Held Together In Him

In a world of troubles, confusion and uncertainty, I am so thankful that God has graciously preserved His word for us! Oh, what would we do without it? Its pages repeatedly tell us and then tell us again of His faithfulness, His grace, His sovereignty and of all His wondrous attributes. I would like to consider the words given to us from Colossians 1:13-18. It is here that we find the Apostle Paul writing, as he begins by speaking of God the Father, "For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything."  In only five verses of scripture we are blessed to see glimpses into the following truths: 

Unable to rescue ourselves from the domain of darkness, God has recused us.  

Upon rescuing us, God then transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son. 

In His beloved Son we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. This redemption, the forgiveness of sin is only found in our Lord Jesus.

The One we have redemption in is also our creator and the creator of all things, the things in the heavens and the things on earth. The visible things we can see and the invisible things that we don't. He is creator and sovereign over all thrones, dominions, rulers and authorities. 

All things have been created through Him and for Him. 

He, as creator, is before all things!

He is the head of the body, the church.

He is both the beginning and the firstborn from the dead.

He will come to have first place in everything.

Of course, we could spend much time on any one of the above referenced truths and we would come to find hope and assurance in each one. As you may have noticed, I purposely left one off of the list and it is that one that I would like to leave you with today. "In Him all things hold together"! What a great reminder for the present time. There are times when it may seem as if your world, or even the entire world, is falling apart with troubles everywhere and anticipation of further troubles ever present. But we are blessed with the ability, by God's grace and through faith, to know and trust that in Christ all things hold together. And all things will continue to hold together in Him until our creator redeemer determines otherwise. By God's grace, let us be people of faith, believing God in all that He has revealed to us in His word. May we live among those who are distressed as people of great hope and assurance in our Creator Redeemer. May we be a witness of the One who said, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  May He come to have first place in your life and mine. Never forget this Lord's day, or any other, the matters of first importance. That Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures. That He was buried and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures!  And remember the promise and reminder found in Hebrews 10:37, "For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay."

Trusting the Potter

God has graciously provided us with many illustrations, oftentimes with simplicity, to teach us great spiritual truths. I have spent much time this week considering that of the Potter and the clay. The relationship between the Potter and the clay is first referenced in the Book of Isaiah, chapter 29. There we read, "You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?" Later, in  Isaiah, chapter 45, the prophet makes reference to this "potter" as one's "Maker", writing, “Woe to  the one  who quarrels with his Maker— An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the  potter , ‘What are you doing?’ Or the thing you are making  say , ‘He has no hands’?"  And near the end of the Book, Isaiah refers to the "Lord" and "Father" as the "potter", writing in chapter 64, " But now, O  Lord , You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our  potter ;  And  all of us are the work of Your hand."

Jeremiah also writes of the Lord in the role of the "potter'', writing in chapter 18, "Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something on the. wheel But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel."

In addition to speaking of the Lord as the "potter", both Isaiah and Jeremiah speak of the inherent right and authority of the potter over the clay. Although we are not inanimate objects like actual clay, the principle is nonetheless true and one that we should find peace in and not strive or struggle against. There will be times that we are tempted to speak to the Potter, forgetting who we are and who He is, but He remains the Potter and we the clay. And as the Potter, He retains His inherent right over the clay.

 

As you might guess, my favorite reference to God as the potter is made by the Apostle Paul in Romans chapter 9. In verses 20-22, clearly aware of the words written by Isaiah and Jeremiah and their truths, Paul wrote, "On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?" Of course, this follows the discussion in the passage revolving around the choices and decisions of God and man's tendency to question whether or not there is justice in them. We often struggle with statements like those recorded in Romans 9 where the apostle reminds the readers of God's words to Moses, when He had said, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." We are so prone to feel that God's mercy and compassion must somehow be bestowed on an individual who has somehow earned them and not simply because He has determined to exercise His sovereign will to do so.   

