1 CORINTHIANS 16

Heart Issues
This chapter has one of the best pick up lines in it. 1 Corinthians 16:20 says to greet one another with a holy kiss, so I think we should obey the bible. J I am challenged by Paul’s heart for others and his call to men. He calls us to be strong, courageous, firm, and on our guard. These are a great foundation for understanding manhood. I am also challenged today by Paul’s love for his fellow believers. He longs to refresh and encourage them for an extended period of time, not just a passing through. I also would not be able to say the same thing Paul did in verse 9 that I would like to stay in the midst of persecution. I would more easily run away and go to where it was safe and easier to share Christ. 1 Corinthians has been a journey for me and I want to continue to understand better and better God’s presence in my life, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and to pursue love more and more all the time. I never want to be satisfied with my capacity to love and serve right now because I am not near where I want or need to be. My love is still very conditional.
Notes
-Paul begins by dealing with money. So often I don’t like to deal with money in Christianity, but it is so vital in freeing peoples’ hearts. Paul didn’t want to do an offering when he came, he wanted it to already be done and stored up. This is wise for multiple reasons, more money is usually collected in incremental amounts, and Paul didn’t have to have mixed motives while with them.
-Paul longed to spend time with them, not just to see them. This reflects Paul’s genuine heart for other believers. He longed for them to be encouraged and wanted to spend adequate time to refresh their faith.
-I love verse 9 because this is so Paul. He wants to stay longer because effective work is happening and people are opposing him. That blows me away that he would stay where people were opposing him. He definitely challenges our please like me Christianity of today.
-Verse 13 & 14 sums up manhood and the journey of faith for men for me. We must be on our guard against Satan and our sinful nature. We need to stand firm in the faith and allow nothing to move us from what we have been made sure of. In response to this firm faith we should push forward through courage, taking risks and allowing God to use us. In the midst of all this we should be strong. Our whole life is summed up in being warriors of love. Doing everything in love keeps us effective, productive, and not annoying.
-Paul curses again anyone who does not love Jesus. This is so surprising to me as I know Paul’s heart for the lost. He longs that everyone know Jesus, but he also has a healthy understanding of the justice and wrath of God it seems.