1 Cor 12: 1-11

Paul makes it a point to emphasize that we, as Christians, should and must lead a Spirit-filled lives. Gifts are just unique manifestations of the same Spirit and are given for the common good. Not just for the body or those that we choose to that we will bless but rather for all. These gifts are also for the drawing people into the body as well. I am impressed by the list and wish I could see and experience the manifestation of them. But God is deliberate in his giving of these gifts for His kingdom.

Each day draws closer to when I say goodbye to Daniel. I know that it is not farewell and I can always call him or text him but it still hurts. He is the flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones and as David called him, my sefesit (sensitive) son. These past few months have been awesome - getting together and praying for and with him and he for me. I truly praise God for the past retreat and what that has done for my relationship with him.

I ponder as to what to write or say on my scrapbook page to him. I pray that I can be encouraging yet real as well to him. He knows that we will always support him no matter what happens. I trust that he will grow from this experience and that God will "take him to new heights". To say that I love him is an understatement - I would die for him and for David and Irene.

This venture will be an adjustment to our finances given his new situation and I pray that each one of us will bear that responsibility as a family.

I also want to keep others in prayer as well - the Carroll family who lost their mom and the Rodgers family as they move on without Hannah Joy. I also want to keep the Cambodian team that is leaving in a week in prayer as well.

Praise for today: for God who gives us spiritual gifts for the common good.

1 Cor 11: 17-34

I guess most of the objections that Paul raised was germane to that church in those times. One thing that is never an issue at my church is that we have those in need of a next meal. I do appreciate the tone that Paul set for the sobriety and sanctity of the Lord's Supper. Guidelines that we use monthly when we partake of His table. Examination leads to judgment and only the Lord can convict us (through the HS) that which we need to lay down and that which we need to correct. I am so happy that we do use this time to reflect on our relationship with Him since we do this in His remembrance.

Prayer for  today - getting home ok and for traveling mercies back to NJ.

Praise for today: I praise God from whom all blessings flow!

1 Cor 11:1-16

The key point of this passage to me is that there are ways to worship God both for man and woman. While there are some issues that are germane to the times when Paul wrote them, it is still noteworthy to point out that we must all come to the foot of the cross with humility and reverence. We should all worship as one and whether man or woman we are all under the authority of God. While man and woman each have their roles, we should respect and encourage each other to "lay it all on the altar".

Snow, I hate it! Another 12 + inches down here and more back home. Living so close to the office has its benefits but also its drawbacks. I am expected to be there and to be the "go to" guy - with no recognition or thanks. Somehow, that is what is expected of me. Still I long for the day that I head south more permanently and be in a more temperate climate. I can really do without the "change of seasons" - very overrated.

I praise God for Irene and how she hold it all together between her newfound "career", EYTB and home. Changes are coming and I need to be there for her emotionally as well.

Praise for today: God is just!

1 Cor 10:23-33

What a rich passage! v. 23 is the not the dilemma that I once thought it was when I was a young Christian but rather a guidepost. God did create it all but it's how we use that or try to gain from His Creation is where we fall short. 24 is also a credo to live by as we all fall short of His standards and need His redemptive power. There is no dilemma if we apply v 31. The ultimate goal is SALVATION!!!! (32).

Have I ever posted how much I love and am proud of my sons? Each one of them is unique and yet very similar. They have grown closer as the years have gone by and is a blessing. While I wish the same were true with my brother and me, distance and time have played a huge factor. Time, in the sense, that I had to develop a relationship with my family when they needed me. He has his idiosyncracies and I guess so do I which makes the relationship even more difficult to cultivate. I am always wishing for his well-being and I know he does the same for me. I know that our time together will be shorter and shorter and hopefully we can improve our relationship.

Praise for today: He will never give me second best! He will make all things beautiful in His time!