Although I have long had great appreciation for the truths spoken of in Romans 9, especially verses 6-33, it was only a few days ago that I recalled (by God's grace) the apostle's sorrow and grieving heart that we see in the chapter's beginning. In the first three verses Paul had shared his heart, writing, " I am telling the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience testifies with me in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and unceasing grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh". The passage provides us a glimpse into the heart of the apostle as he shares his grief regarding those "separated from Christ", specifically, his "brethren" and "kinsmen according to the flesh". His desire for the Israelites to know that Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God" was great. He even speaks of his apparent willingness to exchange his position in Christ with theirs if such a thing were possible. Not that his sorrow and grief vanished as he wrote, but God clearly directs the apostle to both personally dwell on and write of the sovereignty of God as a means to rightly deal with the "great sorrow and unceasing grief" in his heart. At the end of the day, Paul would find his peace in the only place peace can be found, trusting the Potter with the clay. As we experience sorrow and grief for those who do not know the Savior, may we also find peace as we endeavor to trust the Potter while serving Him! 

Being Thankful For What You Know

I would encourage you to take the time to thank God for His word of truth and the blessing that it is to know what you know! To know the truth that the Apostle Peter was gifted to know and proclaim to Jesus those many years ago; "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." To know the many other truths of our faith that you can recall to your mind during times like these. To know the various promises that God has made to the believer in Christ, that can give you hope, joy and a rejoicing heart despite life's circumstances. And be thankful and pray for those who have endeavored to teach and hold to Biblical truth! Their faithfulness to do so matters much to the body of Christ. As the Apostle Peter referenced in 2 Peter 1:15, it assists in our ability "to call these things to mind". I will end by simply saying what we each already know, God is good.

The Abiding Three

Often referred to as "the love chapter", 1st Corinthians 13 speaks to the excellence of love and of its necessity and value in the life of the believer. The chapter also speaks of the things that "will be done away" or that will "cease". In 1 Corinthians 13:13 the Apostle Paul wrote, "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love." That love is the greatest of the three is not the purpose for my writing, as it is indisputable because the word of God declares it so. But it is my hope that we would consider and remember that faith, hope and love still abide! And for that, we should be grateful every day. We should praise God, that because of Him, faith, hope and love abide still. I'm okay when I consider the things that God says will be done away with or the things that will cease, but it is a troublesome thought when I consider what it would be like without faith, hope and love. It was by faith that I received Him and it is by faith that I live in Him, understanding that it is a life of faith that is pleasing to God. It is our hope in God that brings rejoicing, peace and encouragement to our hearts and steadfastness to our minds. It is the anchor of our soul and something we can take hold of and hold on to. We understand that God is love and that His only begotten Son was given because of it. Love is a constant and everyday reminder of God Himself as He loves us daily and calls us to love others. And all that we do is to be done in love and He makes such a life possible.   

When I was reading this verse (1st Corinthians 13:13) I noticed that it took approximately 8 seconds for me to read it like I would if I were reading it out loud to others. Of course, as soon as I had that thought, I also thought of how an 8 second ride is required for a professional bull rider to have his ride scored. An 8 second ride is cheered by the fans and celebrated by the rider and his team. If you are following my thought pattern, you guessed it, my next thought was that there are times when it seems that we hang on to a great truth of scripture for about the 8 seconds it took us to read it. Riding a powerful and dangerous bull for 8 seconds, while holding on with one hand and knowing that the bull could maim or kill you if/when you are thrown off is no small feat. But 8 seconds of holding on to truth will not do it for you and I. 

So today I just wanted to remind us of the things that God has graciously caused to abide still; faith, hope and love. And I want to encourage us to see the importance of holding on to these three abiding things each and every day. They are too vital for us to let go of after we have read and learned of them. We cannot let them be just verses that we quote and not truths that affect our daily lives as we grow in them and hold on to them. As the Apostle Paul admonished the Colossian believers, we too must "let the word of Christ richly dwell" within us. Our life in Christ, referred to as a "race that is set before us" in Hebrews 12, is one that we are called to run with endurance and is far from any "8 second" matter. We are called to hold fast, stand firm and cling to the important truths of our faith. And we must not attempt to use just "one hand" in this endeavor, but utilize all of the gifts of grace that God has provided for us. His precious abiding word, the gift of prayer, fellowship with other believers, the Lord's table, the proclamation of the gospel message, believing that He "has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness". 

