#1Corinthians14 - Order in the Pews!

Click here to read 1 Corinthians 14:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

After explaining about some different spiritual gifts, how we are all one in the body of Christ, and reminding us to do everything in love, Paul speaks specifically about using some of these gifts in worship. What stood out to me is that even though we might think of someone speaking supernaturally in tongues as being a more amazing gift than prophesying, Paul says that prophesying does more to bless those in earshot. He says that speaking in tongues is a miracle and a supernatural gift, so unbelievers may find it amazing and trust in God. But a prophetic word will reach the hearts of all who are listening, as the word from God comes in their own language. That seems backwards, but most of the things of God are like that. :) I also really love Paul's closing plea and lesson. He reminds people that our God brings order out of chaos. He wouldn't give people gifts that throw people into confusion and disorder. God desires order and patience. There's no need for everyone to shout all at once. It's as if Paul were saying, "Order in the Pews!"

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

In Acts chapter 2 the Holy Spirit comes on the disciples, and the sign is that they are all speaking in various tongues. Many who were visiting Jerusalem from other nations were amazed that someone was speaking in their own language. For the Jews who witnessed this, it was a sign that God was at work. However, when Peter stood up and spoke plainly and prophetically, the word of God reached deep into the hearts of many who heard, and 3,000 people became believers that day. Now that's church growth.

3. What does this mean for my life?

As a worship leader, I am so used to having everything planned out and orderly, but verse 30 convicted me a little that I should be open to the Holy Spirit moving during the worship service through anyone else. I know that the point was to bring order to worship, but it sounds like their services were pretty chaotic with everyone chiming in and speaking in tongues at once. I think maybe if Paul were visiting churches today, he would see that in many there is no room for the Holy Spirit to work. The service flows like clockwork, and everyone gets a little edgy if things start to drag a bit or if something has to go to Plan B. So, I really do want to be more open to the Holy Spirit in worship. EXPECT GOD TO SHOW UP!

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I'm going to ask a question that I know separates some denominations from each other, but because this chapter is all about supernatural gifts, I'm going to ask it anyway. "Are all believers suppose to speak in tongues? Or is it just those that the spirit has gifted in that way? Do other supernatural gifts count? How about the other gifts mentioned in chapter 12 that don't "seem" supernatural? I know those are more like spaghetti than real questions, but that's kind of how I was thinking about it. :)

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

image from http://keepthinkingbig.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Shouting1.jpg

#Luke21 - THE END OF THE WORLD!

Click here to read Luke 21:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Well, aside from the lesson on giving, this chapter is really about the end times. It's a tricky passage, because many people want to try and interpret the passage to discern what exact world events they are pointing to. Plus there are words used here by Jesus that could be figurative (like "soon" and "generation") or they could be literal. The other challenge is that with prophesy in the Bible, sometimes there was a literal "real-time" fulfillment of the prophecy as well as a future, more complete fulfillment of the prophecy. The temple in Jerusalem was actually destroyed in 70 A.D., while at least some of the disciples were indeed still living. But I don't believe that the end of the world has come and gone because...well...we're still here. Every generation since Jesus has reasoned that some event in their era was the fulfillment of these words (and others), and every generation has come and gone. So while I don't think that it is helpful to try and predict the end of the world, I simply trust Jesus when he basically says, "If you have to ask whether or not it's me, it's not me. When I come, everyone will know."

2. How does this relate to any other Scripture I know?

There are other passages about the "end times." Revelation is a book of prophecy filled with descriptions of what the end times are like. Specifically though, this chapter talked about Jerusalem being surrounded on all sides by armies (v.20), plus earthquakes, famines, pestilences, and fearful events and great signs from heaven (v.11). Many of these same descriptions are used in Revelation 16 when God begins to judge the world and the nations gather to a battleground called Armageddon. Revelation is a crazy, weird, confusing book. But there are some great truths from it as well. God wins in the end, and it is those who repent and cry out to the Lord who are rescued. those who are not willing to repent will perish.

3. What does this mean for my life?

Verse 19 really caught my attention as I read through it. "Stand firm, and you will win life." That is what I want. That is what everyone really wants, right? Stand firm in our faith. Do not give in to the patterns and behaviors of this world, and we will be able to stand before Jesus on judgment day - not righteous because of our works, but righteous because of His works and our unwavering faith in him.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

What questions don't I have about this passage? I have so many questions, none of which I believe will be fully answered until the other side of death. Actually, many of my question are the same as the disciples'. When will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?

Those are my thoughts for this chapter. I'd love to hear yours. God's blessings to you and KEEP DIGGING IN!

In Christ,
Dan

image from http://static.fjcdn.com/pictures/End+of+the+world+forget+zombie+appocalypse+this+is+how_81ff12_4760395.jpg

#Matthew2 - Prophesies Fulfilled in Christ

Matthew 2:

1. What stood out to me from this chapter?

Matthew seems to be sharing his perspective with a strong desire to connect the Old and New Testament, especially the prophecies concerning the Messiah. It was the prophets who foretold the birthplace, prophets who described the time spent in Egypt, prophets who talked about the slaughter of children, and prophets who shared that the Messiah would be called a Nazarene. As I read this chapter this time through, it really caught my attention that Jesus is the fulfillment of all the prophecies about the Messiah. Though there are a few prophecies that remain to be fulfilled, we understand from other Scripture that these will happen in his second coming.

2. How does this passage relate to any other Scripture I know?

There are a couple instances in this chapter alone about God using dreams to speak to people. In chapter 1 and in Luke 1-2, God speaks to Mary, Joseph, and the Magi through dreams, besides using other visions and angel visits to speak to others. It made me think of a few other times in the Bible God used dreams and visions to speak to people. Since I just read Acts in October, I remember that Peter had a vision that helped him to be ready to minister to Gentiles, and Paul had a vision to visit a man from Macedonia. Besides that, Joseph interpreted dreams to Pharaoh in Genesis, and Daniel both interpreted dreams and had dreams/visions about the future.

3. So what does this mean for my life?

Don't trust wicked kings? Just kidding. I think I am most compelled personally by the wise men. When they met Jesus, they worshiped him and offered him great gifts. The fact that they were outsiders to the Jewish faith and heritage, and were among the first to worship Jesus helped me think about the church today. Sometimes it is those of us within the church that forget or are too prideful to humble ourselves and bow down in simple worship and adoration of Jesus. He's not a baby or a child now. He is the risen King of Kings. Jesus deserves my all.

4. What questions do I have about this passage?

I think my biggest question is, "WHY DIDN'T EVERYONE ELSE GO TO WORSHIP JESUS?" When the wise men came and said the King of the Jews had been born, and everyone knew the Messiah would come from Bethlehem, why didn't everyone follow the wise men to see the Messiah? I think I would have dropped everything. After all they had been waiting some 1500 years or more for the Messiah to come. I know it wasn't the kind of king they were expecting, but still...

Those are my thoughts. God bless.

In Christ,
Dan

Wise Men Image: Three Wise Men on Camels. N.D. Photobucket.com. Web. 3 Jan. 2015.