I Am With You in the Spirit

1 Corinthians 5:3-4 "Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit.  And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church.  I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus" NLT

      Lord, blatant sin in the church must be dealt with quickly, not only for the sake of the church, but for the individual as well.  If one has cancer,  early intervention and treatment can usually save the patient's life.  The surgery can be painful, and the radiation and chemotherapy very unpleasant indeed, but the outcome is worth it.  Sin left "covered and ignored" in my life can not only affect me, but will in time affect the folks around me. I pray someone would love me enough to "catch" me and help with restoration. In our culture we are not encouraged to "call someone out" in their sin.  Students come to me with issues and when I tell them they need to go to the proper authority they normally say, "I don't want to get anyone in trouble."  I have to tell them the person is already IN trouble and the most loving thing one can do is to get them the help they need to stop that behavior before something horrible happens to them.  Is that pleasant for the one having to do it...no!  Why? Because we are thinking more of ourselves and what that person will think of us.  SELFLESS TOUGH LOVE HURTS!  But, You are our example.  You were willing to suffer rejection, persecution, and even death out of Your great love foe us and were concerned for our ultimate eternal future!
    Lord, it is still a wonderful mystery that when two or more are gathered in Your name, You are in the midst.  Paul says here that You, by the Spirit, will be at this called meeting , and he will be there also by the same Spirit!  If the Spirit is quenched by all of the members of the body, the Spirit will have no power at all.  That is disastrous and the church dies.
      Lord, I never want to be the reason for even a small group of believers to lose Your Spirit's power.  Please, in lovingkindness, bring folks into my life to "call me out" in my sin so I may repent, and I will praise You for it!

Corinthians- Proud of Their Tolerance?

1 Corinthians 5:2 "And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this?"

      Lord, I wonder if the Corinthians were proud because of how "tolerant" and loving they were to allow this man to remain in their fellowship.  I wonder because "tolerance" is the by word today. Christians are to be tolerant of perversion inside and outside of the church.  When they are not, they are dubbed as judgmental self-righteous bigots.   Of course those who call us that never see themselves as being intolerant.
Your church need always to embrace the sinners who come and love them to You.  However; we are never to embrace or tolerate their blatant unrepentant attitude when they continue to sin without rebuke and hope of restoration. If the church does, that one acts as a slow poison or deadly disease carrier and the church becomes sick and will ultimately die and become useless in the Kingdom.  However; with repentance restoration is always possible.
      Satan is so sly, and man's heart is naturally so wicked and depraved since the Fall, and grows more so each day. One might think that when one trusts You as Savior and You change their heart through the power of the Holy Spirit to show goodness and love the world would rejoice.  But it is weird how we think.  I think of Chuck Colson.  Years ago he did something bad enough to send him to prison and the world saw him as such a bad man.  Then he trusted You as Savior and Lord in prison.  The world was skeptical but watched.  It was OK with it when he started the Angel Tree ministry to help the families of prisoners because they could give to that and make themselves feel better.  But when he started speaking out for the biblical worldview, he was labeled as a fanatic.  So in the world's eyes, You cannot be either too bad or too good.  Everyone ought to be "average" and lukewarm about everything so no one is offended.
      I am reminded of something that was written by Tim LeHaye and Jerry Jenkins in the Left Behind Series by a preacher who had been left behind and then was saved.  He said, "The cross is an offense.  If I am preaching the cross and you are offended, I am doing my job.  If you are not offended, then the Holy Spirit is doing His."
      Lord, do Your work in my life so that I am a faithful "Soldier of the Cross".

Don't Get Distracted!

