What legacy are you leaving?



I just returned on Thursday from going with the youth at Oak Hill to the Xtreme Winter youth conference in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.  I cannot even begin to express to you the joy at seeing approximately 6,000 of the youth in our country worshiping the Lord all at one time and with such passion.  This is just one of FOUR of these conferences going on over the next week in the southeast featuring huge names such as Toby Mac, Newsong, and the David Crowder Band.  All you hear about in our world is how horrible our youth are and what terrible things they are doing all the time.  You also often hear of people saying they are worried about the future of the leadership of this country because of all the negative talk about our youth in the media.  Well let me just tell you that there IS hope!  We have some absolutely AMAZING Christian young people in this world that are out there doing God's work and advancing His kingdom!  I saw it first-hand at this conference and see it everyday in the youth at our church!!!  It is so neat to me how this ties in with the books of 1 and 2 Timothy and the fact that Timothy was a young person that was being mentored by Paul.  As Jaybrena so eloquently talked about in her post yesterday, mentoring younger people is absolutely critical to the raising up of strong Christian adults.  Paul saw the value of pouring himself into Timothy to pass on his legacy of being a strong, bold, Godly Christian leader and I believe we should follow this example that Paul set for us.  Timothy's mother and grandmother also saw the value of this and Paul tells us in chapter 1 how they poured their faith directly into young Timothy.  Paul admonishes this to Timothy in chapter 1 verses 13 and 14:  "What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.  Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us."  My question to you is...are you doing this?





These words that Paul wrote to Timothy that are preserved here in the precious pages of Scripture are probably the last words he wrote as he awaited death at the hands of the Romans.  Paul knew his time on this earth was about to come to an end.  So don't you think we should really listen to what Paul is saying as he is writing this to Timothy?  What words would you write to a loved one if you KNEW you were going to die soon?  Wouldn't your words be strong, important, heart-felt, and admonishing certain VERY key things to that person?  The Legacy Bible states this at the introduction to this book:  "Paul wrapped up his letter with exuberant confidence in God's care even in the face of his impending death...Paul's poignant words remind us of God's love and strength."  So I wanted to point out some of the key things that Paul said to Timothy in this book that we can take into our own lives and hold onto.

Chapter 1 verse 7:  "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."  BE BOLD FOR THE LORD!!!!  We have the same power that raised Jesus from the dead living in us!!!  Did you hear that and do you REALLY believe that?  USE that power...it's yours to use!!!

Chapter 2 verse 15:  "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth."  Have you ever felt ashamed of how you handled the Gospel?  I know I have.  There have been times that I handled things so poorly that I wanted to bury my head in the sand and never come back up!  BUT God can use anything for His glory.  But the more time we spend in His Word and in worship to Him, we will handle things "correctly".

Chapter 3 verses 1-5:  "But mark this:  There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them."  Sound familiar???  It should!  We are seeing this exact behavior in our world all around us today!  And here's the bad news...it is only going to continue to get worse as we get closer and closer to the end times.  This is the EXACT reason we MUST be grounded in God's Word!  In order to protect ourselves from these evil and wicked things we HAVE to be firmly rooted in our faith and in God's Word.  Otherwise we will find ourselves falling into the ways of the world and being easily swayed!!!

Chapter 3 verses 16 and 17:  "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."   Do you see how Paul creates a progression in this book?  He tells us what is going to happen and then he tells us exactly what we need to do to handle what is going to happen.  God's Word is PERFECT and is exactly what we need to do His work!  It is our ONLY offensive weapon against Satan...use it!!!

Chapter 4 verses 3 and 4:  "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."  Our churches are FULL of "watered down" doctrine so that they can fill huge numbers of seats in a church to bring glory to the leaders of that church.  This is a VERY dangerous place to be and the wrath of God will fall strongly on these leaders.  Half-truths are very slippery and deceptive and those that are not grounded in God's Word easily fall into their trap. 

Chapter 4 verses 7 and 8:  "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day..."  I hope that at my funeral these words would be said about me.  Do you ever think about what people are going to say about you when you are in heaven?  I think about this a lot.  I want people to remember how much I adored Jesus and how much fun I had using the spiritual gifts He gave me.  I want people to remember my work for God's Kingdom and what I did for Him with the time I had here.  What do you want people to remember about you?

Chapter 4 verse 11:  "Only Luke is with me.  Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry."  There is a critical point here that is easy to miss.  Do you remember back in the book of Acts when Barnabas and Paul parted ways due to an argument they had over the fact that Barnabas wanted to take him on their next missionary journey but Paul was adamant that they NOT take him because he had deserted them in an earlier missionary journey?  Well, apparently Paul forgave Mark at some point because Paul wants Mark to come back to him.  Forgiveness...something we are COMMANDED to do by Jesus over and over.  Paul set this example for us as well.  Forgiveness is more for you than it is for the person you are forgiving.  It releases YOU from bitterness and anger that will eat you up from the inside out.  Is there someone in your life you need to forgive?

WOW!  What an amazing book Paul wrote to the young man Timothy that was like a son to him.  Whose life are you influencing like Paul did with this special young man?  Anyone?  There are plenty of young people out there (a lot at our churches).  What legacy do you want to leave?





Paul and Timothy, Fellow Sojourners

I signed up for a mentoring group a few years ago. And, another a few years before that. In fact, I've been a part of three organized mentoring emphases, each being successful in it's own way. However, some of the most meaningful mentoring-type relationships I've experienced were not organized by a third party at all. Rather, these relationships were formed on the journey of this path we call "life." Fellow sojourners, who locked arms alongside myself in service and love, developing a relationship that will forever be precious to me.

What a special relationship Paul had with Timothy! And as God would have it, Paul's letter to Timothy is just as relevant today, as it was in their time. It is sound doctrine for congregation and it's pastor. It provides instruction concerning the church congregation's behavior in many areas, as well as that of it's members individually. Paul wrote things in this book that our "politically correct" society would have banned, burned, or buried! Knowing it's infallible mark, however, I will not disregard any of it's advice. Speaking of advice....as any good father would do, Paul also includes loads of advice for young Timothy in this letter! Clearly, God received great glory through the work of these two men. How can we have this type of relationship today? I'd like to consider how such a special bond is formed by looking at these two points: Pursue a Paul and Train a Timothy.

