TROUBLE

Today’s Reading: 2 Corinthians 1

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

Goreme, Turkey, is located in ancient Asia Minor. In Goreme you will find spectacular 10th- and 11th-century cave churches. There are hundreds of churches cut into the rock. This one is among the most elaborate.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verses: 2 Corinthians 1:8, 11

For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life…. you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.

Between writing these two letters to the believers in Corinth, Paul spent time in Asia Minor, a former Roman province. It is now Turkey. There he suffered much persecution as a result of his bold witness for Christ. He had spent much time in Corinth, establishing the Church. This very strong Apostle showed himself to also be very human. His need for the fellowship of those to whom he felt close is evident. He uses the word “comfort” six times, and the word “consolation” five times. As followers of Christ, we need each other so very much. I’ve chosen two key verses for today. They reveal Paul’s heart. He felt he could share his burdens and even his despair. He knew his Corinthian friends were praying for him and also supporting him so that he could spend full time preaching and teaching without stopping to make tents, as he had done when he planted the Church in Corinth. Other words which stand out are “faithful,” “promises,” “sealed” (denotes security), and “deposit” (indicates that the entire amount is yet to come). Paul is encouraged by the progress of the Church.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, You are building Your Church. Grant, I pray, a gift of optimism to me concerning Your Church worldwide, as well as in my home church. Thank You that there are people who care about me and pray for me, as did the Corinthian people about Paul. Amen! As 2 Corinthians 1:20 says, “Yes and in Him, Amen!”

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I’m so very thankful for the notes I receive from you who read my blog. I’m greatly encouraged by you. You are doing for me what Stephanas, Fortunatis, and Achaicus did for Paul. You have “Refreshed my spirit” (1 Corinthians 16:17-18). Norma-Jean and are currently living with our daughter Ellen, her husband Nizar Shaheen, and three of their six children still at home.  They have built an extension onto their home for us. Our children are so good to us.  I’m encouraged by Paul to ask for your prayers, as well as your ongoing support for the ministry of Crossroads (click here for information).

Yours for the comfort and consolation we have in Christ,

David

The early Christians escaped from the persecution of the Roman Empire in the 2nd century and upon finding the underground cities in Cappadocia, they settled there (Modern Central Turkey). The gates were made in such a way in which they couldn’t be easily observed. Because they lived in the underground cities for long durations without being able to go to the surface, they developed provisions rooms, ventilation chimneys, wine production places, churches, abbeys, water wells, toilets and meeting rooms.

“A GREAT AND EFFECTIVE DOOR”

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 16

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

Like the ancient harbour in Corinth, this Greek harbour in Kavala represents a place of hard work and transportation. Kavala is the site of ancient Neapolis, where Paul’s boat landed on his way to Philippi (Acts 16:11). It was the seaport of the inland town of Philippi, which was at a distance of 10 miles from the port. From this port Paul also embarked on his last journey to Jerusalem (Acts 20:6).

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 16:9

For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Corinth was a major commercial and transportation hub. People with initiative and a hard work ethic had great opportunity to prosper and to enjoy the blessings of their labour. Getting material possessions may have been their goal. Giving to the needs of others, such as the people of Jerusalem who were in a period of famine, or to the support of God’s work in preaching and teaching the message of Jesus Christ may not have had priority. Paul again emphasizes love (final verse of 1st Corinthians). Where love is lacking, it seldom occurs to people to give sacrificially, generously, and consistently. When Paul first arrived in Corinth to plant the Church, he supported himself through his trade of making and selling tents. Now he asks, without apology, for their financial support. He refers to three of his financial supporters (verse 17) who gave to make up the needed funds for the continuation of his ministry of winning souls to Jesus, which the believers of Corinth had failed to give. In this appeal for finances, Paul says, “A great and effective door has opened to me.” When we receive an appeal letter, check out the cause and the effectiveness of the ministry outreach. Pray about it, and if we are convinced the ministry is worthy, let us give as God has given to us.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, You gave Your all for me. Teach me to give as You would have me give. I know I can never even begin to repay You for all You’ve done for me, and You are not asking for repayment. Your love is unconditional! I pray that You will pour into me as much of Your love as I am able to contain and then overflow my life, enabling me to express my love for You in my giving to the causes You have presented…causes which You want me to support. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I realized a long time ago that I can’t support every cause. I would take the request letters which I received, open them up, read them, perhaps a second time, lay them out before the Lord in my prayer time, and trust the Lord to draw my attention to the ministries to which He wanted me to send money. I’ve checked out the financial accountability, the character of the leadership, and results which can be verified. Is there an audit of all finances done by an independent firm of accountants? Are they members in good standing of an association which checks up on them, such as the Canadian Council of Christian Charities (the 4C’s), of which Crossroads is a member? You can check out the CCCC online (click here), or in the USA, the ECFA (click here). Find out whether or not the Ministry you have been asked to support has met the high standards which we should expect of those who do God’s work. The Bible speaks of the necessity of having “a good report” (KJV) or a “good testimony” (NKJV) in the eyes of the world outside, as well as inside the body of believers (1 Timothy 3:7). I’ve just read the whole of 1 Timothy chapter three (click here). There is a very high moral standard set for those who would lead in God’s work. Crossroads is a federally chartered non-profit charity which issues tax receipts valid for government-approved tax deductions. Crossroads operates under the authority of a strong Board of Directors (all of whom are volunteers) and under the management of a Godly Chief Executive Officer.

