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Monday, November 25, 2024

329 - “Cling to Me As I Am or Reshape Me” I Corinthians 9-11

                                           

NO MORE MANAGING OUR LIVES:  I Cor 9:23
“Run in such a way as to get the prize … a crown that will last forever. I do not run like a man running aimlessly. I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” Paul is a free man writing this letter to Corinth. Running hard for the finish line. He lived by the letter of the law at one time. No more. This is not about how to live behavior-wise, how to manage our lives, but how to live from the heart. One Master. One Race. One Prize. One Life to Live. 

DEFEATED BY TEMPTATION: I Cor 10: 5-6. 
The same thing could happen to us. We must be on guard so that we never get caught up in wanting our own way as the Israelites did. “No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; He'll never let you be pushed past your limit; He'll always be there to help you come through it.” I Cor 10:13

NO WITCH HUNT FOR SIN:  I Cor 10:23
“Because of God's immense generosity and grace, we don't have to dissect and scrutinize every action to see if it will pass muster." But the point is not to just get by. We want to live well, but our foremost efforts should be to help others live well. And our Beautiful God’s Kindness will lead us to repentance. Romans 2:4

Hold fast to Him!  "The change I bring about comes slowly."  66 LL. An author once said:

"Either cling to Me as I AM or
reshape Me into who you want Me to be."
Larry Crabb

I've seen a few suns set in this life.  And as I read about the church in Corinth, something stirs within. 
The stakes are high to find a place for my Lord and not try to make Him fit into my life, my expectations, my rights.  Those who suffered well, are singing in the midst.  Their passion for God is all-consuming.

And it didn't matter how hard Paul or Peter fell.  They preached to themselves the Gospel of Grace as Tripp called it:  "Today in your private, life-interpreting conversation, will you preach to self the gospel of God's grace?"

"Do you study the Scriptures?  Let the Scriptures study you."  Tim Keller.  Let the Scriptures reveal our motives, our plans, and our curved-in thoughts in the midst of grocery shopping and eating sushi.

PHOTO:  Another sun sets on the 360 Bridge as I worship you and pray for You to move in all of our lives.

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