190th Week, I Corinthians Chapters 10-13 (Click on Title for Video Intro)

 

Click on Title for Video Intro

Monday, I Corinthians Chapter 10

I Corinthians 10

Verse 13

Jane Jones

Verse 13:  “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

THOUGHT

Family, there is no greater assurance for us today.  The Bible tells us that GOD IS FAITHFUL.  And not only that, but that He will also provide a way out of our temptation.  All we have to do is follow his lead.  For example, how tempting it is sometimes to talk about a person who has wronged you in some way so that you can get even with him for the lies he shared with someone.  Your first instinct is to get even, to correct the lie with slander to a fellow co-worker.  But the Bible is very specific to tell us that God will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.  Possibly, he will put that exact co-worker in your path at that very moment, to stop the dreadful “getting even”.  It is not by chance that you see this person coming your way.  If this stops you from hurting that individual, you are on your way to victory.

PRAYER

Father God, we thank You for the Sabbath.  Today was such a day to renew our hearts and spirits so that we can better serve you this week.  We thank You for Your faithfulness.  As we enter a new week, may we be strong in our weakness of temptation, and may we continually be reminded of Your faithfulness as You provide a way out to victory in the name of Jesus.  To You be the Glory forever and ever.  AMEN

Tuesday, I Corinthians Chapter 11

I Corinthians 11

Verse 24b

Jane Jones

Verse 24b: “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

THOUGHT

I don’t think I will ever forget the scene from the movie “Passion of the Christ” where the Roman Soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorian and together they stripped Him, twisted together a crown of thorns, set it on His head, knelt in front of Him, and mocked Him and spit on Him, and then took a staff and struck Him on the head again and again.  The beating seemed to be unending.  It went on and on.  I thought it would never stop.  I can still see it at this very moment.  He did it all for me.  He did it all for us.  Communion has taken on a new meaning ever since I saw that scene.

Sometimes we forget that Jesus was human.  He suffered pain just as we do.  He cried tears; the Bible tells us, as big drops of blood in the garden the night before His death.  “Father, if you are willing, take away this cup of suffering.”  The first one to hear His fear is His Father.  He could have gone to His Mother.  He could have confided in His disciples.  He could have assembled a prayer meeting.  All would have been appropriate, but none were His priority.  He went first to His Father.

Oh, how we tend to go everywhere else . . .first to the bar, to the counselor, to the self-help book or the friend next door.  Not Jesus.  The first one to hear His fear was His Father in Heaven.  He did it for us.  Go to Him.  “Do this in remembrance of me.”

PRAYER

We can’t imagine the torture You endured for us, Dear Jesus.  But our prayer this evening is that we will never forget what Your broken body meant . . . eternal life with You in Heaven.  Thank You for all that You endured for us.  May we always look to You in our suffering.  You are the way, the truth, and the life.  We love You so much.  AMEN

Wednesday, I Corinthians Chapter 12

I Corinthians 12

Verse 26

Jane Jones

Verse 26:  "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." 

THOUGHT

Several years ago on 03-05-00 I had foot surgery to correct a stretched and torn tendon in my foot. I will never forget the pain. It swelled up on me, and I had to have the cast sawed off and put back on again. The rehab took six weeks longer than anticipated. The trauma was difficult on Bart who was living with me at the time as a college student. I had to have friends come and get me for work as I couldn't drive. Matt had to run errands for me as I couldn't get around. Jeanie was my therapist at the time, checking in with me every day to see how I was doing. I had to buy two pairs of shoes for my two feet were one size apart for six months. It seemed like a huge ordeal. I thought I would never get better. When I suffered, everyone else suffered as well. 

This same body that failed me in 2000 was also the body that helped me get chosen all-conference first team in my softball and basketball career. When my foot was working well, all my other body parts, my family, my friends all rejoiced with me. 

What is your response when a fellow Christian is honored? How do you respond when someone is suffering? We are called to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. (Romans 12:15) Using the analogy of the body, Paul emphasizes the importance of each member. Just as each member of our body is important, so goes the church. Get involved in the lives of others and become part of the body of Christ. 

PRAYER

We pray that we all can become active parts of the body of Christ. We pray that the part we play in the body of Christ will suffer when every part suffers, and rejoice when every part rejoices. May we bring honor to the church of Jesus Christ and rejoice daily in the blessings we receive from our church families. We love You with all our being, Jesus. AMEN 

Thursday, I Corinthians Chapter 13

I Corinthians 13A

Verse 13b

Jane Jones

Verse 13b: "...But the greatest of these is love." 

THOUGHT

Several years ago someone challenged me to replace the word love in this chapter with my name. For example, Jane is patient, Jane is kind, Jane does not envy, Jane does not boast, Jane is not proud, Jane is not rude, Jane is not self-seeking...and on and on.

It didn't take me long after a comment or two that I realized there was no way I could meet this standard. This passage really describes the measureless love of God. Does it not?!? Let’s now insert Christ's name in place of the word love, and see if it rings true. 

Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind, Jesus does not envy, He does not boast, He is not proud. Jesus is not rude, He is not self-seeking, He is not easily angered, He keeps no record of wrongs. Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. Jesus always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Jesus never fails. 

Rather than let this scripture remind us of a love we cannot produce alone ourselves, let it remind us of a love we cannot resist--God's Love. 

"...But the greatest of these is JESUS." 

PRAYER

Father, You are the greatest to me. You alone have shown so much love to all of us that Your example is the perfect one to follow. We thank You for love, for this beautiful gift. As the Bible tells us, it is the greatest. Have a great evening in Heaven, Lord. We'll do our best here on Earth...but the greatest of these is JESUS. AMEN

Friday, I Corinthians Chapter 13B

I Corinthians 13B

Jane Jones

September 1, 2005

Family, I would like to continue with Chapter 13.  After doing my devotion on the Love Chapter, I read Chapter 13 out of the Message Translation. It was so awesome and put it into words that we could all relate to. I just can't help but put it here for you to read. Trust me...it is worth your time. It would be awesome for husbands and wives to read together. 

If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creak of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and make everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. 

Love never gives up. 

Love cares more for others than for self. 

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. 

Love doesn't strut, 

Doesn't have a swelled head, 

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always "me first”,

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, 

Puts up with anything.

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back,

But keeps going to the end. 

Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. 

When I was an infant at my mother's breast, I gurgled and cooped like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. 

We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! 

But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation. Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. 

This was so perfectly put for all of us. God is love.

PRAYER

May the God above enter our hearts at this very moment and warm us with His Love. What a powerful gift this love is. May we use it to God's Glory. AMEN