Tuesday Thought -- July 31, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.  I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you.” (1 Corinthians 11:1-2)

Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that there is “nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9)  That’s certainly true of our walk with Christ.  Our relationship with Christ is not unique, we walk in a relationship that was passed to us by someone else and has been passed from generation to generation for 2,000 years.  The teaching we receive today is not original.  It, too, has been passed from one generation to the next since Christ walked the earth.

Paul was not providing an example to the Corinthians that was new with him.  He was following Christ’s example.  Paul’s teachings were not original with him.  They were being passed on from him, having been handed to him by Christ.  We follow teaching that has been validated by time and by generation after generation.

The teaching of Christ must be passed on to successive generations.  Christ doesn’t come to each generation.  He has entrusted His disciples with the responsibility of passing on the faith.  Paul did that with his teaching.  We, too, are responsible for teaching others.  Paul also did it through his example.

What kind of example are you providing to those who are watching you?  If the next generation were to follow the example of faith that you have set, would God be pleased?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- July 30, 201

Good Morning Friends,

“Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” (1 Corinthians 10:24)

“For, ‘The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it.’” (1 Corinthians 10:26)

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God -- even as I try to please everybody in every way.  For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” (1 Corinthians 10:31-33)

Where is your focus?

God’s call on the life of a Christian is to die to self.  That means our focus should no longer be on our own needs, our own desires, our own good.  Instead, our focus should be on others and on the Lord.

The Lord deserves our focus.  The world belongs to Him.  We belong to Him.  He deserves the service and the praise that we give to Him, and far more than we could ever give.

Others need our focus.  There are many people around each of us who are lost.  They are hopeless and helpless.  To focus on ourselves when so many around us are spiritually dead is to ignore their great need and the opportunity that we have to do something about it.  And besides the lost, there are also many other Christians around us in whose lives we could have a positive impact, if we would take the opportunity.

Paul’s focus was on the Lord and on those around him.  That’s who he lived for.  How about you – where is your focus?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- July 27, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.  So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!  No 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)

The temptations are strong.  Paul lists several that the people of Israel gave in to time and again:  idolatry, sexual immorality, testing the Lord, and grumbling.  We face those same temptations, and like the Israelites, most of us give in to them time and again.  How can we overcome those sins and learn to say “no” to the temptations?

One way is to be reminded of the example of the Israelites.  The story of their sins is written down for our good.  As we read and study about their lives, we see the disaster that they brought on to themselves when they gave in to the temptations.

Another way is to realize the danger of the temptations.  We do ourselves a disservice when we think we are beyond the place where temptation can trouble us.  No matter how mature we become, temptations are still there and they are still strong.

Realize you are not alone in the battle with temptation.  You don’t face any temptations that are unique to you.  Every human who is alive now faces similar temptations and every human already dead faced similar temptations when they lived.

Look to the Lord when you are tempted.  He promises the temptations will not be more than you can handle.  And He promises to provide an escape route from every temptation.  Look to Him for strength and keep your eyes open for the way of escape.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- July 26, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea.  They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea.  They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.  Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.  Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” (1 Corinthians 10:1-6)

Consider the blessings that the people of Israel received from God.  Think about the amazing miracles that they witnessed:  the plagues by which they were released from slavery; the splitting of the Red Sea; the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire that guided them out of Egypt and toward the Promised Land; the miraculous provision of water, manna, and quail.  These are just a few of the spectacular things God did for them to demonstrate His love for them and His power in their lives.

But despite the miraculous provision of God, they wandered away from Him, giving themselves to idolatry, immorality, and unfaithfulness to the Lord.  As marvelous as those miracles were, they did not guarantee their spiritual growth and faithfulness.

God has also provided us with spectacular miracles:  the amazing love of the cross; the marvelous examples of grace in the lives of people we know, including the grace to save a wretch like you; and the personalized work in your life in miraculous ways.  These are God’s blessings of love for us.  They demonstrate how much He cares for us and they are illustrations of His power in our lives.

