Following Their Faith

 Do the leaders in your church put themselves up on a pedestal?  Indeed, do you help put them up there?  The apostle Paul could not stand this sort of stance.  He wrote to the Corinthians, 

"...and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.  So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God" (1 Corinthians 3:23; 4:1).

We are all "of Christ".  Leaders are servants of Christ.  These servants are entrusted with God's secret things.

Our being "in Christ," sounds like equal footing to me.  "The ground is level at the cross," I remember hearing someone say.  Therefore, none of us belong on a pedestal in the temple of God.

Paul referred to himself as a "servant of Christ".  Servants do hold a position regarded as 'lowly' and Paul purposely chooses to place himself in that humble role.

Even though 'lowly,' the servant of Christ has a very important task.  That is, he (or she) is "entrusted with the secret things of God".

Preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ is actually each believer's commission.  So is teaching those who come by faith to Jesus Christ for salvation.  These are the secret things of God and we are actually not to keep them secret.

But I digress.  If and when we put any one believer up on a pedestal we begin to create, among other things, divisions among the people of God.  This seems to be what happened in Corinth.

Granted, those who teach and preach, such as the elders, who live among us and govern faithfully as godly servants, and who are in authority within the local church are to be considered, 

 "worthy of double honor" (see 1 Timothy 5:17-18).

Additionally, those who have spoken the word of God to us, we are to follow their faith (see Hebrews 13:7).  The emphasis is on the faith.

The double honor part appears to be in connection with remuneration; that is, financial support.  Following another's faith on the second account is not putting another on a pedestal nor creating divisions.  It is following the faith.  We have to recall that leaders do fail and fall.  Follow their faith, not their personage.

Therefore, both leaders as well as congregants need to be freely aware of both sides of this coin.  Leaders, don't accept adoration and congregants don't give it.  In so doing, make your purpose be to preach and teach the gospel and way of Christian living, building faith in and relationship with Jesus Christ.  Remember, we are each a servant of God; that we are "of Christ, and Christ is of God."  Give glory to God.

Father in Heaven, we love You.  You are the only one we should revere because You are the one and only to be placed on a pedestal in our hearts and minds.  We give You our praise and thanksgiving.

We are thankful for those of Your servants who preach and teach us from Your Word and help build us up in our most holy faith in You through Jesus.

We are sorry and repent of the times we allowed others to be on a pedestal among us but thankful for those who have strong faith in You so we can learn from them and follow their faith.  Help us to be faithful in carrying the trust You have entrusted us all with.  

This I ask in Jesus' name.

                                             ~ERC  November 2023~

Based on 1 Corinthians 3:23 and 4:1 NIV.

Sing, The Servant Song, by Richard Gillard.

Book Review - The Greatest Thing (Book 1) - By Patti Flinn - Publication Date 30 November 2023

 Words almost cannot express how GOOD this book is!  The reader will see everything through the eyes of Louis-Benoit Zamor.  This makes the narrative so poignant, so real, since most of the action is happening to and from him.  This, at least, is what I felt.

The story is set in France pre-revolution years and the scenario that led up to it with the Jacobins and National Assembly.  Zamor, a real-to-life person, pushes anti-slavery and equal rights.  Even though there are other true-to-life characters, I believe this is a work of well-garnered historical fiction.

Readers who care about the slave trade, human trafficking and all contingent with the abolition of such wickedness will, in my opinion, want to read this book.

There is one caution to potential readers.  There is much debauchery, orgies and the like described, so I just want to mention this on the aside, incase anyone may be adverse to reading about it.

This is Book 1 and when I came to the end I wanted to immediately delve into Book 2.  I eagerly await it.

I've given this author a 5 Star rating.

                                        ~ Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger~

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

God's Sacred Temple

 

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple" (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NIV).

These are very serious words.  The temple of God is sacred because the Spirit of God dwells in the midst.  Each individual believer is the temple, as well as collectively.  Thus it is as a felony to destroy God's temple.  There are repercussions.

What struck me about these verses the most was that 'together' all believers are the temple of God.  Up to now, I vaguely knew this but my mind was mostly fixated on the individual follower of Jesus Christ being a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Yes, true, but the Holy Spirit is the one who binds us all together, as one song-cum-prayer asks the Lord, 

"Bind us together, Lord..."

