Wednesday Wake Up #43

Protect Your Intake

I sometimes fall victim to my own ignorance. Yes, I can be ignorant, or at least forgetful. I like to listen to certain types of music and watch varied movies, but the root of what these songs and films represent is not what is holy and righteous. So, when I am listening to Ice Cube or watching a scary movie, what is that intake doing to my output? Do I start mimicking what I hear from Ice Cube? Do I start thinking that there is a really a boogeyman in my closet? What we watch and listen to (TV, music, movies) and who we surround ourselves with (friends, social circles) will help dictate how we think and how we communicate with others. Whether it is media or real people in front of us we know that bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33). We are to make sure that those we are linked to are with us in our walk with Christ (2 Corinthians 6:14). We are responsible for what we watch, listen to and with whom we spend time. Make your decision wisely.

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Wednesday Wake Up #41

Be, Just Be

Be, just be is my take on a directive given by Paul to the Corinthian church and the men in it. These directives can come for any number of reasons, but this one was in response to waiting for Apollos, another church leader who was to come to the Corinthian church and lead. Before Apollos arrived, Paul wrote the Corinthians a letter telling them to "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love (1 Corinthians 6:13-14)." Being watchful like when Jesus wanted the disciples to stay up through the night and keep out a watchful eye. Stand firm in the faith meaning do not waiver and dilute the faith and add unto it, but stand strong in what is whole, virtuous and true. Acting like men may get taken to mean not to be effeminate, but I think here in this context it means be strong like men as men are naturally stronger than women (that's not sexist). The strength here isn't about physical strength, but emotional strength or endurance and perseverance and courage while waiting for Apollos to arrive. Lastly, let all you do be done in love. If you hold God up high first and foremost and you love and honor His word and His will, then you can love people (even unbelievers) as God loves them. So, be, just be. Be strong. Be a man. Be loving. Be like Jesus. Be, just be.
 

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Wednesday Wake Up #36

Warning Against Idleness

In reading 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15 we get to see the encouragement against idleness. What is idleness? That means being inactive. Imagine your car sitting still in neutral. It has potential to go forward or backward, but it just sits. It is useless. I look at MANY (far too many) Christ followers who see themselves as right with God but do not serve, read or read and study the Word. It is time to start doing more for the Kingdom of God. 

Idleness did not just mean inactivity. In verses 6-7 Paul directs fellow Christ followers to keep away from any brother/sister in Christ who is walking in idleness. That means if this believer is not living like a believer (I assume more often than not) then you have every right to keep your distance. And why wouldn't you? We already know that bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). So if someone among you is not following the example of Christ, then it is okay to leave them to their ways. You don't have to fix them or feel guilty that they chose their lifestyle.

In verses 10-11 Paul calls out those who would not (notice that it wasn't cannot) work. He says, if they aren't willing to help and work and they just want to be busy bodies, then they should not eat. This I understand was specific to the church and not local government. The thinking is that people thought if Jesus was coming back then what was the point of working. They decided to let others work and they reap the benefits of giving Christians. Paul didn't like that, but he also wanted those who were doing the right thing to not grow weary in doing it (verse 13). Paul knew how to call out those that weren't doing the right thing but also knew how to encourage those that were doing the right thing in the name of the Lord. 

 

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1 Thessalonians: Be Consistent

Be Consistent

If you have been reading along or have already read through the New Testament you may have noticed something that I think is remarkable. Some may say it is  not, but to me it shows character. When Paul begins his letters to the churches (1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Romans 1:7, Galatians 1:3), he consistently opens up with "peace" and "grace" and shows what he represents in God and in Christ. To some, that is no big deal as he is just writing letters. You will see though that these letters are also letters of direction or correction. I know when some of us are correcting or directing others that we are in charge of, we can become tyrannical. Paul consistently sends grace and love. He does not stray off the path of being loving even when correcting or directing. Why? Because he represents Jesus. We could learn from Paul's example.
 

