Dad's Ramblings -- Creative Intent

CREATIVE INTENT
I Corinthians 6:13-18a
 
"Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods. But God will destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God both raised up the Lord and will raise us up by His power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not. Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her For 'the two,' He says, 'shall become one flesh.' But he who is joined to the Lord is one flesh with him. Flee sexual immorality."
 
What in the world is Paul talking about – comparing eating with sex? I think Paul was using the argument of "creative design or intent." In other words, God created man with a stomach to process the food he eats. That is the purpose of the stomach – digestion. It is a natural thing. Likewise the sexual organs were created by God so that a man and a woman could come together and create children, something they could not do alone. They have to become "one" in the sexual union to fulfill God's creative intent. This was God's purpose for sex. The difference is that eating will be destroyed when we die because it is only "natural." But sex is both natural and spiritual. It has spiritual implications because the union of man and woman is a picture of the union of Christ and man. The Devil has fooled our society into thinking that sex outside of marriage is as common as eating. But there is a difference. Gluttony is bad and has natural consequences – even death; but fornication, adultery, and homosexuality have spiritual consequences. That's why God places such a high priority on sexual purity and commands us to "flee sexual immorality."
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Sex was divinely created and pictures the union of Jesus to the believer.
 
Have a "united with Christ" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Three Questions

THREE QUESTIONS
I Corinthians 6:12
 
"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful [margin: profitable]. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any."
 
Here are three questions to consider when deciding "to do or not to do": 1) Is it lawful; does it violate any of God's standards? 2) Is it helpful to my Christian walk? 3) Is it addictive; will it bring me under bondage? Some activities may not violate God's standard, but they do not help my walk with Christ, and I need to avoid them. Even though some things may not be wrong, I avoid them because they cause addiction. For examples, there may be nothing wrong with watching movies, but many include language and immorality that clutter my brain with words and images that do not help me live a holy life, so I avoid them. Smoking cigarettes will probably not send anyone to hell, but they are addictive, so I do not smoke. Applying these three questions to any activity will help me make wise choices.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Just because something is lawful does not mean it is good.
 
Have a "questioning" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Be Not Deceived

BE NOT DECEIVED
I Corinthians 6:9-11a
 
"Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such some of you were."
 
There is no place in God's kingdom for the unrighteous. Don't be deceived by prevalent teachings that sin is excusable because God is love. The idea that sin will be overlooked because "I was born that way," or "I was raised in a bad family or neighborhood," or "I'm just human and have human weaknesses," will not hold water with God. God is holy and will not allow people who practice unrighteousness to be in His kingdom. The wonderful thing is that when I was "washed, sanctified, and justified by the Spirit of God" (vs. 11b), I was delivered from the past. I became a new creation in Christ; old things have passed away and all has become new (II Corinthians 5:17). It's not that I am perfect, but I am no longer just a sinner. God's work in me makes me new! I'm not what I should be, I'm not what I'm gonna' be, but thank God, I'm not what I was.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Only those who have been made new in Christ will inherit the kingdom of God.
 
Have a "new" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Accepting Wrong

ACCEPTING WRONG
I Corinthians 6:7
 
"Now, therefore, it is already an utter failure for you that you got to law against one another. Why do you not rather accept wrong? Why do you not rather let yourselves be cheated? "
 
These are difficult questions! I hate it when people take advantage of me. It goes against my grain big-time. I think the offender needs to be held accountable. My sense of justice says that if I am wronged, I need to be vindicated. It is hard to keep a good spirit when offended without fighting back or demanding my rights.  Swallowing a wrong without retaliation seems to be a sign of weakness, but it actually requires a lot of inner strength.  And what about Jesus' teaching about forgiving seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22)? That is swallowing an awfully big plate of spinach.  Yet to do otherwise is to show my "utter failure" to live the Jesus-life.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: To accept offense is better than going to court.
 
