Pause for thought

Paul’s plan to visit the Corinthians was not according to his own mind nor was he uncertain or frivolously changing his plans to suit himself. The plan to visit Corinth at that time was postponed because of Paul’s commitment to the Gospel and his loving concern for their welfare ( Paul did not want another painful visit) so Paul was led by the Holy Spirit to postpone his visit and to write explaining his reasons for the delay 1:17.

Paul was accused of being double minded because of his change of plan and some of his detractors questioned if the gospel he preached was also subject to change. But Paul assures them and us that every promise of God in Jesus are always Yes to the Glory of God this is the Gospel Paul preached and we believe.
Every promise to us are yes in Jesus Christ. Never yes and no, our response is Amen to Every promise of God through Christ 1:19-20

The fact that from the moment we believed in Jesus Christ we were established, anointed, and sealed with the Holy Spirit is the evidence and guarantee that we are saved and belong to God, when God says yes that is exactly what He means 1:22

Memory verse

He has identified us as His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first instalment of everything He will give us. 2 Corinthians 1:22 N.L.T.

please send any feedback or questions to jesusinprint@gmail.com

Pause for thought

God promises His people comfort, but we misunderstand if we think that this means our troubles will simply disappear when we pray. If this were so then we would only turn to God when we need His help, what sort of relationship is that? Of course we should go to God and He will often take away our physical pain but sometimes when the Lord comes alongside it’s not to take the unbearable weight of troubles away but to comfort us in our troubles. The Holy Spirit was described by the Lord Jesus as the Comforter, One who will come alongside us. To comfort can mean to receive strength and encouragement, so like Paul rather than removing us from the difficult situation, the more help and the more comfort the Lord supplies 1:5, 12:8-10.

We comfort others with the comfort we have been given, although it means we are able to offer words and practical help where applicable, more importantly we remind them that our Lord Jesus Christ is the source of every mercy and He is God who will come along side to comforts us. Every promise of God is for everyone of Gods children 1:4

Suffering for Christ as we serve Him always results in Christ suffering with us because we and the Lord Jesus are United together Acts 9:4-5

When we are going through troubles we don’t rely upon our own strength no matter how well we feel prepared but we do rely upon God who is able to raise the dead 1:9

We keep praying for each other that in trying times that they will never give in but keep trusting in the Lord, because answered prayers always brings praise to God 1:11

Memory verse

You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with His comfort through Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:5 N.L.T.

please send any feedback or questions to jesusinprint@gmail.com

Pause for thought

This is a very practical chapter it reminds us that God does not intend that His Church should be full of members living in isolation to their fellow believers, or that the administration of church business should be seen as a less spiritual, or that chaotic scenes are evidence of ( a move of the Spirit). God is Love and He is a God of order, just think of the universe or observe nature, the same is true of the church and the way it is meant to function, even down to our meetings which when led by the Spirit should be decently and in order 14:40 16:1

Every Christian is a member of a local congregation and also part of the Universal Church, however not every Christian is aware of this and some live in isolation from fellowship, this has very negative results Heb 10:25. We became members when we first believed and put our trust in Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord. At that very moment we were baptised into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit 1Cor 12:13. The Bible speaks of the local Church and the Universal Church never the national Church. The collection for the poor at Jerusalem was a way of demonstrating unity, and reminding the scattered congregations that they are members of Christs body they had obligations for other Christian’s worldwide, collections for the saints help us to obey the teachings of Christ 16:1

Our giving should be in relation to what we have received not from our lack, ( never borrow to give) reminding ourselves that everything we have is from God, please read 2 Corinthians 9:9-15. It is always according to what God has given us, we must never forget that we love God because God loved us first this is the principle of all giving and receiving 16:2.

memory verse

Be on guard. Stand true to what you believe. Be courageous. Be strong. And everything you do must be done with love. 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 N.L.T.

please send any feedback or questions to jesusinprint@gmail.com

Pause for thought

Every seed brings forth after its own kind Genesis 1:25 this is a fundamental truth in nature. Adam gave us a naturally sinful body. But the New Adam that is Jesus who rose from the dead is a life giving Spirit, He is the source of spiritual life and is called the “first born” of God’s New creation. Jesus is the grain of wheat that was sown and in dying brought forth much fruit John 12:24. We can be certain that our new resurrection bodies will be like Christs own glorified body because we have the promise of God that every seed sown produces after it’s own kind 15:38.

