Posts with the tag “1-cor”

1 Corinthians 16:13-14Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Can you imagine it? If you’re a guy, this is a wonderful exhortation. It’s as if Paul is pulling you in for one last embrace before sailing off. He grabs you by the shoulders and draws you near. You can feel his whiskers on your cheek and his voice in your ear. He’s been like a father to you. He sees your potentia...  Read More

Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."1 Corinthians 15:33If you (symbolically) sat on a block of ice, is your relationship with Jesus on fire enough that you would melt the ice? Or is your passion for God a little more on the lukewarm side, such that the ice would start to freeze your bum? We should consider this question in light of our friendships as well. Do your relationships ins...  Read More

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.1 Corinthians 14:332020 has undoubtedly been one of the most confusing years in history. Between keeping track of the current pandemic guidelines, working and schooling from home, trying to understand racial tensions and the history that has brought them about, and now trying to figure out where all our nation's coins have gone? It's a mess! And the m...  Read More

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.1 Corinthians 13:13Without love, we are nothing (v2) and we have nothing (v3). We are worse than nothing - we are an annoyance (v1). But it's not too difficult to find love within ourselves - how do we know if we have love? Verses 4-7 give a pretty good description of the fruit that will be in our lives if we have l...  Read More

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.1 Corinthians 12:7Consider the Mona Lisa: da Vinci spent hours capturing the spirit and personality of his subject and "manifesting" it in his painting. Mostly it was for her own benefit - she was a wealthy woman who wanted a self portrait. But it was such a unique piece of art that through the ages, millions have benefited from ...  Read More

Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.1 Corinthians 11:28You know how dirt builds up so gradually? You wash your car and as days go by it seems like it still looks good but then one day you swipe a finger across it and EW - it seems to have suddenly become caked in dust again! Our minds and hearts are like that - we may have a time of spiritual cleansing ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 10:13No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. The great escapist, Harry Houdini, once said, “No prison can hold me; no hand or leg irons or steel locks can shackle me. No ropes or chains can keep ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 9:22I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. “When in Rome do as the Romans do.” Saint Augustine lived in Milan with his mother, Monica. They planned to visit Rome and discovered that Saturday was the day to observe fasting. However, that was not the customary day which they observed it at home. They consulted Saint Ambrose who said "When I am here...  Read More

1 Corinthians 8:1Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. There is nothing quite like knowledge. To expand one’s understanding of the world and to acquire new fields of comprehension – how exhilarating! But if knowledge leads us to believe we stand on higher ground – how utterly pathetic. Be careful of a knowledge that outpaces love. Love will build a community, whereas an unchecked knowledge will ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 7:17Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. I love the part at the end of John’s Gospel where Peter gets his commission from the Lord of what he is to do in life and how he is to honor the Lord in death. But then Peter points to John and says, “What about him?” And to that the Lord retorts, “Don’t worry ‘bout him. Just listen ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 6:12All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. Athletes are vigilant when it comes to their diet. They could drink that soda; it’s just not going to help them very much. Same concept goes for the Christian. We are being trained and groomed for glory. Therefore, we might not consume everything that comes our way. God doesn’t forbid me to watch that movie. He doesn’t...  Read More

1 Corinthians 5:6Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? A little mold. A little bacterium. A little cancer. A little sin. You don’t need to worry about something so small. A little is not going to hurt anything.   We all know that’s not the attitude to take. When it comes to these things, a little will eventually turn into a lot. So, excise it before it gets out of hand. This...  Read More

1 Corinthians 4:5Do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Everything that is whispered in the dark will one day be shouted on the roof top. So, if you are still in the dark, simply try to suspend your judgement. Especially when it comes to the motives of people. People’s ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 3:3While there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? Sometimes we feel it’s necessary to remind people that we’re only human! In one sense, that’s true. In another sense, it can be a lousy excuse. Sure, we are fallible. We are not yet perfect. But, do remember, if you’ve placed your faith in Christ, something miraculous has taken...  Read More

1 Corinthians 2:12Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. Eva Paole was a housemaid working in Argentina when she discovered that her birth father was a well-off landowner that had died years before. By law she was entitled to his estate and took her claim to court. After a lengthy battle and the ...  Read More

1 Corinthians 1:10I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no divisions among you. Is it possible for all of us to agree? Probably not. But is it possible for all of us to be agreeable? Absolutely! And that’s what this verse is getting at. The New Living Translation uses the word harmony. Think of an orchestra. Harmony allows for diff...  Read More