1 Cor. 16

I am writing to you now from our new home in Scott's Valley. My time with the Lord has been limited and missed due to moving, unpacking, working full time and studing for a memorization test for my new job with Virgin America.  I need more time in the day. But I feel blessed today to be able to sit down before work to pray and write.

The second verse talks about giving to the church. It is important that we know that under the new covenant of Christ we are no longer bound by the tithe of the Old Testament. That money went to more than the church, it went to the funding of the Israel government amongst other things. We as the Christian church are to give of our free will and completely discretionary.

Paul ends the chapter and the book with a couple things.
"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." v.13-14
And
"Maranatha!" v.22.  meaning. "O Lord, come!"

1 Cor. 15, part 2

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)

Perfect Peace

My blog is sort of stalled here in the middle of 1 Cor. 15; 1 1/2 chapters to the end. But it's Christmas time and we have  a lot going on this year. We are packing and moving; we are visiting my daughter in MN; I am trying to get a new job; we are trying to put in new flooring, etc. for the new house; and do Christmas, all amongst working two full time jobs. Though these are good things, blessings, Dale and I at different times have been riddled in anxiety and stress, overwhelmed. It is at these moments, we have learned, that we need to sit at the feet of Jesus and let the Holy Spirit offer His peace.

This is a beautiful song by Laura Story. Just what the doctor ordered. Close your eyes and take a listen.

1 Cor. 15

"But if there is no resurrecton of the dead, not even Christ has been raised...For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied." v. 13, 16-19

"The two ressurections, Christ's and believers', stand or fall together; if there is no resurrection, then Christ is dead." Wow. That is the truth in a nutshell. Christianity can only work this one way. The Hope of the Old Testament either came, died and was resurrected in the New or the whole Bible and it's truths are null and void.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident." : In epistemology (theory of knowledge), a self-evident proposition is one that is known to be true by understanding its meaning without proof.

I Cor. 14

I have slowed way down on my blog - once again - because I am also doing a women's Bible study. So since that has a deadline each week, it takes precedence.

This chapter is Paul's direction how to use the supernatural spiritual gifts, ie tongues, prophecy and healings. I agree with the commentator of my Bible that these gifts are not available for us today. Back in the day they were needed to spread the Gospel - people needed to understand in their own language and the apostles did not know those languages. Prophecy and healings were to prove to the people that the apostle were who they say they were.

"Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?" v. 23

My experience with modern day charismatic churches, is that if you sit through their worship time it sounds chaotic and scary when everyone starts speaking in tongues. I'm assuming if you are an unbeliever you would leave, running. When the real gift was used in Acts 2, there was no madness, and everyone understood in his own language. In Corinth, there was already charismatic chaos!

I've had a bad experience with the whole "words of prophecy" thing in these same churches. Someone stands up and gives a word of help - or whatever - for someone sitting in the congregation. Presumably that word is directly from God. When I was was going through an extremely hard time, no one ever got up to give me a comforting word from God, and it made me feel worse. Like, why doesn't God want to speak a comforting word to me?

"The church at worship before God should reflect His character and nature because He is a God of peace and harmony, order and clarity, not strife and confusion." John MacArthur

There are a couple of places  in the Bible where it tells women to be "silent" in church, ie submissive. For us here in America in the 21st century, that seems silly. But I believe it should still be today.

"It is not coincidental that many modern churches that have tongues-speaking and claim gifts of healings and miracles also permit women to lead worship, preach, and teach. " J. MacArthur


"...God is not a God of confusion but of peace..." v. 32

1 Cor. 13

Probably the most know chapter of the Bible after Psalm 23?

I haven't "liked" this chapter since I was a teen because I've heard it so much. After studying it a bit last week I came to the realization, that more likely, I don't like to go to this chapter because it shows my inconsistencies and failures when it comes to love. I'm not always, patient and kind...I can be jealous and arrogant...I can definitely act unbecomingly and totally seek my own...I can be provoked and keep a grudge...sigh. Only with Christ can love be manifested perfectly.

"If I ...know all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing." v.2 Once again, wow, quite a statement...something to truly think about and ponder; how am I loving both my fellow man and God. How can I love more unselfishly?

1 Cor. 11

"Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ". v. 1

Wow, quite a statement by Paul. To be able to say that is something to strive for. Wow.

Most of the rest of the chapter is Paul giving instruction on Communion, on celebrating the Lord's supper. The Corinthian church had somehow dishonored and made a mockery of the remembrance. Before Christ,  - the first covenant - the Jews sacrificed animals, symbolizing their blood for the covering of sins. Christ is the second covenant and He has shed the blood for the covering of our sins. Communion should never be taken lightly.

"Do this in remembrance of Me."..."But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup."