Category: Good Life Journal

Scripture:  

“…we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us…

… (Afflicted) in every way (but not crushed), perplexed (but not driven to despair), persecuted (but not forsaken), struck down (but not destroyed)—always carrying out in the body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies…So we do not lose heart.

For this light and momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are seen are transient but the things that are unseen are eternal.”  (2 Cor 4:7-10; 16-18) 

Observation:  

Earthly verses Eternal: the battle of the “E’s”.  Just like real estate, renewing our minds is a function of Perspective, Perspective, Perspective: Am I cultivating an Eternal perspective?

Application:  

I use the word “cultivating” a lot.  It is because the soil of my heart gets so dry and rocky in no time flat. 

I have come to realize that the instance of my “conversion” doesn’t guarantee me a heart full of fertile soil; I have to continually cultivate, turn over, plow, seed, water, pull weeds, have weeds pulled, and all of that farm kind of symbolic effort all the time.

The Holy Spirit was making sure we have this record so I too “do not lose heart.” 

Why would I lose heart?  Simply: It is because I lose sight of the Gospel. 

One of the major aspects of the Gospel is the continuation of searching out of the Gospel.  Every promise, every doctrine, every teaching is rooted in the multitude facets of the Gospel.  Affliction of believers is rooted in the Gospel.  Being perplexed, persecuted, even being struck down is rooted in the Gospel.  As was written in 2 Cor 1 “…that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God…” 

My response to the Gospel is a response of continual surrender.  My fight, although described in other parts of the Scripture as fight against rulers, authorities of the cosmic powers of this present age (see Eph 6:12) is also a fight against the war of the power of sin within me (see Ro 6 and 7). 

Even if the fight may be huge, the fight may be intense, the fight may be crushing, the fight IS light, transient, and momentary on the eternal scale.  I need to try and focus down the road, over the horizon, to take a long view, to understand that God is the foundation of all the Promises given and is the Rock of my hope.

Prayer:  

O God, one of the primary functions of the local church is the ability to lean on one another for encouragement in time of need so folks do not lose heart and fall victim to the deceitfulness of Sin.  Not only the church but individual relationships formed in the church.  What a gift of the Gospel!!  I neglect and take for granted this marvelous product of Your Grace towards me.  Help me, my Lord, for I feel needy and forgotten.  Help me cultivate an eternal perspective and fiercely hope in You.  AMEN.

Scripture:

2 Corinthians 3:3 – And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.

Observation:

Paul is telling the Corinthians that a letter of recommendation or outward change is not required to preach/teach the gospel.  Lives changed by the Spirit of the living God from the inside out is a reflection of Christ. When the power of the Spirit comes in and changes a believers heart, that is what God cares about rather than credentials.

Application:

Let me remember that the internal condition of my heart toward others is more important than any outward manifestation of my religion.  There is not a set of teachings nor things I can do to earn the grace of God. Grace is a gift from God through faith in Jesus. When we surrender and place our faith and trust in Jesus, the Spirit changes our life and heart.  We have the power to be a living letter for Christ when we walk in the Spirit.

Prayer:

Father,

Thank you for your love and the power of the Spirit to change hearts and lives.  Let my life be marked by a heart changed by the Spirit to love you and others.

Scripture:

Vs 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received … hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
Vs 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, ⁴ that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Vs 14 … if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
Vs 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead …
Vs 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Observation:

This is an incredibly thorough discussion of the Resurrection of Jesus and our Resurrection with Him.

This is “the gospel I preached to you”, as Paul says.
Jesus died, was buried, and rose. And it was all according to Scripture.
People, however, are doubting the resurrection.
Paul has a strong rebuke, “Wake up from your drunken stupor!”

If Jesus hasn’t resurrected, then we haven’t resurrected, and we are still dead in our sins.
He says if Jesus hasn’t risen from the dead, then everything is in “vain”.
Preaching … belief … faith … even our work … all is in “vain” if Jesus isn’t raised.
Paul repeats “vain” over and over from beginning to end of this chapter.
But Jesus IS raised, “therefore”, we can be “abounding in the work of the Lord”. “knowing” our labor is NOT in “vain”.

Application:

“Is it worth it?”… “Does anything I’m doing even matter?”
I have a fair amount of these kind of conversations.
I will even occasionally have these kinds of thoughts, myself.
“Is it worth it?” … Should I even bother?

