Chapter 1
i like how Paul starts out saying "Grace and peace to you....which is something only those who are in Christ can really truly have. He goes on to remind us that we do not lack any Spiritual gift, as we often tend to forget at lest i do. He wants us all to be of the same mind, not arguing over whose church we belong to, we are all of the same body, the body of Christ. And He is the head. No one should be in the name of, but that of our Lord's.
Some times when i read this chapter, i feel like the Lord put it in the bible just for me. i am that one who never got any kind of degree in school. i went to school for a long time, and i learned a great deal. When i was in grade school, i always struggled, i was that kid who studied really hard just to get a C, when that is what most did to get the A. The Lord taught me from His word, and He is not done. i lean on Him for every thing. He is my strength and Song, and i know in my heart what this chapter is saying. i am not rich, but He has made me rich in faith, family and with friends. He has been so faithful in most every way in my life. i am blessed and thankful.
Chapter 2
1Cor 2 -
In vs 4 and 5 Paul explains that when he first spoke/preached to them he didn't try to prove anything by sounding wise, He says he simply let God's Spirit show, so that they would have faith in God's power and not because of human wisdom.... AMEN to THAT!!!!!! Paul knew that the wisdom of God is so much more then the wisdom of this world and the people in it.
Chapter 3
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
(vs 27) Whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
The Corinthian's failure to honor the sanctity of the ceremony dishonored the memory of Christ's sacrifice. Many believers paid for their mistake with a loss of health or even their lives (vs30).
But Paul urged the Corinthians to judge themselves so that they wouldn't be judged. And he also pointed out that even the Lord's judgement was for their good (vs32).
The Lord's Table will remain an opportunity until HE comes. By the attitude of our hearts we will either honor HIS death or unfortunately, may do damage to HIS name.
I'm reminded that before I celebrate the Lord's Supper, I must prayerfully examine myself. Then, with a heart of gratitude, I can focus on HIS sacrifice for me.
Yes Jesus, you are worthy of honor and glory!!....May everything I say and do be worthy of being lifted up as an offering of thanksgiving and praise to YOU. Amen!
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
What a beautiful description of God this chapter has. Broken down it looks like this:
God is/does
patient
kind
rejoices with the truth
always protects
always trusts
always hopes
always perseveres
God is not/does not
envy
boast
proud
rude
self-seeking
easily angered
keep track of wrongs done
delight in evil
never fails
1 John 4:8 "...God is love."
I am thankful for both what God is and is not. I would like to take this, think about it, admire my Father's attributes, and in a childlike way imitate my Father in heaven.
The image in my mind is of a young child walking behind his father, arms outstretched for balance looking down at the foot impressions left by his father on the wet sand at the beach, being ever so careful not to deviate from them.
Help me God to embrace the qualities that You are, to reflect Your beauty, and become like You.
Chapter 14
26What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 2
1Cor 2 -
In vs 4 and 5 Paul explains that when he first spoke/preached to them he didn't try to prove anything by sounding wise, He says he simply let God's Spirit show, so that they would have faith in God's power and not because of human wisdom.... AMEN to THAT!!!!!! Paul knew that the wisdom of God is so much more then the wisdom of this world and the people in it.
Chapter 3
I'm glad God calls us servants now because as christians I believe that is our role. Love the Lord, obey him and his commandments to do them, be a doer of the word and not just a hearer only, love our neighbors (anybody next to us...anybody), study the word of God, spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and be a team player in the body of Christ because we are all a part of the body. (v.5-6) says, "After all, who is Apollos? and who is Paul? (who is Liz?)we are simply God's servants, by whom you were led to believe. Each one of us does the work which the Lord gave us to do. I plant the seed, Apollos watered the plant, but it was God who made the plant grow. "We as believers cannot take any credit for drawing non-believers to Christ; God brings the increase.
What the world considers to be wisdom is non-sense in the sight of God. Everything belongs to God. May the life that I live be a reflection of Jesus inside of me. He is not looking for perfection; I don't possess that, but I'm available and willing to do as He commands no matter how hard the task before me. I too desire the meat of the word and thirst and hunger for righteousness. (1.cor. 13:11)When I was a child I spoke like a child, acted like a child but one day I put my childish things away and I grew up into this woman of God I'm becoming in God. I'm still a work in progress but I press on because I'm not who I use to be, thank God.
Chapter 4
Verse 16..."Therefore I urge you to imitate me." How wonderful those words are! There is only one that we should follow and imitate and that is Jesus Christ our Lord...Paul set wondeful examples of how we are to do that. Pray, don't be ashamed of the Gospel, share and encourage others in the love of Jesus Christ..trust and keep the faith, though many trials come our way, we know we can handle it we have Christ on our side!
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Believers should not take each other to court because it gives merit to the world's view and does great damage to the unsaved world. We appear to be no different from the world.
I think Luke 6: 27-36 says it all. Love for enemies....27-31...."But I tell you who hear me, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you."
You gotta be kidding me, right!!!!! Yes, impossible if we try to do these things in our own strength. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can we become more like Christ. "Forgive as I have forgiven you." Love one another, just as I have loved you, says the Lord.
We were created by God for a divine purpose. We were redeemed by Christ and our bodies are members of Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells in us.
Christ used His body for the purpose of dying for our sins. He used His body for a high and holy purpose. We must use our bodies to honor Him.
Chapter 7
(vs10) Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband.
Contrary to what "the world" has to suggest, the Bible gives us solid truths and guidelines about marriage.
God has promised us HIS presence and HIS help when we face trials, and that promise extends to our marriage, even a difficult one. Our gracious God has also assured us of a way of escape through any difficulty that might tempt us to give in to sin. God will enable us to stand strong in the face of trial, including those that come in our marriage.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Cor 10:13).
Father GOD, thank you that you have given us the precious gift of marriage and I also thank you that you promise to give each one of us the grace and power to endure. In Jesus' Name, Amen!
Chapter 8
Chapter 4
Verse 16..."Therefore I urge you to imitate me." How wonderful those words are! There is only one that we should follow and imitate and that is Jesus Christ our Lord...Paul set wondeful examples of how we are to do that. Pray, don't be ashamed of the Gospel, share and encourage others in the love of Jesus Christ..trust and keep the faith, though many trials come our way, we know we can handle it we have Christ on our side!
Chapter 5
VS. 6 & 7
"(6)Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? (7)Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us."
Boasting is not good for the believer, especially because we are to glorify God, always. Even if it is just a little bit, it will spread throughout. It's like cancer... it starts out small, but if not treated right away, it will spread throughout the whole body. Therefore, we must do as the Jews did during the Passover Feast... we must scrape the leaven clean and get it all out! Get rid of the evil! We must remember that the slaying of the lamb during Passover was a symbol of what our Lord Jesus Christ did on the cross for us... the least we could do is act accordingly. I know I will always be an "Israelite", but I thank God everyday for His patience, mercy, forgiveness, and most of all... LOVE!
Chapter 6
Believers should not take each other to court because it gives merit to the world's view and does great damage to the unsaved world. We appear to be no different from the world.
I think Luke 6: 27-36 says it all. Love for enemies....27-31...."But I tell you who hear me, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you."
You gotta be kidding me, right!!!!! Yes, impossible if we try to do these things in our own strength. Only through the power of the Holy Spirit can we become more like Christ. "Forgive as I have forgiven you." Love one another, just as I have loved you, says the Lord.
We were created by God for a divine purpose. We were redeemed by Christ and our bodies are members of Christ. The Holy Spirit dwells in us.
Christ used His body for the purpose of dying for our sins. He used His body for a high and holy purpose. We must use our bodies to honor Him.
Chapter 7
(vs10) Now to the married I command, yet not I but the Lord: A wife is not to depart from her husband.
Contrary to what "the world" has to suggest, the Bible gives us solid truths and guidelines about marriage.
God has promised us HIS presence and HIS help when we face trials, and that promise extends to our marriage, even a difficult one. Our gracious God has also assured us of a way of escape through any difficulty that might tempt us to give in to sin. God will enable us to stand strong in the face of trial, including those that come in our marriage.
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Cor 10:13).
Father GOD, thank you that you have given us the precious gift of marriage and I also thank you that you promise to give each one of us the grace and power to endure. In Jesus' Name, Amen!
Chapter 8
But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.
What God recognizes...Those who love Him.
It is not our knowledge of His word that brings God glory... its what we do with that knowledge. Encouraging others, restoring others to usefulness in the body, and sharing His love with those that don't know Him.
Gal 2:21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
1 Cor 13: 13 There are three things that will endure--faith, hope, and love--and the greatest of these is love.
Lord help me to be more eager share the grace and love you have poured out on me.
Chapter 9
I Cor. 9. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
It is my prayer to always listen to the Holy Spirit for the correct words when I am witnessing to anyone about the Word of God and salvation ; I want to be able to speak to them on their particular level of understanding.
