Pause for thought

When we come together to worship God we are to come before God in reverence and fear. Anything that causes us to become distracted needs to be addressed. The female Jewish Christians wore head coverings while the female Corinthian Christians did not. Paul was addressing an issue that was causing division and distracting the congregation in Worship. These verses are about more than head coverings or culture wars, a women with short hair or a man with long hair at that time in Corinth might depict a person of loose morals. We don’t have to avoid every practice of our culture but we should avoid appearances and behaviour that detract from our worship and service for God 11:13-14

Submission is the Key element in all Christian relationships. True submission does not mean that the one submitting is inferior. Never forget we were all created in the image of God. The order in creation is that man is responsible to Christ, a women is responsible to her husband and Christ is responsible to God the Father. We all have equal value, submission is about mutual commitment and cooperation, Paul reminds us elsewhere Ephesians 5:21 that we are to submit to each other out of reverence for Christ.

Memory verse

But in relationships among the Lords people, women are not independent of men, and men are not independent of women.
1 Corinthians 11:11 N.L.T.

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

Pause for thought

There is only One God. demons can often masquerade as gods.

. When we eat the bread and drink the cup symbolising the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ we give Him our total allegiance. We commune with Jesus and identify with His death. We cannot be living for Jesus and secretly following the crowd. We need to examine our hearts and having done so partake of the communion 10:21

.Every Christian who partakes of the covenant meal are also joined together with other Christian’s, we have all become “partakers “ of the body and blood of Christ, we really are “one bread” we are part of that mystery the body of Christ 10:17

The key to Christian liberty lies in 10:24. We are free to serve the Lord in any way that is consistent with His word 10:31

Memory verse

Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ 1 Corinthians 11:1 N.k.J.

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

Pause for thought

In the previous chapter Paul emphasises his freedom to do anything, But in 9:24-10:13 he reminds us that to live a truly fulfilled Christian life it involves both freedom and discipline.

Israel quickly forgot their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and fell into many sins. so that a whole generation were destroyed. This was written not simply as an historical account in the Bible, but more importantly as a warning to the church of the last days (fullness of time 10:11) We must see to it that we never think our freedom gives us a licence to do what ever we please.10:6-11.

Temptation happens to everyone so don’t accept the devils lie that you have been singled out for special attention. You are not on your own others are tested and have overcome so can you. God will always show you a way out and will limit any temptation you face.

Memory verse

God is faithful. He will keep temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so you will not give in to it. 1 Corinthians 10:13. N.L.T.

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

Pause for thought

“He who pays the piper calls the tune” Paul was not reliant on the financial support of the Corinthians, which meant Paul was able to work not only for the local church but for everyone by bringing them to Jesus Christ 9:19.

Some find it hard to be all things to all men, so that they might lead them to Jesus, because of their own or others Christian scruples. However I believe we must not be afraid to venture forth from the comfort of the cosy church circle if we are to bring Jesus to those who have not yet met Him.

Jesus promises to be with those who go and make disciples of all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit Matthew 28:19

memory verse

When I am with those who are oppressed, I share their oppression so that I might bring them to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ. I do all this to spread the Good News, and in doing so I enjoy its blessings. 1 Corinthians 9 :22-23 N.L.T.

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

Robert and Pam send love and blessings to you all this New Year.2023

Facts or feelings?

Many people, Christian or unbeliever are governed by their feelings rather than by the facts. Feelings can change according to how our day has been or what we ate for supper last night!
Everyone needs peace and the New Year seems like a good time to make a fresh start and reset our clocks. But for we mortals that is an impossibility without the help of Almighty God.
The Bible is full of Gods promises that are factual and if believed will do far more than simply reset our clocks for 2023!
Because God is Eternal and Faithful He will always keep the promises He has made to you in His Word the Bible. God the Holy Spirit takes the words of God and reveals them to our hearts.
For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. As the scripture tells us, “Anyone who believes in Him will not be disappointed Romans 10:9-11

The default mode of the Christian is peace which is ours by believing the Word of God, and not relying on our feelings.

Pause for thought

Those who serve the Lord by ministering to the church are absolutely entitled to payment, it is our responsibility to care for our Pastors teachers and other spiritual leaders seeing that they are adequately supported, Paul reminds us of the words of Jesus in Luke 10:7.