Actually, Holy Spirit has bound us together in unity of Spirit.  It's the individuals who keep trying to break those bonds.  For example, the Corinthian believers way back when, were doing a good job of that.

When you read these two focus verses in context of 1 Corinthians chapter 1 through 3, you'll see.  There were divisions among them because some believers followed, Apollos, some Cephas and some Paul.  Paul asked them,

"Is Christ divided" (1 Corinthians 1:13)?

Have you gone through a church split?  It is heartrending.  Everyone wants to know, "Whose side are you on?"

To answser Paul's rhetorical question, "Christ is not divided?"

It is those who want to break the unity the Spirit affords us who demand the "which side?" question.  And the dividers destroy God's temple.  They have forgotten God's temple is sacred.

These persons God will destroy.

They will need to answer to God big time.  Therefore, let us make every effort...get that..."every effort"...to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (see Ephesians 4:3).  Being able to remember that God's Spirit dwells in our midst both through us as individual believers AND together, collectively.  This is sacred to God.

Will we honor God and His temple or are we intent on destroying it?

Let us have the mind of Christ.  Let us be on HIS side and so maintain God's sacred temple.  His Holy Spirit is in our midst.

He is HERE!

Father God, hallowed be Your name.  Sacred is Your temple because Your Holy Spirit dwells in our midst binding Your children together.

It is a travesty when we break and destroy Your temple because of our own self interests, especially in the name of some supposed doctrinal or immoral misdemeanor.  It would have been so much better for us to seek Your face, mind and will, and to truly LISTEN to a person's explanation of an individual situation or circumstance.   Sorry Father for all the messes we make.  May we each have repentant hearts that want only Your best interests.

Help us!  May we maintian the sacredness of Your temple.  I ask in Jesus name.  Amen.

                                              ~ERC  November 2023~

Based on 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NIV.

Sing, Bind us Together Lord, along with Chet Valley Church.

Book Review - Our Kept Hearts - By Tennille Marie - Publication Date: 30 November 2023

 What a story!  I think high schoolers may well like this one.  I found it remarkable in that some who suffered severe childhood abuse and another whose trauma came from a mother, were able to overcome despite the odds, scars, and mental anguish.  I feel that this story sends a very positive message of hope and courage and of one that could help heal, although its not meant to be a counseling or therapy guide, I don't think.  A very sweet romance infuses this work of fiction and has good, clean fun coupled with a faith-in-God based element.  Also of note, this is a first in a series called the Waldron Hearts Series.

                                                ~ Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger ~

                                                               September 2023

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

Book Review - Leizar: A Struggle Across Generations - By David Gelertner - Publication Date: 23 November 2023

Walking a mile in someone else's shoes can give perspective of their life.  Author David Gelertner certainly helps the compassionate reader gain that perspective of the Jewish plight through the eyes and life of Leizar and the Domansky family who suffered so much at the hands of the Cossacks and others through the ages.

Although this is historical fiction it all seems very plausible and reads like a biography.  Because of this I found some of the story hard to read but realized it must have been so much more heartbreaking and devastating for those in real life who had to live through and suffer it all.  I think it crucial for serious empathetic people to read this work.  I admit there were points in which some detail was too draggy for me so I did skip over some portions but otherwise pressed on to the end of the story.

                                              ~Eunice C.,  Reviewer/Blogger~

                                                           October 2023

Disclaimer:  This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

Read review on Goodreads.

Lord's Day Devotion - Jesus, Master

 Besides brides, slaves are bought at a price.  They then are not free to do their own thing but only the new master's will.  Have a look at this...

"Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him...Keeping God's commands is what counts...For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord's freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ's slave.  You were bought at a price, do not become slaves of men" (1 Corinthians 7:17, 19, 22-23).

Praise the Lord, in Christ we are free to do Jesus, our Master's will, as He has so assigned for us each to do.  We also don't have to jump on another train, so to speak, when we accept Christ.  We can stay in which ever situation we had been in at the time of conversion.  This is because we have been bought at a price, 'where is' and 'as is'.

Being Christ's slave is freeing.  We do not have to suddenly change our life's circumstances although some may wish to, especially if they are in something like a mafia gang.  We do change our spiritual alliances.  We now keep God's commands - doing His will.

