A Way of Life

^{1 Corinthians 12}

²⁹ Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? ³⁰Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! ³¹ So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.

   But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all.

Paul tells the church that everyone wasn't going to operate in the same gifts as everyone else.  Some were meant to do miracles, some were prophets, some would even have the gift of interpreting unknown languages.  He also encourages each of them to earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.  What I love is that after speaking of all of these amazing gifts, he goes on to say, "But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all."

1 Corinthians 13

Love Is the Greatest

 ¹ If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. ³ If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.  

In Paul's letter after referring  to these amazing gifts in the body of Christ, he makes certain that everyone clearly understands, that the greatest gifts mean nothing without love.  God's will for us is made plain; love people.  Love until it hurts, invest until you are bankrupt, cry, pray, and give, to see that others experience the love of God.

-We may sing, preach, and prophesy, but without love our voice will go unheard...

God Offers Comfort

Fresh off the heels of Pastor Anna's message on Sunday I am reminded of God's grace and overwhelming presence in times of our frustration.  It seems as if everywhere I turn the Holy Spirit is reminding me that we were never promised smooth sailing on this earth, but we were promised that we would never have to navigate the storms alone.

This morning on "Bible Gateway's Verse of the Day" was yet another reminder of God's faithfulness when we are at our weakest.



2 Corinthians 1:3-4
“[God Offers Comfort to All] All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”


What really grabbed my attention from this portion of scripture is how the comfort from the Holy Spirit is not only meant to encourage us, but to empower us to offer comfort to others.  We are going to face trials, we are going to be in over our heads, but in the middle of it all God is thinking about us; and maybe even more powerful than that is that God is thinking about all of the people your story is going to make an impact on.


Find comfort in our "merciful Father" today, and once you are back on your feet get moving and give that comfort away.  There is a desperate world waiting to hear your story.

"Another" Advocate

John 14:15-17
 ¹⁵ “If you love me, obey^[d] my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate,^[e] who will never leave you. ¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth.


In Max Lucado's book, "Fearless" he gives an empowering explanation of this advocate that Jesus promises.  He describes the word preceding "advocate" in this portion of scripture, and this word is "another."  Of course we understand this word as being a replacement, but Lucado helps us to understand that another in its Greek origin actually means "another like the first."  


We don't always understand the Holy Spirit and all of its functions, but we can be encouraged by this simple thought today; Jesus didn't promise merely a substitute when he went back to the father, instead he promised an advocate that was the mirror image of himself.


We don't have the honor of walking with Jesus in the flesh, but as believers we literally have the same power of God living inside of us.  In the middle of the storm, the Holy Spirit says, "Peace, be still."  When our faith is flailing, the Holy Spirit encourages and empowers us to stay strong.  




^{Ephesians 1:19-20
19} I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power ²⁰ that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.


We have an advocate with the Father, and he was not sent as a replacement, but as God, in us.  Whatever you face today remember the "incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him."