It’s easy to begin thinking any of the good things I/we do don’t really make any difference.
“It’s all in vain!”
But this thinking is using a value, or worth, not based on the “gospel”.
When I ask the question, “Is it worth it?” … or “Is what I’m doing in vain?”,
I’m really making the point that I am expecting something in return.

“Is it worth it?” is really another way of asking, “What’s in it for me?”
This is upside down thinking from the gospel.
The world says, “I will labor now for what I will get in return.”
The gospel says, “Because of what Christ has already done, I will labor now!”
My preaching, my belief, my faith, and, yes, even my labor, is NOT in vain!
Nothing done for the sake of Christ is in vain because Christ has been raised from the dead.
Jesus is alive, and because of that I am, too!
So, “therefore”, I will “abound in the work of the Lord”!

Prayer:

Thank you , God, for your Truth

Thank you that you dies an rose that I can have life everlasting
Thank you for giving eternal worth to any labor done today
Encourage and remind and empower Holy Spirit
In Jesus name
Amen

Scripture:  

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.

(Love) does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong-doing but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.”  (1 Cor 13:4-7)

Observation:  

If love isn’t behind all that I say or do; what I think and what I feel; then what am I?  Am I a true disciple of Jesus Christ?

Application:  

I can’t turn my motives on and off at will.

I appreciate that God, in His Wisdom, arranged it so I would write about Love.  Not really; I think He did it on purpose to show me my shortcomings.  By saying I appreciate this, I am practicing being thankful in all things (see 1 Thes 5).  Transparently I am at war with being appreciative.

Chapter 13 smacks me in the face because I can’t always reconcile my actions with this set of verses.  Oh, I get it theoretically.  I know how to think and write about Love.  It is that I also come to grips with how much I really fail.

Love isn’t the ooey-gooey thing that first comes to mind.  Love has a major implication of surrender; to count others greater than yourself; to not stand up for myself (which may be indicative of a defiant attitude—maybe not, I will have to think about that some more).

What, then, is Love?  I look at the list of things that describes Love and I have to think that Love is hard work.  It takes effort and determination.  Love is intentional—at least intentional in putting the attributes that the Holy Spirit is saying here into practice.

It is without question that Love is not practiced in seclusion.  Love is practiced in community, in the interactions between people and particularly between believers and anybody else.  I can’t determine if I am kind or acting patiently if I am not around other people.

In the previous chapter Paul wrote describing the Corinth Church with all the wah hoo’s and sizzle of “spiritual” things all in evidence—and rightly counts that as nothing if Love is not in place (and it wasn’t—see  everything written up to this point).

I can be just like them: I can point out all the things that I do and act so spiritual—but if I don’t have Love it is nothing.

Prayer:  

Father, You showed me this from Chuck Spurgeon:  “Remember that the man who truly repents is never satisfied with his own repentance.”   My goodness, does that describe me.  Help me on God to embrace Love as You meant it to be.  I understand that my responsibility is to press my nose to the grindstone and pursue these things all the while trusting Your promise and desire to bring them out in me.  Let me be absorbed in You all my days for the rest of my days.  AMEN.

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 27 – Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same  Spirit; and there are varieties of service but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them in everyone.  Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Observation:

Paul is explaining to the church at Corinth that there are different spiritual gifts, however they all come from the same Holy Spirit.  We can and should serve where we are gifted but is all to serve our Lord, Jesus Christ. The same God, the Father of Jesus Christ, gives us the power through the Spirit to accomplish activities for the Kingdom.  We are all different members together whole as the body of Christ.

Application:

God has created unity in diversity among the body of Christ.  We all have been given a unique character and gifts from God. I must use my spiritual gifts to serve the Lord and remember that brothers and sisters with different spiritual gifts are from the same Spirit serving the same Lord.  This is for the good of the Church and how it can function as one body. I can’t think that my gift or how I am lead to serve is any more important than someone else’s gift and service. Everything I have received is by the grace of God and his love.

Prayer:

Father,

Thank you for creating me and giving me gifts through the Spirit.  Let me use my gifts to serve you and recognize different gifts that make the body function as a whole rather than a part. Help me to love and honor you in all I do.

Scripture: 

 “So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.  Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God (just as I try to please everyone in everything I do) not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Observation:

Perspective, not a ledger of do’s and don’ts.  What a chore it is to keep my head on straight and not to seek my own advantage concerning things of God.

