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Thoughts Archived > Are You Living Be God's Power?


31 Jan 2010

                                           

 

 January 31, 2010

 1 Corinthians 4

  Are You Living By God's Power?

    

1 Corinthians

So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God's secrets.  Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful.  What about me?  Have I been faithful?  Well, it matters very little what you or anyone else thinks.  I don't even trust my own judgment on this point.  My conscience is clear, but that isn't what matters.  It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide.

So be caredful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether or not someone is faithful.  When the Lord comes, he will bring our deepest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives.  And then God will give to everyone whatever praise is due.

Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I've been saying.  If you pay attention to the Scriptures, you won't brag about one of your leaders at the expense of another.  What makes you better than anyone else?  What do you have that God hasn't given you?  And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own?

You think you already have everything you need!  You are already rich!  Without us you have become kings!  I wish you really were on your thrones already, for then we would be reigning with you!  But sometimes I think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die.  We have become a spectacle to the entire world--to people and angels alike.

Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you are so wise!  We are weak, but you are so powerful!  You are well thought of, but we are laughted at.  To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, without enough clothes to keep us warm.  We have endured many beatings and we have no homes of our own.  We have worked wearily with our own hands to earn our living.  We bless those who curse us.  We respond gently when evil things are said about us.  Yet we are treated like the world's garbage, like everybody's trash--right up to the present moment.

I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.  For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father.   For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.  So I ask you to follow my example and do as I do.

That is the very reason I am sending Timothy--to help you do this.  For he is my beloved and trustworthy child in the Lord.  He will remind you of what I teach about Christ Jesus in all the churches wherever I go.

I know that some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will never visit you again.  But I will come--and soon--if the Lord will let me, and then I'll find out whether these arrogant people are just big talkers or whether they really have God's power.  For the Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God's power.  Which do you choose?  Should I come with punishment and scolding, or should I come with quiet love and gentleness?   

 

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Thoughts...

 

Gee, another wallapaloosa this week. How is everyone this morning?  Wake up!  It's good to be alive!

On a first read of this scripture, Paul is very attitudinal, we might say in todays lingo.  He's speaking to the Corinthians as a rebuke of sorts.  Shaking them up, making them think.  He's telling him that Christ has appointed him...put him in charge of sharing the gospel message...the 'gospel truth'.  He intimates that others question his authority and gifts, and yet he questions the Corinthians choice making...by the power of God.  Let's take this chapter by chapter and I will try not to be quite as long winded as last week...no promises....this is God's moment.

Opening this up, he's telling the Corinthians that he and Apollos should be viewed as servants of Christ put in charge of explaining God's secrets.  What are God's secrets?  In this case he has the good news of Christ and the salvation message to share.  How to live and live rightly as God calls them to live.  Then he goes on to say what attributes a person put in charge as a manager of sharing that info must have.  Interesting to note he uses the word 'manager' instead of priest, rabbi, minister, pastor, or warrior even.  A manager oversees those beneath him.  And yet he decrees that the others think they are above him, rather than the other way around.  He must be faithful.  Faithful to who or what?  Faithful to God and his teachings as newly taught by Christ, learned by him directly, and by others in Christ.  Before he is questioned, or perhaps he has been and we don't get that commentary, he states he does not want to judge himself, but guides himself by his conscience...his new conscience....measured by the teachings of Christ.  He knows the Lord will examine him and decide whether or not he has been faithful, but is doing everything he can to insure he will be raised up at the sound of the trumpet on his last day.  

His next statements tell us not to measure another's faithfulness against our own, because God sees our motives and  Paul says, "God will give to everyone whatever praise is due".  Notice how positive Paul is...how he phrased that.  He could have said, "God will be able to see what scoundrels you are not obeying his will and causing others to sin."  Nice guy....Paul.

In the next paragraph he starts to illustrate about paying attention to the scriptures and leadership.  He is trying to tell them that one leader is not any better than another.  That if they are in Christ, everything they have is from God and not to boast as though they are great...God in them is the great one.  Paul and Apollos are merely empty vessels which God uses to share Christ and everything else he needs them to share through him.  This is true for all of us sharing the gospel message.  No one is better, no one is more right than another.  We just are....here for the world...ready to be used for and by Christ.  

Ah....Paul's mocking spirit.  He is speaking in the Corinthians worldly sense now in this chapter.  He wishes they were on thrones, but not worldly thrones, on heavenly thrones.  I can just imagine his thoughts at this point:  'You think you are so smart, figure this one out'.  Paul says that as a leader, we must show by example and as a Christian, we are victorious.  Paul knows as an apostle of and for Christ, he is going to die at some point on earth, and as such, his life must be not only an example, but closely watched by both heaven and earth to insure he is living that testimony of which he speaks....to rise with Christ in eternal salvation.

