1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love. (NLT)
These words remind me of taking Karate. I did not make it to a black belt like one of our granddaughters, but I did study for a couple of years and was close to a brown belt when we moved to a different state.
One of the first things learned was standing in an on guard position. When we are on guard we are ready for anything. Nobody can trip us up and are full attention is focused on what is happening around us.
We are to be on guard for Christ. When we are, we can see where the Father is working and be ready to jump in to assist and complete His work. This is what Jesus told us He was doing when He said He was finishing His Father's work, and He told us we were to follow Him.
When we jump in to finish the work we need to stand firm in our faith. If that person needs a touch from God, it is our faith that allows us to stretch our hands to them or just to open out mouth and know the Holy Spirit will fill it with just the right things to say.
Doing this takes courage. It is not easy going up to a stranger and finish His work. Having to have courage in the first place even implies that the task at hand is a difficult one. God gives us the courage we need to handle the situation He puts us into.
We have to be strong in knowing our place in Christ. Our strength comes not from mortal means but from God. He is out strength.
We must also remember that whatever God has for us to do, it must be done with love. Without love, how could it be from God?
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Giving Weekly
1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don't wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. (NLT)
There are many schools of thought about giving. Throughout the Old Testament there are references to tithing and giving of firstfruits. I am not going to get into a discussion of why we should or should not tithe. However I do believe we should give to where we are being fed.
Those of us who are working and drawing a paycheck each week know about gross pay and net pay. The net pay is what we have to spend after the taxes are taken out. We would like to get the gross amount each week.
When someone is self-employed they do not get a paycheck. All the money they receive is spendable. However, they are still obligated to pay taxes on what they received. At the end of the year, they too need to file their income tax report. When they file they need to come up with a large amount all at once. Unless they were putting aside an estimate of their tax obligation regularly, they may not have he money to pay the tax bill.
Paul tells the Corinthians to put aside a portion of the money they have earned and to do it on the first of each week. Sunday is the first day of the week and that is the day most of us attend church and the day we give our offering. Whether our portion is 10% or more or less, we give to where we are being fed.
On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don't wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once. (NLT)
There are many schools of thought about giving. Throughout the Old Testament there are references to tithing and giving of firstfruits. I am not going to get into a discussion of why we should or should not tithe. However I do believe we should give to where we are being fed.
Those of us who are working and drawing a paycheck each week know about gross pay and net pay. The net pay is what we have to spend after the taxes are taken out. We would like to get the gross amount each week.
When someone is self-employed they do not get a paycheck. All the money they receive is spendable. However, they are still obligated to pay taxes on what they received. At the end of the year, they too need to file their income tax report. When they file they need to come up with a large amount all at once. Unless they were putting aside an estimate of their tax obligation regularly, they may not have he money to pay the tax bill.
Paul tells the Corinthians to put aside a portion of the money they have earned and to do it on the first of each week. Sunday is the first day of the week and that is the day most of us attend church and the day we give our offering. Whether our portion is 10% or more or less, we give to where we are being fed.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Work Enthusiastically
1 Corinthians 15:58
Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (NLT)
I was brought up with the knowledge that when you worked for someone you should always work enthusiastically. You put your best foot forward and you were rewarded with increases. I did that and it always worked for me.
Depending on the situation, the reward came at different times. There were times that the work in one place resulted in a reward someplace else.
Working for the Lord is never useless, but what is His work? Often we do a very good job of deciding what His work is and then plead with Him to help us.
When I was first working for a bank in Rhode Island, I was put on the line as a teller. My job was to serve the customers as they came in the bank. Had I decided to enthusiastically give them a loan it would not have been taken well by my boss. There was a range of tasks I was assigned and giving loans was not part of it.
I believe God has a plan for us and we need to stop and listen to just what that plan is. He has assignments for us. As we listen and walk forth to do the work enthusiastically, He rewards us spiritually in ways we cannot comprehend. And He rewards us materially by supplying our needs.
Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (NLT)
I was brought up with the knowledge that when you worked for someone you should always work enthusiastically. You put your best foot forward and you were rewarded with increases. I did that and it always worked for me.
Depending on the situation, the reward came at different times. There were times that the work in one place resulted in a reward someplace else.
Working for the Lord is never useless, but what is His work? Often we do a very good job of deciding what His work is and then plead with Him to help us.
When I was first working for a bank in Rhode Island, I was put on the line as a teller. My job was to serve the customers as they came in the bank. Had I decided to enthusiastically give them a loan it would not have been taken well by my boss. There was a range of tasks I was assigned and giving loans was not part of it.
