My pastor is a church planter. He has been at our church for only a few years, and he has done some really amazing things with the community there. But to come here, he had to leave a church that he had planted and pastored at for more than twenty years. I know there have been times when he's gone back to visit, and he keeps in very close contact with the leaders and members there. Pastor is a kind and gentle man, and I have to wonder what his reaction would be if he found out that the church he raised had resorted to the idiocy we see in the Church at Corinth. I bet he would say something very similar to Paul. He would be all, "I love you guys and miss you, but have you totally lost your minds?!?"
vs 2 ... I send this letter to you in God's church at Corinth, believers cleaned up by Jesus and set apart for a God-filled life. I include in my greeting all who call out to Jesus, wherever they live. He's their Master as well as ours!
I like this verse for two reasons. First, I love knowing that Jesus himself cleaned up the believers. It can sometimes be easy for us to get confuses - we are removed by 2000 years! But they were in his presence - they have no excuse (except imperfect humanity) for getting lost in the Word! Second, I love that Paul addresses the letter to "all who call out to Jesus", because he was the Great Equalizer. He came for ALL Jews and gentiles, Hebrews, Greeks and Romans. He came for all of us.
vs 7 ... Just think - you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale.
I know God has heard my desperate cry to find a way out of our living situation. He has been sneaking me little reminders that all will be well, that He has His own timing and He will take care of me. This verse was today's reminder.
vs 10 ... I realize that this is probably not the desired reaction, but everytime I read this verse, I laugh. I love how, as humans, we try and butter someone up before hitting them with bad news. We all do it on some level or another, we all feel the need to soften the blow. I just find it incredibly reassuring that we share the same behaviors with the very same people that we name churches after. They were humans, too, and I think it is sometimes difficult for us to remember that.
vs 13 ... I ask you, "Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own?" ...
This is a concept that I struggle with even now. I donNt understand the differences between Methodists and Presbyterians and Baptists ... why must one group look down in judgement upon another? Isn't this exactly what we're NOT supposed to do? I don't look at the "kind" of church I'm going to. I only care that the nursery is clean and well supervised and the teaching is direct from God's word.
vs 26 ... For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
vs 27 ... But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
vs 28 ... God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
vs 29 ... so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
vs 30 ... And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
vs 31 ... so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
I am not the best and I am not the brightest. I didn't come from an influential family. Yet, God chose me anyway. For that, I shall blow His horn - and not mine - every single day.
vs 2 ... I send this letter to you in God's church at Corinth, believers cleaned up by Jesus and set apart for a God-filled life. I include in my greeting all who call out to Jesus, wherever they live. He's their Master as well as ours!
I like this verse for two reasons. First, I love knowing that Jesus himself cleaned up the believers. It can sometimes be easy for us to get confuses - we are removed by 2000 years! But they were in his presence - they have no excuse (except imperfect humanity) for getting lost in the Word! Second, I love that Paul addresses the letter to "all who call out to Jesus", because he was the Great Equalizer. He came for ALL Jews and gentiles, Hebrews, Greeks and Romans. He came for all of us.
vs 7 ... Just think - you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale.
I know God has heard my desperate cry to find a way out of our living situation. He has been sneaking me little reminders that all will be well, that He has His own timing and He will take care of me. This verse was today's reminder.
vs 10 ... I realize that this is probably not the desired reaction, but everytime I read this verse, I laugh. I love how, as humans, we try and butter someone up before hitting them with bad news. We all do it on some level or another, we all feel the need to soften the blow. I just find it incredibly reassuring that we share the same behaviors with the very same people that we name churches after. They were humans, too, and I think it is sometimes difficult for us to remember that.
vs 13 ... I ask you, "Has the Messiah been chopped up in little pieces so we can each have a relic all our own?" ...
This is a concept that I struggle with even now. I donNt understand the differences between Methodists and Presbyterians and Baptists ... why must one group look down in judgement upon another? Isn't this exactly what we're NOT supposed to do? I don't look at the "kind" of church I'm going to. I only care that the nursery is clean and well supervised and the teaching is direct from God's word.
vs 26 ... For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
vs 27 ... But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
vs 28 ... God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
vs 29 ... so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
vs 30 ... And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
vs 31 ... so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
I am not the best and I am not the brightest. I didn't come from an influential family. Yet, God chose me anyway. For that, I shall blow His horn - and not mine - every single day.
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