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1 Corinthians 16: Paul's Final Words

Paul's Final Words

Paul closes out 1 Corinthians with some points and instructions, but I want to focus on a few things that popped out to me. Specifically speaking to the men in the church Paul says in verse 13, "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." That is a statement that is not just a "Hey! Be yourselves and do whatever" but Paul actually encouraging them to "act like men" and "be strong." I see that lacking in some areas in this country. Men are not acting like men. Men are not being strong in the faith. That means men have a specific role that they needed to fill then (and now) and Paul was reminding them of that role and their position. 

1 Corinthians 16:14 is the second part of a very important piece of scripture. Paul says "Let all that you do be done in love." Wow. All, not most. All, not some. All, not none. All we do must be done in love. Remember we love God first and because we recognize that and loved God first, then we love people. We love them and do things that are encouraging them to things out of respect for the Lord, not just things that we personally want them to do.

1 Corinthians 16:24 tells us "My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen." When he finished the letter it was with love. We can read through the entire book of 1 Corinthians and see Paul's sarcasm and his disappointment. But instead of just making it a letter or set of letters that was only focused on what they did wrong he made sure to include his support of them to do what was done in Christ and he sent his love. How often do we have a chance to reassure people we are upset with that we love them and yet we do not? Paul did and that can be our example.

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1 Corinthians 15: The Past, The Dead, Stay Strong

The Past, The Dead, Stay Strong

1 Corinthians 15:10 is a very powerful verse as Paul is retelling Christ's resurrection and the order in which he appeared to people. Paul retells how he was not born at the time in which Christ was resurrected but Christ still appeared to Paul (even though Paul was persecuting Christians). Paul says in verse 10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain." This means Paul recognizes that he made huge mistakes and bad choices before Christ appeared to him, but "I am what I am" signifies how Paul's past does not keep him from serving God. And when he says "His grace was not in vain" he is saying that God's grace wasn't wasted. If Paul had ignored seeing Christ and not doing what he was told, then Christ speaking to Paul would have been wasted. I ask you, what is God try to tell you but you are not listening?

Paul also points out an issue with a belief versus the truth. It was believed by the Corinthians that the dead could not be raised, but they overlooked that fact that Christ was raised from the dead. If the dead could not be raised then that makes the faith in Christ null and void and a fallacy. Paul points out that if there is no resurrection then we have no Heaven, no afterlife and we should be pitied (1 Corinthians 15:19).

Lastly, 1 Corinthians 15 ends with a reminder to believers, not just Corinthians. Paul says "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58)." He is endearing to them while encouraging them to stay strong and unable to be moved in doing work for the Lord knowing that the work is not in vain.

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1 Corinthians 14: Order in Spiritual Gifts

Order in Spiritual Gifts

Paul declares prophecies more important than speaking in tongues if there is no one there to interpret the tongues. The purpose of speaking in tongues and having an interpreter is so that the church can be built up, meaning expanded or increased. If one speaks in tongues and no one is there to interpret then Paul says outsiders would come in and think it is foolish for someone to be speaking what sounds like nonsense. Paul would love for the entire church to be able to speak in tongues but without interpretation, there is no point. In verse 19, Paul says that he would rather speaks 5 words of his mind than speak 10,000 words in tongues and have no interpreter. 

Paul provides order for the spiritual gifts. He says it should only be 2 or 3, yet only allowing one at a time. In regard to order, it is understood that there were women who would speak out during the services and ask for explanation of things sitting apart from their husbands (as was custom) and disturbing the spiritual gifts. Paul says that they should wait until they got home to ask these questions and not in the middle of someone delivering a message. This section of text is often taken out of context and made to sound misogynistic, when in deed it was intended to create order not feed into disorder as the Corinthian Church was in (1 Corinthians 14:40). 

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1 Corinthians 13: But Have Not Love

But Have Not Love

In verse 1 Paul starts off naming the spiritual gifts and calls out the lack of importance they have and how insignificant the person is without love in their hearts. Imagine you have the spiritual gift of wisdom or knowledge or speaking in tongues but you are just not a loving person. How wasteful would that be to have that gift and not be loving. The next thing we look at is how to define love.

