A critical component of the Christian faith is believing that Jesus died for our sins, was buried and then was raised on the third day, in accordance with Scripture.  Believing this is vital because if Jesus was not raised from the dead, then man would not be raised after an earthly death either.  My ESV study notes say: "The proof that Christ's death was an effective substitutionary sacrifice for sins, lies in Jesus' resurrection from the dead. If in fact Christ has not been raised, then his death did not pay for sin, and there is no hope for life with God in heaven." Therefore, it is crucial to believe that He died, was buried and resurrected into heaven. 

Verses for Thought:

    33   Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals."

    Have you ever heard anyone say "If you want to be smart, spend time with the smartest. If you want to be rich, spend time with the richest." ?  When you spend a significant amount of time with people you learn much about them.  You can learn what they do, how they do it, and hopefully you can integrate their habits into your life. Well, spending time with people that are dishonorable to God may in fact pollute your life.  I remember back in school, you'd spend so much time with your best friend that you would have the same thoughts; finish each others' sentences; use the same vocabulary or even start talking like each other; dress alike; like the same boy (uh-oh!) and compare your lot with theirs. Times don't change. To an extent, we still do that as adults!  It sounds so elementary, but it is true. That's why it is good to be aware of with whom you spend so much time.  If you want to be godly, spend time with godly people! 

   Lord Jesus, if there are people we are spending too much time with that we shouldn't be, I ask that you reveal it to us clearly- that our faith might not be polluted by the ungodliness of them. May you bring into our lives people that love you and are of good influence- that our faith might be strengthened through their friendship and godly example. Amen.



~Leanne~

I'm going to do things a bit different today, hope you don't mind!  In reference to this chapter I would like to say there are some believers who do not practice the spiritual gifts of tongue or prophecy. There are some who don't even believe it to be proper in this day, limiting it to the times of when the Bible was written.  In my opinion, I believe that all spiritual gifts can and should be used if God has appointed you to do so. Although I believe in the gift of healing, I have never personally experienced or seen someone be miraculously, instantly healed. However, I do think that all things from Scripture are truth, and believe that they aren't limited to when Scripture was written.  If you have any questions regarding spiritual gifts, I encourage you to search your answers out- by asking God, who enables all gifts, and by studying Scripture, where God can make it known to you. You may email me with questions and I can do my best to answer them by pointing you to applicable Scripture.  

    As far as verses 1-19, Paul talks to the Corinthians about the spirtual gifts of tongue and prophecy. There are many churches today that don't believe this chapter to be relevant today and therefore do what Paul instructs against.  First of all, he mentions that all should pursue love and and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts- but especially the gift of prophecy. When someone speaks in tongue, the language is unknown and the Holy Spirit is speaking through them. (vs. 2-4: For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.  On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.  The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.)  Most people who speak in tongue do not even know what they are saying. When this is done out loud infront of others, Paul instructs someone to interpret the tongue. This is where Paul says it is better to prophesy. If someone speaks in tongue, but no one interprets, how is anyone to know what is said? What's the point? (vs 6-9:  Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?  If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle?  So with yourselves, if with your tongue your utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air.) If there is no one with the power to interpret, let them not speak out in tongue, but pray it between himself and God. (vs.28: But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God.) Otherwise, if a visitor enters the church, they might not be confused, but hear the voice of God. (vs. 23-25:  If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?  But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.)  Although prophecy is more beneficial for the believer, it can be used to convict the unbeliever. Whereas when a tongue is spoken without interpretation, no one understands it and therefore serves no purpose but to edify the one who spoke it. That is why Paul says, "The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up."  

    When spiritual gifts are practiced in an orderly way- the way the Bible instructs, God is most glorified and people are most edified. Verse 23 says, "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace." 

