2 Corinthians 3

I am not perfect but I have found when I am closest to God is when the world, or people in it, want me to go away, not in the way where I am making them mad or ticking them off, cause I have done this but in a way that shows me I am reflecting the Son in a way that allows them to see their own sin and they dislike me for it.  This is one of the many reasons I stray from God in times of stress.

Prayer:

God help me to worry about myself and to rely on you when I can't rely on others.

2 Corinthians 2 "Be careful"

In the last section of this chapter Paul writes about how we are to thank God because he set us up to follow in Christ procession and share the good news. He then describes how we smell different to those who are saved and those who are not. To me this means we need to put ourselves in the shoes of those we are ministering to and think about how best we can appeal to them. In their mind how do we come across. (The greatest cause of Atheists is Christians who are hypocrites). Something that looks fine to you and your Christian friend may look somehow different to someone who is not use to your way of doing things.

2 Corinthians 1 "Suffering"

I can't remember where but I have seen this I think in Proverbs.  About how we have comfort with God because he has promised that to us.  We endure suffering not because it was put on us but because we must pick up our cross and follow Jesus and when we do we not only suffer as He did but we can his comfort too.  

This thought is something I do struggle with, about how once we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior we still suffer and it is still hard.  Why do we have to suffer to feel the comfort of God.  It seems almost like a fraturnaty sometimes. I get (I think) it but at the same time it is confusing.  Just like how God is three and one at the same time.  

1 Corinthians 16 "Paul"

This chapter is Pauls final remarks, in his first of two letters, to the people of Corinth.  As it is interesting to see what Paul chooses his final words to be to these people what really stuck out to me was when he asked for help and asked for prayer.  These things seem so simple and we don't really notice them as define things anymore.  I feel so many times in the world today, myself and other, leaders for the Lord our God take leadership roles and then forget to pray, forget to ask for help, advice and prayer from others.  In situations God has but you and me in the situation to be leaders not to know all the answers or to be able to handle it without Him.  I have learned this many times and as it turns out Paul is now teaching me again as the Lord can see I havne't fully grasped this message.  I will remember to pray before during and after my future roles and I will remember to ask for prayer help and advice during the roles God leads me in.  

1 Corinthians 15 "The Dead will Rise"

I don't really know what to think of this chapter, it is all pretty much stuff I have heard before and stuff I agree with.  I do think Paul repeats himself a lot and as Paul is an excellent writer and he is inspired by God I can't help but wonder if the structural part of his writing(the repeating) means something.  My guess is that it is important.  This is very similar to repeats in Proverbs, such as how you should seek advice or those who trust in the Lord are better off. 

1 Corinthians 14 "Why girls talk so much"

33 God is not a God of disorder. He is a God of peace.
As in all the churches of God's people, 34 women should remain silent in the meetings. They are not allowed to speak. They must follow the lead of those who are in authority, as the Law says. 35 If they have a question about something, they should ask their own husbands at home. It is shameful for women to speak in church meetings.

and when they get home they don't shut up.

Just Kidding...Don't punch me Stephaine.

1 Corinthians 13 "Christians end with action"

Have you ever looked at someone and thought, wow look at all the things he/she does for the Lord, he/she is such a good Christian. I know I have and sometimes I get caught up in all that stuff, stuff like doing things, acting in a Christian way, making sure I go to church, and always looking for ways to help others. Now though all these things are good, I'm not saying they aren't important or you should stop doing them, I believe our focus should not be on this stuff.
My view is that actions are our responce to being Christians. If we are true Christians, not sinless but fully excepting in God's decision we will be engulfed in Love and will be able to show and give love, it will pour from us like a giant waterfall. Proverbs 1:23, to me, says that if we are open to the Lord and allow Him to lead us he will pour out His spirit, His love, onto us and His word will be made new, we will see what we are to do in a new light.
To truely show Love and have Love and act like a "True" Christian it is my view that we must first focus and keep our focus on God and Loving Him. This will lead us to an understanding of his word that we don't have beforehand. We can't even proclaim Jesus as Lord without Love, verse 13 says the greatest of the three most important things to have (Faith, Hope, and Love) is Love, and Jesus himself said the first commandment is to Love the Lord your God first before everything else and he said the second is to Love you neighbor as yourself because if you Love them you Love Me.
If you have any questions or contradictions please tell me cause I truely believe this and believe I made my point well.