We don’t bury Christian’s when they die we just plant them! Dave Duell Our bodies now disappoint us, but when they are raised, they will be full of glory. They are weak now, but when they are raised, they will be full of power. They are natural human bodies now, but when they are raised, they will be spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, so also there are spiritual bodies 15:43-44

On that day we will think and feel differently. Nothing we do for the Lord is worthless, we should never get disappointed because we don’t see results from our labour in Christ, Why? Because of the resurrection nothing we do for the Lord is ever wasted 15:58

memory verse

For our perishable earthly bodies must be transformed into heavenly bodies that will never die 15:53 N.L.T.

Please send any feedback or comments to jesusinprint@gmail.com

Pause for thought

Our faith hinges on the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, it’s impossible to claim to be a Christian and deny that Jesus was physically raised from death to Life Romans 10:9.

If Jesus was not raised then our faith would be in vain and we would still be under God’s judgment for our sins 15:17.

Jesus was the first to rise from the dead never to die again He is the first fruit, the guarantee of our resurrection to everlasting life 15:20.

Because Jesus was raised to life it means that God has accepted the sacrificial death of His son as sufficient for our sins 15:17, He was raised for our justification Romans 4:24.

Christs resurrection is the reason we can look to the future with great hope not only will we be with Him forever He has promised us new bodies just like his own resurrected body 15:23,53, 1 Thessalonians 4:13.

When the resurrected Jesus comes at the end of the age, death that has plagued Gods creation will finally be 0destroyed 15:26

Memory verse

But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again. 1 Corinthians 14:20 N.L.T.

Please send any feedback or questions to jesusinprint@gmail.com

Pause for thought

When we first believed the gospel of the grace of God and received Jesus Christ who saved us and forgave us our sins, we probably thought that such wonderful truth was the extent of the gospel. In this chapter Paul reminds us that the gospel is far more than about our forgiveness, the good news of the Gospel is about Jesus death and resurrection, His victory over evil, His victorious return and the renewal of all created things.
We are reminded that the gospel is according to the scriptures, these were the Old Testament scriptures that foretold the coming of Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection. What the scriptures foretold was witnessed by more than five hundred who saw the risen Christ not including all the apostles, the Lords half brother James and finally Paul himself.

The good news has to be received it comes to us through someone who already possesses it, Mark 16:14-15. it is something on which we are to stand, if we find our feet are slipping, focussing on the gospel will hold us safely in an increasingly wicked world. We have been saved, and we are also being saved as we hold fast to the gospel we first believed in the authentic gospel of Jesus Christ.

Memory verse

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10 N.K.J.

Please send any feedback or questions to jesusinprint@gmail.com

Pause for thought

Everything we do in our worship services must be done in love and for the benefit of all the worshippers.The spiritual gift God has given you is never meant for are own sake or status! It is for another. Tongues is prayer to God, all the other gifts of the Spirit are for the benefit of others including none believers 14:26.

If a service is chaotic it is difficult for God to work, being led by the Spirit does not mean that we lose self control, this is what is meant by “the spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet” the Holy Spirit will never lead us into disorder 14: 32-33.

In 11:5 it is clear that women prayed and prophesied so why does Paul say that women should be silent in church? Remember Paul is giving instructions about orderly worship in church services. I think he was referring to some of the wives who were interrupting the service by chattering or by shouting out questions to their own husbands in doing so they were not showing love and their conduct was not beneficial to other worshippers. These verses have been quoted to try to stop women from ministering I don’t believe this is the case if we read these verses in context with the rest of this letter 14:34-35.

Memory verse

So dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophecy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:39-40 N.L.T.

Please send any feedback or questions to jesusinprint@gmail.com

Pause for thought

Some see the gifts of tongues or prophecy as a sign that they have been “baptised in the Holy Spirit” and there is much scriptural evidence for this Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-46, 19:6. However wonderful our initial experience was I don’t believe the Lord wants us to rest on our spiritual laurels so to speak! Paul makes it clear that while he speaks in tongues more than any of the Corinthians his desire was to be used by God to teach others. While praying in tongues benefits the speaker, prophetic words that includes prophetic preaching benefits the whole church 14:6

I find tongues to be a very helpful gift in private worship I feel lifted up in my spirit, speaking in tongues kind of primes the pump within me in preparation for further ministry with other gifts of the Holy Spirit.

