‘All things are lawful for me’, but not all things are beneficial. ‘All things are lawful for me’, but I will not...
Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 1 If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but...
In 1 Corinthians 12, after explaining that the body is composed of diverse members, Paul explains that some of the weakest members...
Respecting others means allowing members to contribute equally to group discussions. It means reading each other’s emotions.
The Carnegie name is well known, but who was Andrew Carnegie the man?
Sustainability recognizes which things will become useless in the future.
In tough situations, it’s easy to take the path of least resistance, and it’s tempting to make the popular choice. But faithful leadership often requires a more difficult path.
Death is our mortal enemy, but resurrection promises that we can defeat the enemy.
Do you believe that God can be glorified even if your work performance is sub-par?
In what way does your occupation allow you to engage in the work of the imperishable kingdom?
If you never advanced any higher in your occupation, could you be content?
How is Christ present in the world today? How can you and I represent him in our daily lives? Our text from...
Howard Butt Jr. shares a message about a mother's love. At the end of the day, true relationships are about grace, not grudges.
When you grow up as the child of a pastor, there’s a certain expectation you will either become wild and wicked, landing yourself on the church prayer list every week, or you will...
This week, I'm beginning my seventh year as the primary author of the Daily Reflections, a part of the work of The...
In an office challenge, Bill was always the first to offer help . . . and the last to get taken up on his offer. You see, Bill knew how to solve problems...
St. Charles Borromeos was one night with a group of people playing chess. This was a social evening; they sat playing chess. And somebody injected into the conversation that evening, "If you were...
Howard Butt, Jr. shares another message about faith and work, pointing out that unethical business practices are a sure path to problems. Acting with moral integrity is more than just good business...
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But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I...
The Christian Gospel is a jewel with many facets. It embodies the love and mercy of God. It shines with his grace...
Some kinds of reminders drive me crazy. For example, I don't appreciate being reminded for the umpteenth time that my subscription is about to run out . . . to a magazine I've decided to stop...
As a Presbyterian, I have heard someone quote 1 Corinthians 14:40 perhaps five hundred times. Seriously.
As you may recall, the Christians in Corinth were struggling with the issue of spiritual manifestations. In particular, some of the believers there were overly excited about speaking in unknown...
Yesterday, I sought to answer the question "Is it okay to want more of the Spirit's power?" On the basis of ...
When I was a teenager, the whole discussion of spiritual gifts was a lively and controversial one. Some people in my church...
When I was in college, my roommates and I would sometimes play a game that involved tough imaginary choices.
Human beings yearn to know God. Indeed, as St. Augustine wrote, our hearts are restless until they find rest in God. Those...
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:7 At first glance, ...
Inspector Javert is one of my favorite figures in all of literature. He plays a key role in Victor Hugo's classic novel, Les Misérables. Most people today know him by way of the...
When I first begin reading the description of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, I'm encouraged, but not especially troubled. I try to...
According to 1 Corinthians 13:4, love is "not jealous." What does it mean to be jealous?
I am convinced that we could make the world a better place if we would simply focus on one aspect of love...
I recently read a fascinating book by James Gleick. It's called Faster: The Acceleration of Just About Everything (Pantheon, 1999). Gleick shows...
Transcript At Kent’s new job, he was warned that Dave "didn’t fit in." And it was true. Dave wasn’t into sports, like the others. Or into cars, like the others. And, unlike "the...
In response to divisions among the Corinthian Christians over spiritual gifts, the Apostle Paul sought to help them understand who they really were in Christ.
As you may recall, the main problem in the Corinthian practice of the Lord's Supper was the failure of the members of the church to love and care for each other as they...
In yesterday's reflection, we noted how both past and present are central to our celebration of the Lord's Supper. Through the elements of bread and wine, we remember the death of Jesus, an event...
In yesterday's reflection, we focused on the remembering aspect of the Lord's Supper. When we receive the bread and the cup, we are to do so "in remembrance" of Jesus. This is a...
In order to deal with problems in the way the Corinthians were celebrating the Lord's Supper, the Apostle Paul reminded them of the tradition he had passed on earlier. He told once again...
In yesterday's reflection I explained some cultural background that helps to account for the odd behavior of some of the Corinthian Christians...
After dealing with the issue of appropriate dress in the corporate gathering of Christians in Corinth, Paul turns his attention to problems...
When I was a young boy, my family and I attended church with friends who were Roman Catholic. That was when most...
In his final word on the whole issue of eating meat offered to idols (which is wrongly added to chapter 11), Paul tells the Corinthians, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ" (11:1).
