Resource Manager Posted August 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 26, 2012 26 August 2012 1 Kings 21Jeremiah 481 Corinthians 7 "…YOUR UNDIVIDED DEVOTION TO THE LORD" Today’s chapter in Corinthians is an answer to specific situations there. However, it contains many principles which apply to believers in all ages. Paul is responding to “matters about which you wrote” [1 Corinthians 7:1] and it is like hearing one side of a conversation. Corinth was a very immoral city and the idolatry and fleshly living that surrounded the believers created many problems: they had been involved in this until they committed themselves to the way of life in Christ. They are encouraged to be faithful in their marriages, to avoid divorce and to be content with their situation in life, even if they are still slaves. [1 Corinthians 7:20-21] “I want you to be free from anxieties,” he writes, “to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.” [1 Corinthians 7:35]. Maintaining marriage relationships, says Paul, is very important; he stresses that, “because of temptations to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband … do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control” [1 Corinthians 7:2,5] This reference to a Satan is to human tempters, just as, at one stage Peter was a Satan to Jesus [Mark 8:33] when his spiritual vision had still not developed; he was not taking in what Jesus was saying, his mind was locked into his own perceptions; similarly, many of the converts in Corinth would have contact with individuals whose attitude was very ungodly and could tempt them - and so it is with us today – and it is increasing – so our reading and reflection on God’s word needs to increase. Some ‘Christians’ in our days see Paul in as being against marriage, even a woman hater! This is most inaccurate; he writes, “I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind one of another … it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion.” [1 Corinthians 7:7,9] There were problems because some who had accepted Christ were married to unbelieving partners. The believer should not seek a divorce, the believer should hope to influence the unbeliever to believe, “but if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so.” [1 Corinthians 7:15] Paul sensed that Corinth was facing an imminent crisis [1 Corinthians 7:31], just as we sense that this world is heading into a big crisis situation; for that reason there are many points in this chapter which have special relevance to today and the need for our “undivided devotion to the Lord.” -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2012 27 August 2012 1 Kings 22Jeremiah 491 Corinthians 8; 9 "BUT I HATE HIM FOR HE NEVER ..." In the last chapter of 1 Kings today, is about prophets, human prophets. The kings of the northern kingdom of Israel gathered a lot of – what we might describe by the modern phrase – “hangers on”! Such always aim to be optimistic about the future and tell the king of their optimism – the king called them “prophets.” It is not that different today – industry and Governments have a host of “advisers” who plot and forecast future trends. Virtually all of these modern ‘prophets’ came horribly unstuck in the world’s financial disaster of 2008/9 – they are far more cautious now! Our Kings chapter is about Ahab’s large team of adviser-prophets. He asked them, “about four hundred men … ‘shall I go to battle … or shall I refrain? And they all said, ‘Go up for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king’” [1 Kings 22:6] But Ahab was being supported on this occasion by his cousin, King Jehoshaphat of Judah and he asks if “there is a prophet of the LORD of whom we may enquire” [1 Kings 22:7] We notice he calls God YAHWEH, for whenever the text has LORD in capitals, that is the Hebrew word. Ahab admits there is such a prophet, “but I hate him for he never prophesies good concerning me, but evil.” [1 Kings 22:8] The prophet Micaiah is brought before the king and tells him, “the LORD has put a lying spirit in all these your prophets; the LORD has declared disaster for you.” [1 Kings 22:23] A brave man – and he gets put in prison [1 Kings 22:27]. Today those who expound God’s prophesies get ignored and it’s message of coming “disaster.”! Of course, the fact that some have used their own faulty wisdom in elaborating on God’s word has been a factor in causing this. But we turn our back on God’s actual prophecies at our peril – and this is what Ahab did. He got killed, despite disguising himself for the battle [1 Kings 22:30,37] and what Elijah had prophesied about his end came to pass. [1 Kings 21:19]. To use Paul’s word which we read today, he was “disqualified” – he lost the race (of life) as has happened to some Olympians in their kind of race. Paul says of Olympians, “They do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.” He then writes, “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” [1 Corinthians 9:25,27] Let us chose carefully what we “hate” and what we “love” – then we will never be disqualified.