First Baptist Church of Diana, Texas

Demonstrate Love’s Qualities

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Memory Verse:  But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:13

Love is difficult to define. The same English word has been used to describe about the American love affair with French Fries, the way we feel about another person, and the way we feel about the Lord. The Greek language uses multiple words for this one English word. One such word is phileo which is brotherly love. Another is eros which is sensual feelings. A third is agape love which was used to describe the love of Christ demonstrated through His sacrificial life.

Sometimes ideas are best described by saying what they are not. For instance, in our Scripture passage for today’s reading, the Bible explains love with seven positive characteristics and eight negative characteristics. The positive consist of patience, kindness, rejoicing in truth, bearing all things, believing all things, hopes all things, and enduring of all things. The negative include absence of envy, lack of boasting, no conceit, no improper actions, not selfish, no record of wrongs, and no joy in unrighteousness. 

The King James translation highlights the selflessness in love by translating the Greek word used in this text as charity. In our day charity may relate more to a deduction on our income tax than strong feelings and actions of commitment to serve one another. Again the Bible teaches its second most primary theme, love for others. Thankfully, God gives us a description of what He means by the word love. God’s thoughts in this passage are not about sensuality but about self-giving love. Sensuality is about fleshly pleasure. Love, as we are commanded to demonstrate to one another, is all about being considerate and benevolent to others.  May God teach us daily how to love one another. Our world would be different if we could practice and teach this concept to all mankind.

Please remember our teenagers at church camp in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Pray for Brother Gary as he teaches the Bible Study for them this morning. Please also pray for the sponsors to be sensitive to the hearts of the students, for LUMINATE, the worship band, and for Chase Bowers,  the camp preacher for the week.

Reflection

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or prayer time?

What did I say to God?

Understand Love’s Importance

1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Memory Verse:  But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.  1 Corinthians 13:13

Nothing, that is what is left after a bubble pops. Our Scripture reading for today says that is what you have when you do not love and the amount of profit you gain when you do not love. Most of us want something to be left after all else is gone, so according to the Scripture, we better understand something about love.

As you start reading chapter 13, it would serve you well to read the last verse of chapter 12. Here Paul says, “And I show you a still more excellent way.”  The emphasis of chapter 12 has prepared us to receive something better in the discourse to follow. The short lesson: it is better to have love than to have eloquence of speech. It is better to have love than prophecy, knowledge of mysteries and faith. It is better to have love than to have given all possessions to the needy.

But now wait a minute. If you gave your possessions to the needy wouldn’t that be  demonstration of love? Now we are coming to the heart of the matter. It is not just the action that counts but the true emotion and commitment of love. It is a sincere compassion deep inside for others based on the love Christ has for us that should serve as the motivation for helping the needy, for gaining knowledge to help others, to walk in strong faith, and to speak with great persuasion.

These three short verses call us to examine our motives. May God’s spirit bear witness with our spirit if we are faithful in our actions and serve on the basis of love. May that same spirit convict us and teach us where we are serving from selfish motives.

Reflection 

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or prayer time?

What did I say to God?

Read your Life Group lesson in your Learner guide today.

Prayer Challenge:
Reflect on the week and thank God for His protection and His provision. Thank Him for the opportunities you had to intersect the lives of others with encouragement from the Lord and ask Him to show you those opportunities you missed. Ask for His forgiveness and the privilege of another chance.

Ministry Challenge:
Pray for God to raise up strong leadership in the fellowship of FBC.

Mission Challenge:
Pray for God to send workers into the harvest. 

Reflection

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or prayer time?

What did I say to God?

1 Corinthians 11–What you Need to Know and Do

The concepts presented in the last verses of chapter 11 further magnify the overarching theme we have considered this week. That is, we are to be sensitive to others and their needs when considering how we live.

A few weeks ago, we showed a video in the morning service from the organization called World Vision. This video outlined the work of this organization to provide basic need for children in corners of our world where they experience very substandard living conditions. We were challenged to sponsor a child by making a monthly donation. This concept should cause us to examine our financial practices. We are asked to give at every turn. We believe, practice, and teach 10% of our income should be given to the local church. We believe, practice and teach giving above the tithe to mission work around the world. We believe, practice and teach giving above the tithe to special projects in the local congregation like the building fund.  Have we turned Christianity into an expensive endeavor?  Actually, Jesus said it would cost us all to follow Him. Most of us know what we define as poverty in America is actually great wealth in other cultures.