When I was a young Christian, I learned that communion was an intensely personal, even private moment of fellowship between Jesus and...
I’d like to spend one more day focusing on 1 Corinthians 7:32-34, because I believe it speaks powerfully, and, perhaps, surprisingly, to...
Throughout much of the church today, Christians rightly see marriage as a gift from God. But they wrongly conclude or suggest that singleness is somehow a curse, a lesser state of human life. When...
For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 1 Corinthians 4:20 In the fourth chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul has been dealing with...
Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed...
As most of you who receive the Daily Reflections know, I write these devotions as part of my job as Senior Director...
What is the foundation of your life? On what do you base your well-being, your sense of purpose, your priorities and principles? We can build our lives on all sorts of things, including...
In 1 Corinthians 2, Paul explains that God makes himself and his ways known to us through the Spirit: “For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets” (2:10). Apart from...
In yesterday’s reflection, I noted that all Christians are called by God. Today I will focus on one crucial aspect of that calling: You and I are called to be holy.
As an ordained minister, I am sometimes asked: “When were you called into the ministry?”
Today our focus moves from Jeremiah to 1 Corinthians. If you’re new to these Daily Reflections, let me explain why 1 Corinthians is next in line. My ultimate plan is to work my...
To be faithful stewards, we must understand four important leadership principles.
Gene Bauer planted a garden of daffodils on a mountainside. Each spring that mountainside is awash in yellow. Visitors come to marvel at the beauty. And they come with questions. So Mrs. Bauer...
A lot of parents worry today about their lack of quality time with their children. This is especially true of single-parent households and families where both parents work. ...
The Apostle Paul's saying that the church is one body is often cited as spiritual egalitarianism. The church has many members, yet remains one body, and each member plays a vital role.
"Music is my way of talking to you."—Louis Armstrong ...
At this point, we are now able to delve into the possibility of God’s guidance to a particular task, job, career or type of work. We have seen that: Everyone is called to...
No other letter in the New Testament gives us a more practical picture of applying the Christian faith to the day-to-day issues of life and work than 1 Corinthians.
No other letter in the New Testament gives us a more practical picture of applying the Christian faith to the day-to-day issues of life and work than 1 Corinthians. Topics such as career...
In the opening paragraph of 1 Corinthians, Paul lays out themes that he will address in more detail in the body of...
According to the conventions of ancient letter writing, a greeting was followed by a section in which the author praised the recipient.[7]...
Paul states in thesis-like fashion what he is trying to accomplish by writing 1 Corinthians.[8] “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters...
Paul reminds the congregation in Corinth that most of them do not come from the ranks of...
We noted above that the main problem in the Corinthian church was that of factionalism. Cliques were forming under the banner of...
Paul introduces the metaphor of a building under construction in order to make a new point—do good work. This point is so...
In this passage, Paul offers a definitive statement of what it means to be a leader.
In chapter 5, Paul introduces the question of working with nonbelievers, a question he will explore more fully in chapter 10 and...
You don't need the perfect job to serve God or experience the life he intends for you.
Paul addresses the question of whether the promised return of the Lord implies that Christians should abandon ordinary daily life, including work...
In chapter 9, Paul explains why he initially chose not to accept direct financial support from the Corinthian church even though he...
In the course of an extended argument beginning in chapter 8 on an issue of critical importance to believers in Corinth—the propriety...
The use of what have come to be called “spiritual gifts” (12:1) seems to have caused much contention in the church of...
In chapter 15, Paul conducts a lengthy discussion of the resurrection, and he applies his conclusions directly to work. “[Excel] in the...
One ongoing project that Paul pursued throughout his missionary journeys was that of collecting money for congregations...
First Corinthians has much to contribute to a biblical understanding of work. Above all, it establishes a healthy sense of calling to...
Verses Themes 1 Cor. 1:1-2 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother...
God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit…Each person is given something to do that shows...
Because of our involvement with numerous Christian organizations and churches, we both have had occasion over the years to see their application...
Do you wonder if God has anything to say about your work? Explore key verses from each...
Explain to students that you are going to make cards to bless people with - reminders that God sees and loves them...
God is all around us and in the work you do every day. The work you do matters today - it shapes...
This is the last session of the curriculum. Give each student a sheet of stationary, an envelope and a pen. If possible...
Sometimes our clients (or even other colleagues) have motives or objectives which do not align with our own. How do we act...
The letters of the New Testament offer many examples of modern workplace dilemmas. These letters can come alive if students are taught to see their current-day application. Here are some of the issues...
It is surprising that few systematic theology texts or courses demonstrate interest in exploring the meaning of work from a theological perspective...