Devotional Thoughts

1 Corinthians 11:1-4    “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonoureth his head.” In chapter ten of this epistle, Paul has instructed us to do everything we do to the glory of God. We have been counseled to seek the good of others ahead of our own desires. Paul shows by his writing and his actions that this is the way he lives his life. In this first verse of chapter eleven, Paul affirms that to live in this manner is according to the example that our Lord and Savior has left for us. He has told us how we must live if we would indeed be Christians. He has also given us a guide concerning following the ministers God sends among us: follow them on...

1 Corinthians 10:31-33    “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” In order to properly understand these scriptures, we must first recognize that there are things that cannot be done to the glory of God. It is impossible to sin to the glory of God. We cannot by willful disobedience glorify God, nor will we ever glorify God by being a stumbling block to any of our brothers or sisters. Paul has carefully counseled us as to the things we are able to do; the many things that are lawful for us to engage in. We have also been cautioned that these things, while lawful, may not be expedient. With these principles in mind, we are told to eat, drink, and do whatever else we do in a manner that glorifies God. We may not always be able t...

Psalm 119:25-26   "My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.  (26)  I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes." "I can do it myself." How many times have you heard that? How many times have you said that? Those words are spoken from a very early age. Toddlers want to do things themselves and quite honestly that is part of the learning process. I'm not sure that I have graduated from that school of learning yet. The Psalmist was in the process of graduating when he discovered just how dry a soul can get by trying to do everything on our own. "My soul cleaves to the dust." I'm as dry as dry can be. A puff of wind will scatter what is left inside me if I do not get help. "I have declared my ways." The part that is left unsaid in that statement would be something like this: "I have declared my ways..... and they just didn't work." Can any of us identify with that? I know ...

1 Corinthians 10:27-30    “If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?” While there are many good reasons to have fellowship often with those who believe in the love of God and the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ our Lord as revealed by the Holy Ghost in our hearts, we are under no compulsion to limit our fellowship exclusively to brothers and sisters in the faith. Jesus said that, like Him, we are not of the world; nonetheless, like Him, we have been sent into the world (Jo...

Psalm 119:18    "Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." Psalm 119:24    "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." B-I-B-L-E = Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth Sometimes we hear it said that life does not come with an instruction manual. That isn't true. We have the perfect instruction manual. The problem is that we don't always apply that manual to our lives. There are wonderful things that are contained within the Word of God. He has not left out anything that is important and necessary for a productive and prosperous life. But, the natural mind does not - cannot - understand the spiritual applications of God's Word. That is why we find the writer of this Psalm asking the Lord to open his eyes. He wasn't talking about his natural eyes; rather, he was asking the Lord to reveal to him those things contained within the Bible. I believe that it is most necessary to spend time in prayer before see...

1 Corinthians 10:23-26    “All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.” Paul was a man set free by virtue of being a prisoner to none except the Lord Jesus Christ. He lived a life of joy in the Lord in spite of the afflictions of the flesh. He understood that the legal service he had been raised under no longer held sway in his life. Neither the Jews nor the Gentiles could require anything of him or bind him. He could eat meat offered to idols because he knew these idols were nothing and therefore the offering was nothing. Along with Paul’s knowledge of his liberty, we see a careful and wise consideration of its use. Just because we can do a thing (lawful) does not mean that we should do it (expedient)...