1 Corinthians 7:20-40 bible reading and devotionals.

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Max Lucado Daily: Why So Few?

I’ve often thought it curious how few people Jesus raised from the dead.  He healed hundreds, fed thousands, but as far as we know He only raised three:  the daughter of Jairus, the boy near Nain, and Lazarus.  Why so few?

Could it be because He knew He’d be doing them no favors?
Could it be because He couldn’t get any volunteers?
Could it be that once someone is there, the last place they want to return to is here?

Isaiah said: The good men perish; the godly die before their time and no one seems to care or wonder why.  No one seems to realize that God is taking them away from the evil days ahead.  For the godly who die will rest in peace. Isaiah 57:1”

What a thought. Could death be God’s grace? God’s protection from the future?  Trust in God, Jesus urges, and trust in Me!

From A Gentle Thunder

1 Corinthians 7:20-40
New International Version (NIV)
20 Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

21 Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so. 22 For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. 23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. 24 Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Concerning the Unmarried

25 Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. 26 Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 27 Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. 28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.

29 What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; 30 those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; 31 those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

32 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. 33 But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— 34 and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. 35 I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong[a] and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. 37 But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. 38 So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.[b]

39 A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. 40 In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.


Our Daily Bread reading and devotion


Read: Psalm 22:1-8,19-26

Why Have You Forsaken Me?

To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

22 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.
3 Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises[a] of Israel.
4 In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
5 To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
6 But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
7 All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

Forsaken?

November 1, 2012 — by Dave Branon

Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever! —Psalm 22:26

Do you know which psalm is quoted most often in the New Testament? You may have guessed the familiar and beloved 23rd Psalm, but actually it is Psalm 22. This psalm begins with David’s poignant, heart- breaking words that were quoted by Jesus on the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34).

Imagine the situation David must have found himself in that caused him to cry out to God in this way. Notice that he felt forsaken and abandoned: “Why are You so far from helping me?” (Ps. 22:1). He also felt ignored: “O my God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear” (v.2).

Ever been there? Have you ever looked up into the heavens and wondered why it seemed that God had abandoned you, or was ignoring you? Welcome to David’s world. But for every plaintive cry David expresses, there is a characteristic of God mentioned that rescues him from despondency. Through it all, David discovers that God is holy (v.3), trustworthy (vv.4-5), a deliverer and rescuer (vv.8,20-21), and his strength (v.19).

Do you feel forsaken? Seek the Lord. Rehearse His character. And “let your heart rejoice with everlasting joy” (v.26 nlt).

Lord, sometimes I feel as if You don’t care about
my life. When those times come, please remind me
of Your character as You did David. Help me to
lean on You again and know that You are there.
Even when we don’t sense God’s presence,
His loving care is all around us.


My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
November 1, 2012

“You Are Not Your Own”

Do you not know that . . . you are not your own? —1 Corinthians 6:19

There is no such thing as a private life, or a place to hide in this world, for a man or woman who is intimately aware of and shares in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. God divides the private life of His saints and makes it a highway for the world on one hand and for Himself on the other. No human being can stand that unless he is identified with Jesus Christ. We are not sanctified for ourselves. We are called into intimacy with the gospel, and things happen that appear to have nothing to do with us. But God is getting us into fellowship with Himself. Let Him have His way. If you refuse, you will be of no value to God in His redemptive work in the world, but will be a hindrance and a stumbling block.

The first thing God does is get us grounded on strong reality and truth. He does this until our cares for ourselves individually have been brought into submission to His way for the purpose of His redemption. Why shouldn’t we experience heartbreak? Through those doorways God is opening up ways of fellowship with His Son. Most of us collapse at the first grip of pain. We sit down at the door of God’s purpose and enter a slow death through self-pity. And all the so-called Christian sympathy of others helps us to our deathbed. But God will not. He comes with the grip of the pierced hand of His Son, as if to say, “Enter into fellowship with Me; arise and shine.” If God can accomplish His purposes in this world through a broken heart, then why not thank Him for breaking yours?


A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft

A Heroic Ambassador - #6734

Thursday, November 1, 2012

I had already been feeling some of the residual sadness of another September 11th in America, and then the headlines screamed out that there had been another 9/11 tragedy. The deaths of an American ambassador and three of his staff, killed - as they often say about police officers or soldiers - in the line of duty.

Sounds like the man that we lost in that was the kind of person that we want representing our country. He was proficient in the language, he was out among the people, he was building relationships, taking risks so folks could be free - an ambassador.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I'd like to have A Word With You today about "A Heroic Ambassador."

Now, with that word "ambassador" plastered all over our headlines, I kept thinking, "You know, I'm one, too." Just like every one of us who belongs to Jesus. I mean, it's right there in black-and-white in our word for today from the Word of God, in 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 20: "We are Christ's ambassadors."

Now, that news flash was a vivid reminder of exactly what that title ambassador means. An ambassador is appointed by the highest authority there is (in this case, the President of the United States) to represent him in a specific place; Sometimes requiring risks - and yes, sacrifice.

So, along with all my spiritual brothers and sisters, I've been assigned by the highest Authority in the universe to represent Him wherever He places me. That makes the Jesus-follower the most important person in any room, whether anyone recognizes it or not, because he or she is representing Heaven.

That means I must act like Jesus, respond like Jesus, no matter what my circumstances or the way I'm getting treated. There's no excuses for losing my temper, or being harsh, or compromising my integrity, or acting selfish, flirting with sin, being too busy for people who need me, because He has staked His reputation on His ambassador. He literally says I am where He's put me "on Christ's behalf" in that same verse (2 Corinthians 5:20).

Now, I can't stay cloistered in the "embassy," well, I guess, the church. I have to do what my Master did - go outside the walls to meet people where they are. Ambassadors succeed or fail depending on how well they build relationships with the people where they're assigned. Well, no true Jesus-ambassador could be content just to hang out with those from their own spiritual "country." We've got to be intentional, passionate, about building authentic relationships with the people who need our Jesus.

I need to remember, too, that an ambassador's job is to fully and accurately deliver the message of the one who sent him. Now, for a Jesus-ambassador, that message is clear. 1 Corinthians 2:2 - "Nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." Uncluttered by politics, my church, or my religion, personal hobby-horses, culture issues, or lifestyle attacks. Just Jesus and His cross. A message so eternally important that it needs to be delivered, not in my churchy "Christianese" language, but in the non-religious language of the people that I'm there to reach.

And, yes, there's risk involved. Just ask Jesus, the original and ultimate Ambassador of Heaven. He gave His life in exchange for mine. So I'm supposed to get off cheap? My fear of losing someone for eternity has to trump my fear of whatever I think I'll lose if I speak up for my Jesus.

I can't let the spinning gerbil wheel of an overstuffed life ever make me forget who I am - I'm on assignment from Heaven to help people go there.