    This topic can be very uncomfortable for some, especially if you have never heard tongues spoken properly. I remember about six years ago, when I heard tongues being done in an unorderly fashion, and I got very angry!  It was the first time I had ever heard it spoken, and it just didn't sit right with my spirit. I prayed and prayed about it. My husband and I confronted the church about the order of worship, described here in this chapter, and eventually things were done differently. A few weeks after the change, God empowered me to pray in tongues. It was very odd and awkward at first, but to this day I still practice praying in tongue. If you have never experienced this, or may even be in disbelief- ask God, like I did. Maybe He will enable you to speak also- maybe He will allow an opportunity to hear it spoken in a godly way. Maybe then, you will believe- like I did.

Father in Heaven,  forgive us for our unbelief. I pray for those who are uncomfortable with these gifts would have their minds changed by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Lord, that You would allow them to experience these gifts practiced in an orderly way or that you would empower them with the gifts themselves. Thank you for speaking through Paul who explained these things well that we might understand it. Amen.

  1-3   If I speak in tongues of mean and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

   At first when I read this chapter, this verse went in one ear and out the other. But I want to stop here and meditate on this for a minute. In my spiritual walk, I ask and seek the Lord for spiritual gifts. On the one missionary training my husband and I went to in Colorado, our application was partly based on our spiritual gifts.  People want to know their spiritual gifts to they know how to serve in the church. But does anyone ask if they have love? In verse 13 in the NIV it says, "Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." If the greatest of these is love, how come we don't focus more on love rather than faith and gifts? Do we just assume that people love? Well, what is love...?

    4-8a   Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. 

    I love my husband Joey. But there are times I could definitely be more patient with him, kind to him. There are times I am rude or arrogant. There are times I insist on my own way. There are times I am irritable and resentful. WOW- maybe I should pray for more love?? I know I pray for more faith- but if love is greater than faith, then maybe I should pray for more love. 

   8    Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

    This verse just shows me the importance of love. All other things will pass away, but love will remain forever. Seeking spiritual gifts is important too as we read in the next chapter.

    Dear Father, I don't know if I have ever asked for love, but I am asking you now. Thank you that you made it clear how important love is. I ask that I would not overlook this and continue to pursue love. Teach me what is said in verses 4-7. Thank you for showing me something new today. 
Amen.



~Leanne~

4-6    Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

    12-27     For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.  For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

     For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.  If all were a single member, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”  On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,  and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty,  which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.  If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

    Verses 8-11 in this chapter list the spiritual gifts that God empowers in each believer. These verses are a great encouragement for all members in a church body. I love the use of body parts to explain the importance of all the gifts in the church.  We can be easily discouraged when we compare our gifts and abilities with others. But God, through Paul's teaching here, explains rightly that all gifts are just as important as eachother- and all are needed in the body of believers.  So whether you teach Sunday school, pastor a mega church, greet people at the door, lead a Bible study, serve coffee and donuts, visit the sick, speak in tongue- all gifts, services and activites are given by God and are needed in the church. 

    If you don't know your gifts and want to serve in your church, ask God to reveal to you what they are! There are also many online spiritual gift tests that can help figure them out. I am not familiar with one or another that I would recommend one to you. You can also ask people around you who worship God with you and know you well. They may have a good idea as to what your gifts are.  Whatever the gift- do it all for the glory of God!
    Jesus, thank you that my gifts are needed. Thank you that You have given them to me to use for Your glory. Lord I ask that for those who don't know what gifts they possess, that they would come to You so that You might show them. I pray against the enemy who may try to tell us what gifts we do have, aren't important. Thank you that Your Word says that all are given by You and all are needed in the church. Amen.



