TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
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TODAY IN THE WORD
A young man had just been appointed to an important post in a bank, replacing the retiring president. Aware of his senior's years of service, the young man respectfully approached the gentleman for counsel.

""Sir, would you mind giving me some advice on how to be successful?"" he asked.

The old man responded gruffly, ""Two words: good decisions!""

After a moment of careful thought, the young man asked, ""I can see that. How do I make good decisions?""

""One word,"" came the clipped response. ""Experience!""

The young man nodded in agreement, then frowned. ""But how do I gain experience?"" he inquired.

The older gentlemen gave him a piercing look and said, ""Two words: bad decisions!""

God's truth in the world presents a challenge to popular wisdom. People continually find new reasons to rely on themselves. They find God's ways ""foolish"" because they take away pride. Some consider the concept of repentance foolish; after all, there is always someone else who needs to repent more than they do. The Cross seems foolish because they believe Jesus didn't have to die for them. ""We're all right as we are!""

Bad decisions in themselves will not lead us to the truth. Even experience can be misleading. A successful crook is experienced in making bad decisions. God's way and His wisdom will not appear to be the best way to go. Proverbs describes the unreliability of our unaided outlook: ""There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death"" (Prov. 16:25).

Paul illustrates two mistakes that people make in coming to know God. The first he represents by the Jews' demand for ""miraculous signs"" (1 Cor. 1:22). They wanted God to prove Himself to them. In a sense, they required God to submit to them before they would consider submitting to Him. Such people don't want to obey God: they want to order God around.

The second mistake Paul identifies with the Greek quest for wisdom (v. 22). People think that they might submit to God as soon as they can ""figure Him out."" They want God to fit into their minds before they will let Him fit into their lives. In Christ God offers us as much as we can possibly handle with our minds. Yet those who want proof can't see Jesus, and to those who demand reasons, Christ seems foolishness (v. 23).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the How long have you been a Christian? What have been the most significant experiences Christ is the great equalizer. He is God's living proof of Himself. His character and words can occupy your mind for eternity. Be an instigator of Christ-centered thinking today. Ask at least three different people what specific character trait, story or teaching of Jesus they appreciate the most. Some may say this is foolish, but God's Word insists that it is pure wisdom!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 1:26-2:5
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The pastor held the children's attention with a special sermon intended just for them. Reading from Jeremiah 9:23-24, he acted out important words in the passage.

""This is what the Lord says,"" the pastor began. ""Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom"" (he tapped his forehead as he spoke) ""or the strong man boast of his strength"" (flexed his arm) ""or the rich man boast of his riches"" (tapped his wallet). ""But let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands"" (looked up) ""and knows me"" (put his hand over his heart).

Fascinated, the children followed along with the pastor.

""You may not be old enough to be very wise,"" he said, ""and you may not be big enough to be very strong. You may not have much money. But kids, even at your age, you can already know God, and you can trust Him.""

A little boy interrupted, blurting out: ""I know Jesus loves me!"" The preacher nodded, the congregation chuckled, and God's Word was proven true again. Boasting in the Lord has a wonderful humility.

Paul refused to be drawn into a popularity contest. He reminded the Christians in Corinth of the basis for their faith. He gave no credit to his preaching or message except insofar as they had been used by God's Spirit. He challenged them to clarify their true allegiance. If their faith rested in any way on ""men's wisdom"" (2:5) it would prove weak. Their faith must rest on God's power.

God uses unconventional means to produce supernatural results. In chapter 1, verses 26-29, Paul points out to the Corinthians how God deliberately chooses the foolish rather than the wise, the weak rather than the strong, and the lowly and despised rather than the status quo to accomplish His purposes. If we can't trace results back to God, we can be sure that we have overlooked something important. God isn't bound by our guidelines.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the What a strange-sounding invitation_to boast in the Lord! We can apply it today in two ways. First, if there is to be any boasting at all, it should be ""in the Lord"" (1:31). This statement boldly contradicts the world's insistence that we can boast of anything except knowing God. Christians are often ignored by the world because they are playing by the world's rules. People are rarely ignored who claim to know God.

