August 21, 2016
Paul called on the Corinthians to pursue and exercise spiritual gifts that would edify the other members of the church. Apparently, many were striving for gifts that only edified the individual who exercised them. Specifically, Paul named speaking in tongues without an interpretation as an example of a wrong use of spiritual gifting, because it did not build up the hearer. A timeless principle may be understood in this–– that spiritual gifts are to be used to build up the body of Christ, not for self-edification.
August 20, 2016
How many have wished they could take back their words? Yet, once said, they linger on. If only there were a delete button to erase ill chosen words. Instead, the more poorly spoken thoughts tend to linger the longest. Better to keep quiet and stay out of trouble. Fill you mind and mouth with God’s Word. Let the Spirit of Christ rule your speech.
August 19, 2016
When the evil Haman convinced the king of Persia to issue a decree to annihilate the Jews, Queen Esther asked her fellow Jews to fast and pray for three days. One night during this time of prayer and fasting, the king couldn’t sleep. He asked his servants to bring his book of chronicles and memorable deeds and read them to him. Perhaps he hoped to fall asleep to their bedtime reading. However, the section they read reminded him of how Esther’s relative Mordecai had helped save him from an assassination conspiracy. This led to him honoring Mordecai and eventually, hanging Haman. What a coincidence that the king’s insomnia led to reading the exact report concerning Mordecai. This little book of Esther, which is notable in that it never mentions God, is filled with such “coincidences.” While God’s people fasted and prayed, He worked behind the scenes to move the king’s hand.
August 18, 2016
Paul rebuked the Corinthians for coming to the Lord’s table without treating one another as members of the Lord’s one body. Their disunity and selfish behavior flew in the face of the sacrifice of Christ which the Lord’s Supper represents. He challenged them to first “examine” themselves before taking communion. Self examination should include asking the Lord to reveal any area of sin to confess. And by context, it should include reconciling to those with whom there is disunity or offense. Of course, the Lord’s Supper shouldn’t be the only time that such self examination takes place. Keep short accounts. Don’t let the sun go down on disunity. But the Lord’s Supper is an appropriate time to do a heart check, asking, “Lord, am I right with You and with others at this time?” The Supper should never be allowed to become a meaningless religious ritual. It should always move us to remember Christ’s sacrifice and proclaim His death until He returns.
August 17, 2016
Headship is a biblical title of relational authority. It is a beautiful word that unfortunately rubs many of our generation the wrong way. In 1 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul was trying to restore God-honoring order to their worship services, which had fallen into disarray. He reminded them that Christ is the perfect picture of headship and submission. As the Head of the Church, He lay down His life as a sacrifice for sin and will one day return to receive her as His bride. At the same time, Christ did all of this in submission to the Father, who is His head. They are coequal, yet the Son always submits to the Father. In like manner, those who would lead in worship must submit to appropriate headship and lead as servant-leaders. Clearly, men and women are to follow the order of creation and the intent of the Father in this. God’s Word, not human culture should be the “head” of how we worship.
August 16, 2016
The Holy Spirit inspired David to write before the cross what He inspired Paul to write after it– namely, that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom.8:1). Christ is our refuge.
August 15, 2016
David’s psalm invites us to worship the Lord with him. This is a wonderful call to worship. Are you part of a fellowship that will answer this call with you? This is a call that you cannot answer alone. You will need brothers and sisters who love the Lord as you do. Private devotions are life-giving, but they create a longing for worshiping together with others. Isn’t this the goal of the gospel? That there would be worshipers called out from every tongue and tribe?
August 14, 2016
Bible reading and exposition was a central feature of the worship of the returning remnant to Jerusalem. The sense of the Word so affected them that they began to weep. This is still the calling for today, that the Word of God would be read and clearly preached with a goal of understanding. The timeless principles of the Word are to be understood in context, carried across the “Bible bridge” and applied to today’s congregation in the power of the Spirit. The New Testament preacher is to be “devoted” to the public reading and exhortation of the Word (1 Tim. 4:13). In like manner, the members of the body of Christ are to be devoted to the Word as well.
August 13, 2016
Our existence is “from” and “for” God, the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. He made us for Himself. As Augustine said, “Thou hast made us for Thyself, O God, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in Thee.” Do you know the One to whom you belong and for whom you exist? Come, and find perfect rest and purpose in Him.
August 12, 2016
David described how he felt when he had unconfessed sin in his life. Keeping silent about the sin, he felt a sense of heaviness and separation from the Lord. He suffered a kind of spiritual arthritis in his bones, so that his prayers turned into groaning as he tried to bend his stiff knees before the Lord. Yet when he acknowledged his sin, the Lord forgave him. God’s steadfast love surrounded him. Why did he wait so long to confess? Why not admit the sin as soon as he felt the Spirit’s conviction? Why wait for the spiritual dryness and heaviness before crying out to the Lord?