~Leanne~

   3    But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.

    This verse shows us the leadership roles between relationships. Within the Trinity, God has authority over Christ. A man is subject to Christ, and a husband has authority over his wife. Paul compares the Trinity with marriage because within the Trinity all of them are equal in character, God had the highest position of authority. The same in marriage- a husband and wife are both seen as equal importance to God- they were both created in His image, but God has also placed the role of leadership on the man.  When the Bible uses the terms authority and leadership- it obviously doesn't mean that a man can abuse, take advantage of or disrespect his wife without judgment from God. God placed this role on the man to keep things in order.  Just like God designed man to be in submission to Christ- which is best, so God designed women to be in submission to her husband- which is best. As a woman, we are to submit to our husbands, in that it pleases God. This should not be taken lightly. These are the roles that God intended for a marriage- any other way are not aligned with God's will. As a man, this is a heavy responsibility. The husband is responsible for his wife. In Genesis chapter 3, Adam and Eve sinned by eating the fruit of the tree that God commanded them not to. It is a very familiar story- even to unbelievers. But have you ever noticed, that the serpent tempted Eve first? Was she more vulnerable than her husband? The thing that I just learned about a year ago, is that Adam was RIGHT BESIDE HER when she was tempted. Instead of correcting her, he submitted to her- and sinned also. When God walked into the garden, He first called Adam and asked what they had done. Adam was responsible for her. In verse 17 it says, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife..." In verse 16, after God told the woman she would experience great pains in childbearing, He also said to her, " Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you."  

    Ephesians 5:22-33 says, "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.  For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.  Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,  so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,  because we are members of his body.  “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”  This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.  However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.  

    I wanted to display this verse from Ephesians too because there are women who have a hard time reading in God's Word to submit to their husbands. But I want you to notice that God also instructs husbands to love their wives as themselves. God commands husbands to build their wives up as a women of God, that she might be holy in sight of Him.  I have included all the study notes from my ESV Bible on this passage ESV Study Notes- I encourage you to read them.

    Until over year ago, I was the spiritual leader in our home. I did the finances, I made many decisions and I was in the place of leadership in our home.  We didn't plan it that way- naturally I tend to lead, and my husband tends to allow others to lead.  God convicted both of us about the roles we each played in our marriage.  It was very challenging at times to reverse roles, but now my husband leads the home- including the budget, decisions and spiritual leadership.  Our marriage has never been greater. Trust me, giving up the budget so my husband controlled each dollar spent wasn't fun at first, because I had a way of finding a place for the extra money we had each month.  Instead, those dollars are now spent on things we need rather than things we don't.  Our finances are in better shape and the marriage is much more enjoyable. My husband finds joy in the responsibility of leading our home into growing more mature spiritually- although it is also burdensome- and he also finds pleasure in loving me and serving me as Christ served and sacrificed for the church. Believe it or not, I am a happier and more joyful wife with the submissive role I have now surrendered to. God's way is best, even if it seems difficult. If you obey God, He will bless you.

    Do you think it will be hard for you to have the role of a submissive wife or a sacrificing husband? Ask God to help you. That's what He wants for your marriage, and He won't let you figure it out on your own.

~Leanne~

1-13    For I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

     Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play."  We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.  We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.


    This is part of Paul's warning against idolatry. He gives us vague examples of people in the Bible that were following the Lord then fell into sin and were led astray. The Israelites back in Exodus, heard God's words and saw works of divine power, but still chose not truly follow God.  "The cloud" refers to an actual cloud that God used to lead the Israelites out of Egypt (Exodus 13:17-22). "All passed through the sea" refers to God parting the Red Sea, letting the Israelites pass through raised waters on dry land to escape the Egyptians pursuing them (Exodus 14:1-31). God closed the waters over the Egyptians and killed them.  Paul uses the the cloud and water as diagrams of being baptized. "Spiritual food" refers to the bread from heaven God provided called Manna (Exodus 16)and the "spiritual drink" refers to the water that came out of a rock to quench their thirst (Exodus 17:1-7 & Numbers 20:2-13).

