1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 7:4-5

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1 Corinthians 7:4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
 
Paul continues with these two verses in instructing us as husbands and wives as to how we are to treat each other. He first lets us know that we should not be ashamed in the presence of each other, we have become one flesh and and our bodies belong not to one of them, but each belongs totally to the other. Each partner is given the right over the spouse’s body for the satisfaction of the other in the covenant of marriage. Verse 5 is saying that the two should comfort one anther and not refuse the closeness a husband and wife should have. If they have agreed to a period of no personal contact because of a time of pray fasting it is OK, or if there has been a sickness or pregnancy. This abstinence period should not last long though so that one or the other becomes vulnerable to a sinful desire. This is not just a physical togetherness with the husband and wife, but is a bond between them.
1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 7:1-3

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1 Corinthians 7:1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
 
Paul here is making reference to someone not being married. It was God’ intention that a man and woman join marriage to populate the earth but it does not mean that if you stay single it is a sin. In the next verse Paul is saying if you are going to be joined together in marriage let it be a man and a woman in a husband and wife relationship. Even if you do not marry you are still to stay away from fornication or all sexual sins. There is not sin in getting married. There is a sin when you live with someone you are not married to. Finally here he says that a husband and wife are to love the other and think about their spouses needs more than their own. We are to love and comfort our spouse so they do not even think of looking else where for that comfort. While celibacy is right for the single, married believers are not to sexually deprive their spouses.The love between a husband wife is a bond God put together and we are to keep that bond the way God intended.
1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

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18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.
 
As this chapter winds up we see Paul warning against fornication again and here he is meaning all kinds of sexual sins. for a believer to commit these sins he is defiling his body which belongs to Christ. It is wrong in many ways cause it is also the way many diseases are transmitted. A Christians body belongs to the Lord an is a member of Christ and is the Holy Spirit’s temple. Every act of sin that is committed by the believer is in the sanctuary, the Holy of Holies, where God dwells. When Jesus died on the cross He bought us and paid in full for us. If Christ lives in us we should treat our bodies as if it is His temple and not do anything to defile the temple of God. In Galatians 2:20 it tells us, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Attend a church today that will feed you the true word of God.
1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 6:14-17

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1 Corinthians 6:14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.15 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17 But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
 
Bodies of believers and the Lord have an eternal relationship that will never perish. He is referring to the believer’s body to be changed, raised, glorified and made heavenly. Because we are the body of Christ should we commit sin a sin of the body is what Paul is asking. It is important not to involve the temple of the Holy Spirit in the act of a body sin. N ext we see when a man and woman are joined together they become one flesh. likewise when someone is joined to harlot they become one flesh. The two Scriptures above say that husband and wife are one in the flesh, All Christians, whether male or female, are one in spirit with the Lord Jesus Christ.
A Note from Hope

Happy Tails! a Note from Hope

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Did you know that all dogs don’t have a good home? It’s sad to think about some pups having to live out in the woods, being scared and hungry and cold… but you know what? We know some folks who try to help them.

Have I ever told you how I came to live with Mom and Dad? My friend Ms. Kimmie had a big pen in her back yard, and she brought me and my brother and sisters to her house from where we were born at Ms Kamellia’s house. We ran and played and ate and drank and, well you know what else puppies do. We had toys to play with and chew on, and Ms Kimmie came every day to play with us and make sure everything was OK.

Then one day, a new truck came in the yard. A lady with long hair got out and walked up and started talking to us. She came in the pen and squatted down and petted all of us. She would pick us up, one at a time and love us a little, then put that one down and pick up another one. After she’d put us down, we’d run off and play. Well, everyone but me. You see, I knew who she was – she was going to be my mom. So every time she put me down, I’d put my foot on her foot and look up at her.

After she’d petted all of us, and held us, she stood there and looked at us. She picked me up again, and squeezed me a little, and then put me back down. I put my foot on her foot again.  And then she took her phone out and took my picture- the picture up above! She petted me one more time and said she would see me soon.

When she got home, she told Ms Kimmie that I was the one she wanted – she sent my picture to her so she’d be sure.