Pursue a Paul. Paul was by his own admission like a father to young Timothy, calling him his "true son in the faith." Paul wrote this letter to instruct and encourage Timothy in his spiritual leadership role. Is there someone in your life whom you love and admire in the faith? Maybe more than one? Submit yourself to that person, serve alongside that "Paul" and learn. Mentoring is not something that you do at 5:00 on Tuesdays once a month....rather a relationship that is born out of common interests and service opportunities. As we watch, listen, serve, glean, and learn from our Paul, we are encouraged in our faith. We grow spiritually. We learn as disciples. I believe we can even have mentors by way of books, movies, conferences, and social networking! We live in an age where the possibilities seem endless. Pursue that relationship today.

Train a Timothy. Timothy was hungry for the word! He was eager to serve and to learn all that He could for and about Christ. Although Timothy of the Bible was a young man, your Timothy does not have to be any certain age. Is there someone in your life, whom the Lord has laid on your heart to invest your time with? ...perhaps a child? Is there someone who has recently come to knowledge of Christ and would benefit from your encouragement? ...perhaps an older person? ...perhaps even a family member? God's word is meant for all ages. It is meant for child and adult alike, that each may "become wise unto salvation." One of my favorite reminders is found in this book, 1:15-16, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst. But, for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life." And, I love this quote:

"[The Bible] is like a river: so deep in the middle that an elephant may swim in it, but along the shore a lamb may wade, and not be drowned."

All throughout this letter, Paul encourages Timothy to stand firm. To persevere. To remain true to his calling. (sound familiar??) He tells Timothy to "fight the good fight of faith". Who will you encourage today? Who will be allowed to encourage you today?

Hold Fast

In this letter to the church at Thessalonica, Paul is attempting to correct a misunderstanding about the Lord's return. It seems that some church members were teaching that the Lord's return had already occurred. Paul noted that this could not have happened because certain things must precede the second coming of Christ. He speaks of the "man of lawlessness" (the Antichrist).

Paul offers encouragement to the church members to remain faithful to all they had been taught. He told them that God would continue to direct their paths, and they must keep working until the Lord's return. In Chapter 2, verse 15, Paul says, so brethren, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions which you were taught by us, whether by our word of mouth or by letter.

Traditions, what are they and what does it mean to hold fast to them? Traditions are the passing on of something of importance from one generation to the next either by word of mouth or by example. And what do stand firm or hold fast mean? The word "stand" in the Greek means "to continue, to abide." The word "hold" in Greek means "to keep in memory, to seize on , possess, to stay." So, the question is - what are the traditions that Christians have passed on from one generation to the next to hold fast to and stand firm on? Here are some that I thought of:

Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another (Eph. 4:32)

Children, obey your parents in everything for this is pleasing to the Lord (Col. 3:20)

Study to show yourselves approved unto God . . . rightly diving the word of truth. (2Tim. 2:15)

Let us not neglect the assembling together (Heb. 10:25)

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16)

The list could go on and on. We need only to read the Word to find more. Are we holding fast to these traditions that have been preserved for us and try to live them daily and be good examples? Are we passing them on to our children and grandchildren?

As we close this year of 2011 and look forward to 2012, my prayer for all of us is that we do just that - stand firm and hold fast to what we have learned this year from reading through the Bible and participating in this Blog, and to keep those honored "traditions" that we have gleaned not only from written Word, but from the Living Word, our Lord.

No Yellow Bricks to Pave this Road...

In the well known and loved movie "The Wizard of Oz", Dorothy and her adorable dog "Toto" are transported by a tornado to another land. Even though it's filled with amazing, magical creatures and beautiful scenery, Dorothy remains true to her course to find her way back home. She is given the instructions to "follow the yellow brick road" to find her way back. Wouldn't it be nice if we all had our own personal "yellow brick road" to follow to get back "home"?

In Paul's letter to the church in Thessolonica, his concern for their faith, love for them, and desire to see them again leaps off the page. Paul was only able to spend a short time with the new believers in Thessolonica before he was driven away by persecution. Since then, it's obvious that he had spent much time praying for them- that they would remain true to the faith they claimed. Persecution in this area was apparently pretty strong, and Paul was concerned for the young faith of these new believers. Finally, he could stand it no longer and sent Timothy to check on them. Timothy thankfully brought back a favorable report regarding their faith and love for each other, but must have reported that they needed a little clearing up on some theological points. Don't we all?! In Paul's encouragement and teaching to this church, we find several gold brick that we can use to pave our own yellow brick road "home."

Abstain from sexual immorality. I find it interesting that Paul lists this one sin specifically. What drove Paul to mention this specifically I can't say, but it is obvious that guarding against this in our lives should be a priority for us. Paul links this sin specifically to impurity (4:7-8) and implies that choosing to pursue or persist in sexual immorality is walking in the exact opposite of the direction God would want to you to go. It hurts not only you, but also many others who are in close (or will be in close) relationships with you. (Paul's reference to "theft"). Also, a person should not mix human sexual impurity with God's Holy nature in the Holy Spirit, who lives within us as Christians (Holman Christian Study Bible).

Love abundantly, lead a quiet life, mind your own business, and work with your own hands (4:10-12). Here Paul is encouraging them to be above reproach. Earn your own keep- don't expect handouts. Mind your own business....hmmm, perhaps not gossiping? Lead a quiet life. This really sounds lovely doesn't it? We can get frustrated with the hum-drum day to day life we live, crave excitement and even seek it out. I think Paul would tell you that excitement will eventually find you- and you should relish the quiet while you have it!

Look forward to Christ's return with hope. Apparently many of the believers in Thessolonica were fearful of Christ's return. Paul reminds them that it is a time of hope for those who have placed their faith in Him, something to look forward to. He encourages them to use thoughts of Christ's return to motivate them to work seriously for Christ here while they have the chance, encouraging one another and building each other up.

This last list needs no added explanation:

Rejoice always.

Pray constantly.

Give thanks in everything,

for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Don't stifle the Spirit.

Don't despise prophecies,

but test all things.

Hold on to what is good.

Stay away from every kind of evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

These are the bricks that pave our road home to heaven. The guide stones that lead us down the path to hope, joy, love and faithfulness- what is "good for one another and for all." On the days when you feel like you need a yellow brick road out of wherever land you have been transported to- remember that you don't actually need yellow bricks.