1 Corinthians 5:1 "It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife"

      Dearest Lord, I find it sadly interesting that even debauched unbelievers who engage in all kinds of sexual immorality like they did in Corinth still have some scruples when it comes to having sex with family members.  This man's sin was so detestable that even the pagans, with all of their temple prostitutes, homosexuality, and various other perversions, did not participate in it.  And yet, there is was plain as day being practiced in the church and folks were so busy fighting among themselves about who to follow it was not even being addressed.
      It seems Satan's plan has always been to divide, deceive, and to separate the sheep so they don't follow the Shepherd.  He also uses distractions. Lord, I have seen it in my own life!  If he can distract me by using family issues, finances, work, or even something like a TV series, then he can tempt me with things I would normally not even consider or blind me to things in my life that I would normally be able to see and be able to confess and repent.
      Dearest Lord and Savior, keep my mind, eyes, and heart stayed on YOU.  Please light up the distractions like neon signs so I might not be deceived and fall prey to Satan's schemes.  Help me to stay as close  to YOU as I can so You can protect this sheep from wandering away. Help me to, " Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."  1 Peter 5:8

What Do You Prefer?

1 Corinthians 4:21 "Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit" NLT
"What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?" NIV 

      Wow, Lord!  If I had received this letter with this statement in it I would have trembled and have immediately chosen the second option.  However; I am a more compliant type personality.  I can almost hear the arrogant one's response though: "Oh yeah, Dad? You think you're so big and know everything?  Come on back with your whip and I'll show you a thing or two hot shot!"
      Lord, we can be so very ignorant and full of ourselves.  We think we are so very smart, but in fact our knowledge is but  drop in a bucket compared to Yours.  You ALWAYS know what's best for us.
      I was speaking with someone the other day who had been a soldier in Iraq.  He said that the last one and a half years has been tough because You were trying to teach him to trust You.  You had me share an illustration with him.  I asked him what would have happened to him if he had ignored a direct order from his supreme commander.  He of course said he would have been in deep trouble.  I also asked him if he had ever been taught as a soldier to surrender.  He said , "Absolutely not!"  I told him that he needed to surrender his will to his supreme commander...YOU!  You are the only one who knows what's best, and knows the whole plan for the whole war.  You have his best interest in mind, but also know what You have for him to do to help "win" the war.
   I placed an empty chair in the middle of the room and told him it was the throne of his life and You were sitting there.  I told him to go over and tell You to get off and then sit there himself.  It had the effect You wanted. :o)  He said he had never looked at it that way before and his countenance changed altogether.  I told him he needed to surrender to Your will...not the enemy who wants us to follow our own!
      Thank You, Lord, for the way You teach us...ME!  Simple obedience to Your word is always the best option as You are the only one who knows the end from the beginning and have the best plan...not always the easiest plan...but the best one!

Do We Rreally Have God's Power?

1 Corinthians 4:19b-20 "and then I'll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God's power. For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power. "

      Lord, there is a lot of "discussion" about religion and theology these days in politics, at schools, in churches and homes all over the world.  However; talk does not make a Christian.  It is the relationship with You and how that affects the way we live that is evident of the Spirit's power.  If we are true "Family" members following You very closely, our lives will be evidence of the "Fruit".

      There is an old saying my dad used to use, "Talk is cheap. It takes money to buy whiskey."  I never really understood the "whiskey" part because there was never any on our home; but the concept stuck with me.  We can SAY anything, but if our lives don't back up our words we are arrogant fools.  That is especially true in the Kingdom.

      Dearest Lord and magnificent Savior, please do not ever let me get to the point where I am all talk and no action when it comes to Your word.  I long to constantly walk in the Spirit so that my life counts for something other than human accolades.  I want to be a vibrant light that shines in integrity and purity so that others are drawn to You.

Humble Obedience Not Arrogance

1 Corinthians 4:18-19a "Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again.  But I will come—and soon—if the Lord lets me,"

      Lord, it is apparent that the Corinthians have taken the church into their own hands ignoring You as their Ultimate Authority.
      Oh Lord, Your people are still such a sinful lot. We see this situations in families as well.  If "Dad", the ultimate authority in the home has to be gone for an extended period of time on a business trip or military deployment, especially the "tweens" and teenagers start to become arrogant and want their own way and have their own ideas as to how things ought to be run.  But when dad's return in imminent, things change drastically.
      Lord, in Your Family, we can sometimes lose sight of the fact that You, our ultimate authority, are always with us. We cannot see You, but You are always here, and Your return for me is always imminent.  Lord, please keep me ever mindful of this truth so that I might never become that arrogant one who thinks my ways are better than Yours.  Forgive me for the times I have failed in this, Dearest Lord.  I love You and want Your will, not mine to be done.