I would encourage you to thank God today that faith, hope and love still abide! And let us ask Him to help us grow in each of them. And pray that He might work in our hearts and minds and cause us to "let the word of Christ richly dwell" within us! May we look to and rely on Him for the endurance required in this race we are running!  

Rejoice in the Lord Always

I have been away from my blog for quite some time. These are certainly unusual times for all of us, as unprecedented steps are being taken to address the concerns associated with the COVID-19/Coronavirus that is impacting the world we live in. On more recent Sundays at my home church, during our Sunday School time, we have been looking at the words we find in the fourth chapter of the Book of Philippians. God's word is always relevant, no matter what the day or the circumstances of the time in which one may live. However, there are times when certain portions of God's word appear to be especially relevant and this certainly seems to be one of those times. With the daily counting of people dying from and/or contracting the coronavirus, to the concerns and the steps being taken to prevent its spread, we are all experiencing a way of life that is much different than anything we have seen before. There is a lot of fear, much uncertainty and many anxious thoughts. And there is very little rejoicing in our world today.       

I would like to draw your attention to Philippians 4:4. Here we read the well known admonition for the believer to "rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice". The admonition for us to "rejoice in the Lord always" appears independent of our circumstances and our feelings. In fact, there are times in a believers life that the Lord may be the only thing they can rejoice in. We can all rejoice "in the Lord", as there is never a lack of reason for rejoicing in Him! Who He is, what He has done and what He has yet promised never changes alongside everything else in our world that might do so if it hasn't already. The writer of Hebrews, in Hebrews 13:8, tells us that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever". In James 1:17, James describes our Lord as "the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow." As we see the things going on in our world today, may we be reminded of, and rest in, this great truth of our unchanging God. The promises of God that you knew of last year or even last month remain steadfast and sure this day. 

May believers purpose together to rejoice in the Lord always! Please continue to pray for God's church, the Body of Christ, in this very unique time. And pray for others as the Apostle Paul admonished in 1 Timothy 2:1-4, "First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

Merry Christmas

I have not posted anything in quite some time and this will be of few words. But I felt compelled to praise God this glorious Christmas day for His "indescribable gift". As a multitude of heavenly hosts once proclaimed in unison, may we each, with grateful hearts, declare "Glory to God in the highest"! Praise God and the glory of His grace for the privilege to know that which makes Christmas "merry", the truth concerning Jesus.

Today's Bible reading is the 1st chapter of the Book of Galatians. You can find it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB&search=Galatians%201

Before his conversion, by his own admission, the Apostle Paul "used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it". But he came to learn that he had been set apart, even from his mother's womb, and that when God "was pleased to reveal His Son" in him, by grace He did so in order that Paul might preach "the faith which he once tried to destroy" . He had received this gospel message of Christ, the gospel of grace, not from men, but "through a revelation of Jesus Christ". So sure was Paul of the gospel message, he wrote the following in this first chapter to the Galatian believers: "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed." The apostle then repeats himself and says, "As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed." Paul had already stated that "a different gospel" was in deed no gospel at all. But as had been the case with the Galatian's, Paul knew the tendency within man to pervert the true gospel message. He was so assured by the Spirit of that which had been "once for all handed down to the saints", that he purposely included himself in his warning. I am convinced that he wanted them to know, that even if he were to return one day preaching a different gospel than that which they had received, different than the gospel message Paul had preached to them, that he was not to be believed and that he too would then be counted among those who should "be accursed". Praise God for the surety of the gospel of grace, the gospel of Christ!

Today's Bible reading is the 3rd chapter of the Book of 2nd Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%203&version=NASB

Confidence in ministry should never be misplaced. If we are confident in ourselves it has been. Boasting is excluded by a law of faith Paul wrote to the believers in Rome. With Divine clarity today's text tells us that we are not "adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves". Though not found "as coming from ourselves", as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and members of His church, we are adequate for ministry.  "But our adequacy is from God" Paul writes. It is safe to say that it cannot be found anywhere else. We are called to "God things", "heavenly things", "gospel things" and our adequacy must come from Him. We are "adequate" for ministry despite all of our inadequacies, because "our adequacy is from God". The One who calls is also the One who equips. He takes the one who is inadequate for ministry (me and you) and by grace makes us adequate. He is able to do this for all of His children as His adequacy is without end. Praise God.

