Submit, God Wants To Use All Of Us.

1^st Corinthians 12:14-15

“For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, 'because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body.”

We can all be guilty of saying we have no place, or feeling useless when we see another do well.

It's easy for me to fall into this, when I see others with musical skills or talents I greatly desire to be at their level. But in doing so I completely miss out on worship, and I completely ignore the gifts God has given me. What good does that do? Nothing. It is like I am saying that I have no place in the body because I don't have the gift I want. Thank God that I am wrong in thinking that way. It is quite comforting to know that when I don't feel I measure up God says I'm just using the wrong tape measure.

It says at the end of the chapter “but earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” What are the higher gifts, the top 3 are apostleship, prophecy and teaching. Wouldn't you love to have the gift of teaching or prophecy? And still there is a more excellent way. Can you guess what it is?

This leads into the next chapter 1^st Corinthians 13, known by many as the love chapter. Here we see the purpose for the spiritual gifts each one of us has.

Whatever gifting we have is of no importance without love, for love is “the fulfilling of the law” and love is the only thing that lasts.

Here is my point, whether you are a hand a foot or a mouth does not matter unless you love.

Whatever gifts you have, submit to God when He calls you to use them. Chances are He wants to show someone love through them.

Here is another thing to take into mind. You will likely come across someone who rubs you wrong. Whether they have a different personality type that bothers you, or don't dress in the same style, or they smell funny. Whatever it may be at some point God wants to use them to show love. And he may want to use them to encourage, or rebuke, or teach you. Will you say to them “I have no need of you.”? It's one thing when we feel because of our gifts that we don't belong. It's another thing when we make others feel that they don't belong. This is where we again fall into our theme for the week of mutual submission and adaptability. If we don't submit to our brothers and sisters in Christ we may majorly miss out on a way God wants to bless us through them.

Application

Use the gifts entrusted to me to love others, and submit to brothers and sister in Christ when they encourage, rebuke or teach me.

How?

Tonight before bed I will pray with my room mates to encourage them and show love.

Servant Of All.

1^st Corinthians 9:19

“For though I am free from all,

I have made myself a servant to all,

that I might win more of them.”

“For though I am free from all”

Paul has no problem with what others may think of him, because he knows only God's opinion matters. I think this is what he means when he says he is free from all. Up to this point he has been speaking about how a pastor or missionary has every right to ask for compensation for the work they are doing. But Paul worked to provide for himself. He knew he had every right to ask compensation for living expenses while he stayed among the Corinthians, but he wished to bring them the gospel free of charge. Here is a valuable lesson, even though he had every right he would not make use of it. Instead he became a servant of all that he might win more.

Application

I am free from what other may think of me, I know where I stand in Christ. But here's the thing I can pervert that by making it an excuse to be rude. Or unintentionally turn people off to the gospel by it. There is a healthy balance. In Paul's case he avoided the appearance of a swindler and false teacher by paying his own expenses instead of asking the Corinthians whom he was preaching to for support.

This opened the door even wider to share the gospel.

How I can I do that? I am here because of gracious support from others. I can be faithful in my studies for one, and seeking to serve and show Christ's love for two. For three I can be avoid unnecessary spending. I have been a bit carefree up to this point as far as that is concerned. Not crazy but I've been a bit overly snacky.

Therefore my practical application for this coming week is that I will not buy any snacks until Saturday the 5^th of March. The only exception being if the class or woman’s study goes out together for a meal, that I would otherwise miss.

Be A Jonathan.

Ecclesiastes 4:12

“And though a man might prevail

against one who is alone,

two will withstand him-

a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”

The phrase “no man is an island” comes to mind as I read this verse.

I have noticed something about abusers, they tend to isolate their victims to keep them from getting help. I have noticed depression and anxiety cause a person to isolate themselves. Whatever the reason is, isolation is a dangerous thing.

Isolation says I can handle it myself. Isolation says no one will understand. Isolation says to feel ashamed. Isolation says your not worth being cared for. These are lies from the enemy. If we try to fight things alone we will likely lose. Each one of us needs accountability, and encouragement. Whether you are fighting sin, depression, or anxieties, you need support. First and foremost we all have Jesus, I think of the song What A Friend We Have In Jesus “Oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bare, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.”

But also we need those trusted siblings in Christ who we can pour out our hearts to.