  Can you imagine such events? A cloud directing you to the right location? A large sea being divided, with walls of water on each side of you as you pass through them on dry ground? Bread falling out of the sky when you were starved? Water supernaturally coming out of a rock when you were parched?  And yet, there were some who still did not believe! Does that not sound crazy? Today, we don't see things like these specific examples happen, but we do see the hand of God at work- and yet WE choose not to believe. We also see God deliver us from one thing to the next, yet when another circumstance arises that is out of our control, we forget how God delivered us from the past experiences. Why do we so quickly forget how good our God is????  How many times does God have to 'prove Himself' to you before you will completely trust in Him? 

    So if you think you got it all together- be on guard. Your pride may be the things that causes you to fall. Temptation exists. YOU WILL BE TEMPTED. In that moment, will you choose to surrender to the temptation, or surrender to God?  God ALWAYS provides a way out. He never wants you to give in to temptation. Call out to him when you are being tempted- walk away from the temptation- RUN from the temptation. The Lord has given you an opportunity to escape- do it. 

  God was not pleased with some of the Israelites because they, after seeing all that God had done, engaged in idolatry, sexual immorality and other sin rather than worshipping God. They turned their back on all God had done for them. Do you worship God one day, then the next go out and knowingly sin? To the Israelites, God punished them to death.  Today, God does not put us to death for our sin, but He does send us to eternal hell if we choose not to repent of our sin and follow Him with all that we are. Following Jesus doesn't mean you can go to church on Sunday and sin the other days of the week. Going to church does not save you.  Repentance and a relationship with Jesus does.    

    21   You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.  

    The cup and table of the Lord refers to the communion table. Paul is using this imagery to better show his warning. This goes back to the paragraph prior- do you worship God on Sunday then "partake" in sin other days of the week. Don't get me wrong, we are all sinners, and we will sin. But is their evidence in your life that you love Jesus? (John 14:15)- If you love me, you will obey my commandments. If you knowingly engage in sin and are not trying to live a holy life, then you are "drinking the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons."  You are choosing Satan some days and Jesus other days.  Do you call yourself saved? I would question the reality of your relationship with Him if you are living this life. I was there- not too long ago. I called myself a Christian. I went to church. I led worship at church! I even read my Bible- yet I was not willing to stop living the sinful life I was living. I didn't see it as sinful at the time. But HELL-O, isn't the Bible clear on the very things that are sinful? How wasn't it more clear to me? At one point I knew it was sin, but I wasn't "ready" to give Him all of me- I still wanted to control most of it. "YOU CANNOT PARTAKE OF THE TABLE OF THE LORD AND THE TABLE OF DEMONS."  In Revelation 3:15-16 it says, I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth."  God is a jealous God- He will not accept a lukewarm follower. He wants ALL of you, not some of you. He wants you to love Him, trust Him and obey Him. YOU WILL BE BLESSED by loving, trusting and obeying Him. TRUST ME. If you haven't read my testimony- read My Transformation  

    A good sermon to listen to today is John 14:15-31 at https://www.handstotheplow.org/.It was preached on December 18th 2011. Enjoy!

    Father, thank you that you are an awesome God, who split the sea for the Israelites, who poured bread out of heaven, water from a rock and guided the Israelites with a cloud. Lord, You are still that magnificent even today. May You show each of us how amazing You are! Let it be our testimony of how You delivered us! May we fully devote ourselves to You Jesus. May we not we lukewarm. May we not partake with You and demons. Forgive us if we have been. Show us a new life in You. May we love, trust and obey You all the days of our life. Amen.


~Leanne~

24,25     Do you not know that in a race all the runner run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. {ESV)

            Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (NIV)


      I included the NIV there because I prefer the use of crown rather than wreath, but still like the work imperishable. Read the verse again. At the time Paul wrote this verse, it is thought that he may have been been in Corinth during the biennial Isthmian games- a public athletic contest, similar to what we know as the Olympic Games.  Spiritually, we are all running the race of sharing the gospel to all who don't believe. In order to be fruitful in this, it is important to keep self-control. It is important to keep your eyes on the prize- which will not wither away like the wreath possibly given at the Isthmian games, but the crown of eternal life, that lasts forever.

