Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

August 20
Monday


CONSUMER
MENTALITY

READ:
1 Corinthians 3:5-15
_____________________________

If anyone's work
which he has built
on it endure's, he will
receive a reward.
__1 Corinthians 3:14
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I like to read, and I enjoy buying books. But I don't like it when publishers refer to me as a "consumer." The word consume can mean "do away with completely" or "spend wastefully." It brings to mind forest fires that devour acre after acre of vegetation, leaving behind only scorched remnants of trees and homes. When we read books, we don't consume them in that sense, for they don't cease to exist after we've
used them. In fact, quite the opposite is true. They become a part of us; they change us.

This is especially true of the Bible. When the words of Scripture remain in us, they keep us from taking the destructive way of sin (Ps. 119:11). Jesus said that when His words abide in us, we will bear much fruit (John 15:5-8). In other words, we will be creators, not consumers; givers, not takers.

The apostle Paul referred to Christians as "God's fellow workers" (1 Cor. 3:9), who are to build things that cannot be consumed in the fire of God's judgement of their works (vv.13-15). Later he urged readers to excel in gifts that build up the church (14:12).

As Christians, let's be known not for the goods we consume but for the good fruit we produce. __ Julie Ackerman Link
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Why does God give us spiritual gifts? (Eph. 4;11-13).
On what are we to build our works? (1 Cor. 3:10-11
What is the result of work that will last? (1 Cor. 3:14).
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A selfless life reaps an eternal harvest.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ 1 Corinthians 3:5-15

5 Who then is Paul, and
who is Apollos, but
ministers through whom
you believed, as the Lord
gave to each one? 6 I
planted, Apollos watered,
but God gave the increase.

7 So then neither he who
plants is anything, nor he
who waters, but God who
gives the increase. 8 Now he
who plants and he who
waters are one, and each
one will receive his own
reward according to his
own labor. 9 For we are
God's fellow workers; you
are God's field, you are
God's buiilding.

10 According to the grace
of God which was given to
me, as a wise master
builder I have laid the
foundation, and another
builds on it. But let each
one take heed how he
builds on it. 11 For no other
foundation can anyone lay
than that which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold,
silver, precious stones,
wood, hay, straw, 13 each
one's work will become
clear; for the Day will
declare it, because it will be
revealed by fire; and the fire
will test each one's work, of
what sort it is. 14 If anyone's
work which he has built on it
endures, he will receive a
reward. 15 If anyone's work
is burned, he will suffer
loss; but he himself will be
saved, yet so as through
fire.

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

Paul's teaching on Jesus Christ as the only sure foundation (1 Cor.
3:11) sounds like an echo from the Lord's own parable on the
subject. "Whoever hears these saying of Mine, and does them,
I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock"
(Matt. 7:24). __HDF