May 18, 2009 2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Hello hello!!!
Here I catch myself apologizing again for not continuuing to do my blogs...I'm sorry!!!
I hope all of you have started out a great summer! It's already been 1 full week!!!! Ahhhh!!!
I have already started working, since last Wednesday...booooooooooo. Anyways, today's blog is on 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, about Sowing Generously!

Sowing Generously~2 Corinthians 9:6-15
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written, "He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given to you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

So...yet another passage on joyful giving! haha!!!
Paul starts out this passage by giving an analogy to a farmer and his crops. Sowing and Reaping...if we are stingy in giving, then we will receive just as much as we gave, but if we're generous in giving, we will generously receive. Another point is to give generously, not under compulsion, but with a giving heart. Giving generously not only glorifies God, but also benefits us. We are able to share God's resources generously, we are able to be blessed by God, although it may not be materialistic things that we are given in return for our generosity, somehow we will receive an abundance of blessings from God. Paul also mentions that the more we give, the more God is able to reach us and bless us. The more stingy and selfish (Scrooge-like) we get, the less room for God to reach out to us, because we are less open to God. Furthermore, we can be more God-dependent instead of on ourselves, being self-sufficient. That is spiritually enriching. Finally, the end of the passage states, "Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!" That verse literally sums up the entire passage. God has already set the example of generously giving. And we need to take after His character of giving...we pray to become more and more like Jesus, like God. That means we need to follow after his characters, one being, a heart of giving. It's never too late, Scrooge was always a stingy, selfish, closed-in kinda guy, but he became a new person...he was able to see things through new eyes because he had a new heart. He started giving, and through that he warmed up, he was joyful, he was hopeful! We need to learn to give away ourselves and our resources for the joy/sake of others and to further the Kingdom of God!

May 5, 2009 Matthew 9:35-38

Missions! Go! Look!! Be Moved! Pray!
Jesus traveled through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News about the kingdom, and healing all kinds of diseases and sicknesses. When he saw the crowds, he felt sorry for them because they were hurting and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus said to his followers, "There are many people to harvest, but only a few workers to help harvest them. Pray to the Lord, who owns the harvest, that he will send more workers to gather his harvest." ~Matthew 9:35-38~

This passage was ironic to me because I am actually going on missions for the first time this summer. So basically what this passage is talking about is Jesus, the missionary.

The first step to missions is: going! Verse 35 shows that Jesus went. No questions asked, He just went; Jesus never asks us to do anything that He hasn't already done. He only leads by example, so that should make it easier for us to just follow in His footsteps. Not only did Jesus go around and evangelize, he did missions! There is a difference between missions and evangelizing. Evangelizing is reaching out to the people who don't believe in Jesus. Missions, on the other hand, is reaching out to the people who do not know that Jesus exsits. Jesus did everything while on missions: teaching, preaching, healing, and ministering. We should be able to do those things also.

Verse 36 shows Jesus' heart as He goes on missions. Not only do we need to physically go, we need to have the heart to go, otherwise it's pointless. The NIV translation of verse 36 states, "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd." Key part is that He had compassion...He saw, and He had compassion. To have compassion is to have your stomach tie into a knot. Either deep love or deep hate, in this case, deep love. Not only does this "Jesus say, He had compassion," come up in this verse, but it also shows up in four other passages throughout the bible. That shows how important it is. So at this point, we should ask ourselves, what makes our stomach tie into a knot?

Verse 37 talks about the harvest. "The harvest is plentiful," what does harvest symbolize? Harvest symbolizes us, believers. "The workers are few," what does workers symbolize? Workers symbolizes those believers called to missions. We're so privileged in the United States, that we sometimes forget how others may be suffering throughout the rest of the world. We're so privileged that we have so much harvest and we have plenty of workers just within the United States, but that's not where these workers are needed.

Finally verse 38 talks about prayer. Prayer to the one who owns all the harvest, God, to ask that He may send out more workers. Missions is hard work and it requires a lot. That is why we look to God for a calling to fulltime missions. Otherwise there are people who go on short summer missions and etc. Either way, we should pray, asking for God to send out His workers, and if that be us, that we may have that compassion and that heart. And although we may not be called out to missions, we still need to pray earnestly of those who have been called out. They don't receive enough recognition...we might not know them, we may never know them, but they're brothers and sisters doing God's work, just as we should be doing. Some are going through so much turmoil, there have been tragedies and devastations, but overall, our job is to further the Kingdom of God, no matter what it takes, and that's their mentalities. We need to always keep them in our prayers.

April 23, 2009 Psalm 95:6

"Christ alone is worthy of all our worship."
So yesterday was about prayer, today I would like to talk about worship.

Psalm 95:6 states, "Come, let's worship him and bow down. Let's kneel before the Lord who made us." This is also a verse in a song: "Come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our God, our Maker, For He is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, just the sheep of his hand, just the sheep of his hand."

Just like it says in the song and in the scripture, Jesus, Son of God, is worthy of all our praise/worship. Out of the abundance of our hearts, the mouth speaks, and what we say reveals what we are. A+B=C, our hearts reveal what we are. If we aren't praising/worshipping Him with all our hearts, then we are not being true to Him and to ourselves.

In John 12:1-6, Mary brings out very expensive perfume and washes Jesus' feet with that and her hair. That's how much she praised/worshipped Him. It's not wasting, it's worshipping. How much have we done? Because Jesus Christ is worthy of all our worship, true worship is costly worship. What is our worship costing us? We should be able to stand firm and say, "I will not offer to the Lord, that which costs me nothing." God gave us our lives and everything we have right now and in the future also. In return for that, what are we willing to give to Him?

April 22, 2009

Today, instead of doing it over a certain passage of the Bible, I just wanted to discuss a certain topic. PRAYER!!!

Reading the Bible is very important, but at the same time, praying is also equally important. Prayer is a time where we can really communicate with God. Although God knows everything, it's a time to really thank God, to ask for forgiveness and a change of heart, and to ask Him for the things we really need/seek. Of course we have short prayers before meals or before bed time or etc., but that's not what I want to focus on. I want to focus on a prayer-driven life.

A time of day where we put aside for just simply prayer. It's hard, but once we make a habit out of it, we won't be able to go about our days w/out doing it. That's how it should be. It should be so that we find a quiet place, alone, sit down and start praying, not knowing how much time has passed. For example: We can start out by praying about the broad topics: world, people we don't know, missionaries, and etc., anything outside the box, then move on to something a little more personal, for example: US, then home state, then Indiana, then campus, then college, then church...then move on to more personal topics: family, friends, brothers n sisters, then finally move on to praying about self. Then after that intimate time of prayer, we can sit there and reflect on our prayer topics, and really try to just listen! Meanwhile we could put some nice, calm music on also, so that it's not awkward. Of course this is just an example, not everyone goes about doing this, but it's one way to start!

Last Sunday, when I went back home, our youth jundosanim gave a sermon about prayer. That was his example of how he prays. He said that it was always hard for him to pray more than 10 minutes w/out thinking about how much time had passed. Then one day, he decided to make a prayer topic list and he did exactly what I said previously...after all that, when he looked at the time, it was already 2+ hours passed. He said that he felt amazing after all that prayer because he was so into it. Before I went into service, I was so tired, and didn't really care about anything that was going on...honestly I didn't really intend on paying so much attention to the sermon, especially because most of the time it's intended for way younger kids, but anyways...after he started talking about prayer, I started to listen and towards the end of it, I honestly felt guilty. I do my quiet times and blogs, but aside from short prayer there and prayer before meals, I rarely sit down and really pray for a longer period of time. After the sermon, I really felt convicted to make that time out of my day to do so.

I just wanted to share how important that was to me, and that I feel it should be as important to anyone else. Our jundosanim went over 2 topics: Prayer is not a "magic spell," and prayer is not a "spare tire." Prayer is not a "magic spell," means that just because we ask for things, doesn't mean that we get everything we want. Prayer is not a "spare tire," means that we shouldn't just go to prayer when in need of something, but we should constantly pray...as a matter of fact, prayer (God) should be our "steering wheel."

Lately there have been a lot of prayer requests and stuff so... That's all I wanted to share =)

May 4, 2009 2 Corinthians 8:1-15

I just want to start off by apologizing to all of you, for neglecting to do my blogs. I have no excuses for not doing them, no matter how busy I was. Thanks for bearing with me =).

