1 Cor. 6

 Verses 1-11 deal with the issue of lawsuits among believers.  Paul's point here is that believers who are brothers in Christ, must be able to settle their differences themselves in the context of the church, not outside of the church with unbelieving judges.  In Paul's thinking it is shameful that any Christian would drag another Christian before a secular court to have them decide between them.
If we as Christians cannot come together in unity, how can an unbeliever solve that?  They can't!  God has called us to be truly wise, in sincerity and truth, and to forgive one another, to serve one another and to keep "the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."  ( Ephesians 4:3)

Verses 12-20 deal specifically with the issue of sexual immorality.  Paul starts this teaching with an interesting statement, " All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable."  Not everything is good for us. We have one Master and we must not allow anything else to be master over us.  It is not because we are under the Law that we act in certain ways, it is because we want what is good - the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.

Our physical bodies are not more important than our eternal spirits which have been united with Christ.  Therefore, " the body is not for immorality but for the Lord; and the Lord is for the body."  Because we have joined ourselves with the Lord and are "one spirit with Him" and our bodies are "members of Christ" we must be diligent to "glorify God in" our bodies.  This especially applies to immorality because " Every other sin a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body." ( v18)  The body of a believer is a "temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and.. you are not your own..For you have been bought with a price;" 

We need to think on and grasp these truths. Holy Spirit, come and help us to not only understand the Word, but to be transformed by it. Help us to stand firm in Truth, especially in this current wicked age.

Father in Heaven, we praise You for giving us Your Spirit to lead us into all truth. Fill us once again. Even as our physical bodies breath in oxygen to sustain itself, our spirits must breath in the Spirit, the Breath of Life, every moment receiving from You sustaining power in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Forgive us for neglecting Your Word and Prayer that give this Life-sustaining breath by Your Holy Spirit. Take away the desire for the distractions of this world.  Fill Your servants with Your Presence today we pray. In Jesus, our Life, we pray. Amen.

1 cor. 5  Paul deals directly with a situation in the Corinthian church involving a member of the church in an immoral relationship with his step-mother.   The proper action that the church should have taken was to mourn and to remove the man from the church.

 Paul did not hesitate to judge this man and this church.  He spoke "in the Name of our Lord Jesus",  with the "power of our Lord Jesus."  His judgement was decisive and severe, " I have decided to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh, that this spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus."  

The church was commanded to judge itself and its own members.  They were to "clean out old leaven"... the leaven is sin, including " the leaven of malice and wickedness" and " immorality".  Paul goes on to include covetousness, swindlers, idolaters, revilers, and drunkards along with those practicing sexual immorality. (v10-11)  The church is to preserve sincerity and truth in its midst by removing "the wicked from among" themselves.  ( v13).  Immorality in the church is to be judged by the church.  Immorality outside the church is to be judged by God.  

What does it mean to " deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of his flesh"?   The commentary suggests this might include physical illness and even death.  In Luke 22:31 Jesus told Peter that "...Satan had demanded permission to sift you like wheat;..."  This was a spiritual and emotional time of suffering for Peter.  We know that God allowed Satan to do exactly that, but that Jesus Himself prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail.  In 1 Timothy 1:20 Paul wrote, " Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have delivered over to Satan so that they may be taught not to blaspheme."  As an apostle and leader of the church of Jesus Christ, Paul did not mince words, nor did he fail to take action.  In the power of Jesus Christ, Satan is used as a tool for correction!

In our present society, immorality of all kinds has become prevalent and even overwhelming.  According to this passage, we as a church must judge that immorality within our boundaries, to preserve the sincerity and truth.  Any " so-called brother" who exhibits an immoral lifestyle of any kind should be removed from fellowship unless he genuinely repents.  We must pray for such a person that they would turn again to Christ in repentance.   As for those outside the church, we leave that up to God.  We can pray and preach the Gospel, living in truth and sincerity, but we do not judge them ourselves. This does not mean we are silent.  It means that we do not punish them ourselves. We need to speak the Truth in love and live a life of purity before them, not hiding the Light of the World behind a bushel...