Second, boasting in the Lord must convey humility. The wrong kind of boasting says, ""I know the Lord but you can't."" The right kind says, ""I know the Lord. Would you like to know Him too?"" Perhaps this is part of what Jesus meant when He told us to accept the kingdom like children. The child who said ""I know Jesus loves me"" uttered the world's greatest boast. Let's practice that kind of humility.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 2:6-16
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Players who are in the game don't always see the game. Even a star like the great Reggie Jackson still needed a coach. Earl Weaver demonstrated this point when he managed Reggie for the Baltimore Orioles.

One of Weaver's rules about base stealing was that runners had to have a signal before stealing. This upset Reggie because he had studied many of the pitchers and catchers in the league. He knew those he could steal against.

During one game Reggie stole a base without a signal. His technique was flawless. He certainly didn't expect the coach to disagree with his decision.

But Weaver pulled him aside and explained why there had been no signal. Reggie's action, though successful, had actually helped the other team. By having first base open, the opponents had been able to walk the next man (a powerful hitter). That forced Weaver to use a pinch hitter too early in the game.

The coach trusted Reggie's ability, but he also knew that it wasn't time to steal a base. The player had a limited view; the coach saw the whole game.

Our perspective is always limited. If we take our signals from our own wisdom or from what the world suggests, we may find ourselves working against God's eternal plan. Paul repeatedly tried to convince his Corinthian sisters and brothers that God's wisdom differs from our limited, human version.

Today's passage includes several ways to distinguish God's wisdom from the phonies. The first test involves the question of Jesus' identity. Paul points out that when they ""crucified the Lord of glory"" (v. , the rulers of the age proved that they didn't understand God. The test holds true today. Any system of thought that ignores or twists the death of Jesus can't be trusted. Wisdom that denies Christ must be rejected.

A second test for wisdom might be called the ""source and boundaries"" test. Wisdom that claims to be self-generated and complete proves to be false. God reveals His wisdom by His Spirit. God's revelation is always consistent. That is why God's Word serves the church so well. Any ""wisdom"" that contradicts God's Word reveals that its source is other than God. The Holy Spirit will not lead us to violate what God has already declared.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the What a strange-sounding invitation_to boast in the Lord! We can apply it today in two Christians often make two kinds of errors in relating to God's Spirit. On the one hand, many ignore the Holy Spirit. A re-reading of Jesus' description (John 13-17) of the Holy Spirit's ongoing ministry in our lives can be a helpful correction. On the other hand, Christians can take on a prideful ""ownership"" of the Holy Spirit. When we think that we control the Holy Spirit, we become like players who don't think they need the coach's signals. Rather, as Hebrews 12:2 says, we need to ""fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."" The Holy Spirit will give us today's signals for living. Are you open to them?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-23
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TODAY IN THE WORD
News footage on television recorded the disaster in Yellowstone in 1988. Thousands of acres in the oldest and most loved of national parks were devastated by fire. Trees burned like tinder. Meadows were blackened with soot. Commentators predicted the permanent closing of Yellowstone. The beauty had been ruined. It would never be the same again.

One year later, an amazing transformation had taken place. Green sprouted up through the ashes. Plant forms which hadn't been seen for years reappeared. It had taken fire to crack their seeds. New beauty bloomed everywhere. Only the occasional charred stump remained as a reminder of the previous summer's inferno.

God often uses His creation to confound people, and some valuable lessons were demonstrated at Yellowstone. For example: forest fires aren't always bad; in fact, flames can serve as nature's ""clean-up crew."" Dead branches, underbrush, and forest trash have to be removed. The longer human beings prevented any fires from burning in Yellowstone, the more we insured that, eventually, one would get out of hand.

Another lesson from that hot summer is that human beings aren't always the wisest caretakers. Fire tests. It consumes, melts and mars. It burns away imperfections and leaves behind purer metal. Paul understood God's standards. What Jesus described as ""storing up treasures in heaven"" (Matt. 6:19-21), Paul wrote about as farming and home-building. All of these actions can be done well or poorly. God's fire will determine the ""quality of each man's work"" (1 Cor. 3:13).

