Reading for Wednesday, November 25th
In today’s text, Paul advises those who are more mature in the faith about how they must care about their brothers and sisters in Christ who have more tender consciences; those “weaker” brothers and sisters are advised concerning their growth; and pastors and leaders are instructed on how to deal with the conflicts that easily could arise between these groups.
To the stronger believer: don’t be proud of your maturity; don’t flaunt your freedom. Act in love so you do not cause a weaker believer to stumble.
To the weaker believer: although you may not feel the same freedom in some areas as in others, take your time, pray to God, but do not force others to adhere to your stipulations. You would hinder other believers by making up rules and standards for how everyone ought to behave. Make sure your convictions are based on God’s Word, and are not simply an expression of your opinions.
Read 1st Corinthians 9:19-27
Follow the 1) Scripture, 2) Application, 3) Prayer method to journal your observations from the text. If you are willing, share your journal entry with others by clicking on “[#] Comment” right below this post. Fill out the “Leave a Reply” section and type your journal entry. Don’t worry too much about formatting. When you are finished, submit your entry and Pastor Tim will post your entry to the blog. Sharing journal entries will help create community, and provide accountability and inspirition to others.
November 25, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Scripture: “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.” 1 Corinthians 9:24
Application: God gives us freely His word, His grace, and gave His Son for each of us to run this race of life, to be equiped and to share with others, so how are we running it? He asks little of us, but He does ask for us to run the race ‘in such a way to get the prize’. He asks us to love Him and to love others. Well to love God, to love others and to run the race we must equip ourselves which he freely gives us in His word of truth. Now our part is to learn His words, apply them to our lives and to go out and share with others encouraging them on in their race. This world can defineately swallow you up in it’s way of thinking but if we are prepared as ‘to get the prize’, knowing differently the value, the deep value of the prize – we would run differently.
Prayer: Father please forgive me for just coasting through life – allowing this world to mold me instead of your word living in my heart and preparing me for this race of life and for Your will. You Father have given me no fear to work hard and long – strengthen me each day with that ability so that I will prepare myself for this race to win the prize for Your glory and praise. Father may I begin today through your Son Jesus. Amen