Boast About the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

There really is nothing worth boasting about in this world. Nothing we have, nothing we are is of our own making.

We may think we can boast in our wealth … and the stock market crashes. We may think we can boast in our stuff … and then a fire destroys our home and everything in it. We may think we can boast in our career … and then the pink slip comes.

We may even think we can boast in our very lives … and then the diagnosis comes.

Life is short, fleeting.

Truly the only thing worth boasting about it what Christ has done for us. Salvation. Redemption. Grace. Mercy.

Eternity with Him.

And so let’s boast about our Lord. Let’s share His goodness and mercy and love with others.

The Foolishness of Man (1 Corinthians 1:20-25)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:20-25

The cross. It’s the foundation of our faith.

To some, though, it’s just something to tattoo or wear as jewelry. It doesn’t mean anything to them.

Paul knew this well. During his years of ministry, he witnessed the “wisdom of the world” that denied the truth of the cross. It was a “stumbling block” to some and “foolishness” to others.

Not much has changed. The idea of someone having to die to save them is abhorrent to some. It’s a stumbling block, something “which causes [them] to err or to stray from the truth” (bibleviews.com). And some think it’s just plain “foolishness.” If, indeed, there is a God, they say, He’s going to judge them on their good deeds. They certainly don’t need to trust someone who was executed.

And they think we who do believe are foolish as well. We’re narrow-minded. We’re not too bright. We don’t know real truth.

But we can be assured of two things, and Paul makes them very clear: “… the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” Our God, the God of the Bible, is Truth. For reasons we can’t fully understand, He put a plan of salvation in place that culminated in the death of our Savior—on a cross.

And for us, it’s the “power of God and the wisdom of God.”

The Wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:18-19)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:18-19

We live in an age of instant information. Immediate intelligence. We can Google anything and everything. However, just because we have all this information at our fingertips doesn’t mean that what we access is accurate. Anyone can create his or her own website and write about anything, so we need to be cautious about what we find. It may or may not be truth.

There is one place we can go, however, where we can be assured of truth: the Bible, God’s word to us. From the first verse in Genesis to the final words of Revelation, God inspired men across the years to weave a scarlet thread of salvation.

Everything leads to the gospel message of the cross. Jesus Christ, God the Son, came to earth to pay the penalty for our sins, and to “us who are being saved, it is the power of God.” It is through the cross that we are reconciled to our Father.

Yet, there are many who think the cross is “foolishness.” They don’t believe in the power of God. Rather, they believe in their own abilities, and they create their own gods. They revel in their intelligence that says, “The God of the Bible doesn’t exist.” They think themselves wise and clever.

One day, however, they will stand before the very One they denied. And He will reveal their foolishness. And tragically, He will “set [them] aside.” For eternity.

I believe this world is winding down. I believe Jesus Christ is returning soon. I don’t know the day or the hour, but I do believe it’s soon. Maybe not in my lifetime. Or maybe today.

We who follow Christ should feel an urgency to lovingly share the “word of the cross” with those around us. We need to help them find the wisdom of the truth of the Bible so they too can spend eternity with God—Father, Son, and Spirit.

Unity (1 Corinthians 1:10-17)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

Division amongst Christians has been an issue since the beginning of the church, and it’s heart-breaking. We who follow Christ should be examples of unity and harmony, love and compassion.

Instead, we fight over nonessentials like real wine or grape juice, or sprinkling or immersion. Hymns versus praise songs. Traditional versus contemporary. Even worse, just like in Paul’s time, we get caught up in whose pastor is better or more eloquent, or which church is bigger.

Heartbreaking.

How it must break the heart of our Lord as well. Jesus came to bring life and truth (John 14:6). He came to heal the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18). He came to save us from our sins and bring eternal life (John 3:16).

We who have received such amazing gifts should be grateful and strive to live as Christ did. And that would not include divisiveness. We need to love each other. We need to help and serve each other. We need to be brothers and sisters, living only to bring glory to our Lord God.

So why isn’t this how we live?

Our Faithful God (1 Corinthians 1:4-9)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:4-9

Sometimes—oftentimes—I read through passages of the Bible, and I’m overwhelmed with how much is in just a few words. Today’s verses are no exception.

We learn that we are “enriched in” Christ. He gives us the ability to speak on His behalf as we gain knowledge of His truth. We can be “certain that everything [Paul] told [us] about our Lord Christ Jesus is true” (CEV, v. 6).

We can “eagerly await the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,” knowing that we’re works in progress, learning more and more about what it means to live as He would live (see Philippians 1:6).

We can be confident that Jesus will “confirm [us] to the end” and one day, we will stand before the throne of the Most High God and He will see us as “blameless,” righteous, and holy.

Finally, we can be assured that our God is faithful. He never wavers, never changes. He is the same, yesterday, today, and forever. And He has called us as partners in the building of His kingdom.

We are blessed, beyond anything we could ever imagine.

Just sit and remember what God has done for you. And be grateful!

Grace and Peace (1 Corinthians 1:1-3)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3

Today begins what will likely be a long journey through two of Paul’s letters (as I mentioned yesterday, 2015 will focus on as many of his epistles as possible). As always, I look forward to learning more about God’s word written through the pen of His faithful servant. I pray you’ll be blessed as I share what He has laid upon my heart.

We start with a similar greeting as we’ve seen with Paul’s other letters. Paul’s heart for the saints in Corinth is clear by his opening words. I imagine his recipients reading these words and being blessed. And even in these few verses, we too can be blessed.

I forget sometimes that we who follow Christ are saints because we have been sanctified in Christ Jesus. We have been set apart and have been called to serve Him.

Because of our calling, we experience God’s grace and peace. He showered us with “unmerited favor” as we received the free gift of salvation through the death of His Son, Jesus Christ (see Romans 6:23). And He continues to shower us with “every good thing” as we follow His will for our lives (see James 1:17).

In addition, we can experience a peace that surpasses our human understanding as we rely on our loving Father to care for us, protect us, provide for us, and comfort us.

I pray as we embark on this journey that you’ll experience God’s grace and peace. Just as Paul prayed centuries ago.

Happy 2015!

Can you believe it? 2015!

Time has truly flown by. It's just crazy!

I wanted to take a moment to thank each of you who faithfully reads this little devotional blog. God is so good, and I am blessed to be able to share some of His inspirational words through this medium.

Please know that I pray for you, and I will continue to do so throughout this new year. May you be blessed abundantly!

Last year was spent in the Psalms. This year, I want to revisit as many of Paul's epistles as we can fit into one year. Tomorrow, we'll start with 1 Corinthians.

Thank you again, and Happy New Year!!