Armed Forces Day

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Armed Forces Day was established in 1949, as a day to thank the men and women in the military for their service in keeping our country strong and free. On this day, we recognize all the branches of the military: Air Force, Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard — every person in uniform.

I saw a poster for Armed Forces Day and it said, “Keeping America Strong and Secure: United in Purpose — Steadfast in Service.” When I read it, I thought of Paul’s words to the church in Corinth — be steadfast.

In this verse, the word steadfast means “firm, immovable.” Webster’s Dictionary defines steadfast as “firmly fixed in place” or “firm in belief, determination, or adherence.”

Having served with the United States Marines Corps in the Vietnam War, I can personally tell you our military is steadfast in their service to and protection of the United States. Look at the men and women serving today. They are all volunteers. They have chosen to stand on the front lines and protect this country.

Paul told Christians to be steadfast, immovable, because their labor was not in vain. I say the same thing to the brave men and women serving in our armed forces. Be steadfast and immovable for you do not serve in vain. We love and appreciate your sacrifice and service. Semper Fi!

Take courage. We walk in the wilderness today and in the Promised Land tomorrow.
-D. L. Moody-

Hearts Revealed

Therefore let no one despise him. But send him on his journey in peace, that he may come to me; for I am waiting for him with the brethren.

1 Corinthians 16:11

This verse makes me think of what Paul told Timothy in his first letter, Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity (1 Timothy 4:12). Timothy was getting bummed out, because the people thought he was too young to minister to them and Paul wrote to encourage him. He told Timothy to be an example and let them see his love for them and his faith in the Lord.

In this verse, Paul was exhorting the people of Corinth. He was telling them, “Do not strive with him or make him feel inferior. Let him be freely used by God.” He prepared Timothy and the people. God wanted to use Timothy and the people needed to be open to whatever God wanted to do.

Paul was giving great advice concerning service to the Lord. No one should ever despise one of God’s messengers. We should receive and send God’s ministers on their journeys in peace. It is God who raises up and sets down. It is not up to us to decide who God is going to use.

Then, Paul said he was waiting with the brethren for Timothy to come. Timothy served with Paul in the ministry. He was a great comfort and encouragement to Paul. They were of the same heart and mind.

God is going to use people who have the heart and mind to serve Him. He is not looking at your age. He is looking at your heart. Only God can truly see the heart of man, so we must look at people with open hearts and open minds. Do not judge by the outward man. Look at their hearts. They will be revealed by their fruit.

Our Lord never thought of a relationship to Him that does not issue fruitfulness for Him.
-Vance Havner-

Humble Teachers

And if Timothy comes, see that he may be with you without fear; for he does the work of the Lord, as I also do.

1 Corinthians 16:10

In this last chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul talked about stewardship. First, he talked about financial stewardship — giving money for the work of the Lord. Second, he addressed being a good steward of the opportunities and open doors God gives to each one of us. In verse 10, Paul spoke about stewardship with people.

How can we be stewards of people? Well, look at what Paul said about Timothy. Paul was like a father to young Timothy. When Timothy had a heart to serve the Lord, Paul took him under his wing and taught him. Paul did not just teach Timothy and send him out. He sent him letters of encouragement. Paul knew he would not live forever and he sought to raise up the next generation for the work of the ministry.

All Paul did with Timothy, Titus and many other young men and women was being a good steward with the people God brought to minister with him. Paul was not trying to be a superstar. He did not want everyone to remember him and the great work he was doing. He was humble; he knew everything God allowed him to do was of the Lord, not of Paul.

Because Paul was not prideful, trying to hang onto a position or a title, he sought out men and women who had hearts for the Lord and trained them. Part of training them up and sending them out was watching out for them on their journeys. As Paul went to the different cities, he would tell them Timothy was coming, to treat him right. He always paved the way for the ministry to move forward.

If we want to serve the Lord, we have to be humble servants, training up those around us, for the next generation of the church.

Those whom God will employ are first struck with a sense of their unworthiness to be employed.
-Matthew Henry-

Opportunities & Opposition

But I will tarry in Ephesus until Pentecost. For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

1 Corinthians 16:8-9

Paul wanted to visit with the Corinthians, but he was going to stay in Ephesus until Pentecost. God had opened a great and effective door. He was given an opportunity to minister and he did not want to miss it.

With this great and effective door God opened came many adversaries. God had provided great opportunity for Paul to minister in Ephesus, but there was great opposition in the opportunity.

There may be many times when God will open great doors for us to minister and it will not be easy. You may face many adversaries. There may be people or situations in opposition to what God is calling you to do.

It is important to remember, just because God is opening a door, does not mean it will be easy or without obstacles. Many times, when God opens a door, the enemy comes in like a flood to stop the work of God. When it gets too hard to walk in the will of God, do we quit? Do we say, “It cannot be God’s will,” because it is not easy?

When I look at the life of Paul, I can honestly say, “No way!” When God calls you and anoints you, there will be many adversaries, but we have to put our trust in the Lord and keep moving forward. We never give in or retreat.

Paul had a great opportunity to minister in Ephesus, and he was willing to face the adversaries, because his trust was in the Lord. I pray you and I would have such desire to serve the Lord in the face of opposition.

By suffering God’s will, we learn to do God’s will.
-Thomas Case-

Israel’s Independence Day

“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis 12: 2-3

In verse 1 of this chapter, it says, Now the Lord had said to Abram. God was speaking to Abram. This was before God changed his name to Abraham, which means “father of a multitude.” The Lord sent Abram out from his father’s land, in order to establish the nation of Israel.

When God sent him out, He gave him the promise we see in these two verses. God told Abram He would make him a great nation, He would bless Abram and He would make his name great. Abram left with three great promises from the Lord. He had faith in the promises of the Lord.

Later, in verse 7, the Lord spoke to Abram again: Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

The nation of Israel has gone through many trials, ever since the time of Abraham. Their journey has not been without great trials and tremendous persecution, but in the midst of all their enemies, they have held onto the promises of God.

At the very birth of the nation of Israel, God told His people He would bless them. Even when they were unfaithful, and followed after false gods, the God of Israel was faithful to them. We celebrate God’s faithfulness today, as we acknowledge the nation of Israel.

God’s promises are like the stars; the darker the night the brighter they shine.
-David Nicholas-

If the Lord Permits

For I do not wish to see you now on the way; but I hope to stay a while with you, if the Lord permits.

1 Corinthians 16:7

Paul had a great desire to spend time with the Christians in Corinth. He did not want to make it a quick visit, as he was passing through. He wanted to stay with them for a while, for a time of fellowship. Paul desired to stay in Corinth, but look at what he said, if the Lord permits.

Notice the word if. Paul was constantly seeking the will of God. This is an important lesson for each one of us, individually. Every day, we have to say, “If this is God’s will, then I want to do it. It is up to the Lord. I do not want to be out of God’s perfect will.”

Seeking to walk in God’s perfect will is very important. I want to make sure the Lord has me in the perfect place, at the perfect time, for the perfect situation, and then I will have no regrets in my life. In God’s perfect will, there are no regrets.

I love when God changes my plans for the day. When God puts new opportunities in my path, it is exciting to see what He is going to do. We have to remember God’s plans will always be better than our plans. His ways will keep us on the right track.

When we seek to walk in the will of God, we will have clean hands before God and before man. People can point their fingers but none of their accusations will stick. That is what it means to have clean hands — we are blameless before God and man.

As Christians, if we truly want to be in the perfect will of God, we have to seek Him every day, in everything we do. Whenever we make plans, we must always say, if the Lord permits.

The sin of the world is not that it does not do the will of God but that it does not choose the will of God.
-Arthur C. Custance-

Mother’s Day

“Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be a deceiver to him; and I shall bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.” But his mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, get them for me.”

Genesis 27:12-13

In Genesis 27, we have the story of Isaac’s blessing on his son, Jacob. Isaac intended to bless Esau, his firstborn son, but because of deception, Jacob received the blessing from Isaac.

How did this happen? Jacob was favored by his mother, Rebekah, and Esau, being the firstborn, was favored by his father, Isaac. This is where the problem began — parents playing favorites with their children.

In Isaac”s old age, he called Esau in and told him to go out and hunt some wild game to prepare for him. Then, Isaac would eat the food he loved and bless Esau before he died.

What Isaac and Esau did not know was that Rebekah was listening and called to Jacob. She sent him out to take two goats from the flock, so she could prepare the food for Jacob. She sent Jacob in with the food, disguised as Esau, so he could get the blessing from Isaac. Jacob was not sure it was such a good idea, so he tried to talk his mother out of this scheme, but she convinced him to do it instead.

Mothers and fathers — think of the influence you have on your children. Are you teaching them to be godly men and women or are you creating schemers? We have such a great responsibility to raise our children in the ways of the Lord, do not neglect what God has called you to do.

Men are what their mothers made them.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

Stewards of Opportunities

Now I will come to you when I pass through Macedonia (for I am passing through Macedonia). And it may be that I will remain, or even spend the winter with you, that you may send me on my journey, wherever I go.

1 Corinthians 16:5-6

Notice Paul’s heart for the people. He wanted to spend time with the Corinthians, not to get something from them but for him to give to them. He was always looking for opportunities to give of himself to the people. He had a heart to see to their spiritual well-being, and he took every opportunity God provided to minister to them.

We have to look at our stewardship of the opportunities God gives to each one of us. Are we responsible with the opportunities or do we waste them and throw them away? How many opportunities has God given to you?

Remember, if you are not faithful in the small things, then God will not open the bigger doors. How can He open greater doors and provide bigger opportunities, if you are not faithful in the smaller opportunities? Think about it. Why would He trust you with something greater if you are not faithful with something small?

Many times in ministry, I hear people say, “Well, God is not using my life. God is not opening doors.” Well, you better look within before you look outside. Why is God not using you? Why are the doors closing or have closed in your life? What kind of a steward are you when the doors are open? Are you really being faithful?

I ask these questions not only to the people working full-time in the ministry. I ask them to every Christian. Are you really being faithful? Are you excited about the open doors God gives you, or are you unhappy, because they are not what you want? Seek the opportunities God has for you, not what you want; what He wants. Then you will be blessed.

The reason some people don’t recognize opportunity is that it usually comes disguised as hard work.
-Author Unknown-

Appearance of Evil

And when I come, whomever you approve by your letters I will send to bear your gift to Jerusalem. But if it is fitting that I go also, they will go with me.