Application:  

I have found it difficult at times to talk about “liberty in Christ” and what Paul says about “watching out for my brother.”  Why should someone else’s weakness affect my strength? 

Besides the obvious declaration of sacrificing myself for the good of others (which I would probably do with an attitude of grumbling superiority) why would I look to not give offence like Paul dictates above?

Earlier in this chapter it says that all things were written for our instruction.  In Romans 8 Paul refers to renewing my mind so that can prove what God’s will is.  What I think from these is that I should take my o’ so logical thinking, put it to the side, and replace it with Godly thinking from His instruction so that I can prove His will.  

What would that do?  It will without a doubt change my perspective, how I look at life.  It should keep me from seeking my own advantage; that is, focusing on me. 

What advantage would I be seeking?  Why, the advantage that says look at me and how good, knowledgeable, and mature I am.  Aren’t I just godly?”  Just like Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men, the enemy says “You want me on that Throne; you need me on that throne.”  I would be no different, just religious.  But I don’t want to be “religious”; I want to be a follower of Christ.

I am pretty sure this is going to be talked about further in 1 Cor 13—because that is the issue:  Whether or not my motivations and actions are bracketed by love.

Prayer:  

Lord God, I walk by faith and not by sight, that is, that is what I want to do.  The cares of this world, my own innate selfishness gets in the way so many times.  Please help me to work through laying all my cares at the foot of the Cross and change my perspective to one of only serving and pleasing You.  AMEN.

Scripture:

Vs 1 … we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up.
Vs 4 … We know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.”
Vs 7 However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.
Vs 8 Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.
Vs 9 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
Vs 13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Observation:

Paul is expressing great concern for his fellow Christians who are both mature and immature.
As much as Paul wants the immature, “weak”, Christians to grow, he especially wants the mature, “strong”, Christians to love them well.
He recognizes that the mature Christians have something not everyone has, “knowledge”.
And this knowledge can be abused to make themselves seem better than others, “puffed up”
But the goal is to “build up” the church. And it is love that builds up.
The best way in this situation to love was to not exercise their rights for themselves.

Application:

How do I use my knowledge of God? And how do I exercise my rights as a Christian?
These are the questions Paul is wanting me to consider.
Sometimes I act as if my goal is simply to accumulate knowledge.
We have more resources now than ever to accumulate knowledge of and about God.
(Countless translations of the Bible, endless commentaries, podcasts, blogs, video studies, etc, etc, etc,)
And I enjoy a whole bunch of them! … But to what end?

How do I apply this knowledge? Just to sit on it with pride? Do I judge others for lack of knowledge?

Jesus had the harshest of words to the Pharisees for just such a thing.
Yes, knowledge can “puff up”. But I must love.
And what may be the best way to love others is to not do something just because I can do something.
I can see a normal activity like eating or drinking as meaningless as it relates to my relationship with God.
Someone else who may be “weaker” in their knowledge or relationship with God may see certain activities as very significant.
If I can see that engaging in some action will confuse the conscience of someone else I simply should not do it!
It’s not about whether I have the right to do it or not, even as a Christian.
It’s about whether it is the loving thing to do.
We live an era when the fight for “rights” is making headlines all the time.
And rights are certainly important, but the fights now are always about what someone can do themselves.
Paul is saying the loving thing to do may well be to lay down that right for the sake of another.
Paul goes so far as to say that causing another to stumble, even if I have the right to do something, is sin!

Prayer:

God, thank you for your Word
Help me to know it and know You
But help me to use that knowledge in the right way
The loving way
Help me see the others you put around me
Help me not act as stumbling block to them

In Jesus name

Amen

Scripture:  

“When one of you has a grievance against another does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?

Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world?  And if the world is to be judged by you are you incompetent to try trivial cases?  Do you not know that we are to judge angels?  How much more then matters pertaining to this life!!

So—if you have such cases why do you lay them before those who have no standing in the (local) church?  I say this to your shame.

Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers—but brother goes to law against brother and that before unbelievers?  To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you.  Why not suffer wrong?  Why not rather be defrauded?  But you yourselves wrong and defraud—even your own brothers.”  1 Cor 6:1-8

Observation:  

In this section of scripture Paul is not exactly giving direction on WHAT to do/WHAT NOT to do but to lament concerning the Believer’s lack of Biblical/Disciple perspectives—not am I “competent” but am I “wise and mature in Christ?”