No yellow bricks to pave this road, Oh, straight and narrow lead me home.

Lead me home!

Matt Maher- "Everything and Nothing"

Know Christ…

I just love the book of Colossians! When I was in college I went through a spiritual low. There was a time when doubt overwhelmed me to the point of great fear that there was no God. In the last two years of my college experience, the Lord began pulling me out of that pit and renewing my relationship. This is when I truly learned what it meant to “fall in love with Jesus.” I had a lot of knowledge but I didn’t “KNOW” Christ. I feel so blessed today being reminded of how wonderful he is to me. Colossians was one of the key books that encouraged me in my struggle. Maybe all of you have a personal testimony to share about the book of Colossians. If I don’t say wonderful words of wisdom and if I don’t give some inspiring insight, I still have been reminded of the importance of knowing him, not just knowing all the “right” ways to live or worship. This has been a roller-coaster of an issue for me because I have a perfectionism tendency. I want to get it perfect or I have failed. I believe many people struggle with this same thing. The Colossian church was struggling with trying to get it right too. So much religious knowledge was being spread around and mixed in that the people were being confused.

Here are some Key Verses:
Colossians 1:15-16, "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him."

Colossians 2:8-10, "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority."

Colossians 3:12-13, "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Colossians 4:5-6, "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

Paul was writing the Colossian church to try to expose and defeat the heresy arising in Colossea. A heresy is a deviation from the truth. There was a flawed view of Christ in which his deity was not accepted. Paul does a wonderful job of pointing us to the sufficiency of Christ. At the same time he reminds them of how they should treat others.
We need to remember that our actions do matter but are not our salvation. Legalism was/is also an issue. I think we all struggle with change and the Jews particularly struggled with giving up some of the Old Testament requirements like circumcision. We must hold on to the truth that Christ is sufficient for our salvation and sanctification. We must guard against things that can lead us astray by forms of legalism and heresy by knowing the gospel. The only way to know the gospel is to stay in the Word. There is no substitution. We must guard against anything that would diminish the importance of Christ. Anything or anyone who tries to make itself equal to the authority of the Word of God must be avoided. One of satan’s affective schemes is to mix lies in with the truth. Other religions cannot be combined with or added to Christianity. We cannot just take what we like and leave out what we don’t like or understand. His will is revealed in his word and we must get to know Him through his word.

Press On, Kindred Spirits

As I was reading the book of Philippians and thinking of what the relationship of Paul to the Philippians might have been, the words "kindred spirit" came to mind.  I looked up some definitions of that term and found a couple that I like and think are applicable:

"person with whom one has something in common"

or

"a person who shares beliefs, attitudes, or features with another"

I think that describes us, too.  Don't you?!?!?!  How blessed we are to be able to worship, minister, and encourage each other on a daily and weekly.

I think Paul's letter to the Philippians is one that can be read as a personal letter between two dear friends.  Paul is obviously encouraged by the lives of the Philippians and his words are encouraging reminders of the lives they are to live in Christ.  You can hear Paul's fondness, affection, and respect for his brothers and sisters.  His words are strong and we would expect nothing less from Paul.  However, they are not sharp and corrective, but encouraging and loving. There are MANY nuggets of truth and encouragement in these chapters.  Let's take a peek at a few of them:

"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." (2:5)  

Is this really even possible????  If I'm honest, I have to admit that it's really hard for me to believe it's possible for me to have the same attitude as the Living God.  Paul believed it is possible and through his words, God encourages us to be humble servants like Jesus was.  Paul and the Philippians were great role models for us to follow.  The ministered to each other, provided sacrificially for each other, prayed for each other, encouraged each other, loved each other.  Their evident relationship is a wonderful reflection of Jesus' teaching to serve and minister to one another. God tells us that we are made in his likeness and that our minds can be renewed and transformed to be more like Christ.  We can do "everything through him who gives us strength" (4:13). Yes, it's possible!

"Continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith."  (1:25)

Paul understood too well the reality of impending human death and longed to be with the Lord in heaven.  However, he also knew that God was working through him to spread the gospel and encourage other believers.  As Paul and the Philippians each had their role in the gospel ministry, so do we today.  We all have various gifts, talents, geographical locations, and "mission fields".  We are to "press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold."  (4:12).  Again, this is a reminder for keeping an eternal perspective and allowing God to use us where where are.  God gives us joy as we press on!

"Shine like stars" (2:15)

The instruction in this context is to "do everything without complaining or arguing".  Hmmmmm   (I have to stop here and confess)  When we are obedient in this area, God's word tells us that some great things happen.  We may become blameless and pure... without fault... we shine like stars.  We stand out.  We are different in the world.  That's a goal well worth striving for!

"Do not be anxious about anything" (4:6)

Interestingly, Paul states earlier in the book that he has anxiety (2:28).  Anxiety and worry are part of our human nature.  God tells us to let our gentleness be evident instead of allowing anxiety to control us.  When I am anxious, I am not gentle!  And my attitude... not much like Christ.  Comparing gentleness to anxiety is a great contrast and one that I can relate to too well.  God promises his unfathomable peace when we take our worries and requests to him with prayer and thanksgiving.  That's a promise to claim!

These words written by Paul are also a sweet, personal letter from God to each of us.  This book can be a wonderful source of encouragement as we allow the words flow through our mind and over our hearts.  Dear sisters (and brothers), I want to encourage you with the same words as Paul wrote to the Philippians.  I am confident that God will continue to work in our lives and that... 

"...he who began a good work in you 

will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."

~Philippians 1:6

Press on, kindred spirits!

WALK THIS WAY

Ephesians is considered by some to be the crown of Paul's writing. He explains in it that Christ is the center of the Christianity movement and the church is united in Him. Paul's writing to the Ephesians had a two fold purpose. One was to remind Christians of their Spiritual blessing in Christ. Second, to exhort Christians to have a walk worthy of their calling. In these chapters Paul will be giving us instructions for our walk through life that will be pleasing to God.

FIRST; WE ARE TO WALK IN UNITY.
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk
worthy of the vocation where with ye are called. (Ephesians 4:1)
And he gave some apostles; and some prophets; and some evangelists;
and some pastors; and some teachers;(4:11)
We are not all called to do the same thing but we are called to do something to glorify the Lord and to edify the church. Whatever our station in life is we are to do it in unity one with the other. Jesus united all believers Jews and Gentiles alike by the cross.