1 Corinthians 16:3-4

Paul has continued in his request for an offering for the church in Jerusalem. He knew the people in the churches could help those who were in need, and the churches would be unified with the church in Jerusalem. They would be operating as the body of Christ.

There was just one important issue with the offering. Paul did not want to take the money to the church in Jerusalem. He was not unwilling to go to Jerusalem or to carry the money. He had many enemies and he did not want to provide them with weapons to use against him, to disqualify him.

If people thought he was taking the money for himself, it would cause a scandal and people would no longer trust him. Paul was not doing anything wrong, but there could be no appearance of evil. Paul could not allow even the appearance of wrong doings or the ministry could be lost.

We all have to follow the example Paul has set for us. Even in our courts of law, a man is innocent until proven guilty, right? How many times have you seen something on television and said, “That man is guilty. Why do we have to have a trial? He is obviously guilty?”

That is what can happen to any one of us. We can be tried and convicted in the court of opinion. We may be innocent but, because of appearances, we are found guilty. It is not enough to be innocent. We have to be sure we do not allow any appearance of evil in our lives.

Write nothing, say nothing, think nothing that you cannot believe to be true before God.
-Joseph Joubert-

Clean Hands, Pure Heart

On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

1 Corinthians 16:2

Yesterday, we looked at the three points Paul made about tithing. Put something aside on the first day of the week, according to what we have. God is not asking us to give more than we can. He loves a cheerful and hilarious giver, not someone who gives grudgingly.

Paul made some very important points at the beginning of this verse, but now we need to look at how he closed the verse. Notice how Paul wanted to stay away from money, so he would not get accused of being a beggar. He did not want to have money issues when he came to them, so he had them take a collection before he came, not while he was there.

The church really needs to listen to what Paul was saying, because there is too much emphasis on money, today, instead of on God’s Word. It is sad. It is sad to see, because money issues have always separated the church and brought many problems.

At Calvary, we have learned so many amazing lessons from Pastor Chuck, about trusting in the Lord. He taught us where God guides, God provides. He taught us about really believing and trusting in God. He is in control of our finances. If God does not want us to continue forward; He will close the doors, but do not ever become a beggar for bread.

There was a great need in Jerusalem. The people were poor and Paul wanted to help provide, but he wanted to keep clean hands before the Lord. He asked the people to give what they could, so someone else could deliver it to Jerusalem.

I pray we would all have the same heart as Paul, to have hearts for the people, while trusting and waiting upon the Lord.

If you would have the life holy before men, let the heart be pure before God.
-Thomas Manton-

Heart of Giving

On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

1 Corinthians 16:2

Paul revealed a number of things in this verse. First, he told them, On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside. The first day of the week is Sunday. This would indicate the church met on Sundays and no longer on Saturday. This seems like a minor thing, but there are those who would argue the Sabbath. In Paul’s own writings, we see the church met on the first day of the week, Sunday.

Second, Paul told them to lay something aside. Notice, he did not tell them to lay ten percent aside. This is important. I do not think God wants us to lay aside 10%, 20% or 30%. I think you have to give your best to the Lord. If you do not give your best to the Lord, then how can He honor your finances?

The third point Paul made emphasized, was how we should give; storing up as he may prosper. God is not asking for everything or to give until we have nothing. He tells us to give proportionately to how much we have, as he may prosper. That way, we can be hilarious givers and not give grudgingly.

You cannot ever out give God. He owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Psalm 50:10). He is not in need. I think 10% is cool, but remember what Jesus said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35).

It is cool to look back at the early church. They came together every Sunday, the first day of the week, for church, to worship the Lord and give of themselves financially. It is so important to recognize tithing was commanded in the Word of God. It is a form of worship to the Lord, so give as the Lord lays it upon your heart, individually.

God demands the tithe, deserves the offerings, defends the savings and directs the expenses.
-Stephen Olford-

Blameless

Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also:

1 Corinthians 16:1

Paul began 1 Corinthians 16 making sure we understand the word stewardship, which means “the management of a household or of household affairs.” For Christians, a steward is one entrusted by God to manage His household affairs. God trusts you to responsibly manage whatever He gives you.

Many times, when you are in the ministry, you tend to forget it is not your ministry. It is His ministry; we are just the house managers, so we need to treat everything given to us by the Lord with good stewardship. We have to make sure we are using it to its full value, and not taking advantage of what is given to each one of us.

If we are faithful in our stewardship to God, we provide for those in need. Paul was concerned for the church in Jerusalem, so he asked the churches to take up a collection for the believers in Jerusalem. They were poor and struggling. They had nothing and so Paul wanted to be blameless. He did not ask for money for himself, but for those struggling in Jerusalem.

In remaining blameless, Paul did not ask them to give him money for the saints, but to take up a collection. He never took the money. He always had someone else take the money to Jerusalem. This way, no one could accuse him of taking money from them.

I think it was really wise of Paul to keep his hands clean. Think of how many people are in trouble today, financially, not just in the ministry but in business, because they do not have accountability. As Christians, no matter what we do, we must have accountability, so we can have clean hands before the Lord and before man. No accusation should stick to us.

The Christian must recognize that these are no degrees in right and wrong.
-Donald Grey Barnhouse-

God’s Provision

But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Matthew 6:6

Jesus was teaching the multitude many important lessons in Chapters 5 and 6 of Matthew, and this is one lesson we all need to learn. He was not teaching; do not pray in public or with others. He was teaching the people to bring their needs before the Lord in secret. Why? He will provide.

When you go to somebody and tell them your need, and they give you what you need, the Lord is not providing. Do not say, “Thank you God.” Thank the person you told, who provided for your needs.

I know when the Lord provides my needs, because I have been praying and asking God, not other people. Then, God speaks to a person or opens the door and God provides for me. I can give God thanks for the provision, because I asked in secret. That is the way it works.

Many people say, “Oh, look what God did for me,” when it was not the Lord, it was people. One day, an evangelist came to a church and asked for black shoes, size 9E, and a man gave him the shoes. He went up to the pastor and said, “Look how God provides,” and the pastor said, “God did not provide. Thank the person who gave you the shoes.”

It is real important not to tell people your needs. God is in control and knows your needs. You need to pray and wait upon God to do whatever He wants to do in your life. We do not have to bring our petitions before man. Put your trust in the Lord, not man.

Prayer is the key to heaven’s treasures.
-John Gerhard-

Glorious Suffering

Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

2 Corinthians 12:10

I can just imagine how Paul must have felt when he had the little thorn in his flesh. He asked the Lord to remove it three times, but God would not remove it, and He told Paul not to ask again. God said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Think about that.

I think many have thorns in their flesh and God is allowing those thorns, so He can be glorified. Cancer, headaches, stress, whatever you have; remember, God is in control. He has you where He wants you; otherwise, you would not be going through things.

I really believe, if you do not suffer then you really never know God’s will for your life, and you will never know God intimately. I know this personally. I never knew about suffering, so I thought people were babies when they said they were suffering. Then, when I suffered, I began to understand and I repented before God, because I had no compassion.

God uses problems, situations and suffering to open our eyes, but more importantly to open our hearts, so we can really trust in Him. Remember, we are here temporarily, not permanently. No matter what happens, if I get in a car accident or get sick, God is in control. God is allowing this for His purpose and His glory. Christ is our greatest example of suffering and being in the heart of God’s will. I follow Him.

Calvary is God’s great proof that suffering in the will of God always leads to glory.
-Warren Wiersbe-

Spiritually Blind

and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:4

We know Christ was buried in the tomb, but there were many things happening as Jesus Christ went to the cross, was put in the tomb and resurrected. There was so much going on around Him but the people could not see it.

The last words Christ said were, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit,’ “ (Luke 23:46), and He departed. When He departed, He went down to hell, Abraham’s bosom, and the saints who had died before Christ had been waiting for a long, long time to be resurrected. When Jesus showed up, they all packed up and ascended to heaven. Abraham’s bosom departed and hell became one great cavern.

When Christ died on the cross, the veil in the Temple, which separated the Holiest of Holies from the people, was torn in two, from top to bottom and there was an earthquake (Matthew 27:51). The saints’ graves were opened and their bodies raised from the dead (Matthew 27:53).

All of these things were happening at the time of Christ’s death and His burial in the tomb, but the people were blind. There were some centurions at the cross who recognized who Christ was at these signs (Matthew 27:54), but most were blind. One thief gave his life to Christ and went to heaven. The other was blind and went to hell.

There are signs of Christ’s coming all around us. Are you blind to the signs or are you anxiously awaiting His return?

A blind eye is worse than a lame foot.
-Thomas Watson-

Last Day or Hour

let not your heart be troubled if you believe in Me believe also that I am going to prepare a place for you and if I go, I am coming back to receive you unto myself. So where I am, you also will be with me.

John 14:1-5

Jesus’ teaching in John refers to the Rapture of the Church. We are going to be in the presence of the Lord. He is coming back in the clouds, between earth and heaven, at the Rapture. We are going to be caught up to the clouds to be with the Lord.

What is the Rapture? The word Rapture is harpazo in the Greek and it means “a snatching away.” It is found in Paul’s first letter to the church in Thessalonica, Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

There are many who do not believe in the Rapture. They say it is a myth and we are stretching the Scriptures. However, you will find mention of the Rapture in 1 Corinthians 15:50-58; Philippians 3:20- 21, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Hebrews 10:36-39, 1 John 3:2- 3 and Revelation 4: 1. You have to understand; there is a generation that is not going to die. They will be taken away in a twinkling of an eye.

In Matthew 24:36, Jesus said, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”‘ This means we have to be ready every day and every hour for the Lord to take us home. Are you ready for your last day and hour?

It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our last day.
-Matthew Henry-

National Day of Prayer

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Luke 6:12

On this day, we are called to come together in prayer; praying for our families, friends, government, military, churches and whatever the Lord puts on your heart. Think about that. This one day has been set aside for prayer.

I think it is important we understand; prayer is necessary every single day of our lives. We cannot commit a single day of the year to pray. We are followers of Jesus Christ, who continued all night in prayer to God. In everything He did, He went before the Father in prayer.

As a nation, it is great to come together in corporate prayer. It is important to come together as the body of Christ and lift our praise and petitions to the Lord, but it cannot stop there.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In the beginning, He was. Before the creation of the world, He was with the Father, and yet, He was compelled to continue in prayer all night to the Father. Think about that.