    Sometimes I think we get so busy with life- we get so consumed with what the world is offering that we lose our focus on the race. Instead we get off the track and become distracted with something outside of the race. Sometimes we end up checking out a different race going on, one where the prize is only of imperishable things- sometimes we even participate! It sometimes takes us awhile before we realize we forgot where we were at, and we mosey back over to the race we are signed up for.  

    What are some things outside the race that we can get distracted by?  Getting the promotion or the new job, getting the bigger house, getting a new or improved wardrobe, losing weight, becoming successful, making more money... things we might even put before God.

   I challenge you to see what race you are running. Did you check out the race going on somewhere else? Keep your eyes focused on the prize, given by the best Judge ever. 


~Leanne~

 5    Do not deprive one another...so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

    Paul is talking about the principals of marriage. He warns married people to not deprive your spouse of sex because while not being provided for sexually you will most likely be tempted to sin.  For most men, you wouldn't dream of depriving your wife of sexual relations. For most women, sex is not on our minds nearly as often as men. I am no sex therapist- but Paul has some pretty good advice here. I know that if my husband and I are without sex for more than a few days, the house has more tension in it. It then dawns on me that we haven't been intimate, but usually by that tense time, that's the last thing I want to give!  If we as women keep this verse in mind, maybe even handy- it may just change our attitudes about the "headache" we have. You know what I'm talking about....!  If we think seriously though, that when we choose to not provide for our husbands' sexual needs, he will most likely be tempted, would you think twice about serving him in this area? Or would you rather him be tempted and trust his self control? I doubt that latter. I've been down the road of sexual temptation and have failed miserably. For a man- it's not his choice that he needs sex. God made him that way! Does that not mean that God also then expects us, as their spouse, to serve them in that way? Absolutely. It's not something I always like to remember- especially when Joey and I have had a disagreement and the bitterness lasts a few days. But honestly- sex is usually the best cure. Go figure!


~Leanne~

9-11    Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.  And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

    I love the part that says, "and such WERE some of you." I was once sexually immoral, and idolater, a thief, greedy, a drunk. But when I accepted Jesus He washed me clean. He sanctified me. He justified me. How awesome is His grace?! That grace never ends. When He died for me, He forgave ALL my sins- past, present and future. Have you accepted His forgiveness? I also like the last few words of these verses... 'and by the Spirit of our God.'  When we accept Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit dwells in us. Regularly He shines His light in our darkness to reveal to us areas that do reflect Jesus. He prunes out the bad so that we are able to produce more fruit. With this I don't mean becoming an expert gardener. As christians, we are compared to a tree. Matthew 7:17 says," So, every healthy tree produces good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit."  Galatians 5:22-23 says," The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."  As the Holy Spirit reveals to us things that are not of God, He also teaches us to be more like Jesus. It is vital to live a repentant life every day- surrendering every day to the Lord. If we choose to ignore sin it will become like a disease in us. We will start producing bad fruit.  Matthew 7:19 says, "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."  I don't know whether I believe in once saved always saved, as I do understand points in both opinions. But either way, I don't want to be cut down. I want to be healthy and produce good fruit. 

    Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Thank you that because of your love and grace for me that I am washed, sanctified and justified! Thank you that I no longer have to identify myself with my past sins- but can rejoice that I WILL inherit the kingdom of God! 

    If you don't know Jesus as your Savior and reading this verse convicted you, please visit my page on Receiving Christ.

12    "All things are lawful for me," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful for me," but I will not be enslaved by anything."    