Faithful Child In the Lord

1 Corinthians 4:17 "That's why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go. That's why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go."

      Lord, I understand what Paul is saying about Timothy.  He had taken him with him on his second missionary journey and Timothy had been instrumental in the work that had been done in the churches.  He lived with him, watched him, learned from him and emulated him because Paul was his spiritual dad.  He knew what he preached in every church every time.  He also knew that Paul lived what he taught.
      I'm reminded of Jerry and Jonathan Falwell.  They grew up under the teaching of their dad, Dr Falwell Sr. who founded Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University.  They saw him each and every day, lived with him, were taught by him, watched and learned from him about God and His Word.  Their dad walked the walk so they learned that from him too.  Was Dr Jerry perfect, absolutely not, and neither was Paul.  But there was nothing hypocritical about him or his teaching on the Word was rock solid.
      Now, Jonathan has taken over the church as pastor and Jerry Jr. the University as Chancellor.  They carry on their father's work as he would.  So Timothy is being sent o the Corinthians to help them get back to the teaching Paul gave them and to make sure that Paul's letter is heeded and obeyed.
      Lord, keep me ever close to You in every way every day so I do not stray from You or Your Word that I may be counted a faithful child in the Lord!

Be Like Dad

1 Corinthians 4:15-16  "For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. So I urge you to imitate me. "

      Lord, I love the way Paul uses the family relationships in his writings so we can relate and understand.  In my family and in Dick's and mine. we have had only one father.  They have been imperfect as are we all.  But then we, and our children, had many teachers.  We know that none of them were perfect either.
      What Paul is saying is not said in arrogance.  He learned  from YOU personally and was guided by and encouraged by You.   He is asking the Corinthians to follow his example and in that they will be following Your's.
      Dearest, Lord, guide me and make it profitable for others to follow me.  Keep me from leading others astray.

Warning...Not Shame

1 Corinthians 4:14 "I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children."

      Lord, sometimes we have warning beforehand of some kind of danger or change needed.    We may see a sign that a favorite road we take will be closed, or a notice appears in the Newspaper says a bridge will be out from this date to this date and warns to take a different route.  But sometimes we find ourselves on a long trip with just verbal instructions to somewhere we have never been and realize that we have taken a wrong turn somewhere.  We have no map or GPS to help.  We stop and ask directions and find that there is no alternative route to get where we need to be, so we have to retrace the 50 miles we went on the wrong road to get back to the right one.
      I believe Paul is the one who is giving the Corinthians directions in the second scenario.  He is telling then where they took the wrong turn and where they need to return to as a warning.   They will not arrive where they expect if they refuse to heed his warning.  It is not shameful to make a mistake.  It is shameful if you refuse to follow the directions given to correct the mistake and stubbornly make the same mistake over and over when you know better.
      Precious Lord, keep me ever mindful of Your "Map" and be my GPS if I stray off the straight and narrow road by mistake...and please don't let me get 50 miles down the road before You alert me.
I praise You for being the all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful, and all-loving merciful God that You are with Your children.  Thank You for my salvation and all that it means!

God Touched My Son!

Romans 8:15 "For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father."
Galations 4:6 "Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father."

      Last weekend our youngest son Tommy took his family back to Sodus, NY for a visit back home.   A lot of very neat things happened there, but I think the best happened in Lake Ontario.  He told me of an incident that happened there with his daughter Madilyn.  I may have some of the particulars wrong, but the lesson content is correct.
      He has shared in time past that Madilyn is rather timid when it comes to bodies of water much bigger than a small pool or bathtub.  They went to the beach at Sodus Point.  I'm sure the lake looked like the ocean to her...it did to me the first time I saw it too!  There were waves coming into the beach.  Maddi walked out into the water and got hit with a wave.  It surprised and terrified her and she stated screaming and crying.  Tom picked her up and comforted her and then sat in the water beside her and held her hand.  When the waves came again, she really enjoyed them.
      He told me, "God spoke to me then.  He showed me that in an unguarded moment a wave of adversity can come and hit us and scare us half to death.  But if we will anchor ourselves in His word and hold onto Abba's hand, when the waves come again we can still find joy in them."
     I can't count the number of times You, Lord, have used my children to teach me great spiritual lessons!  Even though they are now grown, they still do!  Thank You, Lord for my sons, their wives, and all of our dear grandchildren.  Keep the lessons coming!