Our behaviour changes but not our circumstances, per se.  For instance, as in the previous verses (12-14 of this chapter 67) Paul instructs a believing spouse to stay with the unbelieving one.  One never knows if the unbelieving spouse will come to Christ too.  If the unbeliever decides to leave, then the believer would be free from their wedding vows to that particular spouse (see 1 Corinthians 7:15-16).

Paul did say that if a new believer had been a slave, then he or she shouldn't let it bother them; however, if they could gain their freedom, then go for it.  Most of us will recall Paul's plea to Philemon regarding Onesimus (see Philemon 1:10-21).  He was basically asking Philemon to free his slave Onesimus in order for Onesimeus to help further the gospel.

Nevertheless, all believers should keep in mind that we each have been bought with a price, not to become slaves of  men, but of Christ's.  Such 'slaves' should "retain their place in life" and "keep God's commands" as these are what count to our Lord and Master Jesus Christ.

It is through that price of Jesus' death and resurrection that we now belong to Him.  Let us live according to how He has assigned us and obey His commands.  Don't get ourselves enslaved to others.  Christ is our loving, caring and good Master.  Look to Him for your every move.

On any given Lord's Day, as we reach for and partake of the broken bread, and drink from the cup of wine, let us each remember afresh that costly price paid for which we were bought.  Remember afresh to Whom we belong.  Remember afresh, to keep His commands because we are Christ's slaves.

Lord Jesus Christ, Master, thank You for the price You paid for each and every one of us who believe through faith and have accepted Your free gift of salvation.

Thank You for this weekly reminder of the breaking of bread and drinking of the cup of wine which reminds us to Whom we belong - You, our Master.

In Your name Lord Jesus, we remember You and give You our thanks.

                                               ~ERC November 2023~

Based on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24, especially 17, 19, 22-23 NIV.

Sing, Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It, along with Squirrel 24.

Church Building

 The most important part of building a building is the foundation.  The materials used to build up also need to be durable and precisely placed.  These verses tell us about it...

"By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it.  But each one should be careful how he builds.  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If any man builds on this foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.  If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light.  It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.  If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.  If it is burned up he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through flames" (1 Corinthians 3:10-15 NIV).

Jesus Christ has laid the foundation for His church, His bride.  It's good and solid.  It is only on Him, our foundation, we can build but we need to be careful builders and use quality materials and do quality work.  The work will be tested on the Day.  Even if our work we thought was good goes up in flames, we, God's children, will still be preserved, which is a mercy.

These few verses Paul wrote remind me of the Three Little Pigs story.  Each pig wanted to build a house, so they did.  One built a house of straw, another of sticks, and the third of bricks.  When the Big Bad Wolf huffed and puffed at the houses of straw and sticks; they fell flat and then the pigs had to run for their lives.  They ended up at the hardworking, brick-building brother pig's home and found safety therein.  The Big Bad Wolf huffed and puffed until he was exhausted but the brick house stood firm.

Similarly, when building the church we must use durable quality materials; spiritually wholesome and correct.  Thankfully, we can build on Christ the solid rock (as one hymn puts it) and His Word.  Christ is the foundation and upon whom Paul built for the Corinthians.

Nowadays, we must follow suit.  How do we live our lives - are they pleasing to the Lord?  What are our attitudes and motivations for engaging in church building work?  For attention?  Or for God's glory?

Brothers and sisters, we may not know our own hearts, nor the intentions of each others', but it will be revealed in time to come.  So saying, let us be encouraged to search our hearts and to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us what's there now, so we can be blameless and pure and so build skillfully with gold, silver and precious stones.

As we build 'local' churches, the whole church will be built up and made ready for Christ at His coming call.  Build wisely, with quality materials and work.  In this 'house' there is safety, by God's mercy and grace.

Almighty Father, we look up to you for your mercy and grace.  We do so want to build Your church and to build well for the sake of Your Son Jesus Christ.  He laid the solid foundation.  In fact, He is the solid foundation!  With one mind and purpose may we, your children, learn to build Your church with all due diligence.

In Jesus' name upon whom we stand secure and build, we praise You.

                                                 ~ERC November 2023

Based on 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 NIV.

Sing, On Christ the Solid Rock.