victory through resurrection

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12558 1 Corinthians 15.  It is clear from what Paul says in this chapter that some in the Corinthian churches were trying to downplay the doctrine of the resurrection.  Paul encourages the Corinthians to continue to preach it, because the victory that the believer has is the resurrection.  If you take away the resurrection, Christianity is an empty religion with no real hope, and believers are “of all people most to be pitied” (19).   The reason is that all human beings are born mortal. We have a death sentence hanging over us because of Adam’s rebellion.  We imitate Adam by being creatures who return to the dust.  But the resurrection gives us an opportunity to imitate Christ, the man from heaven (48).  This will happen at the last trumpet, when Christ returns (52-53).    The resurrection is our victory.

LORD, give us the courage and the wisdom to keep preaching the resurrection.

Posted in conditional immortality, courage, mortality, resurrection, second coming | Tagged | 1 Comment

when worship makes God sick

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12554 Isaiah 1.  The Israelites are continuing their worship in the temple, but there is so much wickedness in their lives that the worship makes God sick.  He threatens to come as a consuming fire and destroy them. Only a few survivors will be rescued because they repent and clean up their lives.  Everybody else will be destroyed.  God cannot tolerate unrighteousness among those who claim him as their father.  It is time for his people to start acting like it.

LORD, may we — your people — get our lives sorted out before our worship makes you sick.

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the sovereign over situations

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12552 Psalm 97.  The nations know all about their gods. There is no mystery that cannot be explained by the specialist, for a price.  But the God of Israel is shrouded in darkness and mystery.  The nations can manipulate their gods with the right offering, or the right ritual.  But righteousness and justice are the  foundation of the God of Israel’s throne. He cannot be bought off.  The nations play around with their gods of limited power and authority, but Israel’s God is most high over all the earth; he is exalted above all gods.

LORD, I praise you for your infinite power, righteousness and glory.

I confess that I often feel powerless — and I shouldn’t — because you are my God, and all power is yours.

I thank you for reminding me today that things are under control, because they are all under you.

I pray for my friends today who are overwhelmed by the circumstances of their lives. I pray that you give them each a reminder today that you are sovereign in their situations.

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word problems

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12551 1 Corinthians 14.  All of the problems that Paul was dealing with here have to do with speaking in church. He identifies three specific problems:
1) too many people were “speaking in tongues” instead of prophesying;
2) too many people were speaking all at once, which was leading to confusion;
3) some of the women of the congregation were speaking, and, for some reason that too was causing disorder.

In verse 12, Paul encourages the Corinthians to keep striving to excel in building up the church. That is the BIG IDEA that Paul is trying to get across in chapters 12-14. May we never forget that. We need to constantly evaluate ourselves to see if the things we are doing when we meet together are actually building up the body. If First century Corinth could have problems – even after being founded by Paul himself – then we have no reason to assume that the 21st century church is immune.
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LORD, before we say anything in church, help us to ask ourselves “will this help the people who hear it?” If it will not help, give us the consideration and love to keep our mouths shut!” Amen.

For more information about 1 Cor. 14, see http://jeffersonvann.blogspot.com/2010/08/call-for-edifying-manifestations.html

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universal worship

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12550 Psalm 96. The LORD is worthy of the worship of all the earth for what he alone has done.  The other gods are worthless idols, but he has made the heavens (1-6).  The LORD is worthy of the worship the families of the peoples because of his glory and strength (7-9). The LORD is worthy of the worship of all the nations because he reigns, and is coming to judge the earth (11-13). 

LORD, i confess that my view of you is often too small. I see you as my personal savior when you are the creator-redeemer-judge of the universe.

Thank you for opening my eyes to your greatness.

I pray for my friends, that you give each of them a glimpse of your universal worth-ship today.

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loving service

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12549 1  Corinthians 13.  Paul is still addressing the divisions caused in the Corinthian churches by those who are partial to one or the other minister.  They valued those gifted with good communication skills, insight, faith, generosity, sacrificial commitment — and who wouldn’t?  But Paul said that all these characteristics are nothing if the servant  simply uses his or her giftedness to gain a following, but does not serve out of love.  Loving service is humble service because it realizes the temporary nature of knowledge compared with the eternal value of relationship.

LORD, may those of us who lead in your family first learn how to love our brothers.

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they heard his voice

Posted on April 5, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12548 Psalm 95.  The Israelites heard God’s voice one day,and he said “keep going, I will sustain you.”  But all their fear said “we have no water. ”  Later, they heard his voice, and it said “take the land.” But their fear said “But there are giants there.”  They went astray in their heart.

LORD,  I confess that my fear has been getting in the way of my obeying your voice.  I have hardened my heart. I have been failing the test.  Forgive me, Father.

Thank you for being gracious and not condemning me.  I wait on you for your deliverance.

I pray for my friends today, as they also have opportunity to listen to your voice, to obey — to keep going in the right direction. Give them loyal hearts.

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not a competition

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12547 1 Corinthians 12.  The Corinthians used the spiritual gifts manifested among themselves as a measurement of who should be followed and who should be shunned.  Ministry became a means of perpetuating division. Some preferred the speaking gifts, others rallied behind healers.  Some preferred prophets, others opted for those who could distinguish what was going on in the spirit world.  The gifts were being used like the idols that the believers had forsaken to follow Christ.  One was pitted against another.  Paul said, no, you have it wrong. There is only one Holy Spirit and he distributes all the gifts for everyone’s benefit.  The ministries should function like limbs and organs in a body, each functioning for the good of all the others because it is designed to benefit the whole body.  Serving Christ is not a competition.

LORD, forgive us for magnifying some ministries above the others. May we use our gifts to serve you and each other.

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the ear planter hears, the eye former sees

Posted on April 4, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12543 Psalm 94.  LORD, I am in the wilderness again this morning, I cannot see my deliverance.

But You hear my cry because you planted the ear;  you see my need, because you formed the eye.

Thank you for reminding me who you are.

I will rest in you until my prayers are answered by you. I pray for all my friends who are also waiting. May they also know who you are as they look ahead in faith to your deliverance.

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traditions that dishonor Christ

Posted on April 3, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC12541 1 Corinthians 11:2-34.   Paul had set up some traditions that the Corinthian churches were following. He commended them for following the head-covering tradition. This was especially important in first-century Corinth, because members of the freedom faction were arguing that their wives should take their head coverings off because they were free in Christ. The wives did not want to do that because only the prostitutes went out in public without a head-covering.

Paul did not commend them for how they were practicing the love-feasts. He reminded them that the Lord’s Supper (which was part of the feast) was a solemn remembrance of Christ’s death for them. Therefore, they should be careful that they show proper respect for each other.

For both of these issues, Paul stresses the idea of personal judgment. Believers should be able to make proper judgments on these matters. After all, we believers will some day judge the angels (6:3). That explains the reference to angels (11:10).

LORD, teach us to make sound and proper judgments about the traditions that we keep — that we do not dishonor you.

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