In verse 10, he is clear about his dedication.  This is paramount whether you are a new Christian, gee....I can't say old Christian.....having been a Christian for years....that's politically correct...or a manager, priest, minister, pastor, rabbi, worker, or other.  In his best mocking tone, he seems to use a lot, he emphatically states that the Corinthians think their worldly wisdom is beyond what he knows from Christ's perspective.  Gosh, isn't that true for a lot of us having to be in the world, but not of the world?  They think themselves so wise and powerful, and look down upon us, laughing with scorn, and judge us.  He intimates he is seen as though he might not have everything 'they' have, those who are so worldly, and yet you can hear the strength of conviction in Paul's voice as he is clear about his integrity, his honor....working hard, being patient, responding gently.

It is a warning that sure sounds like a rebuke, yet he calls them his beloved children.  Here he says something extremely noteworthy.  He indicates that he is their spiritual father.  He says, "For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father.  For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you."  I bet he and Peter had some strong discussions in their day.  It reinforces something I have been saying for years.  Peter was not the ONLY one annointed to go forth and preach the gospel.  Let me take a side trip here for a moment to address this.  No, wait.  Let's save this topic for next Sunday.  I will want to expound a bit and I don't want us to get totally off track.  Remind me!!! 

Okay, getting back to what Paul was saying, he asked the Corinthians to follow his example and do as he does.  He must have had a VERY clear conscience and confident of his rightness in Christ to be able to say this.  Many times you've probably heard from your parents while growing up 'do as I say, not as I do'.  Here is a man of God saying, 'I've got it, I know how to do it, and I can show you the way that Christ showed me that I am actually doing'.  What a deal.  He says it with true conviction.  He learned what Christ learned from God:  to so listen and so obey him that he could be fully one with him and able to share that with the world.  Wow.  That we would all be so.  Can you follow his example?

Then he offers the Corinthians a member of the body, that he trusts to go forth and do as he has done to help them.  Timothy has shown himself approved.  Paul has shared the gospel message with Timothy in its fullness.  And now Timothy will do the same.  He will go forth preaching and teaching the gospel message.  It is what we are all called to do folks.  Are you ready?  Have you shown yourself approved?

Paul is now addressing the 'flim-flam' principle, if you will.  He's thinking the Corinthians are a thinking he is just a fly by night evangelist with no foundation and no future.  And he is thinking that the Corinthians are 'spouting' they have the power, when they may not.  It comes down to 'walking the walk, if you are going to talk the talk'.  He's warning them that he wants to see evidence of their fruits and gifts should God allow him to return again.  He says, "For the Kingdom of God is not just fancy talk; it is living by God's power."  And then he asks them, "Which do you choose?"  As all who love us, punish us and scold us, as well as give quiet love and gentleness, Paul is making the offer, putting the gauntlet before them, waving the red cape.  And as he asks the Corinthians, I ask you, "Which do you choose?"  Better yet, let me ask you most importantly, "Whom do you choose?"  Will you choose Jesus Christ as your Savior today and make him Lord of your life?   And will you talk the talk and walk the walk?  And show  yourself approved to go forth preaching, teaching, and healing?  Baptising all in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?  

Are you living by God's power today?  Will you be put in charge?  Here are just a few of the attributes that you must have to be a 'manager' for Jesus Christ:  You must be a servant.  You must be able to explain God's secrets.  You must be faithful, have a clear conscience, not jump to conclusions, pay attention to the scriptures, not brag about one leader at the expense of another.  Realize all you have comes from God, a victor, able to stand up to scrutiny by heaven and earth, dedicated, willing to endure hardship, hard working to earn your living, able to bless those who curse you.  You must be patient, able to respond gently when evil things are said about you, accepting of God's love from him and others, willing to accept warnings with love to help you and not hurt you.  Able to accept and answer to God's authority from your spiritual advisors to show accountability, be ready to be an example, and be willing to preach the word of God to everyone everywhere.  You must be beloved, trustworthy, as a child in the Lord, reminding others of what God has to say, willing to follow up on the growth of others, and, be willing to live by God's power.  You must also be loving and gentle.  

If you have these attributes at least, I know you will be living by God's power.  And I would be honored to call you Brother, Sister, and Friend in Christ Jesus.  A Christian.  May you go forth reading the New Testament to learn all that Holy Spirit has to share, and, grow in the knowledge and wisdom of the one and only Jesus Christ, and Father God Almighty.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love and may you always live by the power of God from this day forward.

