1 & 2 Corinthians – Be Still…

1 Corinthians 10:13 – Way Out

“The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)

This is one of those verses that is often misrepresented to include more than just temptations. Has anyone ever said to you, “God will never give you more than you can handle,” when it comes to trials or tragedy? As a pastor’s wife, I heard people misquoting this verse often. While we have a loving God who hates our adversity as much as we do, our comfort comes from knowing we’re never alone.

Context (1 Corinthians 10:1-13): This verse is speaking of the temptations we face in life because evil is running rampant. Paul is teaching the Corinthians in this section about idolatry and the dangers of craving evil. He wants us to learn from the mistakes of the Israelites, who were easily distracted by pagan rituals, building idols, and grumbling about God. The promise is that God always gives us a way out, a way to endure. It’s up to us to be looking for it. Continue reading “1 Corinthians 10:13 – Way Out”

1 Corinthians 13:13 – All About Love

“Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Love is pretty great, isn’t it? I’m a fortunate one to have experienced a lot of it in my life. Starting with loving parents I now have an adoring husband who continually showers love. The blessing of love comes also from our children and other family, but there’s more. God has provided an army of little ones, some of whom have children of their own now, and whom I’ve been honored to serve and teach about Jesus over the years. I can totally see how love can last forever.

Context 1 Corinthians 13: Known as the “love chapter” in the Bible, today’s memory verse is the sentence that brings that chapter to a close. Paul gives us a good idea of what love is and is not in this chapter. Love is certainly something we want in our lives for always and forever. Thanks to what Jesus did for us on the cross, we can experience love for eternity. Continue reading “1 Corinthians 13:13 – All About Love”

2 Corinthians 5:7 – What Do You See?

For we live by believing and not by seeing. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

I don’t know about you, but I certainly look forward to seeing Jesus face to face. I’m not trying to rush to the end of my life or anything, but he did promise to return and that could always happen first. But until that day comes, this verse explains our way of life. We have to believe in something we cannot see.

Context: Interesting that this verse is part of Paul’s discussion about our new bodies, the one we receive after we die. While we are living in our current bodies that get wrinkled and have aches and pains, we are not “at home” yet with the Lord. While we’re here, we live by faith, and that’s a great message to remind us to hold on. Continue reading “2 Corinthians 5:7 – What Do You See?”

1 Corinthians 1:18 – Power of the Cross

“The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)

If you’ve ever felt alone in this world wondering why nobody else “gets it,” this is a great memory verse of encouragement. As Christians, the message of the cross is key to everything we believe and hold dear. If it wasn’t for the cross, our faith would be meaningless. Thankfully, we aren’t the foolish ones.

Context: Just a handful of verses into the first chapter, Paul is already dealing with big issues with the Corinthians. This verse opens the section in my Bible version called “The Wisdom of God.” This verse not only speaks of God’s wisdom but serves as a wake-up call for those far from God. Paul is urging his brothers and sisters in Corinth to pay attention to God and respect his sovereignty. Continue reading “1 Corinthians 1:18 – Power of the Cross”

2 Chronicles 23:1-11 – Priestly Action

Read 2 Chronicles 23:1-11

Wasn’t the temple the perfect place for such an elite group of believers to meet for a planning session? The reigning Queen would never know since she would rarely, if ever, frequent that Holy place. You have to applaud the brave priest, Jehoiada for arranging this gathering. He was also likely instrumental in the plot to keep infant Joash alive. It’s good to remember Joash was his nephew, too.

We can learn a lot from this priest’s actions. Jehoiada bravely chose to make a move to hide the rightful king, the king who would further protect God’s promise to David about their forever kingdom. A high priority indeed for a good priest to be aware of. Do we make keeping God’s commands or trusting his promises our top priority?