Christian Giving ~2 Corinthians 8:1-15~

And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace God gave the churches in Macedonia. They have been tested by great troubles, and they are very poor. But they gave much because of their great joy. I can tell you that they gave as much as they were able and even more than they could afford. no one told them to do it. But they begged and pleaded with us to let them share in this service for God's people. And they gave in a way we did not expect: They first gave themselves tot he Lord and to us. This is what God wants. So we asked Titus to help youf inish this special work of grace since he is the one who started it. You are rich in everything--in faith, in speaking, in knowledge, in truly wanting to help, and in the love you learned from us. In the same way, be strong also in the grace of giving. I am not commanding you to give. But I want to see if your lvoe is true by comparing you with others that really want to help. You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. You know that Christ was rich, but for you he became poor so that by his becoming poor you might become rich. This is what I think you should do: Last year you were the first to want to give, and youw ere the first who gave. So no finish the work you started. Then your "doing" will be equal to your "wanting to do." Give from what you have. If you want to give, your gift will be accepted. It will be judged by what you have, not by what you do not have. We do not want you to have troubles while other people are at ease, but we want everything to be equal. At this time you have plenty. What you owe can help others who are in need. Then later, when they have plenty, they can help you when you are in need, and all will be equal. As it is written in the Scriptures, "The person who gathered more did not have too much, nor did the person who gathered less have too little."


So...after Joe's sermon last Sunday on Money isn't everything, comes my blog on financial giving to the church. Giving to the church is important, Paul says. First off, we give in response to God's grace. Through his grace and mercy, we have been saved, and we are able to build up those treasures in Heaven, not here on Earth. So what we have here on Earth, we should use to advance the cause of Christ. Giving should be an acknowledgement that we are God's stewards. Furthermore, Paul says that giving is an essential part of Christian spirituality, not just financial giving, but also giving our time, our energy, our hearts. And finally, Paul says that whether we are poor or rich, we can give. Just like the song, "rich or poor, God I want you more than anything that glitters in this world, be my all, my all consuming fire." Whether we are rich or poor, if we give with the right heart, the right attitude, that accounts for our giving. It's not the quantity, but the quality. Zaccheus did not understand this at first, but Mary did when she poured that expensive perfume on Jesus' feet and washed them with her hair. From a previous blog, I mentioned, "I will not offer to the Lord, that which costs me nothing."

April 20, 2009 2 Corinthians 7:2-16

Paul's Joy ~2 Corinthians 7:2-16~
Open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone, we have not ruined the faith of anyone, and we have not cheated anyone. I do not say this to blame you. I told you before that we love you so much we would live or die with you. I feel very sure of you and am very proud ofyou. You give me much comfort, and in all of our troubles I have great joy. When we came into Macedonia, we had no rest. We found trouble all around us. We had fighting on the oustide and fear on the inside. But God, who comforts those who are troubled, comforted us when Titus came. We were comforted, not only by his coming but also by the comfort you gave him. Titus told us about your wish to see me and that you are very sorry for what you did. He also told me about your great care for me, and when I heard this, I was much happier. Even if my letter made you sad, I am not sorry I wrote it. At first, I was sorry, because it made you sad, but you were sad only for a short time. Now I am happy, not becasue you were made sad, but because your sorrow made you change your lives. You became sad in the way God wanted you to, so you were not hurt by us in any way. The kind of sorrow God wants makes people change their hearts and lives. This leads to salvation, and you cannot be sorry for that. But the kind of sorrow the world has brings death. See what this sorrow--the sorrow God wanted you to have--has done to you: It has made you very serious. It made you want to restore yourselves. It made you angry and afraid. It made you want to see me. It made you care. It made you want to do the right thin. In every way you have regained your innocence. I wrote that letter, not because of the one who did the wrong or because of the person who was hurt. I wrote the letter so you could see, before God, the great care you have for us. That is why we were comforted. Not only were we very comforted, we were even happier to see that Titus was so happy. All of you made him feel much better. I bragged to Titus about you, and you showed that I was right. Everything we said to you was true, and you have proved that what we bragged about to Titus is true. And his love for you is stronger when he remembers that you were all ready to obey. You welcomed him with respect and fear. I am very happy that I can trust you fully.

So the basis of this passage is about how to repent. Paul is showing the Corinthians how to repent by stating those things that have previously happened between them. The first step in teaching repentance is a clear conscience. Second step is not to condemn but to affirm. Then finally, after he sees repentance, Paul encourages them.

When we do something to hurt another, when we break a law, when we sin, we are aware of what we did. This guilty conscience causes us to be angry/upset at ourselves. Then we feel sorry to God, so we pray about it, and claim that we are repenting, but it's not true repentance until there is a change in attitude and a change in behavior. Until we are able to truly feel freedom and relief, we have not repented.

Paul mentions worldy sorrow vs. Godly sorrow. What does that mean? When someone wrongs us, we feel hurt, we get angry/upset. It's natural, but who are we doing it for? Ourselves...this sensitivity is only a selfish action. So one day, a man decided to act upon these feelings...when someone hurt him, instead of getting mad, he looked back onto it, and decided to think that the other person didn't mean to say those things...this brought a sense of freedom/relief to him. He has realized the truth through Godly sorrow. Paul is saying that Godly sorrow acknowledges the truth, leads to a change in behavior, then leads to a sense of freedom and relief. On the other hand, wordly sorrow only leads to more worse circumstances...scripture says "death."

The work of God's spirit in these matters, through Godly sorrow, shall bring joy to you and to those around you.

April 17, 2009 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1

Warning About Non-Christians
You are not the same as those who do not believe. So do not join yourselves to them. Good and bad do not belong together. Light and darkness cannot share together. How can Christ and Belial, the devil, have any agreement? What can a believer have together with a non-believer? The temple of God cannot have any agreement with idols, and we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live with them and walk with them. And I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Leave those people, and be separate, says the Lord. Touch nothing that is unclean, and I will accept you." "I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." Dear friends, we have these promises from God, so we should make ourselves pure--free from anything that makes body or soul unclean. We should try to become holy in the way we live, because we respect God. ~2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1~

So at first, I was confused as to what this passage was stating. The NIV version of verse 14 says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers." What does that mean? In 1 Corinthians 5:9-10, Paul tells us that we must associate with those sinful people of the world, as long as they are not being fake. Now he's telling us to not be yoked with these people. What is he saying? Yoke is a term for the harness that animals wear to keep them together.

I believe what Paul is saying is that we must associate ourselves with the worldly people, but not yoke ourselves. There's a difference between associating and yoking. We should associate ourselves with the worldly people in order to keep them aware that we are believers, that there is a God. We need not to yoke ourselves with them so that we may not do what they do. By yoking ourselves to them, it may prevent us from being able to open up our hearts to God. We need to watch out what kind of fellowship we're having. We need to watch for relationships, dating, and marriage. Those are all things we need to consider when associating ourselves with those worldly people. But no matter what, we need not to be yoked together with those unbelievers. While we separate ourselves from those people, so that we may stay clean and safe, God will walk with them.

The question we need to ask ourselves is...looking back on our relationships, we need to ask if it's a healthy relationship, or if it's a hurtful relationship. Will the relationship with that person lead you closer to God or to fall further away from God?

April 14, 2009 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:13

Becoming Friends with God ~2 Corinthians 5:11-6:13~
Since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to help people accept the truth about us. God knows what we really are, and I hope that in your hearts you know, too. We are not trying to prove ourselves to you again, but we are telling you about ourselves so you will be proud of us. Then you will have an answer for those who are proud about thigns that can be seen rather than what is in the heart. If we are out of our minds, it is for God. If we have our right minds, it is for you. The love of Christ controls us, because we know that One died for all, so all have died. Christ died for all so that those who live would not continue to live for themselves. He died for them and was raised from the dead so that they would live for him. From this time on we do tno think of anyone as the world does. In the past we thought of Christ as the world thinks, but we no longer think of him in that way. If anyone belongs to Christ, there is a new creation. The old things have gone; everything is made new! All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between us and himself, and God gave us the work of telling everyone about the peace we can have with him. God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold the world guilty of its sins. And he gave us this message of peace. So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is as if God is calling to you through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could become right with God. We are workers together with God, so we beg you: Do not let the grace that you received from God be for nothing. God says, "At the right time I heard your prayers. On the day of salvation I helped you." I tell you that the "right time" is now, and the "day of salvation" is now. We do not want anyone to find fault with our work, so nothing we do will be a problem for anyone. But in every way we show we are servants of God: in accepting many hard things, in troubles, in difficulties, and in great problems. We are beaten and thrown into prison. We meet those who become upset with us and start riots. WE work hard, and sometimes we get no sleep or food. We show we are servants of God by our pure lives, our understanding, patience, and kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by true love, by speaking the truth, and by God's power. We use our right living to defend ourselves against everything. Some people honor us, but others blame us. Some people say evil things about us, but others say good things. Some people say we are liars, but we speak the truth. We are not known, but we are well known. We seem to be dying, but we continue to live. We are punished, but we are not killed. We have much sadness, but we are always rejoicing. We are poor, but we are making many people rich in faith. We have nothing, but really we have everything. We have spoken freely to you in Corinth and have opened our hearts to you. Our feelings of love for you have not stopped, but you have stopped your feelings of love for us. I speak to you as if you were my children. Do to us as we have done--open your hearts to us.