When we look at the world around us, we see the church has no voice. We are no longer salt and light to a dying world. We have become ineffective. On this National Day of Prayer, I pray Christian brothers and sisters around the world would commit to continue in prayer day and night. I pray we would no longer compromise God’s Word or be silent. Make that your commitment on this day of prayer.

All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing
-Edmund Burke-

Powered by Prayer

Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray.

Luke 9:28

I was listening to a study by Dr. Alan Redpath and he told a great story about prayer. Back in the 60’s, he met with Dr. A. W. Tozer. Dr. Redpath called Dr. Tozer and told him he wanted to get together with him to talk while they were both in Chicago. Dr. Tozer told Dr. Redpath to meet him down at the Great Lakes at 5:00 in the morning, so they could talk. When Dr. Redpath got to the lake Dr. Tozer was on his face at 5:00 in the morning praying. He prayed from 5:00 AM to 8:00 AM every day.

Dr. Redpath went on to say, “Jesus, Himself, went to pray early in the morning.” Jesus prayed at night too, but His strength, His wisdom and His power was given to Him early in the morning during His time spent with the Father. Dr. Tozer was following the example of Christ, just as we should follow His example.

Many times we have no power, because we have not spent time with God. Do not expect to have power from God. Do not expect to have wisdom and knowledge from God, unless you spend time with God. That is the bottom line.

You have to make time for God more than anything else. God has to be first. If He is not first, people will recognize it, because it will be reflected by how you live your life.

Our prayers are only as powerful as our lives. In the long pull we pray only as well as we live.
-A. W. Tozer-

Indulge the Flesh

And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.”

Acts 17:32

When we look at the city of Corinth, we have to remember, it was a Greek city, and the Greeks did not believe in the resurrection from the dead. They believed in many gods, not the one, true, living God. When Paul went to Athens, he preached and declared to them Christ’s resurrection. Some of his listeners mocked him and others were open to hear his reasoning. For those who would listen, he wrote I Corinthians 15.

This chapter is, literally, a seminary course. Paul gave one of the greatest exegeses on the resurrection from the dead. You cannot walk away from Chapter 15 and believe the resurrection is not real. While Paul was speaking about the resurrection, he also spoke of the Rapture of the church. It is amazing how he tied it all together.

Most Greek philosophers considered the human body a prison; and they welcomed death as deliverance from bondage, so they really did not care what they did with their bodies. That is why sexual encounters were common in Athens; to them it was not sin. It was the City of Pleasure. It was the place to go and enjoy your flesh, because the flesh is nothing.

Think about this philosophy. We see it in Las Vegas, Nevada — Sin City. It is our modern day Athens, where people go to indulge their flesh. They have the same philosophy as the ancient Greek philosophers. It is the great deception of Satan, but like Paul, we must fight this deception with the truth of God’s Word and the resurrection of Christ.

In the last analysis, we sin not because we have to but because we want to.
-Henry Jacobson-

Accept or Reject

Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,

1 Corinthians 15:1

Look at the emphasis Paul put on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is very important. Paul recognized he had nothing to offer of any worth other than the Gospel. Notice the three actions in this verse: preached, received and stand. Make a note of these three actions regarding the Gospel.

Paul preached the Gospel to the people of Corinth. When the Gospel is preached, it is received or rejected by the people. There is no in between. If you do not receive it, you are rejecting it. Sometimes, when you share the Gospel, people do not accept right away, but the seeds have been planted and they may receive it later.

Then, once we receive the Gospel, we stand firm, by faith, in Jesus Christ. We are immovable; nobody can move us from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we have truly been born again of the Holy Spirit; we cannot be moved. There is no possible way.

What happens if we reject the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ? We are movable and we have nothing to stand on, so we fall. We fall because of sin. Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ is strong enough to stand on and keep us from falling in sin. Nothing else has the power to save us from our sinful nature — only the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel reminds all men of an inescapable personal destiny in eternity, based on a conclusive decision in time.
-Carl F. H. Henry-

Hold Fast

by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you — unless you believed in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:2

The Gospel brought salvation. Without the Gospel, there is no salvation. Why? The Gospel is about Jesus Christ, Christ Himself. Through Christ, coming, dying and resurrecting, we have this hope of eternal life. Because of what He has done and what He is doing even at this very moment, we have the hope of eternal life with God. It is incredible how the Gospel works.

Listen to what Paul said, this is pretty cool. You are saved if you hold fast to the Gospel, unless you believed without cause — without success. That is what the word vain means in the Greek.

Paul was not only encouraging the church in Corinth to continue in the faith, but also warning them not to fall away. Notice what he was saying. If you continue, you are going to be safe; but if you do not continue, you are going to be in deep trouble.

I like the way Paul said it, hold fast that word which I preached to you. He was telling them to keep a firm grip on the good news he gave to them. Paul knew they had all kinds of weird beliefs, but he was giving them the real, genuine belief in Jesus Christ. He did not want them to forget or fall back into their false gods.

We have to keep the Gospel of Jesus Christ before us at all times, so we do not get fooled by the many false doctrines introduced every day. If we know God’s Word and we hold fast, we will not fall away.

The Gospel is neither a discussion nor a debate. It is an announcement.
–Paul S. Reese-

Witness to Others

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:3

Paul gave to the church the Good news of Jesus Christ and the hope of salvation, which was given to him first. When? On the road to Damascus, when he saw Jesus.

That is a good way to witness to others. “See, I am giving it to you, because they gave it to me.” It is passing down the Gospel of Jesus Christ from person to person, generation to generation.

Paul did not bring up his personal experience without backing up his words with the Word of God. Look at what he said, that which I received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Paul brought them back to the Scriptures. He pointed out his sources. It was not his opinion. It was based upon the Word of God.

That is a real important point. You have to use God’s Words when you speak. You have to know your doctrine. If you do not know God’s Word and His doctrines, you will be deceived. People will come to you from the Mormon Church or the Jehovah Witnesses and you will believe them. They come with their doctrine, and if you do not know the truth, then how can you defend the Gospel.

They stand fast on false doctrine and, yet, we have the true doctrine. We have received the truth, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and we need to deliver it to others, just as Paul delivered God’s Word to the Corinthians.

The Gospel is nothing but a frozen asset unless it is communicated.
-J. B. Phillips-

Witnesses

and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:5-6

These verses are so important because they speak of the witnesses to the resurrection of Christ. This is heavy. Look at all the witnesses who saw, first hand, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was not just the Apostles. There were more than 500 witnesses who saw Christ after He died on the cross.

Not only did the people witness the resurrection, but they went out and told the world. They affected the whole world. Through those people, the Gospel of Jesus Christ has spread throughout the world. Think about it. They did not have cars, trains, airplanes, newspapers, radios, television or the internet and yet they reached the world for Jesus Christ.

When I think about the three missionary journeys of Paul and the persecution he endured as he traveled from city to city, I am amazed. Why did he keep going? Why didn’t he quit? He knew the truth of Jesus Christ and it burned in his spirit.

Jesus sent out the eleven in Matthew 28:18-20, and again in Acts 1:3 through 8 He gave the Great Commission. He gave it to not only the eleven or the 500; He gave it to all of us. How can people come to a personal relationship with Christ if we are not giving them the truth of God? We do not have to be ashamed of the Gospel. The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation.

Cry the Gospel with your whole life.
-Charles de Foucauld-

Unworthy Vessels

Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

1 Corinthians 15:8-9

Notice Paul’s humility. While God forgave him and used his life tremendously, in his heart, Paul was grieved by how he had persecuted the church. Because of his actions, he knew he was not worthy to be an Apostle of the Lord, but it was God who had appointed him Apostle. It was God’s grace.

I think the closer we come to the Lord and the more we read His Word, the more we come to realize how unworthy we all are. It is only when the pure light of Christ shines on our lives; we see the ugliness of what we are without Him.

Remember, when Christ was on the Cross, He took on all of our sins and the Father turned from Him. The righteousness of Christ was imputed to us, so we can stand before God, without sin or blemish. It is not our righteousness. According to Isaiah 64:6, But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags.

I think we need to keep humility a priority in our lives, so God can use our lives mightily and powerfully. It is not about somebody tasting the vessel but God is the one to be tasted. God is the one. We are merely unworthy vessels to be used by God, through His grace and mercy.

Humility is the ability to see ourselves as God describes us.
-Henry Jacobsen-

Labor Abundantly

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

1 Corinthians 15:10

I love this verse. Look at the awesome words Paul spoke. Notice how many times he said grace. It is all about the grace of God. It saved you, and saved me. It has nothing to do with us or how great we think we are. It is God’s grace with us, which is not in vain, because God has His great work for us, to serve Him.

The grace of God pushed Paul to labor more than anyone else. He recognized the greatness of his sin against God and His church. Realizing how much he had been forgiven, Paul was driven to go out and bring the Gospel to others who were just like he had been.

The grace of God made me zealous for God. It is the reason I go to the streets, go to the gym and I do all these things, because the grace of God was given to me and I want everybody else to have it. That is the bottom line, the grace of God.

How great is the grace of God in your life? How great is it? Do you have a desire to give it to people? God’s grace, His unmerited favor, is free, and all people have to do is take it. Like Paul, we have to go out and give it to them, so they can take God’s free gift of grace and be born again of the Holy Spirit.

If you want your neighbor to know what Christ will do for him, let your neighbor see what Christ has done for you.
-Henry Ward Beecher-

Holocaust Remembrance Day

“Hear the word of the Lord, O nations, And declare it in the isles afar off, and say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him, And keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’ For the Lord has redeemed Jacob, And ransomed him from the hand of one stronger than he.”

Jeremiah 31:10-11

Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day. You may be wondering why we would recognize a memorial day in Israel. Well, it is an international day of remembrance. It is recognized around the world. Why? What happened in Europe during World War II was an atrocity against all mankind. It was an atrocity we should never allow to happen again.

Throughout Israel’s history, the Jewish people have faced enemies time and time again. No other nation has faced total annihilation as often as Israel. How do they survive? How is their nation still in existence after so many dispersions?

Jeremiah the prophet gave the answer in the verses above, “He who scattered Israel will gather him, And keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’ God’s hand has kept the nation of Israel. They have never been rescued by some powerful ally. They have the most powerful ally, the one, true God.

