words have the power to heal or destroy so choose your words well.

 

Marriage

In 1 Cor 7:1-16, Paul gives some very powerful teachings on a good marriage.  Marriage is like a good car, you have to work at it to keep it going at top performance.   You have to oil your marriage with God's love to keep the friction under control.  You have to put the gas of faith and trust to keep the marriage running.  Marriage is 100% commitment.  The husband has to give 100% to his wife as does the woman to her husband.  The bible states that the husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church.  Christ gave His life for the church.  Are you willing to do the same for your wife?  It is marvelous to see how God can work out any problem in a mariage if He is given the chance.  Marriage today is looked at as a thing, that if it doesn't work the first time you can always try again.  God does not view marriage that way,  He looks at it as a life time commitment.  When a person goes into marriage, they must take this into consideration.  Paul wants all marriages to be happy and if we follow God's ways they can be. 

Heal to deal with relationships.

In 1 Cor 5:1-5, Paul presents an interesting subject here.  This is called dealing with an immoral brother in the Lord.  Paul brings this out for us to think about because many are doing their own thing even though they know what God expects.  Paul says we are not even to eat with that person.  Have nothing to do with them is what Paul's says.  Jesus Himself dealt with this question.  Jesus said that if we have something against another believer we are to talk with them first.  Then if they do not hear us, we are to take another with us.  If they still do not hear us, then we are to take the matter before the church.  If they still do not hear us or repent we are to expose them to the church.  It is at this point that we have nothing to do with them.  Church discipline is important but let us never get out of step with God's plan.  Let us not run ahead and get hasty to discipline someome and also let us not be so slow and slack that no one is ever dealt with when it comes to sin.  We must also remember that everything we do is based in love.  One person said that Christians seem to be the only ones to shoot their wounded.  Today make every effort to heal that broken relationship or restore the fallen.  Your promises today are:  Psalm 107:20, Isaiah 41:10, Jer 15:21, Joel 2:20 and John 8:32.  Your Insightful Sayings are:  A man once told me that if he ever doubted the existence of God all he did was look around and that doubt disappeared.  When a person denies the existence of God, they are denying the one who gives them breath.  Gen 2:7, God man man and then breathes into him the breath of life and man became a living soul.

Built on Wisdom

In 1 Cor 2:1-5, We find that it was Paul's desire that the gospel not be built upon the wisdom of man.  There is wisdom in this world that is called human or natural wisdom.  This is brought about by learning, experience, intelligence and common sense.  Paul says that his message didn't come from this type of wisdom.  It came and rested on the power of God.  Paul was bringing to the Corinthians a message backed up by the power of God.  God Himself had sent Paul and God was going to back up this call.  With God for us who can be against us.  It wasn't with superior skills or great wisdom that Paul won people to Christ.  He won them through the love and power of God.  Paul told people that God through Christ could set them free from sin  Paul told them that Christ could heal and that is what happened.  God backed Paul all the way.  People are looking for something that is real.  They have had enough of human wisdom.  I saw a T.V. special about the Beatles one time.  They had gone to a great guru in India and when they found out he was a fake they became even more disillusioned.  Man has had enough of human wisdom, they want something that is real.  That only comes through Jesus Christ.  The gospel must rest on the power of God.  Remember God is standing behind you when you present the gospel.  So present it with confidence.  Your promises today are.  John 3:16, 2 Cor 5:17, 1John 1:9, James 4:7 1 John 4:4.  Your Insightful Sayings are:  Listen to the nudging within your heart, it is voice that will save you from a multitude of problems.  Battles are won and lost before we get into them when we walk defeated or believe we will lose.