The Bible points out the hypocrisy of Christians living in comfort and luxury while others in the world are suffering because of what they do not have in terms of a basic standard of living.  He actually says we despise the church of God when we do such things. In actuality, we destroy our witness and forfeit the privilege of taking the good news to the world.

It is time for a little self inspection.  As you develop your family budget and plan your purchases, would you consider the way in which you give to others?  How we approach these subjects is a major indicator of how serious we are about surrender to the God who created us who is also the one who sustains our physical lives.

Prayer Challenge:
Pray for God to reveal to you either a challenge to give or  confirmation of the ways in which you currently give. Pray for the work of Southern Baptist in hunger relief around the world and please remember to pray for our missionaries.

Ministry Challenge:
Call someone who has been absent from your Life Group meetings for a while and invite them to attend this week.

Mission Challenge:
Today  is prayer walk Friday. As you approach your place of employment today, be sure to pray for the salvation and spiritual awakening of the employees where you work.

Reflection 

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or  prayer time?

What did I say to God?

1 Corinthians 10–What You Need to Remember and Do

From the Head to the Heart: As you read chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians, you will notice that the Bible calls attention of those who had gone before with a full knowledge of God’s character and laws. Even so, this knowledge had little affect on their actions. Although God had provided miraculously, some complained or whined. The knew better than to serve idols yet they ignored their own knowledge. We could be quick to judge but we had better be cautious. Are we not prone to worship the cultural idols of our day?  Things like the American dream, materialism, individualism, the ball god, the family god, and or the god of our own self pleasure find their ways into our lives and can come in totally unnoticed.

How do we avoid such things? I believe Paul describes a Christian wisdom that serves as our assistance. Take the spiritual things you know seek God to bring convictions to your heart to serve Him first and foremost trusting Him to make everything else fall in order according to His desire.

Again he returns to the idea that we should forgo actions that might cause someone to stumble or prevent them from trusting in Christ. The last verse of the chapter sums up the purpose when it says, …“not seeking my own profit but the profit of many, so that they may be saved.”

This week we will celebrate the freedoms we enjoy in the United States. We will also give our respects to those who 

have gone to war for the purpose of seeking the profit of many so that they might be saved. We are not under the authority of Hitler’s regime today because many went to war. The expanse of Communism was halted at our borders because the selflessness of others. If men will give themselves for our national freedoms, does it seem so impossible for us to give up a few rights and privileges to be a better witness to the world who is lost and headed for a devil’s hell?

Prayer Challenge: 
In following the truth of this Scripture, let us ask the Lord to turn our knowledge of spiritual matters to convictions that will change our volitional will to honor Christ thereby influencing many with the truth.

Ministry Challenge:
Please remember to pray for your church staff today.  Pray particularly for the Sunday morning services including the time of music, the breaking of the bread of the word, and the invitation.

Mission Challenge:
In the fall, FBC intends to initiate an outreach plan called FAITH evangelism. In order for this plan to be effective, we are in need of at least three people from each Life Group to participate in weekly outreach for several weeks. Would you seriously pray and ask for the Lord’s guidance about your participation?

Reflection

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or  prayer time?

What did I say to God?

1 Corinthians 9:19-27–For the Sake of the Gospel

One of the major goals of the Christian life is to lead others to Christ. In our Scripture reading for today, the Bible teaches us through the life of the Apostle Paul, adjustments are sometimes necessary in order for us to be effective witnesses.

Last year our church hosted two banquets in which we asked our members to purchase a ticket for themselves and a lost person to bring to the evangelistic event. Several commented that they did not know anyone who was not a Christian. Paul is showing us in this passage that it is sometimes necessary to put ourselves in a different position to lost people in order to gain an opportunity to share Christ. We must go where people do not know Christ.

A few weeks ago several of our members went to a community in Texas that has no Baptist church and that has no evangelical witness to host a Vacation Bible School. They traveled hundreds of miles, took vacations from work, and endured intense heat in Southwest Texas. Why?  They did this in order to put themselves in a position to share the Gospel with some who do not know Christ.