1 Cor 10:14-22

v 10 tells us to "flee" from idolatry. We live in such an age and time where our own pleasures are the first and paramount thing in our lives. We are set in our minds to continually have and enjoy convienence rather than hardship, joy rather than pain and above all accumulate possessions. These can take the form of friends, acquaintances or "connections" a la Linkedn or "things" - clothes, cars, toys (electronics - i.e.) but rarely does it take the place of the things of God. Paul appeals to sensible people to be our own judges and uses the communion elements to bring us all back to Him.

Everytime we look for distractions rather than Him, we slip further into the world of idolatry rather than God's kingdom. May we and I see, hear, touch and go with His eyes, hands and ears and feet.

Praise for today: I praise Him for His everloving kindness and mercy!

1 Cor 10:1-13

I thought I did this on Friday, but I guess that post is gone forever! Nevertheless, I had just finished a baptism class for my niece who is planning to get baptized in March. I explained to her that baptism is not a NT concept but was "initiated" by God in the OT (v 2). Our walk with God should be a relationship and not a test or done begrudingly as the Israelites did. They brought nothing to the table, inclduing their obedience and or the love, but expect and demand everything from God. While they wanted their cake and eat it too, they were looking beyond that to take what was not theirs to take (pagan revelry).

Key verse is 13- God is faithful to walk with us and not abandon us. He will never give us more than we can handle and will provide an out for us.

I guess that Micah 6:8 comes to mind when I hear this that our responsibility is to walk "with" and not apart or behind our God.

Praise for today: God is faithful!

1 Cor 10: 1-13

Key verse: 13- God is faithful; he will not let be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will provide a way out so that you can stand up to it. The warning signs are all there. While the times were different, the temptations aren't - lust, possessions, lying, etc. If we keep close to His word (Bible), He will show us how to overcome. Moody's line still holds true, "The Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Bible".

My prayers and thoughts today are for my sons as they go their YCF retreat and travel in the snow. May they and all who attend receive traveling mercies and God's word in their hearts.

Praise for today: God is faithful!

1 Cor 9: 15 -27

Yesterday was a very interesting day as I ponder it, actions do speak louder than words and it was action packed. Some real good meetings, work accomplishments and dinner where I was again able to share my faith and at times defend it as well. One interesting thought was posed to me as far as a mutual acquaintance and his inability to believe and where he was ultimately going. While I have a personal dislike for the individual, my answer was that if he didn't believe in Christ, he would spend eternity in hell. Which made me ponder and hopefully inspire me to pray for the man's salvation. Q&As about faith, God, Jesus was a good part of my dinner discussion and hopefully while my words are inadequate, God is not.

Onto the passage - v.16 pretty much summarizes what happened last night. 19-23 reflected upon my willingness to eat what this person ate last night (fish instead of meat) given his medical condition to empathize with him. Not that it wasn't good - it was terriffic! 24-27 God gives us certain opportunities to conduct ourselves before man so as to win them and for His glory. I pray that I don't blow these opportunities.

Praise for today: God is truly the Provider of all things I need and want.

1 Cor 9: 1-14

Key verse: 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. It is telling me to support those in full-time ministry not just in prayer and encouragement but financially as well. If the church does not support its staff, then who will? The bounty we receive should be also shared by those whose sole purpose is Salvation.

This will be a long day work-wise and after a lousy night sleep, I pray that I am up to the task. Dinner after the "show" will really make this day longer. I am praying for the traveling mercies of my son, GG as he embarks on seeing if the door is open to pursue his dream. I also pray that he will be Light as well. I also pray for Dave as he goes to work and also is Light. This weekend is their YCF retreat - praying for traveling mercies for all (due to snow) and also that they will hear His voice. Prayers for my wife as she goes to work and the ancillary stuff she's involved in.

Praise today: I praise Him because He is faithful, even when I am not.