    This verse was especially real to me when I struggled and eventually quit drinking alchohol.  I had come out of a lifestyle of drunkenness and drug addiction.    When I started living for Jesus, the drugs stopped, but I would occasionally still fall into drunkenness. I tried to quit numerous of times, but the problem was I didn't hate my sin, I just hated the consequences of my intoxication- the hangover and the guilt of messing up again. Not only was the drunkenness a sin, but the things I chose to do while I was inebriated was strengthening the stronghold Satan had on my life. The worst of it was revisiting my pornography addiction I had before I was saved. After choosing not to get drunk again, and after some months of sobriety, I resorted to having a glass of wine or beer a couple times a week.  This is where the hardest part was for me because in the Bible it does not say, 'Do not drink'- just not to get drunk. It was easier to justify having one, because it wasn't against what the Bible said. However, I had a conviction stirring in me from the Spirit that I chose not to listen to.  Looking back I realize why it was wrong for me to drink. I was not helpful for me to drink because I preferred my character when I had a drink in me- I was more laid back, I wanted to be more adventurous with my husband in the bedroom, I felt people liked me better, felt more confidence, felt relaxed... it all led to insecurity in who I really was- the sober Leanne, and I would fix it with a drink. This was not helping my godly character, in fact, it was deadening it. I had turned my back on my convictions and continued down the path of social drinking. Well, Satan knew it was my weakness, and prowled around like a lion ready to devour me again.   He gained ground in my life- except this time it was less noticeable to me- it crept up on me, but I had allowed it because I was ignorant of the Spirit.  After making a few bad mistakes, repenting and surrendering my life once again to Jesus, i quit drinking once and for all.  I can say with great thankfulness to Jesus that I have been sober for just over two years. It was pretty awesome how God blessed the areas in my life that I had been so insecure in before. My exhortation to you is to always be on guard and be always in the Word. I was not on guard and thats what led me to destructable sin. ONLY by the grace of God did my life turn around.   1 Peter 5:8 - Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Don't let yourself be the captured prey.

    I have history of being enslaved to many things. Again, you can say that sometime you don't really know you are enslaved until you are already there. What you are enslaved to might not be a sin, but the fact you let it consume you (or enslave) you is the sin. The definition of enslaved is to make someone a servant. Here are some synonyms: bind, capture, chain, confine, deprive, dominate, hold, incarcerate, jail, restrain, restrict, secure, shackle, yoke...    Those are some pretty strong words. A recent example of how I was enslaved is told about in my blog Skincare Struggle.  Again, be always on guard and be always in the Word.

18-20    Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,  for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.


    I think my ESV Study Bible footnotes do a good job breaking this down. Here they are:

            1 Cor. 6:16–18 Unity with Christ is incompatible with all sin (Rom. 6:6) but particularly with sexual sin. Because sexual union has a spiritual component, sexual activity outside marriage is a unique sin both against Christ (1 Cor. 6:15) and one’s own body (v. 18; see Prov. 6:26, 32). Within marriage, sexual union is not only allowed but has positive spiritual significance (Gen. 2:24; Eph. 5:22–33). Flee. Paul also tells the Corinthians to “flee from idolatry” in 1 Cor. 10:14. Idolatry and sexual immorality were closely connected in Israel’s history (Ex. 32:6; Num. 25:1–2) as well as in Paul’s thinking about the problems in Corinth (1 Cor. 10:7–8).


1 Cor. 6:19 temple of the Holy Spirit within you. The Spirit of the Lord lives within individual Christians (v. 17), making each Christian’s body a temple just as the church, corporately conceived, is also a temple where God’s Spirit dwells (3:16). You are not your own. As with other gifts from God (4:2, 7), Christians are to exercise responsible stewardship over their bodies.

    I especially like the verse, "You are not your own, for you were bought with a price." What a sobering and humbling truth of who we are- God's.

~Leanne~

    6    "Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?"

    My ESV Study Bible notes say this note on leaven: "Not yeast (which was uncommon in the ancient world) but fermented dough, a little of which would be left from the pervious week to be added to a new lump of dough. By analogy, when publicly known sin in the church is not subjected to church discipline, it will silently spread its destructive consequences throughout the whole fellowship."

