Today’s Verse: 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. ~1 Corinthians 13:2 In Chicago many years ago, a little boy attended a Sunday school that I know of. When his parents moved to another part of the city, the little fellow still attended the same Sunday school, although it meant a long, tiresome walk each way. A friend asked hi

Today’s Verse: For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? ~1 Corinthians 14:8 The sound of the trumpet is very significant. In our American culture, we associate the trumpet sounds (or bugle sounds in the military) with Reveille (wake-up call), Mess Call (meal time), Assembly (call for troops to assemble at a designated place), or Officer Call (call for all to assemble at a designated place for instruction). There is a distinct sound

Today’s Verse: But this I say, brethren, the time is short.... ~1 Corinthians 7:29a Someone has once said, “We master our minutes, or we become slaves to them; we use time, or time uses us.” Benjamin Franklin said, “Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.” Seneca said, “We are always complaining that our days are few, and acting as though there would be no end to them.” The Apostle Paul said, “The time is short.” This morning. le

Today’s Verse: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. ~1 Corinthians 10:13 "In the Australian bush country grows a little plant called the "sundew." It has a slender stem and tiny, round leaves fringed with hairs that glisten with bright drops of liquid as delicate as fine dew. Woe

Today’s Verse: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. ~1 Corinthians 15:58 A roller coaster is a ride that goes up and down. Like a roller coaster, life will have its ups and downs. Most of us prefer our life being stable and predictable. We can be going along in life with a season of success and without anything unsettling, and then unexpectedly, w

Today’s Verse: For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! ~1 Corinthians 9:16 Necessity is defined as that which is necessary, imperative, important, or required. Another way of looking at necessity is that which is our cause, is essential, or must be done. Personal necessity is what we consider our highest priority. It is what drives us. Let us see, this morning, Paul’s personal

Today’s Verse: Let all things be done decently and in order. ~1 Corinthians 14:40 Have you ever had a household appliance stop working? I remember a time when I had both my refrigerator and dishwasher go out at the same time. It was a great relief when both appliances were back in working order! Most people want things to be in working order. We don’t want things to break down. In addition, we all desire events that we are involved in and things that we do to be in order. Ord

Today’s Verse: 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; ~1 Corinthians 1:27 Our culture magnifies endurance ability, fitness, muscular prowess, and extraordinary strength. Large numbers of people dedicate segments of their day to endurance and weight training in order to achieve a level of fitness and strength that places them in the upper echelons of suc

Today’s Verse: 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. ~1 Corinthians 4:5 One of our oldest idioms is the title of this morning’s devotion. It is a reminder that what you see on the outside does not mean that the same is on the inside. Judging is when we form a strong opinion about someone else based

Today’s Verse: Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: ~1 Corinthians 5:7 The Feast of the Passover was deeply embedded into Jewish life. On the night that the Passover was instituted, every household was to take an unblemished lamb of the first year, kill it, apply its blood to the doorposts and threshold, roast the body with herbs, and eat it. What they did that might was a beaut

Today’s Verse: And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. ~1 Corinthians 13:13 First Corinthians 13 has been labeled “the love chapter.” The Greek word for love or charity refers to God’s uninhibited and boundless love. It is loving as God loves. It is the highest virtue of the spiritual life that incorporates God’s holiness in its attributes. Of the three virtues of faith, hope, and charity, the greatest is love. We see the preem

Today’s Verse: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. ~1 Corinthians 16:22 As we come to the close of this year, we are considering a sentence that exhorts us to live fervently for the Lord. It is presented as a warning and a precaution. It is given to us in a way that causes us to be always mindful of the consequence of letting our fire for the Lord diminish. We see the spiritual goal. The goal and preeminent ambition of the Christian life