This is the last part of the first letter Paul writes to the church of Corinth. He tells them that he hopes to come to them in person after he passes through Macedonia and stay with them for some time, but shall remain right now in Ephesus until Pentecost because Verse 9 says, "for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."
What did Paul mean that he couldn't come yet because there were many adversaries? He was teaching them that opposition will come. When a door is opened to you, adversaries may come to interrupt your entrance and change the effect you can make on the other side of that door. The enemy is not going to let you have an effect without putting up a fight. When you come into some light about something, he will try to steal that seed from you.
Paul is warning us so that we can be aware. Because if we are aware of it, then we won't retreat or back down when we feel that pressure against us. You might feel on your body or in your mind the effects of the adversaries, but don't be overly impressed. Our spirit man need not be shaken. We are never to be moved by what we feel or see, but only by what we believe!!!
If we're going to have an effect, we're going to have an adversary. But we need to always remind ourselves of that from our seated position! He is a defeated adversary!!! And we are far above it! He's going to out up a fight. The Bible tells us had he known, he would have never crucified Christ. The Lord knows all the adversary's plans and the crucifixion that was meant to be Jesus' demise became redemption's launching pad! When the devil intends to cause demise in your life use it as a spring board and build right over it!!!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
May 13th ~ 1 Corinthians 11 ~
In this passage, the Apostle Paul admonishes the people of the church at Corinth to be imitators of him as he is of Christ. He praised them for holding to the traditions which he taught them but also gave them some much needed correction. Correction from the Lord is always intended to bring people into a place of greater blessing. Doing things God's way always pays off.
Most of this chapter Paul gives instruction on the act of taking communion. When the congregation would meet together, they were consuming the communion bread and wine as a snack because they were hungry. Verse 22 Paul says, "What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing?"
He proceeds to remind them about the Lord's supper and what Jesus said about it. That as often as they ate the bread and drank the cup, they would be proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes. By eating the bread and drinking the wine flippantly, they were acting in an unworthy manner and bringing judgement upon themselves. Verse 31 says, "For this reason many among you are weak and sick and a number sleep." In other words, many in their church were weak, sick and slept, which means they died prematurely. Paul was trying to help them to understand that we always need to walk by faith to please God. There is so much power available through the taking of Holy Communion and the body of Christ is missing out because they aren't rightly dividing the Word of God.
When we are partaking of communion, we are proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes again. How do we receive any of God's promises to us? We always have to BELIEVE and RECEIVE and we receive by confession. It's not enough to believe that Jesus died on the cross, we also have to receive it and make confession of it. That is FAITH and faith is our part. Then the power of God can transform us and that is HIS part. The very act of communion is a public proclamation of what Jesus did! That His body received ALL sickness and disease and we can be free of it.
Next time you partake of communion, either at church or in your home, do so with the understanding that you are indeed making a faith statement and that the power of God is present to meet any needs you have. Believe that power is working mightily in you, just like Jesus said it would and continue to confess until it is made manifest in your situation.
Most of this chapter Paul gives instruction on the act of taking communion. When the congregation would meet together, they were consuming the communion bread and wine as a snack because they were hungry. Verse 22 Paul says, "What! Do you not have houses in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing?"
He proceeds to remind them about the Lord's supper and what Jesus said about it. That as often as they ate the bread and drank the cup, they would be proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes. By eating the bread and drinking the wine flippantly, they were acting in an unworthy manner and bringing judgement upon themselves. Verse 31 says, "For this reason many among you are weak and sick and a number sleep." In other words, many in their church were weak, sick and slept, which means they died prematurely. Paul was trying to help them to understand that we always need to walk by faith to please God. There is so much power available through the taking of Holy Communion and the body of Christ is missing out because they aren't rightly dividing the Word of God.
When we are partaking of communion, we are proclaiming the Lord's death until He comes again. How do we receive any of God's promises to us? We always have to BELIEVE and RECEIVE and we receive by confession. It's not enough to believe that Jesus died on the cross, we also have to receive it and make confession of it. That is FAITH and faith is our part. Then the power of God can transform us and that is HIS part. The very act of communion is a public proclamation of what Jesus did! That His body received ALL sickness and disease and we can be free of it.
Next time you partake of communion, either at church or in your home, do so with the understanding that you are indeed making a faith statement and that the power of God is present to meet any needs you have. Believe that power is working mightily in you, just like Jesus said it would and continue to confess until it is made manifest in your situation.
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