If you have ever been to a wedding then you more than likely have heard 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. In these verses Paul uncovers what love is. He says it is patient and kind and does not boast and whole host of other descriptive terms. But if you read verse 8 you will see that love cannot fail. The verse reads "love never fails." If you love someone and you no longer love them, you never loved them. You may have loved the feeling of being around them. You may have loved how they made you feel, but did you actually love them? If you did, then it would not be past tense.Love doesn't end and it cannot fail.

The last verse is 1 Corinthians 13:13 points out three attributes- faith, hope and love. We might say that faith is the most important to have as in faith in God. Or maybe hope is the most important as in hope that God will answer prayers. But if there is no love of God and love for others, then what do the others matter? Paul says the greatest of those three is love and God shows this to us by having sent his son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

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1 Corinthians 12: Spiritual Gifts and One Body

Spiritual Gifts and One Body

There are various types of spiritual gifts. These are not just things that you are good at, but gifts given to you by God for the "manifestation of the Spirit for the common good (verse 7)." The gifts are listed in verses 8-11 and range from utterances of wisdom and knowledge in the same spirit, prophecy, miracles and tongues. All these gifts are of the same spirit and not different ones. Why would Paul be pointing this out? Because there needed to be an understanding that the spiritual gifts were under the same God and this could also help create more unity which the Corinthian church lacked. 

We see in regard to spiritual gifts (verse 13) a solid statement by Paul that whether Jew or Greek or slave or free, our source is under the same Jesus. He continues and tells us that the body does not consist of one member but many. If everyone had the same gift then there would be missing needs in the church. In verse 17 he explains that if a body was an eye then how would you hear or be able to smell. Each gift is important and special and needed for the church and God to be given glory.In summation, verse 27 tells us that we are all the body of Christ and individually members of it.

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1 Corinthians 11: Christlike, Leadership and Unity

Christlike, Leadership and Unity

Paul starts off in verse 1 by stating something so simple, but yet it is so deep. He says "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ." He shows his leader ship and authority but also shows that he is under authority under Christ. Imagine working for a big company and your boss is the president but the president also has a boss which is the CEO/owner. Paul has authority but is not the ultimate authority.

The word "head" in this section as a simple understanding means source. So, when Paul says God is the head of man and man is the head of woman, that means that from x came y. If you go back to Genesis and read about the creation of man and woman then you see where that comes from. But head also meant authority, not as in controlling but as in leader or lead. This verse (3) is where people get confused and refer to the Bible as sexist and what not, but this is a farce as there are plenty of women God has used to do wonderful things in the Lord. 

1 Corinthians 11:20-21 calls out the believers who were not united in the church when it came to eating. He says people were having different meals when they used to share a common meal. He calls them out for having different meals and getting drunk at church to show proof that they were not unified.


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1 Corinthians 10: Temptation and Idolatry

Temptation and Idolatry

Paul wanted to warn the Corinthian Christians against idolatry. He is still on the point of eating food that has been offered to idols. Paul saw that as a temptation and idol worship. Of course it is. If you eat something offered to a god and not God, that is idolatry. The temptation comes from that when the desire is to do that which God would not honor. As natural as you may feel it is, which it may very well be, giving into that is still temptation.We must remember 1 Corinthians 10:13 as rely on that to pull away when we are tempted.

1 Corinthians 10:21 shows us that Paul was trying to keep people from having a dual partnership with demons and with God. You cannot drink from a cup or eat of food offered to demons and still be on God's side. that would not honor God. As much as people might have said "Paul leave us alone, it is not hurting anybody", they would have been sadly mistaken. I hear many people in these days say that certain things are natural or no big deal and "mind your own business", but being that Paul built that church and believers were getting it wrong, he had to say something.

Lastly, 1 Corinthians 10:23 has been used out of context numerous times. I have heard it used to validate someone's sinful behavior while only quoting the "all things are lawful" part while completely ignoring the context of the chapter and of this letter to the Corinthians. It wasn't about "how bad is it" it is about "how good is it." Paul points out "not all things build up" which means not all things that are allowable as your own personal rights as humans are able to build you up as Christians. Our rights under Christ are what matters most.

