Good Morning my name is Aaron Clark and I was asked to give you a devotional thought from I Corinthians 11-13.
KEY VERSES:
I Corinthians 11:3
I Corinthians 11:31I Corinthians 13:13
REFLECTIONS:
In Chapter 11 we obviously see Paul taking care of church business in dealing with the order of leadership and how they should pray and teach (God- Christ-Man-Woman). Then later in the chapter he gets into the abuse of the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. This subject is always very sobering to me. At our church, whenever we take of the Lord’s Supper I am always reminded about the severity of flippancy. Verse 30 tells us that there are sick among us and even dead who have left because they took of this ordinance unworthily. However, in verse 31 the promise is given that if we judge ourselves we will not be judged. What a privilege to take our sin before God and have Him bury it in the deepest sea. Yes, we still have to accept the consequence, which is part of judging ourselves, but we do not have to face that judgment ever again. (Praise the Lord!)
Now we move to Chapter 12, which deals with the Spiritual Gifts. Pastor Smith has just taught a very informative series on Wednesday nights on the spiritual gifts. Here is the main outline to help understand the gifts and their origin.
I. All gifts are given by ONE SOURCE: God, through the Holy Spirit.
* Therefore you have to be saved to have a spiritual Gift activated.II. Every man is born with a Spiritual gift. The Spirit at salvation activates them.
III. Every Christian should be using his spiritual gifts in the local church.
IV. All gifts are important and necessary.
Then in chapter 13 the Bible tells us that without Charity or Love being the source in whatever we do, it is for nothing. In verse 13 God tells us that love is more important than faith. Wow, that really speaks to how God wants us to be motivated.
APPLICATION:
By far the most challenging aspect for me to take out of these passages is Charity -- not just to love when it is easy, but to let love be the motivation for all my actions and thoughts. I remember helping someone move several years ago. When I got there to help them, some of the family members that were also living there were leaving to go golfing just as we arrived. I could not believe it. I was in dismay that I gave up my whole day to help them move so that they could go golfing. I used my truck all day, used a whole tank of gas and thought nothing about love and charity. All that I could think is how I wanted to be out golfing and that they should be here helping. I know that I was not motivated by charity but instead by duty, and God says that it is all for nothing without love. Let us be moved by love for others when we look around, whether it is at church or in the world. If we see someone living in sin, let love push us to pray for him or her so that they can enjoy fellowship with God that will bring joy to their life. We will want to have people around us like that when we fall.
Thank you for being a part of the 40-Day Challenge. I hope this has helped in your walk.
In Christ, Aaron Clark
SAVED: October 1986
FAVORITE BOOK IN BIBLE: Proverbs
FAVORITE BIBLE CHARACTER: Peter
FAMILY: wife: Julie Clark
HOBBIES: Carpentry, Riding Snowmobiles, Guns, Being with the People of VBC!
AREA OF MINISTRY AT VBC: Music Leader; Youth Leader; Greeter Team Leader; Mission Committee Member; Food Tasting Team Leader