Vs. 27: No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
I am running for Jesus and trying to live for the prize of eternity.
Chapter 10
Temptation is a part of life and there are times where I feel I cannot bear certain situations. V13 helps e to understand that even as Christians we will face temptation but God will always provide a way out.
V21: This really spoke to me. I used to be that person that loved to separate lives. Church on Sunday but my way the rest of the week. So WRONG!!!!! As a child of god I know now that I cannot be “of this world” and a child of God, it’s like mixing oil and vinegar…. Not a good combination. V31: Do it all for the Glory of God. Our everyday actions should reflect our Christian life. We have to always to careful what decisions we make because we don’t want a new believer to stumble. BE A GOOD EXAMPLE!!!
(vs 27) Whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
The Corinthian's failure to honor the sanctity of the ceremony dishonored the memory of Christ's sacrifice. Many believers paid for their mistake with a loss of health or even their lives (vs30).
But Paul urged the Corinthians to judge themselves so that they wouldn't be judged. And he also pointed out that even the Lord's judgement was for their good (vs32).
The Lord's Table will remain an opportunity until HE comes. By the attitude of our hearts we will either honor HIS death or unfortunately, may do damage to HIS name.
I'm reminded that before I celebrate the Lord's Supper, I must prayerfully examine myself. Then, with a heart of gratitude, I can focus on HIS sacrifice for me.
Yes Jesus, you are worthy of honor and glory!!....May everything I say and do be worthy of being lifted up as an offering of thanksgiving and praise to YOU. Amen!
Chapter 12
V.11"But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."V. 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased."
We all have different spiritual gifts, because just like a human body cannot function if it was just one ear, tongue, or eye, etc... the Body of Christ (His church) cannot function properly if everyone has the same gift. Everyone is GIVEN a different gift by the Holy Spirit. We do not choose our own gift. The Holy Spirit is perfect... therefore, knows how each ones role fits, to make up the Body of Christ. We are to give God the glory and thanks for our gifts and not be prideful or unhappy with them, because they are given to us to serve others and glorify God. He has a perfect plan for all, and we must have faith in that.
Chapter 13
What a beautiful description of God this chapter has. Broken down it looks like this:
God is/does
patient
kind
rejoices with the truth
always protects
always trusts
always hopes
always perseveres
God is not/does not
envy
boast
proud
rude
self-seeking
easily angered
keep track of wrongs done
delight in evil
never fails
1 John 4:8 "...God is love."
I am thankful for both what God is and is not. I would like to take this, think about it, admire my Father's attributes, and in a childlike way imitate my Father in heaven.
The image in my mind is of a young child walking behind his father, arms outstretched for balance looking down at the foot impressions left by his father on the wet sand at the beach, being ever so careful not to deviate from them.
Help me God to embrace the qualities that You are, to reflect Your beauty, and become like You.
Chapter 14
26What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
How important it is that we encourage one another. Not only in our words and actions but the use of our spiritual gifts as well which comes in
many different types of form.
And then there is love -the one thing we all respond to. It prepares our heart to receive all that Christ has for us.
Chapter 15
Verses 40b-42a stands out to me the most..."but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead."
There will be different intensities in heaven. Daniel 12 tells us that those who win souls shall shine as the stars forever. Those who are serving the Lord now and making their lives count today will shine brightly throughout eternity. And although those who simply believe in Jesus, but give priority to their own bodies, possessions, interests, hobbies, careers, or agendas will be in heaven, they will not shine with the same intensity.
Truthfully, I will count it a blessing to be the resident maid and chief dishwasher as long as I am in heaven, but I would like to shine brightly for my Lord.
Father, give me the focus and strength to work hard today, and all my tomorrows to make Your kingdom my passion and priority. Not for the glory of my shining star, but for the Glory of you, my God. And Father, thank you for the wisdom you have given Jon Courson, because without his teachings I would not have understanding. Bless him Father, he is a good and faithful servant... and I LOVE him!!!
Be blessed today sisters...
Chapter 16
vs 13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
Let ALL that we do be done in love....be on the alert in love...stand firm in love..act like men in love...be strong in love! Such a good reminder for us today as we respond to all the ungodliness in our world.
vs 17...rejoice over the coming of ....( 3 men listed here who were believed to be the ones who brought this letter to them)
vs18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours.
Lord, may we live our lives as a reflection of Your Love in such a way that we bring a refreshing of spirit to those we come in contact with!
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