    I also like to think of it in regards to sin.  When people have a sin that they are aware of that they are not repenting of, they don't realize that that it affects the whole body and life spiritually. I don't know about you, but when I am refusing to admit my sin, every other area of my life seems to be affected. When we allow sin to enter our life, even more when you are not repenting, you allow the evil one to have a stronghold. There will be other areas you will notice he will try to tempt you and weaken your relationship with God. Sin does not just affect you- it affects the people around you too. That's why my study notes refer to the sin affecting the whole fellowship.


~Leanne~

 5    ...the Lord...will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will  disclose the purposes of the heart. 

    I love this verse. I love the image of light and darkness here. Throughout Scripture, light is associated with Jesus- that which is holy, darkness is associated with Satan and our flesh- that which is evil. When you accept Jesus as your Savior, the Spirit of God lives within you. He convicts you of sin- revealing to you the darkness in your life. Some of the darkness you might be completely aware of- other things are less noticeable to you- you didn't realize you only had a dim light on and weren't able to see clearly. Other things the Spirit reveals to you are the dark corners in your life- the ones you know about- but choose to forget about. The darkness that you don't want anyone to know about. The Holy Spirit will shine His light not only in the dim areas, but the pitch black areas. But when He shines His light into those places, you will be purified, as long as you don't try to turn the Light out. The closer you get to Jesus, the less darkness you have. In fact, a follower of Jesus that chooses to live a repentant life will not have any dark, hidden corners in their life. They choose instead to confess their sin, have accountability partners, and allow the Light to penetrate every area of their life- so that nothing is hidden. Because we are flesh, we will always be sinful- we can't be perfect- but our sin doesn't have to be hidden from others. James 5:16 says, "Confess your sin to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed." 
     Some areas of darkness for me have been clear- others not so much- and I have had the dark corners I didn't want anyone to know about. For instance, some darkness for me that was noticeable was my drinking and drug habits. When I accepted Jesus, the Holy Spirit shone His light there and delivered me from that sin. The darkness that was revealed to me by His bright light was the selfishness, greed, and approval for others in my life. I didn't see this sin right away, it took awhile before I was willing to let the light in that area. My dark corners of life were my addiction to pornography and my undisciplined, ungodly spending habits. The porn speaks for itself, but my spending habits were just uncontrolled. It wasn't that I was going on shopping sprees and swiping the credit card, but it was being negligent of telling my husband all that I bought. It was giving up controlling the budget, my credit card and coming clean about my habits. I hadn't gotten us into debt shopping, it was the principal that I didn't want to tell my husband the whole truth, because I knew I had spent money on things that were foolish. 
    These are only a few examples, trust me, I have many other things in my life that the Spirit is revealing to me with His light, through His grace and love for me.
Let the Light shine!

~Leanne~

2    I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready...

    What does this mean?  Think of a newborn baby-they can't eat solid food. Switch gears and think of people's spiritual maturity. Paul is comparing the Corinthians spiritual maturity with that of a baby. They were immature. Paul wanted to teach them mature spiritual matter but they wouldn't understand yet, so he withheld. In 3:1, Paul refers to the Corinthian people as "infants in Christ".  What made these people immature believers? Paul says in verse 3 that there was "jealousy and strife among them". He also said they were behaving in human ways? The term human here refers to them living out worldly behaviors- ones not of godly action. 

6,7    I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.  So neither he who plants nor he who water is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

    Paul was addressing the Corinthians here because some of the church was divided in which leader they followed to teach them the gospel.  Paul's point here was ultimately God is the One to be glorified, not the man from which the gospel was preached. The men chosen to teach the gospel were merely disciples of the gospel.  God is the one creates spiritual growth in people. Therefore, do not take credit for someone deciding to follow Jesus, rather give praise to God alone that you got to be apart of sharing the gospel! God chose you to share Christ, but it is God who internally changes someone's heart. I don't want to discourage you from sharing the gospel- but know that it may take a few planters and waters before growth is seen in someone. In fact you may never see fruit from what you planted. Trust that God chose you to plant a seed, and trust that God, in His divine timing, will produce the growth. 