Today's Bible reading is the 2nd chapter of the Book of 2nd Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB&search=2%20Corinthians%202

In verses 10 and 11 we find the Apostle Paul writing these words to the believers in Corinth; "But one whom you forgive anything, I forgive also; for indeed what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, I did it for your sakes in the presence of Christ, so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes." This may have been true for Paul and it may be true for you, but I fear that many are indeed ignorant of Satan's schemes. In the text we find that one of his schemes we should not be ignorant of is that of being unforgiving. As a result of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, corrective action had been taken in the church with regard to one of it's members. Paul is now telling them to reaffirm their love for this brother in Christ. To be sure, there had been a time for discipline but now it was time for them to "forgive and comfort him". Failure to do so could result in bitterness on the part of those unwilling to forgive and the possibility that the one now needing forgiveness and restoration would be "overwhelmed by excessive sorrow". And Satan would take advantage of one or both. Yes, let us not be "ignorant of his schemes".

Today's Bible reading is the 1st chapter of the Book of 2nd Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB&search=2%20Corinthians%201

Today's text reminds us that we (believers in Christ) are not immune from afflictions, sufferings, burdens, despair and peril. Each is a part of living in a sin affected world. It is good for the Christian to have a proper perspective on this in order that he or she is not mislead in believing that God has somehow granted us exempt status from both the troubles that are found in life and those that come specifically because of our association with Jesus Christ. But the text also reminds us of the wonderful advantage that is ours in Christ. God is the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies" and the "God of all comfort". Praise the Lord that He is indeed the God of all comfort! Much comfort is needed in our sin ridden world. The older I am, and I pray the more I grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the more fully I see the sin issue. Oh, how we needed a Savior! The "God of all comfort", our text says, "comforts us in all our affliction" and, at least in part, He does "so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." Comforted by God so that we might comfort one another as He comforted us. May we be thankful to Him for this. Yes, sufferings may be ours in this life and there may be an abundance of them, but our "comfort is abundant in Christ."  

Today's Bible reading is the 16th chapter of the Book of 1st Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB&search=1%20Corinthians%2016

Two relatively short verses in this last chapter of 1st Corinthians summarizes much of what Paul had written to them in the entire sixteen chapters. In verses 13 and 14 the Apostle Paul was inspired to write, "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love". In keeping with much of what Paul had already written to the believers in Corinth, these two verses maintain their great profitability for churches all around the world today. Oh, how needful in our day for the church to be "on the alert"! Many have been "asleep at the wheel" for many years and the spiritual health of the church has suffered for it. Although admonished here and in other passages of scripture, we have failed to "stand firm in the faith" and have instead been "tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming" as we read in Ephesians chapter four. Spiritual maturity has been unimportant to many, including those who find themselves in leadership and teaching positions. There has been an unfortunate contentment with human wisdom, shallow spirituality and walking as "mere men". Quite frankly, the church struggles to embrace the gospel message, the gospel of grace and the cross of Christ. We must not walk as mere men but as Spirit empowered new creatures in Christ strengthened in His might. And although few would argue against the admonition that all things "be done in love", it seems that many find it difficult to have and maintain a biblical understanding of what Christlike love is. Yes, pray that we might "be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong" and let all that we do "be done in love".

Today's Bible reading is the 15th chapter of the Book of 1st Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB&search=1%20Corinthians%2015

To be sure, there is much to rejoice in throughout scripture. But I rejoice in the clear and simple proclamation of truth found in verses 3 and 4 of today's chapter. "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures" Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth. Praise God for these matters of "first importance", the glorious gospel message! These are not just important matters, but the matters of first importance. Our faith rests on the truths they proclaim. One might say that nothing else matters without them. That Christ died for our sins. That Christ was buried and that Christ rose on the third day. Oh, yes, without a doubt, they are the matters of first importance. The matters of utmost importance. Everything else we believe in and teach as Christians is only true because of these truths. May we praise God for these matters of first importance today and each day.

