Tag: 1 Corinthians

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Freebie Friday

A lot of sites I follow have “Freebie Fridays” where they give away free apps, or other simple design products like icons or images. It’s fun to see the stuff they are offering at the reduced rate of FREE!

Today it’s Freebie Friday at the Buffet – and no it’s not in honor of the 13th. It’s a gentle reminder of the fabulous freedom that abounds for followers of the Christ, and a reminder of how to put that freedom to good use!

 23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive. 24No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.  1 Corinthians 10:23-24 New International Version (NIV)

 

Enjoy the freedom, I hope others notice how you use it!

 

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Being Uncomfortable

Yesterday I was able to run for the first time in several months. I think I have run maybe 4 or 5 miles total since July. So as a part of this therapy to break down things I was told to run a few miles every other day . Last night I went out for a one miler. Everything felt odd – even my shoes. Every step was uncomfortable – not really because of pain, it just did not feel right. It was just plain awkward.

So here we are on the 11th day of the new year. Many of you are trying new things, many of you are working to change and transform yourself.  And you are probably sitting in a time where you feel really awkward and uncomfortable with what you are doing.    That is how it is when we get out of our comfort zone.  It’s just plain awkward.

But here is what I know – the more I get out there on the roads, the comfort will return, and the growth and strength will return as well.

I think it’s no wonder that Paul equates the Christian life with one of a runner.  Because each day, we must continue to push, continue to change, continue to train, continue to stretch our comfort zones, and we will see change.

Change – not to achieve something, but change that happens ‘in view of His Mercies” that brings glory to the father.

Keep it up.

 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.  1 Corinthians 9:24-27  New International Version (NIV)

 

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Braces

I have thought about braces a lot recently.  For starters, I recently finished paying for the first set that I will pay for, and secondly that set completed it’s work yesterday. Yeah! But actually the work is not complete, now’s there’s that part called the retainer – that’s helps keep it all in place.

Think about braces for a moment.  All that metal strapped to a set of crooked and misplaced teeth.  Then over time, an adjustment here and a little pressure here, and some rubber bands to pull on the other side.  Each month small adjustments.  Behind all those metal smiles there is a transformation taking place, until finally one day the braces come off and viola!  There are teeth that are straight and correct aligned and ready to once again eat hard candy and popcorn!

Don’t you wish there were braces for your spiritual life.  Just strap on some metal, allow some one else to make adjustments and then boom, one day – everything is in it’s correct place and we are ‘perfect’.   Unfortunately, it’s not that way.  However, we can learn from all the minor adjustments and the way that all the small changes going on behind the braces create huge changes when it’s all said and done.

That reminds me of the verse behind this whole Daily Buffet thing.  A verse that I come back to often

 24 Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.

25 And every man that striveth in the games exerciseth self-control in all things. Now they do it to receive a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

26 I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air:

27but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.  1 Corinthians 9:24-27 American Standard Version (ASV)

That version may be funny to read, but I love that word buffet.  Each day we continue to train, we continue work our selves, making small corrections, and minor adjustments – all along knowing that we have a prize out in front!

Keep going!

And don’t forget to brush!

 

 

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Seeking Good

It’s a really popular thing these days to do good.  I think 5 times this week I have been presented with efforts to deliver water to third world countries.  Really, my own post, a email newsletter, a ‘white’ mail newsletter from HHI, a TV advertisement about conferencing software and one other place – probably a web advertisement. ( maybe someone somewhere is telling me something???)

Anyway, it seems like the cool thing is to do good, and to help right social injustice.  I think it’s cool, especially becaue we have the freedom to do whatever in the world we want.

23 “I have the right to do anything,” I Cor 10:23

But, I don’t want to jump on the do good bandwagon only because it’s cool and trendy.  I want to do it because I care about other people. ( but of course, lots of times I don’t!!)  And that’s how Paul finishes up the chapter I mentioned above,

For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

He tells use don’t just do good for ourselves, but that we should use our freedoms to seek good because we care about people, and we are doing good for them!  As a matter of fact he says it twice!

24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Do good for Others today!  I don’t think that it will be a disappointment!

 

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Grab It

Last week, I visited the physical therapist to have some work done on my “crunchy” patella tendon.  While I was there the PT asked me if I had ever had a cortison shot in my knee. Upon my postive reply she ask when?  After thinking for a moment, I remember my last shot before the Boston in 1996, so I replied 96.  She laughed and walked off. Ouch!

Last night, my sister sent me some pictures of one of my childhood homes that she visited during her high school reunion, I barely recongized the place as it has changed so much.  Ouch! Oh and then I realized that my parents were around my age when we moved out of that house.  Double Ouch!!!

Today, I dropped my two children off for the start of high school and junior high respectivitely. Triple Ouch!

I have been reminded with quite a lot of force over the last few days about the passing of time and the true breivity of life.   However, I am also reminded about the richness of blessings that I have enjoyed in this life here, even while I focus on the coming promise!

Even so, there’s no getting around the actuteness of our lives.  But this is not a time to be sorrowful, nor regretful.  This is a time to throw up your RAWK Fist and grab life, before it’s gone!

 

 31So eat your meals heartily, not worrying about what others say about you—you’re eating to God’s glory, after all, not to please them. As a matter of fact, do everything that way, heartily and freely to God’s glory. 1 Corinthians 10:31 The Message (MSG)