Day 46: We Are Dead

1 Corinthians 15, 16; 2 Corinthians 1

Do you get that your life here on this earth, is a dead life that you are catering to?  When I think of it this way, it makes me wonder why we satisfy our earthly and human desires and crave for that earthly and fleeting satisfaction – when we can exchange it for eternal glory?  This is how the Corinthians were behaving – so Paul addressed this in his letter.

³³Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” ³⁴Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34

⁴²So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; ⁴³it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; ⁴⁴it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44

⁵⁰I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1 Corinthians 15:50

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

⁵⁸Therefore, my dear brothers, 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. 1 Corinthians 15:58

This is how Paul explains that the dead will be resurrected – so build your treasures in heave – not on this earth.

Lord, I know that you are enough for me.  Let earthly desires subside and be deemed unimportant.  While I have noticed a decrease in my desires – I’m not sure that it is due entirely to turning against my sinning ways, but as a means to an end.  Help me to truly open my eyes and comprehend that your instructions are clearly written for us to follow.   Allow me to continue studying your words and applying your words of edification and love into my own life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Day 44: Warnings from Israel’s History

1 Corinthians 9, 10, 11

The most powerful and eye opening portion of tonight’s reading was the reference that Paul makes to the Corinthians that Israel’s history should serve as a warning.

⁶Now these things occurred as examples^[a] to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 1 Corinthians 10:6

As Israel’s history served as a warning, we should heed it as a warning as well.  How many times have you said that you don’t understand how the Bible (such an old book) apply to you now?  How many times have you heard it being said?  Next time, I’ll be equipped with 1 Corinthians, chapter 10 – to prove otherwise.

¹¹These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come. ¹²So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! ¹³No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:11-13

Again, there was another reminder that Israel’s history should be viewed as a warning.  It even goes as far as saying that be careful – even though you may think you are standing firm.  Then it ends all warnings with comfort and a promise.  God is faithful and he will not tempt you more than what you can bear and that even in temptation, he will provide a way out.  It’s His promise.  Now, when you reflect back to every predicament you have been in – the one where you felt utterly destroyed and didn’t know how to escape the temptation, you got through it, right? God is the one person that you can completely know to be faithful.

Dear Lord – you are our promise and it is such a beautiful promise at that.  To know that you provide us warnings of how to not blossom in sin so that we don’t make the same mistakes that Israel committed against you.  It also affirms that you are ultimately a loving God that should be feared.  Allow your words to pierce my heart – so that I may turn completely to You.  Thank you for being so faithful in Your love. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Day 45: Love is…

1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14

We’ve all heard this recited in wedding vows:

⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

But why?

When reading over Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, it is apparent that Paul loves them.  He wants to explain that love is the greatest spiritual gift.  Without love, there is no purpose, there is no reason.  Paul even explains that things done without love, is only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal, is nothing and gains nothing.

The definition of love in verses 4 – 7, is not just for husbands and wives, but is to serve as a reminder of what love is.  There aren’t volumes to it, there aren’t trick questions for it either….love is love.  Unconditionally.

Lord: How great is this gift that you have given us – of love.  I pray for humility, to be able to pull back thoughts and feelings of anger, disappointment and hurt – and remember what exactly love is.  It’s not just for when it is easy.  Love can be one of the most difficult things that you have ever been asked to do.  Lord, create in me a still heart, so that I may be able to remember the love that I was shown – and to have a desire to love all others.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Day 43: Knowledge v. Love

1 Corinthians 6, 7, 8

With the knowledge bestowed upon us, by being believers in Christ, we have a huge responsibility to those of weaker faith or of no faith at all.  It is through their lack of knowledge that God decided to exemplify his love.  We are expected to lead a life, in accordance to God’s will, which we continue to fight in everything we do, that is of this world.

I realize that as a Christian, to hate and want to seek revenge, not only diminishes God but my faith as well.

We know that we all possess knowledge.^[a] Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. ²The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. ³But the man who loves God is known by God. 1 Corinthians 8:1-3

We are instructed to do everything out of love, for if we do it out of man’s knowledge – we can lead those who are weak in their faith astray.  Paul warns those of Corinth of this exact problem.

⁹Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? ¹¹So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. ¹²When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. ¹³Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall.

Dear Lord, I am imperfect in my faith – and it is apparent in the way I act, think and talk.  Allow me to understand the perils and the warnings that the Corinthians received on how we are to lead a more Christ-like life.  I ask that these warnings pierce my heart for to be a better witness of my faith.  I resolve to seek the Lord’s will in everything I do: to love others. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Day 42: Letter to the Corinthians

1 Corinthians 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

In Paul’s letter to the church of Corinth, he addresses the compromise that the believers make through their immorality.  He places a high priority on being obedient to Christ and striving for unity, humility and love in the church.

We lead a sinful life – much like the people of Corinth.  Do I not understand yet, that it is far more dangerous that I continue to sin given the knowledge of God that has been bestowed on me?  I’m not sure if we, as believers, continue to sin, because we have been given the eternal gift of salvation.

As I read the beginning of 1 Corinthians, I’m reminded of Christs’ wisdom and the power of God.

⁴My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, ⁵so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

We give so much credit to our church, those who preach – or even blame that it is due to the lacking power of our church and those who serve, which shows that we credit men’s wisdom over God’s power in regards to our faith.

Dear Lord, as I continue to read Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, let humility wash over my heart.  I used to give credit and place my faith on myself or on man, in which I see the error of my ways.  I now truly believe that it is all through God’s power alone.  As 1 Corinthians 1:7-8 states: ⁷Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. ⁸He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Keep me strong Lord, so that I may be blameless.  Thank you God – for being faithful. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.