SECONDLY; WE ARE CALLED TO WALK IN PURITY, IN HARMONY AND IN VICTORY.
In Chapter 5 Paul tells us to walk in marital harmony. Instructions are given to both husband and wife. While the man is to be the head of the house, he tells them to love their wives as they love themselves. Wives are to submit to their husbands as husbands are to submit the their wives. Problems arise when couples don't follow these simple rules. Do we love our mate as we love ourselves: We should.

In Chapter 6 Paul tells children how to walk in family harmony. We are to honor our father and mother. This is the first commandment given with a promise; that they days may be long. I no longer have my parents but I would urge those of you who do to go and visit them or give a call on this very special day. Let them know that you love them and are thinking of them.

WE ARE TO WALK IN VICTORY. Today we celebrate a very special day that happened over two thousand years ago. The Birth of our Savior. He died on the cross to save us from our sins but in three days he arose in victory over death. Because of this, we can walk in victory. Victory over sin, victory over death, and victory in eternal life. Thank you Lord Jesus for coming to earth this day so very long ago. Merry Christmas/

Our Gift!

The city of Ephesus was a center of world trade in the first century and they needed the Gospel to be relevant to their urban, contemporary lifestyles (The Legacy Bible).  Does that sound familiar to you?  It should because we find ourselves in the same position in our lives today.  It is amazing to me how very similar our situation is today as it was to these first century Christians.  Here are some wonderful insights directly from the introduction to this book from The Legacy Bible:

"This epistle was probably intended as a pass-around letter, to be sent not only to Ephesian city-dwellers but also to those in the surrounding towns...From harbor docks to downtown public baths, the Ephesian Christians may have thrown these questions back and forth, pondering issues their grandparents could hardly imagine and praying for strength against secular temptations."

This book is so packed with some of Paul's most profound writings that we could literally spend weeks on this amazing book.  So I am going to attempt to pull out some of my favorite verses from the first three chapters.

CHAPTER 1:

Verse 4 - "For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.  In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will..." 

It is absolutely incredible to me that before the creation of the world, God chose us to belong to Him.  It also raises the question and the problem of how God's sovereignty and our free will can co-exist.  I have really struggled with this concept many times and this very issue has divided many churches as well.  I do not know how, but the two do exist at the same time.  What I do know is that Jesus DID NOT come to die for only a select few!  There is NO WAY Jesus came to die, suffer, and take on the sins of the WHOLE world so that only a select chosen few would get the opportunity to be with Him for all eternity.  This is the problem with Calvinism...that is all I am going to say on that matter.

CHAPTER 2:

Verses 8-10 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is THE GIFT of God - not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."


 Did you notice the words "the gift" in this passage?  That is EXACTLY what we are celebrating with indescribable joy today and tomorrow (and everyday for that matter)!  The most AMAZING gift that has EVER been created or given is the FREE gift of salvation for us.  Do you REALLY get the fact that there is NOTHING we can do to earn this gift?  NOTHING!!!!  And if there is nothing we can do to earn this gift, then how can we do anything to unearn this gift?  This is another very divisive issue in the church today.  As I ask the young people that I work with, just think logically about it...throw everything else aside.  If there is NOTHING you can do to earn something, then how can there be anything you can do to get it taken away???

CHAPTER 3:

Verse 20 - " Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us..."

This is such a cool verse that does not get its proper justice through our English language.  The words that Paul uses here in the Greek language is basically telling us that God can do WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY, WAY,WAY more than we can possibly even fathom!   I learned this through a study I did with Priscilla Shrier (not sure of the spelling of her name) and this was the main point that she was making about this powerful verse.  I just do not think that we can even BEGIN to imagine how incredible and how powerful our God is.  And the fact that He wants to lavish this on us and share it with us.  WOW!!!

Let me just say to you all that I cannot thank you enough for THE GIFT of reading through the Bible with me this year.  There is no way I can possibly thank you for how my life has been changed for all eternity thanks to you, my brothers and sisters in Christ.  May the indescribable gift of Jesus coming for us and to us fall all over you today and tomorrow in an incredible, overwhelming manner that leaves you breathless and wanting more of Him!!!

"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."

~ John 1:14

Amen and Amen!

"All In"

Once upon a time, a chicken and a pig lived on a farm. The farmer was very good to them and they wanted to do something nice for him. The chicken said, "I have a great idea! Let's make breakfast for the farmer tomorrow morning!" The pig, quite intrigued by this said, "Of course, what do you propose?" The chicken explained that the farmer loved a hot breakfast of ham and eggs. The pig replied, "That idea sounds well and good, but while you're only making a contribution, I'm making a total commitment!"

They both wanted to participate. You see, the chicken had an interest, but the pig had to be totally committed to the cause. As I read through Paul's letters to the churches, I can't help but think of this popular fable! Verses 5:13-14: "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself." We have choices to make in this life. Many choices seem to be of small consequence, but actually each decision we make is a step in one direction or another. We can daily choose to walk with Christ, or choose to walk away. Choices not forsaking our salvation, but forsaking our commitment to the cause. We are bondservants. We are bought with a price, we serve out of love. Our life is not our own. We sacrifice it all for Him. Sound scary? Not when you realize the overwhelming love of the God we serve! He gives us dignity for our service. He lifts us up when we lower ourselves. More of Him, less of me.

You see, some of the people were "interested" in the conversion of Christianity, but they were not interested in total commitment. As verse 12 in chapter 6 states, "Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised." They wanted to serve Christ but "be in good" with the unconverted Jews, too. Sharing the love of Christ without compromising their lifestyle seemed to be on the agenda. But, winning souls for Christ is not a numbers game, it's a lifetime commitment to love the lost. One cannot serve two masters. We must make a commitment to testify at all costs in comfort, even when it seems irrational or unreasonable. To live for Christ is to serve Him no matter what. When you turn your life over to Him, you are saying that you trust Him and will do whatever He asks. Sometimes it's uncomfortable. Now, of course we will fail on days. Of course we will deny Him, and sometimes unintentionally. We will make the wrong choice when we have the opportunity to stand for Christ. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. God help us to be strong, but also wise!

