1 Corinthians 4:14

1 Corinthians 4:14 says, I write not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you.  Paul was dealing with some false teachings, one of which was the claim that some Christians were better than others because of who witnessed to them and led them to Christ.  After reminding them of the many ways other Christians and he had suffered for the gospel, Paul said he didn't do this to shame them but to warn them of suffering that could come to them as well.  As the Christians at Corinth argued about how important one might be compared to another, Paul reminded the to look at his life.  If they were going to claim superiority based on being converted under Paul's preaching, they needed to be ready to follow his example.  Verse fifteen adds, For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel.  I believe that Paul was telling them that who was instructing them in Christ was not the important thing.  The important thing was that they were born again through faith in the gospel of Christ.  We may have been led to a saving knowledge of Christ by one of the greatest preachers of our time, or we may have been led to this knowledge by one of the poorest of God's followers, and it does not matter.  No one is more saved than anyone else based on who led them to Christ.  Verse sixteen continues, Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.  Paul asked them to follow him as he followed Christ.  Since he was dealing with divisions in the church based on who had led them to Christ, I do not believe that Paul was now asking them to physically follow him, but to follow him in his spiritual example.  We are to follow Christ alone, but we can learn from the example of other Christians.  Verse seventeen states, For this cause have I sent unto you Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach every where in every church.  Paul was sending Timotheus, or Timothy to help these Christians at Corinth understand more fully what it meant to be a Christian.  New Christians today need someone to help them grow in Christ.  We are commissioned to go and make disciples, not to just go and baptize.  Verse eighteen adds, Now some are puffed up, as though I would not come to you.  I believe that Paul was saying that some of the Christians at Corinth were filled with self-pride, thinking that Paul would not return to correct them.  It is easier to give in to self-pride if we feel that there is no one to correct us.  If we decide that we are the ultimate authority where we are, then who is going to be able to correct us.  What they were forgetting though was that even when Paul was not there, the Holy Spirit was.  Verse nineteen continues, But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power.  Paul told them that his plan was to come to them soon, if it was the will of the Lord.  When we make our plans, we must ensure that the align with the will of God.  Paul also said he wasn't coming with puffed up speech, but with the power of God.  When we are following God's direction for our lives, we can be certain that His power is behind whatever He leads us to do.  Verse twenty declares, For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power.  Again, when we go in God's will, we don't need puffed up words, because we have the power of God, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, empowering us.  Verse twenty-one Paul adds, What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love, and in the spirit of meekness?  I believe Paul was telling them that it was their choice how he came to them.  He could come with the rod of correction, but would rather they begin to live as Christians should, and then he could come to them with love and meekness.  As followers of Christ today, if we begin to follow our own will instead of the will of God, He will most certainly come to us with a rod of correction.  If we repent and return to following God's will, He will come to us in love.

1 Corinthians 4:7

1 Corinthians 4:7 says, For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?  Paul was reminding them that the only reason they had different gifts was because God had given those gifts to them.  There was no reason for pride in whatever gift or gifts they had.  There is still no reason for such thoughts today.  We all have different gifts because all are needed to work together for spreading the gospel and edifying the believers in Christ.  We should never put a preacher or minister on a pedestal. They are only fulfilling their calling.  Verse eight adds, Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.  Paul reminded the Corinthian Christians that they were rich in the blessings of God, even if Paul wasn't there. If a pastor or minister today has to be away from church one Sunday, God has richly blessed that church with enough spiritually gifted people to continue worshipping.  We must remember that God through the Holy Spirit is with each of His followers.  Even if a very popular pastor leaves for another church, God is still in the midst of His people, and we should never feel despair.  Verse nine continues, For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.  I believe that in this verse Paul was referring to the terrible way many early Christians were put to death.  They were put in the arena, or colosseum with lions or other wild beasts.  Even if they managed to defeat one, that did not earn their freedom.  Paul said the apostles, instead of being set forth to be honored, were set forth for death.  We are never called to be glorified, but to die to self and to live for Christ.  If we are made fun of today for our belief in Christ, it is nothing compared to what some of the early Christians endured, even the apostles.  Verse ten declares, We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.  I believe Paul was declaring followers of Christ to be fools in the view of the world, but also declaring that in the eyes of God they were wise.  In God's view, those who were His followers were wise, strong and honorable when they remained true to Him.  God's judgment is the only one that matters.  Verse eleven adds, Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace;  When someone says that being a Christian is the easy way out of the suffering of this world, we need to point them to what Paul said here.  Paul was not serving Christ for riches but was serving Him even when all the security of the world had been removed.  Paul knew that he was forever secure in his relationship to Christ.  We have that same assurance today.  Verse twelve continues, And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:  Paul said even in their great need, working with their own hands while being reviled, that the followers of Christ continued to bless those who reviled them. We today need to pray for the lost in the world and work through the leadership of God to reach everyone, even those who revile, or hate us.  Paul said when they were persecuted that they bore it.  We can never allow persecution to defeat us.  We are called to take up our cross daily, which I believe means to die to self- will.  No matter how much we suffer for Christ's sake, we can never suffer as He did.  Christ lifted the burden of sin from the whole world, even if many choose to continue to live under the burden of sin. Verse thirteen concludes, Being defamed, we intreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day.  Even when the world was defaming them, those who were followers of Christ were pleading for them to come to a saving knowledge of Christ.

1 Corinthians 4:1

1 Corinthians 4:1 says, Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Paul told the early Christians and tells us today that we are to count all who proclaim the gospel as ministers of Christ.  We are indeed stewards of the mystery of salvation, and it will always be a mystery to those who do not accept salvation by faith.  We can never prove that Christ died for the sins of all mankind, because the only way to know this is true is by faith in God.  We may be able to prove that a person named Jesus lived and was crucified, but when we acknowledge Him as the Son of God, the promised Messiah, this can only come through faith.  This remains a mystery to those of the world who do not come to Christ in faith.  Verse two adds, Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.  Paul firmly stated that stewards must be faithful to those that they serve.  We, as stewards of God, must always remain faithful to His word.  An unfaithful steward may decide that the things of his master are there for his use and benefit, but if he is caught using them for himself, he will be held accountable.  We, as followers of Christ, have been promised that if we are obedient to God, all our needs will be met.  Yet, we are too often unfaithful and thereby rob God.  Though Paul addressed this to ministers, I believe it applies to all believers as well.  Verse three continues, But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. Paul said the judgments of men were of very little concern to him.  He was not going to change his life based on the judgment of man, nor even on how he might judge his own life.  He had been judged by God on the road to Damascus, and after that, God's direction and judgment were all that mattered.  As followers of Christ today, what the world says about us should not matter.  Our faithfulness to God is all that is important.  Verse four states, For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord.  Just like Paul said, we can know nothing of ourselves, but only what God reveals to us.  We may judge ourselves to be justified in all that we think and do, but if it is not in accordance with God's will, ultimately, He will judge us.  Verse five adds, Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.  We are not called to be judges, but to be witnesses.  All things will be judged by God in the fullness of time.  What we may see as good may not stand in the light of God's judgment.  Verse six continues, And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. Paul said these teachings applied to Apollos and himself as well.  Paul warned them not to think of men as more than what they were.  We are all servants of God if we are followers of Christ, and there is no room to become puffed up.  We are to follow God and not any man, no matter how successful he may be in spreading the gospel.  God always gives the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:16