But they are not guarantees of our spiritual growth and faithfulness.  The challenge to us is to look at the example of the Jews and recognize the danger, even when God has blessed us so marvelously.  Then, to make a choice to keep setting our hearts on God and not on evil.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- July 25, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“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.  Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.  They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.  Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.  No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

Spiritual growth requires discipline.  Paul compares spiritual discipline to the discipline an athlete must have in order to be able to compete at his most effective level.  Even the most skilled and most mature athlete diminishes his effectiveness when he does not have the discipline to train like he should.

Spiritual discipline protects us.  Without it there is a danger that we will be disqualified from the prize.  Peter makes the same point in his second letter.  He provides a list of qualities we are to “make every effort” to add to our lives.  He promises that if we will do that “they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 1:8)  And, “For if you do these things, you will never fall.” (2 Peter 2:10)

Spiritual discipline protects us from falling away from the Lord.  Spiritual discipline increases our effectiveness in serving Him.  Those are two undeniable reasons for exercising discipline in our spiritual lives.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- July 24, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.  To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.  I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

Paul was a Roman citizen and that distinction carried many rights with it.  Those rights were important to Paul and he took advantage of them.  At Philippi, Paul used his citizenship to force the officials to treat him better. (see Acts 16:37-39)

But Paul’s rights were not the most important thing in his life.  Sharing the gospel with those who did not know Christ was more important than his rights.  He willingly gave up his rights, his freedoms, and his desires in order to be able to share the gospel more effectively with the people around him.

We’re American citizens and we’re Christians.  Both of those distinctions carry a great many rights and privileges.  Those rights and privileges are important to us.  As Americans, we can throw our rights around and use them to our advantage.  As Christians we have freedom from the restrictions of the law and from many of the taboos that other religions have.

But those rights and freedoms must not be the most important things in our lives.  The people around us should matter more to us than our rights and freedoms.  We should be willing to lay aside our rights and limit our freedoms in order to help the people around us -- especially to be more effective in sharing the gospel with them.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- July 23, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach.  Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!  If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.” (1 Corinthians 9:16-17)

What compelled Paul to preach?

“Christ’s love compels us.” (2 Corinthians 5:14)  Paul saw the great need of those who did not know Jesus and he was compelled to offer the Gospel to them.

He was also compelled by the call of God on his life.  God had chosen him to be the apostle to the Gentiles, chosen him to preach the Gospel to them.

Those same two motivations should be at work in all of us.  The love that Christ has for the world that sent Him to the cross should be in us, too.  We should see the lost condition of the people around us and be compelled to share with them the hope in Christ that we have.

The call of God is also on our lives.  We have not all been called to be apostles -- none of us has in this day.  We have not all been called to travel the world sharing the Gospel.  But we have all been called to be God’s ambassadors, His messengers of the Gospel.  That call should compel us to share when God provides the opportunity for us to do it.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- July 20, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Now about food sacrificed to idols:  We know that we all possess knowledge.  Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1)

How do you make decisions about your actions?  That is Paul’s question in this passage.  Do you make your decision solely on the basis of what you know is your right, or do you make your decision taking by into account how your actions will affect the people around you?

The Corinthians had the right to eat food that had been sacrificed to idols.  The idol was nothing and food sacrificed to it was not defiled.  However, not everyone understood that and some would be offended, perhaps even caused to stumble back into idol worship if they saw a fellow Christian eating such food.

Paul had two points:

Eating the food or not eating the food would not affect a person’s relationship with God.  They didn’t have to give up eating the food in order to please God or grow in their faith – “But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.” (1 Corinthians 8:8)

Their actions should be governed by how they will affect those around them -- governed by love.  “Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak.” (1 Corinthians 8:9)

The specific issue is no longer one that we face -- food sacrificed to idols is not something we deal with in our culture.  But the principle remains valid:  are you so concerned about your “rights” that you do things that hurt others?

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- July 19, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him.  This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.  Was a man already circumcised when he was called?  He should not become uncircumcised.  Was a man uncircumcised when he was called?  He should not be circumcised.  Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.  Keeping God’s commands is what counts.  Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him.  Were you a slave when you were called?  Don’t let it trouble you -- although if you can gain your freedom, do so.  For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.  You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.  Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.” (1 Corinthians 7:17-24)

Can you think of ways in which you wish your life was different?  Oh, I’m not talking about sins that you wish you didn’t struggle with, I’m talking about circumstances beyond your control that you wish were different.

