Let's Live As Servants Of Christ.

1 Corinthians 7:25-8:13
We are to ‘use the things of the world’ without becoming ‘engrossed in them’ (31).
Becoming more worldly in our way of living is not a purely personal thing. We harm other people ‘for whom Christ died’. They look to us for a godly example and we let them down. We ‘sin against them’. We ‘sin against Christ’. Our choices affect other people. We choose a self-centred life. We cause them to ‘fall into sin.’ We live a life of ‘love’, and they are ‘built up’ in their faith (11-13,1; Matthew 18:5-7, 10).
How are we to live? Are we to become preoccupied with how our actions affect those who watch our every move? That could become very confusing and distracting. We must keep our eyes on Jesus. We must live ‘not ... as men-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart...’ (Ephesians 6:6-7).

Our Love For The Lord Must Be Stronger Than Any Other Love.

1 Corinthians 6:12-7:24
The Lord has placed the highest value on us: ‘you were bought with a price’ (6:20; 7:23).
Our love for Him must be stronger than any other love.
Some are under pressure, at home, from an unbelieving husband or wife. You wonder whether your Christian witness is doing any good (7:16). You feel you are getting nowhere. You feel like giving up. You feel yourself being dragged away from the Lord.
What does the Word of God say? - ‘Lead the life which the Lord has assigned’; ‘Remain with God’ (7:17,24).
A difficult situation at home is just one example of ‘the world’ trying to ‘squeeze us into its own mould’ (Romans 12:2).
The world will keep chipping away at our faith - until there’s nothing left. ‘Do not love the world or the things in the world... He who does the will of God abides for ever’ (1 John 2:17).

More Of Christ And Less Of Self!

1 Corinthians 5:1-6:11
‘Your boasting is not good’ - May we never become so taken up with ourselves that we forget Jesus Christ and all that He has done for us: ‘Christ, ou r Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us’, ‘you were washed... sanctified... justified in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God’ (5:6-7; 6:11).
There were problems among God’s people - ‘sexual immorality’, ‘lawsuits’ (5:1; 6:7). In all of this, Christ was being forgotten.
* There are no depths to which we cannot sink when we take our eyes off Christ.
* There are no heights to which we will not be raised as we look away from ourselves to Him. Christ is able to lift from the guttermost and ‘save to the uttermost all those who come to God through Him’ (Hebrews 7:25).
Let it be more of Christ and less of self!

Serving Our Lord Jesus Christ

1 Corinthians 4:1-21
As ‘servants of Christ’, we must concern ourselves with one thing - being ‘found faithful’.
This is not a matter of pleasing people - ‘it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you...'
Pleasing God - this is the most important thing (1-4).
Serving Christ is not easy.
There are always those who are quick to pass judgment on the Lord’s servants. What does God say about this? - ‘Do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes’ (9-13,5).
Being ‘found faithful’ is not just a matter of ‘saying the right words’. We must be the right people. This is what Paul means when he says, ‘The kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power’ (20). ‘You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses’ (Acts 1:8; Romans 12:11).

The Saviour Is More Important Than The Preacher.

1 Corinthians 2:6-3:23
We come to know God when ‘the Spirit’ leads us to 'Jesus Christ' (2:10-13; 3:11; John 16:14).
We must not attach too much importance to the preachers - ‘What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants ...’. When we make too much of the servant, we draw attention away from the Saviour.
There is a very important lesson here - ‘Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth’ (3:5-7).
We are not members of a ‘mutual appreciation society’ - ‘You pat my back, and I’ll pat yours’!
We must learn to point to Jesus, saying, ‘He must increase, but I must decrease’ (John 3:30).
Let ‘Jesus take the highest honour’. Let His Name be ‘the Name high over all’. ‘’Tis all my business... to cry Behold the Lamb!’ (Mission Praise, 378,385) - Let’s say it and mean it!

Keeping Our Focus On Christ

1 Corinthians 1:1-2:5
Paul preached the Gospel, ‘not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power’ (17; 2:4). He preached 'Christ crucified' with a determination ‘to know nothing except Jesus Christ crucified’(23; 2:2). This is the message of our salvation - ‘Christ crucified... Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God’ (23-24). All the glory belongs to God. We have no right to steal away any of the glory for ourselves: ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord’ (26-31). Our faith is ‘not based on human wisdom but on God’s power’ (2:5). ‘Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace’ (Mission Praise, 712). Christ is our full salvation. ‘Let us rejoice and be glad’ in Him’ (30; Psalm 118:24).

