Month: October 2022

1 Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.

I’ve been reminded recently that 1 Corinthians is a letter to the church in Corinth, and by reading it, we are in essence reading Paul’s mail. With that thought, I can definitely see this content as parting reminders from Paul to the church at Corinth.

1 Corinthians 16:14 Do everything in love.

What I find more surprising is just how applicable Paul’s advice to the Corinthians is for us today. Stand firm in the faith, be courageous and strong, do everything, everything in love? These are good reminders for all of us as we travel through this life.

1 Corinthians 16:23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.

Lord, Thank You for these words of Paul and for the understanding that even though we are so different from this ancient Corinthian people, there is much that hasn’t changed. Help us to stand firm in the faith, be courageous and strong, and do everything—yes, everything—in love. Be with us every step of the way, Lord. Help us to shine Your light. Amen.

1 Corinthians 16:24 My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.

I would encourage you to pause here and go read this chapter for yourself. Paul lays out several logical, convincing arguments in this chapter. I can add nothing there, so I want to talk about the overall tone of hope in this chapter, and not just any hope, but hope in Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Because of God’s grace, we are who we are. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we have hope for eternity, including victory over the grave. As long as we are working for the Lord, we do not labor in vain. Thank You, Jesus!

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord, Through You, in You, because of You, I have so many blessings in this life—grace, hope, love, purpose. Thank You. Help me, daily, to put those gifts to work, glorifying You and comforting Your people. Amen.

1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Have a blessed day.

1 Corinthians 14:3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

Today’s scripture seems to speak of the difference between personal devotional time and corporate worship. In our personal devotional time, it is right and good that our focus is on strengthening our personal connection with God; however, when the church body worships together, the focus should be, according to this chapter, on the edification of others.

1 Corinthians 14:4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.

This distinction gives me pause as I’ve always viewed the goal of both personal and corporate worship to be the strengthening of *my* faith. Spurgeon, as quoted in commentary, calls this attitude “spiritual self indulgence,” “a monstrous evil.” Spurgeon’s take, to me, seems a step too far, but the thought that Sunday worship should accomplish more than just individual edification makes sense.

1 Corinthians 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

Lord, Thank You for this scripture and for the ideas that today’s reading and studying have introduced. Help me, through this time, to draw closer to You and stronger in my faith. Help me, always, to glorify You and comfort Your people. Amen.

1 Corinthians 14:17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.

Have a blessed day.

1 Corinthians 12:1 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.

These verses present some specific gifts of the Spirit, but I think there are many more: compassion, encouragement, wisdom, love. It’s really neat to look around at the people in my life and to think of the specific ways God has gifted them.

1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.

My sisters both have the gift of love and hospitality. My husband has the gift of assistance—anyone, anywhere, any way he can. I am an encourager. One of my children has the gift of empathy and the other has the gift of focus and follow-through. All these gifts can and should be used for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 12:5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.

Lord, Thank You for the wonderful people You have placed in my life and the gifts You have given us. Help us, always, to use those gifts to comfort Your people and to bring You glory. Amen.

1 Corinthians 12:6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

Have a blessed day. I love you.

1 Corinthians 11:11 Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman.

While the biblical commentary I read every day does a good job of providing me with historical context, I often disagree with the finer points of theology as presented by said commentary. I think, as a Christian, that it is important to constantly examine God’s word, cultural commentary, and my own personal beliefs to try to discern God’s truth.

1 Corinthians 11:12 For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.

Goodness knows that you can find commentary to support just about any view imaginable, so it’s important, to me at least, to continually examine His word and seek His truth, not man’s truth. I’m absolutely certain I don’t always get it right, but I think that pursuit of Him is crucial.

1 Corinthians 11:27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.

Lord, Thank You for Your word, which is active and alive. Thank You for the abundance of commentary to help me navigate Your word. Thank You for a desire to read and think and discover as I draw closer to You. Be my center. Guide me always. Amen.

1 Corinthians 11:28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.

Have a blessed day.

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

As a runner and one who occasionally indulges in races, I take exception to Paul’s argument here. While it is true that only one person can cross the finish line first, that’s never my goal. I know I’m not that fast. My goal is always to try to PR, set a personal record, do my personal best. For me, it can’t be about beating out the competition.

1 Corinthians 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.

And so it is with my relationship with Christ and His people. My goal is always a PR, a personal best, to try to show by my words and actions the gracious presence of my amazing Savior in my life, to try to infuse my life, real life with His compassion and hope.

1 Corinthians 9:25b …They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Lord, For some, the competitor analogy is fitting, but You didn’t create me as a competitor. You created me as an encourager, cheering people on, always trying to be better than I was yesterday. Thank You for the gift of encouragement. Help me use it to shine Your light. Amen.

1 Corinthians 9:26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.

Have a blessed day.

1 Corinthians 8:1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

“Knowledge puffs up while love builds up.” What a true and powerful statement. If I think I know—what’s really going on, that I’m right and you’re wrong, etc—then my focus, typically, is on proving my rightness. Love is nowhere to be found. There is definitely no building up going on there.

1 Corinthians 8:2-3 Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.

Not only does love build up others, loving God makes you known to God. By loving God and loving others, I am known to God and I am building up others. I think love can be a leaven, too. A little bit of love, steadily applied, can permeate the entire loaf and make it rise, lifting everyone up.

1 Corinthians 8:9 Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Lord, As a culture, we are often hardwired to defend our rightness. But that way lies pride and destruction. Help us, instead, to make love our default. Help us to steadily apply love in all situations, so that we may be part of a beautiful building up of humanity instead of tearing it down. Help us, Lord. Amen.

1 Corinthians 8:12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.

Have a blessed day.

1 Corinthians 7:3 The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.

My friend Paul, a pastor, recently wrote about this chapter, including lines that he often includes in weddings: “In marriage we belong to each other, and with affection and tenderness, freely give ourselves to each other. God gave us marriage as a holy mystery in which we are joined together, and become one, just as Christ is one with the church. In marriage, we are called to a new way of life, created, ordered, and blessed by God.”

1 Corinthians 7:4 The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.

Today the hubs and I celebrate 25 years of journeying together in this holy mystery of marriage. We have experienced a lot of ups and downs in that time, but we know that God brought us together, that God is with us, and we strive to glorify Him through our marriage.

1 Corinthians 7:5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Lord, Thank You for the holy mystery of marriage, for this beautiful way of life, created, ordered, and blessed by You. Thank You for being able to use each of us in Your service, exactly as we are. Draw us closer. Amen.

1 Corinthians 7:6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.

Have a blessed day.

1 Corinthians 6:19a Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?…

I am reminded this morning of my caustic inner critic, the one who criticizes my rolls and curves, my height and weight. The one that criticizes Every. Single. Thing. about me.

1 Corinthians 6:19b …You are not your own…

My inner critic needs to understand the truth of 1 Cor 19-20. God created my body, knit it together in my mother’s womb. To criticize myself is to criticize Him, and that’s not ok.

1 Corinthians 6:20a …you were bought at a price….

Lord, I know that that caustic inner voice is my own. My shortcomings are many, and my inner critic has a magnifying glass, but You are my Author and Creator. This body You have given me has nurtured and cared for the people You have placed in my life. Help me to see all the good in this body. Help me to be kinder to myself. Help me to glorify You in my body and in my life. Always. Thank You, Lord. Thank You. Amen.

1 Corinthians 6:20b …Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Have a blessed day.