Paul defined his role as an apostle by describing his work as a mason--one who lays a foundation. Paul had no doubts that he had laid the one true foundation--Jesus--in the lives of many Corinthians. He also knew that others besides himself would be on the ""building crew."" He wanted both the ""houses"" and the ""builders"" to remember that their efforts would be tested by God. Only those materials approved by God would survive the test.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the What a strange-sounding invitation_to boast in the Lord! We can apply it today in two Like the Corinthians, God is building us into a building worthy of His Spirit's presence (v. 16). We get to cooperate. Much of what makes up our lives gets our approval to arrive or to stay. What a tragedy when we incorporate into our lives what God's fire will consume as nothing but waste!

How has the spiritual storing, building and farming been going so far this year? What treasures, materials and seeds have entered your life? Who's on your building crew? Who has been watering and cultivating your life? Take a few moments for a spiritual inventory today. Determine what should remain and what should be thrown away.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 4:1-21
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The grammar school playground is the setting for many lessons that stay with us for years to come.

Do you remember the ""popularity contest"" of choosing up sides for games? ""Let's play kickball,"" the teacher might say, and everyone in your class would line up obediently. Two ""team captains"" would begin the sometimes painful process of selecting players for their teams.

Everyone would fidget nervously. To be picked early signified popularity or recognition of ability. To be picked late, or, gulp, last, was embarrassing, possibly even humiliating. The prelude to a simple game became a popularity contest, a jockeying for position, prestige and leadership. That familiar playground scene continues at a more adult level; people have been doing the same ever since.

""Choosing up sides"" was exactly the mistake the Corinthian church was making, and Paul writes them in today's passage not to quarrel over leaders. He wrote forcefully to his child-church. They needed to understand that their lives should not become a spiritual popularity contest. Paul saw that danger. Instead, he urged them to follow him as he followed Christ. After all, he reminded them, ""in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel"" (v. 15).

The alternative would be a church-life in which the church would choose a new leader each time the teaching of the last one became difficult. Paul recognized the value of those he called ""guardians in Christ"" (v. 15), but claims a special role as their spiritual father.

Paul felt free to warn, correct, instruct and even discipline the Corinthians. He emphasized his own (and the other apostles') experience of servanthood (vv. 9-13). He appealed to their loyalty in Christ. They were not to use Paul's difficulties in other places as an excuse to turn against his teaching. That would be folly. The Christian life is not a smorgasbord of opinions. As Paul expressed it, ""the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power"" (v. 20).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the What a strange-sounding invitation_to boast in the Lord! We can apply it today in two Do you find yourself pulled into the popularity contests that seem to surround national Christian figures? Paul's caution makes sense: we should follow spiritual leaders only to the degree that they follow Christ and His Word.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Gardener James Hewett described a startling lesson he learned among his plants:

""Working in my garden, I was admiring a large, green, healthy-looking squash plant. The stems appeared strong, and the leaves were large. I was pleased and looked forward to some delicious meals.

""A few days later I noticed that the plant was terribly wilted, and within a couple of days the squash plant was completely dead. Pulling up the plant and examining its roots, I discovered that a bore worm, which could not be seen from the outside, had eaten the heart out of the stem of the plant. Hidden sin, like the bore worm, can eat away the heart of one's Christian experience and leave him spiritually dead.""

What was the hidden sin of the Corinthians? The man living in an incestuous relationship was doing it publicly. Apparently, the man claimed to be a believer. Paul wanted the church to deal immediately with this man's sin. Meanwhile, Paul was shocked at their callousness. On the one hand they were ""boasting"" (v. 6) about their spirituality while allowing gross immorality to go unchallenged in the church. What even pagans (v. 1) wouldn't condone, believers were allowing!

The ""yeast"" Paul wanted his spiritual children to remove was a lax attitude toward blatant sin in the lives of those who claimed to be believers. He mentions six violations: sexual immorality, greed, idolatry, slander, drunkenness, and swindling. Someone who claims fellowship but remains in sin has made a choice. The church must ""hand this man over to Satan"" (v. 5).

Paul did not spell out what exactly would happen to the sinner, but predicted that at least his spirit would be saved (v. 5). Paul didn't hold the church responsible for the member's actions, but he did hold them responsible for their actions toward the member.