1 Corinthians 3:16 says, Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?  Paul declares that the bodies of the followers of Christ are temples of God.  This is true because the Holy Spirit dwells in us.  So the question then becomes how well do we care for God's temple, or our bodies.  This is more than just a question of how we physically care for our bodies, but how we spiritually care for them as well.  Glorifying God should be our first priority in everything we do.  We should not defile His temple, which is our body, as Paul states here.  Verse seventeen adds, If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Again, I do not believe that as followers of Christ we will ever lose our salvation, but we may have our witness for Christ destroyed if we defile God's temple, our bodies.  We often wonder what motivates people who destroy church buildings, but we need to be even more concerned at Christians who do things that defile their bodies.  This is not only the things that we do, but also the things that we think. There is no room for envy, strife, self-pride or hatred in the body of Christ.  Verse eighteen continues, Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.  As Paul said, there is no way to follow God through the wisdom of the world. We can only follow God through faith in what the world sees as the foolishness of the cross. Verse nineteen states, For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.  Real wisdom comes only from God.  Man may be smart enough to split an atom and destroy everything around it, but man cannot keep an atom together and cause it to function for good in the world.  Man has yet to create anything from nothing, so God sees the foolishness of our wisdom.  Verse twenty adds, And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Paul states that God knows the thoughts of the wise, and that their thoughts are vain, or amount to nothing.  If God declares the thoughts of the wise to amount to nothing, then think of how little the thoughts of the foolish amount to. We need to remember that God judges not only our actions, but also our thoughts behind those actions.  For that reason, we must keep God's will at the center of our thoughts.  Verse twenty-one continues, Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours;  I believe Paul is warning us to never place any person in a position that allows us to view them as infallible.  We are not to glorify anyone.  There is a description today of a person being a teen idol, but we are to let no one become an idol to us.  Verse twenty-two says, Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;  Paul was again telling those early Christians that it did not matter who brought the gospel to them, only that they had believed. When they did believe, they all were God's.  This is the message for us today as well.  Verse twenty-three adds, And ye are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s.  We are God's through the sacrifice of Christ and by no other method. This is God's only plan for salvation.

1 Corinthians 3:9

1 Corinthians 3:9 says, For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.  Paul continues to stress that we are all laborers together.  As the body of Christ here on earth, we are called to work together to present the gospel that God might be glorified and people might be saved, and God should always receive the glory.  We are but laborers for Christ, and He is and always will be the One to be glorified by our labor.  Verse ten adds, According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.  God is the architect of salvation and the works that we do as followers of Christ.  God gives us a purpose in His kingdom, and it is based on His design for the salvation of all who will believe in Christ.  We must never question our part in God's plan, but simply follow His leadership.  Verse eleven continues, For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  Paul stated very clearly that salvation comes through Christ alone.  The lost of the world may say that this makes us narrow minded, and in this point we must be.  There is no other way to salvation and restoration with God except through salvation given by Christ.  This can never be added to or taken away from.  Verse twelve states, Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  We are to build upon the foundation of Christ.  Some may build works that bring glory to God and stand through the fire.  Others may attempt to build on false teachings, the hay and stubble, but these works will not endure.  We need to make sure that what we build on the foundation of Christ glorifies God and is not done for our own glory.  The things that we build for Christ will not only stand the test of five, but they will be purified by it.  Verse thirteen adds, Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.  Paul states what I had just said about our works very plainly here.  God will make manifest every person's work.  Things that we claim to do for God may not stand the test of fire.  Verse fourteen continues, If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.  Paul was not saying that we serve God for rewards, but that if we are truly working for God's glory that we will one day receive a reward, though that does not necessarily mean in this life.  We are to simply serve God because we want to do His will, and not because we think He will make us rich.  Verse fifteen concludes, If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.  Paul declares that just as we are not saved by works, neither is our relationship with God sustained by works.  Even if the things we claim to do for God as followers of Christ do not stand the fire of God's judgment, we are still His people.  Still, we should always try to do the work that God calls us to do, and if we do so, then our works will survive as well.  We simply need to give God our best.

1 Corinthians 3:1

1 Corinthians 3:1 says, And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.  Paul had led these believers to salvation through Christ, but he had to speak to them as baby Christians.  They were still allowing carnal, or worldly, thoughts and ideas to influence them.  After we accept Christ as our Savior, then we must start to grow under the Lordship of the Holy Spirit.  If we have truly accepted salvation through faith in Christ, we are a new creature.  We are then expected to grow in our knowledge of spiritual things, and not still be guided by the carnal thoughts of the world.  Verse two adds, I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.  Paul said he had fed them with milk, making the analogy of the way newborn babies are fed.  We do not expect newborn babies to eat solid food, but they must be fed milk as they grow and develop.  Paul said that he had fed them, or taught them, the simple truth of salvation, and then they were expected to begin growing so they could start to understand greater truths about God.  Paul said they were still unable to understand the meatier things of God.  Verse three continues, For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  Those who follow God through faith in Christ are no longer carnal, but have entered into a everlasting spiritual relationship with God.  Paul declared that many of these born-again believers were still allowing worldly ideas influence their actions.  Verse four states, For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?  Paul said that proof of the fact that they were still not growing in Christ was the fact that they were still divided over the question of who had led them to Christ.  We today, as we grow in our relationship with God, must never let the things of this world divide us.  We are all saved by the same grace of God and need to continue to grow in our faith and understanding of how God would have us live in the world.  We are to be united in Christ, and not divided by any worldly ideas.  Verse five adds, Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?  Paul reminded the believers at Corinth that he and Apollos were simply ministers who preached the gospel to them.  Who had presented the gospel was not important, but their belief in the gospel was what brought them salvation.  This will always be the case.  If we received salvation while listening to some famous preacher or while sitting home alone, it doesn't matter.  All are equally saved if they accept Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Verse six continues, I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.  Christians work together to reach the lost.  Paul said he planted the seed of the gospel, Apollos watered or nurtured it, but only God could save, or give the increase.  If we witness to someone for years, and they suddenly accept Christ when someone else is witnessing to them, we should only feel joy, and never feel cheated or resentful. We all work together for God's glory and not our own.  Verse seven says, So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.  Paul again reminds those who were arguing because of who led them to Christ that it did not matter.  Paul and Apollos were nothing but messengers, and God was to receive the glory, because He alone could bring salvation to anyone.  Verse eight adds, Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.  Paul reminded the Christians at Corinth that they were to be united as one in Christ.  There was no room for pride or envy in the body of believers.  All had a purpose to fill in order that the gospel could be effectively presented.  That still holds true today. As individuals and as a group of believers, we must do all for the glory of God.