If God is all Israel needs to survive, why should we remember the Holocaust? The world knew what was happening and did nothing. The world sat back and allowed six million human beings to be murdered. By doing nothing, the world consented to the murder of millions of people. That kind of atrocity cannot ever be forgotten or it will happen again.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
-Edmund Burke-

Resurrection of Hope

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?

1 Corinthians 15:12

In this chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul began with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He told the people what Christ had done in his life, though he was unworthy, and how it burned in his soul to take the Gospel to others who were perishing. He stressed the importance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There was and is nothing more important.

In verse 12, we see where Paul was taking the church of Corinth. He established the importance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, because there were some who did not believe in the resurrection. Without the resurrection, there is no Gospel and everything we have done has been in vain.

We see the same thing today. People do not believe, especially college students, because they have been brain washed. If they cannot see it, they will not believe it. That is why, in verses 5 and 6, Paul talked about the witnesses — Cephas, the twelve and the 500 who saw Christ after He had died on the Cross.

Think about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If there is no resurrection, we have no hope. That is why people are empty, they have no hope. That is why they drink, take drugs, fornicate, commit adultery and do all these things. That is why they are not happy. The only place we can find hope is in the resurrection of Christ.

Our hope lies not in the man we put on the moon, but in the man we put on the cross.
-Don Basham-

Hope & Faith

For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

1 Corinthians 15:16-19

Why was Paul spending so much time talking about the resurrection of Christ? Why was he taking the Corinthians step by step through his reasoning? If there was no resurrection then their faith was futile or empty, because they were still in their sins.

Without the resurrection of Christ, we are still in our sins and we are not cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. This means we are not going to heaven and there is no redemption, there is nothing. It is all empty.

Think about that. We are not going to see our brothers and sisters, heaven is not real and it is all a myth. It is not real, so we should eat, drink and live like hell, because when we die, we become non-existent.

That is what we are left with without the resurrection of Christ, and we are of all men the most pitiable. In the King James Bible, Paul said we are of all men most miserable. How true his words are for every one of us. If this world is all we have and there is no hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are to be pitied. We are miserable men.

I thank God for the truth of the resurrection of His Son and I thank God for the more than 500 witnesses who saw Christ after the resurrection. Without that hope I would be a miserable man.

The nature of hope is to expect that which faith believes.
-Richard Sibbes-

Free in Christ!

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1 Corinthians 15:20

Paul spoke with certainty and conviction. While some people may not have believed in the resurrection of Christ, Paul knew He had risen from the dead, and with the resurrection we are triumphant in Jesus Christ.

Paul gave assurance Christ was not in the grave, because he knew firsthand the resurrection was not a myth. He knew Christ had risen, because he saw Him on the way to Damascus. He knocked Paul off his horse, and revealed Himself to Paul. Like Peter, James, John and all the other Apostles, Paul was a witness of the resurrection.

Not only had Christ resurrected from the grave, but He was the first fruits of those who had died before Him. He was the perfect first offering to God. This is very important to understand. In the Old Testament, before Christ came, everyone who died went to Hades, either to Abraham’s bosom or hell.

In the New Testament, the moment Christ died on the cross and resurrected, He set the captives free. All those who were in Abraham’s Bosom were taken to heaven with Christ and hell became one massive place.

After the resurrection, anyone who died went to heaven immediately; you did not go to hell anymore. When you and I die in Christ, we will go to heaven with Christ. He set us free from hell by going to the Cross and resurrecting three days later. Today, we are free!

The resurrection is the proof of our reconciliation.
-Geoffrey B. Wilson-

Hope & Promise

For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:21-22

Who is Paul talking about? What man brought death? Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve blew it in the Garden of Eden. They brought sin into the world when they disobeyed God and ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That is why we are born sinners. If they would have never sinned, it would be a different world, but they sinned against God and we have sinned against God.

Paul wants us to understand who we are — sinners. The first crime committed in the Garden of Eden was Adam and Eve, in disobedience, partaking of the food God forbid them to eat. They blew it and were cursed and thrown out of the Garden of Eden.

Adam and Eve blew it and we are all born in sin, but we have hope. How? By Man also came the resurrection of the dead.,/em> Jesus Christ came down and died on the Cross, bringing redemption to man, reconciling us to God. It is through His death on the Cross we have eternal life with God. Without it, we would still be bound by sin.

He not only died and took our sins to the Cross with Him, but He resurrected. Death and the grave could not hold Him. Remember, He was the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Once He resurrected, the righteous who had died before Him and were in Abraham’s bosom went to heaven. That is the hope and the promise we have through Jesus Christ.

The resurrection of Christ is the Amen of all His promises.
-John Boys-

How Love Operates

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

1 Corinthians 13:4

In the next 4 verses, Paul described how love operates. He taught how love builds up. It does not tear down. This is the operation of love. This is the how we are supposed to operate. God demonstrates these aspects of His love toward all of us all the time.

To begin with, love suffers long, which means love “perseveres patiently while enduring misfortunes and troubles.” We know God suffers long with each one of us. His love perseveres when we are far from Him.

There are three things love does not do. First, love does not envy. The word envy means “to be zealous for or against any person or thing.” Second, love does not parade itself. It does not brag or boast in itself.

Then Paul said it is not puffed up. Love not only does not brag, but it does not think it is above others. There is not pride in love. When a person is puffed up, there is no humility in their life concerning the love of God.

Now, we know the love of God fits perfectly in the operation of the love Paul was describing, but how do we fit in this definition? Can we substitute our names where Paul used the word love?

Raul suffers long and is kind. Raul does not envy; Raul does not parade himself and is not puffed up. Wow! I do not think I can say these things all the time. Can you?

Perfect love knows no because.
-A. W. Tozer-

Valentine’s Day

The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying: “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

Jeremiah 31:3

On Valentine’s Day, people celebrate romantic love — the love between a man and a woman, but if you really want to celebrate love, look at the true love of God. God told Jeremiah the prophet His love was everlasting. Can you imagine a love that is everlasting? It is amazing.

Not only is God’s love everlasting, it is sacrificial. Look at John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God loved us so much, He sent His only Son into the world to die. He would not only die, He would suffer. He would be tortured and He would take all our sins upon Himself, so we could have eternal life with God.

Wow, that is truly a great love. I have never known another person to love the way God loves, and yet we would take a day every year to celebrate the love between a man and a woman.

I am not condemning celebrating your love for one another. I think we should cherish and care for those who love us and we love, every day. We should never take our loved ones for granted.

If we want to really celebrate love, we need to look at true love — everlasting and sacrificial love. The love of God should be our standard, what we are measured by, not the mere love of man.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
-Paul the Apostle (Romans 5:8)-

Humble Yourself

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

1 Corinthians 13:5

When I study this chapter in 1 Corinthians, I find it interesting that Paul listed what love is not, what it does not do. I think he knew we all struggle with these issues, and they all come back to pride. There is a lack of humility in our lives.

Look at the characteristics of pride Paul listed in this verse. Number one, it does not behave rudely against people. Love has compassion for people. Second, it does not seek its own desires; it thinks of others first. Third, it is not provoked. Love does not follow emotions but thinks clearly and remains in control. Last, loves does not think any evil about any person. Love gives people the benefit of the doubt.

It is kind of neat because Paul said the same thing in Philippians 2:3, Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

He said love leads us to consider others better than ourselves — never to consider ourselves better than anyone else. That is pride, and it is sin before God. God cannot really bless you when you are prideful. He calls us to humility.

Remember the warning Christ gave in Matthew 23:12: And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

They that know God will be humble; they that know themselves cannot be proud.
-John Flavel-

Put on Humility

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

1 Corinthians 13:6

In this verse, Paul contrasts iniquity and truth. He said love does not rejoice in iniquity. What does that mean? The word iniquity means “injustice, unrighteousness or deeds violating law and justice.” If we have the love of God, we should never rejoice when someone has fallen. We should never praise someone practicing unrighteousness.

On the other side, we should rejoice in the truth. In this verse, truth refers to “what is true in things appertaining to God and the duties of man, moral and religious truth.” Paul was talking about rejoicing in the truth of Jesus Christ.

As in verse 5 of 1 Corinthians 13, Christians need to be humble in order to fulfill these characteristics of love. When we are prideful, we want to see our enemies stumble and fall. We rejoice when they fall in sin. That is rejoicing in iniquity. We need to love and pray for those we love and those who do not love us. Remember, love thinks no evil.

As we have been going through the characteristics of love, how love operates, I think we have all seen things we do and things we do not do. We can all point out areas where we need work. I do not think any one of us can put our names in this verse and say in honesty we portray all of these characteristics of love. Paul knew the church in Corinth struggled with Christian love, so he wrote this chapter for them, and he wrote it for us. The best thing to do is recognize what you struggle with and then ask God to help you put away pride and put on humility.

For those who would learn God’s ways, humility is the first thing, humility is the second, humility is the third.
-Augustine-

Selfless Love

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

1 Corinthians 13:7

Notice, all these characteristics are foundational to a relationship. For a relationship to exist and last, the love a person feels for another must: bear all things, believe, hope and endure. These are the four characteristics of real love — agape love.

Let’s look at what each one of these words mean to each one of us. First, love bears all things. The word bears means “to keep secret or hide the errors or faults of others.” If you love someone, you do not tell your friends or family their flaws or faults. You protect them from ridicule.

The second characteristic of love is it believes all things. In this verse, believes means “to be committed in trust.” This loves is committed to a relationship, forsaking all others. There is a confidence in the relationship.

Love hopes in all things is the third characteristic and it follows very closely to believes. The word hopes means “to hopefully trust in.” When you hope all things, you are putting your trust in another person and the love they have for you.

Fourth, love endures all things. The word endures means “to endure, bear bravely and calmly.” This kind of love does not run away from a problem. This love stands and fights.

Agape love is selfless. Are you able to put others before yourself? That is what agape love does.

All great virtues bear the imprint of self-denial.
-William E. Charming-

Love Never Fails

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

1 Corinthians 13:8

This is such an important verse in 1 Corinthians 13. Remember, when Paul was speaking about the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, at the end of the chapter, he said, But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way (1 Corinthians 12:31).

Paul was telling the church to seek the best gifts God has for each one of us, individually, but to keep in mind, there was something greater, a more excellent way. What was more excellent? Love, because love never fails — it never fails. This is very important.

Now, verse 8 is one of the verses dispensationalists use when they teach how the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for today. They believe there are no tongues, prophecies, wisdom or any of the 21 gifts operating today. In their theology, when the apostles ended, the gifts of the Holy Spirit ended.