Lack of commitment is a sign of a bad relationship. Be honest with yourself today about your commitment level to Him. Christmas is only hours away, what is Christ asking of you today? Will you serve Him? Will you honor Him out of love and not guilt? Will you love and obey Him on good days and bad? With family and friends who don't always make it easy to love? Will you love others as yourself.....for HIM? We are free in Christ! But, we have been called to liberty, only not as an occasion for the flesh, but an opportunity to love others! Love. LOVE. Love others this Christmas. Let Him define what that means for you individually.

I'll close with a final thought. If this illustration is true......and if breakfast is worth doing, then it would seem to me that you will need a lot of pigs, and not so many chickens. But, I'll let you ponder that one on your own today.

Faith Not Laws

The letter of Paul to the Galatians is often called the "Magna Charta of Christian Liberty," because it deals with the question of whether a Gentile must become a Jew before he can become a Christian. The goal of Galatians is to help us find true freedom in Christ, not just freedom from the penalty of sin but freedom also from the "performance trap." (David B. Curtis)

During Paul's absence from this church, certain men (Judaizers) began to teach that a person needed to perform certain rituals (circumcision) and keep certain Jewish laws (the Law of Moses) - before they could be sure that they were in right standing with God. We call this "legalism."

Do we often think along these lines ourselves? You know what I mean? "Well, they don't volunteer around the church that much," or "they do not attend Sunday School," or "I wonder if they have been baptized," or "do they serve on some important committee??" We can conjure up a long list of do's and don'ts not found in the Bible. Our list - what we expect other believers to conform to - is a "performance trap or legalism," and it attacks the very heart of the Gospel.

Salvation comes as a free gift of God. We have not earned it; we have not bought it; and it is not a reward for our good behavior. It has always been bestowed upon those who are sinful, undeserving, unworthy, and unlikely in the world's eyes to receive such a gift. Not to the rich and famous, wealthy and wise, but to ordinary people like us. This faith is not in ourselves, not in our ability to do or not do certain things, but our faith in the work of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Christ's death on the cross, in which he was cursed for us, according to the law, provided the payment by which anyone might receive the blessing of Abraham and the Holy Spirit by faith. (Holman Bible Dictionary).

Just as Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, (Gal. 3:6), we are in the same category. It is faith, not works or obeying laws, that saves us.

My faith has found a resting place, not in device nor creed;

I trust the Ever-living One, His wounds for me shall plead.

I need no other argument; I need no other plea,

It is enough that Jesus died, and that He died for me.

Enough for me that Jesus saves, this ends my fear and doubt;
A sinful soul I come to Him, He'll never cast me out.

And, these few days before Christmas, I want to wish each of you dear ladies and those that are reading this Blog, a Blessed and Merry Christmas.

Embrace Your Thorn

It's true isn't it? Tell me you don't feel the pressure to be everything on this list...I dare you. Society hits us from all sides with it. Not always in a negative light, it can be positive with organizational tips, "quick fix dinners," and "10 minute workouts." It's subtle but there...be better, do more...become perfect. We get bogged down in information overload, feel guilty that we don't have the time or money to do all the great ideas we see everywhere that are supposed to make our lives so much better. I'm an idea junkie for sure. I love the website Pinterest which is basically a huge catalog of ideas from all over the internet. It's also a great place to organize and store ideas you find from other places on the internet. My blogroll is up to something like 30 blogs that I follow. The topics range from fashion to home decor, cooking and organization to bible study. I follow them all because those things interest me. But I'd also be lying if I didn't tell you that I'm also always trying to find better and easier ways to do things. Somewhere deep inside I want to be all those things on that list because I think that when I am and can...life will finally be what it is supposed to be. I will have arrived- but at what exactly?

Over and over again we've seen in Paul's letters to the churches that times really haven't changed that much. As we read the last few chapters of 2 Corinthians, we sense his tone change from encouragement and support to harsh reprimand and warning. Apparently some false prophets were trying to tear down Paul and his ministry, citing his lack of ability in public speaking and unimposing physical presence. Honestly, this is the first time I've noticed this in the Bible. Because Paul's letters are so passionate and he is described as being so quick to speak up in public, I'd always pictured him as being a great speaker and having a very imposing presence. Apparently, I was wrong! Scratch off "fit, trim and well groomed" from Paul's "perfect" list. As I read Paul defend himself, it hit me that perhaps this should also be my defense against the constant pressure to be perfect. Let's read about how to cut ourselves some slack, shall we?

Start with the right measuring stick. "For we don't dare classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. But in measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves to themselves they lack understanding. We, however, will not boast beyond measure but according to the measure of the area of ministry that God has assigned to us..." We have to measure ourselves according to what God has assigned us- and how we are caring for that. The false prophets' measuring sticks failed in two respects: 1. They held themselves up as the standard. 2. They held themselves up as the standard. Seems redundant right? Well, there are two dangers that come from measuring others by yourself- you lift up your own abilities as the best and only way- putting down rather than celebrating other abilities and gifts from the people around you. You fail to recognize your own failings and need for the abilities of others. Secondly, you leave God out of the equation entirely. Yikes! He is the only true measuring stick- and only by looking at how well we are following Him can we truly evaluate our lives.

Continually examine yourselves. Now that we've established what we should be evaluating ourselves on- it's time to get on with doing just that. "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?- unless you fail the test." According to my Holman Christian Study Bible- those words "test" and "examine" could be translated "keep on testing" and "keep on examining." We've got to let go of the idea that we will ever, this side of heaven, "arrive." In fact, if we think we have arrived- we are just about to fall flat on our faces. In 1 John, we are given a few areas to examine ourselves with. Three tests. 1. The doctrinal test. Do you believe the truth about Jesus Christ as presented in Scripture? Are there areas you have questions about or don't understand? Seek out answers! 2. The moral test. Do you live according to Christ's commands? 3. The love test. Do you have a love for God and for those in God's family? The point of these tests is not to make us feel like a failure- but to show us where we need to improve. There is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. The only failure is to fail to examine.

Embrace Humility. That list we started with has it's roots in pride and self-sufficiency. We can do it all! On our own! You are so blessed to have me in your life! In contrast, my Holman Christian Study Bible defines humility like this: "the opposite of putting self first, it means that a person does not think of self at all, but instead thinks of the needs of others and makes their needs a priority."

