Category Archives: 1 Corinthians

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Why You Need To Know Who You Are In Christ

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Seventeen

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Why You Need To Know Who You Are In Christ

As Paul closes out his segment on the division, the boasting, and the immaturity that was in this church, he ends chapter one with the marvelous reality that God placed us ‘In Christ.’ ‘Because of Him you are in Him, is what Paul states. But, what does that mean to be ‘in Christ?’ Tony Evans shared an object lesson that highlights one aspect of what it means to be ‘in Christ.’ Here’s his illustration. Tony said, “I’VE GOT three envelopes: a big one, a smaller one, and a smaller one yet. I’ve also got a slip of paper. [So, three envelopes — one piece of paper] The Bible says that we are in Christ and that Christ is in us. The smallest envelope has “Tony Evans” written on it. The slip of paper has “Jesus” written on it. The Bible says that when Tony Evans accepted Jesus Christ, He came inside of Tony Evans. Christ, [so we take] the slip of paper, [and we put it] inside the envelope that represents Tony Evans. But, not only is Christ in Tony Evans, but [it’s also true that] Tony Evans is in Christ. The slip of paper Christ is in Tony Evans, but when Tony Evans accepted Christ, Tony Evans came inside of Christ. [that’s the second envelope] I put the Tony Evans envelope into the Christ envelope. Now, the Bible says that Christ is in God. [God the Father is the third envelope] So we’re going to slip the Christ envelope into the God envelope. [So, what you see on the outside is a single envelope marked God on the outside. [So, where is Tony Evans now? You can’t see him.] So in order to now get to Tony Evans, you’ve got to go through God, and then you have to go through Christ, and after you’ve gone through God, and gotten through Christ, then [and only then] you get to Tony Evans. However, when you’ve gone through God, and gotten to Christ, and think you’ve have gotten ahold of Tony Evans, when you open up Tony Evans, he’s full of Jesus Christ. So I am in Christ, Christ is in me, Christ is in God, God is in Christ, so I am well covered by Jesus Christ and His heavenly Father.1 This is a marvelous illustration which shows that as long as you remain in Him, you are safe and secure. That’s why in this week’s podcast, our focus is ‘Why You Need To Know Who You Are In Christ’ — all on this week’s Light on Life.

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Why Boasting Is Never Beautiful for Those Born Again

Jesus is in you and He is the Word and the Word is Wisdom. You access His wisdom via the Holy Spirit. If you want to know something — just ask. Click To Tweet
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Why Boasting Is Never Beautiful for Those Born Again

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Sixteen

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Why Boasting Is Never Beautiful for Those Born Again

No human being should consider boasting of his or her accomplishments. Prideful boasting is never best. Meekness of humility is what’s appreciated by God and man. The Word of God says “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth” — you find that reference in Matthew five and verse five. Illustrating this truth a drunkard of a husband spent the evening with his happy friends at a bar. He boasted that if he took all of his friends to his house at midnight and asked his Christian wife to get up and cook supper for them, that she would do it without complaint. The crowd that heard this drunk man boasting dared him to do it and bet money that he was full of bologna. So the drunken crowd went home with him and he made the unreasonable demands of his wife. She obeyed, dressed, came down, and prepared a very nice supper just as quickly as possible and served it as cheerfully as if she had been expecting them. After supper one of the men, a little more sober than the others, asked her how she could be so kind when they had been so unreasonable, and, also when they knew she did not approve of their conduct. Her reply was, “Sir, when my husband and I were married, we were both sinners. It has pleased God to call me out of that dangerous condition. My husband remains in it. I tremble for his future state. Were he to die as he is, he will be miserable forever; I think it my duty to render his present existence as comfortable as possible.” This wise and faithful reply affected the whole company. The husband thanked her for the warning, and gave his heart to Jesus and became a way better husband than he had ever been.1 God turned the foolish boasting of this man – a lesson he hopefully clung to for the balance of his days. Why Boasting is Never Beautiful for Those Born Again — that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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#S4-020: Humility: How to Put On God’s Glory Suit [Podcast]

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Why Your Powerful Victory Over Satan’s Wisdom Is Certain

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Fifteen

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Why Your Powerful Victory Over Satan's Wisdom Is Certain

Did you know that your victory over Satan’s wisdom is a sure thing? Now, don’t be afraid to ask questions, that is a motto to live by. It is important to ask questions when we don’t understand something. We need to set aside our ego and acknowledge that we don’t know everything, as this is how we mature. However, we must not mistake this attitude for the rebellious “question authority” movement of the past. That is simply a disguise to do whatever one wants to do with no restraint. It is crucial to remember that God ordains the powers that be [Romans 13.1]. We should question things and not blindly accept everything we hear as truth. For example, if a minister claims a Bible verse says something, we should give him credit for his honesty and faithfulness of heart in declaring the Word, but feel empowered to verify. Checking things out for ourselves is how we make truth our own. When you put the work in, these verified facts become ‘thus says the Lord’ instead of ‘thus says the preacher.’ Failing to slow down, and think, leaves us open to great folly because, if the well-intentioned information is erroneous, it will not produce results.