As hard as it is, have an "accepting" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Using Civil Courts

USING CIVIL COURTS
I Corinthians 6:1, 6
 
"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints? .... But brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers."
 
In the matter of judging in the Church, Paul took the matter a step farther to include not just moral issues but also civil issues. Being humans that we are, conflicts do arise between Christians. In the theocratic government of the Old Testament, the job of judging fell to the prophets (who, as Moses, sometimes delegated the judging to elders), priests, judges, and kings. In the New Testament theocracy of Jesus' Kingdom, we have the office of prophet and also spiritual gifts of knowledge and wisdom. We should utilize these for conflict resolution between believers rather than go to the ungodly in the civil courts. The civil courts are still there when the conflicts are between the unsaved, or between the Christian and the unsaved. However, they should not be used to settle issues between believers. So why don't we follow God's plan?  Is it because we don't have any spiritual men we can trust?
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Christians should appeal to other godly Christians for conflict resolution between believers rather than going to civil court.
 
Have a righteous day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Inside - Outside

INSIDE - OUTSIDE
I Corinthians 5:11-13
 
"But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother ... not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging also those who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore put away from yourselves the evil person."
 
People who are outside of the family of God deserve our pity, not our condemnation, because they are only doing what their father, the devil, does (see John 8:44; I John 3:7), and will eventually face God's judgment. After all, Jesus did not come to condemn the world but to save (John 3:17). Our job is not to judge the sinners outside the Church but to judge sinners inside the Church. We are admonished to note the difference between those who claim to be brothers (and sisters) who follow Christ, and weep for those who claim to be Christians but are really enemies of the cross, whose god is their belly, whose glory is their shame – who set their mind on earthly things. Their end is destruction (Philippians 3:17-18). Our approach to sinners in the world should be different than toward unrepentant sinners in the Church.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The Church should judge sinners in the Church and let God judge sinners in the world.
 
Have an "inside" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Keeping Company

KEEPING COMPANY
I Corinthians 5:9-11
 
"I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of this world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner – not even to eat with such a person."
 
Holiness means separation from sin, not necessarily sinners. Some Christians think that to be holy, one has to become a hermit or join a monastery, or live in a Christian commune or community. There are unrighteous people even in church. Only death will truly separate us from sin and sinners. The act of living unavoidably puts us in contact with sinners. However, Paul advises not to "keep company" – that is, associate or develop close friendships – with immoral people because "evil company corrupts good habits" (I Corinthians 15:33). Just as spending time with ungodly people will drag me down, even so spending time with righteous people will encourage holy living.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Godly friendships encourage godly living.
 
Have an "encouraging" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Purging The Leaven

PURGING THE LEAVEN
I Corinthians 5:7-8
 
"Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."
 
At first reading, this reference to Passover seems to be out of place. I think Paul was saying that when we observe the Lord's Supper – the memorial "feast" of Jesus' death as the Passover Lamb – it is incongruous to celebrate His sacrifice for sin while living in sin. The leaven and the unleavened do not go together, either on a personal level or on a corporate level. Later in this letter, Paul wrote again about observing the "feast" of the Lord's Supper, and exhorted Believers to examine themselves lest they eat the bread or drink the cup unworthily, and thus be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. To partake unworthily brings judgment. (See I Corinthians 11:23-30.) The Lord's Supper is a holy time and needs to be approached very carefully.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: It is incongruous to celebrate the sacrifice of Christ, who died for sin, while living in sin.
 
Have an "unleavened" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Tough Love

TOUGH LOVE
I Corinthians 4:4-7a
 
"In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of the Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened."
 