Yours to emphasize the high importance of regularly supporting what God wants supported,

David

P.S. (From Ron Mainse) By the way, Dad failed to mention in his blog that a few years back, he received an award, along with Billy Graham, from the Canadian Council of Christian Charities (CCCC) for A Lifetime of Integrity in Ministry. This was the first time the CCCC instituted this award of recognition.

Overview of the seaport of Kavala (ancient Neapolis).

THE MOST IMPORTANT FACT!

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 15

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

Tarsus was the hometown of the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:11), a city of great importance (21:39) as a university learning centre of the ancient world, alongside Alexandria and Athens.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…

“FIRST OF ALL!” Many Bible scholars believe that this is the first and most concisely written and preserved statement of the very heart and soul of our Christian faith. First Corinthians is considered to be the earliest writing in our New Testament. Our eternal salvation depends totally on the inalterable Truth of our key verses. Let us read, memorize, and make these verses a most integral element in our lives.

In a court of law, a witness who is in opposition to the defence, yet admits to the truth of the case for the defence, is the most credible witness. Paul is such a witness for the defence of the Truth of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. In his past, Paul was in total opposition to the message of Christ, so much so that he persecuted the Church (15:9). He used to be Rabbi Saul of Tarsus. He was raised in the intellectual university centre of Asia Minor, the city of Tarsus. He was sent by his Jewish father (a Roman citizen) to study in Jerusalem under the most famous Rabbi of the time, Gamaliel. Gamaliel was the grandson of Hillel, perhaps the most famous Jewish Rabbi of all time. He knew the Jewish High Priest and was appointed the official inquisitor whose job it was to destroy the followers of Jesus. Now known as the Apostle Paul, his testimony is true!! Note that twice Paul repeats the words “according to the Scriptures.” This Hebrew Bible Scholar was absolutely certain of his facts.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, You died and rose from the dead for all the human family, including me. Please grant me the grace to never fear death but to rejoice always in the sure knowledge of the resurrection. Amen & Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

The genius composer, Handel, was, in my opinion, at his very best in The Messiah, where he put the words of 1st Corinthians 15 to music. Every year I attend a performance of The Messiah, conducted by the the famous Jewish Maestro, Boris Brott. Crossroads sponsored a performance of The Messiah in Jerusalem several years back. It was thrilling to hear the magnificent Jerusalem orchestra with its Jewish musicians playing to the glory of God. Here is a clip from the Christmas season when Boris was interviewed on 100 Huntley Street, including some footage from the performance of The Messiah in Jerusalem (click here).

