Category: I Corinthians

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A Lesson from Pooh

I hope this morning’s image makes you smile. It does me.

The Lord brings so many different characters into our lives; each one of them are beloved by Him. I sometimes forget that. Years ago, I gained insight on giving “others” more value while reading some of the stories of Winnie the Pooh. Each day I meet new characters and the Lord reminds me that although they are different from my norm, they are valuable.

I developed a philosophy that every person could be identified as one of the characters in that story, Christopher Robin, Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Tigger, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga & Roo. All very different personalities yet they all work together to bring love & understanding to their world and to accomplish their tasks.

While reading I Corinthians 12 I am reminded of these characters and how they interact when I read these words that Paul wrote.

“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. 5 There are different ways to serve the same Lord, 6 and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do. 7 The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” I Corinthians 12:4-7 CEV

God the Father has written our story with purpose and design, Jesus came to show love to all of us and the Holy Spirit is here to lead us each day.

While some of us act like owl with the gift of administration, others show hospitality like Tigger. Pooh is always encouraging, and Rabbit makes sure everyone has a task to do. Piglet and Roo are there to remind us that we should always reassure those who are younger and inexperienced while Kanga provides the nurturing and love that we all need. Eeyore reminds us that everyone has fears and self-doubts that we need our friends to help us through the tough times.

Instead of looking at those around us and either being jealous of their gifts or critical of them it’s important for us to remember that it is God who gives the gifts, and they are not for our benefit but the benefit of others.

Who do you see around you? Some are here to help us grow and others need our help.

Let the Spirit lead!

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Time for A Clean Up?

Our daughters and their families have joined us in the mountains for the weekend. Last night after dinner our little grandchildren were instructed to wait outside after dinner because they were covered from head to foot in dirt.

They had been playing hard, having a good time but the girls didn’t want them bringing all that dirt into the RV.

I do like a clean and tidy house. It’s hard for me to sit and relax when I know that the bathrooms need to be cleaned or I can see dirty floors and dusty furniture. I’ve always been that way. It’s a part of who I am. My mom kept a tidy house and so did my grandma.

Cleaning for me isn’t work for me, it’s enjoyable. I am thankful for my home and the things I have in it and want to keep them looking nice and not let them deteriorate or come to disrepair.

And with that confession I’m sure you are wondering how all of this applies to this morning’s devotional. Let me draw the correlation.

I know that the dust seeps in and requires my attention. Then there’s dusty feet or food spills in the kitchen, dirty sinks and smudged windows. It all requires my attention. I would have a real problem if someone wanted to march through the house with muddy feet or walked through the rooms spilling garbage. More importantly I would stand up to anyone that wanted to vandalize my home.

So how does the Holy Spirit feel when we let our actions, our words and our activities “dirty up” His home?

“You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit that you received from God and that lives in you. You don’t own yourselves. 20 God paid a very high price to make you his. So honor God with your body.” I Corinthians 6:19-20 ERV

We are a valuable dwelling place – a temple as it were for the Holy Spirit to live in and there are times we carelessly vandalize His home.

As I grow older I realize more each year how important it is that I keep my house clean. There’s no room for dishonesty, no room for bitterness or petty jealousy. I don’t want the garbage of lying, gossip, or criticism spread about and I certainly don’t want my dwelling to be vandalized by immoral living.

” And don’t make the Holy Spirit sad. God gave you his Spirit as proof that you belong to him and that he will keep you safe until the day he makes you free. 31 Never be bitter, angry, or mad. Never shout angrily or say things to hurt others. Never do anything evil. 32 Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other the same as God forgave you through Christ.” Ephesians 4:30-32 ERV

Our homes should be a place of welcome and comfort for the Holy Spirit.

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Slow Is Good

Over the years Dave and I have learned to slow down. This, in itself, is a real miracle! I don’t know how many times we have said “we’re burnin’ daylight” and charged out to get things done. But now we are living by a different slogan, “slow down, you’ll get a more harmonious outcome”.