I believe God has a plan for us and we need to stop and listen to just what that plan is. He has assignments for us. As we listen and walk forth to do the work enthusiastically, He rewards us spiritually in ways we cannot comprehend. And He rewards us materially by supplying our needs.
Monday, January 25, 2010
We are Mortal and Spiritual Beings
1 Corinthians 10:50
What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. (NLT)
We all have a group of people we think we know very well. Some we may have known most of our lives. We can picture them in our minds eye and have a fairly good idea how they will react to situations that may come up.
We are who we are, but then again we are both mortal and spiritual beings. These mortal bodies of ours have grown from infant to adult and all the time our true spiritual selves have resided inside. All we really know about someone else is the mortal side of their being.
What about their spiritual side? These mortal bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. It is our spiritual self that passes on. The question is where will it pass on to?
With a relationship with Jesus Christ we are guaranteed to pass on into the Kingdom of God. We are guaranteed a place in Heaven for eternity.
Let us not allow our friends, those who we know well in the flesh, pass on without knowing where they are passing on to. Let us tell them about having a personal relationship with the King of Kings.
What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. (NLT)
We all have a group of people we think we know very well. Some we may have known most of our lives. We can picture them in our minds eye and have a fairly good idea how they will react to situations that may come up.
We are who we are, but then again we are both mortal and spiritual beings. These mortal bodies of ours have grown from infant to adult and all the time our true spiritual selves have resided inside. All we really know about someone else is the mortal side of their being.
What about their spiritual side? These mortal bodies cannot inherit what will last forever. It is our spiritual self that passes on. The question is where will it pass on to?
With a relationship with Jesus Christ we are guaranteed to pass on into the Kingdom of God. We are guaranteed a place in Heaven for eternity.
Let us not allow our friends, those who we know well in the flesh, pass on without knowing where they are passing on to. Let us tell them about having a personal relationship with the King of Kings.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Same Message
1 Corinthians 15:11
It makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed. (NLT)
We are more apt to go see a movie with actors or actresses we know and like. We may not even care to see the trailer. If so and so is in it, it must be good. The same goes for novels. Tell me about a new James Paterson, Clive Cussler, or David Baldacci book and I want to read it. I do not need to read the write up. But give me an author I do not know, and I read the back cover first to see if I might like it.
When a conference is set up in or out of the church circles, the key speakers are the draw. If they did not say who was speaking, few if any would sign up to go. In the world, who is the speaker is of paramount importance. We go to hear the delivery more than the content.
In church we do the same. We gravitate to gifted pubic speakers more than to the word of God. Some preachers are so wrapped up in their talk they miss The message. And that message should be Jesus.
It should not make any difference who is preaching or what church we attend. They should all be preaching the same message. They should all be preaching the Word of God. When that happens there is growth in numbers attending and growth in character of those hearing the message
It makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed. (NLT)
We are more apt to go see a movie with actors or actresses we know and like. We may not even care to see the trailer. If so and so is in it, it must be good. The same goes for novels. Tell me about a new James Paterson, Clive Cussler, or David Baldacci book and I want to read it. I do not need to read the write up. But give me an author I do not know, and I read the back cover first to see if I might like it.
When a conference is set up in or out of the church circles, the key speakers are the draw. If they did not say who was speaking, few if any would sign up to go. In the world, who is the speaker is of paramount importance. We go to hear the delivery more than the content.
In church we do the same. We gravitate to gifted pubic speakers more than to the word of God. Some preachers are so wrapped up in their talk they miss The message. And that message should be Jesus.
It should not make any difference who is preaching or what church we attend. They should all be preaching the same message. They should all be preaching the Word of God. When that happens there is growth in numbers attending and growth in character of those hearing the message
Monday, January 18, 2010
Praying in the Spirit
1 Corinthians 14:14-15
For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what I am saying. Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. (NLT)
This subject of tongues is controversial. Arguments over it occur often as Christians of different backgrounds share their beliefs. What is the truth here?
I can only speak from my own experience and not based on the teaching of man, although I have sat under preachers who taught on the subject. My knowledge is experiential coupled with revelation as I read the words of Paul.
There is a difference in speaking in tongues and praying in tongues. If we have the gift on tongues, then what comes out of our mouth in public is from God and someone else (not us) will have the interpretation in English. We have witnessed this on many occasions.
Praying in tongues is praying in our prayer language either out loud by ourselves or inward, in our mind, when in public. We do not control what syllables are spoken. It occurs when we give over our prayers to our spirit to pray. It is our spirit communicating with the spirit of God directly.