I have stood beside many graves and read words from 1st Corinthians 15. What hope! What an assurance that this is not the end but only the beginning of eternity with Christ, clothed in a resurrected body just like the body of Jesus when He left the tomb empty (see photos below). Some of the key leaders of The Human Genome Project for the United States Government are believers in Jesus. There are approximately three billion “letters” that encode the genetic material within each human cell. For God to rearrange those parts into our glorified bodies would not be a problem. Even the most tiny speck of dust from a body has its DNA sequence from which the believer can be reconstructed. I’ve spent time with one of those believers who worked closely with Francis Collins, the author of The Language of God, who headed The Human Genome Project. Check Google to find out what Dr. Collins’ former associate, Dr. Jeffrey Trent, also a world class scientist, is doing now (click here). In my time with Dr. Trent, he was constantly referring to “the Lord.” He is a strong believer in Jesus!

Yours in full confidence that “we shall all be changed!” (15:51b),

David

Visitors entering the Garden Tomb. Many believe that it was inside this tomb in Jerusalem that Jesus’ body was laid. The photo below gives you an inside view.

This tomb was originally made for a shorter man, perhaps Joseph of Arimathea, but as you can see on the right, the end was dug out to fit a taller man’s body.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

ALL THINGS

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 14

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

The ruins of Ancient Corinth (centre) are surround by a modern community. This view is from the Acropolis Hill (Acrocorinth).

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 14:15

What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.

“All things” covered in this chapter are to be DONE (not neglected) “decently and in order.” A former Archbishop of Canterbury said that we trip over the word “decently,” and he also said, “When the Spirit moves, things can become rather messy.” The Archbishop was a speaker at a conference on evangelism here in Canada. He was not discouraging us from exercising the gifts but pointing out that our spirits are in our control (14:32) and that “God is not the Author of confusion but of peace (14:33). Note that the words “edification, edifies, edified” appear over and over. The public exercise of the Spirit’s gifts is for others, and for the whole Church. Also note that, in the final result, speaking in tongues and interpretation in the church service should produce the same building up (edification) as prophecy. However, it is important for a person also to build up the Spirit’s life within. Note that praying in tongues in personal prayer, while not knowing the meaning of what one is saying, edifies one’s self. Obviously this is what Paul referred to when he wrote, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all” (14:18). In the book of Acts, there are five occasions when believers are filled with the Holy Spirit. In four of those we know they spoke in tongues as an initial indication that they had experienced the Spirit in this way. In the first happening (Acts 2), people understood the tongues. In the others, it does not say they were understood. It would seem that they were “giving thanks well” (14:17) and were being personally edified by a private prayer language on those occasions.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, John the Baptist said that You would baptize me with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11b). I’m fully open to You every day. Please immerse me in Your Spirit again today. I’m praying right now “with the Spirit” and “with the understanding.” Hallelujah!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I need to be edified so that I may bless others, and I cannot do this unless I am blessed myself. I know that the Holy Spirit came to live in me when I went forward at a Youth for Christ rally in December, 1952, and He has constantly lived in me ever since. I am the temple of the Holy Spirit, as are all believers in Jesus. Then in June of 1953, I was first fully filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit, immersed in Him, and I spoke in tongues. It was while I was in prayer, and there was no interpretation of what I said. It was several years later that in my personal devotions I found myself praying in tongues. I immediately read again 1 Corinthians 14. I knew I was edified and that I was in good company with Paul (14:18).

I must not avoid verses 34 & 35 in our reading. My father, a preacher, missionary in Egypt, college professor, and my hero in ministry, told of a time in Timma, Egypt, when he was preaching. There was a wall between the womens’ section and the mens’ section of the church. This was a tradition based on the Temple in Jerusalem and on the synagogues. At one point in his sermon, a stressed-out mother (all of the children were on the womens’ side) yelled a question over the wall to her husband. He didn’t tell us what she asked, but I can use my imagination. My father quoted 1 Corinthians 14:35 and asked her to allow him to continue his sermon without interruption. She graciously complied. Some have taken this verse to forbid women in a preaching and teaching ministry. If that’s what Paul meant, then how does one explain the many women who did preach, teach, and prophesy with the blessing of the early Church? I like my Dad’s explanation of this Scripture!

Yours for encouraging “all things,” which Paul taught are for edification,

David

Here are the ruins of an ancient church that is on top of the Acropolis Hill (Acrocorinth).