Application:  

The above is pertinent for Conflict Resolution.  But even this statement is not the focus of what Paul is saying concerning root cause.  The root cause may be (most times) the Man in the Mirror.

How many times have I jumped into a discussion of any kind and exerted my “opinion, comments, experience, etc.” with an air of competency and authority only to exercise un-wise behavior and influence?  I can say candidly quite a bit over my life so far.

My worse situation is success in the face of incompetent wisdom.

A thought that just bubbled up is that I have forgotten the Fear of God.  David writes: “The Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.”  (Ps 111) Why have I forgotten to fear God?

I can get all bound up in celebrating Grace and the Love of God that I forget He is still GOD.  I cannot approach God on my own; I must have the representation of the Blood of the Lamb to approach the Throne—and even then scripture indicates I will fall on my face, throw the symbols of my so-called success (my crowns) at the foot of the Throne.

The Scriptures do not separate the Fear of God from Celebrating/Praise of God as a conflict.  I make it a conflict in favor of God’s Love because I cannot imagine fearing someone that says He loves me.  Fear is bad, Love is good.  But in doing this I am selfishly defining God in a picture I can deal with—that is, making an idol.

James says: “Not many of you should become teachers…for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”  (James 3:1)  Can this principle be applied to what Paul writes about in 1 Cor 6?  Could be—it is not that great a stretch—but it isn’t the avoidance of wise responsibility that is the issue, it is the conscientious pursuit of becoming wise in the Fear of God that I am called to.

That’s what a disciple does—pursues God.

Prayer:  

Lord God, why do I revert to my own wisdom so easily; that wisdom that is earthy, bound up in my own desires and ideas?  Why doesn’t my mind pop up with Your Word more often, including doctrine, principles, precepts, and etc.?  In my case the answer is easy: I am lazy.  This laziness shows how much I revere You O God and revere your Word—which isn’t much.  Like the other day in 1 Cor 3 I am too satisfied with milk.  Wean me off milk, O Holy Spirit, and help my love for Your Word grow.  AMEN.

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 5:7 – 8 – Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened.  For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore, celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, bit with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Observation:

Paul is rebuking sexual immorality that is occurring within the Corinthian Church.  In verses 7-8, Paul refers to the festival of unleavened bread which was celebrated to remember Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt.  Just as the leaven was purged from the home, believers are to purge sin form the lives. Christ was sacrificed to carry the burden of sin for everyone who believes and we are new creations through Christ. We are to live in the truth of the gospel no longer chained in bondage to sin.

Application:

This chapter has a direct twofold application of the gospel to the Church and believers today.  I can’t be a follower of Christ and engage in unrepentant sin of any kind. Further, I shouldn’t associate with any believer who is engaging in sin and I should call them out.  Secondly, the power to change from death to life, dark to light is only available through the saving power of the gospel received by grace and living inside of me.

Prayer:

Father,

Thank you for the truth in your word and the live changing love in the power of the gospel.  Let the power of the Spirit guide me to no longer be bound to sin but to live in the hope of your salvation for me.

Scripture:

1 Corinthians 4:16-17

16 I urge you, then, be imitators of me. 17 That is why I sent you Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, to remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church.”

Observation:

Paul is challenging the church in Corinth to not only be hearers but doers. Paul is so confident in the gospel message and gospel power in his life that he doesn’t just say “consider looking at my life as a guide” he urges them to become copycats. One person who did this was Timothy. Timothy not only listened and sat at the feet of Paul, learning all he could, he put it into action. How do we know this? Because Paul is sending Timothy on his behalf. Timothy has spent so much time around Paul that he can represent Paul when Paul’s not there.

Application:

This is discipleship. Discipleship isn’t a 3 credit class you graduate from. Discipleship looks like a lifetime of deciding to sit at the feet of a Paul-like person.

2 intentional moves this week:

1. Find a Paul
2. Be a Paul

If you don’t have someone pouring into your life and challenging you to know Christ, find that Paul-like person. Call the church, do whatever it takes! Sitting at the feet of a Paul takes intentionality, time and commitment but it’s how God’s wired us to know Him.

Also, don’t just find a Paul, be ready to be a Paul to someone. Paul sent Timothy, maybe you need to find someone this week to be a Paul to. A gospel centered life that is moving towards the goal of Christ likeness will always include this cycle of being discipled and doing discipleship.