1 Corinthians 2:9

1 Corinthians 2:9 says, But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.   Paul made quite a statement here.  Paul said that there was no way for people to really understand all the things that God has already prepared for those that love Him.  We are not promised great riches here on earth, but we can rest assured in God's promise of an everlasting and abundant life through our faith in salvation through Christ.  Verse ten adds, But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.  Paul tells us that the only way to begin to understand God is through the Spirit of God.  We do not need to understand everything that heaven will be to understand the gift of salvation.  We are not told that the Spirit will reveal everything there is to know about God, because our finite minds could not comprehend it.  We, through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, should gain a greater knowledge of God every day.  We are told to grow in knowledge of God.  At the time of our salvation, we are as a newborn child, and we need to grow into mature Christians.  We cannot believe that since we are saved, born again into God's family, that we need not continue to learn more about God.  Verse eleven continues, For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Paul stated that the only way we can know the things of man is because we are born as humans.  The other animals cannot understand the things of man.  Likewise, we cannot begin to understand the things of God until we have received the Holy Spirit after our acceptance of Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse twelve states, Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  As Paul stated then, we no longer live by the spirit of the world, but by the Spirit of God.  We have been changed into a new creature.  We can now freely understand the gifts that God has given us.  Until we accept Christ as our Savior and Lord, we may think the good things in life are something we earned, or that fate or luck gave them to us.  As followers of Christ, we know that all good things come from God.  Verse thirteen adds, Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  Paul stated here that Christians have a new message, not guided by the teachings of this world, but by the teachings of God, or the spiritual things.  We are not called on to prove Christ historically, but to believe Christ today through faith.  Verse fourteen continues, But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  We cannot know the things of God until we accept salvation through Christ and are filled with and led by the Holy Spirit.  We cannot find God nor understand God unless we come to Him in faith believing in Christ as the only way to salvation.  Verse fifteen says, But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.  If we are living under the Lordship of Christ, we are able to judge all things as to whether they are right or wrong, and at the same time no one can judge us.  Christ alone has the authority to judge our actions, because we are bought by His sacrifice and sustained by the Holy Spirit.  Verse sixteen adds, For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.  Paul first asks who can know the mind of the Lord, and then answers that believers can, because they have the mind of Christ.  All of our thoughts and actions should be determined by following what we know Christ would have us do.

1 Corinthians 2:1

1 Corinthians 2:1 says, And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  Paul was a very educated man, but he did not come to people with eloquent speech, proclaiming his power as he did when persecuting Christians, but instead came with the simple message of Christ.  As followers of Christ today, that is how we must come to people.  We cannot witness out of a feeling of superiority, but as humble servants of God.  We do not need eloquent words, only the simple message of Christ crucified, resurrected, and Lord.  Verse two adds, For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. Today, people who are lost many times like to argue about God and why He does or doesn't do certain things, but our message must always be the simple truth of the gospel.  Verse three continues, And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.  Paul did not say that he was never afraid, but that even when he was afraid, he still came to them proclaiming the gospel. We are not called to be supermen, never knowing that we could place our lives in danger for the gospel, but we are called to place our fears in God's hands and to continue witnessing for Christ.  Elijah fled in fear after experiencing a great display of God's power, but when he heard God in a quiet voice, not in displays of power, he was revived in faith.  If we are suddenly overcome with fear, we need simply to listen for God's voice to strengthen us.  Through the Holy Spirit God is with us always so we have no need to fear. Verse four states, And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:  If we want to be effective witnesses, we need to demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  As Paul said, enticing words are not enough. People could see the change in Paul's life, and they should be able to see it in ours.  Verse five Paul adds, That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.  Paul knew that the wisdom of men could lead people away from God, but that faith in God gave them the ability to overcome any doubts they had.  This remains true today.  We must follow God in faith even if the world calls us weak and foolish.  Verse six continues, Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:  When Paul spoke of those who were perfect, he was speaking about those who viewed themselves that way.  Paul spoke to them with the wisdom of God, not the wisdom of man that they put their faith in.  We today must approach those that we witness to the same way.  We have the power of God with us.  Verse seven says, But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:  God's wisdom is indeed a mystery to those who do not know Him. Salvation through the death of Christ is a hidden mystery to those who do not see it through faith in God.  This was God's plan of salvation from the beginning.  Verse eight adds, Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  Paul states that if the princes of the world, those in power, had known Who Christ was, they would not have crucified Him.  If people today understood Who Christ really is, they likewise would not reject His gift of salvation.  Unfortunately, worldly wisdom and power often come between people and the cross.

1 Corinthians 1:25

1 Corinthians 1:25 states, Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  Paul stated what we must always understand, and that is even what we might consider as the foolishness and weaknesses of God is still so much more wisdom and strength than we will ever have.  We might question why God used the crucifixion of Christ on the cross to bring salvation to the world, but we can never question the wisdom and power of God displayed there.  We today hear about scientists discovering something new that will help us understand the world and how man came into existence, but as followers of Christ are we already know the answer.  God created and sustains the universe.  Some people say that this explanation is just too simple, and that people have to be foolish to believe it.  I personally think that someone has to be more foolish to believe that big explosion in the existing world brought about the order in the universe.  I have never seen where an accidental explosion brought about anything but disorder and destruction.  Verse twenty-six adds, For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:  Paul told the early believers in Christ that they could see that not many of the strong and mighty men after the flesh were called.  I believe that since Paul was speaking to Christians, he meant that not many of the strong and wise after the flesh had accepted the call to salvation.  We know that God calls all people to salvation, but often their status in the world prevents some from believing in salvation through the cross, which is the only way to find salvation.  Verse twenty-seven continues, But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;  I believe what Paul was declaring here is that God uses what the world thinks of as foolish and weak to accomplish His will so that there can be no doubt that He is the One at work.  If we had to have great knowledge and be in power to find God, then most of the world would miss out, from one aspect or the other.  God makes salvation easy to obtain so that all may come to Him.  Verse twenty-eight states, And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: There could be little more base than death on the cross, yet God chose this method to bring salvation to the world.  In death, it becomes as though we are not, or that we no longer exist, in the eyes of the world, but we know as followers of Christ that death is but a transformation.  Verse twenty-nine adds, That no flesh should glory in his presence.  There is no way for us to glory, to feel that we have earned salvation, in the presence of God.  We did not gain salvation by our wisdom and strength, but solely by the mercy of God.  Verse thirty says, But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:  Paul again states the only way to salvation is through Christ.  Christ is everything we need to be restored to a right relationship with God, and faith in Him is the only way we may be restored.  Verse thirty-one concludes, That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.  In Christ alone can we glory.  If we begin to glory in anything other than Christ, we need to repent and return to obedience of God.  The Holy Spirit will always guide and correct us if we only listen.

1 Corinthians 1:19

1 Corinthians 1:19 states, For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.  I believe Paul was stating that we can never come to God thorough the wisdom of the world, but the world's wisdom is what will ultimately fail.  There are many very intelligent people in the world today who not only do not believe in God but attempt to discredit His very existence.  One day, though, all their wisdom will be destroyed, but the God that they denied will still be God.  Verse twenty adds, Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  Paul was asking a question that should have been answered that those who would not accept the salvation of Christ were nowhere spiritually.  All their wisdom and teachings amounted to nothing.  There is only one way to salvation, and that is through faith Christ, which is so simple that even a child can understand it.  Verse twenty-one continues, For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.  We can never find God through the wisdom of the world, and I believe that the more a person accepts the wisdom of the world the harder it becomes to accept the gospel.  Paul stated that it was by the foolishness of preaching that God chose to reach the world.  God has unlimited methods to bring about salvation, but He chose accepting Christ as Savior and Lord through faith.  This is nothing complex, so to many in the world it is foolish for this reason.  Many people do not want to admit that salvation is not something that they can obtain by their own abilities. Verse twenty-two states, For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:  The Jews in Paul's day were looking for a sign that the Messiah was here, and missed the sign when it came.  They were not looking for a suffering Servant but a conquering King, so they missed the sign of the cross. The Greeks were seeking wisdom, and the cross seemed foolishness to them as a way to victory over the world.  Verse twenty-three declares, But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;  Unfortunately, this remains true today.  For the Jew today, Christ is still a stumbling block, and for the unsaved of the world, salvation through a crucified Savior is still foolishness.  Verse twenty-four adds, But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.  Paul declared that to those who accepted salvation through Christ that Christ was the power and wisdom of God.  This is a truth that we as followers of Christ can never doubt.  Christ's crucifixion revealed both the power and wisdom of God.  It represents the power because sin and spiritual death were defeated for all time.  It represents the wisdom of God since it represents the only way to salvation and is based only on faith in that fact.