LOVE NEVER FAILS

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 12-13

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

In the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth many artifacts are on display. This is the Marble head of Dionysos, 2nd century A.D.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:31

But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

The “MORE EXCELLENT WAY” is LOVE! From 13:1 to 14:1 “LOVE” is found 10 times. It is appropriate that both chapters, 12 & 13, are included in today’s reading, for they are usually read in exclusion, one from the other, and sadly also in opposition, one to the other. We should make sure that we do not stress the gifts of chapter 12 while failing to emphasize the love of chapter 13, or stressing the love of chapter 13 and ignoring the gifts of chapter 12. God has given the gifts of the Spirit to His people, and He expects them to be used to show love to one another. God’s love manifested through us is also only possible through the work of the Holy Spirit. A gift is not an indication of spiritual maturity, but love; a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) is an indication of the growth in Christ of the believer. We give gifts to our children, not because of their conduct, but because we love them. If we based our gifts on good behaviour, our children would earn them and, therefore, they would not be gifts. The Corinthians did not exhibit the best behaviour, but God still gave them gifts. Let us “desire spiritual gifts” (14:1), and use these gifts in “A MORE EXCELLENT WAY,” exhibiting the LOVE described in chapter 13!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I recognize that Your character is described in chapter 13. Live and love through me, Lord Jesus, I pray. Thank You for the gifts You give to build up Your Church, to exhort me to seek the good of others, and to comfort others. I gladly receive and desire to exercise all these gifts. In Your Name, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

Before I became an ordained minister, I taught public school. I was so impressed with 1 Corinthians 13 that I required my students to memorize all 13 verses. I had read that many scholars considered the King James translation of these words to be the most beautiful in the entire English language. Of course they were written originally in Greek and translated by those assigned the task by King James during the first years of the 1600’s. I see chapters 12 to 14 as a sandwich in which 13 is the meat and 12 & 14 are two slices of bread above and below the meat. To be well-nourished spiritually, we need to eat the whole sandwich. As a child during our meal, I remember leaving the table, riding my little scooter into the living room and depositing my crusts behind the couch. That practise ended abruptly when the remnants of the bread were discovered. I must confess that I went through a period in my Christian life when I did not want to partake of what may have seemed like the bread crusts of the gifts of the Spirit, particularly the speaking gifts of tongues and interpretation of tongues. One of my theological professors gave the interpretation to a message in tongues, and the thoughts that came immediately to me were the same as his words. After the church service concluded, the teacher, Rev. Gordon Atter, came to me and reprimanded me. He said, “David, God gave you that interpretation and you disobeyed God in not giving it. Because you failed, I had to give it for the proper exercise of this gift in a public meeting.” As far as I know, I’ve not made that mistake since.

Yours for yielding to the love of Father God, shown in the life of Jesus Christ, and implemented by the Holy Spirit,

David

Statue of the god Serapis found in ancient Corinth. There were two precincts dedicated to this god on the Akrokorinth (the Acropolis) of the city. Serapis was worshiped throughout the Mediterranean basin; his worship seemed to transcend ethnic boundaries and earned him reverence in the Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures.

A Christian artifact from the Archaeological Museum of Ancient Corinth.

MY BODY, MY BLOOD

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 11

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

Golgotha was, according to the Gospels, a site immediately outside of Jerusalem’s walls where Jesus was crucified. Golgotha is the Greek transcription in the New Testament of an Aramaic term. The Bible translates the term to mean “place of the skull.” A modern-day bus terminal is located in the place many believe to be the site of “Golgotha.”

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 11:26

For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Partaking of the emblems of the body and blood of Christ is not an option which we may or may not exercise. It’s an order! Paul says, “Do this!” (11:24b). Remembering Christ’s death and resurrection is of vital importance (11:25).

Let’s look at the positive aspects of Paul’s teaching regarding “hair.” Women in the Corinthian Church were taking advantage of their new-found freedom in Christ and they were praying and prophesying in public gatherings. Good! But some appeared to be flaunting social convention by what would’ve been considered in the culture of that time and place as inappropriate and distracting. We are informed by cultural historians that at that time in Greece, only the prostitutes were seen in public with their hair uncovered. For Christian women to disregard this would have hurt their testimony. However, Paul was not making this an order as he did with remembering the Lord’s Supper. He assures those of us who live in other cultures and at other times that we are not bound to these social practices of Corinth. “Contentious” people will make a big issue of hair styles even today. “We have no such custom, nor do the churches of God” (11:16).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your death and resurrection which I remember daily in my personal devotions, and also, without fail, together with my local congregation. Help me, I pray, that I will discern (understand fully) the depth of Your love and provision for me in Your Cross. I ask for health, physical strength, and length of days which come to me as a result. In Your strong Name I pray. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