When I have something specific to pray about, I use words I understand. This is a direct communication with God and He does answer my prayers. Does He always give me what I want? No, not always, but I get what I need at just the right time.
I find my self singing as I am out walking, in the shower, or driving in my vehicle. Sometimes I use words that happen to come as I speak them out for I do not really know any songs. More often I find myself singing in the spirit-singing out loud in tongues. I find this the most beneficial and feel His presence as I do so.
When we are in corporate worship at a church filled with spirit filled believers, that is believers that have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and have a prayer language, we may pray out loud in our prayer language. We have even sung corporately in our prayer language and the results have sounded like angelic songs.
If you want to have your own personal prayer language, ask Him for it. As you use it to pray without ceasing as Paul suggests, you find an increase in His power in your life.
Do you have a prayer language?
For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what I am saying. Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. (NLT)
This subject of tongues is controversial. Arguments over it occur often as Christians of different backgrounds share their beliefs. What is the truth here?
I can only speak from my own experience and not based on the teaching of man, although I have sat under preachers who taught on the subject. My knowledge is experiential coupled with revelation as I read the words of Paul.
There is a difference in speaking in tongues and praying in tongues. If we have the gift on tongues, then what comes out of our mouth in public is from God and someone else (not us) will have the interpretation in English. We have witnessed this on many occasions.
Praying in tongues is praying in our prayer language either out loud by ourselves or inward, in our mind, when in public. We do not control what syllables are spoken. It occurs when we give over our prayers to our spirit to pray. It is our spirit communicating with the spirit of God directly.
When I have something specific to pray about, I use words I understand. This is a direct communication with God and He does answer my prayers. Does He always give me what I want? No, not always, but I get what I need at just the right time.
I find my self singing as I am out walking, in the shower, or driving in my vehicle. Sometimes I use words that happen to come as I speak them out for I do not really know any songs. More often I find myself singing in the spirit-singing out loud in tongues. I find this the most beneficial and feel His presence as I do so.
When we are in corporate worship at a church filled with spirit filled believers, that is believers that have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and have a prayer language, we may pray out loud in our prayer language. We have even sung corporately in our prayer language and the results have sounded like angelic songs.
If you want to have your own personal prayer language, ask Him for it. As you use it to pray without ceasing as Paul suggests, you find an increase in His power in your life.
Do you have a prayer language?
Friday, January 15, 2010
Prophesy
1 Corinthians 14:1
Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives-especially the ability to prophesy. (NLT)
Webster say that prophesy is to speak as if divinely inspired or to utter by or as if by divine inspiration. In other words, when one is prophesying the words out of their mouth comes from God and not from their calculative mind.
We know from reading our Bible that the Old Testament tells us about many prophets of those times. Today we see many current day prophets in churches and on the Internet. God does still speak through His people today.
How do we know what we hear is from God? What they say usually confirms something we know and speaks to something in our life the person speaking has no knowledge of. Their words are uplifting and encouraging.
Our Bible is filled with God's promises to us. As we read these words straight from our Bible to others, we are prophesying. We are speaking forth God's words.
We must understand that prophetic words speak to the future. They are not given so we can create a "things to do list" and move out in our own understanding to make it happen. We must also realize that we only prophecy in part. In that one word we speak or hear we will not find all the answers. Prophecy is a glimpse into the future to encourage us in our walk with God.
Prophecy is a special ability we are all to use, so desire it and it will come to pass.
Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives-especially the ability to prophesy. (NLT)
Webster say that prophesy is to speak as if divinely inspired or to utter by or as if by divine inspiration. In other words, when one is prophesying the words out of their mouth comes from God and not from their calculative mind.
We know from reading our Bible that the Old Testament tells us about many prophets of those times. Today we see many current day prophets in churches and on the Internet. God does still speak through His people today.
How do we know what we hear is from God? What they say usually confirms something we know and speaks to something in our life the person speaking has no knowledge of. Their words are uplifting and encouraging.
Our Bible is filled with God's promises to us. As we read these words straight from our Bible to others, we are prophesying. We are speaking forth God's words.
We must understand that prophetic words speak to the future. They are not given so we can create a "things to do list" and move out in our own understanding to make it happen. We must also realize that we only prophecy in part. In that one word we speak or hear we will not find all the answers. Prophecy is a glimpse into the future to encourage us in our walk with God.
Prophecy is a special ability we are all to use, so desire it and it will come to pass.
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