Here is a picture of what the beach there can look like!

Cursings or Blessings..

1 Corinthians 4:12-13a "We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly"

      Oh Lord, would all of this be true of me!   The working hard with my own hands part is not hard for me,  but the second sentence is; and I know why.  It is because of my pride.  I would see them as attacks against me!  But for Paul and the other apostles, this was not true.  They realized the attacks were not against them, but against You. They had seen first hand Your example. If they reacted in pride, then what they taught would become null and void; no one would be edified or converted.  They are reacting in the way You told them to in the Sermon on the Mount:
Matthew 5:11-12 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  Now THAT is counter-cultural!
      Lord, You know my every thought and the frailties of my being, but do not leave me powerless to be different...godly and gracious in times of slander, persecution, and cursings.  I have no excuse to be other than like You because I have Your Holy Spirit within me.  Lord, please forgive the times I acted in pride instead of godly humility.  Help me to remember that the slurs, persecutions, and revilings are against You, not me personally as I stand for You.  Make my ministry with others as powerful as Paul's for Your sake, not MINE!
      In these days when wrong is seen as right and holiness and purity are deemed "old fashioned" and even hateful, and You ways are offensive to the world; help me to STAND! In these days when slander and persecutions of Your Family are on the rise, Lord, under gird us!  Keep us very close to You, Lord. Keep us in Your loving grasp, and be our refuge in this storm.  The Battle is the Lord's!

Scum of the Earth, the Refuse of the World

1 Corinthians 4: 13b "Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world."

      Lord, it is hard to imagine how these men were treated and what it was like back then because we see them as such great heroes of the Faith.   But they forsook everything for the sake of the Gospel.  Paul really was homeless, as You yourself were.  He was an itinerant preacher who worked his way from town to town staying with "Family" as he went, was beaten, and imprisoned.  He, unlike some Christian leaders today, did not amass vast fortunes with large homes and expensive cars.  The area in which they lived was hostile to them.  Our beloved country is quickly becoming hostile to us too.
      Lord, help me to remember there is one thing in this life that is the most important; two You want me to nurture and accomplish;
My relationship to You and making disciples.  If You care to give me wealth, it is to share with others, not to keep for myself.  If You care to have me honored here, it is to give You all the glory...but nothing is to be expected except persecution and hardship.  If I receive anything else, it is because of Your grace and mercy!

Would I Endure, Bless, and Answer Kindly?

1 Corinthians 4:12-13a " We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly"

      O Lord, would these words be able to be spoken of me.  The "work hard with my own hands" part is not hard, but the second sentence is because of my pride!  In the flesh, I would see the curses, persecution, and slander as an attack against me.  For Paul and the other apostles, this was not true. 
      The disciples had seen and heard Your example first hand.  They had heard You on the Mount of Olives say:
Matthew 5:11-12 "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
They had watched You as You had been tried and crucified...forgiving those who executed You.
      Lord, You know my every thought and the frailties of my flesh, but do not leave me powerless to be different...godly and gracious in times of persecution, slander, and cursings.  Help me to live so righteously that the "world" would not be comfortable around me, but would find it necessary to curse, persecute, and slander me for Your sake!
      Lord, please forgive the times when I acted in pride instead of humility, even if I did not show it on the outside...

