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For those who follow this blog. I will be taking some time away as I need to take time to refresh my relationship with the Father and determine what will be coming next. I expect to return by the end of July at the latest.

While I am away you may wish to check out the two e-books I have published they can be found at this URL: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/FFS_2

 

(1 Corinthians 16:19-23 ESV)
19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.
21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come!5 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Paul is ending this letter in the way he usually finishes by sending greetings from the brothers where he currently is staying, and then writes the finish in his own hand.

Heavenly Father, We thank you that Paul was your servant to the Gentiles and left us such a legacy of Gospel truth. May we incorporate that truth into our lives and live it out that all we meet will find faith in Jesus attractive and compelling. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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(1 Corinthians 16:12-18 ESV)
12 Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.
13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love.
15 Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— 16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.

Paul is giving instructions concerning the treatment of fellow brothers in the faith when they come to Corinth. He names Apollos, Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus. He asks the the Corinthians to be subject to them. He commends them as having refreshed his spirit and theirs.

Heavenly Father, Would that when visitors come into our churches we would show them value and respect that they would consider returning later, and those who come as teachers and leaders would find willing servants and helpers to both hear their teaching and send them on their way. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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(1 Corinthians 16:10-11 ESV)
10 When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 11 So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.

Paul is advising that Timothy is on his way and asks the Corinthians to put his at ease because he is doing the work of the Lord as is Paul. Paul asks that they help him on his way that he may return to himself because he is expecting his return with the brothers.

There are situations when helping a brother is something we all may be asked to do. We should do so willingly with grace that the brother can fulfill his mission and move on to his next assignment.

Heavenly Father, When a brother comes to us for help let us give it graciously that his time with us may be a blessing to him and he may continue to provide what the Lord asks of him. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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5 I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, 6 and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. 7 For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. 8 But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, 9 for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.

Paul is letting the plans he has for traveling to them. He states that because he has an open door for ministry in Ephesus that he will come to them after Pentecost. He says he wants to spend some time with them and hopes that the Lord will permit him to stay through the winter that they may help him wherever he may go.

There are times in our lives when we have open doors that keep us from doing something that we purpose to do. There are also times where we are able to move and stay in a place for a time serving others. Our times and seasons are in the hands of the Lord and I for one am pleased to allow Him to structure my time so that it has value in His kingdom.

Heavenly Father, As we go about our lives we move through various times and seasons. Some feel very beneficial and others can be very difficult. May we see Your hand in each situation we encounter helping us to become the person who You created us to be and serving our brothers in ways that at times we do not understand, but know that we serve under the guidance of Your Holy Spirit. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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My latest book Finding Wisdom, a containing the comments I wrote in my blog on the book of Proverbs can be found here: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/FFS_2

(1 Corinthians 16:1-4 ESV)
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me.

One of the things Paul did while he was going about to the different churches was take up a collection for the saints in Jerusalem as they were having a hard time of it. Here he is asking the Corinthians to contribute and to set aside something as they are able so that a collection will not need to be taken when he comes. He says that when he arrives he will send those whom they credit to carry the gift to Jerusalem and will go with them if that seems to be appropriate.

Heavenly Father, Various bodies of the church are brought to our attention that need some help to carry out the mission to heal the sick and feed the hungry. May we when asked be able to give generously that their need will be fulfilled. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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(1 Corinthians 15:54-58 ESV)

54 “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

As Humans we understand that our physical lives at some point will end and that our Spirits will be either with the Father in His kingdom or away from the Father if we have not accepted that His Son Jesus is our Savior and Lord. Paul here is clearly pointing out that death due to Jesus sacrifice on the cross no longer has a victory but is defeated. He then encourages the Corinthians to be steadfast, always doing the work of the Lord knowing that the work is not done in vain.

Heavenly Father, Your Son Jesus defeated death on the cross. Those of us who have accepted Jesus understand that because of His sacrifice of himself we are forgiven of our sins and heirs to Your eternal kingdom. May we remain steadfast doing the work you have called us to do knowing that we do not do the work in vain. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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(1 Corinthians 15:50-54 ESV)
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

Paul is saying that a perishable body cannot enter the Kingdom of God and that it does not inherit the imperishable. He is telling a mystery. He states that when the last trumpet sounds the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall “For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.” We are then fit for the kingdom.

Heavenly Father, I look forward to the day when the last trumpet sounds and our bodies will be changed into imperishable bodies. May I remain faithful till the end that I may be deemed worthy to enter the kingdom and hear the words well done good and faithful servant. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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(1 Corinthians 15:42-49 ESV)
42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Paul is telling the Corinthians that that the resurrection of the the is like the sowing of a seed in that there is a natural body and a spiritual body. He says the natural body is perishable, dishonorable and weak but; the spiritual body is imperishable, honorable and powerful. He says if there is a natural body there is a spiritual body. He points out the first man Adam became a living being and the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. The natural comes before the spiritual. The fist man was a man of dust, the second is from heaven. “As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.” We bear the image of the man of dust, we also will bear the image of the man of heaven.

Heavenly Fathers, While we live out our lives on earth we bear the image of the first man Adam the man-made from dust until we accept the atonement that was made for us by Jesus on the cross. Once we have accepted Jesus when we die our bodies take on the image of Christ who is the man of heaven so long as we remain faithful to him. May we so order our lives that we remain faithful to Jesus that we may obtain the image of the man of heaven. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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(1 Corinthians 15:35-41 ESV)
35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

Paul is pointing out to the Corinthians that when someone asks how the dead are raised and what kind of body will they have that what is sown does not come to life till it dies, and what is sown is nut a bare kernel of wheat or another grain. He says God gives a body to each type of living thing. Paul says that all flesh is not the same, that there is one kind for humans and a different kind for animals, and the birds and fish have still another according to their kids. He says there are earthly and heavenly bodies and each has its own glory just as there is one glory for the sun, another glory for the moon and still another for the stars; he says star differs from star in glory.

Heavenly Father, In Paul’s attempt to define what kind of body we will have when we are raised he spends much effort pointing out that each living thing has a body designed for its purpose. he goes further and says our earthly bodies will be different from our heavenly bodies as the sun is different from the moon. May we accept that when we are raised we will be raised in heavenly bodies which are everlasting and may we give glory to You for Your care for us here and in Your kingdom throughout eternity. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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(1 Corinthians 15:29-34
29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

In Christian churches today I have not had anyone come to be baptized for the dead. In our day we know that they those who die as part of the body do not need someone alive to stand in for them in that way because they were baptized while still alive. Paul protests to the Corinthians that if the dead are not raised there is no gain, and reminds them that their good morals can be destroyed if they are frequently in bad company. He is calling them to stop sinning. He says some have no knowledge of God calling that shameful.

Heavenly Father, Help us to be in good company that our faith,  our morals and our ethics will be righteous in Your sight. May we keep from sinning that our lives will draw others to You bringing honor and glory. I ask this in Jesus name, amen.

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