Paul is saying that the new covenant gospel ministry is about reconciliation. Paul tells the Corinthians that he has always been true when talking to them. Paul was able to tell the Corinthians about God, and through that, the Corinthians have accepted God. Paul has opened his heart to the Corinthians, and showed his affections, all he wants back is that they open their hearts and show affection to him. Just like Paul, we all are ambassadors for Christ. We need to open our hearts and show our affection.

April 13, 2009 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

Living By Faith ~2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10~
So we do not give up. Our physical body is becoming older and weaker, but our spirit inside us is made new every day. We have small troubles for a while now, but they are helping us gain an eternal glory that is much greater than the troubles. We set our eyes not on what we see but on what we cannot see. What we see will last only a short time, but what we cannot see will last forever. We know that our body--the tent we live in here on earth--will be destroyed. But when that happens, God will have a house for us. It will not be a house made by human hands; instead, it will be a home in heaven that will last forever. But now we groan in this tent. We want God to give us our heavenly home, because it will clothe us so we will not be naked. While we live in this body, we have burdens, and we groan. We do not want to be naked, but we want to be clothed with our heavenly home. Then this body that dies will be fully covered with life. This is what God made us for, and he has given us the Spirit to be a guarantee for this new life. So we always have courage. We know that while we live in this body, we are away from the Lord. We live by what we believe, not by what we can see. So I say that we have courage. We really want to be away from this body and be at home with the Lord. Our only goal is to please God whether we live here or there, because we must all stand before Christ to be judged. Each of us will receive what we should get--good or bad--for the things we did in the earthly body.

Living by faith is hard, but that's what we need to do. Honestly, we can't physically see/hear/touch God as we can with those things of this world, but He expects us to believe. Although our physical bodies might be tired, drained, exhausted, and etc., our hearts, our spiritual bodies are being renewed, being recharged. That is because we are not fixing our eyes on the temporary things of this Earth, but on what's to come, eternal glory! We need to be building up treasures in Heaven. Looking forward at what's to come, to serve Him in His Kingdom.

Overall, what Paul is trying to say is that we need not to lose heart!!! No matter how hard it is here on Earth, on matter how burdened, troubled, drained, exhausted, turmoiled, and etc. we are, we need to believe. We need to have that courage and joy, because we have God. So while on Earth, do whatever to please God, and then once we get there, we can please God again!

April 12, 2009 2 Corinthians 4:7-15

Spiritual Treasure in Clay Jars
We have this treasure from God, but we are like clay jars that hold the treausre. This shows that the great power is from God, not from us. We have troubles all around us, but we are not defeated. We do not know what to do, but we do not give up the hope of living. We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed. We carry the death of Jesus in our own bodies so that the life of Jesus can also be seen in our bodies. We are alive, but for Jesus we are always in danger of death so that the life of Jesus can be seen in our bodies that die. So death is working in us, but life is working in you. It is written in the Scriptures, "I believed, so I spoke." Our faith is like this, too. We believe, and so we speak. God raised the Lord Jesus from the dead, and we know that God will also raise us with Jesus. God will bring us together with you, and we will stand before him. All these things are for you. And so the grace of God that is being given to more and more people will bring increasing thanks to God for his glory. ~2 Corinthians 4:7-15~

A part of this passage reminded me of the song, "Trading My Sorrows." Part of the lyrics is from this passage: "I am pressed, but not crushed persecuted, but not abandoned struck down, but not destroyed I am blessed beyond the curse, for His promise will endure and His joy will be my strength." That is who we are in God. We are pressured from all around...here and there...yet, we are not crushed by all these concerns/burdens and pressures weighing us down. We are persecuted so many times, by the world, by non-christians, but never are we abandoned by God...we should never feel abandoned. We are struck down for who we are, but never destroyed.

What else are we? We are like a clay jar. Clay jars were used back then to contain anything: flour, water, milk, sugar, salt, and etc. Just like that, we are clay jars that contain something...what? The treasure...the light of the knowledge of the glory of God and of Christ.
By being the container of the treasure and not the treasure itself, we know that everything comes from God, done by the power of God. With that treasure within us, we need to display it right. We need to share it with others, spread it...become messengers.

BTW, I have a prayer request...I'm praying about going on missions this summer to Lima, Peru, and I really, really want to go, but my parents are hesitant to send me. They themselves have never thought about going on missions or sending me nor my brother on missions, so when I told them, it took them by surprise. My mom is also a bit hesitant because if I were to go, I wouldn't be going with my church, but with another church, so she's worried. My parents are praying about it, I'm praying about it, my aunt and uncle are praying about it...I really need your guys' prayer too! Please! Thank you!

April 9, 2009 2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Preaching the Good News
God, with his mercy, gave us this work to do, so we don't give up. But we have turned away from secret and shameful ways. We use no trickery, and we do not change the teaching of God. We teach the truth plainly, showing everyone who we are. Then they can know in their hearts what kind of people we are in God's sight. If the Good News that we preach is hidden, it is hidden only to those who are lost. The devil who rules this world has blinded the minds of those who do not believe. They cannot see the light of the Good News--the Good News about the glory of Christ, who is exactly like God. We do not preach about ourselves, but we preach that Jesus Christ is the Lord and that we are your servants for Jesus. God once said, "Let the light shine out of the darkness!" This is the same God who made his light shine in our hearts by letting us know the glory of God that is in the face of Christ. ~2 Corinthians 4:1-6~

To continue with the message of being messengers of God, Paul is talking about what we preach. When we go about telling the gospel, we need not to hide it, we need not to cover it up...it just needs to be told as it is. No sugar coating, nothing! Paul says that many Christians get discouraged...want to stop/leave/hide...they want to quit! Then he says that this doesn't happen to him, because he only goes by the truth. Many spiritual leaders want to sugar coat things, want to bribe people to come to church...they make church/God seem fun, exciting, and etc., but that's not how it should be taught/told. Eventually, you run out of ideas to keep it fun/exciting...the focus is not God, but how amusing it is...then that wears people down...tears away the desire to go/learn...discouragement! That's where it comes from!

I remember the beginning of last semester...I heard people talk about how they can get people to come to Cornerstone, or how they can get people to stay...how they can get people to come to bible study by making fun activities, or candy or cookies or etc. According to Paul...and the Bible...those are not the things we should be doing with the intent of bribing people to come/stay. It should be solely the Bible, the message, God, that makes us wanna come and wanna keep coming!

Continuuing with the passage...Paul says that people fall away not because they don't believe and that causes the devil to prey on them, but because the devil causes evil in one's heart, that causes that person to stop believing. Furthermore, when we preach/tell the Good News, we need not to sell ourselves, but to preach about God. The one who created all things, the one who said, "Let there be light."

April 8, 2009 2 Corinthians 3

Servants of the New Agreement
Are we starting to brag about ourselves again? Do we need letters of introduction to you or from you, like some other people? You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. You show that you are a letter from Christ sent through us. This letter is not written with ink but with the Spirit of the living God. It is not written on stone tablets but on human hearts. We can say this, because through Christ we feel certain before God. We are not saying that we can do this work ourselves. It is God who makes us able to do all that we do. He made us able to be servants of a new agreement from himself to his people. This new agreement is not a written law, but it is of the Spirit. The written law brings death, but the Spirit gives life. The law that brought death was written in words on stone. It came with God's glory, which made Moses' face so bright that the Israelistes could not continue to look at it. But that glory later disappeared. So surely the new way that brings the Spirit has even more glory. If the law that judged people guilty of sin had glory, surely the new way that makes people right with God has much greater glolry. That old law had glory, but it really loses its glory when it is compared to the much greater glory of this new way. If that law which disappeared came with glory, then this new way which continues forever has much greater glory. We have this hope, so we are very bold. We are not like Moses, who put a covering over his face so the Israelites would not see it. The glory was disappearing, and Moses did not want them to see it end. But their minds were closed, adn even today that same covering hides the meaning when they read the old agreement. That covering is taken away only through Christ. Even today, when they read the law of Moses, there is a covering over their minds. But when a person changes and follows the Lord, that covering is taken away. The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Our faces, then, are not covered. We all show the Lord's glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings ever greater glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. `2 Corinthians 3~

This passage is exploring the old covenant versus the new covenant. There is a comparison of the old covenant which brought "death," and the new covenant which brought "life of the Spirit." The old covenant was the ministry of condemnation, but the new covenant is the ministry of righteousness. In the old covenant, the people who sinned, were brought down by their sin, they knew of their guiltiness. Then by the new covenant, they were able to repent and be resurrected.