Paul was aware that his orders could be used as an excuse for separation from the world. Proclaiming and living the gospel puts believers in contact with all kinds of people. Individuals' behavior proves their need of the Savior. But when believers act the same way (or worse), they are expressing disrespect for their Savior. The broken fellowship must be recognized. The church still has many lessons to learn about the difference between accepting persons and condoning sin.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the What a strange-sounding invitation_to boast in the Lord! We can apply it today in two Pray for the leaders of your church. Discipline and accountability are sorely lacking in churches today. Churches that attempt to take seriously biblical guidelines are sometimes taken to court by people who insist they can be members and live any way they choose. Ask the Lord to fill the leaders in your church with wisdom and courage so that they can set the pace of faithfulness for all the members.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 6:1-11
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Corrie ten Boom survived a Nazi death camp during World War II. Two years after the war Corrie returned to the camp where she had endured so much sorrow to speak to a group of local Germans, giving a message on God's forgiveness. Little did she know how soon she would have to put her message into practice. Among those who greeted her was a man she recognized immediately as one of the most cruel guards in the camp. He told Corrie that he had become a Christian since the war. He had experienced God's forgiveness; now he was asking for hers.

Corrie said it was the most difficult act God had ever asked her to do. She experienced firsthand an observation made by C.S. Lewis: ""Forgiveness is a wonderful idea until we actually have to forgive someone!"" But she did forgive that man.

Where there is forgiveness, there is peace. But where there is no forgiveness, there is conflict, a problem Paul had noticed among the Corinthians. As he responded to the reports he had received, Paul made it clear that their problems stemmed from two central issues: (1) overestimating their spiritual maturity; and (2) underestimating their need for instruction. They were talking the talk; but they weren't walking the walk.

Paul was appalled that Christians were using civil authorities to settle their disputes. Despite all their claims of spiritual wisdom, they were going outside for help. Paul asked, ""Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?"" (v. 5). He was convinced that lawsuits are surrender flags indicating defeat (v. 7).

The apostle suggested an alternative. Instead of turning to outside authority, ""why not rather be wronged?"" (v. 7). The Corinthians probably reacted just as we would today. Yet Paul was echoing the kind of attitude that Jesus taught when He told His disciples to give up their coats rather than struggle over their shirts and to cheerfully walk an extra mile (Matt. 5:38-42).

Paul's final argument against appeals to authority outside the church has to do with the former lifestyles of the Corinthians. Some of them had been among the ranks of those who ""will not inherit the kingdom of God"" (1 Cor. 6:9-10). But that was past history. Had they not been washed, sanctified and justified ""in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit?"" (v. 11). Why, then, drag brothers and sisters before a court system that does not see itself as accountable to God?
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the No one enjoys being wronged. Yet this passage teaches us that one of the best ways to show the world what Christ has done is by not acting like those who haven't been transformed by Him! In other words, forgiveness is sweeter than revenge. Look for opportunities this week to forgive those who wrong you rather than claiming your ""rights"" against them.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 6:12-20
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The native speaker of an exotic, unwritten language wrinkled his brow in concentration. He and a Bible translator were working on the passage in Mark 5 that describes the herd of pigs that had been infected with evil spirits after Jesus healed a man. The language had never developed terms for large numbers. The numbering system consisted of three units: one, two, and many. The native speaker had to understand the concept of 2ꯠ pigs in order to convey it to others from his tribe.

The translator knew the number would seem large to someone whose tribe numbered fewer than 200. But he wasn't prepared for the stunned silence of his friend and helper as the tribesman grasped the size of the herd. The Indian had a question: ""You mean Jesus exchanged that many pigs for one person?"" The translator nodded.

The man's eyes shone: ""Jesus must really love people. In our tribe, if a person wants another person killed, the standard price for a man's life is one pig."" It was the missionary's turn to wonder over this insight into Jesus' love.

Paul had a startling and unique way of defining self-worth. He used the expression ""you were bought at a price"" (v. 20; 7:23). As he argued against sexual immorality, Paul was inspired by God's Spirit to teach a basic spiritual principle. The value we place on ourselves does not give us as much help in resisting temptation as the value God places on us. God's value is constant and infinite. Elsewhere Paul put it this way: ""But God demonstrates His own love of us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us"" (Romans 5:.