In verses 21-22 Paul takes us back to the Old Testament to a time when Israel and then Judah had consistently refused to obey Gods voice. Consequently speaking through the prophet Isaiah God promised His disobedient faithless people that because they had chosen to disregard the voice of God, He would no longer speak to them in an understandable language, but through their being taken into captivity by the Babylonians, foreigners whose languages they did not understand. This is why Paul said that tongues is a sign for unbelievers, He was not being disparaging about tongues just that in a church meeting there should be an interpretation given or else the tongue would mean nothing to those gathered. Our aim should be like Paul’s, in that we earnestly desire that God will give each us such spiritual gifts as He supplies to build each of us up in the Lord 14:24.

Memory verse

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in a church meeting I would much rather speak five understandable words that will help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language. 1 Corinthians 14:18-19. N.L.T.

Please send any feedback or questions to jesusinprint@gmail.com

Pause for thought

The gift of interpretation of tongues is not the same as prophecy, they are two distinct gifts that the Holy Spirit gives for the building up of the church. A Christian speaking in tongues is praying to God, where as one prophesying is God speaking to men. In Acts 2:7-11 visitors to Jerusalem for the festival of Pentecost heard in their own languages “ the wonderful things that God has done” this was the gift of tongues which the hearers from many different lands heard the messages (praises) being spoken to God in their own languages.
It’s important that we understand that the gift is interpretation of tongues not translation of tongues, the interpretation gives the ‘sense’ to the tongue not a word for word translation. also a genuine interpretation will not have a prefix such as “thus says the Lord” why because tongues is towards God, and Prophecy is a word for Men. Often following a time of “singing praises to God in tongues” at a worship service, words of exaltation can be heard from the mouths of the worshipers in their own languages, these words I believe should be understood as the gift of interpretation. When we speak in tongues we build ourselves up, pray for courage to bring an interpretation so that the church will be built up as they hear about the wonderful things God is doing 14:5

The gift of prophecy builds up, encourages, and brings comfort to the church, The Holy Spirit is called “the comforter” He comes alongside to empower us as we live for Christ. A prophetic word will always align with the revealed word of God in the Bible and the character of Christ. In my own experience the Holy Spirit will often prime the gift of prophecy by bringing a thought a picture or a sentence to my mind, after a prayer check and if I get the green light I will share what I believe the Lord has given me.. If we are given a “Prophecy” that pulls us down instead of building us up, we should ask the question is this really Gods word?. If we are given a “word” that is directional always check it out with other mature believers, this does not mean all directional words are false sometimes it’s simply a matter of Timing.

Memory verse

I wish you all had the gift of speaking in tongues, but even more I wish you were all able to prophecy. 14:5 N.L.T.

please send any feedback or questions to Jesusinprint.com.

Pause for thought

Love is an attribute of God, who is Love 1 John 4:8, AGAPE Gods kind of love is a choice it involves unselfish service to others. It is no mistake that this part of Paul’s letter to a selfish church should come between chapters 12 and 14 of 1 Corinthians. The scriptures teach us that all things are to be tested this includes how spiritual gifts are being ministered, 1 Corinthians 13 is a wonderful yardstick 1 Thessalonians 5:21, Mathew 7:15-20.

“That which is perfect” 13: 10 refers to when Christ himself returns and to the eternal state, some believe it refers to the completion of the canon of scripture, but this incorrect assumption forgets that the scriptures instruct us to receive the Holy Spirit and His gifts 12:4-6.

Faith Hope and Love and all the fruit of the Spirit are absolutely necessary in the church today, but just like the gifts of the Spirit even these will on that day when Christ returns be in the past, faith will give way to sight, Hope will at last be our experience, that is except for Love which is eternal for God Himself is Love 13:13.

memory Verse

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance 13:7 N.L.T.

Please send any feedback or questions to jesusinprint@gmail.com