1 Corinthians 12 "Body Parts"

Most of us have read this scripture or at least the later part of it.  The body metaphor works really well when trying to explain how each of us have different spiritual gifts, and I know and hope there will be more meanings to this scripture to me in the future than just the obvious.  But, none the less the part I didn't read or acknowledge before was verse 11.  Paul tells us all, basically, we all are given gift and our gifts are ones the spirit has decided to give us, meaning he did so for a reason.  To me this means that (within the body metaphor) none of us are the appendix and are all useful even if we see no purpose.  We may look at ourselves and see we are a lung and know there is another and the body can function without us but what we don't realise is that we can no longer, as a body be the best we can be; we are not complete.  

1 Corinthians 11 "Boys and Girls"

WOW!!

I knew there was something about this in the Bible but this is more than I thought it was.  The Bible states...

9 Also, the man was not created for the woman. The woman was created for the man. 10 That's why a woman should have her head covered. It shows that she is under authority. She should also cover her head because of the angels.

I knew the Woman was created from the man and so the man would have a suitable partner but putting this way is extreame compared to what I am use to in today's society.  These verses to me, mean that a woman should not hold a high leadership position such as senetor or be in the presidential cabinet.  

It is important to realize though that a man is not independent from the woman and vise versa.  The woman came from the man and the man is born from the woman.  So the old phrase "you can't live with'em can't live without'em" holds true.  Also, everything is made for God.

1 Corinthians 10 "Three Big Things"

There are three really important things Paul conveys in this chapter all of which are used in the basis of Christian teaching and ministry.  The first one mentioned in the chapter is how we must learn from others and our past.  After reading Proverbs the main thing I walked away with was asking the advice of others when fronted with a difficult question or problem.  This is the same type of thing, we must learn from those who have come before us.  God has punished them for what they did and now we are doing the same things, what is it we thing we have that enables us immune to God?

Second is stemming off of communion.  We take communion to honor God and replenish ourselves so let our lives be a gift to God.  The Bible tells us to do everything, eat, drink, sleep, work, help, etc. all for the glory of God.  

Third is a helper to the first two; it is a promise.  God promises not to leave us in a situation where we cannot get out of.  We cannot drink from God's table and from the demon's table but when we fall to temptation no matter how caught up we are God will always give us a way to stand up under it.  Though I have heard this so many times and it is a little mundane it still brings me strength.  

1 Corinthians 9 "The Cost is the Benefit"

In this chapter Paul talks about how he is an apostle.  He shows how the city of Corinth is an example of his apostleship and how he as an apostle has the right to ask for the things he needs because he has given everything of himself, though he chooses not to.  Paul explains that as an apostle he gives up a lot, it costs a lot to be an apostle.  

Even though an apostle could easily justify asking for what they need because they devote their lives to serving God and spreading his word rather than making a traditional living they rarely do.  They do this to show humility.  Though they are entitled to certain things they do not ask for them because others may need it.  An apostle gives of themselves for the benefit of others.

So far an apostle doesn't seem like a great thing to be but hear is what Paul leads to next; he explains, and I agree, that helping others brings him closer to God himself and helps him follow the commandments.  I would also add that in being an apostle, in my limited experience, even though it is hard and it costs a lot, it wouldn't be as great of a reward if it wasn't.  The fact that being an apostle costs a lot makes the benefits greater. For me the fact that when I give of myself I have less which makes it easier not to rely on worldly things and having less and helping others makes me more humble.  I think I am going to try to focus on that more and look for ways God is leading me in that area of my life.