You see, the rest of the puppies were going on a trip up north to be adopted by folks. They were going on a transport trip, which means they got to ride in a big van with lots of other puppies and dogs, heading somewhere to find new homes.  And that’s what makes happy tails happy!

via GIPHY

Our friends at CCAS (and us too!) help get these pups on trips to new homes, and you can help us! Talk to Ms Kimmie, or Ms Leah,  or Ms Jamalyn, or my BFF Jordan; or you can just talk to me and Mom- we would LOVE to tell you how you can help!

 

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 6:12-13

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1 Corinthians 6:12 All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13 Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
 
In this first verse Paul is referring to some of the converted Christians and are still following and sacrifices that are no longer necessary. He lets us see in this verse it still good to follow the law of God but we do it of our own free will. Jesus covered us with His blood which took care of the law but we still need to be obedient to God. Obeying is an act of our own free will. We obey, because we know that it will please God, and we want to please Him. He is also saying he will not be a servant to sin. In this other verse we see that there is a comparison between food and the body and we should also realize that both of these will perish. Our body is the dwelling place for the Holy Spirit and my belly, along with my body, should not be my God. They will perish and the real me will live in my new spiritual body that Jesus will provide me. Since the body is such a temporary thing then we should not elevate it to godhood.
1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 6:11

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1 Corinthians 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
 
Now Paul reminds us that before we were saved we to committed some of theses sins and it was the purpose of Christ who came to save us from those sins. We were washed by a spiritual cleansing and regeneration. Sanctified being set apart to a new behavior of obedience and holiness. Justified which means just as if we had never sinned. We are clothed in the righteousness of Christ because in His death our sins were put to His account. so that His righteousness might be put to an account, so that we might be blessed. Finally we see and know the Holy Spirit is the agent of salvation’s transformation. Everyone who ever lived has sinned and come short of the glory of God but He is faithful and just to forgive us of our sin and wash us in His precious blood. We are saved by the grace of God. When He saves us, we become a new creature in Christ.
Something to Think About...

Count It All Joy

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James 1:2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, 3 knowing that the trying of your faith develops patience. 4 But let patience perfect its work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men liberally and without criticism, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, without wavering. For he who wavers is like a wave of the sea, driven and tossed with the wind. 7 Let not that man think that he will receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. (MEV)
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Ya’ll know how I feel about praying for patience – there’s only one way to develop it, and that’s to use it. Just like a muscle; it isn’t going to get stronger unless it’s exercised.
And it’s certainly hard to be happy when you’re going through things – I’ve talked to several close friends lately who’ve been put through the ringer. It ain’t fun. It ain’t a good time. It’s TOUGH.
So yesterday, as I was riding to Bible study, I had to pull over to put my gloves on – and while I was stopped, I remembered these verses. I’d had a headache since last Thursday- not a really bad one, just enough to make me think about it, and enough to keep my attention slightly off center. There were several places I went over the weekend that I had to fight to make myself go- the youth rally Saturday night, church Sunday morning, Bible study last night. I knew I needed to be there but it was hard not to just sit at the house and fight this headache.
I”m standing there, beside the road, wind blowing in my face, trying to get my gloves on right while watching oncoming traffic, and I finally had enough. I reminded the “passenger” that’s been trying to ride me since last week that there was only ONE empty spot on that seat, and it didn’t belong to him. I rode off, and within just a little bit, my headache was gone. I guess I left it out by Dong Won, with the one who’s been causing it.
Ya’ll be careful who (and what) you give a ride to.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 6:10

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1 Corinthians 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
 
The sins we see here in verse 10 are bad sins also but they are of a different nature from those in verse 9. The sins in verse 9 dealt with the body where the holy spirit resides and these in verse 10 happen outside the body. First Paul mentions thieves and covetous which are both sins of greed. Those who covet want things others have while thieves take it. Next are revilers who are people that destroy others with words. Then we have extortioners who are swindlers and embezzlers that steal indirectly by taking unfair advantage others for their own financial gain. Remember what Paul said at the start of these two verse that non of these will inherit the kingdom of God.