Although the old covenant and the laws were given to Moses, who saw the glory fade eventually and didn't want to show it, the new covenant is different. For it is unveiled, so that any willing person may see it. The Lord is the Spirit, and wherever that Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Moses was only able to unveil in front of God, but we should be able to do it anywhere because God is everywhere. The purpose of the new covenant is to change us, to be more and more like Him, in His glory. Through the new covenant we are given the Spirit of the Lord, and only by the Spirit of the Lord are we able to transform and change to be more and more like Him.

April 7, 2009 2 Corinthians 2:14-17

Victory Through Christ
But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's victory parade. God uses us to spread his knowledge everywhere like a sweet-smelling perfume. Our offering to God is this: We are the sweet smell of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. To those who are lost, we are the smell of death that brings death, but to those who are being saved, we are the smell of life that brings life. So who is able to do this work? We do not sell the word of God for a profit as many other people do. But in Christ we speak the truth before God, as messengers of God. ~2 Corinthians 2:14-17~

Last Friday, our small group bible study was about accountability to God...our purpose here on Earth. That is to build up treasures in Heaven, by spreading the gospel/message. As smell/scent spreads very rapidly and effects people, whether it be a delightful scent or a disastrous scent. For example, the smell of cookies or coffee or roses is delightful to the nose, but the smell of skunk or garbage or garlic/onion is pretty bad. Just like that, we are the smell of Christ. We need to spread rapidly and as we spread, we are the like the delightful smell to those who are willing to learn about Christ, who accept Him, and to those who aren't willing, we are like the bad/unwanted smell. We do not spread the gospel/message for a profit, or for something in return on Earth. We only speak the truth, as it's our duty here on Earth!

April 6, 2009 2 Corinthians 2:5-11

Forgive the Sinner
Someone there among you has caused sadness, not to me, but to all of you. I mean he caused sadness to all in some way. (I do not want to make it sound worse than it really is.) The punishment that most of you gave him is enough for him. But now you should forgive him and comfort him to keep him from having too much sadness and giving up completely. So I beg you to show that you love him. I wrote you to test you and to see if you obey in everything. If you forgive someone, I also forgive him. And what I have forgiven--if I had anything to forgive--I forgave it for you, as if Christ were with me. I did this so that Satan would not win anything from us, because we know very well what Satan's plans are. ~2 Corinthians 2:5-22~

Coming from the previous passage about God focused relationships, another important thing is forgiving. This passage is about forgiveness. I honestly think I am pretty good with forgiving because I just forget about it. I don't hold grudges...if I have a problem, I deal with it right then and there. Cornerstone doesn't really seem to have a problem either. Although the past Sunday, there were a little "shouting across the gym" action among two people, but I'm sure they'll make it up! Unlike us, the Corinthians must have had some problems with forgiving.

In this passage, Paul is teaching the Corinthians about forgiveness. It's not like they don't know what it is, it's just that they didn't practice it very well. Paul brings up an example of how he forgives them, just like all of us have been forgiven and are continued to be forgiven by our Merciful God.

It's ironic that this passage comes up and it's almost Easter Sunday. What is the whole point of Easter? Jesus, the One and Only Son of God, was sent down to Earth to live a short, but meaningful life on Earth as a human being, among other sinners. Then He was sentenced to carry His cross with all the sins of every single being, and with that He was crucified, washing away all our sins. This happened on Good Friday, then on Easter Jesus rose from the dead!!! Amazing!!! Beautiful!!! Awesome!!! That's the meaning of forgiveness. Not just accepting an apology, but really forgiving. We need to follow the example. Besides, Paul says that if we don't forgive, we're letting Satan win.

March 26, 2009 2 Corinthians 1:12-2:4

The Change in Paul's Plans
This is what we are proud of, and I can say it with a clear conscience: In everything we hav edone inthe world, and especially with you, we have had an honest and sincere heart from God. We did this by God's grace, not by the kind of wisdom the world has. We write to you only what you can read and understand. And I hope that as you have understood some things about us, you may come to know everything about us. Then you can be proud of us, as we will b eproud of you on the day our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. I was so sure of all this that I made plans to visit you first so you could be blessed twice. I planned to visit you on my way to Macedonia and again on my way back. I wanted to get help from you for my trip to Judea. Do you think that I made these plans without really meaning it? Or maybe you think I make plans as the world does, so that I say yes, yes and at the same time no, no. But since you can believe God, you can believe that what we tell you is never both yes and no. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, that Silas and Timothy and I preacehd to you, was not yes and no. In Christ it has always been yes. The yes to all of God's promises is in Christ, and through Christ we say yes to the glory of God. Remember, God is the One who makes you and us strong in Christ, God made us his chosen people. He put his mark on us to show that we are his, and he put his Spirit in our hearts to be a guarantee for all he has promised. I tell you this, and I ask God to be my witness that is true: The reasons I did not come back to Corinth was to keep you from being punished or hurt. We are not trying to control your faith. You are strong in faith. But we are workers with you for your own joy. So I decided that my next visit to you would not be another one to make you sad. If I make you sad, who will make me glad? Only you can make me glad--particularly the person whom I made sad. I wrote you a letter for this reason: that when I came to you I would not be made sad by the people who should make me happy. I felt sure of all of you, that you would share my joy. When I wrote to you before, I was very troubled and unhappy in my heart, and I wrote with many tears. I did not write to make you sad, but to let you know how much I love you. ~2 Corinthians 1:12-24~

The lesson from this passage is to trust in God's promises. There was a misunderstanding of Paul's visit to Corinth, and unfortunately, all his plans failed and he had to visit the Corinthians to take care of some matter. Meanwhile, a group of false teachers try to accuse Paul of doing wrong. They make stuff up and tell the Corinthians about them, then Paul has to respond to those accusations to prove himself innocent. In all this, the Corinthians still aren't spiritually mature enough to rely on solely God, so they struggle. Paul had mentioned earlier in 1 Corinthians, that he and Apollos are just human beings, being used by God, but the true leader is God, and that's who we all should rely on.

We need to not rely on our own feelings, on our wisdom, on other people, on other people's opinions, and etc. We need to just rely on God, and his promises...this is one of the most important ways to spiritual growth. We tend to rely on each other a lot...then when that other person lets us down, we get so disappointed that we throw away that relationship. For example in romantic relationships, and also with our spiritual leaders. We need to build our lives on the perfect relationship with Jesus Christ. Only He can meet our deepest needs, and therefore we can form perfect relationships with others who have the same base/foundation in their lives.

March 23, 2009 2 Corinthians 1:2-11

Paul Gives Thanks to God

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us. We share in the many sufferings of Christ. In the same way, much comfort comes to us through Christ. If we have troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation, and if we have comfort, you also have comfort. This helps you to accept patiently the same sufferings we have. Our hope for you is strong, knowing that you share in our sufferings and also in the comfort we receive. Brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the troubles we suffered in Asia. We had great burdens there that were beyond our own strength. WE even gave up hope of living. Truly, in our own hearts we believed we would die. But this happened so we would not trust in ourselves but in God, who raises people from the dead. God saved us from these great dangers of death, and he will continue to save us. We have pur our hope in him, and he will save us again. And you can help us with your prayers. Then many people will give thanks for us--that God blessed us because of their many prayers. ~2 Corinthians 1:3-11~



In this passage, Paul is acknowledging God for who He is. He starts off by praising God. Then he goes on to acknowledging the things God has done for him and the Corinthians. Furthermore, he goes on to telling the Corinthians about their sufferings and how, although they were suffering and gave up everything, God took that opportunity to show them that He is always with them, no matter what. That we need to trust not in our own understandings, but in Him. This passage is a simple passage of praise and gratitude towards God. But I believe it is a really important passage. Throughout our lives, we take many things for granted, we rely on ourselves, trusting in our own understanding...we forget to lean on God at times...we forget to thank Him and praise Him...and etc. We should always remember that God is with us no matter what. We need to constantly thank Him, and constantly praise Him in everything we do. We also need to learn to lean on Him, to trust in Him. And finally, we need to pray about these things, and have hope/faith in God.

March 11, 2009 1 Corinthians 16:13-24

Paul Ends His Letter ~1 Corinthians 16:13-24~

Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong. Do everything in love. You know that the family of Stephanas were the first believers in Soutehrn Greece and theat they have given themselves to the service of God's people. I ask you, brothers and sisters, to follow the leading of people like these and anyone else who works and serves with them. I am happy that Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achiacus have come. You are not here, but they have filled your place. They have refreshed my spirit and yours. You should recognize the value of people like tehse. The churches in Asia send greeting to you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you in the Lord, as does the church that meets in their house. All the brothers and sisters here send greetings. Give each other a holy kiss when you meet. I, Paul, am writing his greeting with my own hand. If anyone does not love the Lord, let him be separated from God--lost forever! Come, O Lord! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love be with all of you in Christ Jesus.



