read it slowly

 1 Corinthians 13 

1 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, 

but didn’t love others, 

I would only be a noisy gong 

or a clanging cymbal. 

2 If I had the gift of prophecy, 

and if I understood all of God’s secret plans 

and possessed all knowledge, 

and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, 

but didn’t love others, 

I would be nothing. 

3 If I gave everything I have to the poor 

and even sacrificed my body, 

I could boast about it; 

but if I didn’t love others, 

I would have gained nothing.

4 Love is patient 

and kind. 

Love is not jealous 

or boastful 

or proud 

5 or rude. 

It does not demand its own way. 

It is not irritable, 

and it keeps no record of being wronged. 

6 It does not rejoice about injustice 

but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 

7 Love never gives up, 

never loses faith, 

is always hopeful, 

and endures through every circumstance.

8 Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. 

But love will last forever! 

9 Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, 

and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 

10 But when the time of perfection comes, 

these partial things will become useless.

11 When I was a child, 

I spoke 

and thought 

and reasoned as a child. 

But when I grew up, 

I put away childish things. 

12 Now we see things imperfectly, 

like puzzling reflections in a mirror, 

but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. 

All that I know now is partial and incomplete, 

but then I will know everything completely, 

just as God now knows me completely.

13 Three things will last forever:

faith, 

hope, 

and love;

and the greatest of these 

is love.

gifts of the Holy Spirit

 The gifts of the Holy Spirit are nothing to be afraid of.

I spent over 50 years of my life thinking so.

I was wrong.

Read this section from Paul's first letter to the followers of Jesus in Corinth.

Maybe it will help you feel more comfortable with them.

1 Corinthians 12 

1 Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. 2 You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. 3 So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 8 To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. 9 The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 11 It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 13 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.

14 Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 15 If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

18 But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 19 How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 20 Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 21 The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

22 In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 23 And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, 24 while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 25 This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. 26 If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 28 Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.

29 Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? 30 Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 31 So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.

how to live

 Some of what Luke recorded Jesus saying from what we know as the Sermon on the Mount.

The other account is found in Matthew 5, 6, & 7.

Luke 6

27 “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, 

love your enemies! 

Do good to those who hate you. 

28 Bless those who curse you. 

Pray for those who hurt you. 

29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, 

offer the other cheek also. 

If someone demands your coat, 

offer your shirt also. 

30 Give to anyone who asks; 

and when things are taken away from you, 

don’t try to get them back. 

31 Do to others as you would like them to do to you.

32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? 

Even sinners love those who love them! 

33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, 

why should you get credit? 

Even sinners do that much! 

34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, 

why should you get credit? 

Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.

35 “Love your enemies! 

Do good to them. 

Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. 

Then your reward from heaven will be very great, 

and you will truly be acting as children of the Most High, 

for he is kind to those who are unthankful and wicked. 

36 You must be compassionate, 

just as your Father is compassionate.

37 “Do not judge others, 

and you will not be judged. 

Do not condemn others, 

or it will all come back against you. 

Forgive others, 

and you will be forgiven. 

38 Give, 

and you will receive. 

Your gift will return to you in full;

pressed down, 

shaken together to make room for more, 

running over, 

and poured into your lap. 

The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

HUGE

 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.

And God is faithful.

He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.

When you are tempted,

he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

1 Corinthians 10:13

So, let me boil this down...

Nothing the devil flings at us is any different or out of the ordinary from what other people experience.

iow, we ain't all that special with what we're tempted by.

Also, God won't let anything the devil flings at us be strong than what we ourselves can resist.

iow - we can handle whatever comes our way because God's not gonna let anything hit us that we can't stand.

AND...

whenever we are tempted to do something we know we shouldn't, Paul says that God will always show us a way we can resist it - always

Now, think about all those things that the devil flings at you every second.

and then balance that with what you've just read.

Think about what Paul is saying here.

This is HUGE...

ATTAP

 Paul talks about being "all things to all people" - something we've lost track of trying to be these days...

1 Corinthians 9

19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.

22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

92

 

Psalm 92

1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
    to sing praises to the Most High.
2 It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning,
    your faithfulness in the evening,
3 accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, a harp,
    and the melody of a lyre.

4 You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
    I sing for joy because of what you have done.
5 O Lord, what great works you do!
    And how deep are your thoughts.
6 Only a simpleton would not know,
    and only a fool would not understand this:
7 Though the wicked sprout like weeds
    and evildoers flourish,
    they will be destroyed forever.