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 28, 2012 28 August 2012 2 Kings 1; 2Jeremiah 501 Corinthians 10 "THIS IS THE VENGEANCE OF THE LORD" It is wonderful to see the way the Almighty – our Heavenly Father – loves his creation. But what happens when there is – endlessly – no response to his love, no appreciation of his creation – a total denial that he created it? Our meditations on this arose from our long chapter in Jeremiah today [Jeremiah 50]. Much of it is about Babylon and their king Nebuchadnezzar; they were at the peak of their triumphs having just destroyed Jerusalem and many other cities. The LORD’s words against Babylon contain some of the strongest language of denunciation in the Bible – both in this chapter and Jeremiah 51 tomorrow. We know how the book of Revelation uses the name Babylon (in Hebrew, it is most significantly the word Babel!) to describe the key evil power that is destroyed when God’s kingdom is established. Surely it also represents the world and its leader(s) turning their back on the true God – as at Babel. In today’s chapter we read, “Set yourselves in array against Babylon … this is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance on her …” [Jeremiah 50:14-15] and - “how the hammer of the whole earth is cut down and broken!” [Jeremiah 50:23] The utter drama of Babylon’s final end is seen in the last verse, “At the sound of the capture of Babylon the earth shall tremble, and her cry shall be heard among the nations.” We see a parallel in Revelation 18, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great … for all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality …” [Revelation 18:2-3] What is this world’s “passion”!? Then Revelation 18:10, “… you mighty city Babylon! For in a single hour your judgement has come.” We will see tomorrow in Jeremiah 51 the prophecy that the future “Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, making all the earth drunken … therefore the nations went mad. Suddenly Babylon is fallen and been broken …” [Jeremiah 51:7,9] The earth is “drunken” with its’ godless self-centredness - nearly all have turned their back on their Creator. Our 1 Corinthians reading tells us that “these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction …” [1 Corinthians 10:11] May we feel confident in our understanding and faith, but specially note Paul’s next words “ … let anyone who thinks that he (or she) stands take heed lest he fall … God is faithful, and will not let you be tempted (tested) beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” [1 Corinthians 10:12-13] Let us make our faith, our convictions, as strong as possible and be ready to “endure” and see God’s “way of escape”.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2012 29 August 2012 2 Kings 3Jeremiah 511 Corinthians 11 "THE HEAD OF CHRIST IS GOD" Today’s chapter in Corinthians [1 Corinthians 11] starts, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Paul, from the time Christ made himself known to him, had been the ‘role model’ (a phrase often used today) of his life. So many follow strange ‘role models’ today – but the Scriptures have the true ‘role models’ for us – especial Paul and Christ. We have nearly completed reading Jeremiah, and in several senses he is a suitable ‘role model’ for us as we, like him, during and after the fall of Jerusalem, are surrounded by largely faithless people. In 2 Kings 3 today we see the un-wisdom of Jehoshaphat, the king from Jerusalem, in trying to work together with Ahab and then his son Jehoram, who, although relatives, only show a token belief in the true God: these are lessons for all true believers. Paul spells out the line of responsibility and authority. “I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.” [1 Corinthians 11:3] He tells them to “maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you.” [1 Corinthians 11:2] The word “traditions” should not be misunderstood, it applies to precepts of belief and practice that have been handed down, they can be either good or bad; from God or from men. Jesus challenged the bad “traditions,” see Mark 7:9,13. Paul told the Thessalonians, “brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter.” [2 Thessalonians 2:15] Today we have Paul’s letters and all the other words that God has caused to be written and preserved. An example of a good tradition is the one Paul goes on to tell the Corinthians; when you are praying in your assembly, a woman should cover her head, at least in prayer, and for a man to leave his head uncovered. [1 Corinthians 11:4-7;11:13-16]. No one should be “inclined to be contentious” [1 Corinthians 11:16] about this, says Paul, but sadly his comment to them “that there are divisions among you” [1 Corinthians 11:18] over many matters has been a factor ever since. But, get the significance of the point he makes, “there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognised.” [1 Corinthians 11:19]. Today, there are still some, regrettably only a few, who accept the word of God as their authority: this begins by seeing that “the head of Christ is God”. The dogma of the Trinity is symptomatic of all human efforts to ‘improve’ on what God has caused to be written. We must not make that mistake.