1 Corinthians 1:10

1 Corinthians 1:10 says, Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.  Paul was asking those who made up the church at Corinth to be united through their faith in Christ.  We are to be the same way today.  Some people can almost become so proud of their church, their local body of believers, that they feel that they are superior to other bodies of believers.  We must never feel superior nor inferior to any group of believers, but we must all be united through Christ.  Verse eleven adds, For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.  Church problems are nothing new but began almost from the time the church was formed.  Paul said it had come to his attention that there were contentions among the members of the church at Corinth.  Paul did not just help establish churches and forget them.  He remained in prayer and concerned for them.  We should have that same concern for not only our local church, but for churches everywhere.  There is no room for contention in the body of Christ, which is what we as believers are.  Verse twelve continues, Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.  Some of the believers were claiming to be more important because of the person who baptized them.  When they began to do this, they were missing a key concept of salvation, and that is that we are all equal at the cross.  The way we came to salvation is not what is important.  The only important thing is that we came to salvation through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Verse thirteen asks, Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?  The first question was whether or not Christ was divided.  I believe this was asking if Christ was a greater Savior for some than for others, making them greater in the eyes of God and their fellow believers.  Paul asked if they were being baptized because he had saved them.  The answer was that only through Christ could there be salvation and that no one was more saved than another.  Verse fourteen adds, I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;  Paul was thankful that he had baptized very few, and in the next verse he gives the reason.  Verse fifteen continues, Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. 

Paul didn't want anyone to think that he was baptizing people in his own name.  The act of baptism itself was what was symbolic of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, not the one who was performing the baptism.  Verse sixteen says, And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.  I believe Paul was simply continuing to emphasize that it was unimportant who baptized those who were followers of Christ.  Paul himself did not want anyone to claim that they were better because he had baptized them.  Verse seventeen adds, For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. Paul said his calling was to preach the gospel, and even in that he was not called to convince people with eloquent words, but simply with the message of the cross.  This is still our message and purpose today. We are to lead people to a knowledge of salvation through the cross, and who we may have been baptized by is not to be a point of pride or contention.  Verse eighteen continues, For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.  The gospel indeed sounds foolish to those who refuse to believe it, but to believers it is the power of God. God calls us to salvation and unity through Christ, so no one has a reason to feel superior or inferior to any other Christian.

1 Corinthians 1:1

1 Corinthians 1:1 says, Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother,  As always, Paul identifies himself to those he is writing to .  We do not know much about Sosthenes, except he was with Paul and accepted by Paul as a brother in Christ.  When we read things today that are written about God, we need to make certain that we know who it is that is writing them.  Not everyone who writes about Who God is and what He wants from us is a born-again believer in Christ.  Paul said he was called to be an apostle, and we need to be sure that if we are reading things written about God that they are written by someone who is God's servant through a call and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  If what is presented is not consistent with the teachings of the Bible, we need to avoid it.  That would include what I write.  If anything that I say goes against the teachings of the Bible be certain that what I write is wrong.  Verse two adds, Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:  Paul's letter had a specific group that it was addressed to, but it had a universal message.  Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, those who were sanctified in Christ Jesus.  This is what the church always was and always will be, and that is a group of sinners saved by grace.  Paul expanded his audience to include all who called upon Jesus as Savior and Lord in every place.  That would include us today as followers of Christ.  Verse three continues, Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only one way that we can find peace, and that is through the grace of God.  When we are living under the Lordship of Christ, we can really know peace, no matter what may be going on around us.  Verse four states, I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; Paul was always thankful for his fellow believers.  This should be our attitude as well.  We should always lift each other up in prayer and never let little disagreements come between us.  We are to be united in our love for Christ.  Verse five adds, That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge;  Paul's prayer was that they would be enriched in everything by their salvation and the lordship of Christ.  We today should always be enriched by our relationship with Christ.  This does not mean materially enriched, but spiritually enriched.  Verse six continues, Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: Paul prayed that their salvation might be confirmed. Salvation is more than just saying the right words.  Salvation brings a change of heart that should be confirmed in our lives always.  Verse seven says, So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:  Paul prayed that the followers of Christ around him would use their spiritual gifts.  When all believers use the spiritual gifts that God has given them, then the gospel can be spread effectively.  We are called to be at work for God while we await the return of Christ.  Verse eight adds, Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ, when He returns, will confirm us for all time, and if we are following Him obediently, He confirms us daily.  Again, this does not mean that one day we are God's and the next day lost to Him, but that we can be effective or ineffective in our witness for Him.  Verse nine continues, God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.  We can always rely on God to be faithful to us.  We have an everlasting fellowship with God through Christ.  This alone should cause us to rejoice every day.

We need to review what Joel has to say to us today, because as always, if we do not see the relevance of God's written word to us, we are missing the importance of it.  First, we can never rely on the powers of this would to protect us.  No matter how powerful we may be as a nation this is not where our security lies.  As followers of Christ, our security comes from God alone.  Also, we need to acknowledge that God does not need military power to destroy a nation.  He used insects in Joel's day, and He can use anything today to accomplish His purpose.  I read a few years ago about a man who said that he now believed that the world could end because with nuclear weapons man for the first time had the ability to accomplish it.  He missed the point though.  The ability to destroy or sustain the world does not rest with man, but with God.  We need to acknowledge that when those who call themselves God's rebel against Him, He will allow punishment to come upon them.  We must also acknowledge that we can only be God's through a covenant relationship with Him.  For us today, that covenant relationship comes through Christ alone.  If we claim to be God's people through any other means, then we are deceiving ourselves.  We can also be certain that if we are really followers of Christ, God secures us to Him forever.  Just as salvation is not of our own merit, neither does everlasting security come from our own actions.  We have God's promise that nothing can separate us from Him once we are born again into His kingdom.  If we stray from His will, though we may lose the joy of our salvation, we do not lose our salvation.  God waits ready to restore that joy as soon as we repent and return to Him.  This should makes us a rejoicing people.  We are God's forever.

Joel 3:18 states, And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim.   Joel closes his prophecy with promises of hope.  When God pronounces judgment on people, He never leaves them without a way to return to Him.  Now, we know that in the last days, when people will no longer respond to God's call that He is coming in judgment and all hope for them will be gone, but this is their choice, not God's choice.  The people of Israel were promised that they would live in a land of plenty.  God has promised His people that He will always generously meet their needs. This includes us today.  We as followers of Christ should be living in contentment knowing that God will provide for us forever.  Verse nineteen says, Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land. Those people who oppose God and oppress or kill His people will ultimately be left in complete desolation.  This does not mean that we as followers of Christ are to attempt to leave them that way. What Joel was telling God's people was that God would ultimately destroy those that oppressed Him and protect His people.  Verse twenty declares, But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.  This is the promise to God's people that they would be His forever.  We can rest secure in that promise.  Our faith can never be in the things of this world, but only in the promise of God that we are His through His power forever.  Verse twenty one states, For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.  We know that we as followers of Christ are cleansed through the blood of Christ, and this is the only way to be cleansed before God.  This is the promise of God to all who would be saved.