Perhaps some in Corinth thought that if Paul was a true Apostle he should be willing to accept some wages. But for Paul how could he claim payment for preaching the gospel that he was compelled to preach? Paul had no choice in the matter of preaching the gospel, but was free to give up his rights to financial support by the church. For Paul his wages were the satisfaction he had in preaching the gospel without expense to his hearers, and then choosing to work with his hands to meet his daily needs 9:17-18

The marks of Paul’s Apostleship were 1 That he had seen Jesus Christ in person. 2 That it was Jesus Christ Himself who had called Paul to be an Apostle . 3 Paul’s ministry was effective in building the church in fact the Corinthian believers were themselves the evidence of Paul’s Apostolic ministry 9:1

A verse to think about

If I were doing this of my own free will, then I would deserve payment. But God has chosen me and given me this sacred trust, and I have no choice. 1 Corinthians 9:17

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

Pause for thought

It’s all to easy for anyone of us to develop a “know it all “ attitude! Strong Opinions are like noses they have holes in them! 8:1 Have you ever felt amazed that other believers don’t see things as you do? remember Knowledge can never do what love can “Build up the Church” 8:1

How are we to enjoy the freedom Jesus died to give us? A truly free Christian is one who is attentive to the Holy Spirit, and therefore seeks to build up other Christians in love. Even if something is harmless to you if it is likely to cause harm to another Christian it must be given up 8:9

Memory verse

While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the Church. 1 Corinthians 8:1 N.L.T.

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

Pause for thought

Surprise! You may be just where God wants you 7:20.

Do you believe you can do Gods work and live faithfully for God wherever you are? We don’t have to move geographically to hear God’s voice or know more of His presence. Make no move unless you have definite direction from God, remember God speaks through the Bible and will confirm His message to you through the witness of the Holy Spirit to your spirit, and often by the witness of the Holy Spirit through fellow Christian’s 7:17.

Some new Christian’s who are already married find themselves married to an unbeliever, but that does not mean you can’t live for Christ, God knew who you were married to before you believed in Jesus, it could just be Gods plan to save your spouse through your witness 7:16.

Christians find themselves in dead end street because of wrong assumptions about the place they live or church they attend or the unbelieving spouse they feel stuck with. Instead believe that God has placed you where you are, and make the most of every opportunity to serve Him there.

memory verse

You must accept whatever situation the Lord has put you in, and continue on as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches 1 Corinthians 7:17 N.L.T.

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

Some of you may notice from time to time the odd typing mistake but I can’t blame spell check for wrongly introducing todays audio message! Thanks to everyone for overlooking my mistakes.

Pause for thought

Because of the prevailing immoral culture in Corinth that included the belief that human bodies were primarily for sexual gratification, the church took what they mistakenly thought was a godly view and were promoting sexual abstinence in marriage, and even discouraging marriage altogether 7:1.

The Corinthian church was over reacting to the culture of their day. But someone had wisdom enough to write to Paul for his advise 7:1.

We must never let todays culture dictate the way we are to live. Paul wrote “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its own mould” Romans 12:2 J.B. Phillips. Christians who listen to God know how to act rather than reacting to the cultural pressures of the day.

Memory verse

You wives must remember that your husbands might be converted because of you. And you husbands must remember that your wives might be converted because of you. 1 Corinthians 7:16 N.L.T.

please send any feedback or questions to Jesusinprint@icloud,com

Pause for thought

It seems that the Corinthians had misunderstood Paul’s teaching on Grace and freedom to mean that they were free to indulge the flesh. Christian’s faith does not mean we are free to sin, it means it makes us free not to sin. 6:12

“food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food” likewise some thought that freedom meant that they were free to abuse their own bodies, they did not understand what it meant to belong to Christ 6:13

Our present bodies will be transformed when Jesus returns but our mortal bodies will in some way be reflected in our new spiritual bodies 6:14

These bodies of ours have been made made holy “set apart” as a dwelling place for God, Jesus died to give us a redeemed soul and a pure body, these bodies are not our own to do with as we like, they each belong to Jesus Christ to be used for His glory.

A verse for remember

But the person who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with Him 1 Corinthians 6:17 N.L.T.

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

Pause for thought

One day we Christians shall judge the World, in the meantime we should be able to deal with any disputes that arise in the church, for we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, and the mind of Christ 6:2, 2 Peter 2:4. Matt 8:11.

For a Christian to go to law against a fellow Christian is to fall very short of genuine Christian behaviour. If there is genuine Christian love in the heart he should prefer to suffer loss and injury rather than inflict it 6:6-7.

A verse to remember

Why not accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourself be cheated? 1 Corinthians 6:7a N.L.T.

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