21-23    So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours...whether the world, or life, or death, or the present or the future-all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.

    The first sentence plainly summarizes what I was saying about verse 6 and 7. Don't boast in people. To paraphrase this I would say not to boast in anything- in myself, anything I have, anything I might obtain, my future or life itself- for it all belong to God. 
    For me, this came especially real when my husband and I started giving above our tithe.  It was hard at first because we thought we didn't have enough for ourselves. However, when we changed our thinking that everything belonged to God, and what we have has been given to us- it was easier to give. 


~Leanne~

 1    And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.

3-5    And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest int he wisdom of men but in the power of God.

    These verses again remind us like 1 Corinthians 1:17, that it's not about what words we use or how we use them. It's not about us sounding wise or knowledgeable. It is the power of God that speaks through us and the power of the Holy Spirit that does a work in the unbelieving heart. And even Paul- the greatest missionary that ever lived, spoke plainly to people! Remember these verses the next time you feel discouraged to share the Gospel.

6,7    Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rules of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

12    Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

14    The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

    I am so grateful that God gives us His wisdom through the Holy Spirit that we can understand what is shown to us. Father, may I be among the mature that understands, applies and shares this secret and hidden wisdom.Thank you that you are willing to so freely give us this wisdom!


~Leanne~

17    For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the Gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 

        I love this verse. Sometimes I am discouraged when I hear other believers use words I don't understand. I feel like I need to carry a dictionary around with me! I don't think it's wrong to have a extensive vocabulary, but this just encourages me that even Paul didn't use words that people wouldn't understand!  God CAN use my words, as elementary as they are!

25    For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

        This verse just shows how magnificent God is compared to man. It reminds me how stupid I can be when I think I have it all together- when I unintentionally tell God I can handle my circumstances and I don't need Him. I do this by not laying my circumstances at His feet until the circumstance is so overwhelming I realize I've been trying to get through it on my own. God is so all-knowing, He is the best One to take all things to. 

27-29 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even the things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.

    These verses shake me. I love that God is exalting Himself and showing that its NOTHING a man can do- but ALL what GOD can do.  That purposefully He chooses people that the world would say are nobodies, so that they cannot be glorified, but He. There are SO many examples of people in the Bible who were nobodies. Here are a few:

• David shepherd boy. God used him to defeat Goliath the giant.  He became the king of Israel. (1 Samuel 16:14- 2 Samuel 8:18)
• Joseph was sold as a slave by his own brothers into Egypt and       

       ended up serving Pharaoh in his palace with authority over all of           
       Egypt. (Genesis 37-41:45)

• Saul was a persecutor of Christians and imprisoned anyone who 
  

       followed Jesus. He was hated among many people and yet God     
       wanted to use him for His purposes. God transformed his heart and
       gave him a new name- Paul. Paul wrote 13, possibly 14 books of 
       New Testament (Romans through Philemon, possibly also Hebrews)     
       (Acts 8-9:27)

• The Twelve Disciples were men who were not educated in the Bible to be considered disciples at that time. Disciples had to go through 

       rigorous training and Scripture memorization to be accepted by a 
       rabbi. Jesus chose twelve men among them were fishermen and
       a tax collector! (Matthew 4:18-22, 9:9)

• Mary, the mother of Jesus, a woman who lived in small town- so small that it was overlooked as being nothing. God told her through

       an angel that she would bear a son who would be the Savior of the 
       world!

    I encourage you to dig throughout the Scriptures and find more amazing stories of how God used incapable people to do awesome things through His power all to fulfill His purposes and plans for humanity. Amazing. Let us remember who we are- apart from Him we are nothing. So let us not be proud in who we are but be proud to be called His.