Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

February 18
Monday


THE POWER OF
DEMONSTRATION

READ:
1 Corinthians 2:1-5
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The kingdom of God
is not in word but in
power.
1 Corinthians 4:20
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For 2 decades, ecologist Mike Hands has worked to help farmers in Central America adopt more effective methods of growing their crops. Its difficult, however, for them to abandon their long tradition of "slash and burn" agriculture, even though they know it destroys the soil and pollutes the air.

So instead of merely talking to them, Mike shows them a better way. In the documentary film Up in Smoke, he says: "It has to be demonstrated. You cannot preach it. You can't describe it. People have got to be able to get their hands on it and see it."

Paul took a similar approach to sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. He wrote to the believers in Corinth, "My speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God" (1 Cor. 2:4-5). Later in his letter, Paul told them again, "The kingdom of God is not in word but in power" (4:20).

As you live each day, ask God to help you accompany your words with actions. When we allow God to show Himself through us, It's a powerful demonstration of His grace and love. __David McCasland
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Allow us, Lord, to demonstrate~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Our faith by what we do,~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~So that the gospel can be seen~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By those who seek for You. __Sper~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Our words need actions behind them.

******************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Corinthians 2:1-5**********************

1 And I, brethren, when I
came to you, did not come
with excellence of speech or
of wisdom declaring to you
the testimony of God. 2 For
I determined not to know
anything among you except
Jesus Christ and Him
crucified. 3 I was with you
in weakness, in fear, and in
much trembling. 4 And my
speech and my preaching
were not with persuasive
words of human wisdom,
but in demonstration of the
Spirit and of power, 5 that
your faith should not be in
the wisdom of men but in
the power of God.

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

In today's reading, we encounter Paul's sincere humility. He did not
come to the believers at Corinth with an arrogant proclamation of
worldly wisdom but with the simple message of the cross and the
divine power it demonstrated. Not long before making contact with
the Corinthians, Paul had been run out of Thessalonica by an angry
mob of unbelievers (Acts 17:1-18:4). Yet his modest self-perception
was not tied to those humbling circumstances. Rather it sprang from
Paul's sense of awe at the sovereign God of grace, who had now
made salvation available to every repentant person who hears and
obeys the gospel. God's character and work have a way of helping
us gain a sense of authentic modesty.