1 Corinthians 16

This, perhaps, sums it up better than any verse I've read in the last couple of chapters.....
13 "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.  Do everything in love."

I liked this book.  Its very tactical (like we've said a couple of times).
Paul seems to direct a lot of energy into how the people of the church should act and treat each other, to make the church more effective.  I wonder what he would say if he could walk into our churches today.......hmmmmmmmm.  I think he thought of the church as being a group of people, and we tend to think of the church as a building where we meet.

more later 

1 Corinthians 15

First I like the account of all of those people Jesus revealed himself too after his resurrection.  Sometimes people will discount the bible speaking of the unrealistic nature of the virgin birth or the resurrection of a dead Jesus.  It's not like those people like Paul documenting this are stupid, of course he knows someone who died can't just come back to life.   But he saw Jesus do it first hand and he knows people reading his writing probably won't believe it so to help out our belief he points out all the people that saw it first hand, he is documenting not simply telling a story.  Changing directions--

³³ Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.


another simple versus, careful who you hang with--they influence you.
later,
knut

1 Corinthians 14

³⁴ Women^[f] should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission,as the law says.


Okay, help me out here.  We have a woman pastor here at our church, and she's great.  Some churches do not allow it today, but I'm wondering where we learn that its okay to have them be pastors?  any ideas?

1 Corinthians 13

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.


Classic verse and like you said a day or so ago, when Paul writes the words and direction are plain and simple.  If you live out love as it is has been clearly defined here you don't need to many other rules to follow and you will be on the right track.  I'm really going to try and keep this in the fore front of my mind along with slow to speak quick to listen from the Old Testament are two simple ways to help me make sure I'm living and behaving in a way that honors God.


cheers mate

1 Corinthians 12

¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.


God put you and me where we are with specific abilities for a purpose, it isn't just by chance.  So I need to make sure I understand my own abilities and then make sure I'm using them as He intended.  I'm pretty inwardly focused, I am probably failing to be a fully active part of the body as he intended but its never too late to change course.

1 Corinthians 11

from the Message version--
^29-32If you give no thought (or worse, don't care) about the broken body of the Master when you eat and drink, you're running the risk of serious consequences. That's why so many of you even now are listless and sick, and others have gone to an early grave. If we get this straight now, we won't have to be straightened out later on. Better to be confronted by the Master now than to face a fiery confrontation later.


I liked the Message version today, be careful not to just go through the motions.  I need to remember the of the VERY REAL sacrifice Jesus made for ME on the cross everyday and be thankful.

1 Corinthians 10

23 "I have the right to do anything," you say - but not everything is beneficial.  "I have the right to do anything" - but not everything is constructive.  24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

I like that one.  This is a great line to remember when my friends are trying to get me to go out with them to the bar, or to a concert that probably isn't good food for the brain.  If I could use this as a temperature tester for myself....that would be a good thing.  Is it beneficial or constructive?.......no?......then don't participate.

It also really struck me in this chapter, that everything I face.....has already been faced by MANY other people.  Why don't we use that learning more?  The Israelites did a LOT of things wrong, that we don't necessarily learn from.  We tend to repeat the offenses over and over.
Thank goodness for a loving and forgiving God.

have a great weekend.

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"

BOOM!

1 Corinthians 8

⁹ Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰ For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 


I took this as a broad statement of responsibility, for any of us who are Christians, it is important to set a good example living within God's laws for us.  People without or maybe young in their faith are watching my actions and I can actually hurt them by teaching through my actions its okay to go out and get hammered, speak negatively about people or show something other than love to    people I interact with.


So long story short my actions are important not only to my own health but those around me.

1 Corinthians 7

No specific verse here, but just the thought of feeling lucky to have a wife with such a strong faith.  I can't imagine being married to someone who doesn't believe---how do you raise children, how do you stay together?  I look at you and Scott and myself and think we are all incredibly lucky.

This chapter makes me think ahead to our kids and how I'm sure my concerns in the future will turn towards hoping they find someone who is strong in faith to marry and raise a family with if they so choose.

have a great day, I am still praying for you and Kim to get an answer to your house situation.

1 Corinthians 6

¹² “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.


So God has given us freedom to make choices--good and bad, choose wisely.  You have chosen.....wisely, seems like a line from a movie--sorry I'm babbling, if I every become one of those chowder heads that wont shut up just let me know.

1 Corinthians 5

⁶ Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? ⁷ Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

I like this simple clear illustration of how a little evil will impact the entire body.  In today's world the desire to include everyone creates a dangerous situation where in some cases even the church body has consciously chosen to ignore some of Gods rules.   The outcome will be bad, the entire body will be damaged.

1 Corinthians 4

This one is dealing with arrogance in the leadership of the church.
My take from this is to continue to be humble, and remember who I am serving, when I'm working for the church.  My position means nothing.  Its all about serving God.  Not that I'm doing anything that would cause me to be arrogant......hahahaha....right?
I could see if I was a great singer, or guitar player, and I was playing on Sunday mornings.....I could start thinking that I'm "all that", as people are telling me how talented I am.
I get it.  Its all good.

1 Corinthians 3

⁶ I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.


Today I thought this should make it easier to share God with others.  We just plant and water the seeds (or share His word and serve others is how I was thinking about it), he makes them grow.  In fact, we have no power to make them grow on our own or make people become followers of Christ--its not even our job.

1 Corinthians 2

¹⁴ The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Sheesh!  that completely describes some of my friends.  They look at me like I'm nuts.  I'm not sayin the spirit isn't with em, or without em.....but, that makes total sense to me.  Have you ever been in one of those conversations about faith, where everything you say makes the person roll their eyes?  But it seems very logical to you?  I have...........

1 Corinthians

I thought I'd keep going with Paul.

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

I like this one......cause it speaks to the idea that God can/and will use anyone and everyone.  You don't have to be someone of great stature or intelligence.  (that last one, I like real good)

God can you me....if i'll listen and let him.

Romans 16

Greetings.....that's mostly what the chapter talks about.

My take from this one is how fragile the church was back then, and how fragile it can be now.  It talks about not being fooled by people with malcontent.  They are self serving.  I can see that being a tremendous disruption to what the church is trying to do.  If everyone isn't pulling the rope in the same direction....its gonna get messy.

I can't believe we packed up another chapter.
We didn't quite do it cleanly.  I think we missed more days in this one than normal.......but as long as we keep truckin' and don't give up....its all good.

we need to figure out where we are going next.

Romans 15

Not sure I pulled much from this one.  Maybe its the rain outside