Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

March 22
Sunday


CASTING
SHADOWS

READ:
1 Corinthians 1:18-31
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No flesh should glory
in His presence.
__1 Corinthians 1:29
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Legend has it that Michelangelo painted with a brush in one hand and a candle in the other to prevent his shadow from covering his masterpiece in progress.

That's the kind of attitude we should adopt if we are serious about wanting to display the masterpiece of God's glory on the canvas of our lives. Unfortunately, we tend to live in a way that draws attention to ourselves--our cars, our clothes, our careers, our position, our cleverness, our success. And when life is all about us, it's hard for people to see Jesus in us. Jesus saved us to be reflections of His glory (Rom. 8:29), but when we live for ourselves, our shadow gets cast on the canvas of His presence in us.

When the believers in Corinth were feeling too full of themselves, Paul warned them "that no flesh should glory [boast] in His presence" (1 Cor 1:29), and reminded them of what Jeremiah said, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD" (v.31; Jer. 9:24).

Think of your life as a canvas on which a picture is being painted. What would you rather have people see: the masterpiece of the presence of Jesus or the shadow of your own profile? Don't get in the way of a great painting in progress. Live to let others see Jesus in you. __Joe Stowell
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````````````````My life is a painting created by God,```````````````
`````````````````And as such I've nothing to boast;````````````````
``````````````Reflecting the image of Christ to the world````````````
`````````````````Is what I desire the most. __Sper```````````````
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A christian life is the canvas on
which others can see Jesus

*************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Corinthians 1:18-31********

18 For the mesage of the
cross is foolishness to those
who are perishing, but to us
who are being saved it is the
power of God. 19 For it is
written: "I will destroy the
wisdom of the wise, and
bring to nothing the
understanding of the
prudent."

20... Has not God made
foolish the wisdom of this
world? 21 For since, in the
wisdom of God, the world
through wisdom did not
know God, it pleased God
through the foolishness of the
message preached to save
those who believe. 22 For
Jews request a sign, and
Greeks seek after wisdom;

23 but we preach Christ
crucified, to the Jews a
stumbling block and to the
Greeks foolishness, 24 but to
those who are called, both
Jews and Greeks, Christ the
power of God and the
wisdom of God. 25 Because
the foolishness of God is
wiser than men, and the
weakness of God is stronger
than men.

26 For you see your calling,
brethren, that not many wise
according to the flesh, not
many mighty, not many
noble, are called. 27 But God
has chosen the fooish things
of the world to put to shame
the wise, and God has chosen
the weak things of the world
to put to shame the things
which are mighty.... 30 But
of Him you are in Christ
Jesus, who became for us
wisdom from God--and
righteousness and
sanctification and
redemption__ 31 that, as it is
written, "He who glories, let
him glory in the LORD."

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

The church in Corinth was founded by Paul on his second missionary
journey (Acts 18). Seven years later, at the end of his third missionary
journey, Paul wrote this letter to a church characterized by immorality,
disunity, abuse of liberty, and lack of humility. __Sim Kay Tee