DAY 82: The Gospel: Not Just for this Life!

Read: I Corinthians 15:1-28

Think: After reading through the New Testament for over 80 days, you have most likely become very familiar with the term, the “good news” or the “gospel.” In this chapter, Paul continues to teach the church to put their faith into action, once again addressing how the “good news” has both earthly and eternal significance.  He reminds us that it is “good news” to receive freedom from sins condemning accusations against us and forgiveness from them. But that is not all! Through Christ’s death and resurrection, the “gospel” also allows us to know what lies before us in eternity—we can be certain that we have eternal life because of this great good news!

Act: I was a brand new Christian when I met Roger Tirabassi. He had recruited me to become a part of a city-wide youth ministry in which he was the executive director. Though Roger was still in his 20’s at the time, he regularly talked about eternity. He would repeat scriptures to us that talked about heaven as our “home,” as the place where our treasures were stored and where our work for the Lord would be rewarded. I often thought that Roger was too young to talk about, think about, or look forward to eternity. But Roger, like Paul, wanted to remind those of us who were younger in our faith that Christ did not die simply so we might have happy, problem-free earthly lives. Christ died so that we might be forgiven of the sin that separated us from a holy God. He died so that we might not only experience an abundant life on earth but be assured that we will spend eternity in heaven with Christ and our heavenly Father. How often do you think about eternity?  Ask God to show you something more about His resurrection that will give you a great capacity for putting your faith in action on earth!

Pray: Dear Jesus, help me to grow in faith. Teach me how to live for eternity. Give me the ability to articulate the fullness of the Gospel to those who are seeking You. Thank You, Jesus, for dying on the cross for my sins so that I might be clean and forgiven. Thank You for paying the cost for my sins that I might receive free gift of eternal life. Let me never forget the hope of the Gospel! I love You. Amen.

Be full of faith today!

DAY 81: Order in the Church!

Read: I Corinthians 14:18-40

Think: In this chapter, Paul tackles the most controversial issues happening in the church of Corinth that were creating an extraordinary amount of chaos, such as the expression of tongues and the role of women during a church service. The expression of the spiritual gifts within a church service and society’s view of women in the ancient world made for a difficult start of the Christian church. Paul, therefore, goes into great detail, suggesting ways to bring order to the Corinthian church in specific, and to the early church in general. He adds comments such as, “…don’t be childish. . . be mature. . .be sure that everything is done properly and in order. Paul concludes, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace…”

Act: Over the past 2000 years, history has recorded that the church has continued to struggle with these and other issues (i.e. the balance and use of the spiritual gifts within a church, the role of women in the church, even slavery). Paul’s call was for maturity within the church, the focus to be on love, and the main message that Jesus Christ came to earth and died a sacrificial death on behalf of sinners, and that He was raised from the dead. This is the reason we gather to worship our risen King! Today, pray for the Christian church-at-large across the world and in America. Ask God to mature us and unite us under one great message—the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Pray: Dear Lord, thank you for the Word of God, the church of Christ on earth, the Holy Spirit, and the way you knit our lives together to serve You. Allow us to be united under one banner of love. Give us great courage to be a church in our community that reaches the lost and helps the hurting. We love You, Jesus. 

Be full of faith today!

DAY 80: Strengthen, Encourage, and Comfort

Read: I Corinthians 14:1-17

Think: The last few chapters in Paul’s letter to the church flips back and forth between spiritual gifts and love. The Corinthian church had struggled to balance spiritual gifts, special abilities, and the purpose for which God had given them. So, once again Paul reiterates the theme saying in First Corinthians 14:1, “Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.” Rather than only list the gifts, he begins to describe how they function. In verse 3, Paul describes what it means to prophesy: “But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages others, and comforts them.” I love these three words, don’t you? 

Act: To strengthen means to make stronger, to build up. To encourage means to “fire up,” or to rally, inspire and motivate. To comfort means to alleviate someone’s feelings of grief or distress. The gift of prophecy is a communication gift that will build up, fire up, and hold up others. Roger and I have been a part of a local church since we first became Christians. Not a week has gone, in any church we’ve attended, where someone in the church wasn’t discouraged or grieving or overwhelmed or struggling. To prophesy is to communicate God’s truths in clear and understandable words to those who are desperate for solutions, answers, encouragement and relief. Whether we do or don’t have the spiritual gift of prophesy, today and everyday, we would do well to make it our goal to let our words always strengthen, encourage, and comfort our brothers and sisters in Christ! 

Pray: Dear Lord, show me who is broken and needs to be strengthened. Show me who is discouraged and needs a word of encouragement. Show me who is grieving or distressed and needs a word of comfort. Help me to bring words of strength, encouragement, and comfort to them. Use me in this way, Lord! I love You. Amen. 

Be full of faith today!

DAY 79: Love: A Way of Life

Read: I Corinthians 12:27-13:13

Think: I Corinthians 12 and 13 are hallmark chapters in Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth. At this juncture, Paul reminds the church members not to become proud of their spiritual gifts or leadership appointments (apostle, prophet, teacher, etc.). He writes, “But now let me show you a way of life that is best for all. 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. 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. 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.” What is the way of life that Paul presents as more powerful than spiritual gifts and leadership appointments? Love. What is the way of life Paul describes as more life-changing than knowledge or mountain-moving faith? Love—a radical way of life!

