Purity of Purpose

1 Corinthians 2:2
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Alright, it may seem that I'm harping on a particular subject, but it needs to be addressed. Are you like Paul and focused on how you are among other believers? He DECIDED to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

He didn't care about anything else. He wanted these folks to know Christ like He did. Is your passion like that? Or do you instead like to point out where other people aren't measuring up? Do you dwell on other's actions who have hurt you and say "but they are supposed to a Christian"?

How about being like Paul? Helping others to focus on Christ and loving Him like you do. You are lacking in this area? Seek someone who can help you.

Paul's goal was simple. To know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Do you suppose this is what helped him get through all his trials?

A Reason to Fear the Lord

Psalm 130:3-4
3If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
O Lord, who could stand?
4But with you there is forgiveness,
that you may be feared.

Many times and many ways we fear the Lord. Sometimes the fear is that He is so great and awesome that He is too much for us to comprehend. Awe is a good word for that. Sometimes the fear is that, the amount of power He holds can be scary in our perception. Sometimes we fear disappointing Him.

But in this passage we fear the Lord because He forgives our sins. Let that sink in. Have you ever considered "fear" when you think of God's forgiveness? I know I haven't, and that has probably been to my stumbling many times. What do you think of when you think of God's forgiveness? I'm not asking for an answer, but you may need to answer yourself. If "fear" is your answer, would the sins that trip you up be easier to forsake? Easier to hate those sins like God hates them?

Here is the challenge for you and for me. When you think about what Jesus did on the cross for you, and what His act means to your eternal life and your life today, fear the Almighty. Fear Him, because he forgave you of something that He absolutely detests. Fear the Lord because He forgave you.

Got Milk?

1 Corinthians 3:1-3
1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

Do you let jealousies, arguments and grudges get in the way of a deeper relationship with God?

What is more important, being right or walking with Jesus?

What is More Profitable: Man's Wisdom or God's Folly?

1 Corinthians 1:18-25
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

An interesting point is made here that "the Greeks seek wisdom." What is interesting is the world still seeks wisdom and Christ crucified is still seen as folly (superstition, mythology, folklore, or even religion).

But if the saving, redemptive power of Jesus dying for my sins is folly, then I'm a happy fool.

Though we are always to be prepared for an answer to our faith, we are quite unable to argue anybody into heaven. Once again, from the text we see that Christians are "those who are called." Called is the operative word. God calls, we just are witnesses to His power in our lives - we learn His word, we live His word and He shines through us.

Posts will resume on Monday

Hi folks,
Sorry for the lack of posts this week, I was on vacation and was only able to get one out. Though I did study, I didn't have the time needed to put it into "devotion" format. I have plenty of material, so look forward to a new devotion on Monday.

In Christ,
Pastor Greg

Unity

1 Corinthians 1:10
I 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, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Is it a desire? Truly, is it a desire? We seem to take our clues more from the world system instead of the Bible. What do I mean by that?

There are a lot of insecurities among the believers, and we have more practice using the world´s methods of dealing with them than using God´s plan of perfection. There are those who haven´t totally accepted God´s forgiveness and it´s easier to look at others´ faults which are much worse than your own. Instead of praising the Lord for being forgiven and adopted into His family, (John 1:12-13) we gossip and tear down others to feel better about ourselves.

Or it can be that we feel that we don´t belong, so we either hide from others or we try to be the center of attention. But if God has accepted us (Ephesians 1:6) can´t we just focus on others instead of ourselves? (Romans 15:1)

So, are you desiring unity or are you self seeking at the expense of unity?

Is the Cart Before the Horse

Psalm 127:1-2 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Do you follow God's leading or do you just do then ask God to bless what you think is right?

Do you ever put something in God's hands but still spend excess energy in worrying or trying to make this something succeed?