This passage is of Paul saying his farewells to the Corinthian Church. It consists of a brief summary of all that happened throughout 1 Corinthians, words of encouragement, and also final farewells. Paul directs them to, "Be alert. Continue strong in the faith. Have courage, and be strong. Do everything in love." Those are all the points we covered in this book, that the Corinthian church lacked. He also encourages them to follow faithful leaders and to show love to newcomers, to be welcoming. Finally, he ends with reminding them of God's love and of God's grace. God loves us and he gives us grace, for this, we need to love him with all that we can. Just as Paul loved the Corinthian church.

March 10, 2009 1 Corinthians 16:5-12

Paul's Plans ~1 Corinthians 16:5-12~

I plan to go through Macedonia, so I will come to you after I go through there. Perhaps I will stay with you for a time or even all winter. Then you can help me on my trip, wherever I go. I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to stay a longer time with you if the Lord allows it. But I will stay at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a good opportunity for a great and growing work has been given to me now. And there are many people working against me. If Timothy comes to you, see to it that he has nothing to fear with you, because he is working for the Lord just as I am. So none of you should treat Timothy as unimportant, but help him on his trip in peace so that he can come back to me. I am expecting him to come with the brothers. Now about our brother Appolos: I strongly encouraged him to visit you with the other brothers. He did not at all want to come now; he will come when he has the opportunity.



In this passage, Paul explains his plan for his life. Even though he leaves, he wants the Corinthians Christians to continue to live for God. Three points: 1 make plans to live for God; 2 God's will may involve opposition; and 3 one person's desire is not necessarily God's will for you. He shares with them that they should take advantage of opportunities, in this case, ministry.

March 9, 2009 1 Corinthians 16:1-4

The Gift for Other Believers ~1 Corinthians 16:1-4~

Now I will write about the collection of money for God's people. Do the same thing I told the Galatian churches to do: On the first day of every week, each one of you should put aside money as you have been blessed. Save it up so you will not have to collect money after I come. When I arrive, I will send whomever you approve to take your gift to Jerusalem. I will send them with letters of introduction, and if it seems good for me to go also, they will go along with me.



In this passage, Paul instructs the Corinthians Church to do the same thing as the Galatian churches. This is to save up little bit of money each week in order to send them to other believers elsewhere. Overall what does this account to? Christian giving, all by the grace of God! The point is not to be like the Galatian churches, but to learn to give generously through the grace of God. And through that, the people receiving will also receive a message by the actions of those who give.

March 8, 2009 1 Corinthians 15:35-58

What Kind of Body Will We Have? ~1 Corinthians 15:35-58~
But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised? What kind of body will they have?" Folish person! When you sow a seed, it must die in the ground before it can live and grow. And when you sow it, it does not have the same "body" it will have later. What you sow is only a bare seed, maybe wheat or something else. But God gives it a body that he has planned for it, and God gives each kind of seed its own body. All things made of flesh are not the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds have another, and fish have another. Also there are havenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the beauty of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the beauty of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of beauty, the moon has another beauty, and the stars have another. And each star is different in its beauty. It is teh same with the dead who are raised to life. The body that is "planted" will ruin and decay, but it is raised to a life that cannot be destroyed. When the body is "planted," it is without honor, but it is raised in glory. When the body is "planted," it is weak, but when it is raised, it is powerful. The body that is "planted" is a physical body. When it is raised, it is a spiritual body. There is a physical body, and there is also a spiritual body. It is written in the Scriptures: "The first man, Adam, became a living person." But the last Adam became a spirit that gives life. The spiritual did not come first, but the physical and then the spiritual. The first man came from the dust of the earth. The second man came from heaven. People who belong to the earth are like the first man of earth. But those people who belong to heaven are like the man of heaven. Just as we were made like the man of earth, so we will also be made like the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood cannot have a part in the kingdom of God. Something that will ruin cannot have a part in something that never ruins. But look! I tell you this secret: We will not all sleep in death, but we will all be changed. It will take only a second--as quickly as an eye blinks--when the last trumpet sounds. The trumpet will sound, and those who have died will be raised to live forever, and we will all be changed. This body that can be destroyed must clothe itself with something that can never be destroyed. And this body that dies must clothe itself with something that can never die. So this body that can be destroyed will clothe itself with that which can never be destroyed, and this body that dies will clothe itself with that which can never die. When this happens, this Scripture will be made true: "Death is destroyed forever in victory." "Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your pain?" Death's power to hurt is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But we thank God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Do not let anything move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.

In this passage, Paul illustrates resurrection for the Corinthian Church. He uses an analogy for our bodies to seeds. Just as seeds are buried into the ground in the form of a simple seed and comes out of the ground (grows) into a healthy plant, totally different from the original seed, our bodies do the same thing. We are buried underground when we die, then something rises...not our physical bodies...we don't go walking around like zombies...but our spiritual bodies rise. Paul also mentions that Heaven does not allow flesh and blood to enter...those things are perishable, but because Heaven and all things in it are everlasting, the physical body cannot rise.

Another point that Paul comes across is that there will be a generation in the future, that will not have to experience physical death in order to exist eternally. That is the day the Lord comes back. We can only exist eternally because Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour, has passed away for our transgressions and by this, He was the first man to die and rise. Following His example, as long as we have been saved...have stepped into salvation, we will also be able to do the same.

March 7, 2009 1 Corinthians 15:12-34

The Resurrection of the Dead ~1 Corinthians 15:12-34~
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all. Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

In this passage, Paul is discussing the resurrection of the body after death. The Corinthian Chrisitans did not believe in the body resurrecting. They thought of the after-life as only a soul thing, but Paul was explaining the truth. It is said, if our body is not raised, then Christ is not raised. If Christ is not rasied, preaching is useless. If our faith is futile, we are to be pitied more than all men.

Christ is the forerunner of all resurrections. He is the one and only that was raised from the dead, and never died again. Every single day, we go through turmoil as Christians. Although we may not receive physical hostility, especially here in the states, it's still hard for us to speak to non-Christians. Many people are still hesitant to listen to the words, or to open up their hearts to take in anything. But still, we should try and try and try.

March 6, 2009 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

The Good News About Christ ~1 Corinthians 15:1-11~
Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to remember the Good News I brought to you. You received this Good News and continue strong in it. And you are being saved by it if you continue believing what I told you. If you do not, then you believed for nothing. I passed on to you what I received, of which this was most important: that Christ died for our sins, as the Scriptures say; that he was buried and was raised to life on the third day as the Scriptures say; and that he was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles. After that, Jesus was seen by more than five hundred of the believers at the same time. Most of them are still living today, but some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all he was seen by me--as by a person not born at the normal time. All the other apostles are greater than I am. I am not even good enough to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But God's grace has made me what I am, and his grace to me was not wasted. I worked harder than all the other apostles. (But it was not I really; it was God's grace that was with me.) So if I preached to you or the other apostles preached to you, we all preach the same thing, and this is what you believed.

In this passage, Paul is re-examining Christ's resurrection and the gospel. Paul is talking to the Corinthian Church, telling them to remember, to never forget, the good news that he brought to them. The good news about Christ dying for our sins, for being buried and raised to life on the third day, and also being seen by his disciples after his resurrection, then by more than five hundred believers. Finally, he says that he was able to see Christ, although he is so unworthy.

This is where Paul brings up God's grace...that he was only able to see Christ through God's grace. That through this grace, he was able to work harder, not by his own might, but by God's. He's telling the Corinthian Church that they are in the same situation. That not only should you believe the good news about Christ, but through that belief, you will receive salvation and grace. And through those we are able to do God's will, sharing, spreading the wonderful messages of God, the gospel.

March 5, 2009 1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Meetings Should Help the Church ~1 Corinthians 14:26-40~
So, brothers and sisters, what should you do? When you meet together, one person has a song, and another has a teaching. Another has a new truth from God. Another speaks in a different langauge, and another person interprets that language. The purpose of all these things should be to help the church grow strong. When you meet together, if anyone speaks in a different language, it should be only two, or not more than three, who speak. They should speak one after the other, and someone should interpret. But if there is no interpreter, then those who speak in a different language should be quiet in the church meeting. They should speak only to themselves and to God. Only two or three prophets should speak, and the others should judge what they say. If a message from God comes to another person who is sitting, the first speaker should stop. You can all prophesy one after the other. In this way all the people can be taught and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are under the control of the prophets themselves. God is not a God of confusion but a God of peace. As is true in all churches of God's people, women should keep quiet in the church meetings. They are not allowed to speak, but they must yield to this rule as the law says. If they want to learn something, they should ask their own husbands at home. It is shameful for a woman to speak in the church meeting. Did God's teaching come from you? Or are you the only ones to whom it has come? Those who think they are prophets or spiritual persons should understand that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. Those who ignore this will be ignored by God. So my brothers and sisters, you should truly want to prophesy. But do not stop people from using the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages. But let everything be done in a right and orderly way.