That is not what this verse is saying. The time will come when we go to be with the Lord, when there will be no need for prophecies, tongues or knowledge. What will we prophesy in heaven? Who will we praise and worship in tongues? And what heavenly knowledge will we seek? We will be in the presence of the Lord, and we will know all things. We will worship Him face to face.

When we enter into the presence of the Lord, we will have no need for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but our love for God will be greater. We will truly know the love of God, when we stand in His presence.

Even the heart of God thirsts after love.
-Abraham Kuyper-

Full Revelation

For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

1 Corinthians 13:9-10

What is perfect? Jesus Christ. Paul was talking about the Second Coming. When Jesus Christ comes, Who is perfection, then all these things we only know in part will be done away with, because then I shall know just as I also am known (1 Corinthians 13:12).

All things we know in part will be gone. What do we know in part? There are a number of gifts we have where we only know in part, things are not fully revealed in prophecy, knowledge, wisdom and tongues. We only get a brief glimpse, but not the full picture.

When Christ comes, we will not need prophesy and we will not need tongues. We will not need anything; we will be perfect when Christ is here, but not before. We will not need any of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, because we are going to have a perfect body; we are going to be in the presence of Jesus Christ.

Until the Second Coming of Christ, we are to seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit and seek the empowering of the Holy Spirit, as we read and study the Word of God. At this time, we will only see in part, as God reveals His plan through the gifts of prophecy, the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge.

What amazing promises God gives us in His Word. I look forward to being in the presence of Christ and knowing fully His plans for me.

When Christ comes again, the remains of ignorance shall be rolled away.
-J. C. Ryle-

Invest the Time

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1 Corinthians 13:11

In verse 11, Paul was putting the gifts of the Holy Spirit into an eternal perspective for the Corinthian believers. They were fighting about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and it all started back in Chapter 1. They never corrected the real problem in the church — carnality. So, what happened to the church? They remained carnal. They never became spiritual.

Now, Paul again wanted to set the record straight. He outlined what is intended for a person to be spiritual and mature in Jesus Christ. They were not developing or growing. They really did not know God intimately, so they were not becoming mature. They had to put away childish things. They could not remain children forever.

Think of the church today and the many babies we have; those who are not mature in the things of God. They do not understand God’s Word, so they are in the flesh, all the time. The Holy Spirit is speaking, but they do not know what He is saying. They are eating oatmeal, not meat, because they do not desire to learn and to study. It takes time to read, study and allow God to speak to you, but they do not want to invest the time.

If you do not know the Word of God, then you will be a baby the rest of your life. If you remain a baby in the Lord, you will always be carnal and not spiritual. Invest the time today to become mature Christians. Then, you will be able to hear and understand when the Holy Spirit speaks to you through God’s Word.

The maturing believer is a searching believer.
-John Powell-

All Things Revealed

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

Think about a biologist. Does he know everything about biology? No, of course not. No one knows everything in their field of study. Our brains cannot contain it all. Do I know everything about the Bible? Of course not, I only know in part. There are some things in the Bible, I cannot explain. I just know God said it, so it is true.

While we are here, we only know in part. We see things dimly, like in an old, antique mirror. They were just polished metal and the image you saw was not clear. There were distortions from the bend in the metal. That is how we view things today, through a distorted mirror.

When we get to heaven, all of a sudden, we are going know the full meaning of everything. We will also know all the people in heaven. We will know their names and they will know ours. Imagine, we will be known as He is known. It is crazy.

God knows everything. He has been in all eternity, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis1:1). When we get to heaven, we will have full knowledge. We will see Jesus face to face and all things will be revealed.

As we look at the times we are living in, this is exciting news. Remember, keep looking up. Our hope and trust is only found in Christ, no one else.

They that enter heaven will find that they are neither unknown nor unexpected.
-J. C. Ryle-

George Washington’s Birthday

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Matthew 5:44

George Washington was the first President of the United States. He was the first man God raised up to lead this nation at its birth. Before he became president, Washington was the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

As the commander-in-chief, he led the people to victory over the British, establishing a new, self-governing nation, with religious freedom. Remember, the people originally came to the New World to get away from religious persecution throughout England and Europe.

Washington proved to be a great military leader and a great political leader. He brought our nation together and established a strong central government with the cabinet system we still use today. With all he did as the leader of our country, Washington is considered the “father of his country.”

I believe George Washington was a great leader because he was a man of honor and integrity. He stood for what was right and just. He did not hate. He was not a man of malice towards others.

We can all learn from the great leaders, who have godly values. To truly be a great leader, we must love and seek the best for all people, even our enemies.

Be not glad at the misfortune of another, though he may be your enemy.
-George Washington-

God’s Providence

“I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Genesis12:2-3

Today at sundown, the Jewish nation will begin to celebrate the Feast of Purim, also known as the Feast of Esther. This is a true feast of celebration. The people of God recognize God’s hand of protection upon their nation. They rejoice in the promise God made to Abraham back in the Book of Genesis.

Long before the children of Israel were taken captive to Persia, God had made a promise to His people. He would bless those who blessed Israel, and curse those who cursed Israel. In the Book of Esther, we see the fulfillment of God’s promise to His people.

During this feast, the Book of Esther, which is called the megillah, or scroll in Hebrew, is read in the synagogue. When their enemy Haman is mentioned, the people yell out “cursed be Haman,” and when Mordicai is mentioned, the people cry out, “blessed be Mordicai.” The people stamp their feet on Haman to symbolize wiping out their enemy.

What is important to remember is Haman was a descendent of the Amalekites, who were enemies of the Jews. God had told King Saul to wipe out every Amalekite man, women and child. He knew they would always be a curse to the children of Israel. That is why we must always look to the promises of God. He knows the beginning and the end, and He is our promise and providence.

God Our Protection

And the letters were sent by couriers into all the king’s provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all the Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their possessions.

Esther 3:13

On this day, the Jewish people around the world are celebrating the Feast of Purim — celebrating God’s deliverance from their enemy. In the Book of Esther, which tells the story of the events leading to the children of Israel instituting this festival, we see their enemy was not just Haman. He was the instrument Satan used to stir up the Persian people against the Jewish people living among them.

I think it is important to understand, the same thing is happening to the Jewish people today. The leaders of the land of Persia, modern Iran, are stirring up the Muslim nations to come against God’s people. Their leaders are calling to wipe Israel off the map — push them into the sea.

On this very day, as they celebrate Purim, the people of Iran, could be casting lots, or pur, to determine when they are going to strike at the heart of God, through His chosen people.

We have to remember God’s promise. In Genesis 12:3, He said, I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; These are the very words the people of Israel live by. They stand firm in the promises of God.

When the enemy is at the door, we must stand firm upon the promises of God. We have no need to fear man, because we have His promises.

My future is as bright as the promises of God.
-Adoniram Judson-

Faith, Hope & Love

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Paul made a great statement in this verse. We have these three characteristics and they are enduring. They abide, which means “these characteristics do not go away, they are enduring.”

Let’s look at these enduring characteristics. The first is faith. This word is defined as “having complete trust in something of someone.” I have complete faith, or belief, in the Word of God. Why? God said it, so it must be true. My faith is in God and in His Word. They are the same yesterday, today and forever.

The second characteristic is hope, which is defined as “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” There are two key things for hope to exist — expectation and desire. It is not enough to desire something, there must also be the expectation it can and will happen. My hope is in the Lord, because I desire His will for my life and I know He will guide and direct me when I put my faith and trust in Him.

The third characteristic is love. The world defines love as “an intense feeling of deep affection”. I like how John defined love in 1 John 4:8, He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

As Christians, we need to have these three characteristics in order to live our lives righteously, but Paul said the greatest is love. Look again at what John said. If we do not love, we do not know God. Wow, that is heavy. We need to pray for the love of God.

Love is the queen of all the Christian graces.
-A. W. Pink-

Obedience of Christ

He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

Matthew 26:39

Can you imagine if Christ had never come, if He had not been obedient to the Father? We would be dust, because of Adam and Eve. We would have no hope. We would all perish, without any hope of being with the Father for eternity.

I still have a problem when I think about why God would send His Son to die for us. I cannot believe He would make such a great sacrifice for us. As a human, would you give up your son? Of course not. That would be the hardest thing to do. God had to give up His Son and Christ had to be obedient to the will of the Father.

Jesus knew what He was going to face. God was going to send Him to this world that was going to reject Him. They were going to hate Him. There would be only a few people who would actually trust and love Him. That is the Gospel. Do you think the heart of the Father was broken when He told His Son what had to be done?

He had a chance to reject His call when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, but He submitted to the Father. Then, when Christ was on the cross, He called out to the Father and He turned His back on Jesus. Christ had taken all of our sins upon Himself, so we could be free and be redeemed by His love. The Father could not even talk to Him. The obedience of Christ is an example to us of what the Father would like from us — selfless obedience.

Jesus Christ left us an example for our daily conduct and from it there can be no appeal.
-A. W. Tozer-

Test of Faithfulness

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

Matthew 4:1

The Garden of Gethsemane was a place where Jesus submitted Himself to the Cross, but we see His obedience to the Father back in the wilderness experience. If He had submitted to the temptations of Satan, where would we be today?

All the way through the Gospel of Matthew, we see Satan was working Jesus, trying to trip Him up, but He kept moving forward. In Matthew 4, Satan tempted Him physically, emotionally and spiritually. Satan came to Jesus after 40 days of fasting and praying. He tried to strike when Jesus was weak, but He denied the temptations and the angels came to minister to Him and fed Him. All through the ministry of Christ; Satan tried to hinder Him, but he could not do it.

Through these experiences, Jesus was teaching the disciples how hard it was to be in the ministry. It was not easy, and He is God. It is even harder for man, because the nature of man is to be hateful and sinful. We are each going to be tempted throughout our lives. What are we going to do? Some people blame God — most people blame God, but if God is in control, you can stand against the temptation. It is going to be hard, but there is light on the other side. You have to be able to submit yourself to the truth of Jesus Christ, and by faith, trust Him.

God is building your character and He is testing you, by faith, to see if you are faithful in the little things, and then the bigger things will come to you. That is the way God works. He wants to see our faithfulness.