Remember what I said about abusers? I think they take lessons from the devil. One of satan and his followers favorite things to do is isolate God's children. It's so much easier for him to destroy someone who is alone. Any way that the devil or his followers can divide the church he will. It's so much easier for him to cause a division and watch us fight to the death or destroy ourselves than to try and attack us as a group.

As our verse says you might prevail alone but not always, try to have someone beside you in a fight, or even better have two! Find those trustworthy brothers and sisters in the Lord. Pray without ceasing to the Friend that is always there. And rely on your family in Christ, confide in them, and seek counsel. Now to fall into our theme submit to them, do not, I repeat do not get into petty arguments, do not gossip, do not sow discord. Be mold-able, and looking to the interest of others. We are in a battle, we need to stand together, intertwined like a cord, so that we cannot be pulled apart.

Be honest, be real, be raw, and be there.

I think everyone in our group has done phenomenally in this, but beware of getting comfortable. This is a sad fact but everything I'm saying I need to hear first and apply first. The more I get to know people the more likely I am to hide my struggles, for multiple reasons, I don't want people to worry, I don't want to be a burden, I feel ashamed, it's not that big a deal I can handle it by myself. The list goes on, any excuse to keep others from knowing what's really going on.

But all these thoughts are lies and distractions, I have gotten used to keeping others from seeing the center of my heart by showing them the things that may be troubling me a little but not the source.

I've gotten used to doing things alone, working alone, etc. This is good in a lot of ways, it's good to be independent, it's helped me in working at summer camps, YMCA after school programs, and retail, when we are constantly understaffed. But it leaves me a bit wrecked. I get so busy and tired, and I don't carve out that time with God I need. I get caught up in working for God, instead of worshiping to Him. We need fellowship. In Hebrews 10 it says “do not give up the meeting together of the brethren.” God places people in our lives for a reason, certainly use wisdom in whom you confide in. And if you ask advice let it be from another believer. You have heard the verse “be not unequally yoked.” That is not referring to married couples so much as friendships or business partnerships. Of course if we are not to be unequally yoked in friendship, then we should certainly not be unequally yoked in marriage.

All right time to try and rain in all the thoughts. Stand with your siblings in Christ, be a friend to them, let them be a friend to you, stand together in every trial, bare each others burdens, weep with each other, laugh with each other, do life together. Be as Jonathan to David, humble, encouraging, honorable, honest, knit your souls together. Love one another as Christ loved you.

Application

Stand together in the Spirit and in Love.

 

How?

I will work to stay vulnerable with my sisters in Christ today, and I will look for ways to be more encouraging.

That By All Means

1^st Corinthians 9:22

“To the weak I became weak,

that I might win the weak.

I have become all things to all people,

that by all means I might save some”

For me to imagine the heart behind this verse is to see a heart radically raw and full of love for God first, others second, and self last. If we understand the gospel as it truly is we would cry aloud with Paul “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” Verse 16. To have a knowledge of the one thing that saves and keep it to yourself is a suffocating feeling. Each one of us has family that is not saved, each one of us have dear friends who do not know Christ, and each of us has felt the pain of a brother or sister walking away from God. When I see the suffering sin reaps in the life of unbelieving friends and keep the gospel hidden in my heart, I feel woe, I feel the deep burning in my heart. I want to share the Gospel but I wonder if they are ready to hear it. Ashamedly I say that many times I have held back when I should have spoken. Woe is me! A coward and nothing better. I pray I become more bold. Still I struggle. I need to stop looking at what might go wrong and remember what may go right. I need to trust God to do the work in the heart and simply speak truth to others in love.

In this verse I see not only a heart willing to share the gospel but also a heart sensitive to the views of others, Yes the gospel is offensive to some because of what it reveals in their life, but for heavens sake we should not be if we can avoid it! Paul had every freedom in Christ to do as he pleased, yet he sacrificed self in order that he might save some.

To each culture I must also submit myself in full respect of others, so long as it is not sin, though I am free to eat how I want, speak how I wish, yet if I offend apart from the gospel what good is it? None!

If I have to sweat in heavy pants, or wear a skirt, or wear a head covering to be culturally sensitive that I may not offend according to this verse I aught to. If I must get out of my comfort zone and greet people I will.

And why, That by any and all means I might save some. Heaven help me if by wearing shorts I hinder a person from receiving the gospel. Heaven help me if by my crude speech a person is offended and sees only me and not the gospel. Heaven help me if I in any way offend by my own sin or liberty and the gospel is not received because it came from my lips.

