BRF -- 1 Corinthians 13-16

Plenty of familiar verses this time around. ch 13... memorized... ch 15 full of AWANA verses that I go over regularly with the kids.
Plenty of relatively unfamiliar verses as well.

How can people read chapter 14 and believe that tongues are the be all and end all of gifts?
How can the pentecostal churches allow tongues with no interpretation in their services?
I was in a service palm Sunday where there were tongues with no interpretation and yes, Paul is right, they seem like they are out of their minds!!

However, tongues are not obsolete like some Baptists like to preach! It is a viable gift for a specific purpose. Even Paul spoke in tongues!

"Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues, Let all thing be done decently and in order." ch 14: 39-40

We need to find a balance. So far, I have not seen a church where this is balanced. Its everyone c'mon and speak in tongues!!! Whoo hoo!! or Tongues?? Never happens!!

My roommate in University... good Baptist gal... went to Bolivia on a mission trip. While there she was given the gift of praying in tongues. It was a beautiful experience for her to pray and have the interpretation there with the ladies she prayed with.

Then back to Canada, where she hardly dared admit she prayed in tongues. Its not done you see. I do not have this gift. I believe many have it and don't dare admit it. "Do not forbid to speak with tongues" is what scripture says.

"Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.' Awake to righteousness and do not sin." 15:39-40 This is the crux of a lot of problems. For instance, there are 3 boys in this neighborhood who aren't saved, could care less about spiritual things and have ungodly home lives. In the past few years Matt has tried to tell them about the Lord and has prayed for them. We encouraged Matt to reach out to them, BUT they still aren't saved, Matt no longer witnesses to them and Matt's attitudes and actions have been coming down to where they are. This is not good. We were deceived. Yes, these boys can come to know the Lord and we can't shun them... but now its hard to get rid of them!! I don't want Matt with them all the time. Matt is not allowed to go to their homes.. we foolishly let him try that once last year and once this year.. neither time was a blessing.

Sometimes, I think God made a mistake in giving us kids... they get hurt from our mistakes and when we try to backpedal, they just get confused. Who can blame them? Where are the christian kids?? The ones we know are worse than the non christian ones here and my kids are getting weary of being different than EVERYONE else.

15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain..."
I am where I am because of the grace of God. Loving that!! He has never expected me to be the perfect one who made it through life without ever messing up. Perfection in parenting was not expected either. Its by His grace that I can experience forgiveness, daily fresh starts... multiple new starts each day and direction for our family.

15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."
In the light of everything we've read in 1st Corinthians, this verse means much, much more than it has in the past. In the light of all we have learned, we need to stand on this scripture and not budge. We need to know the gospel of Jesus Christ WELL... If you don't remember it go back over ch 15... we need to be truly discerning.. we need to judge sin in the church and not back down from it... we need to truly love... we need to not be deceived when it comes to choosing friends... we need to KNOW we have victory over sin and death... we need to stand against sin and not be moved!!! If we "get" the church doctrine here and live it we will have plenty of work to do!! We will be abounding in work!... If we are labouring for the Lord, it may be tough, but it will NEVER be in vain. People may not like us too much.. some may slander us, tell us off, stone us or have us flogged or jailed... who cares? Look at Paul. He stood for what was right. Plenty of folks loved him and did everything they could for him. Plenty of folks didn't like what he had to say.. in and out of the church, but did he change his message? Did he compromise? Did he tactfully change the subject and try to make them feel ok about their sin? No
We do.

One more thing... about giving. Note Paul makes a request for a gift for the Christians in Jerusalem who were desperately needing funds. Did Paul ask for them to tithe a gift for the collection? Nope. Does Paul ever ask the church to tithe?? Nope. Neither did Jesus.
The more I study, the more I see we are duped on tithing.
Remember back in Haggai?? We all were really feeling like we had been stealing from God. Lets get back to reality. What was the temple of the Lord then? What is it now? A church building?? NO!! We are the temple! God does not dwell in houses that men build.. He dwells in US!!
What was a tithe in the OT?? Money?? NEVER!! It was grain, food, oil... for the priests!!! Only a Levitical priest could accept the tithe as this was his sustenance. They were not landowners. They didn't grow crops. This was the sustenance for his family. God never said to give them any money.
In fact the only time money and tithing are mentioned together is when the temple is too far away for you to take an offering, you are to convert your offering to money and then when you get to the holy city you are to have a grand ole time, spending it on whatever your heart desires, feasting with your family. Then keep some extras on hand for those who God brings to you to feed.

We are to give cheerfully to those in need. Our money should not be wasted on new pews or overhead projectors or programs.... especially those that would elevate women and children over men which would be.... almost all of them!!

We need to take care of our pastor. We work them to death!! I keep looking at Paul though. He preached and travelled and never took a penny from those he preached to. He always worked as did his companions.

Look how far we have strayed from the model of the church. I see no record of building plans for larger sanctuaries or gymnasiums... not because they didn't have them back then... the pagans had them.. not the Christians. Their money went to take care of their families, widows, orphans and those in need. Yet, we are guilted into thinking God wants a monetary tithe from us when he doesn't!! He wants us to give as He gives to us. Is it honoring to God to get into debt to pay the church what He doesn't ask for?

Its not honoring to spend, spend, spend and never give either. We need to spend more time in prayer about where God wants our money than listen to more words of men.

We need to be in the loop so we know men who are really godly and those who aren't. We also need to treat all of them the same. None higher than others. Paul wanted Timothy, Apollos and whoever else may come to Corinth treated in the same loving way as he. We shouldn't treat some visiting missionaries with red carpet treatments and then barely entertain others as though they were less important. I've seen some people come to the church and are put in hotel rooms, potlucks are put on in their favor... everyone wants to host them for dinner!! and then... some are basically left on their own. It isn't right. Some are given both services to speak at and some are given 5 min in the morning and an honorable mention at night. Not right.

So... how do you get a church where sin isn't tolerated, everyone loves each other, gives to those in need, makes wise decisions, doesn't ask for what isn't their due, has pastors and teachers who are self sufficient??? AAAGGGGHHHHH! Mind boggling! Read the book!

By the way, guilted isn't actually a word (like AAAGGGGHHHHH is!!).. I just couldn't think of how to properly phrase that sentence so I used creative liscense there. Just because I can cuz its MY BLOG!