We are Fools for Christ

1 Corinthians 10-11 "We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless."

      Lord, You hand picked the 12 Apostles.  One would think that these men would be honored, revered, and considered the most strong of all  humans as they had been taught by You personally.  But alas; because sin and Your enemy, the Prince and Power of the Air, rule this earth everything is backward.  Good is considered evil, right is wrong, Your wisdom is considered foolishness.
In our culture today:
Purity is considered "Old Fashioned"
Integrity is expected of others, but not from ourselves
Selfish ambition is see as power
Selflessness is seen as weakness
Arrogance is equaled with strength
Humility and meekness is seen as weakness.
The issues in our country today are not only abortion rights, but now same sex marriage, and the recognition of cohabitational unions, and there is a push for a "Hate Crimes" law to be put in place that would make it against the law for Christians (Pastors, employers, and teachers even in Christian schools) to speak out against these things.  In a poll recently taken 62% of those polled endorse such things.

      Lord, speaking just of my own country; unless America repents and turns back to You, we all will be treated as the believers in Paul's day.  Unless the idea of "Separation of Church and State" that is in our constitution is truly understood, our beloved religious freedoms are in dire danger.
      Lord, America needs a heart transplant, and it is not going to come from Washington or from government!  It has got to come from the church being the church and reaching out through more than the media...although that is wonderful.  Christians...I need to reach out to the unbelievers around me and to share You with them.  We need to wake up, speak up, and stand up while we still have the freedom to do so.  Our time of persecution is coming...Lord, may we all be found faithful.
Help us to remember that, "Greater is He that is within me, than he that is in the world.", and in the end You win!
Reminds me of the old hymn,
"This world is not my home, I'm just a-passing through.
My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.
The angels becken me from Heaven's open door
And I can't feel at home in this world anymore."

Spectacle to the Whole Universe?

1 Corinthians 4:9 "For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men."

      Lord, at first reading, one might think Paul was wallowing in self-pity.  I know in the Roman Empire, captives from battles or wars would be led at the end of a big procession into the arena to fight for their lives with each other or would be eaten by lions to the delight of the spectators.  That was entertainment to the sinful human mind.  (In 2012 in the USA, we watch that kind of thing in all kinds of media and call if "entertainment" too!)  How very sad...
      Because Apostles were being charged and martyred for their faith for  "turning the whole world upside down"; Christians and non-Christians alike were scrutinizing their every word and action.  In that context, I can well understand his statement.  However; I do not believe for a moment that self-pity was his motive here based on all of his other writings.  The Apostles were targeted, pitted against each other, slandered by the very churches they started and loved because Your  "Enemy" was trying everything he could to destroy their work.  And yes, even the  heavenly and fallen angels were watching to see what would be the outcome.
      I don't believe Paul was expecting them to be at the "head of the procession", although that would have been wonderful in the church; but he did desire that You be at the very head.  And at this time in Corinth, You were not.
      Dear Lord and Savior of my soul and head of the church, keep me ever mindful of the fact that You are the head...no one and nothing else can or should ever take Your place in my thoughts and life!  Keep my eyes and thoughts on You, not on Your messengers.

Riches and Kings? Maybe Not!

1 Corinthians 4:8 "Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings--and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!" NIV

"You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you." NAS

      Dear Sweet Lord, I need the Spirit's teaching and discerning on this verse.  It seems to be a bit of a parenthesis.  Paul had been speaking to the Corinthians about not showing favoritism and here this verse is.  It seems that the first two verses might be speaking of their riches in You since their salvation, but in the context can't really be true.
      The last two sentences are the puzzle.  Does Paul mean that they are kings because they are joint heirs with You now, because God does the work in us, it happened "without" them?  If so, then Paul is saying that he, Apollos, and Ceaphas are not kings and joint heirs, but wish they were; so that cannot be true.
      I think Paul is using sarcasm.  He is chiding them not only for their arrogance and pride, but also for their ignorance.  They think they have "arrived" and have all they need or could ever want spiritually, but in fact are mere babes in their growth and almost destitute.
    Kings have authority given by God to rule and reign over others. They think they have become "Kings" in Your Kingdom, but in fact are not. The Corinthians  have taken on that role in the church without God's anointing.  God would never appoint several kings to rule over a small kingdom as anything with more than one head is a monster and the heads will fight each other destroying the kingdom.
      I think in this instance, the New Living Translation might be the best:
"You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God's kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you." NLT
      Lord, give me Your understanding and discernment and wisdom, please.

