FOCUS ON THE WORK OF OUR VICTORIOUS LORD! And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain… And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins… And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as…

WINTER— A GOD-GIVEN SEASON He gives snow like wool; he scatters hoarfrost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? —Psalms 147:16-17             Snow, frost, ice and cold season is fast approaching.  Actually, it is upon us!  Frost was on the ground the other day.  A friend said his car doors were iced and hard to open a few days ago.  Our daughter, Hannah, sent us a picture of their first snow in New York near Lake Ontario.  Yes, the cold season is upon us and it is not my favorite season.  I enjoy the warm days of Spring, Summer and Fall. …

TRUST GOD, NOT MAN! Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The…

BE SELF-CONTROLLED IN THIS WORLD THAT IS OUT OF CONTROL! Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. —I Corinthians 9:24-2 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. —I Corinthians 10:31            …

WE AND THIS WORLD ARE PASSING AWAY For the present form of this world is passing away. —I Corinthians 7:31 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow. —Psalms 144:4             How sobering it is to know that we are like a breath and our lives are like a passing shadow— here for such a short time and then gone.  This present form of this world is also passing away.  It is winding down and soon it will no longer exist as it is.             It is so joyful and comforting to read these words— Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the…

ACTIONS OUR LORD EXPECTS I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. —I Corinthians 5:9-11 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the…

BUILDING FOR THE BUILDER! Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. —I Corinthians 3:12-15             It is so sobering to think that, one time in the future, we will “we must all appear before the judgment…

DON’T BE A GROUPIE QUARRELER For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? —I Corinthians 1:11-13             Are you a personality follower?  Or, are you a denominational follower?  That is not necessarily wrong, unless of course you argue with others that your personality or denomination is the “right” one.             Paul was addressing this problem as the Corinthians were quarreling…

BEWARE… DON’T BE NAÏVE! I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve. —Romans 16:17-18             As followers of Jesus, we are to cling to what God says.  Beware of “those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught.”  There will be those who will cause divisions because they do not adhere to the Word of God, but to their…

HE KNOWS!  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. —Romans 13:14 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. —Romans 14:8 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give…