Joel 3:15 says, The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining.  There will be little doubt that God is at work.  Even the heavenly bodies will be affected.  We are about to have a solar eclipse, and many people worldwide are anxious to see it, but when God darkens the sun and moon in the day of judgment, the lost will not be anxious to see it happening.  Verse sixteen declares, The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.  Since God spoke everything into existence, we should not be surprised that His voice can shake the world.  No matter how many or how powerful the weapons we have may be, they are no match for the simple voice of God.  The second part of the verse tells us that the Lord is the hope of His people.  As followers of Christ, we are God's people, and we can rest assured in that fact.  Even if heaven and earth are shaken, our faith keeps us safe from whatever comes.  We are God's children forever.  Verse seventeen states, So shall ye know that I am the LORD your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more.  I believe that God was telling His people in that day and today that when He comes in judgment, there will be no doubt that He is God.  After the judgment, there will be no more hope for salvation, no more strangers will pass through. God will gather those who are His.  It is hard to envision life without the ravages of sin, but in the place that God has prepared for His people, sin will no longer exist.  There will be no division based on nationality or anything else. We will all be brothers and sisters in Christ, as we are now by salvation.  We as followers of Christ should be living with this truth now.  We are not called to live totally in the will of God one day in heaven, but to live under His Lordship now.  I am not sure how we can feel justify hating other people today based on external characteristics and then feel that we will love them in heaven.  We as followers of Christ must live by God's standards today and forever, and that standard is that we love as God loves.

Joel 3:9 says, Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up:  I believe God is issuing a warning to those who oppose Him.  They need to prepare for war, and even when they bring their best power against Him, it is going to be ineffective.  Anytime we battle against God, no matter if we bring our most powerful weapons, we are going to lose.  I believe that this also tells us that God always warns everyone that if they are attempting to defeat Him that they are fighting a losing battle.  Verse ten states, Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.  We as followers of Christ are told to beat our swords into plowshares, but here those that oppose God are told just the opposite.  We may have some very powerful weapons in the world today, but they are nothing compared to the power of God.  If a person or a nation is going to war against God, they can use everything at their disposal, but it is not going to be enough to defeat Him.  Verse eleven says, Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye heathen, and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, O LORD.  Those opposed to God are called on to gather together, but God warns that His mighty ones, His angels, will come down against them.  We know at the second coming of Christ that the angels will be with Him and the powers of this world will be completely defeated.  We also know that since Christ's ascension that His followers have thought that His return was imminent, but all we can be sure of is that it is certain.  We do not have to fight the forces of evil in the world alone, because the Holy Spirit is there to strengthen us for the fight.  Verse twelve says, Let the heathen be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat: for there will I sit to judge all the heathen round about.  There is coming a day of judgment when all the heathen, those that do not believe in Christ as Savior, will be gathered and judged.  Without accepting the gracious gift of forgiveness through Christ, the only verdict can be guilty.  Verse thirteen instructs, Put ye in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the fats overflow; for their wickedness is great.  The harvest was ripe, but it was ripe with wickedness.  We as followers of Christ are told that we are to be busy witnessing, because the harvest is ripe.  Those who are lost in the world today always need to hear the gospel now.  We are to be concerned not with killing them, but instead with converting them.  Verse fourteen declares, Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.  There are indeed multitudes and multitudes in the valley of decision today, even if they don't realize it.  It is our responsibility as followers of Christ to make them aware of their need to make a decision to follow Christ also, for the day of the Lord is indeed nearer every day.  Whether it be today or a thousand years, for many people it is today.  For everyone who dies today, the day of the Lord is indeed here.

Joel 3:1 says,  For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,  This was a promise of God to His people in the time of Joel, but it is also a promise to us today as followers of Christ.  No matter how scattered or persecuted we may be, God will gather us to Himself and set us free from captivity.  No matter what is going on in the world today, and there are plenty of disturbing things going on, we need not despair, because God has insured our everlasting destiny.  We will be with God forever if we are His indeed.  Verse two states, I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. God assured His people in that day that they would be restored and their enemies called to account.  God said that He would gather His enemies and plead with them.  I believe that this means that no matter how bad a person may be, as long as they are alive there is hope of redemption.  God's choice is never deserved punishment but free mercy through Christ for all people.  We are called to proclaim God's message of forgiveness through Christ to all people, even those who may hate and try to destroy us.  Verse three states, And they have cast lots for my people; and have given a boy for an harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.  Not only had other nations enslaved God's people so that they might work for them, but they had enslaved them to serve as a source of pleasure.  We hear of human trafficking today and know how terrible it is, but it is nothing new.  Those who defeat other nations often abuse those who are defeated in very degrading ways, often just to send a message to the rest of the world.  Even within a nation, those who are in power often abuse people who do not follow their gods.  If the day comes that this is true for us, if we are totally under the power of a repressive group, we must not lose faith in God.  We know the ultimate outcome.  God will indeed one day deliver all His people.  Verse four says, Yea, and what have ye to do with me, O Tyre, and Zidon, and all the coasts of Palestine? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompense me, swiftly and speedily will I return your recompence upon your own head;  I believe that God was telling those that were not His people, those that do not know Him as a personal God, that He could not be bought.  We may attempt to buy God's good will with material possessions, but He will not accept them if we are not following His will for our lives.  Verse five states, Because ye have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried into your temples my goodly pleasant things:  Those that God was talking to could offer Him nothing that they hadn't taken from Him.  We need to remember that everything belongs to God to start with, so what can we hope to offer Him to obtain His forgiveness?  All one can give is their life through acceptance of Christ.  Verse six adds, The children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Grecians, that ye might remove them far from their border.  Those who opposed God had sold His people into slavery.  There are many places in the world today where those in power enslave God's people, and we can be certain that God knows this and is still with those that are His.  Verse seven promises, Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompence upon your own head:  Those who had enslaved God's people may have felt secure in their strength and that they could buy God's favor, but God promised a coming judgment.  We need to simply stay faithful to God today, and know that He will one day deal with those who do not follow Him and will likewise raise up those who do.  Verse eight declares, And I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it.  This was a declaration of defeat to those who had enslaved the people of Judah, God's chosen people.  It concludes by saying God has spoken it.  There is nothing more certain than what God has spoken.  We never have to doubt His word being fulfilled.  We have His promise that those that are His followers through faith in Christ will be His forever.