Do Not Be Divisive in Favoritism

1 Corinthians 4:7 "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?"

      Lord, I never cease to be amazed how You direct events in my life and intervene in my life and thoughts!  Usually I do not recognize it immediately...and then everything seems to just come together.
     On Sunday, our pastor spoke on how sin affects the church body and that confession and repentance will restore us to service and usefulness.  Last night I left work a little late.  I usually listen to Focus on the Family on the way home, but when I turned the radio on, that program was ending.  I felt sort of bad that I had missed it, but Insight for Living came on with Chuck Swindoll.  the first words out of his mouth were that if we do not have control of our tongues we need to get control.  He said that his congregation expected him to have control of his when they tell them all of their issues. He said he could probably destroy the character of most of his congregation if he revealed what had been confided.
      He is doing a Bible Survey and had come to the book of Third John and was speaking of
3 John 9-11 "I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously about us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church. Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God."
      That brought to mind:
Proverbs 6:16-19 "There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers."
      It is natural for Christians to have their favorite leaders, partly because of their learning style, I suppose.  However; when that favoritism is voiced another brothers are put down the cancer spreads within the "body" of Christ, it can be deadly indeed!
Paul is addressing this in Corinth.  Folks had their favorites and not only that, but were attributing  more truth to one over another.  It does not appear from what Paul is saying that Apollos and Cepheus were promoting this.  It seems more that there were several like Diotrephes in that church too.  Chuck called them "Church Bosses".  He said another pastor called folks like that "savages". They come into the "Flock" and scatter it to make the sheep easier prey.  Those who are not close to the Good Shepherd are endangered.
     Lord, I know You created me to be unique, and yet spiritually not one of us is better than another as devoted Christ Followers.  We may have different talents and gifts, but they all came from You.  You and Your message are the centerpiece not us.  Therefore if there is any glory or honor or praise it goes to You.  We must work diligently to keep our focus on You, not on each other or on the spiritual leaders of our times.
   Precious Savior, please keep me from both pride and false humility...as both are sins.  Also, I pray that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart will be acceptable to You all day every day!

Do Not Go Beyond What is Written

1 Corinthians 4:6 "Now, brothers, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, "Do not go beyond what is written." Then you will not take pride in one man over against another."

      My Sweet Lord, it's so easy for us to follow Christian leaders, especially when we are new believers.
I remember when I first heard the truth.  I had been to several churches from several denominations, including both Catholic and Protestant, and had not heard the whole truth in any of them.  In fairness, I was blind and deaf to spiritual things and was not in attendance all of the time in any of them.  I did not hear any preach the whole truth about salvation by grace through faith, was never urged to read Your Word for myself, and had not heard that I had to make a choice about You and Your work on my behalf.
      Then I was introduced to a Pastor-Teacher who did indeed preach the truth and was saved.  Because what he taught was so very different, (and he told us that he was the only one who had the whole truth) I followed hard after him.  I had become like one of the Christians in Corinth that Paul had written about.
      It took the salvation of my husband and about five years of learning from Your Word to realize that he was not the only one with, "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth."   I realized that I had the "author and finisher of my faith, and the One who would guide me into all truth", living within me.   I could learn from different Christian leaders, but needed to follow hard after You, not them.  I realized that preachers are used by You to explain Your message, not give it.  True Christian leaders want us to follow You not them and will always point us to You.  False teachers, in their arrogance and pride, want us to follow them.  That is probably a good litmus test of their message
     Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and I must hide it in my heart so I do not sin against You.  Thank You Lord Jesus and Heavenly Father for this so great salvation...a gift of grace and mercy, not of works that man can do, so not one can boast!