Community is crucial. Let’s fight this fight together.

Prayer:

God forgive us for being so easily distracted and so easily conformed to the patterns of this world. Transform our heart. Give us a taste of the treasure that you are. Keep us from running to all the broken cisterns this world offers. Guide us to the everlasting, all satisfying water so that we may never thirst again. Amen

Scripture:  

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh—as infants in Christ.  I fed you with milk (not solid food) for you were not ready for it. 

And even now you are not yet ready for you are still of the flesh… (1 Cor 3:1-2) 

Observation:  

I am constantly noticing that almost all of the Epistles (especially from Paul) addresses in some way growing (not accumulating) Christians. 

Application:  

I think God has intentionally structured the Scriptures so that I shouldn’t be able to say “I got this.”

I mean, really, have I ever come across a verse that I could say “This doesn’t apply to me in any way, shape or form?”  Maybe the ones including the Enemy—but could I be exhibiting or (gasp) treasuring a similar attitude as the Enemy?  Makes me think…

Staying the above subject for just a second more: It is beneficial to understand what makes Lucifer so evil is the fact that he thinks he is just as good as God, in essence: A traitor.  That is what is the genesis of evil is in Man—“I am INDEPENDENT, not obligated to or to be obedient to God, I exercise my choice to do what I will and not reflect or pay attention to the One who has my life in His hands.”  That attitude got Adam and Eve kicked out of Eden and will subject countless millions to encounter God’s Wrath towards Sin. 

I have to look at the Milk reference and think: “Am I ready for more than milk?”  My pride says “Yes I am, pass me over some of that steak, the rarer the better.  The facts are that there are days that I have an appetite for more than milk and other days not.  

The process (I have to remind myself) is called “Progressive Sanctification” for a reason: it is progressive, doesn’t happen all at once; there is a lifetime of becoming a Disciple.  Progression is a process, a change from one point of being to another (if I am talking about the Man in the Mirror).

I don’t want to be a milk drinker all my life.  I just don’t.  Good food is not just good because it isn’t milk, good food, strong food is meant to build a body up; need good food to exercise, to build critical thinking skills, to be able to converse about the Majesty of God and His Gospel, etc., etc.

Point is that no matter what stage where my walk in Jesus is I can read 1 Cor 3:1-2 and cringe—for I instantly recognize those places where I am an infant, clutching my sippy cup with all my meager strength.

Prayer:  

Father, help me not to disparage or to ignore the value of milk.  I ask that You keep me dissatisfied with ONLY milk.  I don’t want to go after strange things and to places in the Bible that are good for nothing.  There is so so much in the stuff You DO want me in that it would be a multiple of lifetimes to explore.  AMEN.

Scripture:

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.” v. 4-5

Observation:

Paul recognizes that it is not by human power or wisdom that the gospel is spoken in a way that draws people near and brings them to faith. He knows this truth and boldly proclaims it to the Corinthian Church so they understand it is not in their power that people know Jesus but in the power of the Holy Spirit and God. Paul confidently knows it is ONLY through the power of the Holy Spirit and God that people may come to faith, not by his wisdom or persuasion.

Application:

In evangelizing and reaching out to people so that they know the gospel and may believe in Christ, it is SO EASY to get caught up in our own self-evaluation of spreading the good news. Often I find myself asking questions like did I say enough? Did I overstep? Or, I catch myself thinking I didn’t do a good enough job. I tell myself “they won’t know Jesus now because I could’ve done better”. Here’s the truth that overcomes those self-responsible lies: We. Are. Not. God.

We aren’t.

It is only through the Holy Spirit and God himself that can truly lead people to faith. We as a church are called to love, we aren’t called to save – that’s what Jesus did through the cross. So rest. Rest in knowing that we have no control over others faith. But we do have control in how we love them and invite them in and proclaim him boldly. So keep pressing in, keep inviting, keep loving for the sake of the gospel being shown through your actions but always humbly know it will never be in YOUR power to bring them to Jesus. He has all control and all authority. Thank God for that truth.

Prayer:

Father, thank you for this truth today. Thank you that we don’t have to rely on ourselves to bring people to know Christ but that you have all control and authority over your people. God, let that bring us rest and an easy heart today. There are no words, no wisdom, no art of persuasion that we can use to bring others to faith and that in itself is a gift. May we trust you completely in your plans and always remember how much you love us even in the hard seasons. May we go into today and everyday with eyes on you and hearts ready to love like you love. Thank you for your grace and mercy every day. Amen.

