1 Corinthians

December 9th – 1 Corinthians 1:9

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1 Corinthians 1:9

One of the reasons Christmas is such a special time of year, is fellowship. Family, friends, and loved ones, travel across the miles to spend the holidays together. And in the festive season, Christians rejoice not only in the birth of Christ, but also in the unwavering faithfulness of God’s promise to send a Savior. Christmas whispers the timeless tale of God’s devotion. For in Jesus, His promises were fulfilled. And so we celebrate the Good News of our Messiah, and the unwavering loyalty of our God who keeps His word. The jubilation becomes a joyous communion with our ever true Heavenly Father. Who, in His great love, sent His only begotten Son to be born in a manger. To reconcile us back to Himself, to fellowship with Him in love and glory forever.  As we exchange gifts and gather together, Christmas serves as a reminder that the truest gift is the enduring faithfulness of God.

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November 28th – 1 Corinthians 9:24

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1 Corinthians 9:24

I’ve always admired those who run marathons. The dedication, training, and sacrifice it takes to finish the race is impressive. All done with the goal of taking home the victory. The Christian life is like training for a marathon. It requires steadfast endurance and an unwavering hope in the ultimate prize. That prize being eternal life with God. The call to “run that you may obtain” emphasizes the need for perseverance in the face of obstacles. Meaning that the journey of faith is not without challenges. But by anchoring our hope in the promises of God and enduring through life’s trials, we not only run the race but also attain the reward of a deeper, more meaningful connection with our faith. Hope becomes the driving force that sustains us, while endurance becomes the steady rhythm that propels us forward on our spiritual journey. Both working together to push us towards our goal. The goal being not only to win the prize, but to run the race with endurance, strength, character, faith and grace.

 

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November 14th – 1 Corinthians 16:13

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1 Corinthians 16:13

Football season is in full force. And as a Michigander, I have to say the Detroit Lions with their first place standing in the NFC North, is a rare happening that has fans cheering. Their winning streak is due in large part to the guidance, teaching, and encouragement they receive from their dedicated coaches. God is our great Coach. He guides, teaches, and encourages us to remain vigilant, resolute in faith, and resilient in the face of trials. To never give up hope or give in to fear or discouragement. To stand firm in our beliefs, drawing strength from the hopeful expectation of a future grounded in faith. The call to courage and strength isn’t merely about facing challenges head-on but is deeply rooted in the enduring hope that sustains through difficulties. It’s a reminder that hope isn’t passive, but an active force that fortifies endurance. Allowing us to victoriously navigate life’s obstacles with unwavering faith and steadfast determination.

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March 21st – 1 Corinthians 1:26

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1 Corinthians 1:26

Do you feel unusable by God? Think you’re too broken, dirty, and wicked to accomplish any good for the Lord? God’s not looking for perfect people to accomplish His goals. In fact, He doesn’t need our help at all. Instead He gives us the blessing of being used by Him. And whether we are given a small purpose like volunteering at church, or being a friend to someone in need, or a large purpose like leading His people or rebuilding His temple, being used by God is a wonderful thing! The Lord loves to use the weak, the simple, the unexpected, and the flawed. And there isn’t a single one of us who isn’t flawed. But it’s said that God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. So no matter who you are or how imperfect you feel, when it comes to accomplishing His will the Lord can and will use anyone or anything. And that includes you and me!

 

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March 13th – 1 Corinthians 10:13

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1 Corinthians 10:13

Evangelist Billy Sunday once said, “Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.” Temptations are everywhere, and not even the strongest Christian is immune to their pull. But thankfully we have the blessing of knowing that God will never let Satan tempt us beyond our ability to resist. And by turning to Him when we are at our weakest, we can resist any enticement. Through prayer we can ask God for strength and wisdom. By studying His Word we can gain God’s insight to help us overcome. And through the mighty power of His Spirit living inside of us, we can discern right from wrong. We serve a God who knows firsthand the temptation of sin. So when when Satan is enchanting us to wickedness, by turning to God and fellow believers we can turn aside from sin. And we can be victorious, living a life that is pleasing to God.