Heaven help me because this is a battle for souls. Not only that but heaven help me if by my own interest I divide the church of God and therefore distract from the work God wishes to do.

And the saddest part is I will mess up, but even when I mess up I must keep striving. “A Christian isn't someone who does the right thing, it's someone who does the right thing after doing the wrong thing.” No matter how we fall, just get back up.

Application

Be sensitive to the beliefs of others without compromising the gospel. And submit to other believers without sin. That by all means I may save some.

How?

Tonight I will keep my speech clean of course jokes.

Called To Freedom.

Galatians 5:13

“For you were called to freedom, brothers.

Only do not use your freedom

as an opportunity for the flesh,

but through love serve one another.”

 

In verse 1 of this chapter is an interesting sentence “For freedom Christ has set us free.” And it stood out to me because I have heard it in a song, but now seeing it on a page in the bible I realized I had no idea what it meant. I pondered for a moment or two before understanding. We have all been set free, but we don't necessarily walk in that freedom. We have all been set free from works of flesh, which can also mean legalism. We have been set free to walk in righteousness through faith in love. I have heard it said that “freedom is not being able to do what one wants to do, but being able to do what one aught to do.” About this I would love to say more but I would be repeating my IBS on Romans 16:6.

But through love serve one another, here is the secret, love. In verse 14 it says “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, 'You shall love you neighbor as yourself.'”

For love does no wrong to a neighbor therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. In 1^st Corinthians 13:5 it says, “(love) does not insist on it's own way.” To love is to be in mutual submission, in same verse it says love is “not rude”. Therefore love is culturally sensitive, and adaptable to every situation.

What will happen if we do not love, and if we insist on our own way. “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed.” verse 15. One thought comes to mind when I read this, a two headed snake devouring itself. Snakes eat other snakes something I remember clearly when I was into learning about animals as a child. Not that I have heard of a two headed snake mistakenly eating itself, still, to me it seems a perfect picture of Christians who constantly bicker and disagree. The image of a snake also displays it well because sometimes when you see people fight like this you wonder if they were ever saved in the first place, or if by deception they have come into the church to simply stir up strife and dissension. To divide what God has brought together. It's a terrible thing to see brother against brother, sister against sister. It's a terrible thing to see a church fall apart, like the ruins that once were a place of worship now broken to pieces, they can still be used. However a huge mark is left on each person. God can restore, but heavens sake if we can avoid Him needing to let us try.

So love is the fulfilling of the law, but how do we even do this. Look at verse 16 “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

But God.
Only by His holy Spirit in us may we hope to live in love and harmony with one another.

Application

Walk in the Spirit, and in so doing be humble and gentle in speech, and adapt to new cultural customs.

How?

I have asked for more of God's Spirit today. And I will try to be sure to greet every bible college student and Guatemalan on property today.

The Heart Behind Leadership.

Hebrews 3:17

“Obey your leaders and submit to them,

for they are keeping watch over your souls,

as those who will have to give an account.

Let them do this with joy and not with groaning,

for that would be of no advantage to you.”

Here is one of the closing instructions in the letter to the Hebrews. If you will it is like when a speaker stands before and says I'm almost out of time but here are some very important things I want you to know.

Obey and submit to spiritual leaders. How many of you have had a youth pastor or pastor that really cared about keeping watch over your souls? I loved the way my youth pastors expounded the word of God, it was simple and easy to understand, but the parts that were not they had trouble answering. Don't get wrong they didn't pull answers out of nowhere but when they explained the different doctrines on the subject it wasn't very comforting nor did I have the ability at that time to discern what may or may not be true. Again I think they cared but were just young in the Lord and still learning to work in ministry.

In the middle of high school my parents had us switch churches. The church I grew up in had a lot of pastoral changes recently and they felt it had changed enough in staff and theology that it was time to leave. This was very difficult for me, being the introvert I was, I had only in the last year or so made any real connections. Two of my siblings rebelled and stayed at the church we were attending before because they wanted to stay and minister to the friends they had there. They had seen a lot of other teens run off to college and leave them, they didn't want to do that to anyone else. I prayed about it, and felt God was calling to honor my parents, I told my small group of friends that I would be transitioning to a new church, let them know that I cared a lot about them but felt God was asking me to be obedient in this area of my life.