Trust in God's strength. "But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.' Therefore I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me." At the root of it all- is who we are trusting in. Do we trust ourselves and ourselves alone to accomplish what God has set before us? Or, do we trust in God to accomplish it through us? The weaker we are in an area, the greater God's power has to shine through to help us accomplish it- giving us all the more to praise Him for. Paul himself said that God had given him a "thorn in his flesh." We don't know what that was exactly, but it is certainly evident that God used Paul mightily inspite of- and perhaps even through- that personal weakness. It kept Paul dependent on God.

I highly doubt you are everything on that list. I'm certainly not. The areas on that list that you struggle with aren't going to be the same as mine. How you overcome your personal struggles won't look exactly like how I overcome mine. One thing is universal across the board- we all need Jesus to help us become anything worth anything in this life. A clean house, perfect physique, folded laundry, money in the bank and gourmet dinners aren't going to mean much in eternity or provide us any lasting peace. God is the only one who can do that. And, He can do it in the midst of a dirty house, full laundry and financial crisis. Whatever your "thorn" is- embrace it, and watch God work through it.

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,

and love of God,

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit

be with all of you.

2 Corinthians 13:13

Paul's Continued Encouragement

Many of the believers that Paul was talking to were having a hard time with the concept of bodily resurrection. So here in chapter five, Paul is talking about our new bodies that we will receive after the death of our earthly bodies. The Bible does not tell us everything about resurrected bodies but we do know that there will be no more pain, and no more sorrow. In our earthly bodies we will never be satisfied. We can never be without wants and desires and longings until we leave this body and enter the presence of the Lord. While we are still here on earth, in our temporal bodies, we should make the best use of it for the Lord.

Paul then warns us about being yoked with unbelievers. To be yoked with someone is to be bound to them with no choice but to continue in the same direction with that person. It refers to a relationship between two people who will act in a certain way together or in agreement. If one person really doesn’t agree then the dominant one will do most the work but the weaker one is still going along because when yoked together you can not go in different directions. The warning is to avoid relationships where sin will occur as a result. Not all relationships with unbelievers are prohibited; only those that would cause you to compromise your faith. The most common example used for this verse is marriage but it can be applied to any kind of relationship such as business, friendship, recreation, political and so on. Jesus ate with sinners but he did not participate in sin with them.

Next Paul talks about Godly sorrow. Paul praises the Corinthians for their repentance. “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” My study notes explains worldly sorrow as only being sorry for the effects of sin or for being caught. Godly sorrow leads to a change in behavior.

Last but certainly not least, Paul wrote to the Corinthians about giving. What a perfect time of year to talk about giving. Christmas time is the season of giving. It is easier to relate to the attitude Paul described as we are making decisions about what to give to who. People seem to be more generous during the Christmas season and the joy is contagious. As I am typing this I am hoping that I can hold on to that cheerful giving attitude after the decorations are all put away. “…for God loves a cheerful giver.” Paul wants us to understand the importance of sharing our possessions and yielding our hearts to the Lord, to give generously. It is good to remember that the attitude in which we give is more important than the amount we give. There is spiritual reward for those who give generously to the Lord.
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

Credibility in Question

It has been my honor, pleasure, and with great blessings to have been on this journey with you.  I know it's not over yet, but (like you) have noticed that the end of our list of readings posted on the blog site is now completed.  I have enjoyed learning from God's word - both the history of so many of our brothers and sisters from the past as well as learning to let God's word wash over-and-over me (cleaning my "loosely woven basket").  The richness of the Israelite history and the desire for God to know each of us intimately has become much more clear to me.

We were out of town this weekend visiting my in-laws and went to church with them yesterday.  The worship service included many Christmas carols, including one that I don't normally think of as a Christmas carol.  But, as we were singing these words, my heart was overflowing and I was thinking of you all and this journey.  Through our study of God's Word, the words of this hymn have much more meaning to me.  I hope you'll listen to it and enjoy it with me as we celebrate Christmas and our long-expected Jesus.

Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus  

(link to video/song)

Come, thou long expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel's strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.

As I started reading the 2 Corinthians today, I was struck by the turmoil that was going on in Paul's life. What struck me most was that in the midst of all of his life-threatening trials, he was also having to defend the fact that his words and teachings were genuine.  I don't know about you guys, but the worst type of personal assault to me is when someone questions my credibility and integrity.  Paul's travel plans had changed and because of that some of his opponents took the opportunity to try to persuade the believers in Corinth that Paul was not credible.  I can sense Paul's frustration as he spent quite a good amount of time and ink explaining himself.  Paul goes into many explanations, but I think it boils down to this:

"Our conscience testifies 

that we have conducted ourselves in the world, 

and especially in our relations with you, 

in the holiness and sincerity that are from God.  

We have done so not according to the worldly wisdom 

but according to God's grace."

~2 Corinthians 1:12

Paul and his travel companions had clear consciences and understood the difference between God's wisdom and worldly wisdom.  How wonderful is a clear conscience!!!!  We all know what that feels like and on the contrary, also know what it feels like for our conscience to bother us... restless sleep, distraction, simply not being at peace.

After defending his travel plans (seems so petty, doesn't it?), Paul goes on to further instruct and encourage the Corinthians (and us!) with some wonderful teachings:

• Reaffirm your love for the sinner (2:7-8)  I have to admit, this can be a hard one for me.  Compassion is key here as we are to forgive and comfort so that "he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow."  Paul specifically speaks to Satan using this area to scheme among us.  That's a strong warning!
• God has given us His Spirit and we are ministers of God - our competence, confidence, and hope comes from God who is the Spirit.  Through Christ, there is new life (3:6), surpassing glory (3:10), and freedom (3:17).
• Do not lose heart.  Although we are under physical duress, we are being transformed (3:18) and renewed (4:16).

These words were written for the church of Corinth as they were struggling with their purpose as Christians, living in an unmoral society, hearing conflicting messages (Paul's vs. his opponents), and certainty of the gospel message.  Not so different from us today.  We are encouraged to keep perspective that eternity is much more significant than problems of this world.  Much easier said than remembered and applied sometimes, but worth the effort and blessings!

"So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, 

but on what is unseen.  

For what is seen is temporary, 

but what is unseen is eternal."