Apparently some of the Corinthians were justifying sexual immorality by claiming that it didn't matter what they did with their bodies since the flesh doesn't survive death as the spirit does. Paul doesn't dwell on the future of the body; but his claim is blunt: ""By His power God . . . will raise us also"" (1 Cor. 6:14). Paul was concerned with the present. God's Spirit wants to reside in us today. Our body is a tool with which we honor God (v. 20).

The idea of ""temple of the Holy Spirit"" (v. 19) might make us think that God visits us on special occasions, but the point of Paul's teaching is that God's Spirit resides in us. Our bodies become temples because they house the Holy Spirit.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the One of Paul's most applicable statements is found in verse 18: ""Flee from sexual immorality."" In today's world, we are surrounded with every kind of sensual temptation. When the command is ""flee,"" compromising is the same as surrender. What personal warning signals have you developed to tell you it's time to flee temptation? Today, talk with your family about how to set limits in areas of temptation that apply to each of you. Ask yourselves, ""What is my greatest temptation? How can I take steps to avoid it?""

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 7:1-40
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TODAY IN THE WORD
James Hewett tells a story about a couple celebrating their golden anniversary. They had shared fifty years of married life, but on that occasion most of the day was spent with family and friends in joyful celebration.

When they arrived home that night, they realized that they hadn't eaten much all day. They decided to have a snack of tea with bread and butter before going to bed. In the kitchen the husband opened a new loaf of bread and handed his wife the heel piece.

She exploded, ""That's it, Buster. For fifty years you've been dealing the heel of the bread to me. I won't take it any more. How can you care so little for me and what I like?"" Once she was started, she went on and on. She had obviously developed quite a bitterness toward him for his habit of giving her the loaf's heel.

The husband was speechless during her outburst. When she finally finished her tirade, he quietly said, ""But, honey, the heel has always been my favorite piece!""

A lot of what Paul wrote about marriage had to do with its life-long nature. At the beginning of chapter 7, Paul indicates that he is answering parts of a letter the Corinthians had written to him. The chapter serves as a brief marriage seminar. The main points are: (1) Choosing to remain unmarried can be good if we use the added freedom to serve God; (2) Immoral times give greater importance to marriage; (3) Married people belong to each other and they should live that relationship out fully; (4) A Christian husband and wife ought to find a way to stay together; (5) A marriage partner who becomes a Christian can't use his or her faith as an excuse for divorce but may have to accept rejection by the non-Christian partner; (6) Make it a goal to be content in the role to which God has called you; (7) Marriage can either complicate or clarify commitment to Christ; ( Always be available to the Lord, whatever your status.

Paul was enthusiastic about living the Christian life to the hilt, whether married or single. He saw advantages in each position, though he himself expressed a preference for singleness. He touched on other stations or decisions in life. For each of these he advised Christians to ""remain in the situation God called him to"" (v. 24).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the For today's application, why not do additional Bible study on the subject of marriage? Scripture has a lot to say about this vital topic!

You might study verses such as Ephesians 5:21-33 or Colossians 3:18-21. Or you may wish to consider the example (positive and negative) of biblical couples such as Abraham and Sarah or Ruth and Boaz.

From your study, what principles can you add to the ""marriage seminar"" given in today's passage?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13
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TODAY IN THE WORD
One of the challenges of missionary living is adjusting to the eating habits of a new culture. Even when traveling from one modern country to another, the differences can be drastic. With time, however, almost any diet can become normal.

One theory (popular among missionaries themselves) holds that you can tell how long someone has been on the field by the person's table habits. The new arrival sits down to a meal but immediately loses his appetite when he sees a fly frolicking in the sugar bowl. After a year he merely brushes the fly away and goes on eating. Five years later the same missionary doesn't even notice several flies making sugar castles in the bowl. But you can tell that a missionary has been on the field for too long when he sits down for a meal and, noticing that there are no flies in the sugar bowl, feels compelled to put some there!