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February 22nd – 1 Corinthians 16:14

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1 Corinthians 16:14

Proverbs 16:2 says, “All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD.” Nothing is hidden from God. As our Creator, He knows us better than we know ourselves. That includes the motive behind every thought and action. The Pharisees bragged about being righteous in the Lord’s sight. But their actions were based on pleasing their own egos, instead of pleasing God. And repeatedly, Jesus called them out as hypocrites. One of the greatest characteristics of the Lord is His unmerited and unconditional love for all. So true followers of His follow His example and base everything they do in love. This is only possible when we are willing to die to self, allow the Spirit to  work in our hearts, and let Christ’s love flow through us to others.

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January 26th – 1 Corinthians 14:1

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1 Corinthians 14:1

Have you ever listened to an especially charismatic teacher and wished you could teach like that? Perhaps you’ve heard the most beautiful singing voice and wished you could sing like that? Or maybe you see someone who is always the first one to volunteer, and wished you could serve like that. The truth is, we’ve all felt that way a time or two. And it’s good to want a spiritual gift. But the desire is only good if it stems from a motive of wanting to use the gifts God gives to both build up the church, and each other. The Lord is our great Conductor, and each of us an important member of His heavenly orchestra. And what an honor it is to be able to use our unique gifts and talents to both serve Him and each other. So polish up your instrument, straighten your sheet music, and follow our God as He leads His orchestra in beautiful harmony for the world to hear!

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December 16th – Corinthians 13:4-8

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1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Every day society bombards us with false ideas of what love is. It makes us think that love just happens to us, and we have no control. For we’ve all heard the expressions “the heart wants what the heart wants”, or heard someone described as “hopelessly in love”. But the Bible teaches completely the opposite. Love is a choice we make, something we can control, and the fruit of a spirit filled life. And here in 1 Corinthians 13, Paul gives us a beautiful description of what a true, faithful, brotherly, selfless, love looks like. The same love perfectly exampled by Jesus. Such a love, “is an unconditional commitment to imperfect people. A love for the utterly unworthy, and a love which proceeds from a God who is love. It’s a love lavished upon others without a thought of whether they are worthy to receive it or not.” (Grace Notes) This is the love that Jesus gave so willingly to us with His sacrificial death on the Cross, and the same love He calls us to reflect.

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October 23rd – 1 Corinthians 6:19

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1 Corinthians 6:19

God’s Promise – “I have given you My Spirit, so your body could be My temple.”

Each one of us is born with a sin nature that would rather practice self indulgence than self discipline. And when the flesh wants something, the hardest word to hear is “no”. But Paul tells us as followers of Christ we have all we need to keep our urges in check. So why is self control so important? Not because Paul is a party pooper. But because he understands the destruction that comes from being slaves to our sinful desires. Desires that if acted upon, put us right back into the bondage that Jesus died to free us from. And even more importantly, Paul reminds us that we have the Holy Spirit of Almighty God dwelling inside of us. So if we truly love the Lord, we should strive to honor Him in all things; including being good caretakers of our bodies. For they are given to us by our Creator to whom they belong. And one day those same bodies will be resurrected and glorified to eternal perfection!

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September 11th – 1Corinthians 16:13

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1 Corinthians 16:13

I love the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien. One of my favorite quotes comes from his book “The Lord of the Rings.” The hobbit Bilbo Baggins tells his young cousin, “It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don’t keep your feet, there’s no knowing where you might be swept off to.” That’s how it is living in a fallen world. Scary things can be found all around us. And if we aren’t careful, we can find ourselves getting swept away in fear. We become focused on all there is to be afraid of. We feel overwhelmed by things out of our control, unable to enjoy God’s very best. Max Lucado once said, “The presence of fear does not mean you have no faith. Fear visits everyone. But make your fear a visitor and not a resident.” When fear comes we need to put our faith and trust in the Lord, keeping our feet firmly planted on the path He provides and our eyes on Him. So when fear comes to call we can keep it a visitor and not a permanent resident.

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