Yesterday Dave completed yet another honey-do project for me. This was a several day project and along the way he needed my help. That meant I would put down what I was working on. At first this was a little irritating, just being honest, but I really did appreciate the opportunity. I had to remind myself, he was doing this for me.

When the work was done we sat and talked – Dave said he’s having to adjust to the fact that things are taking longer than they did when he was younger. I concurred. Since retirement, I have felt that “multi-tasking” is an ugly concept and not one to be pursued.

Slow is good!

“My dear friends, you should be quick to listen and slow to speak or to get angry. 20 If you are angry, you cannot do any of the good things that God wants done.” James 1:19-20 CEV

Slow to speak and slow to get angry. Good advice. When we are slow to speak, we improve our listening skills and that makes the person speaking feel valued; their words are important. If we jump in while someone else is still talking, we often misconstrue what they are saying because we haven’t heard their whole thought.

“Good people think before they answer, but the wicked speak evil without ever thinking.” Proverbs 15:28 CEV

“It’s stupid and embarrassing to give an answer before you listen.” Proverbs 18:13 CEV

We had a friend who practiced slow speech. I had never met anyone before or since that spoke as slowly as he did. However, he was also one of the calmest, unstressed, unangered persons I have ever met as well.

His words were kind; he was a genuine listener. He wanted to hear your heart and share your thoughts. Love is patient, gentle and kind. Jim was all that and more!

In case you haven’t noticed God’s not in a hurry. He does things at the right time and in the right way.

“ Dear friends, don’t forget that for the Lord one day is the same as a thousand years, and a thousand years is the same as one day. 9 The Lord isn’t slow about keeping his promises, as some people think he is. In fact, God is patient, because he wants everyone to turn from sin and no one to be lost.” II Peter 3:8-9 CEV

The Father is patient. He waits for us – He doesn’t force us to accept His ways. Patiently He waits and gives us one opportunity after another. He knows that true love never fails.

“Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or 5 rude. Love isn’t selfish or quick tempered.” I Corinthians 13:4-5 CEV

Slow is good!

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Seeing Clearly

I have a thing for clean windows. We do a lot of driving and I’m always wanting to get a good picture but if the windshield or the side windows are spotted it ruins the shot.

I realize that I come by this naturally. As a child, my dad was always cleaning windows. After we were married, Dave & I would go to visit my folks and as we were in the car ready to drive away, Daddy would stop us and clean the windshield. It didn’t matter that we were heading to the gas station and would do it there. We couldn’t leave with a dirty window.

Not only did my earthly father give me a desire for clear vision but my heavenly Father has as well.

“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, and I made plans like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways. 12 It is the same with us. Now we see God as if we are looking at a reflection in a mirror. But then, in the future, we will see him right before our eyes. Now I know only a part, but at that time I will know fully, as God has known me. 13 So these three things continue: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.” I Corinthians 13:11-13 ERV

One translation says, “we see as in a cloudy mirror”. The Apostle Paul draws a comparison between our thinking like children and the way we see God. We don’t have full understanding of things when we are children, nor do we have a full understanding of God’s love and His plan for us.

Our limited understanding is like looking through a dirty glass – we just can’t see clearly but we will someday.

Our hope, in God and His word, is what feeds our faith to believe that God can do all things and that He will! Why? Because of His great love for us. Gaining knowledge of God’s love is like cleaning the windows, we get a clearer picture of who God is.

“But God showed how much he loved us by having Christ die for us, even though we were sinful. 9 But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life’s blood, we will also be kept safe from God’s anger. 10 Even when we were God’s enemies, he made peace with us, because his Son died for us. Yet something even greater than friendship is ours. Now that we are at peace with God, we will be saved by his Son’s life.” Romans 5:8-10 CEV

Do you see it a little clearer now?