When Paul became a disciple of Jesus, his eating habits were set free. One lesson Paul seems to have learned early is that freedom does have limits. As one man said, ""Paul was so completely free that he never became enslaved to his freedom."" If it meant helping a brother or sister in Christ, Paul was glad to endure a minor inconvenience like abstaining from food which he might have felt free to eat in other circumstances.

Paul sought to honor the convictions of others. The fact that meat had been offered to idols meant little to Paul. Treating such meat as somehow defiled seemed to give too much credit to the idols. Idols are ""nothing"" (v. 4). But Paul also recognized that for many new Christians that same meat was a vivid reminder of a life from which they had been saved. Because their consciences were tender about their former habits, Paul practiced compassion towards them.

""Knowledge,"" taught Paul, ""puffs up, but love builds up"" (v. 1). He warned that gaining understanding without helping others becomes a self-serving pursuit. This is true even with spiritual knowledge. If our actions do not take others into account, we are liable to offend people we should not offend. We are not to harm other Christians just to prove we are free in some area.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the For today's application, why not do additional Bible study on the subject of marriage? Paul's guidelines pose a genuine challenge for Christians. They present us with a deep understanding of freedom as well as the great responsibility of servanthood. His guidelines increase our responsibility to one other as Christians.

In every generation the pagan approach involves severely editing the list of behaviors that God requires us to conform to or to avoid. Meanwhile Christians are tempted to greatly expand that same list. The real problem with most of this is its self-centeredness. Too often we ask the question, ""What can I do?"" instead of asking, ""What can I do to build up others in love?"" Make it a point to build up a younger Christian this week.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:1-27
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TODAY IN THE WORD
In the 1992 Olympics, America pinned gold medal hopes on decathlete Dave Johnson. In a pre-Olympic meet, he had scored 8꺷 points, a total that would have been high enough to win the gold in Barcelona.

During the Olympics, Johnson had a broken foot but turned in a gutsy performance and brought home the bronze medal. Just two months later, he had surgery on that foot. ""I just took it as a learning experience,"" he said. ""That was what God wanted. The Lord has taught me to search for the positive, and the real reason I'm out there is not for myself anyway. I'm always trying to give 100% to God; anything less would be unacceptable as far as Christ is concerned. He went in and gave 100% of Himself for us.""

Dave Johnson's real race, the race of the Christian life, had begun long before the 1992 Olympics. As a result, no matter what the circumstances, he could ""run in such a way as to win"" and bring glory to God. Johnson understood the truth of today's Scripture reading.

Chapter nine of 1 Corinthians could be called ""Paul's Apostolic Resum‚."" These twenty-seven verses can be divided into four general areas: (1) Paul's unique role as one of the apostles; (2) His personal practices. He chose not to take advantage of his apostolic privileges, but often worked to support himself; (3) His philosophy of ministry. ""I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible"" (v. 19); and (4) His basic objective-to set the pace in the race while encouraging others to run for the prize. Paul committed himself fully to living and to communicating the gospel.

Since Paul wrote this letter to his ""children in Christ,"" why did he use such intense language? He wasn't applying for a position of authority; rather, he was urging the Corinthians to remember the position in their lives that was already his. Paul's letter was a response to reports that he had heard about them. Here he reminded them that they needed to take his answers seriously. He was speaking for the Lord.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the For today's application, why not do additional Bible study on the subject of marriage? As we run the race called the Christian life, we must ""fix our eyes on Jesus"" (Hebrews 12:2). We must also remember that we never outgrow our need for God's direction. His Word remains trustworthy. Those who communicate it to us deserve our attention. The lap of this race we call 1996 is approaching the halfway point. If we are tired and discouraged, we have probably made two errors: we have taken our eyes off Christ, and we have stopped listening to His Word. If we want to hear Jesus say ""well done"" at the finish line, we will have to pay close attention to His coaching during the race. Ask Jesus today to renew your strength and sharpen your awareness of His Word and His presence.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
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TODAY IN THE WORD
History, nature, and life itself make up a marvelous collection of lessons. The Bible is filled with stories and applications of those stories. God wants us to watch and learn.

Confined to bed by a sunlit window, a sick man had hours to spend. Noticing a moth cocoon on the window sill, he watched the miracle of metamorphosis unfold. Painstakingly the moth struggled to emerge from its shell. As the hours dragged by, the man became convinced that a creative error had been made; the moth was stuck and seemed to be struggling in vain.

