Thursday, August 27, 2015

The Gospel of Jesus Christ. 8/27/15

Day 237- Reading the New Testament in one year.

https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/niv/1Cor.9


1 Corinthians 9

Paul’s Rights as an Apostle

9 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas[a]? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabaswho lack the right to not work for a living?
7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.”[b] Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because whoever plows and threshes should be able to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.

Paul’s Use of His Freedom

19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak.I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

The Need for Self-Discipline

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air.27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Supplied Life Devotional by Bill Freeman

Love transmitted August 27th

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” ROMANS 5:5
The flow of love between the Father and the Son is the same love that is being transmitted to us! It is wonderful to know that in this universe there is only one love. We do not have any love for God. We might think we have love for God, but in ourselves, none of us have any love for God (Rom. 3:10-11). Every bit of love in us toward God is God. Perhaps you feel you do not have that much love for the Lord. You find your heart loving the things of the world. But let me tell you, if there is even a little bit of love within you, a little bit of desire for the Lord, that is the Lord. Take that little bit of love, baby it, nourish it, and let it grow. Just tell the Lord, “Thank You for this little bit of love. It is You, Lord. The love in me for You, even if it is so small, is You. It is God.”
There is one love, and that one love has been poured out in our heart. That is why we do not work up love. We cannot be loving in ourselves. We need to get into another kingdom, another realm, where the divine love is flowing. We need to be born again. When we are born again, we see the kingdom and we enter into the kingdom. We enter into the realm of the divine love. Our spirit becomes joined to the Lord, so that we are joined to the transmission of divine love between the Father and the Son. So right inside of you is the love of God (John 17:26). It is in you.
To experience this transmission of divine love, just get on your knees and start thanking Him for everything in your life. Thank Him for every problem. Thank Him for every impossibility. Thank Him that all things are working together for good to those who love God (Rom. 8:28). Just start loving Him and thanking Him. After a short time, the tears will come down, and you will begin to merge with the divine life and love that is within your being. That life is so thankful to the Father. That life knows how to suffer. It knows how to pass through difficulties. That is why the Bible talks about entering into the fellowship of His sufferings (Phil. 3:10). It is not gritting our teeth and hoping for a better day. It is participating in the satisfaction and the contentment of His life (Phil. 4:11-13). Nothing outwardly changes, but inwardly you are joyful in God. God is enough. You say “Thank You” to the Lord, and there is a wonderful transmission of life and love.

Pray Until Something Happens (PUSH)

Anna, Ariana, Ariel, Dexter and Shameka,  Wes, and Zoe.

Health and Healing

Vonetta's mom 

Support and Comfort

Praise Alert
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