I know some women who wish they were men.  They see the opportunities that men have and don’t see that women have the same opportunities.  I also know some men who wish they were women -- for the same reason.  The old proverb is true, “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”

Perhaps there are other times in history that you wish you had been born.  Perhaps there are other places in the world in which you wish you had been raised.  Would you like to change your ethnic background?  Perhaps you’d like to be Jewish, or American Indian, or a part of some other ethnic group to which you do not now belong.

Paul’s point in today’s passage from Corinthians is to take advantage of the opportunities God has given you, rather than spending your life wishing things were different.  The “if only” syndrome rarely helps us accomplish more for the Lord.  We do accomplish what God wants when we set about to do His will where He has put us and with the resources He has given us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- July 18, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord):  A wife must not separate from her husband.  But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.  And a husband must not divorce his wife.  To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord):  If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her.  And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.  For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband.  Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.  But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so.  A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.  How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband?  Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” (1 Corinthians 7:10-16)

We live in a time in which commitment and loyalty seem to be rare.  Denominational loyalty is almost non-existent in this generation.  Marketers are finding brand loyalty very difficult to develop and maintain, people are willing to switch products easily.  Company loyalty is decreasing, with people willing to switch jobs and even careers to seek the best deal for themselves.

Some of those trends are good things, not bad.  It is possible to be loyal to something out of tradition or inertia, rather than through a serious decision-making process.

However, that same trend has some negative effects, too.  That trend has affected marriage relationships and led to a rising rate of divorce.  Husbands and wives seem less committed to their spouses and more willing to be on the lookout for a “better deal” or more attractive partner.  And, at times, even justifying their decision with “spiritual” reasons – “I want a spouse who will be the spiritual leader of the home, not one who will drag me down.”   That sounds good, but goes against the teaching of the Lord about commitment and loyalty.

God is pleased when people make a commitment and keep it.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- July 17, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Now for the matters you wrote about:  It is good for a man not to marry.  But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.  The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.  The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband.  In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.  Do not deprive each other except 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.” (1 Corinthians 7:1-5)

People in New Testament times were not so different from people today and the issues they faced were not so different, either.  Immorality was rampant then, just as it is today.  The temptation to sexual sin was very strong.  As a suggestion for overcoming the temptation to sexual sin, Paul recommends marriage.  And what he says about marriage indicates that the issues married couples faced then were also the same as the issues married couples face today.

The primary difficulty in today’s marriages is selfishness.  Husbands and wives hurt their marriage relationships by focusing exclusively on their own needs, rather than being equally concerned with the needs of their spouse.  As Paul says, that is true in the sexual relationship of marriage, and it is also true in every other aspect of marriage.

The key to a healthy marriage is to recognize that you’ve entered into a relationship in which you have taken responsibility for the needs and desires of your spouse.  Her needs are now to be your needs.  Her desires are now to be your desires.  And the same is true from the wife’s perspective.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- July 16, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“‘Everything is permissible for me’ -- but not everything is beneficial.  ‘Everything is permissible for me’ -- but I will not be mastered by anything.  ‘Food for the stomach and the stomach for food’ -- but God will destroy them both.  The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.  -- Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?  You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:12-13, 19-20)

It seems that Paul starts this passage by quoting some popular sayings of the day -- and he didn’t deny their truthfulness.  We don’t live according to a legalistic code of conduct.  We’ve been freed from that in Christ.  “Everything is permissible for me.”  But that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to do “everything.”  While permissible, there are many things that are harmful to our physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual lives.  We’d be foolish to give ourselves to things that are harmful to us or others.

While permissible, there are many things that are dangerous, that lead to being mastered by them.  Sexual immorality is one of them.  How many people have been trapped by sexual sin because they have given in to pornography or in other ways started down the road to what the world calls sexual “freedom.”  Drugs and alcohol fall into that category, too.  Many people have been trapped in chemical addictions as they started down a road called experimentation.  In seeking freedom, they have discovered themselves to be slaves.

“Food is for the stomach and the stomach for food.”  But that doesn’t mean we should live for eating!  There is more to life than the fulfillment of our physical desires and needs.  In fact, those physical desires and needs are only temporary and to give our lives to them is very short-sighted and foolish.