When is a church a really a church? Is it only on Fridays and Sundays when we just gather? Then how many people make a church? Two? Three? Ten? Fifty? Hundreds? Thousands?
When we gather, what do we do? We teach, learn, minister, share, use our spiritual gifts for each other, and etc.

Paul's saying that when we Christians meet as a church, we need to meet as a body. We are all parts of a body, and the spiritual gifts that we have received are the different functions of the parts of the body...herego, we need to work with each other to properly function as a whole! Like scripture says, "When you meet together, one person has a song, and another has a teaching. Another has a new truth from God. Another speaks in a different langauge, and another person interprets that language." We should have a purpose for gathering, and that purpose should be to help the church grow.

March 4, 2009 1 Corinthians 14:1-25

Desire Spiritual Gifts ~1 Corinthians 14:1-25~
You should seek after love, andyou should truly want to have the spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. I will explain why. Those who have the gift of pseaking in different languages are not speaking to people;they are speaking to God. No one understands them; they are speaking secret things through the Spirit. But those who prophesy are speaking to people to give them strenght, encouragement, and comfort. The ones who speak in different languages are helping only themselves, but those who prophesy are helping the whole church. I wish all of you had the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages, but more, I wish you would prophesy. Those who prophesy are greater than those who can only speak in different languages--unless someone is there who can explain what is said so that the whole church can be helped. Brothers and sister, will it help you if I come to you speaking in different languages? No! It will help you only if I bring you a new truth or some new knowledge, or prophecy, or teaching. It is the same as with lifeless things that make sounds--like a flute or a harp. If they do not make clear musical notes, you will not know what is being played. And in a war, if the trumpet does not give a clear sound, who will prepare for battle? It is the same with you. Unless you speak clearly with your tongue, no one can understand what you are saying. You will be talking into the air! IT may be true that there are all kinds of sounds int eh world, and none is without meaning. But unless I understand the meaning of what someone says to me, we will be like foreigners to each other. It is the same with you. Since you want spiritual gifts very much, seek most of all to have the gifts that help the church grow stronger. The one who has the gift of speaking in a different language should pray for the gift to interpret what is spoken. If I pray in a different lanugage, my spirit is praying, but my mind does nothing. So what should I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind. I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. IF you praise God with your spirit, thsoe persons there without understanding cannot say amen to your prayer of thanks, because they do not know what you are saying. You may be thanking God in a good way, but the other person is not helped. I thank God that I speak in different kinds of languages more than all of you. But in the church meetings I would rather speak five words I understand in order to teach others than thousands of words in a different language. Brothers and sisters, do not think like children. In eveil things be like babies, but in your thinking you should be like adults. It is written in Scriptures: "With people who use strange words and foreign languages I will speak to these people. But even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord. So the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages is a sign for those who do not believe, not for those who do believe. And prophecy is for people who believe, not for those who do not believe. Suppose the whole church meets together and everyone speaks in different languages. If some people come in who do not understand or do not believe, they will say you are crazy. But suppose everyone is prophyesying and some people come in who do not believe or do not understand. If everyone is prophesying, their sin will be shown to them, and they will be judged by all that they hear. The secret things in their hears will be made known. So they will bow down and worship God saying, "Truly, God is with you."

Different lanuages...in this chapter, different languages stands for speaking in tongue. When people speak in tongues, different people do it in different ways. Some people may truly speak another existing language that they may never have learned, and other people speak in the typical tongue. Most of the time, the surrounding people do not understand what these people may be saying, although there are some of those who have been given the gift of understanding and translating tongue.

The Corinthian Church had a problem with speaking in tongues, not that they couldn't do it, but that they abused it. They spoke in tongues to bring praise to themselves, they did it without meaning. When speaking in tongues, you're praying with your spirit, but you also need to pray with your mind, which they did not do. Paul says that we shouldn't be seeking speaking in tongues, but we should be seeking prophesying. Speaking in tongue is a very selfish things, because most of the people around you won't understand what you are saying, but when prophesying, everyone around you can be affected. Verse 1 says, "You should seek after love, and you should truly want to have the spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy." Once again, love is mentioned...that love is supposed to be for the benefit of others, to show that we care about each other. Taking that love, we should seek prophecying over speaking in tongues within a church, so that others may benefit.

March 3, 2009 1 Corinthians 13

Love is the Greatest Gift ~1 Corinthians 13~
And now I wil lshow you the best way of all. I may speak in different languages of people or even angels. But if I do not have love, I am only a noisy bell or a crashing cymbal. I may have the gift of prophecy. I may understand all the secret things of God and have all knowledge, and I may have faith so great I can move mountains. But even with all these things, if I do not have love, then I am nothing. I may give away everything I have, and I may even give my body as an offering to be burned. But I gain nothign if I do not have love. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous, it does not brag, and it is not proud. Love is not rude, is not selfish, and does not get upset with others. Love does not count up wrongs that have been done. Love takes no pleasure in evil but rejoices over the truth. Love patiently accepts all things. It always trusts, always hopes, and always endures. Love never ends. There are gifts of prophecy, but they will be ended. There are gifts of speaking in different languages, but those gifts will stop. There is the gift of knowledge, but will come to an end. The reason is that our knowledge and our ability to prophesy are not perfect. But when perfection comes, the things that are not perfect will end. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I stopped those childish ways. It is the same with us. Now we see a dim reflection, as if we were looking into a mirror, but then we shall see clearly. Now I know only a part, but then I will know fully, as God has known me. So these three things continue forever: faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love.

Love...Agape...in this passage, Paul speaks about love, about its greatness, about what it is, about what it does. The Corinthian Church had several problems as mentioned in previous chapters...all these things can be avoided, if they had LOVE! In everything we do, we need to have love, otherwise it's nothing...we are nothing. Continuing from the previous chapter about spiritual gifts, the only way we can fully express these gifts is if we have love.

The world today stresses, the current times, the present, the material things, and etc. These things make it harder for us to have the Christian love mentioned in this chapter: agape, unconditional love. Humanly love, affection for each other, will fail sooner or later, but this love, agape, is God's love. The bible strictly mentions that it will never fail, it will never end. No matter how affectionally we love a person or a materialistic thing, that'll all end sooner or later, when Christ comes...then we will know that the only thing we have is agape, which endures forever.

March 2, 2009 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Gifts from the Holy Spirit ~1 Corinthians 12:1-11~

Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand about spiritual gifts. You know the way you lived before you were believers. You let yourselves be influenced and led away to worship idols--things that could not speak. So I want you to understand that no one who is speaking with the help of God's Spirit says, "Jesus be cursed." And no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," without the help of the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve but the same Lord to serve. And there are different ways that God works through people but the same God. God works in all of us in everythign we do. Something from the Spirit can be seen in each person, fo the common good. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom, and the same Spirit gives another the ability to speak with knowledge. The same Spirit gives faitht to one person. And, to another, that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. The Spirit gives to another person the power to do miracles, to another the ability to prophesy. And he gives to another the ability to know the difference between good and evil spirits. The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak in different kinds of languages and to another the ability to interpret those languages. One Spirit, the same Spirit, does all these things, and the Spirit decides what to give each person.



In this passage, Paul discusses the different spiritual gifts we might have been given by God. Not everybody has the same gift/talent, but those unique talents should be used for the right reason. When we are given these gifts, we are given them in order to expand the kingdom of God. That's what they were used for in the biblical years...to reach out to those who were unbelievers: miracles, prophesies, and etc. Spiritual gifts are given for the advantage and salvation of others. We need to use our gifts to glorify God and expand His kingdom. The greater the gift one has received, also comes greater temptations...that person will need more grace in order to keep himself/herself humble and spiritual.



Being a leader is also being given a gift, whether it be leading, organizing, teaching, praise band, ability to handle finances, and etc. These are all gifts that we, as a leaders team, have received, and we need to continually ask for the grace to keep us humble and spiritual. Let's continue to use our gifts/talents, so that all the glory may go to God!

March 1, 2009 1 Corinthians 11:1-16

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.
Being Under Authority ~1 Corinthians 11:2-16~
I praise you because you remember me in everything, and you follow closely the teachigns just as I gave them to you. But I want you to understand this: The head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God. Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered brings hsame to his head. But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered brings shame to her head. She is the same as a woman who has her head shaved. If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off. But since it is shameful for a woman to cut off her hair or to shave her head, she should cover her head. But a man should not cover his head, because he is the likeness and glory of God. But woman is man's glory. Man did not come from woman, but woman came from man. And man was not made for woman, but woman was made for man. So that is why a woman should have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. But in the Lord women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women. This is true because woman came from man, but also mans is born from woman. But everything comes from God. Decide this for yourselves: Is it right for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Even nature itself teaches you that wearing long hair is shameful for a man. But long hair is a woman's glory. Long hair is given to her as a covering. Some people may still want to argue about this, but I would add that neither we nor the churches of God have any other practice.