Joel 2:27 says, And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.  The nation would be restored to one nation, Israel, and they had the premise of God that He would be in their midst.  After they had repented and returned to God, He told them to know that He was in their midst.  We today should know that God is with us if we are His people.  As long as we follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, God will be at work in our lives.  Even if we fail to follow God at times, the Holy Spirit still indwells us.  Again, the people of Israel were told they needed to not be ashamed, and neither should we.  Verse twenty eight says, And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:  God promised to pour out His spirit on the people of Israel, His people.  As just discussed above, this promise was fulfilled when Christ died for our sins and the Holy Spirit came to indwell all believers in Christ.  The people of Israel were told of the results of this pouring out of God's Spirit on them.  It didn't matter what age or what gender they were.  All would be witnesses to the power of God.  We today need to remember that God does not just work through some of His people, but through all of them.  No one is more important to God than anyone else, especially based on physical things.  The more that we fill our role in God's kingdom and let others fill theirs, the better the gospel will be spread.  Verse nineteen says, And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.  Again, God does not discriminate based on social status or gender.  Just because a person is poor in the eyes of the world does not mean that God is not working through them.  Also, it does not mean that if a person is rich then God cannot work through them.  Whatever our social status, though, we must not do as Israel did too often and forget about God.  Verse thirty and thirty one state, And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.  The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.  This can be seen as what happened while Christ was on the cross, and it will be what happens when Christ returns.  Since these verses state that these things will happen before the great and terrible day of the Lord to come, we need to realize that for those who are truly God's people, it will be a great day and for those who are not it will be a terrible day.  The choice of which it will be is up to each individual.  Verse thirty two declares, And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.  Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered.  This once more states the only way to salvation.  We can be certain that for anyone who believes in Christ though faith in His salvation will be delivered.  None are excluded from calling on Christ for salvation.

Joel 2:19 says, Yea, the LORD will answer and say unto his people, Behold, I will send you corn, and wine, and oil, and ye shall be satisfied therewith: and I will no more make you a reproach among the heathen:  God promised Judah that if they returned to Him He would meet their needs.  The first thing He would do was hear them.  If we are rebelling against God, until we come to Him in repentance, He will not hear us.  We cannot make demands on God for restoration if we do not first come to Him in true repentance.  When we do come in repentance, God will hear us, restore us, and meet our needs.  When God provides for our needs, we must be satisfied with His provisions.  Verse twenty says, But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate, with his face toward the east sea, and his hinder part toward the utmost sea, and his stink shall come up, and his ill savour shall come up, because he hath done great things.  After promising that He would restore their crops, in other words that their daily needs would be met, then God promised His people that the armies that oppressed them would be totally destroyed.  We today have the same assurance that our needs will be met and that ultimately all those that stand in opposition to God will be destroyed.  We must therefore put our trust, not in the things of this world, but in God alone.  Verse twenty one declares, Fear not, O land; be glad and rejoice: for the LORD will do great things. This is a great promise to the people in that day and to the followers of Christ today.  We do not have to live in fear, no matter how bad things may seem in the world.  This states that the Lord would do great things, and we know that through Christ He did.  Verse twenty two says, Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.  The people would be restored, but so would the land.  God created everything and pronounced it good, and when His people are following Him, they can rest assured that as long as they follow His will, everything will ultimately be restored to the state that God created it in.  There will be a new heaven and a new earth.  Verse twenty three through twenty six says, Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.  And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.  And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. These verses are just a continuation of the promise that God was going to restore and bless His people when they returned to Him.  We today have that same promise, and just as God told them, we need never be ashamed to declare Him to the world.

Joel 2:11 says, And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?  While God's people were looking to powerful armies for their protection, God was using an army of insects to destroy all their works.  God does not need the strongest and most powerful people to accomplish His will.  He has everything in the universe at His disposal.  Verse twelve states, Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:  Here, we are told why this judgment was coming to Judah.  God was calling on His people to return to Him.  The destruction was not due to God's anger, but instead due to His love for His people.  Material things had come between God and Judah, and God was removing the material things.  If we are God's today, we can be certain that anything that comes between God and us will ultimately be totally destroyed.  Verse thirteen directs, And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.  Outward signs of repentance without any real remorse were not enough.  The people of Judah were told to rend their hearts, to be truly heartbroken because of their sins.  We today, if we are outside of the will of God, should be heartbroken.  Our gracious God waits in mercy to restore us.  God does not desire that people be destroyed but that they be reconciled to Him.  We need to understand that destruction, or everlasting separation from God, is our choice and not God's.  Verse fourteen states, Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?  Even with destruction all around, there was no assurance that the people of Judah would repent and begin to truly worship God again.  Verse fifteen says, Blow the trumpet in Zion, sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly:  The people of Judah were called on to loudly and publicly worship God.  They were to fast and have a solemn assembly.  When we are not following God's will, we need to return to God publicly and let the world know that we have.  Verse sixteen states, Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of her closet.  This is a continuation of the call for God's people to gather together and worship Him.  Nothing could be more important.  This is still the case today.  We, as God's people, must put Him first and let the world know that we do.  Verse seventeen is addressed to the religious leaders stating, Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, Spare thy people, O LORD, and give not thine heritage to reproach, that the heathen should rule over them: wherefore should they say among the people, Where is their God?  The religious leaders were called on to be broken hearted for allowing the world to dishonor God because of the rebellion of His people, especially the religious leaders.  Those who serve God today need to be just as broken hearted if we bring dishonor to God.  Verse eighteen declares, Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.  God awaits to restore us, if we return to Him in true repentance.

Joel 2:4 says, The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.  The coming locusts and caterpillars were going to look like an invading army.  When God's judgment comes, there can be little doubt that it is His work.  Insects do not just suddenly grow this large.  Matthew Henry points out that extraordinary judgments of God are very rare, since He choses to show mercy whenever possible.  Still, when people refuse to accept God's mercy, they can be certain of His judgment.  The next few verses continue to speak of the power of the devastating swarm.  Verse five says, Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.  Verse six says, Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.  Then verse seven, They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks: Continuing in verse eight, Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded. On in verse nine, They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.  Concluding in verse ten, The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:  What Joel was telling the people of Judah was that the devastation was to be complete and they would be powerless to stop it.  God doesn't need armies to destroy those who rebel against Him, nor will any army be strong enough to protect us against His wrath.  When Judah sought peace and security in the things of this world instead of in God, God used the simple things of this world to remind them that He has control of everything in the world.  We might ask if that is the case why God doesn't just destroy all evil and cause everyone to follow Him.  The answer once again is free will.  God wants people to follow Him through a willing faith.  He promises us that He will be with us through all trials and tribulations, but also allows us to choose to ignore  following His leadership.  When devastation comes, it is not because of God's desire to punish people, but because of their refusal to accept His forgiveness through faith.

Joel 2:1 says, Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;  Joel was giving them a very clear warning from God. They were called on by God to sound the alarm very loudly.  We today as God's people need to sound the alarm.  The day of the Lord is coming, and for those who are not His through faith in Christ, it will be a day to tremble.  For the people of Judah, their judgment was nigh at hand.  For the world today, whether it be tomorrow or ten thousand years from now, God's judgment is nigh at hand.  We look to the second coming of Christ and think that it is near, and it may well be, though we cannot declare it so.  What we can declare is that every day that passes we personally are closer to going to be with God.  Even if we live to be over a hundred, in the prospective of eternity, then our end here on this earth is nigh at hand.  Verse two declares, A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.  When the day of destruction came, there would be nothing but gloom and darkness.  God's people had forgotten that He alone could bring the light of hope into their world.  Even if everything appeared to be going well for them, it was but an illusion that would soon be replaced by the darkness of despair.  There was a strong army of locusts and caterpillars  like none ever seen before coming to destroy them.  Though we may personally and as a nation may feel that things are going well, if we are outside God's will, then darkness and destruction await us.  God will not be mocked, and if we attribute success to our own abilities as followers of Christ, then we are mocking God.  Verse three says, A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.  The country before them may have looked like the garden of Eden, but after the coming destruction, it would be a desolate wilderness.  The defeat and destruction were going to be total.  Those things that we think of as beautiful and prosperous, if they are obtained outside the will of God will ultimately be reduced to nothing.