Father in Heaven,  give us eyes to see and ears to hear You.  Give us hearts that are sincere and completely Yours.  Preserve Your Church, the Body of Christ. May we be faithful to remove the leaven in our congregations and to act in love that the spirit of men and women be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus.  Let Your will be done and Your Kingdom come in great power to the Church today.
Let Your Light shine in us and through us, Lord Jesus, so that others are drawn to You.  Bring many more people out of the darkness and into the Light we pray, in Your Name. Amen.

1 Cor. 4 Paul makes a comparison between the apostles and the people of Corinth.  He wants to expose their worldly thinking.
They boast of their spiritual gifts.
They claim to be rich and powerful in the Lord.
They claim wisdom.

But Paul says:
"We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are prudent ( intelligent)  in Christ." 
"We are weak, but you are strong."
We are "without honor"... you are "distinguished" 

The apostles  are:  hungry and thirsty, poor, homeless, abused, toiling, reviled, persecuted, slandered, treated as the "scum of the world".    Yet Paul tells them to ".. be imitators of me".

"For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power."  The Christians at Corinth were boasting of their great status - their many gifts; their great wisdom; their success as a church.  But, in actuality, they were immature, foolish, and useless.... they failed to recognize that they were to be "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God".... for all they had in Christ was given to them by Christ. They were walking in arrogance, not walking in the ways of Christ.

We can use words - call ourselves Christians; exalt ourselves as gifted members of a church; boast of our knowledge of the Bible; or call attention to ourselves with "religious" speech ... but that is not what the kingdom of God is all about.

The Kingdom of God is given to the poor in spirit, Jesus taught.  The broken, mourning, gentle, seekers of righteousness, the merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness.... ( Matthew 5).  Here is where true power is found.

Father, thank You for the Word of God given to us and for the Spirit who teaches us and leads us in Truth.  As we meditate on these words, lead us into worship and humble obedience.  Fill us again, Holy Spirit, that we might receive the Kingdom of God in power.  In Jesus we come. Amen.

1 Cor. 2  Paul testifies that when he came to Corinth, he determined that he would "know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." Paul had just left Athens, where he had spent many hours reasoning and debating with philosophers, and he knew the lostness of those who worshiped so many idols and false gods.  His message became even more focused and simplified... Christ. Crucified.  

Paul determined that he would not use persuasive arguments.  He would instead preach the message of Jesus Christ crucified and the Spirit would come with power.... " that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." ( v5)

The Spirit is how God revealed the mystery of the ages. The Spirit, who alone knows the mind of God, reveals the thoughts of God and gives us the mind of Christ.

Paul says that "natural" man cannot accept the things of the Spirit. He cannot understand them.  He can't think spiritual thoughts until he becomes a "spiritual" man.  This only happens when we receive "not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us from God." (v12)

Paul goes on to say in chapter 3 that the foundation of the church is exactly this - Jesus Christ - crucified.  Anything built on this foundation is tested by God - tested by fire.  If it remains then it is rewarded, if it is burned up, there is loss.  The Church, built on the foundation of Jesus Christ becomes the temple of God because the Spirit of God dwells in it.  " If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy and that is what you are." ( 3:17)

How do we destroy the temple of God? Verse 18 - by thinking we are wise.  By deceiving ourselves in the wisdom of the world.  This kind of thinking is "useless", the Lord says.   Instead we must focus on the Truth - " .. all things belong to you" (v21 and 22)  and " you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God." ( v23)

Spirit of God, come again with power and help us to comprehend all that God has given us.  We are Yours, Lord.  We want to know Christ Jesus in all of His fulness. We receive with joy all that You have given to us. Amen. May it be so!

1 Corinthians 1  The same God who by His will called Paul to be an apostle of Jesus Christ, called us to be saints - set apart ones, sanctified in Christ Jesus - made holy. ( v1-2)

He called us into "fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord". ( v9)

He called us to "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" ( v24)

He called "... not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God." ( v26-29)

"But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.." v30.

It is our Creator, the Lord God, who reigns over all, Who holds all things in His Hand, who has taken the initiative here;  He called, He chose, He did it all - He makes the wisdom of the world foolishness;  He makes what the world considers foolishness -wisdom:

Christ crucified on a cross - this is the most powerful Word for it has the power to save. 
Jesus is wisdom.  Jesus is righteousness.  Jesus is sanctification.  Jesus is redemption.  This is to be our only message - our only boast- for it is our only hope.