As a boy I heard a certain minister called a “clothesline” preacher. His special interest seemed to be the way women dressed. I was not impressed. It seemed to be a superfluous, relatively unimportant issue. Nevertheless, this still seems to be an issue with some. The prohibitions of the religion of Islam are a case in point (the burka). That’s the ridiculous extreme. This story I’m about to share may be fictitious, but here goes…

A preacher titled his message, “Top Knot Come Down.” He wanted the women to take the bun in which their hair was gathered on top of their heads, which he saw as an evidence of worldly pride, and move the bun down to the back of their heads. His text was taken from Jesus’ words as recorded in Matthew 24:17, “Let him who is on the housetop not come down.” This story illustrates for me how unwise it is to take temporary cultural expressions and insist that they be followed always. I’ve asked my sons to find a photo of a very religious Jew in Jerusalem who rigidly follows a dress code which originated sometime in the middle ages in a remote village of Eastern Europe. I think about these things and want to make sure I don’t get caught in such a trap.

Yours for a fuller understanding of God’s Word in a constantly shifting culture,

David

Perpetuating traditional Jewish customs from Eastern Europe.

THAT ROCK

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 10

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

Looking to the northeast you can see Lykavittos Hill and Athens’ urban sprawl viewed from the Acropolis in Athens. When Paul writes, “That Rock was Christ,” (10:4b) he may have been thinking of one of the great rocks in the area.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 10:4

…and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

The word “all” stands out in our reading because it is repeated 10 times. Partaking of Christ is an “all” encompassing life. There is no area of our lives not impacted by Christ. In our readings in Genesis through Judges, we were given examples of how to live and how not to live. Examples are useless unless we learn from them. Here we learn the following: First, Christ our Rock was stricken for our spiritual drink. Go ahead and drink! Second, we learn not to lust after evil. Third, we are to control our tongues…no murmuring. Fourth, God will not force us to take the escape route He provides when we are tempted. Fifth, God wants to be in every detail of our lives. Sixth, we must do “all” to the glory of God. Seventh, give no offense (don’t offend people). Why? Here’s the bottom line: The result of the totality of our lives is, “That they may be saved” (verse 33). We need to ask ourselves the question…”How are we involved in saving precious people who are lost outside of Christ?”

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear God, by Your grace given to me, enable me to live so passionately for You that my very life will be an example of Christ, so that my words, those things to which I give my time and my money, will be effective in seeing people saved. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I remember my preacher Dad saying, “They wobble in and wobble out, and leave the people all in doubt.” I don’t remember the occasion. He may have been referring to a politician or perhaps a preacher who spoke moral concepts without the power and authority of God’s Word to prove that he spoke God’s true message. Preparing this blog each morning is leading me more deeply into the mind of God as He expresses His thoughts through the Prophets, the historical record, and in particular, the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles.

As a child, I was very impressed by the effort my parents made in order not to give offense to others (10:32). In preparation for the Sunday, any chores had to be completed by bedtime on Saturday night. My job was to clean the little stems out of the beans which would be baked for Sunday dinner. I also churned butter, brought in firewood, etc. I knew that our entire community, with very few exceptions, attempted to keep the Lord’s day exclusively for worship, listening to the Preacher’s sermons, reading church publications, and perhaps going for a walk in the woods. Things have changed but the principles have not. My Dad prayed every day in family prayers, “O Lord, may the smile of Your approval be upon our lives.”

Yours for living to the Glory of God!

David

P.S. Have you ever sent my blog to a friend? I don’t know how to do this, but I’m told it’s done by a couple of clicks (my son says you can cut and paste the “100words.ca” web address from your web browser into an email or onto Facebook). The next generations make it look so easy, and I sometimes feel that I’m still in the horse and buggy era. Ha! But I’m enjoying life right where I am!

Looking toward the south-west from the Acropolis in Athens, you can see the Odeon of Herodes Atticus amphitheater that was built on the south slope in 161 AD. In the distance you can also see the Philopappos Hill.