There is a story that Napoleon often told to illustrate this point. Once, while visiting a province, he encountered an old soldier who had lost one arm in battle. The soldier was proudly wearing the coveted Legion of Honor on his uniform. Napoleon asked him where he had lost his arm, and the soldier replied that it was at the Battle of Austerlitz. When Napoleon praised him for receiving the Legion of Honor, the soldier humbly considered it a small token for his sacrifice. Surprised by the soldier’s response, Napoleon commented that he must be the kind of man who regretted not losing both arms for his country. In a bold move, the soldier immediately cut off his remaining arm, hoping to receive a double Legion of Honor. This story circulated for years, highlighting the importance of questioning and critically thinking before blindly accepting what others tell us.1

In today’s podcast, we delve into the certainty of our powerful victory over the world’s wisdom, which is ultimately doomed to fail. Join us as we explore this topic in this week’s episode of Light on Life: “Why Your Powerful Victory Over Satan’s Wisdom Is Certain.” All on this weeks Light on Life.

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Are You Flowing in God Given Authority?

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How to SpotLight God’s Wisdom In Your Every Day Life

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Fourteen

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How to SpotLight God’s Wisdom In Your Every Day Life

We are putting a spotlight on God’s wisdom this week because of Pauls’ First letter to the Corinthians. One gentleman shared his trek in trying to acquire the wisdom of God. He said, ‘Shortly after my conversion in 1973, six of my young Christian friends and I met one evening to talk about our faith. We had been reading our Bibles and had decided to pray for the spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12.’ He went on to say, ‘I was young and zealous, so I asked for wisdom. I knew that God was wise [that’s what Romans 16:27 says]. And I knew that I needed what He had. I sensed the presence of God as we prayed, and I vividly recall my deep conviction that He would answer my prayer. In the days and months that followed, the Holy Spirit began to provoke me with the following passage: “My purpose is that…they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” [Colossians 2:2–3]. These verses contain a vital truth, but I did not understand it. In some mysterious way, Christ’s life and death reveal God’s hidden wisdom. Try as I might, I could not see it. I saw obedience, suffering, love, and courage. But His wisdom just wasn’t as obvious to me. I began praying: “Father, I want to understand why Your wisdom is a treasure. Let me see the value of Your wisdom. Let me see where You have hidden it in the life and death of Your Son.” Twelve years passed. [You know sometimes we are asking questions way beyond where we are. That means we must grow into the answer.] For some reason, I purchased the 17th–century classic The Existence and Attributes of God by the Puritan scholar Stephen Charnock. He devoted 107 pages to a detailed biblical study of God’s wisdom. One sentence in particular was life changing for me.’ “Wisdom consists in acting for a right end.… He is the wisest man that has the noblest end and the fittest means, so God is infinitely wise; as He is the most excellent being, so He has the most excellent end.” ‘As I read, God enlightened my understanding. For the first time, I saw that genuine wisdom consisted of the pursuit of God’s ultimate end, His glory, with God’s means, a life of sacrificial service. By contrast, “earthly wisdom” pursues its own glory (or another lesser end) using a selfish means, such as control, manipulation, or domination.1.’ That’s a marvelous testimony of how one man acquired some life changing wisdom. How to Spotlight God’s Wisdom in Your Every Day Life, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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How To Find Your Ultimate Calling for Your Life

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Why Total Confidence in the Cross Means Ultimate Wisdom

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Thirteen

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Why Total Confidence in the Cross Means Ultimate Wisdom

In Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he emphasizes the immense power of Jesus’ Cross. This can be found in verse seventeen of chapter one. Moving on to verse eighteen, Paul mentions the significance of the ‘word of the Cross’ and its superiority over the word of the world. It’s clear that this message will resonate with many. Interestingly, an illustrator has praised Pittsburgh’s airport, stating that it is among the largest and most well-equipped in the entire nation.Two seconds in flying time from the airport and in direct line with one of its busiest runways is the steeple of Union Church. “Ever since the terminal opened,” said the pastor, William R. Ruschaput, “planes have buzzed the belfry [a belfry is the part of the steeple that houses the bell] — planes have buzzed the belfry like bees after honey. It got so bad that low-flying jets turned our Sunday evening services into sudden prayer meetings.” Reluctant to have their steeple carried away by some careless and unwary pilot, the church topped it with an eight-foot neon-lighted cross. The church is on the highest point near the airport and planes can see at night the lighted cross all the way from the Ohio border. One pilot made this interesting comment regarding the lighted cross: “Most of us are using it as a guide to the field.”1 The focus of this week’s podcast is the Cross as a guide and why having total confidence in it leads to ultimate wisdom — That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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What Does A Real Disciple of Jesus Look Like?

