Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. —I Corinthians 14:26 Why am I part of a local church? Just to say I attended on Sunday morning or whenever it meets? So I go and try to get something or feel something, some “felt need” or emotional fulfillment? Do I go to seek favor with God or look good before man? Do I go just to be part of a…

Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. —I Corinthians 14:1 Jesus replied, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments. —Matthew 22:37-40 What is your highest goal in life? Is it a good job, a good education, a good family, a big house, a good retirement? How about loving God? Is that your…

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. —I Corinthians 13:4-7 Love: · is patient, but impatience is unloving · is kind, but cruelty is unloving · is not jealous, but is trusting · is not boastful, but is reserved · is not proud, but is humble · is not rude, but is polite · is…

I Corinthians 12 7-A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 11-He alone decides which gift each person should have. 13-But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 20-21- Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 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.” 25- all the members care for each other. We had an exciting time together last night at the NH State prison as we spent 2 ½ hours in our small group…

You are announcing the Lord’s death until he comes again. —I Corinthians 11:26 When you and I take part in the Lord’s Table, Communion, the Lord’s Supper or whatever that time is called at the local church you attend, we are publicly proclaiming Jesus’ death on the cross and that one day He will come back again. This also means we are stating our faith in Jesus having risen from the dead (I Corinthians 15:20) and ascending back to heaven (Acts 1:11). These are foundational truths (I Corinthians 15:1-9). Jesus came to that last Passover knowing what was just ahead for Him. His body would be beaten— given for us—…

For although the first woman came from man, every other man was born from a woman, and everything comes from God. —I Corinthians 11:2 Confusion… wow, that is what it is when it comes to gender today. There has only been one woman that came from a man and that was when God formed Eve from Adam’s rib. Ever since then only women naturally bear children. It is amazing that DNA is utilized to solve all kinds of mysteries in crime, but it is not mentioned too much when talking about gender. DNA cannot lie. It tells whether a person is a male or female. Where’s the science in this…

I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved. —I Corinthians 10:33 Me…me…me… Mine…mine…mine… and so goes the way of a 2 year old. Not all, but many. They are self focused and are only looking out for their own interests. There are exceptions, but the norm is that think they are the center of the universe and they want everything to revolve around them. By nature they are selfish. But so too it can be true and often is that adults are the same way. Instead…

But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes. —I Corinthians 8:1-3 There is a vast ocean of knowledge and nobody understands each and every drop. Those who would claim to know how many drops are in the ocean would be considered someone who really doesn’t know too much. So it is with a person that claims to know the answers to everything. In reality, they don’t know very much. What is of first importance is if a person loves…

The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. —Proverbs 26:16 My daughter was in the city recently and a man came up to her open window and asked for money. She told him she did not have any cash, but he persisted. Finally he left. I am not sure of this particular man’s situation, but being aggressive as he was is not how you ask for help. Was this man really needed, was he a drug addict or was there some other difficulty happening in his life? There are those who do use the system. They seek to get something for nothing. They…

YOUR DEBT HAS BEEN PAID— WILL YOU ACCEPT THE GIFT? God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world. —I Corinthians 7:23 Carl was a slave to sin and there was nothing he could do about it. Satan had ensnared him and was holding Carl captive to do his will (II Timothy 2:26). On occasion Carl’s conscience would bother him about the sinful things he was involved in, but most of the time he enjoyed the pleasures of sin. But then Carl found the answer to his captivity. There was a way out… Sin can be pleasurable for a season (Hebrews 11:25), but it is…