1 Corinthians 16

It has been a good study in 1 Corinthians and tomorrow I will recap just what scriptures were significant to me and hopefully you too.

Today we finish our reading in 1 Corinthians 16 I realize that we may not actually finish the complete bible at this pace in one year. But we will have truly read it and pondered it when we have completed it! :)

I do hope many of you are taking the time to write in your journals what the Lord is teaching you and the scriptures that are being layed on your heart to ponder more in depth. I also pray that you aren't just hears of the word but doers. How have you been doing in putting some of the lessons in 1 Corinthians to action?

I pray you continue to desire to grow and change as we complete 1 Corinthians and move into 2 Corinthians.


Monday~ 1 Corinthians 16

Today as I read and thought about Pauls experience with the Corinthian Church I realized he had to have been so saddened by the problems of that day. In Chapter 16 though he shares the hope he has in his devotion to be a servant or steward of the Gospel.

Chapter 16:3 "for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."

When I read this chapter there were 2 verses that really stood out to me and that made this whole chapter come to life. I realize Paul was talking about some business that needed to be attended to, in the way of stewardship and giving. But these passages had much to offer me this week as I desire to walk, changed, and producing much fruit.

- "A wide door" - Ladies because we are the childern of God we are called to share what He has done in our life and through our lives. I can't tell you how many times I've felt the desire to share with someone. Or how many countless events came about where I was just in the right place at the right time to share my faith or what the Lord had been teaching me. It seems these times are "wide doors". I once had someone share a vision they had of me. I can't say I take all visions people share with me seriously but this one came from a woman I had some respect for and I felt I atleast owed it to her to pray and ask the Lord if there was something for me in this vision. I indeed felt the Lord saying yes and it was confirmed through the scriptures and this is one of the many the Lord gave me. It also gave me hope that even though I wasn't feeling used at that specific time in my life, I could look for the "wide door" and when it came I would recognize it!

Are you in a place where you don't feel the door is opened or that you don't know how to be used? Ask the Lord to open a "Wide door of effective work" to you! The truth is - there is always a wide door open to us all to share our faith. Sometimes things in our life cause us to not see them. Maybe there is something you are dealing with or having an issue with that is causing you to not see the door of effective service?

I pray Lord that as these women seek to be used by You that You Lord, would show them how they can be used! Help them to see that there are doors of effective service all around. I pray though Lord that even as Paul shares that there might be times in these ladies lives that they truly don't feel the door is opened. Oh Lord, I pray you open many doors for them to effectively share the Hope that is within them!~
I ask this in Your Name
Amen

Oh, let us not forget the second passage that stood out to me and maybe even to you!

16:13-14 " Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. "

Ladies, this verse is so powerful to me! Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong! what powerful words. Especially when that Door of Effective service is opened to you! Oh how I pray that you will be all those but that you won't forget to " Let all that you do be done in Love".


As we close this book Lord I pray the words of your servant Paul would not leave us but that we would continue to be challenged by them and that we would grow and be changed from them!

May we hide Your Word in Our Hearts that we may live by them!

Lord, thank you for this day, I pray for all of your servants around the world that they would be encouraged by these words and that Lord you would open many doors of effective work to them and that they would all " Keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love. "

It is in your Precious name I pray!
the Name of Jesus
Amen!

have a blessed day!
Your friend and sister in Christ!
Melissa