~2 Corinthians 4:18

MARANATHA--COME O LORD

Today, we are reading about Paul's letter to the Corinthians to authenticate the resurrection. Without the resurrection there is no hope. There was those who did not believe that Jesus was raised up from the dead even though many had seen Jesus after the resurrection. He tells them if Jesus wasn't raised up then our faith is in vain. Those who have already passed has perished and we will also have the same fate. He needs to make them understand that unless this happened to Jesus it can not happen to any one. The resurrection is the reason for Christianity as the well as the reason for mankind. It is an exhilerating feeling to know we are immortal and that we will spend eternity in heaven with our Lord and Savior. Those who are not saved are also immortal but they will spend eternity in hell separated from God.

O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?(1Cor15:54)

These words are recited at funerals today. We know that as Christians we are victorious over the grave.

"There ain't no grave
Can hold my body down
There ain't no grave
Can hold my body down
When I hear that trumpet sound
I'm gonna rise right out of the ground
Ain't no grave can hold my body down."

Paul tells them in 1 Corinthians 16:2:

Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay
by him in store, as God has prospered him, that there be
no gathering when I come.

Perhaps this is one of reasons why we meet on Sunday. I know Jesus was resurrected on Sunday but could Paul be telling them this is the day to worship?

Paul tells them to stand fast in their faith and to submit and to help whatever brethren may come to them. We, today, still need to hold fast to our faith. The Bible warns us that in the end days there will be false prophets. We need to know our leaders are leading us right. We do this by studying God's Word. Those of us who worship at Oak Hill are fortunate to have men of God to lead us. While other churches also have men of God leading them there are churches that don't. We need to be on guard at all times.

Paul, in closing his letter, says:

"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema
Maranatha"(16:22) which means to be curse because the Lord is
coming. "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you."(16:23)

This is my wish for each and everyone of you reading this, "May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you both now and forever more.

Spiritual Gifts...Do you know what yours is?

Do you know what your spiritual gifts are?  Do you find yourself frustrated and/or unfulfilled with your job or with the area(s) you may be serving in at your church?  The reason for this could very possibly be that you are employed and serving in areas for which you are not gifted.  This can cause A LOT of dissatisfaction and frustration in our lives and for those around us!  When you are "fighting" against your spiritual gifts, you feel as if you are a fish swimming upstream.  So, how do we go back to square one and figure out what your spiritual gifts are?  Well, this is where the advantages of the Internet comes into play.  This is a website that you can go to and take a FREE spiritual gifts test.  I would urge you STRONGLY to do this if you have never done it in the past!  This can be quite an "eye-opening" experience and could change the course of things in your life!  I have had the youth that I work with take a youth spiritual gifts test so that they can try to figure out VERY early on what their gifts are so that they can be working on developing them and choosing career paths that are in line with these gifts.

What does Paul have to say about spiritual gifts?  Well, a lot of course, in true Paul form!  Let's take a look at what he has to say about spiritual gifts in these chapters.

First, he makes the point that there are SEVERAL spiritual gifts, but only ONE Body of Christ.  There are several kinds of gifts, but only ONE Spirit and each is a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good of the Body of Christ.  Paul then goes on to list the spiritual gifts.  They are:  wisdom, knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.  This is just the list that is present in Chapter 10 verses 8-10.  This is not an exhaustive list.  There are others that are mentioned later in Scripture.  If you take the spiritual gifts test above, it will give you an explanation of each of the gifts and the things that you should see in your personality and abilities for each of these gifts.  I feel very strongly that there is one missing and one that I have seen in MANY of the young people that I have worked with thus far and in myself for that matter.  And that is the spiritual gift of care-taking for God's creation.  I believe that He has put a burning desire and a passion in certain people to take care of animals and NOT everyone has this ability/passion.  And this ability would be for the common good and for bringing glory to God.  This is just my opinion of course!

Paul then goes on to say that NONE of these gifts means a hill of beans if you do not have LOVE to go along with them.  He then lists the attributes for perfect LOVE in this famous LOVE chapter.  To be honest, this list has always frustrated me because whenever I read it, I see how VERY short I come in my life to displaying this kind of love to those around me.  It is of course PERFECT LOVE, but we should strive to reach it nonetheless!  So how do you match up to this list in your life?  Just checking...

Paul then goes into some more specific instructions for the spiritual gifts of prophecy and tongues in Chapter 14.  He wants to be sure that we understand some important things about these two spiritual gifts.  When one speaks in tongues, unless what the person says can be interpreted, it does not build up the church to do so.  He states that the one who prophecies does build up the church (verse 4) and that the one who prophecies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues (verse 5).  So what does all of this mean?  It means that we need to be VERY careful that we use our spiritual gifts for the edifying of the church and for others and NOT for our own selfish gain. 



So...do you know and use your spiritual gifts?  Do you use these gifts with LOVE?  Do you use them only to edify (or build up) the church?  Some VERY important things to evaluate in our lives!!!

Written For Our Instruction

Last year, Google reported that there are 129, 864, 880 published books in the entire world. This doesn't include newspaper and magazine articles, blogs, and the like! This cannot possibly account for the personal writings of mankind that go "unpublished". And, I'm sure that there are millions more unaccounted for. Have you ever wondered what compels people to write things down??? Let's think about that for a minute. Do your children say and do the funniest things? I have often wanted to journal all of the hilarious antics of this crazy family I live with. Have you ever been on a particularly wonderful family vacation?? Did you ever have a desire to want to write it down, or make a slideshow, or something? What about an experience that was less fun; one that was more tragic? Maybe God showed up for you in a way that was so powerful, you just want to shout it from the rooftops!? Have you ever learned a lesson so valuable from an experience (good or bad) that you wanted it to somehow be recorded? These are the things that roll through my mind as I read Paul's words to the Corinthians.

1 Cor 10:11 "Whatever was written in earlier times is for our instruction." Paul had the opportunity to remind those around him that God is working His plan, even back at the Red Sea....even back on the ark......even back in the garden. It's all connected. The miracles, the tragedies, the victories, the failures.....it was all written with eternity in mind. And even today, we read these timeless truths and learn! Reading through the Old Testament this year is a rich blessing beyond measure. Digging deeper into the active word of God always reaps reward. God will grow the seed and teach us to accomplish His work. It is up to each of us to seek and to learn from this instruction. "Therefore let he who thinks he stands take heed, lest he fall!"