God’s love made provision for our forgiveness; but there’s more to God’s love than that. God’s love grants us peace and friendship with Him. The more we walk in relationship with Him, the clearer our vision becomes.

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True Love

Happy Valentine’s Day!

When I see the advertisements for beautiful rose bouquets my memory takes me back to the first years Dave and I were married.

Dave worked in agriculture and near the fields he worked in were the fields of a commercial rose grower. The roses were grown for stock, not for flowers. When the roses bloomed, they were cut and left lying on the ground and the stock was harvested to sell to nurseries.

In those days, we didn’t have too nickels to rub together. On his way home from work – tired as he was, he would stop and go out into the fields and collect the buds and bring me a beautiful bouquet! He would do this several times during the growing season. What a guy!!

Here we are – 49 Valentines’ Days later and those are still some of my treasured memories.

We all know that love isn’t about a day. True love is a way of life.

“Dear friends, we should love each other, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has become God’s child. And so everyone who loves knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love to us: He sent his only Son into the world to give us life through him. 10 True love is God’s love for us, not our love for God. He sent his Son as the way to take away our sins.” I John 4:7-10 ERV

True love is found in God. He IS love and all that love is, is found in Him.

“Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. 5 Love is not rude, it is not selfish, and it cannot be made angry easily. Love does not remember wrongs done against it. 6 Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits. 8 Love will never end.” I Corinthians 13:4-8 ERV

Love gives and never gives up. Love forgives and forgets. Love is filled with hope and kindness.

We can never be separated from the unconditional love of God.

“Yes, I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 ERV

The Father demonstrates His unconditional love to us each day of each year of our lives. God’s love for us will never end because God, Himself, has no end.

Happy Unconditional Love of God Day!

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One More Time!

Yesterday I shared some insights from the book of Joshua. It seemed appropriate to draw on that book again today.

Years ago, I was given a copy of the book, Victorious Christian Living by Alan Redpath. It was written in 1955, long before much was being said about victory in the lives of Christians. Redpath uses Joshua’s experiences to show us how God has designed for us to win. (I would encourage you to find a copy [ebay’s a good place] and read it.)

This morning I was reading about all the kings that came out to fight Joshua and the Israelites when the entered their Promised Land. Moses had led them in successful military campaigns before they crossed the Jordan River but Joshua was given the responsibility to lead the warriors as they defeated the many kings occupying the land.

“…The total number of kings was 31.” Joshua 12:24 ERV

Joshua went from battle to battle. Sometimes he was the aggressor but at other times four or five kings would form an alliance and come out to attack him and the Israelite army. Each time Joshua headed into battle the Lord would give him the same message.

“All these kings met together at the small river of Merom. They joined their armies together into one camp and made plans for the battle against Israel. 6 Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Don’t be afraid of that army, because I will allow you to defeat them. By this time tomorrow, you will have killed them all.” Joshua 11:5-6 ERV

Don’t be afraid – one more time go out to battle; one more time I will give you the victory.

Joshua wasn’t the only one who faced repeated battles. Young David first fought Goliath and then he battled many enemy armies, including one his oldest son led against him. Jesus also faced many personal attacks. Satan came to him with three different temptations when Jesus was physically and emotionally weak. He had just completed a 40 day fast when Satan tempted him with food, with proving his deity and with world-wide acclaim.

“Jesus said to him, “Get away from me, Satan! The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God. Serve only him!’ 11 So the devil left him. Then some angels came to Jesus and helped him.” Matthew 4:10-11 ERV

Joshua and David won great victories because they trusted God’s word. Jesus was victorious over the temptations of the devil because He placed His trust in God’s word.

The Christian life isn’t void of trials or attacks but like Joshua and even more, like Jesus we can go from victory to victory when we put our trust and confidence in the promises of God.

“But we thank God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Don’t let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.” I Corinthians 15:57-58 ERV

I just had the feeling that some of you woke up this morning with a battle ahead of you. The Lord wanted me to remind you, you’re not in this alone. “Be not afraid, send the devil running. Our victory comes from the Lord”. You’ve got this – He’s got this!

