Listening to the Word

Job 39-40; 1 Corinthians 13-14 “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy…But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort…he who prophesies edifies the church…if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?” 1 Corinthians 14:1, 3, 4, 8 The gift of prophesying requires great love for its healthy expression. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Prophecy is most often forth telling what the Spirit is saying to the Church and there is no one who loves the church more than Jesus; “For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus (Revelation 19:10)”. Are we clearly hearing Jesus speaking to us individually and as his Church? It is Jesus who is calling his Bride, the Church, to prepare her for his return. We are being called to spiritual healing, freedom, and deliverance so all that Jesus desires to do through us can be accomplished. When we feel ‘stuck,’ we...

Job 37-38; 1 Corinthians 12   “…those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.” 1 Corinthians 12:22-25 This teaching on the inter-dependence of the various parts of the body of Christ applies on both the local congregational level and the global body of Christ. We need each other! Our individual response to the gospel and our western fixation with individual rights and freedoms can predispose us to think we don’t need the other parts of the body of Christ. As long as we have a Bible and access to the internet, we can tune into our favorite podcast or preach...

Psalms 122; 1 Corinthians 9-11   “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks, or the church of God – even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; 11:1 This short text gives some very helpful principles of discipleship and leadership from Paul. 1) Do everything for the glory of God (beware of seeking your own glory). 2)   Consider and care for others above yourself (don’t cause others to stumble because of your spiritual freedoms). 3) Live on mission every day, wherever you are (working for the salvation of all). 4) The lives of spiritual leaders are worth following as they follow Christ.   Which of those principles particularly challenge us? Taken as a whole, they speak to servant-leadership in the way of Jesus, loving and ...

Job 35, 36; 1 Corinthians 7-8   “What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.” 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 Do we believe our time is short or long? Paul lived with a sense of urgency regarding both his life-calling and the return of Jesus Christ. Sickness, death, war, disasters, and numerous unplanned events can change our lives. We don’t know how long we have to serve the Lord. Living with purpose and even prophetic urgency, changes how we view life, possessions, and plans. We are invited to let go of that which is temporal and invest our time, our resources, and our best in what is eternal. Are we living this way? “Lord Jesus, I give you my time, resources, and r...

Job 34; 1 Corinthians 4-6   “…Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 When we are living in sin, we cannot be pleasing the Spirit of God. It is the Spirit of God that is at work in washing, sanctifying, and justifying us before God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are unable to clean ourselves up without the work of the Holy Spirit in us. Addictions pull us back into destructive habits and drive us to do and think things we feel powerless to stop. We require a greater power to break the power of sin in our lives! We have been given authority in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God, to resist sin, tempta...

Job 33; 1 Corinthians 1-3 “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength…None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” 1 Corinthians 1:25; 2:8 Satan and his kingdom do not understand the cross and the willing surrender of our lives for love. The rulers of this age similarly exercise their power and authority and try to hide their weaknesses. To daily ‘take up our cross’ and follow Christ, requires that we daily testify to our weakness, vulnerability, and death-to-self, for the sake of following and knowing Christ. This is foolish, not just to the world, but to most Christians! Satan would not have motivated the betrayal and death of Jesus had he known what the death and resurrection of Christ would accomplish. Similarly, we must receive the Holy Spirit to receive the wisdom of daily humbling ourselves before God and others for the sake of God’s grace and g...