      

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Let Us Pray

 

Lord Jesus, God Almighty, Holy Spirit, find me newly washed in the words of your love.  I come to you in the fullness of my heart bowing down to your wisdom and authority.  Make me a new creature in you.  Raise me to new heights of love and understanding for YOUR glory, Lord.  Help me to be all that I can in and with you.  Fill me to over flowing with your Holy Spirit giving me your fruits, and your gifts, that I may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name.  Send me forth preaching and teaching and healing, as only you can, as I open myself as a cleansed vessel for you.  Keep me safe and remove from me...within me and around me...anything and anyone who is not of you.  Surround me with only those who are yours, Lord, those who have accepted you as their Lord and Savior and are living members of the body of Christ Jesus....and those you have accepted, Lord, and shown themselves approved.  But may you also bring those who are lost, that they may be saved, and may I please have the discernment to know the difference, and be able to love them and teach them as you would.  May my roots go down deep into your soil of love.  I do know how very much you love me and please, accept my gratitude for who you are, and how wonderful you are.  Times are hard, but I thank you for everything that is going on in my life right now, because I know you are working everything out for my good....and yours.  I bow before you, my Savior and Lord, my God and Holy Spirit and offer you my pure heart of love.  As a child I come to you running with open arms.  Daddy...God, hold me and love me.  Jesus, Lord and Savior...my Brother, lift me and carry me.  Holy Spirit...my teacher and comforter, guide me and fill me.  Grant me a new life in and with you forever and more.  Praise you!  Thank you!  I love you!  Amen and Alleluia!  Let the fire of your love fall afresh on me!   And may I go forth praising you, as I tell others about you!  Amen...again...and again...and again.  

 

I'll be shorter next week.....I think.  ; )

 

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  Benediction...Blessing

 

Let us hear from Paul as he prays:  

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth.  I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resouces he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.  And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him.  May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's marvelous love.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it.  Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God!  By his mighty power at work within us, he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.  May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.  Amen.  Ephesians 3:14-21 NLT         

 

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Scroll down to read Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving...'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'.

 

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Definition of a Christian:  Anyone who believes in God, Jesus and Holy Spirit, and accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Regardless of church name or religious affiliation.  

 

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If you feel that the Church of the Holy Spirit has inspired or helped you, we'd like you to prayerfully consider tithing regulary to us or gifting us, so that we can further the work and carry out the will of the Father as proclaimed in Matthew 28:16 NLT

 to

 "Go and make disciples out of all the nations

baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:

I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

 

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  Our Current Cause

My family and I, and the church, are in crisis and could desperately use your prayers and financial support.  Due to medical concerns, employment crisis, and economic devastation,  I do not have funding to meet everyday expenses right now for the church, or family, and home, nor those necessary to keep this website afloat, for those shut-in or needing spiritual support, nor the ability to help others along the way.  But I am confident that, with your help, balance can be achieved.  As God touches your heart, I hope you will pray earnestly for this church, my family and me, and send any amount of money you can to help.  Please note 'Church and Family' on your check or money order, and, I will see that all funds get divided appropriately.  The church, I and my family, as well as to those to whom we reach out, will be sincerely grateful for anything you can do to help.  

Please accept my sincerest thanks....and may God bless you!

 

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Checks or money orders can be made out to

Church of the Holy Spirit

and sent to

Church of the Holy Spirit

P.O. Box 86076

Tucson, Arizona

85754-6076

 

If you have any questions, we can be reached at:

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or

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As we grow, you will have options for allocating your gifts.

In the meantime, we hope you will trust us to direct them to where the need is the greatest.

 

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  One last thing....

 

Jesus' Prayer of Thanksgiving

'The Unforced Rythms of Grace'

 

"Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer:  "Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth.  You've concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people.  Yes, Father, that's the way you like to work."

Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly.  "The Father has given me all these things to do and say.  This is a unique Father - Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge.  No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does.  But I'm not keeping it to myself; I'm ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen."

"Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to me.  Get away with me and you'll recover your life.  I'll show you how to take a real rest.  Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it.  Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.  I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn how to live freely and lightly.

Matthew 11:  25-30

  The Message

 

And the people said,

"Amen."

 

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I now write most prayers in the position of ' I ' (first person) because most people are sitting at their computer alone, not in groups, and it allows those reading and praying to personalize the prayer as coming from them going to God.  Variations may appear on holidays when families may wish to use the prayer provided.

 

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Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996.  Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.  All rights reserved.

 

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Bible Authors and Minister