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Why a Spirit of Division is Not Your Way

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Twelve

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Why a Spirit of Division is Not Your Way

In First Corinthians, Paul addresses the division prominent in the house churches of the city. Simply stated, division is a wall between two sides. In the 1960s, the Communists of East Germany erected the Berlin Wall to prevent East Germans from uniting with West Germans. Many individuals lost their lives while attempting to climb the wall that separated the East from the West, proving that this barrier was not innocent. This wall of division separated friends from friends and family from family. The result brought death and despair. The wall would stay up forever, it seemed. But God had another plan. A global wave of nationalism and the desire for freedom swept up the people in Communist countries, turning the Communist world upside down. The Berlin Wall had no power against the forces of unity and freedom—and it fell, becoming prize souvenirs for collectors. Types of Berlin Walls are built every day in churches and between believers. There is no wall worth the cost of division. The only way to keep the unity of the Spirit in the church and between believers is to remain in the Spirit.1 That’s what Paul endeavored to get over to the Corinthian Church. It’s a lesson we should strive to learn and operate in as well in the days of our generation. Why a Spirit of Division is Not Your Way, that’s our focus of this week’s Light on Life.

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Why Unity Is Essential in All Things God

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Why Moving In Strife Means You Need To Grow

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Eleven

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Why Moving In Strife Means You Need To Grow

Strife, avoiding it, and knowing why you should is what we are talking up today. The Church at Corinth had major problems with strife. So, in his letter to this church, Paul makes addressing this problem one of his major focal points. He didn’t want this church to have a history in this area. You may not realize it, but Aaron Burr, the third Vice President of the United States, had a history with strife. His grandfather, Jonathan Edwards, raised him in a godly home and admonished him to accept Christ. [You know who Jonathan Edwards is don’t you? He preached one of the world’s most famous sermons, ‘Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God.’ So, Aaron Burr’s renowned grandfather tried to lead him to Jesus.] Instead, he declared he wanted nothing to do with God and said he wished the Lord would leave him alone. He achieved a measure of political success despite repeated disappointments. But he was also involved in continuous strife, and when he was 48 years old, he killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel. He lived for 32 more years, but through all this time, he was unhappy and unproductive. It was during this sad chapter in his life that he declared to a group of friends; “Sixty years ago I told God that if He would let me alone, I would let Him alone, and God has not bothered about me since.” Aaron Burr got what he wanted. [A life filled with strife that took him straight to hell.] 1 Why Moving In Strife Means You Need To Grow. That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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How To Find Your Ultimate Calling for Your Life

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Ten

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How To Find Your Ultimate Calling for Your Life

Everyone wants to know what their calling is in life. Why am I here? What’s the purpose for my life? Why am I wired the way I am. What’s God’s plan for my life? Some time ago in Schenectady, N. Y., before an audience which included many young engineers from General Electric, Donald Grey Barnhouse spoke of feeding upon Christ, pointing out that the physical action of today was the result of last week’s food, and that the spiritual action in any life is the result of previous feeding upon Christ. I said, “For example, a young man trained as an engineer, with bright prospect before him, hears the call of God to go out to Africa as a missionary, leaves his position, and faces the Dark Continent. He has been feeding on Christ.” I had not more than pronounced the benediction that a young man came up to me and asked, “Why did you say what you did about an engineer going to Africa?” I answered that, as I was preaching, the Holy Spirit had led me. And the young man replied, “I am an engineer and God is calling me to Africa, and I must leave my career and go there as a missionary.” It was a “word fitly spoken” which reached his particular case.1 You see most everyone wants to know. Some might hide from it because they’re concerned that God might send them to Africa. Well, you don’t have to worry about that. God is totally intelligent and the most able communicator who ever existed. If He wants you to go to Africa, He will surely get that information to you. We’re talking about God’s call on your life and how to find it. That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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How to Locate the Essential Will of God for Your Everyday Life

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How to Live a Sustained and Guilt-Free Life

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Nine

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How to Live a Sustained and Guilt-Free Life

