OUR DAILY BREAD : COMPLIMENTS GIVEN HERE

[cimi]

September 8
Monday


COMPLIMENTS
GIVEN HERE

READ:
1 Corinthians 4:1-8
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Each one's praise will
come from God.
__1 Corinthians 4:5
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Artist Tom Greaves knows how to give compliments. He designed a bright red-and-white-striped box for an art exhibit in Washington, DC, called "The Compliment Machine." As people walk by, the machine dishes out compliments from an internal iPod. It says things like, "Your eyes are beautiful," "You smell good," and "People are drawn to your positive energy."

Greaves won't say what his motive is for the box, other than that it's in response to a saccharine culture in which everyone is special and nobody is criticized, regardless of performance.

Everybody loves to hear a compliment now and then; that is , if it's genuine. It makes us feel good about ourselves to have the approval or admiration of others__for a few minutes at least. The apostle Paul, though, looked at what others thought of him or even what he thought of himself as "a very small thing" (1 Cor. 4:3). He said, "He who judges me is the Lord" (v.4). He knew that one day our hearts will be revealed, and "then each one's praise will come from God" (v.5).

Could there be any greater compliment than this from our heavenly Father when we meet Him: "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matt. 25:23). __ Anne Cetas
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``````````````````What joy 'twill be to hear Him say,``````````````
````````````````````"Rejoice, My child, well done!`````````````````
```````````````You've fought the battles there on earth,````````````
`````````````The victor's crown you've won." __Sherbert```````````
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Work well done for Christ will receive
a "well done" from Christ.

***************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Corinthians 4:1-8********

1 Let a man so consider us,
as servants of Christ and
stewards of the mysteries of
God. 2 Moreover it is
required in stewards that
one be found faithful. 3 But
with me it is a very small
thing that I should be
judged by you or by a
human court. In fact, I do
not even judge myself. 4 For
I know of nothing against
myself, yet I am not
justified by this; but He
who judges me is the Lord.

5 Therefore judge nothing
before the time, until the
Lord comes, who will both
bring to light the hidden
things of darkness and
reveal the counsels of the
hearts. Then each one's
praise will come from God.

6 Now these things,
brethren, I have figuratively
transferred to myself and
Appolos for your sakes, that
you may learn in us not to
think beyond what is
written, that none of you
may be puffed up on behalf
of one against the other.

7 For who makes you differ
from another? And what do
you have that you did not
recieve? Now if you did
indeed receive it, why do
you boast as if you had not
received it?

8 You are already full! You
are already rich! You have
reigned as kings without
us__and indeed I could
wish you did reign, that we
also might reign with you!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

As Paul wrote this letter to the church at Corinth, he was dealing
with a troubled congregation. It was an assembly shot through with
ego, strife, personality cults, and selfishness. They had even begun
passing judgment on Paul and his ministry__despite the fact that he
had brought the message of God's love to them. __Bill Crowder