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1 Corinthians 9: Giving Up Rights

Giving Up Rights

This chapter shows us how Paul is perhaps becoming frustrated to have to keep correcting things that have become excuses for the Corinthians Christians. They saw it as their right to eat meat that had been dedicated to idols, yet Paul says that they only have rights under Christ. He uses himself as an example that he has rights as a human as well, but since he is an apostle of Christ who has seen an accurate vision of Christ (post resurrection) that he submits to Christ rather than human desires and rights (1 Corinthians 9:1-7).

Paul had planted churches and decided to pay his own way through things rather than allow people to say that money was his motivation in the ministry. He points out that he has a right to do so but did not. The point here is that even though he has the right to do something, he chose not to, unlike the Corinthian Christians who had rights and gave into them rather than submit to the will of God (1 Corinthians 9:15). 

Paul's final point was that athlete's do things for a prize, at the time it was a wreath. That prize does not last. But we as Christ followers "fight" for a prize that does not perish. that should be our focus on the prize that does not perish (1 Corinthians 9:26-27).

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1 Corinthians 8: From One God

From One God

This chapter is a short one, but let us understand one very important verse. In verse 6, Paul breaks down that there is one God who is our Father that created all things and is the reason we exist. Then he continues by telling us there is one Lord, that is Jesus, and through him (not from- see the difference) we exist and are all things. There was an issue with people dedicating food to idols and eating it and serving other "gods" but Paul needed the church to recognize that there is one God and no more.

Paul then reminds the church members in verses 7-13 that if their eating of a meat, especially one that is offered to a god and not God, then that could cause a brother to stumble. What we eat doesn't make God like us more or less, but we do need to honor God with what we eat and how much of it. In other words, we do not over eat or starve ourselves. Our body is to be a living sacrifice in all facets of life (Romans 12:1). Ultimately, we want to honor God with all we do and when it comes to eating food that was offered to idols, then a brother in Christ might see that and do the same. We honor God and we love others.

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1 Corinthians 7: Marriage and Living as You Are Called

Marriage and Living as You Are Called

Paul breaks down how men and women should treat their respective spouses. I have heard stories of spouses with holding sex from one another for whatever reason (not due to health reasons) and the marriage falls apart. I'm sure there are other reasons why it happens, but if you refuse to have sex with your spouse, what are you expecting to happen? Paul says that the wife has authority over her husband's body and the husband has authority over his wife's body. They are not to deprive one another (1 Corinthians 7:4-5). Deprivation isn't being done in love. That is often done due to bitterness, anger and unresolved hurts. We stop being loving when we no longer like that person. Also, notice that Paul did not make mention of men marrying men and women marrying women and how that should be done. Remember he has already spoken about homosexuality on numerous occasions.

Next, in 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 Paul addresses people in the church who were followers of Christ but were also confusing circumcision with being saved. It became a "Christ and", not just being saved by Grace. He mentions bondservants and how if they are that and are saved by grace then they are free in Christ. But if they get their physical freedom then they ought to take that opportunity. Serving the Lord was the priority, not your position or social standing. 

Lastly, Paul discusses those who were not married. He was not speaking to the time and into the future, but specific to the time. There was a problem that he slightly touches on but doesn't go into detail. He tells them that married men are at a disadvantage in serving the Lord as they have to divide their attention to pleasing their wife and other worldly things. He is not saying that having a wife is bad or against God, but you know that if you are married, the joy of your spouse and the contentment within your marriage will be a concern that will need addressing on a regular basis. That is a fair statement, generally speaking. But, those who are not married can focus more on pleasing the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:35).