This teaching is not given to us as an option. It is given as a responsibility. If our routines do not expose us to those who do not know the Gospel, we must adjust our routines. This may be as simple as engaging a conversation with someone we do not know when we would normally just not engage. It may mean going on a mission trip with our church. It probably means participating in outreach and visitation in the church outreach ministry. It surely means being intentional. In the closing remarks, Paul says in essence, if we want to win others to Christ, we must play the game in a way that helps us to win. We will never win anyone to Christ if we do not intentionally seek opportunities to share Christ.

Prayer Challenge:
Pray for missionaries who have been sent out by the International Mission Board and by the North American Mission Board. If you know one personally, pray especially for them. The Fletcher family came to our church last fall and currently serve in Poland. They would especially covet your prayers. 

Ministry Challenge: 
As you attend the VBS  family night this evening, take note of some of the workers and send them a card of thanks and encouragement some time this week. 

Mission Challenge: 
Attend the Vacation Bible School family night this evening.  Parents of all children who participated in Bible School this week are invited for a time of celebration and fellowship. You will be an encouragement to them by participating. You  will likely encounter the parents of children who do not go to church and have an opportunity to establish a relationship that could lead to them coming to Christ and being a part of FBC.

Reflection

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or prayer time?

What did I say to God?

1 Corinthians 9:1-18–What you Need to Know

What is best sometimes trumps our own personal rights particularly in our Christian duty. Christian duty is determined by the Scriptural descriptions of Godly living. Foremost in this discussion is our duty to love God and serve Him and Him alone. Secondary, yet with great importance, is our duty to live in loving, compassionate relationships with other human beings. As you read these first 18 verses of 1 Corinthians 9, see if you can capture the gravity of these truths in relationship to words chosen in the passage.

The illustration Paul used in pressing this point is more than sufficient to open the windows of truth. Paul believed that everything we do is for the glory of God and to be shared in the community of faith. The one who has more is to share with the one who has less. It made perfect sense to Paul that those who serve to preach and teach the Gospel deserved a share of the material goods of other believers who had occupations that produced financial gain. His exposition has been used heavily in the church to teach us to give to her ministries and pay certain staff members. It has also been understood to teach us that we should provide well for our church staff as well as missionaries around the world.

Understanding the responsibility of the church and the rights of church staff members and missionaries to share their financial resources with one another, provides a great backdrop to teach us that sometimes we must forfeit our rights for the benefit of others. Basically, Paul refused to take 

pay for which he was entitled in order to gain an unquestioned platform to teach and preach the truth of the Gospel. Instead of taking a salary for the mission work of the Corinthian church, Paul made and repaired tents to fund his ministry. In addition, we know he received offerings from churches who chose to give. However, he had not asked the Corinthian church to contribute to his financial needs although he had every right to do so. For Paul, it was better not to take the money than to discredit himself among those who would make public accusations against him that he was only in it for personal gain. 

This passage has much for us to consider in our relationship to others. Are their rights that we demand that actually diminish our standing with others preventing us from sharing the Gospel? Are their circumstances that might arise in the future that might damage our opportunity to be a valid witness to others if we assert our rights and lose sight of our responsibilities? 

Prayer Challenge:
As you consider your prayer list today, pray for those who are in authority over you. Pray for their physical well being, pray for their walk with Christ and their relationships to their own families. If you are in a position of authority over others, be sure to pray for them and their families as well.

Ministry Challenge:
Think about someone in your Life Group that you might need to make a special effort to contact today.  A note of encouragement or a fresh baked desert might be in order. You might also want to consider some time together with them this week. Perhaps a round of golf together,  a few hours drowning minnows in the name of fishing, sharing a meal together, or just some time on the phone would open up the windows of Christian fellowship and ministry. 

Mission Challenge:
Pray diligently today  for the effectiveness of our Vacation Bible School and as you participate, seek to be sensitive to the attitudes of the workers and children looking for opportunities to minister the Gospel of Christ.

Reflection

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or  prayer time?

What did I say to God?

1 Corinthians 8–What You Don’t Know

What you don’t know can sometimes cause you and others great pain. Last Sunday evening my wife and I returned home from a small group Bible study to discover a Copperhead snake just inside the gate entrance to the back yard. We both know that Copperheads are poisonous snakes. We did not know the snake was in the center of our chosen path. Fortunately, my wife looked down as she started to open the gate and saw the snake.  What we did not know could have resulted in  a snake bite to one who knew snakes are poisonous.