It can happen in a church, and it can happen in a family. One member of the group is rebellious in his or her sin and needs to be excluded so that others are not drawn into sin. Discipline is tough business, but is absolutely necessary. When blatant and unrepented sin is allowed to remain in the church, it is like untreated cancer that will spread to the whole body. God knows the danger. That's why He commanded the Israelites to destroy all of the heathen inhabitants of the land they would possess. If the ungodly were allowed to remain, they would become a snare to God's people (Deuteronomy 7:16) and their children would be drawn away to worship the heathen gods (verse 4). Jesus gave instruction for church discipline: confront alone, then confront with other witnesses, then bring the unrepentant person before the church (Matthew 18:15-17). Paul gave the purpose: loving the person enough to want to see them saved. Now we don't just kick out all the sinners in the church. That would exclude everyone because we are all sinners in need of forgiveness and cleansing. Jude said to make a distinction – treating some with compassion, and saving others with fear, pulling them out of the fire (Jude 22-23). Church disciple is tough, but it is tough love. The question in my mind is: How serious are we about holiness? If we truly are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation (I Peter 2:9), then we need to strive to preserve that character.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Church discipline is tough love in action.
 
Have a holy day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Pride of Grace

THE PRIDE OF GRACE
I Corinthians 5:1-3
 
"It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles – that a man has his father's wife. And you are puffed up, and have not mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you. For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present ) him who has so done this deed."
 
The Corinthians were proud that they were people of grace. They were not judgmental but opened their arms to everyone regardless of their lifestyle, so much so that they disregarded God's standards of holiness and morality. (Incest is included in the prohibited sexual practices of Leviticus chapter 18). They were such loving people that they could overlook sin in order to make people feel welcome in their assemblies. Paul called the church to judge sin. There is a difference between being judgmental in the sense that Jesus taught ("Judge not that you be not judged." Matthew 7:1) and making judgments about sin based on God's standards. I can remember the time when holy living was a requisite for church membership. Now we wink at sin so that people will feel welcomed and accepted. We don't want to offend people. We are proud of our grace. Since Jesus' bride is called to be "a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, that she should be holy and without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27), shouldn't we rather mourn that the standards are so low in our assemblies? It may be old-fashioned, but I believe that God still calls us to holiness.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: People of grace do not have to lower their standards of holiness.
 
Have a judging day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Balancing Correction and Nurturing

BALANCING CORRECTION AND NURTURING
I Corinthians 4:18-21
 
"Now some are puffed up [marg. arrogant] as though I was not coming to you. But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will know, not the word of those who are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power. What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?"
 
Paul was filling two roles – as an apostle with the rod of correction, and as a nurturing father with love and gentleness. Both correction and nurturing are important when dealing with children (no matter what age). The rod is necessary for the arrogant and rebellious, but nurturing is important for the repentant. When applied wrongly, both the rod and nurturing can produce even more rebellion. The wise father knows the difference. I sense that Paul's threat of correction was not just empty words. He had the authority to use the rod. But I also sense that he would rather come with the grace, love, and gentleness of nurturing. Our Heavenly Father uses both with His children at the appropriate times, but I think He would rather nurture my humility than correct my pride.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: The rod of correction is necessary for the arrogant, but the gentleness of nurturing is appropriate for the repentant.
 
Have a balanced day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Faithful Sons

FAITHFUL SONS
I Corinthians 4:17
 
"For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in the church."
 
Timothy was a younger man – a "son in the Lord" – who had spent time soaking up Paul's doctrine, so that he was prepared to faithfully teach others. Discipleship is vital to the transmission of sound doctrine in the church. Jesus did it, pouring Himself into twelve men who, minus one, were able to lead the young church after the Ascension. Paul followed Jesus' example, pouring himself into Timothy.  Later, Paul wrote to Timothy, "And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also" (II Timothy 2:2). This is the pattern that is so desperately needed in today's church, especially among men. But It takes two to tango – an older man who will take the time to pour his life into a younger man, and a "son" who is willing to learn.  It takes willingness, time and commitment from both.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Discipleship is an integral part of the development of godly leaders.
 
Have a "discipleship" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- A Solid Faith

A SOLID FAITH
I Corinthians 4:14-16
 
"I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. For though you might have 10,000 instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ I have begotten you through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me."
 
