I & II CORINTHIANS

It is Sunday morning!  Yeah, I love Sundays!  It is overcast and sprinkling rain, but I know it will be a great day for all who attend.  We are praying that God will give us a great day.  I just finished up reading, and here are a few thoughts for today:   1) SUBJECT- In I Cor. 14, Paul is speaking of spiritual gifts and the problem that tongues are playing in the church.  In verse 32, he says:  "And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets."  He means that God does not take over control of someone, but uses those yielded to Him.  We are always in "control" of ourselves.  So, that takes away the arguement that "I couldn't control myself"  or  "the LORD made me do it".  No, we are responsible for our actions.  God uses us, but only as we yield to Him, not without our consent.  Let us live a live that is yielded to Him!   2) CHARITY- I Cor. 16:14 says:  "Let all your things be done with charity."  We should have love in all the things we do, and treat everyone around us with charity.  Charity is love, yet it is also different.  It is love with understanding, love with empathy, love with compassion.  It is simply caring!  We should care for others around us at all time and treat them like we care for them.   3) PERISHING, BEING RENEWED- II Cor. 4:16 says:  "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."  As we get older, the outward man perisheth... but hopefully, as we walk with the LORD each day, and year after year... the inward man is renewed day by day!  We should be getting stronger and stronger spiritually.  Let that be our goal in life and not fret because the outward man perisheth over time.  One day... this mortal must put on immortality!!   4) THE WAY TO GIVE- II Cor. 8:5 says:  "And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the LORD, and unto us by the will of God."  This is the way to do it.  Give ourselves to the LORD, and then GIVE as the LORD directs us!!  People who don't give, have never given themselves to the LORD first.  You cannot give yourself to God and then withhold when God's work needs our gifts.  One follows another.  So let us give the right way, and spirit led way.... to the LORD... then to His Work!   Well, my time is run out.  Hope you have a great Sunday!    Pastor Mike Mutchler