Trust Him – one more time!

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In A Fog

Years ago our son, youngest daughter and I drove from Spokane WA to Carlsbad CA over Spring break. I was so glad to have our son with me so we could share the driving. We were driving, in the wee hours of the morning, on the roads up by Mount Shasta. Traffic was light, just us and some semi’s. We made a bend in the road and drove right into a fog bank!

Oh my goodness! That was scary. Lots of prayers were being said like “Please don’t let any semi’s come up behind us and don’t let us come up behind any of them either”. And then, just as soon as we had come into the fog, we made another bend and the road was clear.

This happened several more times before we out of the mountain pass. Very stressful to say the least. That was physical fog. Spiritual fog can be just as unnerving.

Have you ever been caught up in a chore of some kind and just had thoughts come flooding into your mind? Maybe you’re doing the laundry or driving to work or out riding or mowing the grass or just daydreaming and something that has frustrated you or even brought you pain comes rolling in like the coastal fog or a wave to the seashore. I have – and if I’m not careful I start to mull it over, re-hash it and find that the hurt, worry or betrayal are still there. That’s when I realize I haven’t completely turned it over to the Lord.

“Love does not remember wrongs done against it. 6 Love is never happy when others do wrong, but it is always happy with the truth. 7 Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits.” I Corinthians 13:5-7 ERV

Love doesn’t remember a wrong!!!!

Now that’s a hard one to swallow. But thank God he doesn’t. You notice I said He doesn’t because God is love and it’s in His nature to “not remember”. He isn’t holding our sins against us – quite the opposite! When we accept His forgiveness, He chooses to forget our past.

Aren’t you glad that you can come to Him and He won’t bring up all our failures and shortcomings? All things are new.

“And I will forgive the wrongs they have done, and I will not remember their sins.”” Hebrews 12:8 ERV

Is there someone in your life that needs you to forget their past? I know there is in mine, and I am making the determination to forget. Forgiveness allows that fog to lift and vanish. I’m so glad that I’m forgiven!

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Ouch – That Hurts!

This morning I got up with a sore foot. I’m not sure what caused it but it hurts. As I sat here I rubbed on it and it began to feel better. Good.

A couple more sips of coffee, feet raised with the recliner and faces of friends and family began to come to mind. Some of them are hurting I know, they’ve shared their pain with me. As I lifted them in prayer, I asked the Father to ease their pain.

Just like my foot I wanted to alleviate their discomfort, their heart ache, their pain.

“…But God put the body together and gave more honor to the parts that need it. 25 God did this so that our body would not be divided. God wanted the different parts to care the same for each other. 26 If one part of the body suffers, then all the other parts suffer with it. Or if one part is honored, then all the other parts share its honor.

27 All of you together are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of that body.” I Corinthians 12:24-27 ERV

This is how the Father wants us to be when we relate to other Christians, we are all members of the body of Christ.

My head told my hand “Rub your foot, it’s sore and tired, if you rub it for a little while it will feel better” and it did. I saw this as a perfect example of how we are to care for those around us who are hurting.

My foot didn’t ask for help, it was just sore and left unattended I’m sure it would be hurting more and that would make me grumpy. We all have experienced grumpy people and they can be irritating. Maybe we should be asking, “are they hurting, do they need a helping hand”. Coming to their aid with love and compassion may be the best medicine for a hurting soul.

“Help each other with your troubles. When you do this, you are obeying the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 ERV

This morning’s teaching isn’t deep or profound, but I do believe it is a teaching we can all embrace, it’s part of our mandate from Scripture to love one another.

So, from my foot to your heart be on the lookout for hurting people and lend a helping hand!

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The Last Two Minutes

We ended our day watching a Hallmark Movie and as we were heading to bed last night I said, “The kiss always comes in the last two minutes”. Dave laughed and said it sounded like a good title for a blog.

