Corinthians Devotionals | Precept Austin. ILLUSTRATIONS, DEVOTIONALS, HOMILIES1 Corinthians Resources. Part 3 of 3. From Our Daily Bread (ODB) unless otherwise designated(Our Daily Bread Devotionals Copyright by RBC Ministries, Grand Rapids, MI. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved)Includes selections from F B Meyer's Our Daily Walk(Note: These generally do not duplicate the ODB Links)(Click here for links to additional devotional illustrations from Moody's Today in the Word)1 Corinthians 1. CORINTHIANS 1: 1. Along the western coast of Ireland, fishermen use a round bottomed keelless craft known as a currach. This boat has a tarred canvas over a wooden frame. Because of its unique construction, it is vulnerable to sharp rocks or floating objects, and it requires the oarsmen to cooperate completely, rowing in perfect unison. You have not yet voted on this site! If you have already visited the site, please help us classify the good from the bad by voting on this site. 1 I celebrate myself, and sing myself, And what I assume you shall assume, For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you. I loafe and invite my soul. Statistical Techniques | Statistical Mechanics. Out of this need for unity has come the Irish expression, "You will have to pull with the crew" Or, as another Irish proverb states, "There is not strength without unity"What is true for Irish fishermen is especially true for believers in Jesus Christ. Unity is so important to the success of the cause of Christ that Paul pleaded with the believers in Corinth to eliminate division and to work as one. In our ministry efforts, are we striving to work together in harmony? If not, let's ask God to give us the spirit of unity so that we will always "pull with the crew" J D Brannon. A CHURCH WITH ONE HEART AND ONE MIND IS A WONDERFUL CHURCH. Corinthians 1: 1–9 Faithful to the End: Faithful as We Wait Today in the Word. A video circulating on the Internet showed a huge black Labrador whose owner, a soldier, had just returned from an extended term of service. The animal could not stop leaping on his master, wagging his tail, and crying in small barks of joy. Finally, the man made it to an easy chair where the animal jumped on top of him, crying dog tears because the man he had waited so patiently for had at last returned. In today’s passage, the apostle Paul writes to the church at Corinth. The letter specifically addresses them in verse 2 along with “all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Together we are followers of Jesus Christ, and we should be people who are longing for His return. Paul expresses his thankfulness for this community of believers (v. Paul is reminding the church that they are to remain faithful as they “eagerly wait” for Christ’s return (v. Our behavior should be influenced by our desire to please God, because we know that we will see Him soon. Paul mentions the use of our spiritual gifts in verse 7. These God- given gifts are evidence of the faith within us and of our relationship with Him. We are not to sit aimlessly waiting for Christ’s return, but rather we should be serving Him with the abilities He has given us. We are to remain faithful. Notice the dynamic here: while we are remaining faithful, God is keeping us “firm” in our faith so we do not stumble and sin. The wait may seem long as we serve God in this fallen world, but He has promised us His Holy Spirit to guide us and keep us “blameless” to the end (v. Apply the Word. Faithfulness is a characteristic that pleases God. How can we show our faithfulness to Him? Paul suggests here that when we serve God with our spiritual gifts, we are following Him well. What are the gifts God has given you? Are you using them to serve Him? If not, can you find a way to exercise those abilities as you wait for His return?Corinthians 1: 4–9 Thanksgiving: Gratitude for the Way Christ Enriches Lives Today in the Word. on this page. A 2. 01. 1 survey by the United States Postal Service indicated that the typical American home receives a personal letter—not including greeting cards or invitations—once every seven weeks.It was once every two weeks as recently as 1.A stream of advertisements still arrives; but personal letters have largely been replaced by email, Facebook, and Twitter.In Paul’s days, letter writing was the only option if you wanted to send a message to far- flung friends. ![]() ![]() In the Greco- Roman world letters followed certain conventions.They would begin with a salutation followed by prosaic words of thanksgiving.Concrete directions of some sort (called the parenesis) often sat sandwiched between the main body of the text and the closing.Paul largely stuck to this convention when writing his letters, but he included modifications that underscored his Christian commitments.Among these was making the thanksgiving a strategic, dynamic force in his message. The Shadow Reader Epub Downloader more. In today’s passage, Paul directed his thanksgiving to God for the gifts of grace He had given the Corinthians—“all kinds of speech and with all knowledge” (v. This was an interesting choice for Paul; as the letter continues, it becomes clear these very gifts were at the root of the problems causing discord within the Corinthian church. It might seem that Paul was using sarcasm when he thanked God for qualities he then went on to critique. But this fails to appreciate the range of Paul’s thought. As one scholar wrote, “Paul … believes in, practices, and celebrates the reality of God’s spiritual gifts. He can easily distinguish between the use and abuse of spiritual gifts.” God’s gifts are real and Paul’s confidence rests in the Giver, who is worthy of thanks for these gifts, even when they’re being misused. Apply the Word. Getting a personal letter in one’s physical mailbox is a thrill. Consider taking time today to hunt down paper, an envelope, a stamp, and a pen and bless a fellow believer’s life with a prayerful note. Perhaps you can write about a way in which your friend’s faith has encouraged you. Or use this as an opportunity to testify about what God is doing in your life. Corinthians 1: 1- 9 Today in the Word. In October 2. 00. New York Times and The New Republic as well as on numerous parenting blogs all debated the same question: Is shouting the “new” spanking? As the practice of spanking children has declined in segments of the American population, parents admitted that they resorted to yelling and shouting instead. Now they wondered if that was really better than corporal punishment. When children misbehaved or exasperated them, was it okay to scream at them? Every parent can relate to the occasional frustration caused by their child’s actions and attitude—and as a spiritual father, Paul felt this toward his beloved church in Corinth (4: 1. Yet in this letter to the Corinthians, which we’ll study this month, Paul sent a message that is paternal and firm but never harsh or screeching. There was just cause for a tongue- lashing. The problems in the Corinthian church—including disunity, pride, misuse of spiritual gifts, and abuse of the Lord’s Supper—were serious indeed. In the opening portion of this letter Paul remains realistic in his appraisal of the Corinthians’ spiritual life and practice, but he does not play the part of the scolding father. In fact, his tone is confident and expectant, because his hope for the Corinthians is rooted firmly in the unwavering faithfulness of God. Despite all their problems, Paul knows that in the end, they will be declared blameless on the day of Jesus’ return. In these opening lines, he has full confidence that God has given the Corinthians a sure calling and hope, an enriching of their mouths and minds, and spiritual gifts for every need and occasion. Exuberance abounds in the “every” and “all” of verse five. These words are only possible for those who call on the name of Jesus. In Christ, everything depends on grace, not on human performance. No one then, not even this strife- torn first- century church, falls beyond the reach of grace. God’s rescue of salvation is evidence that He is committed to saving us and changing us. Apply the Word. Like the Corinthians, we are followers of Jesus who sometimes struggle to get along with each other. Their problems, as we’ll see throughout the month, aren’t unlike ours. Divisions have grown up in the church, and the community is fractured and broken. A place to begin when broken fellowship seems irreparable is the unfailing grace of God: He never gives up on us. He has declared what we should be (saints), and He is determined to make our holiness a reality. If God doesn’t give up on us, can we give up on one another? Corinthians 1: 1. Today in the Word. In an article in Sports Illustrated, sportswriter Rick Reilly dryly mocks today’s self–esteem generation: “I know what all these NPR–listening, Starbucks–guzzling parents want.
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