God Will Expose the Motives of Men's Hearts

1 Corinthians 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

     Lord, I think the note in my "Life Application Bible" helps me understand this verse best.
"It is tempting to judge a fellow Christian, evaluating whether or not he or she is a good follower of Christ.  But only God knows a person's heart, and He is the only one with the right to judge...When you judge someone, you automatically consider yourself better, and this is pride."
      Lord, You have called Your Family to be discerning and to search the scriptures to see if what is being taught lines up with what they say.  It is an entirely different matter to judge another's service to You.
      Father, keep me ever humble and mindful of Your right to judge.  As I am not responsible for anyone else's service than my own...and that should keep me busy enough...keep me mindful that You are the rightful judge not me.  Paul wrote and told the Corinthians not to judge until You returned and that was over 2000 years ago!  I pray that I will follow You so closely that in the end You would be able to give me praise...not for my sake, but for Yours!
     

The Lord Judges Me

1 Corinthians 4:4 "My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me."NIV
      "For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this;" NKLV
      "For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified:" KJV
      "For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted." ESV
      "My conscience is clear, but that doesn't prove I'm right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and  decide" NLT

      Lord, sometimes seeing all of the different translations helps in my understanding.  In this case, the KJV seems to have a different meaning than all of the others.  Even the NKJV does not seem to say the same thing.  On the one hand we see that Paul is saying that he knows nothing BY himself then follows with somewhat of a question, "yet am I not hereby justified".  All of the rest say in essence that Paul has searched himself and has found no apparent sins, but You know more than he does about the deep reaches of his heart and mind and will judge him aright.
      Lord, I know there are sins I commit daily, usually of "omittion", that my conscience does not pick up on.  My conscience can become calloused and even seared.  I would pray that Your Spirit would bring to mind the sins I have committed so I could confess them and repent.  There may have been a careless word or selfish thought and action I did not catch.
      I know that You are the only one who can judge the hearts of men so even if my conscience is clear, that doesn't prove I'm right either.  I pray I would not be like the Pharisees, as that would be prideful, but leave the judging of my motives and those of others to You!
      I love You, Lord, and am so very thankful that You can see everything in everyone relieving us of that job!  I admit it is a little scary that You know my deepest thoughts and intents if they are not what they ought to be, but I thank You that You have paid the price for those sins and I can confess, repent, and be restored...not thrown out into utter darkness forever separated from You.
    

I Must Prove Myself Faithful

1 Corinthians 4:2 "Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."

Lord, my Lord, and my King!  There is a fervour right now over Chick-fil-a and their stand for the Biblical definition of marriage.
I am very saddened by those who call themselves "Christians" and yet attack someone for their stand on the scriptures.  They say they do not wan to be "Stereotyped Christians" who do not agree with same sex marriage.
Lord, it is plain in His word, we are to be holy as You are holy.  I cannot pick and choose from Your Word what I want to obey.  Would I, as a Christian, feel the same about terrorists or the fellow who killed all those folks in CO?  How about the pedophiles who abuse innocent children...Those acts are called sins in scripture too.
The fact is that all of us are simply sinners from birth.  The only difference between me and the flagrant homosexual,  terrorist, or pedophile is that I am  saved by grace and my lie or selfish act is just as damning as homosexuality.  The ONLY difference is that believers have accepted the wonderful grace and mercy that Christ offers SIMPLY because of His work on the cross for our behalf.
We are not "better" than anyone else,but our lives must align itself with ALL of Your Word in order to be proven faithful.
I am to be like Christ.  He loved sinners, but did not condom their sin.

People Pleaser or God Pleaser?

1 Corinthians 4:3 "I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself."

      Lord, am I a people pleaser? Unfortunately, in some cases I think I may still be.  In my flesh, I want people to like me and approve of what I say and do.  Lord, please forgive me!  If You are pleased, that is all that should ever matter.
      In the United States today, there will be a bit of a showdown between those who believe in the biblical standard of marriage between a man and a woman and those who believe in same sex marriage.  It is Chick-fil-a Appreciation Day.  I am so glad that the owner and COO of that restaurant chain are taking a stand even if it means not being allowed to put a restaurant in Boston MA!  Lord, please bless that company in a huge way today.
      I know it will not be long before all Christ Followers will be put to the test in the USA and around the world as the end is nearer now than ever in history.  May I, like Paul, not really care if I am judged by the world as long as You can judge me and find me faithful and blameless.