We too often look out for ourselves, but today’s verse mentions that we were given the Holy Spirit and various spiritual gifts for the common good. We read in 1 Corinthians 12:7: “A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good” (CSB). This goes against what we usually are being … Continue reading The Common Good
Tag: Spirit of God
Repair What is Broken
Jesus desires harmony among believers. Perfect harmony. He prayed for us to be made complete, to be of one mind, united together (John 17:20-23). Paul echos this in 2 Corinthians 13:11: “Finally, beloved friends, be cheerful! Repair whatever is broken among you, as your hearts are being knit together in perfect unity. Live continually in … Continue reading Repair What is Broken
Letter of the Law
I spent a lot of my life as a doer. Even as a young child, I was a stickler for rules and had to share the rules with others who I noticed were not complying. To me, there was a right way and a wrong way. There were boundaries, rules set in place for a … Continue reading Letter of the Law
Validation
Today’s devotion focuses on endorsement… validation… recommendation. The Message translates today’s verse this way: “Does it sound like we’re patting ourselves on the back, insisting on our credentials, asserting our authority? Well, we’re not. Neither do we need letters of endorsement, either to you or from you. You yourselves are all the endorsement we need. … Continue reading Validation
Privileged to Drink
The Message translates today’s verse this way: “You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you’re still one body. It’s exactly the same with Christ. By means of His … Continue reading Privileged to Drink
Expense of Others
We forget how connected we are in life. Remember, we were made to be communal beings. In America, there is this individualism that is taught. It is all about independence from others with a me, myself, and I perspective. It’s my right, my liberty, my freedom. This is why it’s difficult to travel in roundabouts … Continue reading Expense of Others
Full Understanding
Yesterday we looked at how our faith is established by the power of the Holy Spirit — by listening to Him as He reveals deep and hidden truths, convicts our hearts, and opens our eyes to see anew. We noted that people without the Spirit may read some truths in the Bible; however, without the … Continue reading Full Understanding
Established Faith
Knowing about God is not the same thing as knowing God. This is where there is a great divide: between the knowing about or the truly knowing and experiencing the presence of God in your life. In 1 Corinthians 2:5, we read: “For God intended that your faith not be established on man’s wisdom but … Continue reading Established Faith
Trying to Impress
Trying to impress others is not always a good practice. Typically we end up sharing a distorted version of ourselves. Then we sell ourselves short because people do not get to know the real you, which is much better than the facade. We read in 1 Corinthians that Paul was not trying to impress people … Continue reading Trying to Impress
True Value
Today I found myself trying to remember a time when we didn’t have Facebook or Instagram. It feels like we have always had these social media companies in our lives. As I scroll through my feed, I see so many photos of people, food, home decor, children, pets, vacations, etc. There is always the line … Continue reading True Value
Tania Gutekunst 