We switched to the church that I now attend, a Calvary Chapel in southern WA. After the first Sunday there I think I had learned more in sermon than I had anywhere else in my life. The style of preaching was so different from the topical studies we had done at my last church, being fearful at the time about my salvation I wanted to speak with the pastor after church, and that's something else that was different. This pastor invited anyone who had questions or needed prayer to come talk with him, I had heard this a few times at my old church but he was so genuine in his preaching I felt totally comfortable speaking with him. I spoke with him for a long while, about the things going through my mind. The church was renting a high school facility at the time so he had to go and help put things away, but had his wife speak with me and console and comfort me on many subjects.

Here is what I'm getting at, and why I am sharing all of this. These spiritual leaders cared, They cared very deeply about the condition of my soul, and they took time to show it. I think the youth pastor I had at my last church cared too, but there many more people and it was more difficult for them to show it.

Here I also have a deep sense of the leadership caring. However whether I see it clearly as I do here, and at my home church, or I don't see it as clearly as I did at my first church, spiritual leaders care for the souls of those in their flock. Pastors also must suffer a stricter judgment at the throne of God. All this to say, God has put them over us for a reason, and we aught to obey them for these reasons, so long as they are not asking us to sin.

Are there false teachers? Yes

Do they care for their flocks? No

But God has given us through His Word ways to see whether they be false or in the Faith and says clearly we are not to listen to false teachers. God does not ask us to blindly trust man, nor does He give us loopholes to ignore the instruments may use to bring us to repentance.

And I think when we see this clearly we find ourselves, hopefully being a joy to those put over us. There is nothing that brings joy to a shepherd like seeing his flock grow strong and healthy.

There is nothing that brings joy to a pastor like seeing the congregation grow in discernment and spiritual maturity. There is nothing that makes a pastors heart break more than seeing someone walk away from the faith.

They care about us, because God cares for them and us, obey them, God knows what He's doing by putting them there.

Application.

Obey those in leadership over you.

How?

Today I will raise my hand every time leadership asks us to pray.

Honor

Ephesians 6:1

“Children, obey your parents in the LORD, for this is right.”

Colossians 3:20

“Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the LORD.”

To be honest I have been pretty obedient to my parents, I would often be the kid who said, “Guys we shouldn't do this we'll get in trouble.” Does that mean I was never disobedient to my parents of course not. I just tended to be a lot more sneaky about it. For instance I was home schooled, so I would often lie about having done my school work for the day. This was not good in many ways, and even though I know I am intelligent there's now a part of me that feels quite insecure because I am not as knowledgeable in many areas as other people. I can't help but think of Ephesians 6:2-3 “Honor your Father and Mother (This is the first commandment with promise) That it may go well with and that you live long in the land.”

“That it may go well with you.” Here's the thing about parents, they usually ask you to do something because they want you to have a good life. They care about you. Parents are a gift from God to help counsel and guide as you grow older, when you have a problem they are a listening ear. When you get hurt they bandage you up. When you rebel they discipline you, and yes this is a blessing too. “Spare the rod and spoil the child” is a quote I know well. In America we can really see the evidence of this quote. And again I say usually, usually parents care, and I know mine do, but I also know that there are parents lacking in natural affection. The abusers, who manipulate, and use. These are the exceptions. So let me quote verse 4 of Ephesians 6 “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.”

And in Colossians 3:21 “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.” Does anyone have the amplified on them to read Colossians 3:21? I love the way it is put in that version.

Child abuse is prevalent in many forms I have worked with kids for years and at one of these jobs I was startled a bit to see some of the non physical forms of abuse, like extreme ignoring. Never giving praise to a child or affirming them. I think that is what unfortunately is more likely to happen in a christian home than some other forms of abuse. It's not likely on purpose we try to make sure that children don't become proud so we withhold comments of praise. And we don't want to encourage bad behavior by giving attention to that, so what happens? A child ends up feeling starved for attention and acts out. Then we are forced to do something about it, that's the rebellious side of the spectrum. Then you have the other side, the people pleasing children, the ones trying to please their parents. But if a parent is overly strict the child will come to the point of feeling discouraged, so much so that they are crushed and simply give up on trying to please anyone or having any direction in life at all.

That is what it looks like to provoke a child.

There is always a balance, yes lets as children do everything we can to honor our parents. But if your parents never noticed you or are giving you a verbal beating all the time because they are frustrated with something else, may I encourage you, God is your father and He loves you deeply. Do not give up or be discouraged.

Read from psalm 27

Application

Honer your parents. But do not become discouraged when they provoke you, instead be patient and talk things out with them.

How?

I will speak positively about my parents, and I will make it a priority to call them on Sunday to show them love.