Act: For the past 79 days, we have read through the books of Acts, Romans and I Corinthians. Today’s passage, in many ways, is an over-arching banner to everything we’ve read so far. Jesus, in the book of Acts, sent us His Holy Spirit so that we might become His powerful witnesses on earth. He commissions us to take the wonderful Gospel message to all ends of the earth, so that everyone might hear about His sacrificial love and be saved. Then He equips the church to be His body on earth by assigning each member a spiritual gift to use in order to help others. Paul explains, that if all the power and all the gifts God gives the church are not motivated by love, the result will be meaningless and worthless. Love must be the banner over Christ’s body, the church. Love must be more than words; it must be a way of life! Paul describes “love in action” as patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty, selfish or rude. Today, choose a “love in action” word from I Corinthian 13:4-7 and put it on a post-it note or index card. Ask yourself at the end of the day, “Did I demonstrate my love in this way more than once today?”

Pray: Dear Lord, I want to become a more loving leader, family member, co-worker, church member, and friend. Help me to read and even memorize Paul’s list of action words that describe love. Help me, this week, to put my love into action. And Jesus, thank you so much for first loving me. Amen. 

Be full of faith today!

DAY 78: Gifts Given to Help Each Other

Read: I Corinthians 12:1-26

Think: Paul is a thoughtful teacher. Before he rattles off a short, descriptive list of many of the spiritual gifts that God gives to each believer, he realizes that gifts can create jealousy and competition, so he offers a few disclaimers. First he says, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.” Second he reminds the church of the primary reason they have been given a spiritual gift saying, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” Finally, after listing the gifts, he reminds them, “It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.”

Act: When I met Roger Tirabassi, he was the Campus Life (YFC) director at the local high school. He recruited and trained volunteer leaders to work with high school students in our community. At the first staff retreat I attended, we all took a “Spiritual Gifts” test so that each of us would know the distinction between the spiritual gifts, identify the one(s) God had given to us, and understand how to best use them to serve God and work efficiently as a team. It was so exciting to find out what spiritual gifts God had given each of us! As you read today in I Corinthians 12, highlight each of gifts listed in this passage. If you have never taken a Spiritual Gifts test, click here to an online Adult Spiritual Gifts test, or click here for a shorter, Student Spiritual Gifts test. When finished, you will receive a print-out of your spiritual gift(s). Feel feel to let me and Roger know what gift(s) God has given you by emailing me at becky@viewpointchurch.org — please know that we’ll be delighted for you to use your spiritual gift(s) at Viewpoint church!

Pray: Dear Lord, thank you for my spiritual gift of ______________________. Help me to grow in my understanding of this gift. Show me how I can best serve you in my church using this gift. I’m excited to grow and serve you more and more, Lord! Amen. 

Be full of faith today!

DAY 77: Remember and Examine

Read: I Corinthians 11:17-34

Think: How would you feel if you received a letter that started with, “But in the following instructions, I cannot praise you. For it sounds as if more harm than good is done when you meet together. First, I hear that there are divisions among you when you meet as a church, and to some extent I believe it.” Would you feel convicted, discouraged, or motivated to improve the situation upon reading it? (We actually don’t know how the Corinthians felt because Paul’s letter to them is a one-way communication!) But we do know why Paul is upset with them. They have become selfish in the way they practice communion. So Paul determines to get them back on track, saying, “Examine yourselves…” 

Act: In the 21st century, we don’t come hungry to the communion table. In fact, most churches humbly share a simple communion pattern: believers corporately receive the elements that represent Christ’s body being broken for them (bread) and His blood being shed for their sins (juice). Though today’s experience is much different than the early church, in this passage, Paul gives universal instruction regarding the importance and practice of communion. First of all, he says, remember why you are receiving communion—you are announcing to the world that Jesus shed His blood and gave His body on the cross for you. Second, examine yourself before you receive communion. How? Consider your sins before partaking of communion. Ask Jesus to forgive you for them and thank Him for being the sacrificial lamb who was crucified on your behalf. The next time you take communion, come humbly and gratefully to the communion table.

Pray: Dear Lord, thank you for the gift of communion. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to announce my love and gratefulness to the world for the sacrifice You made for me by dying on the cross. Oh how I love you, Jesus. Amen. 

Be full of faith today!

DAY 76: Intensely Relevant to Corinth

Read: I Corinthians 11:1-16

Think: Today’s reading is quite specific to the church in Corinth—discussing veils, head coverings for women, and length of hair. The middle-east culture, at the time, included the Jewish tradition that women were considered a “thing” and the property of their husbands. It is no wonder that Christianity, since its inception, was countercultural for more than one reason! In a popular commentary on this chapter of Corinthians, the author said, “It would be quite wrong to make this passage of universal application; it was intensely relevant to the church of Corinth…”

Act: During a sweeping explosion of evangelism throughout China during the 19th century, Hudson Taylor, founder of China Inland Missions (CIM), was said to have lost the support of many in England because his organization trained, enlisted, and sent women to China as missionaries. He believed both men and women were called to reach the world for Christ! He resisted the tradition that kept women from missions, saying, “China is not to be won for Christ by quiet, ease-loving men and women," he wrote. "The stamp of men and women we need is such as will put Jesus, China, [and] souls first and foremost in everything and at every time—even life itself must be secondary.” Hudson Taylor became very instrumental in changing the perception of women in ministry within the church-at-large. His organization proved that women were extraordinary ministers of the Gospel, especially to unreached cultures. If you’ve never studied the inspirational lives of missionaries such as Hudson Taylor, please take some time this week to do so. Even more practical, take time today to pray for missionaries whom you support or know. They are an incredibly important part of God’s army of evangelists throughout the world. 

Pray: Dear Lord, it amazes me to think that men and women answer the call to travel across the globe to share the Gospel with people who have never heard it. You give them gifts to build, grow, translate, and offer medical help to entire communities that have not heard nor understand the message of the Good News. Give me a greater passion to pray for the men and who serve You in this capacity. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Be full of faith today!