The Blessing Comes From God.

Isaiah 55:1-13
The Word of God is spoken - ‘Seek the Lord while He may be found...’ (6-7). No one seems to be listening. What are we to do?
We must remember God’s promise: ‘My Word will not return to Me empty’ (11). We do not see all that God is doing. He is doing much more than we realize - ‘My thoughts are not your thoughts...’ (8-9).
We may be feeling very despondent - ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything’ (Luke 5:5). The Lord still comes to us with His Word of encouragement: ‘You shall go out with joy...’ (12).
Before there is joy, there may be many tears. When there seems to be nothing but disappointments, we must remember the Lord’s promise: ‘Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy...’ (Psalm 126:5-6).
We must not ‘judge before the time...’ (1 Corinthians 4:5).

The Joy Of The Lord Is My Strength.

"The joy of the Lord is our strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).
The joy of the Lord gives us strength to look to Jesus Christ for salvation.
The joy of the Lord gives us strength when we are suffering.
The joy of the Lord gives us strength to walk in the way of obedience.
The joy of the Lord gives us strength to keep on serving the Lord.

Do Not Be Anxious

http://picturemythoughts.blogspot.com

Lunch With Todd Bentley

There is a lot of talk about Todd Bentley, and Fresh Fire Ministries. I've read many posts in blog land, viewed many video's, and taken in a lot of information. There's the great, the good, the not so good, and the down right slanderous statements out there. Yes there are those whom feel they are called to expose others, judge others, and so on. They claim scriptures to back up their sarcasms, slanderous remarks, and out and out verbal attacks. Yet within reading such, out of their mouths comes forth the abundance of their hearts, right on the computer screen in words.

Yet in such and doing such, they compromise the scriptures placing themselves unaccountable to the word and words of God. There is nothing holy in there words, nothing pure, nothing that builds up, nothing that edifies, or that in truth with fact backs up what they say. They simply inflict the very bitterness, and lack of faith that is within there hearts. They make a profession out of debates, debating others, attacking others, and using God's word as a sword against others.

Simply Breathtaking

Thank you Myra for the beautiful pictures, captions and wonderful scriptures that you share here at The Christian Ministries Blog spot. You bring such beauty, warmth, love and expression to our blogs.
Blessings, in Christ
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

The Depth of the Riches

http://picturemythoughts.blogspot.com

Pride

And the man said "shall we worship or shall I just prophecy"...
Shout, say Come!, prophecy, grandstand.... go ahead, test drive it.

The Peace of Christ

http://picturemythoughts.blogspot.com

Hannah Ford Music

Here are two links that lead to some excellent worship music, and some great reads. I was really blessed this evening as I exchanged some emails with Hannah, only to then sit back and be blessed by the talents that God has blessed Hannah with as a worship leader. Thank you Jesus!
Hannah Ford Worship Music
Hannah Ford

Thanks Be To God

For all the online Christian Ministries and Christian Bloggers out there that share the love of Christ, His Redeeming Passion, the Word of God, and His Glorious Everlasting Kingdom.
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

Burdens

http://picturemythoughts.blogspot.com

Revival - Scotland, Sweden, England

Andy & Gunilla Glover of Revival To The Nations will be traveling to Europe on the 11th of June, and will be ministering in Scotland, Sweden and England. They will be speaking in Troon, Scotland, Almhult, Sweden, Bexhill, England and Edinburgh, Scotland.

Please lift them up in prayer as they minister to the peoples of the nations, and share the love and redeeming passion of Christ while overseas.
http://www.revivaltothenations.org/

Songs of Joy

http://picturemythoughts.blogspot.com

Heaven's Words

Who do people say you are? This is who the word of God says a born again Christian is. Are you born again? If so, tell the world.

Romans 8:1–2 I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31–39 I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21–22 I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1–4 I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online

Tree of Life

http://picturemythoughts.blogspot.com

An Unction

HOLY SPIRIT
Prophecy - Rev.19:10
Teaches - John 14:26
Empowers - Mic. 3:8
Truth - John 14:17
Speaks in Prophets - Acts 28:25
Illuminates the Mind - 1 Cor. 2:12-13 / Eph. 1:17-17
Reveals things of God - Is. 40:13-14 / 1 Cor. 2:10-13

Blessings, in Christ
In His Glorious Name Ministries Online