Scripture:

Vs 1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus …

Vs 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ …

Vs 7 … you are not lacking in any gift …

Vs 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Vs 10 … be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

Vs 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.

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. 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.

Observation:

Paul is imploring the church to not be divided in their thinking about the Gospel.
While the people in the church are disagreeing about who their true leader is, Paul keeps his focus on Jesus.
Over and over again he refocuses their mind on Jesus and the power of the cross.

16 times he mentions Jesus Christ, and 20 times he mentions God in this chapter alone.
He does this by reminding them that they have everything they could need in Jesus …

“you are not lacking in any gift”!

And Paul also gets the church to have a unity of thinking by getting them to focus on higher things.
Over and over again Paul also mentions “calling” … six different times!

Paul, “called by the will of God”.
The church, “called to be saints”.
You were “called into the fellowship of Jesus Christ”.
“Called, both Jews and Greeks”.

What am I to do in response to this call? I call back to Him and keep my mind on it!
“Call upon the name of the Lord” …. And “consider your calling”.

Application:

Is Jesus enough for me? This is the question I must always find contentment in.
If I do not have the utmost faith that Jesus is enough, then I will do what non-Christians do.

I will do what everyone in the world does … make “demands” and “seek elsewhere”.
Paul states it that the Jews “demand signs” and the Greeks “seek wisdom”.

What is it that they really want? “Signs” is just another word for Power and “Wisdom” is just another word for Superior Knowledge.

If Jesus is not enough for me, then I will just want to be stronger and smarter than everyone else. In other words, I will want to make myself … “better”.

If Jesus is not enough for me, then I will always have a sense of “lacking” … And I will go on a never-ending quest of “demanding” and “seeking” to be … better.

But Jesus is more than enough. He is everything. And in God’s grace, He called me to be a saint, and called me into His fellowship. This is the calling I must consider! It is in this this calling that I have power and wisdom!

It is in the call of Christ that I lack nothing!

Prayer:

Thank you, God, for calling me
Help me focus my mind on it
Help me stay united in fellowship with you an others
Help our unity

Help me know that in you I lack nothing

In Jesus name

Amen

Scripture:

[1] Give the king your justice, O God,
and your righteousness to the royal son!
[2] May he judge your people with righteousness,
and your poor with justice!
[3] Let the mountains bear prosperity for the people,
and the hills, in righteousness!
[4] May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,
give deliverance to the children of the needy,
and crush the oppressor!
[5] May they fear you while the sun endures,
and as long as the moon, throughout all generations!

Observation:

This psalm is written by David for his son Solomon as he succeeds David as an earthly king. But it is also written directly referring to the coming Messiah.

David knows that Solomon needs God just as he did. This first part is prayer calling out for God to bless Solomon as a righteous ruler; a defender of the poor; a protector of the needy; and to have the power to crush any persecutors.

More importantly though, the prayer asks God to bless his Son, the King of kings, to be a righteous ruler; to defend the poor and needy; to have the power to crush any oppressors, and to rule forever – as long as the moon, throughout all generations!

Application:

While it may seem that our personal domains – our families, our work environments, our church – are much smaller than Solomon’s kingdom, they are no less important to God’s kingdom and it is no less important how we act. In our daily lives we all have opportunity to “rule righteously” by acting honorably in a holy way, or to act in dishonest or unjust ways. We are often confronted with opportunity to help those who have needs we may be able to help fulfill. Do we treat them with disdain because we feel it was their bad decisions that got them where they are, or do we treat them with respect, defend and protect them with a portion of provision or gifts God has provided for us? Let that sink in for a minute. None of us are immune from Satan’s temptation to fall on the irreverent side of a decision.

So, as we pray to God with our own versions of David’s prayer, we should pray this for ourselves and our own families as David did for Solomon. To make our daily decisions in God’s righteousness, to defend and protect the poor and needy, treating them with respect, and to stand firm as Satan tries to attack us. Pray we be more like Jesus.

Prayer:

Lord thank for your holy word to guide us. Thank you for the blessings you pour out on me daily. I don’t deserve them. Lord I know I’m not perfect so help me to always act and make decisions that you find holy and righteous. Help me not greedily withhold the worldly stuff you have provided me, or my spiritual gifts from helping the needy. In Jesus holy name I pray, Amen.