How can there be great faith where there is little faithfulness?
-William Gurnall-

The Day and the Hour

And as it is appointed for men to die once,
but after this the judgment,

Hebrews 9:27

Can you imagine being face to face with Jesus Christ? Every person, believer and non-believer will stand before Christ. Not one of us will escape death or the judgment. For the believer, this is a great promise. For the non-believer, it is a threat. Either way, it is inevitable for everyone to face Christ.

I have seen so many Christians on their deathbeds and they are looking forward to seeing Jesus. They are ready to meet the Lord. You have to have real faith to submit to the will of the Father and accept death. There is no other way to face death then to realize the Lord is in charge.

There are so many people who try to cheat death. They think they can control when they die. I do not care what you do; you are going to die when God has appointed you to die. He already has a date. You can fight it or try to hide, but God has the date. You cannot do anything about it.

As we get older, we can see and feel the deterioration of our bodies and we have to remind ourselves, if God is in charge and knows exactly the day and the hour of my death, then I need to have peace in my life. When you have the peace of the Lord, you can talk to people and minister to them. Nothing compares to the place we are going, so we should rejoice and share the good news of salvation with others.

We are but tenants, and … shortly the great Landlord will give us notice that our lease has expired.
-Joseph Jefferson-

New Year’s Day

I applied my heart to know, To search and seek out wisdom and the reason of things, To know the wickedness of folly, Even of foolishness and madness.

Ecclesiastes 7:25

The Book of Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon, King David’s son. He was a man of great wisdom, and he was a man of great sin. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines, women who worshipped all the heathen gods. He allowed the women in his life to steal his heart away from God. Even in his sin, he wrote the words above. WOW!

When I read about the life of Solomon, I do not think he made an examination of his ways. He failed to fully turn back to the Lord and lift his hands to the Lord.

As the New Year begins, it is time for each of us to search out and examine our ways. While many people choose to make their New Year’s resolution on the first of every year, I think we have to examine ourselves daily.

It is important to search our hearts every day, to see if there is anything that will separate us from the Lord. If we do not, we give sin a chance to take root and, before long, a seed of bitterness will grow in our hearts.

Do not allow bitterness to take root in your hearts. It will cause division among the body of Christ and it will stumble your walk with the Lord. Use this day to really meditate on God’s Word. Take an honest examination of your ways and ask the Lord to reveal any sin in your life. Then, turn back to the Lord and lift your hands to God in praise and worship.

A frequent reckoning with ourselves will pluck up sin before it is rooted in the soul.
-George Swinnock-

Know the Savior

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-24

Paul was speaking of the importance of the Lord’s Supper. Notice, he gave them a new memorial, their deliverance through the blood of Jesus Christ. The first memorial of communion was in Exodus. In Exodus 12, the first Passover was established, and from that point on, it went until Christ came in the New Testament, and He became the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

The Passover was a type of Jesus Christ. It pointed to the coming Messiah. When they killed the lambs, and put the blood on both sides of the door and on top, it was the sign of the cross — redemption. It is pretty amazing when you study the Bible.

They should have known the memorial, instead of doing their own thing with Communion. They set their own rules. They moved away from the truth of God to do their own thing, so Paul was going to rebuke them in a few verses.

It is written as a warning to you and me today. We have to know God’s Word, because if we do not, we will not know theology and we will not know our Savior the way we should know Him. We cannot make the Bible fit into our lifestyles. We have to make our lives fit with God’s Word. He has to be number one in our lives.

The business of our lives is not to please ourselves but to please God.
-Matthew Henry-

Fear of God

In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

1 Corinthians 11:25-26

Communion is done in remembrance of Jesus Christ, Himself. Notice, it is an ordinance. Think of how many people take Communion on Sunday morning, and by Sunday afternoon or Sunday evening they are back drinking, partying and doing bad things.

They are in danger. They have no fear of God, so they take the bread and they take the cup like it is no big deal. It is a big deal. It speaks of the covenant we have with God.

Paul was leading up to an exhortation for the Corinthian church, because of their selfishness concerning the love feast. He was clearly explaining the purpose behind the Lord’s Supper, so he could point out where they went wrong.

It is so important to know God’s Word and partake in the Lord’s Supper with understanding. We should know why we are partaking in the Lord’s Supper and what it symbolizes. When we are ignorant of God’s ordinances, we put ourselves in a position where we can be deceived.

Because the people were not aware of, or had forgotten, the significance of the bread and the cup, they were in danger of sinning against the Lord. Ignorance of God’s Word is never an excuse.

The learning of the Christian man ought to begin with the fear of God.
-Thomas Cranmer-

Repent and Be Worthy

Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of
the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 11:27

Yesterday, we looked at I Corinthians 11:25-26 where Paul said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. . . .” When the people came together for the Lord’s Supper and partook of the bread and the cup, they were partaking in the new covenant, established with the blood of Christ.

Communion is done in remembrance of Christ, and what He did for you and me. He gave His life as a blood sacrifice for us, so we could enter into communion with God. Think about it. That is really heavy.

Now, look at what Paul said. If you eat the bread and drink the cup in an unworthy manner, you will be guilty. Guilty of what? You will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord! Wow!

What did it mean to be unworthy? If you came to take communion and you had unrepentant sin, you were unworthy. If you had a grudge against a brother or sister, you were unworthy. If you did not recognize what the bread and blood represented, you were unworthy.

When Paul saw what was happening, he was angry, so he really exhorted the people.

I think Paul is exhorting us. His warning is very clear. We cannot take our time of communion lightly. We have to recognize what the bread and the cup represent — Christ — His broken body, given for you and me.

A Heart Problem

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.

1 Corinthians 11:28-30

This is Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthian church, “Take an examination of your lives. Should you take communion or should you not take communion? Is your heart right before the Lord?”

This is important, because Jeremiah 17:9-10 says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.”

Jeremiah clearly tells us the problem with man. We all have a heart problem. Our hearts deceive us. We think we are doing the right thing and our motives are pure when we are really not right before the Lord.

Paul not only exhorted the church but he gave the warning. He could not speak any clearer when he said, “You will be judged!” Not only would they be judged, but they brought it on themselves. There were warned.

Look how these verses end. The judgment included sickness and even death. When Paul said sleep, he was talking about death, eternal sleep.

It is still happening today. People who partake of the Lord’s bread and His cup in an unworthy manner are bringing judgment on themselves.

With the same heart that men die, with that heart they will rise again.
-J. C. Ryle-

Unrepentant Sin

For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

1 Corinthians 11:31-32

Who has the responsibility to judge? Is it you or me? We can only judge ourselves, but Paul said we do not do it. We are blind to our sin, because we do not want to judge ourselves.

If we will not judge ourselves, and take a self-examination of our lives, God will have to judge. Then, He will have to chastise us. Why? God chastens us because He loves us. He sees the deepest part of our hearts and examines our motives. He knows whether we have good intentions or evil. Once He examines our hearts, He sets us straight.

In 1 Corinthians 11:30, Paul told us how God chastens people who have taken the bread and the cup in an unworthy manner: For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. He uses those three things: weakness, sickness and death. He does not mess around.

If God did not chasten us, we would be condemned by the world. When we sin without repentance, it brings shame to the Lord. God does not want to be embarrassed of you and me. Your neighbors and co-workers watch you. They know you are a Christian.

Unrepentant sin is not a good witness in the church or to your neighbors who are non-believers. You are misrepresenting God. In everything we do, we have to be aware of how we are reflecting Christ to the world.

Do not give fair names to foul sins. Call them what you will, they will smell no sweeter.
-C. H. Spurgeon-

Condemnation

Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

1 Corinthians 11:33-34

In closing Chapter 11 of 1 Corinthians, Paul told the church to have manners and be gracious to those they were eating with. When you come together, do not sit down to eat unless everyone is there. It seems like they should have known this, but Paul had to tell them to be polite.

It was not only the polite thing to do. Paul told them to wait for each other lest you come together for judgment. There was more to this command than just teaching them manners. Go back to the word judgment. In the King James Version, the word is condemnation, which means to be pronounced guilty. They were bringing judgment on themselves.

I believe we bring judgment upon ourselves, all the time. Think about it. We have the Word of God and it gives us instruction on how we are to live our lives as Christians. The Bible does not just tell us how to live righteously, it also tells us what to avoid — what we should not do. God could not have made it any easier for us.

If we have all the instructions on what we should and should not do, why do we sin? I will tell you, it is our will. We want to do our own thing, even if it is not good for us. Remember, God chastens us because He loves us. He has given us clear instructions for our lives, because He wants us to be blessed. Choose God’s blessings for your life, not condemnation.

The Lord has a golden scepter and an iron rod. Those who will not bow to the one shall be broken by the other.
-Thomas Watson-

Do Not Be Deceived

Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.

Revelation 20:7-8

In the Kingdom Age, the thousand years of Christ’s reign and rule, there will be people living here on earth and the population is going to grow tremendously. People will be married and have children.

During this time, Satan will be in the bottomless pit, until the end of the thousand years. At the end of the Kingdom Age, when Satan is finally let out one more time, there are going to be billions of people who will rebel against God, even though they had lived under the reign of Christ. They will be thrown into the lake of fire.

What does that tell you about the power of Satan? If you are not really in the Word and in prayer, you are not really putting up your defenses. It is just a matter of time before you are deceived and you fall, and it will be a big fall. There are those who recover and recommit their lives to the Lord but there are also those who will never recover.

There are so many Christians who say, “Oh, I will never fall. I am strong.” You should never say that. None of us are strong, only in Jesus Christ. He is the only one who can make us strong. When you think you are strong in yourself, Satan has a way to get you. He will keep you away from the Word of God, from prayer and from fellowship. Then you will fall.

As the first step heaven-ward is humility, the first step hell-ward is pride.
-John Mason-

Lead Astray

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15

Paul always encourages me, because he did not mess around. Paul rebuked the church for being schemers, connivers and division makers. He held them accountable, when they did not do what God called them to do, because of their compromising. Many of the Christians were compromisers, and, because of compromising, they brought division into the church. They could not see God face to face.

Paul the Apostle gave us 14 epistles, because the churches needed the 14 letters, and we need Paul’s letters. God knew we would need the epistles written in the Bibles, because they are nothing but doctrine. They exhort, they rebuke and they bring you to a place of self-examination, when you read and study your Bible.

From the very beginning, if you go back to the prophets Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel and Daniel, they exhorted the people of God. Why? We forget and we stray away. God gave His prophets the words to speak, to get us back on the path He has for us.

