OUR DAILY BREAD : TRUE LOYALTY

[cimi]

July 15
Tuesday


TRUE
LOYALTY

READ:
1 Corinthians
11:23-31
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If I must boast, I will
boast in the things
which concern my
infirmity.
__2 Corinthians 11:30
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By one estimate, more than 14 trillion frequent-flyer miles have been accumulated by people worldwide. It all started in the early 1980s, when airlines began the first frequent-flyer programs to encourage repeat business by rewarding customers for their loyalty. Accumulated miles could be redeemed for free travel, goods and services, so it wasn't long before people began planning their travel based as much on personal reward as on price or schedule.

The apostle Paul was an avid first-century traveler, but he wasn't in it for the "frequent-sailor miles." His goal was to reach as many people as he could with the good news of forgiveness and eternal life through faith in Jesus. When some people in the city of Corinth questioned his authority, he wrote a letter describing the price he had paid to bring the gospel to others: "Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep" (2 Cor. 11:25). God gave Paul the grace and endurance to risk his life to tell people about Jesus with no thought of personal gain.

Whether we receive persecution or praise for our service to the Lord, may our focus always be loyalty to him and gratitude for His sacrifice of love. __David McCasland

````````````````````I'm Yours, Lord, yet teach me all it means,`````````````````````
````````````````````````all it involves of love and loyalty,`````````````````````````
`````````````````````````of holy service, full and glad,```````````````````````````
``````````````````In unreserved obedience to Thee! --Bennett``````````````````````
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Our loyalty to Jesus grows from His love for us.

**********************************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Corinthians 11:23-31*********************************

23 Are they ministers of
Christ?__I speak as a
fool__I am more: in labors
more abundant, in stripes
above measure, in prisons
more frequently, in deaths
often. 24 From the Jews five
times I received forty
stripes minus one. 25 Three
times I was beaten wit the
rods; once I was stoned;
three times I was
shipwrecked; a night and a
day I have been in the
deep; 26 in journeys often,
in perils of waters, in perils
of robbers, in perils of my
own countrymen, in perils
of the Gentiles, in perils in
the city, in perils in the
wilderness, in perils in the
sea, in perils among false
brethren; 27 in weariness
and toil, in sleeplessness
often, in hunger and thirst,
in fastings often, in cold
and nakedness__ 28 besides
the other things, what
comes upon me daily: my
deep concern for all the
churches. 29 Who is weak,
and I am not weak? Who is
made to stumble, and I do
not burn with indignation?

30 If I must boast, I will
boast in the things which
concern my infirmity.

31 The God and Father of
our Lord Jesus Christ, who
is blessed forever, knows
that I am not lying.

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

To modern-day followers of Christ, the apostle Paul is held in the
highest regard for his tireless work of teaching, church-planning, and
writing of biblical letters. This, however, was not the case in the first
century. Even after years of faithful service, Paul had to write the
letter of 2 Corinthians to defend his calling and ministry, which was
being questioned by people in Corinth. Today's reading is a part of
that defense of his ministry.