Jesus, we call upon Your Name,  that we might not lack wisdom or understanding, that we might not lack the gifts of the Spirit, that we might stand "blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ".  Thank You for the Word of Truth.  Thank You for being all - all we need, all we want,  all in all.
Father, we bow before You and honor You for You are God and there is no other.  Help us to remember that it is You Who does all things. You, who have called us to Jesus and to be set apart for Yourself.  You have chosen us, the foolish and weak, to be the ones to shame the wise and strong.  Do all You desire in Your people today.  Let Your Name be honored and Your kingdom come and Your will be done. Through Jesus our Lord. amen.

Ruth 1-4  After the sad ending of the book of Judges, comes a refreshing reminder, that God still had a remnant of people in Israel.  People that would shape the future of Israel.  Ruth is a young Moabite woman who married the son of Elimelech and Naomi.  When her husband died and Naomi decided to move back to Bethlehem, Ruth chose to go with her.  This choice was not just a simple decision to move.  It meant turning her back on her family, her culture, her religion, and putting herself into a position of total dependence.

God blessed Ruth and Naomi.  Boaz was a man of God.  He insisted on doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  He took responsibility for the proper actions. He was kind and compassionate.  He was diligent and wise.  Boaz married Ruth and they had a son, Obed.  Obed became the father of Jesse, who became the father of David.

History is changed by the actions of one young foreign woman.  There would be a king in Israel and he would be a servant of the Lord.  And it started here in the days of the judges, when sin was rampant and everyone was doing whatever they wanted to.  So thankful that God does not give up on us.  He has a plan and He will do it!

Father, we long to see You change the course of our nation as You did in Israel.  Turn us back to You!
Raise up men and women of God to do what is right in Your eyes, to forsake a culture that wants to do its own thing.  Help us to live according to Your Word.  Complete Your purposes in our lives that we may give glory and honor to You always.  Fill us Holy Spirit today.  In Jesus' name we pray. amen

Judges 19-21  Things go from bad to worse in Israel. There is a sad series of events recorded here that  make you see the depth of depravity that occurs when people do not have the Lord.  It begins with a Levite.

This man lived in Ephraim and had a concubine from Bethlehem. She had left him and gone home to her father's house and the Levite went to bring her back.  The father-in-law detained them a couple of days until they finally left, unfortunately leaving when it was too late to get the whole way home.  They stopped the night in Gibeah.  An old man finally takes them  in for the night, but a group of "worthless men" from the tribe of Benjamin surrounded the house and wanted the Levite to be given to them for sex.   The old man begs them not to do this and instead offers his daughter and the man's wife.  ( Ok, I don't get that at all.. but it is similar to what happened to Lot).  The Levite seizes his concubine and brings her out to the men!  They rape her, abuse her, and leave her for dead.  The man takes her body home, cuts it into twelve pieces and sends a piece to each of the tribes of Israel.

Well, this stirs Israel out of their stupor! They finally meet together and seek the Lord.  They go to war against the men of Benjamin,  thousands are killed and the tribe of Benjamin is almost wiped out.
Then they feel sorry that the tribe is decimated and they want to preserve it, but they have vowed not to give them any of their daughters as wives,  so they advise them to steal woman from Jabesh-gilead and Shiloh.   It reminds me of what ISIS has done... taking young girls and forcing them to be their wives.   Terrorism was alive and well in Israel, long before Islam existed.

This ends the book of Judges. It is a sad and discouraging passage of the failures of Israel.  The writer reminds us again and again that there was no king in Israel. Yet, that was not the real problem.  The problem was that they had forsaken the True King of Israel.  Here is a society of ruthless and idolatrous people, who should have been the light of the world.  They had fallen so far... all because they did not honor the Lord their God, nor obey His Word.

This example is given to us, Paul writes, as all the Word was given,  for teaching, for exhortation, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness. ( II Tim. 3:16)   Our nation, our world, needs to take heed of the Word of Truth.  We are heading down a dangerous path, where all men do what is right in their own eyes.. where they no longer heed the King of Glory, where they have no fear of the Holy One .  We must pray as never before for a great revival!

Jesus, You are our only Hope.  We exalt You as the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  We seek Your Truth and Mercy.  Father in Heaven, we bow before You and You alone.  Holy One of Israel, turn the hearts of men and women back to Yourself.  Flood this nation with Your Light by Your Spirit. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.