1 Cor 8

A tough day emotionally for me as I said goodbye to a child that only experienced life for less than 4 months. She was always in pain and lived (if you can call it that) through 5 major operations before she was called home by her heavenly Father. For the past few months, I have live her life through her parents ( mostly her mom) http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/rodgers4/. The celebration of her life was in Bear DE at The Love of Christ Church. God was there and his angels were present as well. I am thankful that I was able to go with all of the hoopla at work and spend some quality time there (rather than the "hit and run" method). The casket was open ( much to my surprise) but it was important to see this life and imagine her new body. The songs were praiseful and contemporary ( Mercy Me, CC and Chris Tomlin) and there was a chance to speak to the family in an "open mike". I felt the Spirit leading me to profess my admiration to the parents for all they have gone through and encourage them while sharing my faith as well. There were some people there - old ML and BR but I felt very compelled to say what I had to say. I wanted to profess my Savior before men so that He would profess me in front of the Father. The service was over an hour but was pleasing to the Lord.

As for this passage, I focused into v. 1 Knowledge puffs up but love builds up. We may know and think we know enough but until we take this "knowledge" and turn it into action what we know means little. Love means giving and doing for others - lifting up versus bring down.  The exercise of our freedoms must not bring down others.

Praise for today: I praise you Lord for being in our midst today and being our Savior. Take care of Hannah Joy - she has a lot of living to do!

1 Cor 7:17 - 40

Some key verses: v. 17 - we should retain our positions in the church. The goal here is not to do, get or be more but to hold on to what you got. If we are teachers, we should teach. If we are administrators  we should adminstrate. So many times (and even now) I "feel tired" or "worn out", but Paul is calling us to hold on since we are not just holding on the position but also to the faith that we have been called (same with v.20). 19b - keeping God's commands is what counts. 27 - don't seek divorce, if you think that marriage is not a commitment but a convienence then you will. Fight for what is true and right.

How I wish it were true today, that single people seek the mind of Christ over married. I find it just the opposite in some cases but still has merit today. It all depends upon what is important and what our view is of Salvation - getting it, keeping it and working it out.

Finally, my prayers for the Rodgers family. The loss of Hannah Joy marks the end of her earthly journey but the start of her journey with her Father. May she inherit the perfect body there that was not available to her here. I will continue to uphold Joe, Erika and Micah in the days to come.

1 Cor. 7:1-16

According to Paul, marriage is the culmination of passion between a man and a woman. Wow! I've been married over 30 years and while I don't question the passion I still have, the absence does make the heart grow fonder. I still love my wife and all of her idiosyncracies and I hope the reverse is true also. I think that our accomplishments are still culminated in our sons, and our hopes for their future and the legacy that they will leave.

He does allude to the relationship between the saved and unsaved marriages and how one can leave the relationship. I still think and adhere to the fact that God HATES divorce. It is based on our selfishness and unwillingness to see the greater picture and at times it comes too easy and with little consequences. We don't know as Paul says if an unyoked marriage will lead to both being saved but there are no guarantees that a saved marriage will last either.

Is it better to have loved and lost than to not have loved at all?

1 Cor 6:12-20

Sexual sin... Paul puts an interesting slant in that all other sins are "outside the body" but yet this one is in the body. I guess the temple that is your body houses the Holy Spirit and when that occurs, sin in the body affects that. It is at times tempting as all men (and I guess some women) think about it and actually do it but I am glad that even in my isolated surroundings, I have surrounded myself with Scriptures here. Maybe it's the calling of an elder or maybe I'm just getting older and wiser(?) but I feel my urges declining. That is not to say that I still don't struggle at all with it, I just hope and pray that the HS is directing me to win the battle and ultimately, the war.

1 Cor 6:1-11

Law Suits - true back then as it is now. It all goes back to "right" and "belongings". We get, accumulate and protect them with all of our might. No one likes to feel violated from something or someone else. Many times, lawsuits occur because of misconceptions of who is the True and Rightful Owner - GOD and not us. When we become Christians, we give up our rights and acknowledge that all things work together for good, for those who love His purpose. That is not to say that we should be taken advantage of but still we should give and not take.

Church divisions could come as a result of lawsuits and the like, but praise be to our God - GFC has steered clear of these events.