The bottom-line -- even our physical bodies and how we use them belong to the Lord.  He bought us -- body, mind, and spirit.  Our goal is to honor Him -- body, mind and spirit!  For the price He paid for us, He deserves all of us!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- July 13, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived:  Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And that is what some of you were.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11)

I don’t know what kind of past all of you have had, but there aren’t very many of us who don’t have some sordid stories to tell about the things we’ve done.  You can charge some of it off to youthful passions.  You can charge some of it off to immature foolishness.  But you still have to charge all of it to human sinfulness -- our sinfulness.  None of us can say that we have escaped it.  No one does!  (See Romans 3:23 if you want to argue with me!)

And that’s the way God found us -- sinful, broken, guilty.  What we deserved was punishment and death.  What we got was grace and mercy and salvation!  He took the guilt of our sin and put it on the account of Jesus.  Then He took the righteousness of His perfect Son, Jesus, and put it on our account!  What a deal!  What love!  What grace!  And everyone of us who has come to Christ has experienced it.  All of us came from the same place and came in the same way -- from sin to God by grace.

But though God found us in the guilt of our sin, He is not content to leave us there.  All who come to Christ have been implanted with the Holy Spirit.  One of the Holy Spirit’s works is transformation.  So everyone who comes to Christ gets transformed.  Not overnight.  Not without a great deal of pain and discomfort.  Not completely in this world.  But transformation does happen, just look back at your life and you can see it.

God will take you just like you are – it’s the only way you can come to Him.  But He won’t leave you that way!  That’s His promise!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- July 12, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?  And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?  Do you not know that we will judge angels?  How much more the things of this life!  Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church!  I say this to shame you.  Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?  But instead, one brother goes to law against another -- and this in front of unbelievers!  The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already.  Why not rather be wronged?  Why not rather be cheated?  Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.” (1 Corinthians 6:2-8)

Paul’s message to the Corinthians made me think again about how important the church is meant to be in our lives.  It is to the church that we should turn to find help in times of trouble.  It’s to the church that we should go when we are discouraged and hurt and find comfort and encouragement there.  It’s among the church family that we should share our joys and find people rejoicing with us and share our sorrows and find people grieving with us.  And in this passage, it is to the church that we should bring disputes and find wise counsel for settling them.

There are very few Christians who follow Paul’s advice about disputes.  Ours is a litigious society and even Christians are quick to take disputes into the courts.  The problem with the courts is that they deal only with the dispute and not with the relationships that surround it.  But the relationships are more important than the matter being disputed.  The dispute is a temporary matter that affects only the things of this world.  Relationships are eternal, people matter beyond this world.

If you find yourself in a dispute with someone else, think about the value of your relationship with that person and handle the dispute accordingly.  Even if you have to let go of your rights, it may be the right thing to do.  Try looking to the church to help bring peace between you and the one with whom you disagree.  You may be surprised at the wisdom you find there.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- July 11, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people -- not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters.  In that case you would have to leave this world.  But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler.  With such a man do not even eat.  What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church?  Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside.  ‘Expel the wicked man from among you.’” (1 Corinthians 5:9-13)

It sure seems like there are many people who are so trapped by sin that they are beyond salvation.  But that is a wrong impression!  God is in the life-transformation business.  He’s already demonstrated His ability to change lives by what He has done in the lives of those who are His children.

Take the Apostle Paul -- a persecutor of the church, breathing threats against Christians, throwing some in jail, perhaps even murdering some.  If anyone was beyond God’s grace Paul was.  But God transformed Paul!

Or Mary Magdalene -- a prostitute!  It’s hard to believe that God can take someone that far into sin and turn her life around, but that’s just what He did with Mary!

And Zacchaeus -- a thief and swindler.  He was so trapped by greed that he was willing to hurt his own countrymen in order to line his pockets.  But talk about a radical transformation -- God turned a greedy thief into a generous giver.

And your story and my story -- they contain sins, too.  Maybe our sins weren’t quite as open and obvious as Paul’s, Mary’s, and Zacchaeus’s -- or maybe they were -- but all of us were trapped in sin.  And God has radically changed our lives, and He keeps on working to change them more!

