KJB Daily Devotion – Following Jesus Through Every Chapter
Date: Sunday, December 03, 2017
Chapters: I Corinthians 12-14
Message: Finding Your Purpose Through Every Season
Hello My Friend,
I have been on an emotional roller coaster for the past four weeks, happy, sad, exited, nervous, one minute I am laughing, the next I am crying. I am even getting teary eyes as I type these words because my heart is carrying so many things, burdens, responsibilities, even blessings. There really is a season for everything, and sometimes those seasons come and go quickly. We really only have today, because only God knows whether or not we have tomorrow, therefore, while we look forward to tomorrow we should never make light of today, there is always something good that comes out of every season. “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;” – Ecclesiastes 3:1-4.
“and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” Before Jesus was captured He prayed to God to remove the cup that He had been blessed with, but also said His will be done if He did not. Of course, we know that that cup was for Him to die on the cross, we all have a cross to bare, but if it is in His will we can be sure that good will come out of it. As Paul continues his letter to the Corinthians he reminds them that we are all one in Christ.
“For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.” – I Corinthians 12:12-18.
“I am not of the body;” No matter how big or small the job we all belong to Christ, therefore everything we do for Him matters and is used as He pleases. Some of us may have more responsibility than others, but He gives us what we can handle, it does not mean that we are better Christians it is just means that we have all been given a purpose for His use in bringing more people to Him. Paul stresses the importance of us knowing this.
“And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” – I Corinthians 12:23-28.
“upon these we bestow more abundant honour;” We may have, but only one purpose for God, but is is an honorable purpose, and while it may take years for us to fulfill it, every single gift or talent we have was given to us to be used when He is ready for us. Schism, division or separation. Some of us may have several jobs or talents, but we are all equal in God’s eyes, He gives us all different talents and lifestyles to be used for His glory. I understand how people can put you in a separate category because you act or look different than others, we are supposed to be different, but we are to love one another, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. There is no greater gift we could ever give is love (charity).
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” – I Corinthians 13:1-7.
“and have not charity, I am nothing.” If there is one thing I have learned in the past few weeks is that love does not come easy, but without love we cannot exist. God loved us so much that He sent His only begotten Son so that none of us die and end up in hell. Why did God create heaven and hell in the first place? I think it is to, in fact, separate those whom are pure evil, and let me tell you, if you are so conceded that you think of yourself as God and nothing can touch you than you are probably one that hates God, and does pure evil to get the things you want. This is what the devil thinks and anyone following his footsteps has the same fate, sorry it is hell, but that is their choice. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.” – Revelation 20:10,14.
My pastor did a study on spiritual gifts earlier this year and I discovered that mine is prophecy, and it fits me well. God makes it simple for us to serve Him, we just need to believe in His Son. You can be the most famous evangelist there is that speaks ten different languages, but unless you believe in His Son (the death, burial, and resurrection) than it is all in vain. Paul stresses the importance of not only coming together as one congregation under one doctrine, but also that all are able to understand it.
“How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” – I Corinthians 14:26-33.
“Let all things be done unto edifying.” God is not the author of confusion, He makes things simple, it is people that make it complicated. Speaking in tongues is just another way of being bilingual, it is not the mumbo jumbo speaking that no one understands. God wants us to teach the Gospel in a language that people understand, not something no one understands at all. Since all spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit that indwells us, no one is above anyone else. Whether a person is gifted by God to provide one service or many we are all important to Him, no one is left out, yet no one is irreplaceable, we are merely servants sent to serve His purpose. “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.” – Ephesians 6:5-8.
Jesus Christ Magnified: “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” – I Corinthians 12:12.
Today’s Prayer: God, It is truly amazing how you turn everything for good, even when I have brought things upon myself and suffer in my bad choices You use all of them for me to serve a purpose for You. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love, and thank You for giving me the spiritual gift of prophecy that You have given me, may I know how to use it for Your glory. Lord, lead me and guide me, help me to learn to yield to the Holy Spirit as He teaches me to serve You with all my heart, soul, and might. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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