Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

October 7
Tuesday


UNUSED
MUSCLES

READ:
1 Cor. 12:14-27
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The manifestation of
the Spirit is given to
each one for the
profit of all.
__1 Corinthians 12:7
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My wife recently visited a physiotherapist to seek relief for her neck and shoulder pain. When the problem did not go away after several visits, she asked why. She was told that her pain was becasue of some "lazy neck muscles."

Apparently, the neck muscles that were supposed to hold her head upright were not doing their job. As a result, her shoulder muscles had to take over the function of holding up her head. This caused unnaturally stiffened shoulder muscles. The solution? Exercises were prescribed to train her neck muscles to do what they were designed to do.

In a way, her problem depicts what happens in the body of Christ. God has given each believer gifts that are to be exercised for the common good of the church (1 Cor. 12:7). But when some don't pull their weight, others far less gifted in those areas must pitch in. Although the body of Christ continues to function, it is not functioning at its best. There are some overworked Christians around!

God wants us to use our spiritual gifts to benefit others in the church. When we work together, we keep the body strong. What has God gifted you to do so that you can help relieve the strain the church is suffering? __C. P. Hia
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``````````````````All Christians have been gifted``````````````````
````````````````````By grace from God above,```````````````````
``````````````````Equipped to build and strengthen ```````````````
````````````````The church in faith and love. __Fitshugh```````````
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Teamwork divides the effort and multiplies the effect.

************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Corinthians 12:14-27********

14 For in fact the body is
not one member but many.

15 If the foot should say,
"Because I am not a hand, I
am not of the body," is it
therefore not of the body?

16 And if the ear should say,
"Because I am not an eye, I
am not of the body," is it
therefore not of the body?

17 If the whole body were an
eye, where would be the
hearing? If the whole were
hearing, where would be the
smelling? 18 But now God
has set the members, each
one of them, in the body just
as He pleased. 19 And if they
were all one member, where
would the body be? 20 But
now indeed there are many
members, yet one body.

21 And the eye cannot say
to the hand, "I have no need
of you"; nor again the head
to the feet, "I have no need
of you." 22 No, much rather,
those members of the body
which seem to be weaker
are necessary. 23 And those
members of the body which
we think to be less
honorable, on these we
bestow greater honor; and
our unpresentable parts have
greater modesty, 24 but our
presentable parts have no
need. But God composed
the body, having given
greater honor to that part
which lacks it, 25 that there
should be no schism in the
body, but that the members
should have the same care
for one another. 26 and if
one member suffers, all the
members suffer with it; or if
one member is honored, all
the members rejoice with it.

27 Now you are the body of
Christ, and members
individually.

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

In today's Bible reading, Paul challenges us to recognize the
uniqueness of every member of the body of Christ. Each of us has a
particular role to fulfill, and all those roles are vital to the health
of the body. What's yours? _Bill Crowder