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Unity in the Church: A Symphony at Sunset – 1 Corinthians 12 – 2025 Day 247
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 35, 1 Corinthians 12
But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
1 Corinthians 12:24b-26 ESV
God could’ve created mankind to reproduce like clones, each new being identical to the others, but He didn’t. Rather, every single one of the billions of human beings who have ever lived was created as a unique individual, each one formed in the likeness of his or her Creator. And when a person is born again by faith in Jesus Christ, God endows them through His Holy Spirit with special gifts and interests, so that His children might all fit together as one breathtaking sunset of magnificently varying colors.
As I wrote yesterday, conflict is sometimes needed to bring about peace, but let’s remember the goal of this conflict is peace, wholeness, and unity, not division.
God designed the members of His church to live together in harmony, in one accord, each a valuable player in His heavenly orchestra, playing a symphony like no other, as we each produce our unique notes under His guidance, working together for His glory.
Heavenly Father, You are the giver of every good gift, the writer of every perfect song. You are the conductor of this orchestra that has been designed by Your hand to fit perfectly together as a masterpiece that even Beethoven could never achieve. I pray that we would trust Your direction and follow Your lead. Things may look messy to our untrained eyes or sound out of place to our untrained ears, but in Your perfect hands, there is peace. Weave us together into a tapestry of Your glorious design for the glory of Your Name, we pray. Amen.
For more on this topic, I recommend a 2-part message titled, “UNIQUE AND UNITED,” that I shared at our church women’s retreat a few years ago.
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TODAY’S PODCAST: Division in the Church – 1 Corinthians 11
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Division in the Church – 1 Corinthians 11 – 2025 Day 246
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 34, 1 Corinthians 11
For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.
1 Corinthians 11:18-19 ESV
I hate conflict. I like everything to be calm and peaceful and happy. Anyone with me?
But sometimes conflict is necessary. Sometimes conflict is necessary to bring change and, ultimately, peace. I want to be a peacemaker – not a peace-faker. And sometimes that requires stirring the pot: asking questions and seeking answers, calling people to take responsibility for their beliefs and actions.
The entire letter of 1 Corinthians is Paul’s attempt to bring holiness and peace to a body that has gone astray and needs to be brought back to the Lord. Like a shepherd using his rod and staff to correct and redirect a straying lamb, the Lord’s messengers are often called to speak harsh words to bring healing.
“Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.”
Hosea 6:1-2 ESV
Heavenly Father, You are holy. You are good. You are mighty. Reveal Yourself to and through Your body here on earth. Purify Your Bride in the cleansing waters of adversity. Do what needs to be done to eradicate the cancer of complacency from our hearts. We trust You. In the name of Jesus Christ who surrendered His life for His bride we pray. Amen.
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TODAY’S PODCAST: Pastors and Stories are GIFTS – 1 Corinthians 9-10
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Pastors and Stories are GIFTS! – 1 Corinthians 9-10 – 2025 Day 245
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalms 33, 1 Corinthians 9-10
1 Corinthians 9 reminds me of the great gift that my pastor has been – and is – to me! He has been so faithful to preach the Word week after week, year after year, as well as sacrificially giving of his time to serve our family in big and little ways. If the Lord has blessed you with a faithful pastor, may 1 Corinthians 9 serve to remind you to give thanks to him and for him.
Then, 1 Corinthians 10 reminds me to give thanks for the gift of the stories of the Old and New Testament.
Now these things happened to them as an example,
1 Corinthians 10:11 ESV
but they were written down for our instruction,
on whom the end of the ages has come.
I remeber when I studied 1 and 2 Samuel in-depth, verse by verse, with my local Community Bible Study class. 1 and 2 Samuel aren’t letters like 1 Corinthians. Rather, they’re stories, true stories. True stories packed full of important life lessons. Hannah and Elkanah, Eli and Samuel, Saul and Jonathan. Each of these real people has a lesson to teach me if I’m willing to study with an open heart.
I’m so thankful that the Lord chose to give us so many stories in His Word, rather than just giving us lists of things to do and not to do.
What is your favorite Old Testament story? What did you learn from it?
Heavenly Father, Thank You so much for the men that You have called to shepherd Your sheep. Bless them with Your wisdom and peace. Guide them on the straight and narrow path. Encourage them when they are weary and faint. May Your Word be a bright and steady light to their path. May Your Spirit speak truth powerfully into their ears and convict them quickly when they begin to stray. Carry their wife and children in Your everlasting arms and shelter them under Your Almighty wings. Please provide for their every need in accordance with the riches of Your abundant glory in Christ Jesus.
And thank You for giving us a book full of true stories of men and women who lived long ago. These stories teach us life lessons about how we ought to live in this world that You’ve made, but they also teach us about You – who You are and how You interact with Your creation. I pray that we would be faithful to study Your Word, not just for more head knowledge, but that we would desire to be transformed by the truth found in its pages. I want to know You more, that I would love You more, that I would be conformed more into the image of Your Son. I love You, Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.
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TODAY’S PODCAST: 1 Corinthians 8 – Sinning Against Your Brother *is* Sinning Against Christ
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Sinning Against Your Brother *is* Sinning Against Christ – 1 Corinthians 8 – 2025 Day 244
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 32, 1 Corinthians 8
But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
1 Corinthians 8:9-12 ESV
Oh, Heavenly Father, help me to love my brother as myself. Help me to die for them, as Christ died for me. Help me to do what is in their best interest, even if that takes sacrifice on my part. Jesus was such an example of humble sacrifice. Conform me into the image of Christ. Help me to serve others as a service to You, my Lord and King and Heavenly Father. Make me more like You, Lord, who left the glories of heaven to live among sinful man. You are my greatest joy and treasure. In the Name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
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TODAY’S PODCAST: To Marry or Not to Marry – 1 Corinthians 7
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To Marry or Not to Marry – 1 Corinthians 7 – 2025 Day 243
Read through the Bible in 2 Years: Psalm 31; 1 Corinthians 7
I’ve been married for over 30 years now. I got married as a 21-year-old baby Christian. I was clueless but hopeful. Marriage has been hard, but marriage has also been good. I’ve learned so much from my calm, easy-going husband, and I’ve learned so much about remaining faithful by being yoked “til death parts us.”
Sin crouches at the door for the unmarried and the married alike. Like Paul wrote here in 1 Corinthians 7, the married wrestle with distractions on every side, while the unmarried wrestle with temptations on every side. I’m reminded once again that life is hard, but God is good.
I want to choose to be grateful for my husband, to focus on the good rather than the bad and the ugly. Father, please help me!
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of marriage. Thank You for my husband. Thank You for making me Your bride. Help me to have a grateful heart. Help me to be faithful, to persevere to the end with joy. Help me to fix my eyes and my heart on heaven and on what is excellent and praiseworthy. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
A song from my wedding:
A song from my oldest daughter’s wedding:
A song from my younger daughter’s wedding this summer:
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Teach What is Good 
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