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1 Corinthians 6: Legality and Immorality

Legality and Immorality

Paul confronts the church on trivial lawsuits. Church members were suing other church members over trivial issues. Paul asks if there is no one wise enough among them that could handle the small stuff instead of going to the outsiders/unbelievers. His point is if we cannot handle the small stuff with each other (other believers) then how can we be entrusted to judge angels. Paul even suggests that let yourself be cheated in examples like this rather than going to the courts. This does not mean in all situations we should just let others cheat us and take advantage of us. That is not God honoring, but in trivial things do not go to the courts, just let it go. We need to change the focus from what is happening to us and remember what Jesus went through so that we could be reconciled to God. He was tortured on our behalf. He could have stopped it but knew that the prophecies would be invalid and God's will would not be done. God sacrificed HUGE for us. It is time for us to start sacrificing for His glory (Romans 6:1-8).

In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul really breaks it down for us telling us/the Church in Corinth who will not inherit the Kingdom of God. He tells that neither the unrighteous (those not submitted to God's will) nor the sexually immoral, nor those who have false idols, nor those who practice adultery, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor revilers (criticize in an insulting way) nor swindlers (scammers) will inherit the Kingdom of God. That is a long list? Why is it so long? I think it had to be because at the beginning of the section Paul says "do not be decived" which leads me to believe there were those who believed that they could do all those things and still get into Heaven. But I will take it a step further and say, if you do all of these things or even just one as a regular part of your life as an adopted practice, then is the Holy Spirit in you? The Holy Spirit will not lead you to scam people or cheat on your spouse or lead you to have homosexual relations. It is one thing to slip up, it is another to adopt it as part of your life and accept it and leave it for light (God) and dark (sin) cannot exist in the same place.

We are to flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18) and treat our body as a temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). That person you have been having sexual relations with, that isn't God honoring. Those drugs you have been doing are not doing anything good to your body. That is not God honoring. That food you have been eating and the exercise you have not had is not good for your body. That is not God honoring. One day we will leave this earth and we are not to ride our bodies into the ground full force but treat them well while we have them in order to show God we are thankful to him for what he gave us.

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1 Corinthians 5: Corinthians and Sexual Immorality

Corinthians and Sexual Immorality

Paul also calls out another problem. Paul brings forth the issue of sexual immorality. He says even the Pagan don't practice this and here a church was welcoming a man who was engaged in sexual activity with his father's wife. Now, this could be a step mother or it could have been the man's birth mother, but either way, it was not his wife and was the wife of another man. Paul says that this person should be removed from the church. Many today would say "don't judge" and misquote Jesus and the meaning of what he was saying. We are to judge in the right spirit for those within the church.

Even though Paul wasn't there, he already passed judgement on the one who did this and said that person should be delivered to Satan. That does not mean that person needs to be a human sacrifice as per a ritual, but they need to be put out into the world which is Satan's domain. 

Paul calls them out for being boastful about their ignoring this man's sin. His point is that it is not loving to accept sin of this kind into the church. We are all sinners, sure, but we cannot collectively as a church just accept sin as a-ok and ignore it like it isn't there. Paul warns us about associating with fellow Christ followers who indulge in sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, etc (1 Corinthians 5:11). We are not to judge those outside the church, but those on the inside. 

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1 Corinthians 4: Favorites and Correction

Favorites and Correction

Paul continues on the topic of favoritism and non-biblical attributes given to the teachers in the church. Being that Paul saw the dissension among these ideas he thought it wise to address it, which it was. Why see a problem and not address it? That makes no sense. The problem does not just go away if it is ignored. Problems need to be addressed and be done so respectfully. This is what we see here. Paul sees a problem in the church and brings it to light, not just from worldly teaching and what seems rational, but also what is spirit led. In 1 Corinthians 4:7, Paul points out that the church members also have gifts from God that help them in their lives, but as they should not be bragging about them, then they should not be comparing one teacher/leader to another as it pertains to the church. 

1 Corinthians 4:14, I have heard people say that Paul was getting arrogant and shaming people in his letter to the Corinthians. I do not see it that way and neither did Paul. It was not a letter laced with insults and tirades. It was a letter that was written to correct what was breaking. If a parent tells a child to stop a behavior or they will get in trouble, the child can feel shamed but that does not mean that was the parent's intent. If you boss wants to correct a way that you take meeting notes, stock shelves or speak with customers, the intent is to correct, not to shame. We have to see the whole picture not just how we feel. Just because we feel something it doesn't mean that was the intent.