In this week’s podcast, the subject of guilt steps forward as we march through the first chapter of First Corinthians. Paul writes to this church informing them of a particular thing God will do for all Jesus’ followers. He will sustain them to the end, holding them guiltless on the day of Lord Jesus Christ. Now, as we get into today’s lesson, we will read these set of words again, but we will do it in context. So, here’s the question we’re going to look at today. If God holds us guiltless, why are so many feeling guilt? That this struggle with guilt exists is clear in the following illustration. Gayle Roper wrote an article in Discipleship Journal entitled “I Can’t Forgive Myself What You Need to Know If You Still Feel Guilty.” It’s a good article and you will find it in Discipleship Journal. In the article, Gayle gives the following stories: • Story number one: The note slid under my door and skittered across the floor of my room at the retreat center where I was the weekend speaker. “I had an abortion seven years ago,” it read. “I can’t forgive myself. Can you give me some hope?” • Story number two: A large gentleman wore a Jesus T-shirt and cap and carried a huge Bible, the very image of the eager Christian. “I look good on the outside,” he said. “But inside, there’s all this ugliness. I can’t forgive myself.” • Story number three: A young couple, picture-perfect Christian newlyweds, stared at the floor. “We may have been virgins technically when we married,” he said. “But only by the strictest definition.” “We feel so guilty about the fooling around as we did,” she added. “We can’t forgive ourselves.“1 People in the church house are struggling with guilt. The good news is the struggle is over. How to Live a Sustained and Guilt-Free Life, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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What It Means to Be Really Mature in God

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Eight

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What It Means to Be Really Mature in God

Today’s dive into the Book of First Corinthians brings us to the subject of maturity. What does it really mean to be mature in God? Sinclair Ferguson asked the same question. He states that our constant quest as Christians is to become mature. Whenever I think of the subject of maturity, Sinclair said, I recall a painful experience during my first couple of years as a young pastor. A visitor was addressing our young people. He was in his early twenties himself and had made his first discovery of Jesus while caught in one of the sub-cultures of the West Coast. After becoming a Jesus follower, he told us, he realized he lacked spiritual maturity. So, [these are his words now, this new born Jesus follower] — He decided to go to Bible school for a year, and [again these are his words] ‘when I got maturity’ I decided to go on overseas evangelism.

So, I am going to cut in here and comment on this before we get back to the rest of Sinclair’s story. This young Jesus follower thought he was mature after going to school for a year. Think about that as we go back to the rest of the story.

Sinclair said that the rest of this young man’s address displayed how little maturity of understanding he actually possessed. The thrust of his thinking [this young believer who went to Bible school for a year] was that if you were not absolutely certain that you were in the right place, you ought to be serving God overseas (as he was!).

Of course, spiritual maturity is not so easily obtained. It does not come with diplomas. Nor does it show itself by insistence that one’s own pattern of life must rule every believer’s life. [‘you know you’re only mature if you do things like I do them’ kind of mindset.]

What was even more painful about this whole story was to see the effect of this young man’s address on our young people. They were blown away with this guy – they thought he was the most mature super spiritual thing ever. It took a long time for some of them to recover. What’s the point here? None of these people really understood what spiritual maturity was all about.1 You know it’s no different today. There’s all kinds of thinking out there. People just don’t know. That’s why in today’s podcast, we’re talking about What It Means to Be Really Mature in God all on this week’s Light on Life.

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#007: Are You Tuned into God’s Heart? [Podcast]

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What You Need to Know about Knowing God

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Seven

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What You Need to Know about Knowing God

In today’s podcast, our subject matter in the book of First Corinthians takes us to the subject of knowing God. A.W. Tozer spoke out on this topic with the following thought. “The decline of the knowledge of the holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curing them. It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate.”1 Is this a thought provoking quote to you? What about this citation from J. I. Packer? “How can we turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God? The rule for doing this is demanding, but simple. It is that we turn each truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.”2 Tozer says there’s been a decline in the knowledge of God. Packer says that what’s needed to turn this trend around is turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God. We are headed out in this direction today. What You Need to Know about Knowing God. That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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#007: Are You Tuned into God’s Heart? [Podcast]

God is. Yesterday He is. Today He is. Tomorrow He is. God never changes. Click To Tweet
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How to Impact an Immoral City: Lessons from Corinth

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Six

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How to Impact an Immoral City: Lessons from Corinth

So, we have finished the books of First and Second Thessalonians and now we are switching to Paul’s two letters to the Corinthians. In upcoming podcasts, we are going to be talking about this first letter. We will do some Bible background on the book and focus on just how the gospel came to Corinth. Corinth was a major city in the eastern Peloponnese of Greece. It lay near the narrow isthmus that joined the Peloponnese to the mainland. The city lay at the foot of a mountain, Akrocorinth (elevation 1883 feet), which also served as a location for some of the cults of the city.1 The gospel of Jesus Christ changed this city. How did it do it? To answer that, we will take on the subject of ‘How to Impact an Immoral City: Lessons from Corinth’ all on this week’s Light on Life.

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What Divine Healing Is and What It Isn’t [Encore Podcast]

God expects those who have heard the Good News to act on the Good News. He expects that where the light of the gospel has brightly shined, that people do not put up black out curtains. Click To Tweet