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1 Corinthians 12:7-11

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Encouraging Words

God has blessed us with the church, the Bride of Christ, as our safe place to work out our salvation. Part of what He does in that church, the body, is to grant different gifts to the members. These gifts are given for the express purpose of building up the church. We are to use our gifts for the profit of all and not just for ourselves. It is so rewarding to know your personal gifts that God has blessed you with and to be able to use them for His work. It is also very disheartening to know your gifts and to not be able to put them to work for the body. This often happens when others are jealous or fearful of the gifts of others. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

1 Corinthians 10:31

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Personal Challenge

As a follower of Christ, we are supposed to be walking in the footsteps of our Lord and savior. This means that we try to live as He would. Jesus did not take any short cuts. He gave His all for His Father, and ultimately, all of us. What does this mean for us? It means that in whatever we do, we do it for the glory of God. We gave our all, 100%, plus anything else that we can muster. Are we asked to clean the toilets or vacuum the rugs, then we do it for His glory. Are we singing in the choir or teaching a class or working in the nursery, then we do it for His glory. And this does not stop with the church. In my job, at my home, when I go shopping, everything that I do should be for His glory. It saddens me that in the six decades that I have been trying to follow Jesus, I have seen this mindset dwindle down to be almost non-existent, not only in our society, but more sadly in our churches. We, those of us who practice Christianity, should be different than the rest of the world. We are quickly being indistinguishable from the world around us. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

1 Corinthians 10:24

Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

Personal Challenge

Life works out so much differently when we apply this principle of looking out for the well-being of others rather than seeking our own needs and desires. This is not only counter intuitive but it is also counter cultural. Our culture presses us to look out for ourselves, number one, and let everyone else fend for themselves. And where has this gotten us? We are at a place where lies are heralded as the truth. conspiracy theories abound, politicians and business leaders are corrupt and self-centered, and the common person is angry and misguided. If we hold on to the teachings and truths that we are all created in the image of God, that we are to love our God first and our neighbor second, that we are to die to ourselves so that others might be lifted up, and that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, then we will see a world around us in a much different way and be shakers and changers in our world. Glory be to God!

1 Corinthians 10:12-13

Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Personal Challenge

No matter how spiritual we are, we are all still susceptible to temptations. Even Jesus, the son of God, was tempted. The first thing that we must do in light of these temptations is to recognize that we cannot resist them on our own. We need God to be there, through the Holy Spirit, to lead us through the temptation. Secondly, we can hold on to the promise that there will be no temptation coming our way that God is not there with us, making sure that we have the capability to resist it, providing us an escape, and giving us the power to bear it. God wants us to succeed in winning the battle with the enemy. Glory be to God!

1 Corinthians 9:25-27

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Personal Challenge

What is the crown that we are each pursuing? For some it is the crown of fame. For some it is power. Others are pursuing wealth. Some even make their crown that they pursue, health. All of these crowns are temporal and will someday perish and be turned back into dust. These crowns are all uncertain and fleeting. As a follower of Christ, our pursuit should be for the imperishable crown, that crown that will be placed on our head by our Lord for running a race that glorifies Him. This crown comes from a life of discipline and persistence in our pursuit for our Lord, Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

1 Corinthians 9:24

Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

Personal Challenge

Life is like a race. A race that ever person who tries ever lived, who is alive now, and who will be alive until Jesus returns. In that race we are all striving to win the prize, the prize of eternal life with our King. He is the only one that can give us that trophy. He is the only one that has actually won that trophy. He is the one that is willing to share that trophy with us. Our part in this race is to run it as if we are the only one that can win it. We are to put our all into it, running relentlessly to the very end so that we can be crowned by Him at the end. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

1 Corinthians 8:8

But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.

Encouraging Words

The Christians of the early church had a challenge to deal with that we do not have in this present age. They lived in a time when there were many gods celebrated and worshiped. Part of that worship was the sacrificing of animals to the gods. The problem came in where most of the food in the markets was food that had been used in these sacrificial ceremonies and then sold to the public. What was a Christian to do? How could they eat this food with a clear conscience? Paul reminded them that food is just that, food. He taught that they were free in Christ and that eating this food would have no impact on them. He also taught that their love and concern for their brothers and sisters was of utmost importance and that if eating this food would cause them to stumble, then don’t eat it. It always comes down to loving others. Today this applies to wearing or not wearing masks, having a vaccine or not. Love for another is above all else. Glory be to God!

1 Corinthians 7:3-4

Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

Personal Challenge

In the Orthodox marriage ceremony, the bride and the groom put on crowns that are tied together with a ribbon. There is a time when the priest moves the crowns back and forth between the two. The bride and the groom or co-rulers in their marriage and household. They are the king and queen ruling side by side. As Paul elicits in this passage, they are expected to render themselves, give up their authority, to each other so that they can be unified in their marriage. Much of Western Christianity sets up a hierarchy between the husband and the wife with the husband having his dominion over their wife and family. This is not how God ordained marriage to work. Glory be to God!