So, don’t give up on the people around you.  They may seem beyond God’s grace, but they aren’t.  Be patient with them.  Share with them as God provides the opportunities.  Don’t give up on them.  Expect that God can change even them -- like He did you!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- July 10, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you.  But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have.  For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.  What do you prefer?  Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?” (1 Corinthians 4:18-21)

The Corinthians had a choice.  Paul was willing to come to them with harsh discipline (characterized by a whip), if that was what was required to get their attention.  On the other hand, he was willing to come with loving and gentle correction if they were willing to listen to that.  There was much in the Corinthian church that needed to be corrected, as evidenced by the things Paul wrote in his letters.  And God would provide the correction.  It was the Corinthians’ option as to how painful that correction would be!

The same is true for us.  All of us need correction throughout our lives.  It is a part of the growth process.  It is a part of being human and dealing with the innate tendency toward sinfulness.  It is God’s desire to see us grow.  In fact, He promised that He will complete the growth work that He has begun in us.

In fact, if the Lord does not correct and discipline us, there is something wrong with our relationship with Him.  The Hebrew writer declared, “The Lord disciplines those he loves.” (Hebrews 12:6)

The choice of what kind of correction we receive and how painful it is for us, is up to us.  God is willing to come with the most gentle and loving correction, if we are willing to listen to it.  And, if necessary, He is willing and able to come with the harsh discipline of the whip.

The choice is ours, just like it was for the Corinthians.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- July 9, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena.  We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men.  We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ!  We are weak, but you are strong!  You are honored, we are dishonored!  To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless.  We work hard with our own hands.  When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly.  Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.” (1 Corinthians 4:9-13)

The apostles were not second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God.  Of course they weren’t, they were among God’s most beloved and honored servants.  Yet, they suffered significantly because of their work for the Lord.  They were ridiculed and mocked.  They lived in poverty and need.  They often had to support themselves even though they were giving of themselves to others in preaching and teaching about Christ.  They were slandered and they were physically abused.  All of these things happened, not because they did anything illegal or wrong, but because of their work for the Lord.

The point -- serving Christ does not guarantee a life blessed by earthly standards.  In fact, serving Christ may contribute to life’s pain, not ease it.

And how did the apostles respond to the kind of ill-treatment they received?  They did not return insult for insult or pain for pain.  They continued to bless those around them.  They patiently endured the suffering without fighting back.  They did not respond with hatred, but with kindness, even to those who hurt them.  They modeled the same kind of attitudes that were seen in the life of Jesus.

Sometimes serving the Lord brings difficulty -- but He’s worth it!  The difficulty we experience does not give us license to respond in ways that do not reflect the grace and kindness of the Lord toward those around us, even those who hurt us.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Friday Thought -- July 6, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.  I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.  My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent.  It is the Lord who judges me.  Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes.  He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts.  At that time each will receive his praise from God.”  (1 Corinthians 4:2-5)

I would not make a very good judge.  I often attribute motives to what people do that really aren’t there.  Sometimes I read into what they do in the most negative way possible.  And at other times I read into what they do in the most positive way possible.  I’m just not a very good judge.  I can’t see into people’s hearts and minds.  I don’t really know why they do the things they do.

I’m not even a very judge of myself.  There are times that I am harder on myself than I should be.  And there are other times when I let myself off the hook because I’m blind to what’s really going on in my heart.

I’m glad I don’t have to be the judge.  That job is already filled.  It’s filled by One who has a much clearer picture of what’s going in my heart and what’s going on in the hearts of others, too.

His, by Grace,

Steve

Thursday Thought -- July 5, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Do not deceive yourselves.  If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a ‘fool’ so that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight.  As it is written:  ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.’  So then, no more boasting about men!  All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future -- all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.” (1 Corinthians 3:18-23)

There is an amazing amount of wisdom in this world that has enabled man to do things that would have been unimaginable a few generations ago.  Man has walked on the moon.  We can transplant hearts.  We are capable of drilling thousands of feet into the earth to extract valuable resources hidden there.  We can harness the energy of the sun and the wind and the atom.  And you can probably think of other inventions and feats that are equally astounding.