Joel 1:14 says, Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the LORD your God, and cry unto the LORD,  Here, the people of God were being told the remedy for their rebellion.  They needed to return to God, individually and as a nation.  We today need to follow that advice.  If we want our nation, whatever nation that might be, to be great, then we must call on God and then listen to Him when He answers.  One thing is certain, God will answer us when we sincerely call on Him if we are His people.  The real question then becomes whether or not we will listen to God.  Verse fifteen issues a stern warning , declaring, Alas for the day! for the day of the LORD is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come.  This was not a questionable statement.  When God declares something to be true, we can be certain that it is true.  As followers of Christ, we know that God has declared that one day judgment is going to come to the lost world and Christ is going to be either a redeemer or a judge to everyone.  Those who have not accepted Christ and those things not done for God will be destroyed.  The destruction of the lost will be everlasting separation from God.  Verse sixteen states, Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God?  The people already had evidence of the result of not following God.  There was no meat on their tables.  Those idols they worshipped were unable to provide for them.  Also, there was no joy in God's house.  As followers of Christ, if we are out of fellowship with Him, nothing is going to satisfy us and we are going to get no joy from being in His house.  Empty worship never satisfies.  Verse seventeen says, The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered.  Without God's provision for them, everything was failing.  Their crops failed so the barns weren't needed.  Verse eighteen says, How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.  The bottom line was, due to their failure to obey God, complete destruction awaited them.  This is still true today.  We will never find lasting salvation outside of God's will.  No matter how successful we may be in the eyes of the world, anything we have obtained through disobedience to God will be destroyed.  Verse nineteen says, O LORD, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field.  Though God's people may have turned away from Him, even in their desolation there was hope if they returned to Him.  Verse twenty states,  The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.  All of nature seemed to be failing.  When we look around at so many things that seem to be destructive today, we need to make sure that our faith is in God alone.

Joel 1:8 says, Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth.  I believe that Joel was calling the people of Judah to lament, or to mourn, because they had lost the husband of their youth, or their relationship with God.  The analogy of God, or in the New Testament of Christ, as the Groom and His people as the bride should be familiar to God's people.  Judah had turned away from their covenant relationship with God, and that should have caused them to mourn for that lost relationship.  If we are outside the complete will of God, we should mourn for that lost relationship.  Verse nine says, The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the LORD; the priests, the LORD’s ministers, mourn.  Since the people of Judah had rebelled against God, their sacrifices to Him were cut off.  This should have led the priests, God's ministers, to mourn.  We must realize that just because we offer a sacrifice to God, that does not obligate Him to accept it.  If we are offering a sacrifice while not following God's will in our life, we are sacrificing in vain.  As followers of Christ, we acknowledge the priesthood of all believers, so if we see false worship going on around us, we should be in mourning.  Following God's will means putting Him first in all aspects of our lives, and not just in the words we speak.  Our words and actions must be consistent.  Verse ten says, The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.  This is a continuation of the warning of the destruction of the land of God's people.  God had given them the land, but since they had turned against Him, they were going to lose it.  We can be sure of the same thing.  Verse eleven warns, Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished.  Having failed to live up to their commitment with God, their crops had failed, and they were told they should be ashamed.   When we are outside of the will of God, then anything we have looked to for success will ultimately fail, and for this we should be ashamed.  Through Christ, God has already given us victory in all situations if we rely on His strength.  Verse twelve states, The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.  When the people were not following God, there was no true joy.  Today, our joy can only come through a right relationship with God.  Verse thirteen directs, Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God.  It was time for God's people, even the priests, to genuinely repent.  When offerings were withheld from the altar of God, only genuine repentance could restore the m.  When we withhold things promised to God, we must likewise truly repent with broken hearts for our lack of faith.  Only then can we be fully restored to God.

We will next look at the book of Joel.  Joel 1:1 says, The word of the LORD that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.  This is where all true prophecy has to begin.  This is also where our proclamation of the gospel has to begin.  The word of the Lord must come to us.  As followers of Christ today, we must also acknowledge that God's word to us is going to be consistent with His written word, the Bible.  If anyone proclaims some new revelation that goes against the Bible, we need to stay away from them.  God's revelation of Himself to the world was completed in the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.  Even though we are given some signs to look for before Christ returns, that should not be our emphasis.  Christ as Savior and Lord is our message today and always.  Verse two asks, Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers?  Joel was referring to the destruction of their crops.  He was asking if the old men could remember a time when things were so bad.  Today, we hear about how bad things have gotten in the world, and the older people especially tend to say that things have continually gotten worse, especially from a moral aspect.  When the people of the world refuse to acknowledge God, the world will indeed continue to get worse.  Verse three commands, Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.  I believe that the people of Judah, who were still a part of God's chosen people, were being instructed to teach the coming generations about the destruction that comes when God's people are out of God's will.  We, all these generations later, still need to understand this.  Verse four says, That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.  Joel was telling the people of Judah that their crops were going to be totally destroyed.  Though they had not acknowledged it, God had protected them from this destruction and had provided for them.  The same is true today.  God protects His people from destruction and provides for their needs when they follow His will.  Anything that we sow outside of His will ultimately will be totally destroyed.  Verse five says, Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.  Israel was called on to awake from their drunken state. They were going to be cut off from their new wine, and would howl in need of it.  When we are out of God's will today, we need to awake from our stupor and quit looking to anything else to bring us peace and happiness.  Verse six warns, For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion.  Not only were their crops to be destroyed, but they were to lose their freedom to another nation.  Without God, Judah was helpless.  Today, without God, we are helpless.  If we allow the things of this world to become more important than the will of God, we are likewise helpless.  We must always seek God's guidance first, or we can be overcome by the evil in the world.  Verse seven declares, He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white.  Destruction of earthly things that God's people relied on outside of following His will would be complete.  Even though we as followers of Christ have everlasting security, if we are attempting to rely on anything in this world other than God for security, whatever that is will ultimately be utterly destroyed.

Hosea Review Continued

Today, I am going to continue to review some of the things the Bible has taught us, not only in Hosea but in all the books.  It may seem that I am always putting Christians in a negative light, but nothing could be farther from the truth.  Today we as Christians need to be stronger than ever in our faith if we are going to be effective in reaching the world for Christ.  Just as God's people did throughout history, we cannot afford to look to the world for security.  This was something that Israel, God's chosen people, forgot over and over.  When they found themselves successful in the eyes of the world they tended to forget God and look to the world for security.  We today can be just as guilty.  Our success or failure does not rest in riches and the power of any government, but in our relationship with God.  From the nation of Israel's first desire for an earthly king, they began to continually fall out of their covenant relationship with God.  When we look to earthly rulers for security, and feel that God and His standards are unimportant, we begin to fall out of God's will for us.  Whether at any time in the history of Israel or in the world today, we must put God first in all things.  We also see that sacrifices made outside the will of God are more than useless, even if they are supposedly made to God.  They are an insult to God instead.  Again, we cannot just add God's name to what we are doing and expect Him to accept it if we haven't asked for His guidance to start with.  We need to remember that anything we give to God is His to start with.  Finally, we must acknowledge that God wants restoration with His people, and not punishment of them.  God stands ready to forgive everyone, but He leaves it up to each individual to accept that forgiveness.  God is not vindictive but merciful, and He awaits to forgive those who call on Him for forgiveness.

