191st Week, I Corinthians Chapters 14-16 & Paul's Profile (Cliick on Title for Video Intro)

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Monday, I Corinthians Chapter 14

I Corinthians 14

Verses 13-15

Delores Little

Verses 13-15:  "For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. For if I pray in a tongue, my Spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my Spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my Spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.”

THOUGHT

This is a gift I desire for myself. I do not interpret what others speak in tongues, only what I understand.  I do it mostly in prayer with God and me. There are people who can do the other.  I have heard and witnessed them, and it can be beautiful. 

When Willie died, all I could pray in was tongues. Nothing else came out of me.  God would speak to me through tongues, and it helped me greatly. I do not do it in my church as they don't do it, and I would never make them feel uncomfortable. I, like Paul, would rather instruct others in 5 intelligible words than 10,000 in tongues. 

I have heard so many teachings on tongues; and some I agree with, and others I do not.  This is the Holy Spirit praying out of me and not myself. We read in Jude 20, "But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and PRAY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT." and Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Holy Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." 27 "And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." 

This came alive to me when I received this gift.  It is for today; and when Christ comes back, there will be no need for it then. There are some churches that teach you must have this gift to be saved, and I do not agree with that at all. It is accepting Jesus as our Lord that saves us through Him and not tongues. We all receive the Holy Spirit when we become believers in Christ our Lord. Now I must use this gift in love and not pride. My husband had this gift also. But he used it just between God and him. This chapter does a great job in explaining what His gift is about.   

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, I do thank You for this gift You have blessed me with, but never let me misuse it. Let all things be done in order to glorify You. In Jesus Name we pray. AMEN 

Tuesday, I Corinthians Chapter 15

I Corinthians 15

Verses 54-56

Delores Little

Verses 54-56: "When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. BUT THANKS BE TO GOD! HE GIVES US THE VICTORY THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST." 

THOUGHT

This is a chapter that really explains the resurrection of Jesus and all the questions that some people always ask. It speaks of our worldly body and our Spiritual body. Also it speaks how through Adam sin came and through Christ the victory came.  When Christ comes back, death will be destroyed. Even in this chapter it speaks that bad company corrupts good character. Don't we see that in our world today as everyone wants to do their own thing.  We need to keep our families, friends, and nations in prayer daily to come into the saving grace of Jesus. We need to share what Paul shared with the Corinthians, accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. 

PRAYER

Praise the Lord for all You have done for us sinners down here and how You truly are Lord of Lord and King of Kings. Bless the Salt Shakers in all they do daily for Your Glory. AMEN 

Wednesday, I Corinthians Chapter 16

I Corinthians 16

Verses 13-14

Delores Little

Verses 13-14:  "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in LOVE." 

THOUGHT

What words to live by! How many times are we hurt because we are not on our guard about the devil or things that we think we need and really don't. It makes me think of 1 Peter 5:8: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  The next verse says:  "Resist him, standing firm in your faith."  Let us truly be on guard day and night and stand firm in our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. 

We are to be men and women of courage. I think it takes a lot of courage for Bart and Mindy to do what they do now in their church and in their jobs.  We can be very proud of them. It takes courage for Rory to learn a new job. It takes courage for Heather to leave the place she has been for awhile and go clear out to New York. It takes courage to be strong in your faith. 

Why? It is because we are doing it out of LOVE for God and our family. Paul was showing this love for the ones he witnessed to and the ones who traveled with Him.  He spoke of helping them and working together for the Kingdom of God that we are to greet one another in love. So I close with these verses 23 & 24: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen." 

PRAYER

Father, how we praise and thank You for drawing us to You daily through Your Word and prayers and fellowship. Forgive us when we fall short of Your glory daily. Pick us up and push us forward for Your work and to witness to others. Bless the Salt Shakers as they start another day for Your glory. In Jesus Name we pray. AMEN 

Thursday, A Little About Paul

Jeanie Boldt

Information taken from the NIV Life Application Bible

Paul belonged to the tribe of Benjamin; a heritage greatly esteemed among the Jews.  From this tribe had come Israel's first king, Saul.  The tribes of Benjamin and Judah were the only two tribes to return to Israel after the exile.  Paul was also a Pharisee, a member of a very devout Jewish sect that scrupulously kept its own numerous rules in addition to the laws of Moses.  Jewish listeners would have been impressed by both of these credentials.  

Why did Paul, a devout Jewish leader, persecute the church? Agreeing with the leaders of the religious establishment, Paul thought that Christianity was heretical and blasphemous.  Because Jesus did not meet his expectations of what the Messiah would be like, Paul assumed that Jesus' claims were false - and therefore wicked. In addition, he saw Christianity as a political menace because it threatened to disrupt the fragile harmony between the Jews and the Roman government.  

Paul, Saul at this time, had breathed out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples.  Saul wanted to take men or women who professed Christ as prisoners to Jerusalem.  It was here on the road to Damascus that a light from heaven flashed around him.  He fell to the ground and heard the voice of the Lord.  He went through a physical, mental and spiritual change and came to love Jesus, the Christ, as His Savior and the person that he lived for.  The remainder of his life was dedicated to sharing the love of Jesus and the gift of eternal life with the Jews, Gentiles, Romans, and anyone that would listen to the eternal  life-filled words of Jesus Christ.  

After Paul considered everything he had accomplished in his life, he said that it was all "a loss" when compared with the greatness of knowing Christ.  To know Christ should be our ultimate goal.    

PRAYER

Father, thank You for the letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians.  They contain so many words that share the importance of knowing Jesus and living in Joyful relationship with Him.  Increase our faith so that we can be content with rejoicing. Take our stress, anxiety and life's issues and help us to give them to Jesus. We Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, Let us rejoice!!  In the Name of our Savior and Lord, AMEN

Friday, Personal worship time

1.  Reread passages from I Corinthians.

2.  Memorize some of the passages from the book. 

3.  Thank the Lord for your church body.

4.  Thank the Lord for the gift of salvation through His resurrected body.

5.  Pray for those that you know that do not believe.