Wisdom and understanding are two very different things. People write things down for many reasons: sharing their opinion, for family heritage, to teach subjects, encouraging through fictional events, historical value, etc. God's word is written for one purpose: His glory. There is a wealth of wisdom in God's word. It is available in print for us to read. Understanding the Word, however, is another thing entirely. For God to be glorified through us, we must learn to apply the wisdom to our lives. We must pursue a relationship with the author to truly glean from instruction. God will be glorified. He created and sustains this universe. He is no ordinary author. His words are alive! He speaks and the world comes into existence! He teaches us that the tongue has power of life and death. Do you think words are important to Him? Should they be important to us? These three chapters in today's portion of scripture hold countless truths to eternity.

The recorded Word of God is different than any book ever written. Ever. "It is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." God's word is filled with things that are written for our instruction! Something tells me, this isn't a book you're supposed to read only once.

How Should We Then Live?

These Corinthians had some problems - big problems! Paul, never one to hold back, talked about some Christian-living issues in his writings - up front and personal. These people, mostly Gentiles, had brought a lot of pagan practices and cultures into this church. Remember from your Greek history that Corinth was the home of the Temple of Aphrodite - in Greek mythology, the goddess of love, beauty, and sexual rapture. Corinth had two shipping ports, and a lot of people, trade, and commerce passed through this city - sailors looking for a "good time" - and this temple in Corinth did not disappoint them.

Paul deals with the practices of abuse of alcohol, sexual promiscuity, and bad conduct - sinful practices that go way beyond what we can even imagine. I would say this was a spiritually-troubled church! So, Paul lays down some very basic principles for them concerning their bodies, their marriages, and their conduct. We would do well to read, understand, and remember his words.

We, as Americans, are obsessed with our bodies! Just think about all of the advertisements you see on TV. All the products you can purchase. Advertisements for food, diet, exercise, medical prescriptions, clothing, and even certain shoes to help give you muscle and tone you up! We could spend a fortune on all these products.

Or, how about this - why don't we just decide to become the master of our bodies? I think that would work. It would cut down on the amount of food we eat and the clothes we buy, increase the exercise we get, which in turn might take away some of the pills we have to take. Paul asks the question - do you not know that your body is the temple of the Lord? Remember the temple we studied in the Old Testament? The pattern for it, the building of it, the beauty of it, the use of it? David planned it, Solomon built it, and the Jewish people were honored to have it in their midst. It was a sacred site - a holy site - where God dwelt and where the people met with Him.

The Holy Spirit dwells in the body of each of us as believers. We are "temples" - wonderful, sacred, beautiful, and filled with the power and presence of God. People should be able to see Christ in residence within us. They should be able to sense the holiness and presence of God in our lives. Think about someone you know that is close to the Lord - there is something special about them - it shows in the face, in their attitude, and in their life. No, they are not perfect, but there is a noticeable difference. Just this weekend a friend and I were talking about a mutual Christian friend, and she said, "When I look at her, I can see God." I feel the same way about her. It shows in that person!

Paul goes on to ask - and whose body is it anyway? It is God's. He bought it, and He can do what He likes with it. We were bought with a price. He paid a very high price for it - His own beloved Son. He has filled us with the Holy Spirit, and He has a plan for your body and for your life.



The conclusion - everything we do must be pleasing to the Lord - how we treat our bodies, how we live our lives, what we think, and how we act. And, although certain actions are not sinful in themselves, we should avoid doing them in front of others who may think they are, or do anything that would be a hindrance or a stumbling block to others. We must live to glorify God, and hopefully others around us will see in us Christ, the hope of glory.

History Repeats Itself

It amazes me how little times have changed. Paul writes a letter to the Corinthian church, to discuss with them the age old problem of divisions in the church. Do you remember that Jesus prayed that believers would be “one as you and I are one” just before He died? Unity should be a hallmark of the Christian church. Instead, often times it is the antonym. I think Satan knows how destructive a unified church can be to his plan- and so he tries to tear it apart as often as possible. I also know that we often fall prey to our own sinful natures and weaknesses. What solutions and encouragement does Paul offer us?

Follow God. The church at Corinth were divided over who was “correct” and who was “greater.” Those who follow Paul, or those who follow Apollos. Paul reminds them that it should be God that they are following. “Who is Paul, Who is Apollos?” Are they not only mere men? Why do we persist in glorifying the created instead of the creator? In giving credit to the men and not the Spirit working in the men? We may think that we don’t do this, but ask yourself- is there someone you look to for answers before God? Is there someone that you trust to come through for you or provide for you above or beyond God? Do you see God as only being able to work through certain people? God is wiser than any man. He is the only one who will NEVER let you down. Believing that wholeheartedly in another mere mortal does nothing but set you up for heartache, disappointment, and broken faith. Not to mention, cause division in the church. As Paul said, “Boast in the Lord, not in man.”

Yield to the Holy Spirit. There is no greater feeling of unity, than being united by the Holy Spirit. If you’ve ever felt it, you know what I mean. You pull together without even having to try. If we listen to the Holy Spirits leading in our lives, we will naturally be united with others following Him as well. Not only that, but our own human weaknesses will no longer matter. God uses the “foolish things of the world to shame the wise...the weak to shame the strong..so that no one may boast before Him.” It all goes back to God and His power and His wisdom.

Build with eternity in mind. Tents and huts are made with fabric, straw and twiggs. Most people don’t intend for them to last very long. They are temporary. The structures we want to last we build with brick, or cement, stone, and stong wood. Those are more costly than fabric, straw or twiggs. It takes more time than setting up a tent. But the protection it affords is much better. In the end, God is going to “test” what we have built our lives with. Did we build with temporary materials, doing shoddy work? Or did we invest in the quality materials, work carefully and a long time to build what will last for a long time? Will God be satisfied with our work?

In the end, I think sometimes the greatest hurdle to unity we have to get past is ourselves. Too often we are looking to our own interests, our own agenda, perhaps even our own ministry, to work for unity in the church. Sometimes the “man” we glorify is ourselves. Jesus said- “If anyone wants to come after me he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” We have all been called to something greater than ourselves. If we can just embrace unity!