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 30, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2012 30 August 2012 2 Kings 4Jeremiah 521 Corinthians 12; 13 "... THE SAME CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER" The church at Corinth was not functioning very well. Today’s chapters [1 Corinthians 12;13] are about their misuse of the gifts of the Spirit that the first generation or two of believers were privileged to possess – it gave added impetus in the establishment of the church. The word church means the body of believers, not the building. However, God was in control, but they largely failed to realize this. After listing all the areas of special ability the Gifts created, for example it gave to one “the utterance of wisdom and to another the utterance of knowledge …” [1 Corinthians 12:8], Paul says, “all these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, which apportions to each one individually as it wills.” [1 Corinthians 12:11] The point is made again in 1 Corinthians 12:18, “God arranged the members of the body, each one of them, as he chose” – just as he chose Paul. The verses before are a reprimand to some of the members for trying to get the Gifts that appealed to them – and tomorrow’s chapter [1 Corinthians 14] makes it clear that the gift of speaking in other tongues (languages) was sought after – and misused. It was essential then – and is no less essential today – that true believers have a spirit of teamwork: they must blend their various talents together and become a team, seeing Christ as their “head” . To the Ephesians Paul wrote, “speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in every way to him who is the head, unto Christ” [Ephesians 4:15] Today there are no supernatural gifts, but God’s inspired messages have now been written down for all to read and absorb into their minds, but the same principles of teamwork will always apply and Paul’s advice is as valid as ever. “But God has so composed the body, giving greater honour to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together, if one member is honoured, all rejoice together.” [1 Corinthians 12:24-26] The first church (ecclesia in Gk) in Jerusalem did this, it is wonderful when it still happens among true believers today.. The chapter concludes, “and I will show you a still more excellent way.” The next chapter [1 Corinthians 13] should be familiar to us with its words about “love” as the more excellent way – it is the cement which binds the body together. It is by acts of love that we show we have “the same care for one another” because “love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.” [1 Corinthians 13:7-8] If we really can do that, then what also will never end – will, by his grace, be our lives in God’s kingdom. -------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Resource Manager Posted August 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2012 31 August 2012 2 Kings 5Lamentations 11 Corinthians 14 "IN YOUR THINKING BE MATURE" Today we read the completion of Paul’s earnest advice to the Corinthians to cease their misuse of the gift of speaking in tongues, that is, other languages, as had taken place in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost [Acts 2]. He sets the gift of tongues in contrast to the gift of prophecy – this gift did not give the ability to predict future events, but, as Paul expresses it, “the one who prophecies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.” [1 Corinthians 14:3] and “the one who prophesies builds up the church.” [1 Corinthians 14:4]. Only one man, Agabus, [Acts 21:10] is mentioned in New Testament times, apart from the Apostles, as making predictions about the future. It is worth noting that Paul says, “I thank God I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.” [1 Corinthians 14:18-19]. It is evident that, because of Paul’s widespread travels, he had need to be able to speak in many different languages. Now note his ‘punch’ line in the next verse, “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” [1 Corinthians 14:20] The way to be mature today is to prayerfully read the word of God every day, and really think about what you read.. Paul goes on to tell them, “What then brothers? When you come together … let all things be done for building up” [1 Corinthians 14:26]. If someone did have the gift of tongues they were to keep silent unless there was someone who could give a translation. [1 Corinthians 14:28] The best procedure in their gatherings was to “let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what was said.” [1 Corinthians 14:29] How excellent is such a procedure, that of weighing up what is said in Bible Classes and at other times – it is not a matter of having a ‘minister’ who does all the talking and all the rest ,the listening: but sadly that is largely the way in churches today – there is rarely any weighing up of what is said as to whether it is soundly based on the word of God. The last 2 verses in the chapter tell us, “ … my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order.” [1 Corinthians 14:39-40] We have seen that phrase about not forbidding to speak in tongues repeatedly quoted by those who advocate Pentecostalism today! But Paul had written [1 Corinthians 13:8] “as for tongues, they will cease” and the last verse of that chapter name the 3 things that were to abide! Do you possess those 3 things? We must be mature in our thinking – let us all feed ever more zealously on God’s word.-------- DC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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