Today's Bible reading is the 13th chapter of the Book of 1st Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2013&version=NASB

Often referred to as "the love chapter", today's scripture tells us much regarding the significance of love. In the first three verses we read the following: "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing." We see in each of these examples that love is the necessary "ingredient" if you will, that gives value, meaning and profitability to the particular spiritual gift the believer in Christ has been gifted with. Much time could be spent talking about the gifts that Paul speaks of in the chapter but my comment on the matter could be summed up this way. If in fact love is the key, and the text, and others, clearly says that it is, how important it is for the believer to have a right biblical understanding of love! Men, including some believers, often try to define love in a simple and/or singular manner. Scripture teaches us that love is from God, quite literally, that "God is love". Again, if God is love, and He is, we must be careful to grow in our knowledge of Him that we might know what His love looks like. If God is multifaceted, and He is, then one can rightly determine that this love is also. Love may include forgiveness but it cannot be defined by forgiveness. Love may include forbearance but it cannot be defined by it. Love may include tolerance but it cannot be defined by it. Love may include righteousness and holiness but it cannot be defined by it. By God's grace, may we know Him better that we might have a right understanding of love and allow this love be the ingredient that makes all we do in His name have meaning.

Today's Bible reading is the 11th chapter of the Book of 1st Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB&search=1%20Corinthians%2011

Praised because they had remembered Paul and "in everything" had held "firmly to the traditions" as he had delivered them, the apostle could not praise the Corinthian church for their interactions when they would "come together". Completely opposite of God's intended purpose for His people to gather together, the Corinthians had not been gathering together for the better but for the worse. They had turned their gathering together for the Lord's supper into a fleshly demonstration of division, strife, judging of one another, self indulgence, etc.. It was all in stark contrast to what we find elsewhere in scripture regarding doing that which is for the better and not for the worse. Here is a list of such admonitions found that are clearly "for the better". Love one another or abound in love for one another. Encourage one another. Comfort one another. Be devoted to one another. Give preference to one another. Build up one another. Don't judge one another. Accept one another. Admonish one another. Care for one another. Greet one another. Serve one another. Bear one another's burdens. Be subject to one another. Speak to one another. Be kind to one another. Show tolerance for one another. Regard one another as more important than yourself. Bear with one another. Live in peace with one another. Stimulate one another to love and good deeds. Confess your sins to one another. Pray for one another. Be hospitable to one another. Cloth yourself with humility towards one another. Serve one another. By God's grace and His indwelling Holy Spirit, may we strive to do that which is for the better and refrain from doing those things that are for the worse.

Today's Bible reading is the 10th chapter of the Book of 1st Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%2010&version=NASB

Among the things we find in today's chapter, Paul continues to speak of similar things mentioned in my short thoughts from the previous day's text. In the freedom that is found in Christ, Paul wrote that "all things are lawful" for the one who has been justified by grace and through faith. But in the text, twice Paul comments on the lawfulness of all things in Christ, saying, "but not all things are profitable" and "but not all things edify". Our freedom in Christ is tempered by the love we have received from Christ. So it is not simply about what is lawful for me, but about what, through love, is profitable and edifying to others. He writes, that in our freedom, we are not to seek our own good but the good of our neighbor. There are a multitude of different situations that one might find themselves in where their freedom in Christ grants them certain liberties. But our freedom in Christ is meant to be held in check with an obligation of love to do that which is edifying and profitable for the body of Christ. With God's help, may we each one be mindful of the things that are profitable, the things that edify.  

Today's Bible reading is the 9th chapter of the Book of 1st Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%209&version=NASB

In today's text the Apostle Paul acknowledged a right that he possessed as an apostle, to get his living from the gospel as the Lord had directed. Those who proclaimed the gospel, he wrote, were to get their living from the gospel. Without a doubt, Paul was one who proclaimed the gospel message and was within his rights to get his living from the gospel. But although in Christ and in His church we may have certain rights we are free to claim, our rights are subordinate to the gospel of Christ. Although Paul "sowed spiritual things" and had the right to "reap material things", the gospel message itself was more important than any right that he may have been granted as a preacher of the gospel. His life and conscience was guided by this principal, "we endure all things (including his forfeiture of this right) so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ". I suppose similar to the words found in Deuteronomy chapter 8 and recorded as having been spoken by the Lord Jesus Himself in both Mathew and Luke's gospel accounts, "man shall not live by bread alone". Oh, to be sure, Paul needed bread and he needed water, but he needed to preach the gospel, not to get his living from doing so, but to have life, and that more abundantly, from doing so. May we always view our "rights" in light of the higher calling of the gospel and like Paul, wish never to cause any hindrance to the gospel message.