When you read your Bible, you will find the heart of God, and the heart of man is different than the heart of God. It is really important to trust in the Lord, not yourself. He will never lead you astray, but your own heart will.

Sin and the devil will always find helpers in our hearts.
-J. C. Ryle-

Pass It On

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

2 Timothy 2:2

Notice what Paul told Timothy. As men and women of God, we need to pass the Word of God on to the next generation. As leaders, we need to pass it on. We cannot keep it for ourselves. We must pass it on, so God can use our lives and the lives of those who will come after us.

Paul is a great example to every one of us. He did not study God’s Word and keep it to himself. He went out and found other men and women who were like-minded to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

When Paul went out, he did not just go down the street. Paul went on three missionary journeys. He traveled by foot and by boat for thousands of miles. In every city he stopped, Paul went into the synagogue to share the Good News of Christ. As people got saved, God would raise up leaders, so Paul could go to the next town. He was able to commit the work of the Lord to the faithful men God raised up.

Each one of us has been called to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others. We may not be called to travel the world, but we can share with our neighbors and the people we meet at the grocery store, the gym and everywhere we go.

God not only wants us to share the Gospel, He desires we raise up Timothy’s, Titus’s, Priscilla’s and Aquilla’s — men and women who will commit to the things of the Lord and teach them to others.

Teach the tractable, command the obstinate, lay God’s charge upon all.
-John Trapp-

Legalism

“Why do Your disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment
of God because of your tradition?””

Matthew 15:2-3

In these verses, the Pharisees were upset and they confronted Jesus because they believed Jesus and the Apostles did not respect the Jewish traditions. For the Pharisees, tradition had become more important than the Word of God. Can you imagine? Man-made traditions were held higher than the commands of God. Wow!

Jesus made no excuses for the Apostles. He did not try to defend them. Instead, He rebuked the Pharisees for their sin. When they asked him a question, Jesus always turned it right back on them. He did not answer their question but asked them a question. “Why do you disregard the commandment of God because of your tradition?”

People can get so caught up with legalism, they forget about the grace of God, and focus on the law. Remember what Paul said in Colossians 2:8: Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

The problem is the world and the traditions of the world. The problem is law instead of the Word of God and His grace. Know God’s Word, so you will not be in bondage to the traditions of the world. Obey God, not man.

Legalism is self-righteousness. It is the belief that God is satisfied with our attempt to obey a moral code.
-Erwin W. Lutzer-

Do Not Be Ignorant

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

1 Corinthians 12:1

Paul the Apostle began Chapter 12 addressing spiritual ignorance. He was concerned that many people were ignorant about spiritual things. The word spiritual is not correct. In the original Greek, the word used is pneumatikos, which means spiritual things. The word gift is not used in the original text. It will be used in verses to come, but in this verse, in the original language, it is not here. The word is spiritual things, not gifts.

Paul did not want the saints at Corinth to be ignorant in the matters of the spiritual manifestation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. That is one of the reasons he wrote the letter.

We see the same problem in the church today. There is ignorance in spiritual matters. What causes that? There is a lack of growth and maturity in the Word of God. People do not take the time to really know the Scriptures, studying the Word of God.

As a Christian, if you have never read from Genesis to Malachi, then you truly have no business reading the New Testament. The Old Testament verifies everything in the New Testament. If you never read the Old Testament, you are not going to fully understand the New Testament. That is how people get into false teaching — ignorance of the full counsel of God.

If you wish to know God you must know His Word.
-C. H. Spurgeon-

Idolatry & Demons

You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

1 Corinthians 12:2

Paul was speaking to the Christians in Corinth. They were not converted Jews. They were converted Gentiles. They had worshipped the many gods of the heathen nations.

Paul reminded them of their background. They were heathens, carried away by these idols made of wood and metal. They had eyes, but could not see, and ears, but could not hear. They followed dead idols that had no power and were leading them to hell.

In the culture of Corinth, they not only worshipped idols but were also involved in evil spirits and spiritism. They opened the doors for demon possession. The Corinthians were not only idolaters, but they were involved in the occult.

There are so many people today who like to play with the occult. Some do it because they think they will have power. Others think it is just for fun. Both of them are wrong — dead wrong.

God is greater and stronger than any idol or demon, but we have to be careful not to open the door and invite Satan and his demons into our lives. Do not be ignorant and led away by evil things. They are very real and not something you want to play with.

We are not here to commune with darkness but to conquer it.
-Vance Havner-

False Doctrine

Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:3

Paul was speaking to the church about a very important issue. Because the people of Corinth came out of a heathen culture, with idols and demons, they had to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit.

How many times have you heard someone say they heard a Christian speaking with a demon’s voice? I have heard it many times. Paul said it is impossible. If you are really a child of God, you can never speak against Christ. Also, no one can call Jesus Lord; except by the Holy Spirit of God. This is really important.

In the ’70s, we had many people teaching the false doctrine of Christian demon possession. A pastor from Florida said Christians could be demon-possessed. There were demons for every sin or vice: the demon of smoking, the demon of gluttony. There were also those who taught on positive confession.

Sin is sin. Whatever happened in the past comes to pass in the present and will come around again in the future. They were the same false doctrines, just disguised in a different name. Do not be deceived by false doctrine.

Every doctrine that is not embedded in the cross of Jesus will lead astray.
-Oswald Chambers-

Unity of the Spirit

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:4

In this chapter, Paul has told the Corinthians not to be ignorant. He had important information for them, but he needed to get them in the right direction first. They had to recognize idols were foolishness and true power was found in the work of the Holy Spirit.

Once Paul established the foundation, he was ready to introduce the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He said, “There are a number of different gifts, given to each one of us individually, but they are all operated under the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit.”

What does that speak of? It is the unity of the body of Christ. There has to be unity in the body, in order for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be used and operated in the body of Christ. Otherwise, you have carnality, because people will be operating in the flesh instead of the Spirit.

God gives each one of us gifts and talents. No two people are the same, as God gives every gift and talent to serve His plan and purpose in the body of Christ.

It is so important for us to recognize our gifts and talents come from the Lord and they are to be used to serve and glorify Him. When we work together, in unity, with the gifts God has given us, we serve in building the Kingdom of God.

The Spirit is the source of all our natural gifts.
-Donald MacLeod-

Recognize Your Gifts

There are differences of ministries,
but the same Lord.

1 Corinthians 12:5

In verse 4, Paul said there are different gifts, but they are all given by the same Spirit. In this verse, he used the word ministries, but in the original text it is administrations. He said there are also differences of administrative gifts, but the same Lord.

So, what is the difference between gifts and administrations? Strong’s Concordance defines administrations as “service, ministering, especially of those who execute the commands of others,” and the office of Moses, apostles and deacons are listed as examples. Gifts are defined as “a favor with which one receives without any merit of his own,” and the examples of gifts are faith, knowledge, virtue and holiness.

By definition, gifts and administrations are different but more importantly, they both come from the Lord and they are both given to each one of us individually, to serve and glorify God. They are both used to build the Kingdom of God.

There are a variety of gifts and administrations, but God wants us to be blessed with what He has given us. Do not look at the gifts of other people and covet them. Search yourself and recognize what gifts you have, develop them and use them by faith.

There is a great deal of unmapped country within us.
-George Eliot-

Member of the Body

And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

1 Corinthians 12:6

Paul has talked about a diversity of gifts, administrations and now activities, in the last three verses of 1 Corinthians 12. He made sure he addressed every situation.

Every person has their own gifts and talents and no two people are exactly the same. God made us all individually, so we can serve in His perfect plan, according to His purposes.

Notice, God blesses each one of us with gifts and talents, but nothing is done in our strength or power. God supplies all of the power. All the gifts, talents, administrations and activities work together by the power given to us by God.

We can see our total dependency on God. Without Him, we can do nothing. We cannot boast in our gifts and talents. We have nothing to do with them. They all come from God and are all empowered by God.

Remember, in the body of Christians, Christ is the head. We are all supporting members of the Body of Christ. We all need to work together in unity as the body of Christ.

The Christian is a part of Christ, a member of His body.
-J. B. Lightfoot-

Called to be a Toe

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

1 Corinthians 12:7

Underline, for the profit of all. The Spirit manifests Himself in the life of each believer, by imparting some gift, not the same gift, some gift needed in the body of Christ.

We are all members of the Body of Christ. Some of us are fingers and some are toes, but are we all content where God has put us? Some people do not want to be toes. They want to be in the light, so everybody can see them.

What if God calls you to be a toe, in darkness? You do not get any attention, but the toe is a very important part of the body. We need it for balance. Without the toes, we do not have balance, and the body cannot walk correctly. Do you see how important every part is for the well-being of the entire body?

In the Old Testament, in the Book of Judges, when Israel came into the land, they would cut off the thumbs of their enemies, so they could not shoot their bow. They would cripple them, by cutting off one finger.

God knows what the body needs and He places each one of us in the place He needs us to be. Then, He equips us to serve in the place He has put us. If we love and desire to serve God, we have to be willing to be who God has called us to be, even if it is a toe.

He is only a Christian who lives for Christ.
-Charles Hodge-

Divine Gifts

for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

1 Corinthians 12:8-9

Now, Paul began to list the gifts. In these two verses we see the first four gifts — given to each person individually — remember, for the profit of all.

The first gift is the word of wisdom, which speaks of a supernatural power to speak with divine insight whether solving difficult problems, resolving differences or any situation demanding godly insight.

The word of knowledge is the second gift. This is the power to communicate information divinely revealed to a person who has the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom. The word of wisdom, the word of knowledge and prophecy are also used by every teacher. When they are teaching from the pulpit, they will have these three gifts in operation.

The third gift is faith, the special ability God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to discern with extraordinary confidence the will and purposes of God for his work. It also speaks of faithfulness. Those who are followers of Christ believe in the truth of His resurrection and are faithful. The last gift listed is the gift of healings.

If you have one of these gifts, seek how God would want to use you.

The supernatural is the native air of Christianity.
-Author Unknown-

Supernatural Gifts

to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to
another the interpretation of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:10

Today, we will continue to look at the great gifts God has for each one of us. First, we see the working of miracles, not one miracle, but miracles. This could include casting out demons or raising the dead. It is whatever God wants to do.

Then, to another He gives the gift of prophecy. This is signified by a person revealing a divine revelation, and it is primarily seen today in the teaching of God’s Word.

Next is the discerning of spirits. In this verse, discernment means the power to detect whether a prophet or person is speaking by the Holy Spirit, speaking truth, or speaking through Satan or himself.