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1 Corinthians 3: God's Workers and Fields

God's Workers and Fields

In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul tells the church in Corinth that they are not yet spiritual people, yet they are of the flesh. Paul could only teach them with spiritual milk (like a baby) and not with spiritual meat (for the grown up believer). The focus had not been on God but on the ones who taught God's word. There was favoritism in the church.

While the favoritism can be attributed to the different sects of Christianity, I do not believe there were more sects of the faith at the time. The church as a whole was still growing. The word of Christ was still being delivered to those who didn't know of Christ. As we stand in 2016 the unity within the church could simply mean within your specific church. If you are favoring one pastor over another and only want to hear from one pastor then that could be part of why this church in Corinth was divided between those who followed Paul or Apollos.

One pastor waters and another may plant seeds, but they both have responsibilities under God who is the ultimate authority. If you are only likely to do what your pastor says and not read your Bible and seek to understand it on your own, you are doing yourself a disservice. We are all responsible for our role in our faith and our growth. God doesn't expect us to be experts in scripture to where we have to fill out tests when we reach the pearly gates. This isn't that kind of test. The test is while we are here. We are to learn and spread the word of Christ and be loving and not show partiality based on race or gender or anything. We are not to be partial. God does not want division in His temple (1 Corinthians 3:17). 

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1 Corinthians 2: Spiritual Wisdom

Spiritual Wisdom

Paul writes and tells the church in Corinth that they do impart wisdom among the mature (spiritually mature, but not regular earthly wisdom. The wisdom Paul is referring to is that of God. He calls it a secret hidden wisdom of God that God decreed before the ages (beginning of time). Paul says if the rulers of the current (at that time) age had known about this wisdom they would not have crucified Christ (1 Corinthians 2:6-8). Good point.

Paul also writes that they have received the spirit of God, not the spirit of the world (1 Corinthians 2:12). That is two differnet types of spirit. The spirit driven by man seeks to fulfill the man in which it dwells. The spirit of God drives people to glorify God's name. Self vs. others. People of the world will reject spiritual wisdom because it makes no sense to those as they are not discerning with the same spirit. 

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Friday Focus #14

The Open Doors of Freedom

Now that I am taking steps to live outside of my "box", I recognize my freedom. This is not just freedom in the choices I make, but the freedom from that which I fear. I feared heartbreak, broken relationships, and not getting what I wanted in life. I even feared being humbled from being wrong. But the perfect life where everything goes my way is not realistic, and it is not what scripture teaches us either. We are taught to follow Christ and submit to God's will in our lives.

I wanted freedom from fear, yet I did not ask. I didn't ask God for His strength in my daily life. I just adjusted my life based on what I thought the right decisions would be, yet it was not based in Biblical principles. We know about "Ask, Seek Knock" from Matthew 7:7-12. If it is in God's will and I ask Him for it and seek it and knock on the door it will be provided to me. If it is not in God's will then there may be a problem with my motives.

I wanted to be free from condemnation. If anyone person or group of people condemned me for a dream, goal or a sin I committed or if I felt they did not support me, into the "box" I would go. Jesus wouldn't condemn me or want me to go inside my "box." Not once have I ever read about Jesus condemning people for their sins, only calling out hypocrites who used God's word to undercut others for personal/political gain (like the Pharisees did). We read in Romans 8:1 (one of my favorites) that there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. I am free from the condemnation and judgment from others (we are not called to condemn Luke 6:37) and I am free from the condemnation of sin. Others look at the outside and do not see the heart as God does (John 7:24).

But with my freedom, I need to also be responsible. Just because I am coming out of my box it does not mean that I should run around and do all the things I want to do either. Yes God will forgive me when I repent, but what about my influence on others? What I do in my life can definitely affect others. I read in 1 Corinthians 8:9 about being careful that just because I can do something, I need to be careful not make another brother or sister in Christ stumble. While learning myself in God's will, I need to check my influence on others and make sure that I am in His will and not my own.

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