In an effort to set the flying creature free, the man reached over with a pair of scissors and snipped the cocoon opening slightly larger. Suddenly unhindered, the moth crawled out. But instead of spreading its wings and taking flight, it only crawled. The struggle had been necessary because the agonizing hours of escape would have served to strengthen and shape the wings. The easy escape left the wings useless. Sometimes the hard way turns out to be the only way!

When Paul thought of the history of his people, he recognized God's directions, warnings and examples. Twice he pointed out that ""these things occurred as examples"" for us (vv. 6, 11). Some of the examples were specific behaviors: idolatry (v. 7); sexual immorality (v. ; testing the Lord (v. 9); and grumbling (v. 10). The warnings in these cases all include death.

The Bible is God's journal, and in it He has recorded what we need to know. The writing includes direct commands and indirect stories. They all apply. The more we know God's Word, the clearer we see the parallels between our lives and what the people of Scripture experienced.

Alongside the sobering seriousness of this passage, the Holy Spirit also caused Paul to pen words of great hope. His first point is that all people share this struggle with temptation (v. 13). We literally have this in common with everyone. But Paul's second point (here's the hope) is that God will show His faithfulness by limiting our temptations and by providing a way out.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the For today's application, why not do additional Bible study on the subject of marriage? As with the moth struggling out of the cocoon, God has a purpose in our difficulties. The patience and strength that God develops in us one day will sustain us the next. Although we do not live in the same setting as people of the Old Testament, we live with many of the same temptations. God's Word always applies.

When we are tempted, God will provide a way of escape. Perhaps we miss it because we are looking too hard at the temptation rather than asking the Lord to help us. Today when you are tempted, say ""Thank you, Lord, for trusting me this much""; then look for His ""way of escape"" and take it.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Evangelist Billy Graham, whose ministry has spanned 50 years, is one of this century's greatest spokesmen for Jesus Christ. Commenting on Graham's unblemished record, Garth Rosell writes: ""Richard Baxter opened his seventeenth century classic, The Reformed Pastor, with a striking admonition to Christian leaders: `Take heed to yourselves, lest your example contradict your doctrine, lest you unsay with your lives what you say with your tongues.'

""Few preachers, I suspect, have been as determined to heed Baxter's warning as Billy Graham. Early in his ministry, during the 1948 evangelistic meetings in Modesto, California, he called the members of his team together to discuss ways in which they could fortify themselves against `the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life' (1 John 2:16). He asked his colleagues to identify `all the things that have been a stumbling block and a hindrance to evangelists in years past' so that together they might establish effective means of avoiding them."" Early prevention has been the key to Billy Graham staying true to his calling.

Paul knew that his brothers and sisters in Corinth were living in a world of continual temptation. He wanted to make sure that they didn't become of that world. The Corinthians faced two obvious dangers: immorality (6:18) and idolatry (10:14). In each case Paul advises the same action: ""flee!"" The Greek word he uses gives us our word ""fugitive."" Apparently Christians in Corinth were tempted to prove they could participate freely in pagan rituals without compromising their faith.

Because Paul saw the potential danger of being recaptured by idolatry, he kept reminding them that they had been set free from those prisons. They needed to live as fugitives from sin. Instead, however, they were acting in ways that dishonored Christ. They were participating in acts that honored demons and challenged the Lordship of Christ. Paul firmly repeats ""you cannot!"" (10:20-21).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the For today's application, why not do additional Bible study on the subject of marriage? We are tempted to repeat the Corinthians' mistake when we try to stand as close to sin as possible instead of keeping far from it. Those who make it a goal to be barely righteous are like hikers leaning over a cliff. It doesn't take much to cause a fall.

Life as a fugitive from sin is part of the freedom that Christ gives. When we compromise with sin, we undermine that freedom. Are you dangerously close to the edge of some cliff of sin? Do you need to take a big step back? Ask the Lord today to help you flee from the edge.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
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TODAY IN THE WORD
The need for godly leaders has been a popular topic in the Christian community. And rightly so. Leadership has often been sadly lacking within the church. But ""followship"" also needs attention. When believers aren't prepared to follow, they cast doubt on their status as believers.