1 Cor 5

This is a strong chapter with respect to morality and church discipline. Immorality is not always the action but as Jesus said, the thought as well. It is so difficult to escape it. It's in the media, advertising and as an old friend used to say - "it's all over". Maybe since I am older but not necessarily wiser, that I feel that I can put it aside. At my age, I usually say "I'm old enough to be her father" and that becomes a mantra. Don't get me wrong, I look! We all look! But as Max Lucado said, the first one is free, the second one isn't. My prayers are for my sons who aren't "my age". I pray that they look at the opposite sex with respect and dignity that befits their name and calling - Christian.

I am so glad that we had Clay and Renna Crosse at our church this past October to give us guidelines to make our homes and our minds, HOLY.


Maybe more thoughts on this to follow.

1 Cor 4

I am struck by v.20 which states, "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power". What a powerful verse. I am often guilty of the phrase, 'talk is cheap' and 'actions speak louder than words'.  I guess at my age and experience, I've become a little jaded. I see so potential yet most of it is in rhetoric rather than actions. How we have become complacent in our lives to be laid back and click a "like" button on FB rather than do or be that particular status or challenge. I guess that is what our society and myself have become.

I pray that my life does make a difference and that it's not just by what I say or 'click' but what I do and how I live my life.

1 Cor 3 Temples and Denominations

I have always looked at this chapter from the view that it addresses a broader scope than the divisions within an individual church. I look at this as "slam" against denominations who tout their virtues over other. I know that this has not been the case in recent history but became more of a topic in the 70s and 80s. I am blessed to have been part of a non-denominational church for my entire life and am still skeptical when we are moving into a box. I know that there are benefits to being a part of one (resources, broader affiliations and networks, etc) but we still need to be careful as to how we are "building" the temple. Will what one denomination add to the temple (our lives and souls) be better than another? What if we go the wrong way? Only the test of God's fire will tell. Still, it is our responsibility to enhance and improve the temple daily - by reading His word, by being open to becoming His hands, feet, eyes and ears and His mouth. Working out my salvation daily...

1 Cor 2

I am so glad the Gospel was not given to the "smart" and the "wise". It is simply a matter of faith and perserverance in that faith which I work out each day. We are all equal at the foot of the Cross. It is God who gives us the "eyes" to see and "ears" to hear. We are so wrapped up in what we think is important and essential that we can sometimes miss what really is, SALVATION. We look for it, we get it (if we believe) and each day, we work it out to come closer to Christ. It is the one thing that a church is there for and sends out its people for. It is why we plant churches, talk with our unsaved friends and family and live. I guess God gives us the situations so that we can "work out  our salvation". The "wise" will never comprehend what it is. God brings us to it when we are ready - some earlier than others. The "road to Damascus" experience hits each of us not in "our strength" but in "our weakness". Sometimes we need to hit rock-bottom (as GG put it) to look upward. I call it the "inflection point" of our walk.

1 Cor 1:17-31

I am so glad that this passage came today! When I am working in the office, I hear so many people talking about the things of this world that won't last - cars, fashion and stuff!. I see that as foolishness but at times I, too can get wrapped up in it in my own way. God created me for something better than that. I also praise God that we are all equal at the foot of the cross - whether we think we are rich, wise, noble or good. We are the same as the thief on the cross or the homeless person, the destitute and the down and out. Christ is the only one that gives us our sense of worth and purpose.

So many expectations this coming year... things at church, home and work. Let the juggling act begin!

1 Cor. 1: 1-16

I have decided to take a departure from the OT to read 1 Cor. I studied this for quite a while in our NJ/SI family worship and this is one of the books that I have yet to do for a morning devotion while down in DE.

There are a few things that struck me when reading this. v. 7 - which states that as believers we have all the tools necessary to work out our salvation and for others and v. 8 - Christ will keep us strong to the end. What a great and wonderful promise! Another thing I found odd was that Paul never considered himself a "baptizer". I know that it was to make a point about the different factions that were growing out of that particular church and he was addressing that but still!

I am now trying to get myself back to the swing of things. Early morning gym, eating better and getting focused at work while still trying to be Jesus to someone each day. I am praying that 2011 will be a great year. Oh well, gym-time....