8 But you, O Lord, will be exalted forever.
9 Your enemies, Lord, will surely perish;
    all evildoers will be scattered.
10 But you have made me as strong as a wild ox.
    You have anointed me with the finest oil.
11 My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;
    my ears have heard the defeat of my wicked opponents.
12 But the godly will flourish like palm trees
    and grow strong like the cedars of Lebanon.
13 For they are transplanted to the Lord’s own house.
    They flourish in the courts of our God.
14 Even in old age they will still produce fruit;
    they will remain vital and green.
15 They will declare, “The Lord is just!
    He is my rock!
    There is no evil in him!”

ninety-one

 Psalm 91

1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
    and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
    He will shelter you with his wings.
    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
    nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
    though ten thousand are dying around you,
    these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
    and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
    if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
    no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
    to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

honoring

 1 Corinthians 6 

18 Run from sexual sin! 

No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. 

For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 

19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, 

who lives in you 

and was given to you by God? 

You do not belong to yourself, 

20 for God bought you with a high price. 

So you must honor God with your body.

just 3 verses

 This is all I've got to share today...

these verses are from the list of verses I've been holding on to during 2020...

2 Corinthians 4

8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, 

but we are not crushed. 

We are perplexed, 

but not driven to despair. 

9 We are hunted down, 

but never abandoned by God. 

We get knocked down, 

but we are not destroyed. 

10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus 

so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.

fancy

 This is Paul writing in his first letter to the followers of Jesus living in Corinth...

"For the Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk;

it is living by God's power."

1 Corinthians 4:20 (NLT, 1st ed.)

I get the feeling that for many of us white middle class evangelicals 

we been putting out a lot of "fancy talk"...

& living the Christian life defined by "fancy talk".

Because if we were in a place where we were totally dependent on God's power,

wouldn't our behavior, 

our words, 

& our actions be more tempered by love

& free of white supremacy,

judgement,

rigidity,

& arrogance?

LGLO

 Mark 12

28 One of the teachers of religious law was standing there listening to the debate. He realized that Jesus had answered well, so he asked, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 Jesus replied, “The most important commandment is this: ‘Listen, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. 30 And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.’ 31 The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.”

32 The teacher of religious law replied, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth by saying that there is only one God and no other. 33 And I know it is important to love him with all my heart and all my understanding and all my strength, and to love my neighbor as myself. This is more important than to offer all of the burnt offerings and sacrifices required in the law.”

34 Realizing how much the man understood, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the Kingdom of God.” And after that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Boil it all down?

Love God, love others.

LGLO

wait for it...

 Parts of this passage are quoted often, but we seldom hear the amazing, stupendous truth in the last verse.

Wait for it, wait... for... it...

1 Corinthians 2

9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
    for those who love him.”

10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For,

“Who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
    Who knows enough to teach him?”

But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

foolish things

 1 Corinthians 1

27 God chose things the world considers foolish 

in order to shame those who think they are wise. 

And he chose things that are powerless 

to shame those who are powerful. 

28 God chose things despised by the world, 

things counted as nothing at all, 

& used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 

29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.

eightfour

 Psalm 84

1 How lovely is your dwelling place,
    O Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
2 I long, yes, I faint with longing
    to enter the courts of the Lord.
With my whole being, body and soul,
    I will shout joyfully to the living God.
3 Even the sparrow finds a home,
    and the swallow builds her nest and raises her young
at a place near your altar,
    O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, my King and my God!
4 What joy for those who can live in your house,
    always singing your praises. 

5 What joy for those whose strength comes from the Lord,
    who have set their minds on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
6 When they walk through the Valley of Weeping,
    it will become a place of refreshing springs.
    The autumn rains will clothe it with blessings.
7 They will continue to grow stronger,
    and each of them will appear before God in Jerusalem.

8 O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies, hear my prayer.
    Listen, O God of Jacob. 

9 O God, look with favor upon the king, our shield!
    Show favor to the one you have anointed.

10 A single day in your courts
    is better than a thousand anywhere else!
I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God
    than live the good life in the homes of the wicked.
11 For the Lord God is our sun and our shield.
    He gives us grace and glory.
The Lord will withhold no good thing
    from those who do what is right.
12 O Lord of Heaven’s Armies,
    what joy for those who trust in you.