In this passage, Paul talks about manhood and womanhood. In verse three, Paul states a principle fact: God has authority of Christ, who has authority over man, who has authority over woman. This is not to state inferiority, but this verse actually shows that the relationship is a Trinitarian relationship, just like the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three are different, but at the same time equal! Same thing for us, there are men, and there are women, men are equal and distinct in their manner, just like the Trinity, at the same time, women are equal and distinct in their own manner.

In no way, is the Bible stating that men and women are inequal. The point Paul is trying to make is that we need to be strict about our sexual identity, but we also need to learn to relate to each other. Especially in marital terms, if the man doesn't relate to the woman and vice versa, the relationship won't work. An example of this is the Father related to the Son, and the Son to the Father.

Just like that, we need to submit to each other. Jesus submitting to the Father is shown to be one of the hardest submissions for a human being. We need to follow that example and submit to the Father, but also need to submit to each other, as brothers and sisters. This way, the church can function, if we have those who aren't willing to submit to each other, we won't get anywhere within the church.

February 23, 2009 1 Corinthians 10:23-33

How to Use Christian Freedom
"We are allowed to do all things," but not all things are good for us to do. "We are allowed to do all things," but not all things help others grow stronger. Do not look out only for yourselves. Look out for the good of others also. Eat any meat that is sold in the meat market. Do not ask questions about it. You may eat it, "because the earth belongs to the Lord, and everything in it." Thsoe who are not believers may invite you to eat with them. If you want to go, eat anything that is put before you. Do not ask questions about it. But if anyone says to you, "That food was offered to idols," do not eat it. Do not eat it because of that person who told you and because eating it might be thought to be wrong. I don't mean you think it is wrong, but the other person might. But why, you ask, should my freedom be judged by someone else's conscience? If I eat the meal with thankfulness, why am I criticized because of something for which I thank God? The answer is, if you eat or drink, or if you do anything, do it all for the glory of God. Never do anything that might hurt others--Jews, Greeks, or God's church--just as I, also, try to please everybody in every way. I am not trying to do what is good for me but what is good for most people so they can be saved. ~1 Corinthians 10:23-33~

In this passage, Paul talks about Christian ethics. How are we supposed to live as Christians? The answer is simple...anything we do should be done to build up others, but ultimately to give all the glory to God. Paul tells us three things: go beyond the law, glorify God, and finally live as Christians 24/7, 365 days a year! Wherever we are, whatever we're doing, live, so that we don't hinder the faith of another person, but we attract them to faith. No matter who it is, whether it be a christian, a non-christian, a religious person, an atheist...etc. we should not offend them in anyway by the ways of our lives, but if we offend them by telling them about the cross, then it's okay because they're not being offended by us, but by Jesus!

February 19, 2009 1 Corinthians 7:17-24

Live as God Called You ~1 Corinthians 7:17-24~
But in any case each one of you should continue to live the way God has given you to live--the way you were when God called you. This is a rule I make in all the churches. If a man was already circumcised when he was called, he should not undo his circumcision. If a man was without circumcision when he was called, he should not be circumcised. It is not important if a man is circumcised or not. The important thing is obeying God's commands. Each one of you should stay the way you were when God called you. If you were a slave when God called you, do not let that bother you. But if you can be free, then make good use of your freedom. Those who were slaves when the Lord called them are free persons who belong to the Lord. In the same way, those who were free when they were called are now Christ's slaves. You all were bought at a great price, so do not become slaves of people. Brothers and sister, each of you should stay as you were when you were called, and stay there with God.

In this passage, Paul is speaking about living the life God has called us to. We all have our roles in life, but are they roles that God has given to us, or are we choosing the way to live for ourselves? We have been bought at a price by God, so we should live the way he tells us to. We are free to serve Christ in less than ideal circumstances. God wasn't too good to do anything, yet He's the creator and owner of everything, so we should have no shame to do those things brought upon us.

February 18, 2009 1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Use Your Bodies for God's Glory
"I am allowed to do all things," but not all things are good for me to do. "I am allowed to do all things," but I will not let anything make me its slave. "Food is for the stomach, and the stomach for food," but God will destroy them both. The body is not for sexual sin but for the Lord, and th eLord is for the body. By his power God has raised the Lord from the dead and will also raise us from the dead. Surely you know that your bodies are parts of Christ himself. So I must never take the parts of Christ and join them to a prostitute! It is written in the Scriptures, "The two will become one body." So you should know that anyone who joins witha prostitute will become one body with the prostitute. But the one who joins with the Lord is one spirit with the Lord. So run away from sexual sin. Every other sin people do is outside their bodies, but those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies. You should know that your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit who is in you. You have received the Holy Spirit from God. So you do not belong to yourselves, because you were bought by God for a price. So honor God with your bodies. ~1 Corinthians 6:12-20~

So...I'm guessing the Corinthian Christians must have really struggled with sexual sin, because Paul keeps talking about it. I feel like it's similar to today...when we say "body," what do most people think of? So many are focused on the physical body, the sexual aspects of it, how appealing it is, if it's perfect, and etc. But as Christians, that shouldn't be our focus.

God made us in His image...our bodies are Holy, because God exists in our bodies. "One spirit with the Lord," that's what we should be aiming for. We have been given these bodies to honor God.

February 17, 2009 1 Corinthians 5

Wickedness in the Church ~1 Corinthians 5~
It is actually being said that there is sexual sin among you. And it is a kind that does not happen even among people who do not know God. A man there has his father's wife. And you are proud! You should have been filled with sadness so that the man who did this should be put out of your group. I am not there with you in person, but I am with you in spirit. And I have already judged the man who did that sin as if I were really there. When you meet together in the name of our Lord Jesus, and I meet with you in spirit with the power of our Lord Jesus, then hand this man over to Satan. So his sinful self will be destroyed, and his spirit will b esaved on the day of the Lord. Your bragging is not good. You kno the saying, "Just a little yeast makes the whole batch of dough rise." Takle out all the old yeast so that you will be a new batch of dough without yeast, which you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. So let us celebrate this feast, but not with the bread that has the old yeast--the yeast of sin and wickedness. Let us celebrate this feast with the bread that has no yeast--the bread of goodness and truth. I wrote you in my earlier letter not to associate with you those who sin sexually. But I did not mean you should not associate with those of this world who sin sexually, or with the greedy, or robbers, or those who worship idols. To get away from them you would have to leave this world. I am writing to tell you that you must not associate with those who call themselves believers in Christ but who sin sexually, or are greedy, or worship idols, or abuse others with words, or get drunk, or cheat people. Do not even eat with people like that. It is not my business to judge those who are not part of the church. God will judge them. But you must judge the people who are part of the church. The Scripture says, "You must get rid of the evil person among you."

In this passage, Paul is talking about the sinful/evil people within the church. The sin focused on in this chapter is sexual sin. Whether it be homosexuality, cheating, affairs, having a sexual relationship with your stepmother, or etc. These are all the things that Paul saw within the Corinthian church, and he was very displeased. Although he says he's not there in person to see these things happening, he still knows that these things should not be happeneing, so he's telling the Corinthian church to get rid of these sins. Before Paul had mentioned it to them, the Corinthian church did not see this as a big sin, rather, they were pretty careless about this sin. They thought of it as, look, we're accepting and loving this brother who is doing such sin.

Paul teaches them that they're showing love in the wrong way. They shouldn't tolerate with these kinds of actions. Instead, they should be trying to fix the problem. Instead of judging those who aren't christians, expecting them to do the right things, we should focus on those who are already christians. Those within the church who are bringing such actions to the church...we need to fix that first.

February 16, 2009 1 Corinthians 4

Apostles Are Servants of Christ ~1 Corinthians 4~

Too long to type it all, look it up!

This passage is Paul explaining to the Corinthian christians that apostles are servants of God. God has displayed the apostles so low, whereas the Corinthian christians were so "puffed up," in other words, full of pride, being full, with riches, reigning as royalty. Paul uses sarcasm to get the Corinthian christians to realize their pride, and that they should get rid of all that pride because they haven't done anything, God has. Everything they have, who they are, everything, everything around them, they're all God's works.

Throuhgout the passage, Paul compares the Corinthian Christians to the apostels, using sarcasm to contrast the difference between them. Most of all, the issue Corinthian Christians had was pride. Those christians thought they were better than anyone...especially the apostles. They had so much pride that they wanted to avoid humiliation and deprivation.

Today, people are so caught up in worldly success, in power, in wealth, in professions, and etc. That is just what the Corinthian christians were like and Paul had to teach them to not be like that. Also, when we listen to pastors these days, a lot of people are quick to judge the pastor on behalf of how comical, or how enthusiastic, or how interesting he/she is, but that shouldn't be it. The focus should be on the word itself. We need to becareful that we don't "think beyond what is written."