A father's joy is to see his children become independent adults, not in a rebellious way, but able to stand on their own two feet. For the Christian father, it is to see his offspring mature in the faith so they "should no longer be children, tossed to an fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14). Mature Christians are teachable, yet they are grounded in their faith so that when faced with various teachings or trials, their faith in Christ is secure. Paul had a faith that withstood hard times, and he could say to his children – "Be like me."
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Maturity brings stability.
 
Have a secure day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- What a Job!!

What A Job!
I Corinthians 4:9, 13b
 
"For I think God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men .... We have been made as the filth of this world, the offscouring of all things until now."
 
The job description of leaders in the early church was not something glamorous or to be coveted. They were considered fools, weak, dishonored, hungry, poorly clothed, beaten, homeless, laboring, reviled, persecuted, defamed, and considered trash (verses 10-13). Any volunteers? Who would want this job? This is quite different from the modern church leader who drives an expensive car, wears Armani suits, owns two or three houses, and has status in the community. On the contrary, working for Jesus is not always easy, but as the saying goes, the rewards are out of this world.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Working in the Gospel field is tiring, dirty, and unappealing work, but there is great reward.
 
Have a rewarding day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Blind Spots

BLIND SPOTS
I Corinthians 4:8
 
"You are full! You are already rich! You have reigned as kings without us – and indeed I could wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you."
 
I think Paul is using sarcasm to drive home his point about their pride. They had the attitude that they had everything and needed nothing. They were like the church that the Lord Jesus spoke of at Laodicea who said, " 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked – " (Revelation 3:17). Pride does that to a person. It inflates the ego and causes blind spots so that we don't see ourselves as we really are. Christians sometimes become proud in their spiritual knowledge and think they don't need to be taught. They know it all! Humility says, "I recognize and confess my needs and my weakness. I need help." Oh God, I desperately need You.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: When a person thinks he don't need anybody or anything, he are truly poor and blind.
 
Have a "needy" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Gifts

GIFTS
I Corinthians 4:6-7
 
"Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, than none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. For what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?"
 
All boasting is misplaced when I remember that everything I have and everything I am has been bestowed on me as a gift from God. Do I have some special talent? Do I have some degree of intellect? Do I enjoy some success? Am I blessed financially? I can take no credit because they are all a gifts that I have received from God. I am only a recipient of His grace. As the songs says, "All that I am or every hope to be – all the glory belongs to Him." What a wonderful God I serve!
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: There is no room for boasting when I understand that whatever I have is a gift from God.
 
Have a thankful day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Here Come De Judge

HERE COME DE JUDGE
I Corinthians 4:3-5
 
"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know nothing before the time when the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the heart. Then each one's praise will come from God."
 
When I was a kid (before television), I used to listen to a radio program, "The Shadow." The program always began with the intro, "Who know what evil lurks within the heart of man? The Shadow knows! [Evil laugh.]" Other people may make judgments about me and my motives, both good and bad, but they don't really know what is deep inside. In fact, even when I judge myself, I don't know what evil lurks within my heart because I see myself through rose-colored glasses. But Jesus knows. He knows the good, the bad and the ugly. I am comforted by the fact that I am clothed in His righteousness. I do not have to fear His judgment, because He will manifest whatever is praiseworthy and cover the rest with His blood.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Human judgments are not always accurate; Jesus always sees things as they truly are.
 
Have a comforted day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Trustee

THE TRUSTEE
I Corinthians 4:1-2
 
"Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mystery of God. Moreover, it is required in stewards that one be found faithful."
 
My wife and I have established a Revocable Living Trust. In that trust, we have designated a trustee to handle the affairs of our estate when we are no longer here. The trustee has been entrusted with the responsibility to safeguard, use, and distribute the resources in the trust wisely and judiciously, without personal profit or benefit other than what the trust allows. God has entrusted to us the message of the Gospel while Jesus is away. We are responsible for how we use it. We are only stewards of God's riches. Faithfulness is one of the requirements of a good steward. I want to be a faithful steward of what He has intrusted to me.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: God has entrusted his children with His riches and demands that we faithful.
 
