In this verse it tells us what the secret to having inner peace and security is. This assurance we can have can only be found within God’s Word. But it also means not just listening, but actually applying it to your life. And when we do this, there is no end to His peace for us. (Isaiah 9:7) For the Lord rewards the godly with all good things. (Psalm 103:5)
Month: March 2019
I Corinthians 15:1 ” Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.”
The Apostle Paul was telling the Church in Corinth to focus on the Gospel Message, not on the person that had presented it. There was disunity and infighting in the Church depending on who they had heard the Gospel from…Paul or Apollos. Paul wanted them to move on from that and rather center their minds on the Good News of Jesus…not on man. For too many times we can get caught up by a dynamic, charismatic personality and end up following the person… not Jesus. For if you think about it, the Gospel Message doesn’t need theatrics or drama for it to be powerful and life-changing. All it needs is an obedient soul sharing its story.
I Corinthians 15: 57-58 ” But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, 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.”
In these verses the Apostle Paul is encouraging the Church in Corinth to not give up in doing the Lord’s work, no matter how unimportant it may seem. Even today in this goal oriented world, we want anything we do for the Lord to have measurable outcomes. So if we aren’t achieving specific concrete results, we feel that our work is insignificant. But Paul addresses this notion earlier in his letter when he writes, ” What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe – as the Lord assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.” (I Corinthians 3: 5-6) We need to realize that God’s purpose is in the process not in His final goal. And each one of us have a unique role to play in this process. For nothing we’ll ever do in the name of the Lord is futile or pointless….and no matter how big or small the task, will it ever be a waste of time when it comes to Kingdom work. For as long as we are obedient and persevere in the race the Lord has laid out before us, we will be victorious.
Proverbs 10:16 ” The wages of the righteous bring them life, but the income of the wicked brings them punishment.”
When children are little and they disobey out of ignorance…there’s some wiggle room for correction. Usually, just enlightening them with clear instructions will alleviate further problems. But when there’s willful disobedience on their part…that’s when a serious discussion of the consequences of their wrongdoing is in order. Our Heavenly Father desires us to be obedient children…not only because He commands it but for our eternal benefit. For Proverbs 11:18 says, “He who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward.” When we pursue doing the right thing, we not only receive the gift of salvation, but we are showered with God’s infinite grace and mercy.
Ephesians 1: 13-14 ” And you also were included in Christ when you heard the Word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of His glory.”
The Holy Spirit is God’s pledge, providing Believers with the assurance of eternal life. In legal terms, the Holy Spirit is like a down payment or earnest money that secures a claim to something…like when we’re buying a car or a house. For when we put our faith and trust in Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within…thus sealing us for eternity through the redemptive work of the Lord.
I Corinthians 12:12 ” The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.”
They estimate that the human body has 100 trillion cells, 100,000 hairs on our head, and 9,000 taste buds…not to mention 206 bones, 600 muscles, and 79 organs. Each part of our body has a unique purpose and function…each part working together seamlessly in perfect unity. For inside our body there is co-operation not competition…and harmony not rivalry. In this verse Paul is comparing the human body and all its parts to the Church…the body of Christ. For we are one body with many members, each just as important as the other… all bound together as one in love.
I Samuel 16:7 ” The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
Over the course of my career in Health Care Administration I have interviewed many people for positions I needed filled. Many times I would size up the applicant in just a few minutes…looking at how they came dressed for the interview, or how they conducted themselves, etc. But I learned early on that my immediate perception of the person was often flawed. For it wasn’t until I could discern their hearts…their passion for caring for others, that I could then make an accurate decision about employment. I am so thankful that God looks beyond my outward appearance and searches my heart…not looking at the superficial me but rather at my inner most being. For God knows my heart and its secrets, (Psalm 44:21) and still loves me. And for that, I will put my hope and trust in Him.
Jeremiah 29:11 ” For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Sometimes it’s because of serious illness or loss…sometimes it’s the result of circumstances way beyond our control…but regardless, we can find ourselves without hope. There standing before us is no bright promise for things to come…only the bleak darkness of the here and now. But God’s intent…His plan and purpose for each one of us, is to give us hope and a future with Him. For God’s Will is only about doing good…His plans are perfect, His purpose for us, only the very best. So in place of our hopelessness, God promises joy… and in place of fear, He promises peace.
Ecclesiastes 5:1 ” Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.”
A few verses later the writer of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon, sums up this verse by saying, ” It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfill it.” (Ecclesiastes 5:5) We are not to be rash or hasty in our promises to God…that’s what Solomon called sacrifices of fools. Rather, we are to use self discipline…listening for that still small voice of the Holy Spirit in order to hear clearly what the Lord wants of us.
Matthew 28: 18-19 ” Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘ All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…’ “
This week our Bible Study Group wrestled with this verse…The Great Commission, and with Evangelism. While we all agreed that Christians everywhere are called to share the Good News of the Gospel with others…we also readily acknowledged the intimidation it can bring. So why are so many of us uncomfortable to evangelize? Let’s look at it from a completely different perspective…so forget yourself and your hangups, and think of it from the other person’s view. Imagine you are a beggar telling another starving beggar where they can go and find bread…you wouldn’t have a problem with that, right? You’d be happy to share that information so they might eat and live. And that fellow beggar would be appreciative of your actions simply because you hadn’t hoarded or hidden the source from him. Telling others about Jesus should be just as easy. For we should be eager to share good news.
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