Devotional Thoughts

1 Corinthians 16:1-4    “Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye. Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come. And when I come, whomsoever ye shall approve by your letters, them will I send to bring your liberality unto Jerusalem. And if it be meet that I go also, they shall go with me.” In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, there are two instances that stand out to me regarding how we are to treat the saints of God. Galatians 6:2 says we should take up each other’s load. In verse ten, we are told not to grow weak in doing well.  Our concern for the saints of God should be such that when they are burdened, we feel ourselves to be under the same weight. At the close of chapter fifteen of First Corinthians, Paul admonishes us to abound in the work of the Lord. He immediately turns to seeing to the needs of t...

1 Corinthians 15:57-58    “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” It is important to always know who to thank for our blessings. Ultimately, whatever our situation and whatever help we may have along the way, the thanks belongs to God. The victorious life we live is lived because of God’s great grace and love. He is worthy of our thanksgiving every day of our lives. Notice that Paul did not we should be thankful that God allows us to be victorious. He did not say we should be thankful that we were able to help God make us victorious. He did not indicate in any fashion that we were in involved in this victory at all, other than to be recipients. We are victorious in life because it has please God to give us the victory! This wonderful victory that is already ours (noti...

1 Corinthians 15:54-56    “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.” How glorious it is to consider the morning when it was discovered that the tomb was empty! Just as He said He would, Jesus had laid down His life and had taken it up again (Joh 10:18). This authority was given Him by His Father, and there was no power anywhere that could prevent this from happening. The mortal body of Jesus had put on immortality and incorruption as displayed by the fact that it was no longer bound by the natural law. Yet, Paul tells us that although Jesus had risen from the dead that all enemies were not yet destroyed (1Co 15:26). Death was overcome in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but it is not yet destroy...

1 Corinthians 15:50-53    “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” The scripture clearly teaches us that God has a kingdom here on this earth. We are brought into this kingdom by the regenerating power of the Holy Ghost and the grace of God which reveals to us His truth. Being drawn into this kingdom has nothing to do with our nationality or genealogy. However, it appears by Paul’s language in the previous verses that he was looking at something even more lasting than this gospel kingdom. As Paul has in the previous verses been pointing out the difference between...

1 Corinthians 15:45-49    “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.” And so it is written in Genesis 2:7 “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” The first Adam was formed by God out of the dust of the ground. Even though he was animated by the breath of God, he was not heavenly. He was made subject to vanity (Rom 8:20). This should never be read that he was made (caused to be) vain, but rather that he had...