Have a faithful day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Now I Belong To Jesus

NOW I BELONG TO JESUS
I Corinthians 3:21-23
 
"Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come — all are yours. And you are Christ's and Christ is God's."
 
Everything I need for salvation and life is in Jesus. God has given teachers like Paul, Apollos, and Peter for our growth. God has given the fellowship of the church for our encouragement. God has given the world, present and future, for life itself. But none of these things can save me. Only the fact that I am Christ's – that I belong to Jesus – is the assurance of salvation to eternal life. I am His, and because I belong to Him, I have all that I really need.
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Everything necessary for life in the present and in eternity is found in Jesus.
 
Have a fulfilled day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- Self-Deception

SELF-DECEPTION
I Corinthians 3:18-20
 
"Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seem to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness'; and again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.' "
 
I hate it when someone else deceives me into believing a lie. I am very suspicious of scams. Yet it seems I am less suspicious of my own propensity to deceive myself. I see myself through rose-colored glasses and fool myself into thinking I am smarter and wiser than I really am, that I am more righteous and somehow better than others, that I have life all figured out and everyone else is wrong. So I build a facade – a false view of myself. But the Lord knows how empty my thoughts are. "There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13). As the song says, "People often see you, as you are outside. Jesus really knows you, for He sees inside." It is necessary to do self-evaluation from time to time and be honest with myself. "Lord, help me to see myself as I truly am – as You see me."
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: Honesty about myself – my thoughts and motives – will help me avoid self-deception.
 
Have a "self-examination" day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Holy Temple (Corrected)

THE HOLY TEMPLE
I Corinthians 3:16-17
 
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of god dwells in you? For if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy."
 
In the Old Covenant, God's presence was manifested in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and later the temple where His Shekinah glory dwelled above the Mercy Seat. But in a vision, Ezekiel saw the glory of God depart from the temple (Ezekiel 8-10). The temple may have looked good in outward appearance, but inside, it was filled with abominations – worship of the sun and gods of foreign cultures. So God removed His presence. He is holy and cannot dwell with the unholy. Then during the Passion Week just before Jesus went to the cross, He took a whip and cleansed His temple which had been polluted by merchandising (Matthew 21:12-13). In the New Covenant, I am His temple, and I have a responsibility to keep myself – His temple – holy. What defiles His temple? When I allow the foreign gods of the surrounding culture (whether the wood, hay, and stubble of materialism, or humanism and secular philosophies) to be the center of my life. Oh Jesus, cleanse this, your temple. Make me holy. But please "do not take cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: We are God's temple and He demands holiness.
 
Have a holy (wholly cleansed) day. Love you.
 

Dad's Ramblings -- The Holy Temple

THE HOLY TEMPLE
I Corinthians 3:16-17
 
"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of god dwells in you? For if anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy."
I
n the Old Covenant, God's presence was manifested in the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle and later the temple where His Shekinah glory dwelled above the Mercy Seat. But in a vision, Ezekiel saw the glory of God depart from the temple (Ezekiel 8-10). The temple may have looked good in outward appearance, but inside, it was filled with abominations – worship of the sun and gods of foreign cultures. So God removed His presence. He is holy and cannot dwell with the unholy. Then during the Passion Week just before Jesus went to the cross, He took a whip and cleansed His temple which had been polluted by merchandising (Matthew 21:12-13). In the New Covenant, I am His temple, and I have a responsibility to keep myself – His temple – holy. What defiles His temple? When I allow the foreign gods of the surrounding culture (whether the wood, hay, and stubble of materialism, or humanism and secular philosophies) to be the center of my life. Oh Jesus, cleanse this, your temple. Make me holy. But please "do not take cast me away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me" (Psalm 51:11).
 
TODAY'S THOUGHT: We are God's temple and He demands holiness.
 
Have a holy (wholly cleansed) day. Love you.