November 30, 2024

There is a Buddhist temple in Tampa and every year, they have a festival where they sell their orchids. I love plants and had never been, so my daughter and I took a few hours out of our day to visit. The plants were gorgeous, and I bought several that were very unusual. While there, we enjoyed some delectable food options that were quite savory. My daughter and I knew very well that the people serving the food worshipped Buddha, and the temple we saw was dedicated to the dead, inanimate statue that represented their affection. However, as believers in Christ, how they felt about the object of their worship didn’t matter to us because we know the truth, and something stationary couldn’t possibly harm us because we were not worshipping with them. Now, if we had decided to pay tribute to their statue and partake of the food as a sacrifice to their God, we would have crossed a line, renouncing our faith in Jesus by worshipping such an object. Remember, you cannot serve two masters because when you love one, you will hate the other. Simply enjoying a bite of the food that is available is permissible according to scripture. All food is from God and blessed by Him when we pray. We have so much freedom in Christ; one day, we will realize just how much when we wake up to the truth. 

Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:29-31

November 29, 2024

If you willingly sow into spiritual things, you will benefit physically. I would be careful here and make sure you are sowing into the spiritual things of God, not some other entity, because one has benefits, but the other has consequences. Though Paul was employed in other fields, he put in a lot of work to help keep the churches going. It would have been helpful for the churches to finance him so he could concentrate on keeping them on track with biblical doctrine, which he wrote much of, rather than spend his time working in the secular field. In 1 Corinthians 9, he makes his case. 

Your preacher gets paid out of the titles of the church members, much like the priests of the Old Testament who were allowed to partake in the sacrifices, and that’s how it should be. A preacher is compelled and has a burden to preach, led by the Holy Spirit, and does it willingly; otherwise, if he feels like it’s drudgery, his only reward will be his paycheck. I don’t know how much my preacher gets paid, but it’s not enough because he is that good. It’s not only that he’s an excellent preacher, but he has to put up with a lot of bologna from his parishioners. We are truly blessed. 

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? 1 Corinthians 9:11

November 28, 2024

Have you noticed an uptick in optimism since the election? The stores are packed with people, even before the Thanksgiving rush. People are feeling more confident, and the feeling of doom and gloom has subsided. We have much to be thankful for, especially for our salvation in Christ Jesus. Within ourselves, we are nothing but filth, but covered with the purity of Jesus, we are sparkling clean. Now, if we could cover the DC swamp with the purity of Christ, maybe our country would get back into the business of worshipping the one true God. There is always hope. Today, I will leave you with one of my favorite Thanksgiving passages of scripture; it is perfect, honors God, and blesses us in return. Happy Thanksgiving!

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalms 100

November 27, 2024

We must be careful around new or weak Christians because what may be a sin to them may not be a sin to us. In 1 Corinthians 8, Paul talks about eating meat offered to idols. It's hard to find a comparison in today's society because you don't see much idol worship in this day and time. We know that idols are nothing but wood, stone, clay, or metal and cannot eat. However, let's say that you have a friend who is a former alcoholic, and they are a believer; I would say that if you are having dinner with them, you probably shouldn't have that glass of wine with your dinner. That is a stumbling block for them. What might be permissible for you may be a sin for them. 

A tidbit of information about mysterious beings that some people worship was included in this chapter. Look at this verse: 

For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

With what the media is now trying to sensationalize, these so-called aliens, we know as Christians that we are not alone on this planet because scripture is clear that Satan and one-third of the angels were kicked out of heaven onto earth. Going a little further, we also know from scriptures that we have heavenly beings here to protect us. Their capabilities are beyond our understanding. Could another veil be lifted? I can't be sure; we're probably seeing what we've always seen. I've witnessed some unusual things that couldn't be explained away. 

The main teaching of 1 Corinthians 8 is to be mindful of others' weaknesses and not do anything that might cause them to stumble.

November 26, 2024

Get married if you want to be married; otherwise, stay single. It’s better to marry than to burn with passion. There are problems associated with marriage. One problem is devotion to God and serving Him. Married people tend to concern themselves with worldly things to please their mates. Paul thought everyone should stay unmarried to devote all their time to God in this short life. However, he knew that people were passionate and may want to release that passion, so choosing a mate was not wrong, however unwise it may seem. This chapter directly coincides with chapter 6, where Paul instructs the church at Corinth not to pollute their bodies by fornication. Chapter 7 of his letter shows them the options and explains how marriage or singleness should be handled. We would do ourselves good to follow his instructions, especially since it is included in God’s scriptures. 

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 1 Corinthians 7:2

But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. 1 Corinthians 7:9

November 25, 2024

The body you have right now is a part of your salvation and will go with you into eternity. Yes, God will glorify it, but I’m unsure what that means. I’m guessing He will perfect it. Whatever the case, we should honor God by keeping our bodies from sinful behavior. One of the things Paul mentions is fornication and reminds us that this sin is the most intrusive and introduces prostitution into our temple. I would go a step further and include gluttony and drug use as intrusive on your temple, especially in this day and age where we aren’t sure what kind of poison might be in either of them. I knew and understood this scripture, but it struck me differently because it reminds me that though we live in a body of death, we will one day be reunited with it when God allows us into the new heaven and new earth; therefore, we should remember this truth when we consider introducing and subjecting it to sinful behavior.

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. 1 Corinthians 6:15-16

We are cleansed through Jesus, but are sins honorable? To pollute your body again after conversion should make you feel ashamed of your actions because you have introduced sin into that which belongs to the Lord. Consider your actions, weigh them against Jesus, and avoid anything that could shame him. 

November 24, 2024

A man in the church of Corinth had either married or was sleeping with his father’s wife. So Paul wrote to them, telling them to get him out because a little leaven would spoil the whole bunch. 

Side note: Does this say to keep the feast? 🤔 Maybe we should live this feast daily. 

Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:8

This particular sin was even a stench to the Gentiles outside the church. Paul told them to put him out and let the devil have his way with him. If this person were simply an outsider to the church, Paul wouldn’t bother judging him, but because he was part of the congregation, he called out his sins. This scripture is where the Bible tells us that the church has every right to admonish the sins of professing Christians. Those in the world are dead until they come to know Jesus, so there is no need to judge their actions related to biblical issues. 

For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 1 Corinthians 5:12-13