The following account comes to us from E. Stanley Jones. He told of a missionary who lost his way in an African jungle. He could find no landmarks and the trail vanished. Eventually, stumbling on a small hut, he asked the native living there if he could lead him out.

The native nodded. Rising to his feet, he walked directly into the bush. The missionary followed on his heels. For more than an hour they hacked their way though a dense wall of vines and grasses. The missionary became worried: ""Are you sure this is the way? I don't see any path.""

The African chuckled and said over his shoulder, ""Bwana, in this place there is no path. I am the path.""

Paul understood that Christian freedom can present a jungle-like array of choices. Because there are no paths in the jungle, any direction provides a way. But, to paraphrase Paul: ""In the jungle you can walk in any direction, but not every direction will bring you good; you can step this way or that, but you may not make progress"" (v. 23). Paul's cardinal rule for exercising Christian freedom is: ""Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others"" (v. 24).

Paul's examples illustrate the point that when we genuinely seek the good of others, we will probably not act in ways that offend God. All our actions (or refraining from certain actions) ought to be done ""for the glory of God"" (v. 31). Like the native speaking over his shoulder, Paul described himself as the path following the true Path: ""Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ"" (11:1; cf. John 14:6).
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the For today's application, why not do additional Bible study on the subject of marriage? At times Christian freedom and personal convictions create friction among believers. Paul wanted the Corinthians (and us) to encourage fellow believers in every way possible. He urges us to set aside our personal preferences if doing so will prevent hurting a brother or a sister in Christ. When we know someone who may be offended or hurt by our actions, we are under orders to honor that person above our desires.

The flip-side of this issue is also true. Fewer believers would be offended if they shared openly when they have a conviction over a matter. Gentle flexibility in the area of personal freedom in Christ serves as a barometer for maturity. Can you think of ways to apply this truth in your life this month?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16
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TODAY IN THE WORD
Many aspects of life in Bible times are foreign to us. We no longer dress as they did, and much of what we wear has no particular meaning. But some cultures still wear clothing with a purpose.

In his book Jewish Literacy, Rabbi Joseph Telushkin describes the importance of head coverings in the Jewish culture: ""In the Western world, a man shows respect by taking off his hat; in Jewish life, he shows respect by putting it on. In Jewish tradition, covering the head conveys the wearer's sense that there is a force in the universe above him.

""The head covering worn today is much smaller than a hat. Known in Hebrew as a kippah [yarmulke in Yiddish], it is usually made of cloth and is several inches in diameter. In Orthodox circles, women would never wear a kippah, though the more traditional Orthodox women cover their hair either with a handkerchief or a wig. Once a woman is married, her husband is the only male who is supposed to see her hair."" Knowing about customs helps us to understand how different life was in the ancient world.

Although it may be difficult to understand Paul's examples in this part of his letter, we can certainly see that he was concerned about the Corinthian attitudes in worship. Paul points out that they are dishonoring one another and God. Their actions are communicating a lack of humility, and men and women are not acknowledging their interdependence. ""In the Lord,"" Paul writes, ""woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman"" (v. 11).

Paul begins this section by reminding his Corinthian readers of God's order of relationship: ""I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God"" (v. 3). His emphasis is more on relationship than on authority. The human way of looking at authority often involves control or manipulation, but the biblical ideal has more to do with love and servanthood.

The Corinthians were getting so caught up in how they were worshipping that they were forgetting whom they were worshipping. Their treatment of one another displayed a lack of reverence for God.
TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to ""all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"" (1 Cor. 1:2). We are included in this greeting! We may not be struggling with the For today's application, why not do additional Bible study on the subject of marriage? Preparation for worship and attitudes during worship speak volumes about our understanding of God. How often do families call ""time out!"" in a heated argument simply because they have arrived at church? Do our plans for the rest of Sunday tend to crowd our attention during the worship service?

Children don't always point out consistency, but they can spot inconsistency from a distance. Parents whose attention to God occurs only on Sunday will fail to offer a godly example. Kids learn about God from the way we treat one another between Sundays. Take time today to prepare for worship tomorrow.