Happy endings, the perfect way to end each day and they are a part of God’s plan.

“Love never gives up on people. It never stops trusting, never loses hope, and never quits. 8 Love will never end.” I Corinthians 13:7-8 ERV

God has promised us that His love will never end!

Life isn’t a Hallmark Movie, it’s so much more than that. The challenges that we face, the victories we celebrate, the mundane, the heartaches, the overwhelming joy, the hope, the peace…His love endures forever.

“I will sing forever about the Lord’s love. I will sing about his faithfulness forever and ever!
2 I will say, ‘Your faithful love will last forever. Your loyalty is like the sky—there is no end to it!'” Psalm 89:1-2 ERV

Jesus told the story of a young man who wanted to be out from under his father’s control. He wanted to live life on his own terms. The young man collected his inheritance and went off on his own. He was impetuous. He was foolish and I’m sure he was taken advantage of. Life led him down a path of loss.

At his lowest point, he decided to go home and ask to be a servant on his father’s estate. As he was coming up the road, his father saw him. What the young man didn’t know is that his father had been watching and waiting for his return. The father ran to his son to welcome him back.

Now, wait for it…

“I will leave and go to my father. I will say to him: Father, I have sinned against God and have done wrong to you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But let me be like one of your hired workers.’ 20 So he left and went to his father. While the son was still a long way off, his father saw him coming and felt sorry for him. So he ran to him and hugged and kissed him.” Luke 15:18-20 ERV

There it is – the kiss! The forgiveness, the reconciliation, the connection, the love!

The Father’s love never fails. His love is unconditional, His mercy lasts forever and His grace is amazing.

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring the best clothes and put them on him. Also, put a ring on his finger and good sandals on his feet. 23 And bring our best calf and kill it so that we can celebrate with plenty to eat. 24 My son was dead, but now he is alive again! He was lost, but now he is found!’ So they began to have a party.” Luke 15:22-24 ERV

Sometimes we get “lost” in life. All we need to do is come back to the Father and He welcomes us with open arms. He celebrates our return.

May I encourage you to take “the last two minutes” of each day to thank the Father for his never-ending love. And if you wait for it, I know you’ll sense His loving kiss.

 

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Living Hope

Things are so grand on the mountain – the ponderosa pines tower over our campground, the rocks are huge, the elk are massive and the trout are trophy size! I love being here to experience all of this but there is another side to it as well.

When we walk through the forest we are constantly reminded that nothing on this earth lasts forever. There we find trees that have succumbed to fire, lightning or even a fungus or an insect. They lay in a state of decay across the forest floor.

On one of our walks we even found a carcass from a winter past. The bones were whitened by the elements – the rain, the snow and the sun. Life ends and new life comes.

Loss is heartbreaking!

I was reminded just yesterday that Jesus wept at the loss of his friend. He knows the anguish we experience with loss and He provides us with a new and living hope.

“Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on. 4 God has something stored up for you in heaven, where it will never decay or be ruined or disappear.” I Peter 1:3-4 CEV

Christ died but the story doesn’t end there. He didn’t face the decay of death but He rose victoriously from the grave. He defeated death so that we might have new life and new hope.

“Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. 18 And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. 19 If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else. 20 But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life. 21 Just as we will die because of Adam, we will be raised to life because of Christ.” I Corinthians 15:17-21 CEV

It would be easy to become discouraged when loved ones die and we are left with emptiness and heartache. Jesus knew what that would be like for His own disciples when they went through the anguish of His death. These are His words:

“Jesus said, “Don’t be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me. 2 There are many rooms in my Father’s house. I would not tell you this if it were not true. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 After I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back. Then I will take you with me, so that you can be where I am.” John 14:1-3 ERV

If you have experienced the lost of a friend or loved one take heart – the separation that we feel here on earth will soon be replaced with an eternity of joy in heaven!

We have that living hope!

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