WINNING THE PRIZE

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 8-9

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

Ruins of a main street in Ancient Corinth.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:22

…to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

Paul’s commitment, his personal discipline, his work schedule, and the way he lived his life are all described in our key verse. The motivation, “that I might by all means save some,” is all consuming. Yes, he’s very human also. His statement about Cephas (Peter) bringing along his wife may have been evidence that for brief moments he felt sorry for himself (9:5). Nevertheless, Paul persevered with a godly stubbornness that refused to pander to his personal pleasures. The same could be said about his financial resources. He worked long hours making tents to support himself here in Corinth. He makes the point that he had every right to be supported by the offerings of the believers, but that for his own reasons, chose not to accept money from them for personal use. Just in case some would make a mandatory practice of this, remember that Jesus and the twelve accepted donations for their support (Luke 8:3). Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and many others provided for Jesus from their substance. Paul, himself, declared in 9:14 that those who preach the Gospel should live from the Gospel. However, Paul made a personal choice to support himself by his trade. I’m sure this added exclamation points (!!!) to his message and to the way these rough, tough people of Corinth opened their hearts to Paul’s preaching.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, May I be given grace to “become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” I pray in the Name of the One who did this completely, the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!!!!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

When Jesus left Nazareth, He may have set up a carpenter shop in Capernaum. From time to time, in order to care for my family, I’ve worked extra jobs to provide necessary funds. For some reason one of my efforts comes to mind. I hope I don’t offend anyone, but I would drive to one of the many lakes in the area of Northern Ontario, catch bull frogs, and ship them overnight by train to a Montreal restaurant for their menu of frog’s legs the next day! There are several other initiatives I took in order to have the funds to stay in ministry, preaching the Gospel.

In this blog, I’m like a child colouring in the pictures of a colouring book. My sons, Reynold and Ron, both ordained ministers, create the framework and outlines in which I “colour.” Reynold is a missionary in Africa with World Embrace, as well as a professional photographer. He spent three months in Israel, Jordan, Turkey, Greece, and Italy to shoot the photos for this blog. Ron is President of Heart to Heart Marriage & Family Ministries, producers of the marriage TV show A Better Us.

Yours to “by all means save some,” hopefully by being “winsome,”

David

The Bible is opened to 1st Corinthians in front of the Temple of Apollo in ancient Corinth.

HUSBANDS, WIVES AND THE “IMPREGNABLE ROCK”

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 7

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

The Bible is featured in front of the Temple of Apollo in ancient Corinth. My son put it there. I think he had the right idea. The ancient temples are in ruins, but as Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My Words will by no means pass away” Matthew 24:35.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 7:3 responding

Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband.

The first verse of today’s reading tells us that 1st Corinthians is the answer to a letter from believers in the church there. Paul is responding, not dogmatically, not claiming every word is from God, but as a caring counselor. We may want to reread verses 6,12, 25, and 40. Notice statements such as, “I say this as a concession,” and, “But to the rest I, not the Lord say:” “Now concerning virgins: I have no commandment from the Lord.” “I think I also have the Spirit of God.” This letter is “The Word of God,” not in the sense that God spoke directly here, but in the sense that it is an accurate record of Paul’s best advice as the one who had led many of these very people to Christ in the first place. In the city of Corinth there were approximately 800,000 precious souls. Many of them may have messed up in their marriages. Those tabloids with horror stories of messed up marriages found at the checkout counter would’ve had big sales there. To all, Jesus says, “Come to Me” (Matthew 11:25-30).

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Dear Jesus, I come to You, as the old invitation song says, “Without one plea but that Thy blood was shed for me, and that Thou bidst me come to Thee. O Lamb of God, I come.” I’d love to hear those words sung again (click here). Help me to pay attention to Paul’s advice, even if he does not claim it’s directly from You. Help me to listen carefully to my Pastor also. In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I must not make the mistake of thinking all Paul writes is in the personal thoughts category. Almost all he writes is distilled from the Word of God Himself in the book that Paul knows so well, the scrolls of his Hebrew Bible. Paul was educated in the most prestigious rabbinical school of his time. He writes 99.9% of the time with the full apostolic authority of God, Himself. No doubt he had memorized huge portions of God’s Word. Paul’s main teacher was Gamaliel, grandson of Hillel. Hillel is, to this day, perhaps the most respected teacher in all of Judaism.