Paul’s point in 1 Corinthians 8, is that if we are not careful, even Biblical knowledge and understanding can result in a prideful attitude and approach to life that causes our brothers and sisters to stumble in their faith. I am reminded of Jesus words to the inquiring folks in Matthew 22:38-39, the second greatest commandment is to love others as you love yourself. The Corinthian passage helps us to understand the obligation in Christian brotherhood of maintaining a sensitive spirit toward others concerning our actions.  In verse 13, Paul expresses the depth of commitment necessary to demonstrate a genuine love and concern for fellow believers.  He says he will never eat meat again if it is causes his brother to stumble. This amounts to forgoing his own pleasure for the benefit of someone else.

Prayer Challenge:
The challenge for us in response to this word is one that must be considered in the prayer closet. Have we, in some way, become arrogant in our knowledge so that we are not sensitive to the way our actions may be affecting others?  As we enter the prayer closet in humility today, let us ask the Lord if such an attitude has slipped into our daily walk. If such a way is identified, let us be quick to confess it and seek the gift of repentance and ask the Lord for a more sensitive spirit.

Ministry Challenge:
Think and pray for someone who is a member of your Life Group who was absent yesterday. Perhaps they were on vacation or had to miss your time of Bible study and fellowship. A touch from you either by phone call, a card, or personal visit to let them know you care about them and missed them this week will be an effort well spent.

Mission Challenge:
As you begin your week, be sure to look over your prospect list and ask the Lord to help you with the list in two ways.

1. Ask the Lord to give you opportunity to make a special effort in inviting someone on your list to Life Groups this week.

2. Ask the Lord to help you identify someone who needs to be added to your list.

Follow up this activity with a constant sensitiveness to those with whom you cross paths this week.  Pray for the evangelistic thrust of our Vacation Bible School program which is continuing this evening.

Reflection

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or  prayer time?

What did I say to God?

Read your Life Group lesson in your Learner guide today.

Prayer Challenge
Reflect on the week and thank God for His protection and His provision. Thank Him for the opportunities you had to intersect the lives of others with encouragement from the Lord and ask Him to show you those opportunities you missed. Ask for His forgiveness and the privilege of another chance. 

Ministry Challenge
Pray for God to raise up strong leadership in the fellowship of FBC.

Mission Challenge
Pray for God to send workers into the harvest.

Reflection

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or  prayer time?

What did I say to God?

Hebrews 11:25—Should I be Faithful in Attendance to Church?

This week we have considered questions believers might have concerning various aspects of life.  Today I would like for us to answer this question, “Should I be faithful in church attendance?” It seems as though many believers are answering that question in the negative these days. They may not say it with their mouths but they are saying it through their actions. Of course that brings up another question, how much do I have to attend to be faithful? I would say if we use the phrase “have to” we have already misunderstood why believers gather in the first place.

One of the primary purposes for assembling is encouragement. The picture here is one of a world that is continually trying to pull the believer away from the kind of radical faith Jesus described in the Gospel of Matthew. Wise Christians know they need to get together with other believers on a continual and consistent basis for the reason of giving and receiving encouragement. Through the encouragement of other saints, we are stimulated to good works and to love like Jesus loves.

This passage underscores a belief God is stirring in my heart. In order for any church to be effective in ministry in their own communities and around the world, they must not neglect being faithful to the ministries of their own church. There are so many choices these days. The option of attending church and being involved in church ministries often finds itself in great competition with so many other activities. Perhaps that is why the church seems so anemic and powerless to influence the surrounding world. Perhaps that is why a young generation is simply writing off the church as a non essential part of their lives. We need the encouragement of one another to hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering.

Prayer Challenge
Ask the Lord to help you grow closer in your relationship with Him today. Think back through your attendance at your church meetings over the last couple of months. Have you been obedient to Hebrews 11:25?  Pray for God to give you guidance concerning your church attendance.

Pray for your Life Group teacher and those who lead your group. Pray for them to be full of the Holy Spirit  with a Word from Heaven to share with you and your group as you make preparations to attend this Sunday.

Ministry Challenge
Send a message of encouragement to your Life Group teacher today.

Mission Challenge
It is prayer walk Friday. As you approach your place of employment today, be sure to pray for the salvation and spiritual awakening of the employees where you work.

Reflection 

What did God say to me from this Scripture reading, devotional, and or  prayer time?

What did I say to God?