Hosea Review

Today, I will review what I believe the book of Hosea is telling us today.  The first thing is that following the will of God is not easy.  Hosea was a prophet of God, but he was instructed to take a wife who was not the person Hosea would have likely chosen on his own.  We like Hosea must put God's will first even if we do not fully understand why He is asking us to do a particular thing.  When we do know what God is directing us to do, we like Hosea must do it without question.  Hosea was also telling the people of Israel something they did not want to hear.  They thought they had everything planned out, and they did not need God's protection.  They were going to rely on the powers of the world to protect them and worship the gods that everyone else worshipped.  We as followers of Christ today must never feel that we are so successful that we really don't need to look to God for direction daily.  If we become indifferent to God at any time, we are likely to find ourselves worshipping some other god.  False gods do not have to be statues but can be anything that comes between God and us, such as self-pride or material success.  Hosea reminded Israel that they were not God's people by physical birth or earthly merit, but that they were His people because He chose to enter into a covenant relationship with them.  God could have chosen the most powerful nation to reveal Himself to the world through, but He chose Israel, a basically insignificant group of people.  God does not call us today because we are strong, but He calls us because without Him, no matter how strong we may feel that we are, we are weak and insignificant without Him. We enter into a covenant relationship with God through accepting Christ, and only then can we call ourselves God's people.  We may wonder how Israel, those who called themselves God's people, could have fallen so far out of His will, but it occurred a little at a time, not all at once. Whenever we let anything come between God and us, no matter how small that thing might be, unless we repent and turn again to God, we will be subject to falling more under the power of sin.  For the people of Israel, that meant that they were God's people in name only but were spiritually no more His than the rest of the world.  When we come to God through faith in Christ, we will always be His, but we can become ineffective servants when we allow the things of the world to come between God and us.

Hosea 14:5

Hosea 14:5 says, I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.  Verse four had given the good news that God had not abandoned Israel forever, and verse five begins to give Israel the results of following God again when they returned to Him.  God's people would again find true comfort by their relationship with God.  This restoration came through Jesus Christ, and it is a spiritual restoration, not an earthly one.  Jesus did not come to be an earthly ruler, but a spiritual one instead.  When Israel was once again in the right relationship with God, they would once again find success.  God would daily revive them, like dew does plants.  When we are in God's will, He will likewise daily revive us spiritually.  I cannot say that everything will always go well in earthly terms, but they will in spiritual terms, which is the only way that counts.  Verse six adds, His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.  Olive branches are usually associated with peace, and I believe God was telling His people that they were to bring His peace to the world.  They were to be deeply rooted in their faith in God, as are we today.  Deeply rooted trees are not easily blow over, and deeply rooted faith is the same.  We should not have our faith falter at the first sign of trouble but must stand fast in all the storms of life.  Verse seven continues, They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. I believe that Hosea was promising the remnant of true believers that they would be restored.  Those who truly believed God and lived by faith in Him were not spared the earthly defeat and captivity, but as His people, they were promised ultimate victory.  We may at times feel that the world is being victorious over us but as followers of Christ, we can be sure of an everlasting victory through our faith in Him.  Verse eight states, Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.  Ephraim, and all the people of Israel, would eventually realize that there was no hope or protection in the things of this world and would return to God.  We today must realize the same thing.  We can never find hope and security in the things of this world but can find them in God alone.  Verse nine adds, Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.  The people of Israel were asked a question, Who is wise and will understand these things of God? When we look for wisdom, it can come only from God.  If we are prudent, we will put our faith in Him.  Hosea reminded the people of Israel that the ways of God were right and that the just would walk in them.  Those who did not walk in the ways of the Lord would fall.  Hosea warned the people of Israel of their coming destruction, but he left them with hope if they returned to God.

Hosea 14:1

Hosea 14:1 says, O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.  Hosea here begins to call on the people of Israel to return to God.  There was hope for them beyond the coming destruction if they simply returned to putting their faith in God.  God has overcome the destructive power of sin, and all we have to do is put our faith in Him to claim that victory.   Verse two adds, Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.  God was not going to force the people of Israel to return to Him, but He still called to them and stood ready to forgive them.  God calls us today, but He still does not force Himself on us.  We must willingly respond to His call.  Verse three continues, Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.  Israel would come to understand that there was no hope of an everlasting relationship in the things of this world.  Idols and riches would fail them, just as they will fail us today.  They were to show the mercy of God to the world.  Until Israel accepted their true relationship with God, they would be as Fatherless spiritually as the rest of the world.  Idols made by hand can never be a real spiritual Father.  Through God alone can we have everlasting security.  Verse four concludes, I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. Even as God was allowing Israel to suffer for their sins, He was giving them hope.  If we fall into sin as followers of Christ, that does not leave us with no hope.  God awaits for our forgiveness and restoration, even if we suffer spiritually from not following His will completely.  Once we are saved through faith in Christ, our salvation is not then dependent on our works, but is still ours forever through our acceptance of that salvation once and for all time.

Hosea 13:9

Hosea 13:9 says, O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help.  God tells Israel in no uncertain terms that they had destroyed themselves.  When we are out of God's will, we are setting ourselves up for the destruction of our works.  God reminded them that He was the true source of their help.  God stands ready to help us today if we only acknowledge Him as the Lord of our lives. This does not mean parts of our lives, but every aspect of our lives.  Verse ten adds, I will be thy king: where is any other that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes?  God was to be their King, but the people of God wanted an earthly king that they could follow, and that had now led to a divided kingdom and a rejection of God.  No matter where we live in the world today, God must be our King, the One Who directs our lives.  Verse eleven God continues, I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took him away in my wrath.  An earthly king was never what God intended for His people, but He allowed them to select one, and they chose wrong from the start.  Today, if we live where we really have a choice, we need to select leaders under God's guidance if we are followers of Christ.  Verse twelve states, The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid.  God may not have yet acted to punish them for their sins, but the sins were not forgotten.  Sin can only be dealt with when we ask God's forgiveness for it.  Though we may prosper while sinning and think we have gotten away with it God binds sin up to be dealt with ultimately.  Verse thirteen adds, The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he is an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children.  A woman who is expecting a baby knows that eventually the birth of the baby will bring pain to her.  I believe Hosea was telling God's people that sin was the same way.  Sin would result in pain, and for that reason alone it made no sense to remain under the power of sin.  This has not changed today.  Verse fourteen continues, I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.  God promised a way to overcome the penalty of sin, which was death, everlasting spiritual separation from God.  We know through Christ God fulfilled that promise.  We must simply repent of our sins and accept God's gift of salvation by faith.  Verse fifteen says, Though he be fruitful among his brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels.  God's people might have been prosperous while worshipping other gods, but it was temporary.  We may feel that we are doing so great in life that we don't need God, but if we are not following His will for our lives, it is only a temporary success.  Verse sixteen adds, Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.  God had been the source of the success of His people, and due to their rebellion, He was removing His protection, and they would be destroyed. We as followers of Christ are protected by God's power, and as long as we remain faithful to Him, we can never be spiritually destroyed, no matter what happens to us in this life.