Some may remember that after I stepped aside as leader of the Crossroads ministry, I was given the title by the Board, “Minister of Social Concerns.” Paul was obviously carrying the “Social Concerns” portfolio here in chapter seven. In this role, I’ve participated in debates, appeared before government committees, etc. I’ve also sought to encourage the strengthening of Canada’s social safety net. I’ve tried to stay above politics and concentrate on the moral principles that should guide us to a better, more caring society. I’ve tried to avoid stepping into the quicksand of situational ethics, keeping my feet firmly planted on what the former British P.M. Gladstone (who negotiated with Canadians on our non-violent separation from Great Britain) called, “The impregnable Rock of Holy Scripture.” In fact, Gladstone sponsored three tours of his country by the American Evangelist D.L.Moody.

Yours from someone who aims at 100 words, but rarely succeeds,

David

Ruins and pieces of pillars can be seen at the Temple of Apollo in old Corinth.

SEXUAL MORALITY

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 5-6

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).

Corinth was an important city in ancient Greece and it played a major role in the missionary work of the Apostle Paul. Seen behind the Temple of Apollo is the steep mountain of the Acrocorinth. On top is the fortified citadel of ancient and medieval Corinth (see David Reynold’s picture below). It is the most important fortification work in the area from antiquity until the Greek War of Independence in 1821. The mountain is 575 metres high and its walls are almost 2,000 metres in length. At the highest summit was the Temple of Aphrodite, where prostitution was a prominent part of the worship of the goddess.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 6:11

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

The Amish call the practice of separating a person from the congregation, “shunning.” Paul, in 5:11-13, gives a list of those who are to be set aside from participating in the congregation. There is another list in 6:8-10. The leaders of the church in Corinth had written to Paul, who had founded their church, to ask him for his guidance in handling these most difficult matters (7:1). Why would Paul be so strict? The answer is found in 5:6-8. If we can find the time, we might do well to reread the words in the references listed here. Leaven, or yeast, will cause the bread to rise well above the pan, unless checked by the heat of baking. Unchecked, it can make quite a mess. Sin, unless checked, will eventually infect the whole loaf, the church, the family, the individual life, and even the life of our country. The role of government is to stop evil from spreading out of control. More about that tomorrow. We might want to pray for a turn-around in the health of huge numbers of people infected by sexually transmitted diseases (STD’s). Sexual promiscuity is the root cause of this modern epidemic. May God help us to be faithful to one man, one woman marriage, or else remain chaste as a single person.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord Jesus, I’m well aware that sin is not just those actions mentioned in Paul’s lists. I often think of Your Word that says, “To know to do good and to not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17). Anything less than Your perfect plan for the human family is sin. Therefore, I have no problem agreeing with the Apostle John in 1 John 1:8-9. Thus, I ask for Your constant forgiveness and Your cleansing action in my life. In Your Holy Name I pray. Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

When I was a very young minister, my hero in the ministry, Tom Johnstone, shocked me with this story. He was a Pastor in Montreal when he discovered one of the prominent men in his church was unfaithful to his wife. Here’s what happened! Pastor Johnstone, a one-time boxer, took this man by the lapels of his suit coat and said, “With the spiritual authority God has given me as your Pastor, I now deliver you unto Satan for the destruction of your flesh, so that your spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (5:5). The man fell to his knees, repented before God and his Pastor, and later to his wife, and the woman with whom he had committed this sin. God forgave him and so did his wife. That family was restored. His flesh was destroyed in that he, by his godly sorrow, identified with Christ in death. In Galatians 2:20 Paul writes, “I am crucified with Christ.” In Romans 6:11, Paul writes, “Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” I’ve never been brave enough to do what Tom Johnstone did, but I’ve seen the same results in a number of wayward men. I’ve knelt beside them and prayed fervently for the gift of repentance, and for the power of God to deliver them from evil. I know God answers prayer. AMEN!!!

Yours for living right before God and people,

David

A view from the entrance to the top of the Acropolis Hill (Acrocorinth).