The last two are closely related, the ability to speak in tongues and interpret tongues. Speaking in tongues is the ability to speak a foreign language, unknown to the speaker, supernaturally, through the baptism of the Holy Spirit. An interpreter of tongues has the miraculous power to understand the language spoken. The true interpretation will always be worshipping and glorifying God.

Every gift is needed in the life of the church.

All Christ’s gifts are like Himself, spiritual and heavenly.
-Thomas Brooks-

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

On August 28, 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King gave his most memorable “I Have a Dream” Speech, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. He was introduced as the moral leader of our nation. With this title, is it any surprise, this man was a Christian? He was the pastor of the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama.

It is evident, from his life and the many speeches he gave, Dr. King was a man who knew God’s Word and he lived it. When he spoke to the people, he did not just give them his opinion, he used the Word of God to back up what he had to say.

In this famous speech, he was borrowing from the words of 1 Samuel. He “had a dream” of a time when his children would not be judged by their color but by their character. Isn’t that what God does?

In 1 Samuel 16:7, it was the LORD who spoke to Samuel, telling him not to look at the outward appearance of a man but to look at his heart. Why? God knew the outward man could hide many things but the true character of a man was revealed by his heart.

Today, almost 50 years after Dr. King gave this speech, we still judge people by their outward appearances. We still overlook the evidence of a heart lacking character. Search your heart, and see if you are the kind of person who judges by appearance or really searches the heart of man.

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.-

His Will

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

1 Corinthians 12:11

In the previous three verses, Paul listed nine spiritual gifts, given to each one of us individually. Now, in verse 11, Paul brought all the gifts under one Leader. We each are given gifts individually, but they are not exercised by our power or strength. They are all directed by the Holy Spirit.

Not only are the gifts empowered by the Holy Spirit, but they are given according to His will. They are distributed to each one as He wills, capital “H.” It is not as you will. Whatever God wants to do, He will do, because He wants to continue to manifest Himself in us and through our lives, fully and completely.

If the gifts are given according to His will, we cannot look at others and desire their gifts. When we do, we are trying to live according to our will, not His will. We have stepped out in sin.

When we cannot accept the gifts God has given to us, we are saying we know better than God. We are saying we have a better plan for our lives than the plan God has for us. Is that possible? Do we know more than God? I do not think we do. Seek God’s will and the gifts He has for you individually. How does He want to use your life and your gifts to glorify Him?

Opposition to the Divine will is the very essence of sin.
-David Thomas-

Unity in the Body

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13

In these two verses, Paul was emphasizing the importance of the body of Christ working together in unity. This entire chapter of 1 Corinthians is about unity — being effective in the Kingdom of God.

Notice, Paul said we were all baptized into one body, which is the body of Christ. We have all become members of the body of Christ, when we give our lives over to the Lord and recognize our need for a Savior, Jesus Christ. That means, we are all the same — sinners sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ.

It is so important we recognize our calling and our gifts, so we can serve in the body of Christ in unity. When we realize we are all the same, just different body parts, we can begin to work together.

Remember, we are all called, as Paul said, into one Spirit. We are each given different gifts and talents in order to serve and glorify God. Seek to serve Him with the gifts and talents He has given you.

Unity is of the essence of the body of Christ.
-R. B. Kuiper-

Without Defect

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body?

1 Corinthians 12:15-16

Look at the members of the body Paul listed. Would a human body be complete without a foot, a hand or an ear? No. It could function but it would not be complete. I need my ears, my eyes, my nose, my mouth, my toes and my fingers. I need every part of my body, without one of my members, I would have a defect.

In the Book of Leviticus, a person could not be in the priesthood if they had a defect. If you had a limp you could not be a priest. If you had a finger missing or a crushed finger, they did not accept defects in the priesthood. They could not enter into the presence of the Lord with a defect, just as every sacrifice had to be without blemish or defect.

Today, we see all the defects in the body of Christ, spiritually speaking, when we do not work together as a united body. How can God really use the body of Christ to bring true worship and glory to Him with all of the defects?

He does not expect us to be perfect, but if we each serve in the body as the member He has called us to be, He would be able to do great things through the body of Christ.

The church is one body — you cannot touch a toe without affecting the whole body.
-Friedrich Tholuck-

Members of His Body

If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.

1 Corinthians 12:17-18

Paul was listing all these body parts, the eyes, the foot, the hand and the ears. Notice, all five senses are needed. They are all equally important and needed. One is not greater than another. We need every part God has given to us to function properly, without being impaired. Paul brought out the whole anatomy of the body, and used it to show the importance of every member of the church or the ministry.

Many people want to be a pastor. That seems like the most important position in the church. You have to have a senior pastor to have a church. You do need a pastor for a church, but you also need ushers, children’s teachers, technical people, greeters, prayer warriors, maintenance people, secretaries and all the other people it takes to run the ministry. How would the pastor ever study to teach, if he did not have all the other members?

Notice, God set all the members as He pleased. He knows what is needed and who is best in what position. The only one really needed for the ministry is God. We are all just members of His body. When we make Him first, we remember our place.

There are no insignificant members in the church.
-Herbert M. Carson-

Content with God

And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty,

1 Corinthians 12:21-23

Paul has come to the key point of this chapter, unity of the body of Christ. He was calling the church in Corinth to come together and work in unity to further the Kingdom of God.

It is not for us to tell someone they are not needed in the body of Christ. We have all been set in the body to fulfill one purpose. God wants to use His church to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In order to do that, we have to each do our part.

Every member of the body is not the strongest member. We have each been made individually, so no two are exactly alike, but we each have gifts and talents necessary for the body to work together, without defect.

Do not look at others and try to find their weakness or covet their gifts. Be content where God has you and be faithful to what God has called you to be in the body of Christ.

Contentment is an embracing of the providence of God.
-George Seevers-

Schisms, Divisions & Dissension

that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

1 Corinthians 12:25

Put a circle around the word schisms. Paul was telling the believers there should be no division or dissension among them. They were to work together in unity and not allow schisms in the body of Jesus Christ.

This is so important in the ministry today. There is a great work to be done in the world today and God needs His people to work together in unity to get the Gospel of Christ out to those who are perishing. That is what we should be focused on, not division and dissension.

When there is division in the body, God cannot use us, because we have lost our testimony to the non-believers. How can we be effective in the ministry, if we do not have love? In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul is going to tell us, if we do not have love, we have nothing.

When we cause division, we not only hurt our testimony with non-believers, but we no longer show love and care for the members of the body of Christ. Paul said to have care for one another.

When we cause schisms, we are thinking only of ourselves. We do not have care for others. We are selfish.

He who loves only for himself is truly dead to others.
-Publilius Syrus-

Compassion

And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

1 Corinthians 12:26

In 1 Corinthians 12:25, Paul said we should have no schisms in the body and we should have the same care for one another. Now, in verse 26, Paul explained why, our actions affect others. If one member suffers, we all suffer. If one is honored, we all rejoice.

Again, Paul emphasized the unity of the body. If you hit your thumb with a hammer, it hurts. Your whole body suffers, not just your thumb. When you are in pain, it affects your entire body.

In the same way, when your body is strong and healthy, you can rejoice, because you are able to do all the things you like to do. Everything is great.

I learned this lesson when I got sick. I did not really have compassion on others when they told me they were sick, because I had always been healthy. I would pray with them, but I was not compassionate.

Think of how many people are not compassionate to others, because they are self-centered. We must mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice.

Selfishness is the enemy of all true affection.
-Cornelius Tactitus-

Humbly Gifted

And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:28

Paul began with those appointed in the church. First there are apostles, the 12 Apostles. Second, there were the prophets, who spoke for God in the Old Testament. Third, there are teachers, who explain the Word of God, in simplicity, so the people can grow.

Paul went on to list specific gifts given to the believer. He began with miracles, which include the casting out of demons, praying for people, raising people from the dead, all the miraculous. Another miraculous gift is the gifts of healings.

Then he went on to give the gifts of leadership. The deacons have the gift of helps. The gift of administration is found in the bishops and elders administrating the church. There is also the gift of tongues, used to praise and worship God.

There are a diversity of gifts, given to the members of the body of Christ, but before we get puffed with pride in what we can do and who we are, Paul reminds us God is the one who lifts a person up and appoints. Do not forget, God is the one who puts you up, and He is the one who will knock you down.

Pride of gifts robs us of God’s blessing in the use of them.
-William Gurnall-

Gifts or Love

Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

1 Corinthians 12:29-31

What Paul said in this verse is amazing. All these gifts are there for us, but if we do not have love, we are zero, nothing. We are crippled, spiritually. We cannot do anything. We are hindering ourselves, because we are not listening to God.

There are 21 gifts of the Holy Spirit. The rest of the gifts are found in Ephesians 4:11-12 and Romans 12. With all these gifts, Paul said there is a more excellent way. Wow! What is greater than the gifts?

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul told the Corinthian church, “You can have all the gifts of the Holy Spirit but if you do not have love, you have nothing. You are a loud noise in God’s ears.”

Jesus said, in John 13:35: “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

God blesses us with spiritual gifts, but we will not be known as Christians by our gifts. We are identified by our love for others. Think about that.

If a man says he is a Christian but has no love, he is simply deluding himself.
-Geoffrey Thomas-

All Glory to God

for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

1 Corinthians 12:8

When you become a pastor/teacher, these are two gifts you receive from the Holy Spirit. Then, when you are teaching from the pulpit or ministering to people one on one, three additional gifts are manifested: the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom and prophecy. These are important gifts for a pastor/teacher, but they are not limited to the pastor/teacher. Anyone can receive these gifts.

That is the reason, after a service, people come by at times and say, “Did my wife talk to you?” No, it was the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom and prophecy working. It is the Holy Spirit speaking, not me. I am surprised when they come to me. I have no idea I am speaking to a certain person.

You never know when you open your mouth what you are going to say, really what God is going to say through you. It will only happen if you keep yourself down, not puffed up. You have to make sure you remain in humility and holiness. Make sure you are walking with God, in fellowship with Him, and you have the love of Jesus Christ.

You have to always remember, all the gifts come from God. He is the one who empowers each one of us. When you give the glory to God, He will blow you away. He wants to be the main source, the One on the throne. Not you and I. He wants all the credit — all the glory.

God’s overriding goal is to glorify Himself.
-J. I. Packer-