Today's Bible reading is the 8th chapter of the Book of 1st Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%208&version=NASB

In a world where there are indeed, "many gods and many lords", a world where "so-called gods" abound in heaven and on earth, we ought to be thankful for the Lord's revealed truth about such matters. Although men may worship "other gods" and give sacrifice to a host of idols of their making, the word of God proclaims that there is only one God! Men cannot create a god by believing in it. The proclamation of millions that something is true does not in and of itself make it true. "There is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him" Paul writes in today's text. In a world where religions abound and various god's and idols are worshiped, I am thankful for the reminder from scripture that it is not as if our God is better or bigger than theirs. It is that our God is the only God. In his letter to the Ephesian believers, Paul declared the oneness of God when he said that there is "one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." What a privilege is mine to know the one and only true God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Today's Bible reading is the 7th chapter of the Book of 1st Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians%207&version=NASB

Much is written in today's chapter about husbands and wives, married life and single life, self-control, whether or not to remain a widow, the state you were in at your calling, virginity, etc. Although time would not permit me to go into each or even one of these matters in detail, there are a couple of things the apostle says in the midst of it all that I would like to note. "The form of this world is passing away" he writes at the end of verse 31. "I want you to be free from concern" he writes in verse 32. And in verse 35 we read that he wishes to "promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord." In the midst of all that believers face each and every day, from the routine and mundane to the new adventures, joys, struggles and life affecting decisions, may we remember these truths. The world in which we live IS passing away and are hope is of heaven and not of this world. As we live by faith and not by sight, may we find rest in our gracious God and Savior and find the freedom from concern that only He provides. May it be our passion and hearts desire to know and teach that which is consistent with Godliness and may we long for that "undistracted devotion to the Lord" the apostle spoke of.

Today's Bible reading is the 6th chapter of the Book of 1st Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB&search=1%20Corinthians%206

Reminded that they would judge the world and also judge angels, the Apostle Paul tells the Corinthian believers that there ought to be men among them with the wisdom to judge matters of this life. To their shame and ultimately to their own detriment, they were taking matters between "brethren", members of the body of Christ, to the "law courts" and not before the saints. He went further in his God inspired reprimand and told them that it was already a "defeat" to them that they had lawsuits against one another. He posed two challenging question to them that would be good for us to consider as well. "Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?" Each question implied that it would be better for them, and better for the body of Christ, to be wronged or to be defrauded. He was in no way suggesting that it was right or acceptable to wrong and defraud one another in the body of Christ without thought or consequence. But again, it is also clear that he was saying that it would be better for them to be wronged defrauded in the matters they had taken one another to unbelievers to decide between. He had previously written to them that "when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted we endure". Such living in this world is made possible as the Spirit lives the life of Christ in us. He receives the glory.

Today's Bible reading is the 5th chapter of the Book of 1 Corinthians. You can read it here at Bible Gateway: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=NASB&search=1%20Corinthians%205

It was unfortunate but true; there was immorality in the church at Corinth that was "of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles". Perhaps there were many factors that contributed to their struggling spiritual condition but one that I would note was their pride. Their arrogance had kept them from mourning about the things they were doing that were not consistent with the character and teaching of Christ. In verse 6 the Apostle Paul lovingly told them that "their boasting was not good". If it was not good it was bad and if it was bad it came with negative results. Boasting remains an unhealthy act for individual believers or for the church gathered together. James wrote of arrogant boasting and said that "all such boasting is evil". In Galatians Paul asserted, "may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ". And in his second letter to the Corinthians he wrote that "he who boasts is to boast in the Lord". May we fix our eyes on Jesus, grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him and boast only in our glorious Savior as we marvel in Him.