But man has barely scratched the surface of knowledge about the creation of God.  While there are many things we understand and many things we can control and accomplish, there are still very many things that are beyond our grasp and that are still hidden from our minds.

The book of Job contains the best of man’s wisdom at that time in trying to help Job understand the suffering that he was experiencing.  But the wisdom of Job and his friends didn’t begin to grasp what was truly happening.  God put Job in his place in the final chapters with a series of questions that exposed Job’s ignorance and left him in awe of the Lord.

It is that same place that Paul seeks to bring us through his Corinthian letter.  We think we know so much, but we’ve fooled ourselves.  Although our knowledge is marvelous, it is nothing compared to the Lord and His knowledge and wisdom!  He’s the One with whom we should be amazed and the One whom we should praise!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Wednesday Thought -- July 4, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it.  But each one should be careful how he builds.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

There will be a test at the end of the term!  And talk about a serious test!  It will be a test by fire.  What we have done for the Lord that has eternal value will survive the fire.  What we’ve done that has only earthly value will be destroyed.

Motives will be one thing that will make a difference.  Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that if what we do is done only to be seen by others, then that’s all the reward we’ll get.  We may get some earthly praise, but in eternity what we've done will go totally unnoticed and unrewarded.  If what we do is for our own benefit, it doesn’t count with the Lord!  What’s done out of a heart of love for and a commitment to the Lord and to others, that will last.  God will be pleased with those things and reward us for them.

Focus will make a difference, too.  If what we’ve done on earth is about material things -- accumulating wealth, gaining possessions, etc. -- those will be burned up in the fire.  But if what we’ve done is about praising God and helping people, those things will last.  There are very few things in this world that will last into eternity.  The Word of God will last into eternity.  And people will last into eternity.  Those things done which are focused on things that last will be rewarded by the Lord.

So, the question is -- are you contributing to things that will last, or things that will be destroyed!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Tuesday Thought -- July 3, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“What, after all, is Apollos?  And what is Paul?  Only servants, through whom you came to believe -- as the Lord has assigned to each his task.  I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.  So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.  The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.  For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)

The Lord makes the assignments.  That is His prerogative as Creator and Ruler and Lord.  He can use His servants in any way He chooses in order to accomplish His purposes.  He doesn’t have to ask our permission and He doesn’t have to thank us for doing what He demands.  He is Master and we are servants.

Not only does the Lord give the assignments, He also gives the abilities and strength to fulfill them.  We don’t operate in our own strength, but in His as He supplies what we need.

And there’s more -- He not only gives the assignments and supplies the abilities and strength, He also works to make us successful in what we do for Him.  He is the one who causes fruit to come from our efforts.

The point is, it is all God, not us.  So, why does God reward us for what we do for Him?  He promises to do it, but we don’t deserve it and haven’t earned it.  He rewards us simply because He loves us and He wants to do it.  He gives the assignment, He gives the strength, He gives the success – and then He gives us the reward.

Isn’t God amazing!!

His, by Grace,

Steve

Monday Thought -- July 2, 2012

Good Morning Friends,

“Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants in Christ.  I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.  You are still worldly.  For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly?  Are you not acting like mere men?” (1 Corinthians 3:1-3)

The marks of worldliness that Paul saw among the Corinthians were jealousy and quarreling.  The root of both of those sinful attitudes is selfishness.

When we act with jealousy, we demonstrate dissatisfaction with what we have compared with what someone else has been given.  Rather than unselfishly rejoicing in their gifts, we are frustrated that they have what we don’t.  That’s not a characteristic of God, but a characteristic of the world.  God calls His followers to ever increasing selflessness, seeking the best for others around us, not just looking out for our own interests.

When we quarrel, we seek our own way, what we want, even at the cost of damaging relationships and hurting our witness.  How much is what we want worth?  Is it worth the cost of a relationship that is damaged or destroyed?  Is it worth the cost of turning someone outside of Christ away from Him because of the way you act?  Again, it goes back to selfishness -- I want, so I’ll fight to get.

They were acting like mere men!  But what else can we act like?  That’s the point, God is calling us to a higher calling, to become like Jesus, to act like Him -- to give unselfishly, to seek the best for those around us, to sacrifice to help others.

His, by Grace,

Steve