In the end, Paul is aware that the Corinthian christians are ashamed of themselves because Paul had pointed out all these things, but Paul's intentions were not to ashame them, but to warn them. Paul knows that these christians aren't too fond of him, but he says, " I urge you, imitate me." When they hear this, they are quick to disagree because Paul's reputation is so bad, but the way he lives is pleasing to God. That is why Paul tells them to imitate him...because he is regarded as a fool, weakling, all the more glory to God, and that glory shines through him.

We need to be aware of who we are...especially with so many things in this world, even the gifts God has given us, we need to use them for His glory, and not to bring praise to ourselves. All that does is bring pride upon ourselves, which is what we should not do. Paul says that he can't even judge himself, because he is still unaware of who he, himself is...He knows that his righteousness came from God, and not from himself. We say that we need to live like Jesus Christ, but I believe that a lot of us still aren't even able to live like Paul...

February 14, 2009 1 Corinthians 3

Following People Is Wrong ~1 Corinthians 3~
(LOOK IT UP, TOO LONG TO TYPE)

So...recently, the passages I have been doing my blogs on are all about wisdom. Nevertheless, this passage is also about wisdom. "the world, life, death, the present, and the future--all these belong to you. And you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God," hence everything, everyone belongs to God.

The beginning part of this passage starts out with Paul talking to the church of Corinth...he says that they are still young, that they can only consume liquids, like a baby, and not solid foods, like an adult. They are still spiritually very young, and this is becuase they give into their own wisdom. They get jealous, they fight, they act like people of the world. They pick and fight over 'Apollos' and 'Paul', but the point is that neither of them matter. They are just people whom God has appointed to do certain things, just like each one of us. In the end, it is all for His kingdom, "We are God's workers, working together; you arel ike God's farm, God's house." We need to use the gifts God gave us in order to do His will and further His kingdom, He did not give us these gifts so that we may praise ourselves, or seek praise for ourselves because we have such wisdom.

If we believe we are wise in this world, we need to become fools so that we may truly be wise..."foolishness with God." God knows what we think, what we know, He knows all things. To Him, the things we know are nothing, because He is so wise, so...instead of bragging about those human leaders who know nothing compared to God, why don't we just brag about God, who knows all things? That is the message!

February 13, 2009 1 Corinthians 2:6-16

GAHHHH!!!!!!!!! It's Friday the 13th...and then...HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! ♡♥♡

God's Wisdom ~1 Corinthians 2:6-16~
However, I speak a wisdom to those who are mature. But this wisdom is not from this world or from the rulers of this world, who are losing their power. I speak God's secret wisdom, which he has kept hidden. Before the world began, God planned this wisdom for our glory. None of the rulers of this world understood it. If they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written in the Scriptures: "No one has ever seen this, and no one has ever heard about it. No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." But God has shown us these things through the Spirit. The Spirit searches out all things, even the deep secrets of God. Who knows the thoughts that another person has? Only a person's spirit that lives within him knows his thoughts. It is the same with God. No one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we did not receive the spirit of the world, but we received the Spirit that is from God so that we can know all about these things, not with words taught us by human wisdom but with words taught us by the Spirit. And so we explain spiritual truths to spiritual people. A person who does not have the Spirit does not accept the truths that come from the Spirit of God. That person thinks they are foolish and cannot understand them, because they can only be judged to be true by the Spirit. The spiritual person is able to judge all things, but no one can judge him. The Scripture says: "Who has known the mind of the Lord? Who has been able to teach him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

"No one has ever seen this, and no one has ever heard about it. No one has ever imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." What is this? It's God's wisdom! Only through the Spirit may we see these. But if we are caught up in our own foolishness...in human wisdom, we will not be able to see these things because we are neglecting the Spirit of God.

We need to have the mind of Christ in order to know these things...christian wisdom. The difference between christian wisdom and wisdom of the world is that: christian wisdom is the gospel, while wisdom of the world is society, belief systems, world view. That is why it states, "But this wisdom is not from this world or from the rulers of this world." The rulers did not know/understand the wisdom of God, that is why Jesus Christ had to be crucified.

We need to look back onto our lives...what do we consider wisdom? Are we stuck on believing the things of this world, or are we devoted to the wisdom of Christ, the gospel?

February 12, 2009 1 Corinthians 2:2-5

The Message of Christ's Death
Dear brothers and sisters, when I came to you, I did not come preaching God's secret with fancy words or a show of human wisdom. I decided that while I was with you I would forget about everything except Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. So when I came to you, I was weak and fearful and trembling. My teaching and preaching were not with words of human wisdom that persuade people but with proof of the power that the Spirit gives. This was so that your faith would be in God's power and not in human wisdom. ~1 Corinthians 2:1-5~

This passage simply explains that we do not need fancy words to learn about God. All we need is the message of the cross. Just like the first night's message of Pastor Thomas, the cross is so important, but a lot of the times, we neglect to acknowledge it. We forget about it, but the cross is so essential in our christian lives. The cross reveals God's power, that He, Himself, would come down to Earth, to suffer such a painful death, right in front of our very own eyes. To prove that He is powerful, and that He cares for us. That message, right there, explains everything. To picture the scene, to try and put ourselves in that scene gives me chills. I couldn't bare watching the torture. That's what should convict our hearts, not the fancy words, or the big vocabulary, but the power of the Spirit...that which can move our hearts.

February 11, 2009 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Christ Is God's Power and Wisdom
The teaching about the cross is foolishness to those who are being lost, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. It is written in the Scriptures: "I will cause the wise to loser their wisdom; I will make the wise unable to understand." Where is the wise person? Where is the educated person? Where is the skilled talker of this world? God has made the widsom of the world foolish. In the wisdom of God the world did not know God through its own wisdom. So God chose to use the message that sounds foolish to save those who believe. The Jews ask for miracles, and the Greeks want widsom. But we preach a crucified Christ. This causes the Jews to stumble and is foolishness to non-Jews. But Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God to those people God has called-Jews and Greeks. Even the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Brothers and sister, look at what you were when God called you. Not many of you were wise in the way the world judges wisdom. Not many of you had great influence. Not many of you came from important families. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and he chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose what the world thinks is unimportant and what the world looks down on and thinks is nothing in order to destroy what the world thinks is important. God did this so that no one can brag in his presence. Becuase of God you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God. In Christ we are put right with God, and have been made holy, and have been set free from sin. So, as the Scripture says, "If people want to brag, they should brag only about the Lord." ~1 Corinthians 1:18-31~

This passage is about God's wisdom and power. God's wisdom and power is Christ Jesus. Through our saviour, we have received wisdom and power. Although all of us want a God who heals us, a God who would take the pain/suffering away from us, but...that is not who our God is. Our God, instead of rescuing us from our troubles, joins with us in our troubles and rescues us that way. Our God, instead of taking away the pain, enters into the pain with us, and bears our pain. Our God, instead of fixing things for us when we our powers aren't strong enough, weakens himself, to be alongside with us in our weakness. This is our God. This is the foolishness of the cross.

This powerful God expects us to do the same thing. He expects us to enter into each other's pains and burdens, and those of the world around us. To the expectations of the world (world view) this is a very foolish way of life, but to those who have taken up their own cross to follow Jesus, this is the one and only way of life! It is the power of God that is within us!

February 10, 2009 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Problems in the Church
I beg you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that all of you agree with each other and not be split into groups. I beg that you be completely joined together by having the same kind of thinking and the same purpose. My brothers and sisters, some people from Chloe's family have told me quite plainly that there are quarrels among you. This is what I mean: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another says, "I follow Apollos"; another says, "I follow Peter"; and another says, "I follow Christ." Christ has been divided up into different groups! Did Paul die on the cross for you? No! Were you baptized in the name of Paul? No! I thank God I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius so that now no one can say you were baptized in my name. (I also baptized the family of Stephanas, but I do not remember that I baptized anyone else.) Christ did not send me to baptize people but to preach the Good News. And he sent me to preach the Good News without using words of human wisdom so that the cross of Christ would not lose its power. ~1 Corinthians 1:10-17~

This passage is about unity within the church! Our fellowship, Cornerstone, has had several problems because we broke unity within the church. These things happened because members of the church had some conflicts. These are the things that Satan looks for within a church. Our purpose is to have unity, to become one body of Christ. When that unity/bond is broken, we are weakened, and that's when Satan attacks. Satan's tactics are to divide and conquer. First step is to divide, which means that unity is broken within a church, but we should be praying that we have continuous love within the church, between the members, so that we do not end up with conflicts, causing a breakage in the bond. If we do have some negative emotions towards another member, or uncomfortable feelings towards another member, we should pray about it...that we are able to diminish those feelings. Also, pray that our church, is one body, unified in the name of Jesus Christ.