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Spiritual Gifts

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 14.

Our reading today continues Paul’s writings on spiritual gifts which he began discussing and listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. In this chapter he primarily focuses on speaking in tongues and prophesy. These spiritual gifts have become a controversial topic in the Church today with some taking a cessationist view that these gifts have stopped due to interpretation of 1 Corinthians 13:10 saying they pass away when “perfect comes.” They interpret “perfect” being the completion of the Bible and that those spiritual gifts were only given to the first apostles so the Bible could be completed. They believe now that the Bible has been written Scripture teaches they have stopped because they aren’t necessary anymore. Continualists do not believe these spiritual gifts have stopped. They believe the “perfect” referenced in 1 Corinthians 13:10 to be the coming of Jesus again which has not yet happened, so thus these spiritual gifts are still alive and active today.

Let me just say this discrepancy in beliefs among the Church and Christians on this topic is not a salvation issue. Those believing both views will go to Heaven if they confess their sins and believe Jesus died on the cross for their forgiveness and was raised on Easter. Let me also say that although this is a controversial topic, I am writing on it because I believe http://biblejournal.net is just that..a journal of everyday Christians to share their thoughts and what they feel God may be laying on their hearts related to Scripture. So..here we go.

In my observation (and I’ve probably heard others say this before), one interprets Scripture by a combination of the following….

  • What you feel the Holy Spirit is teaching you and laying on your heart through reading it
  • Other Scriptures on the same or similar topic
  • What pastors and spiritual leaders who you respect for consistently following God’s Word say on the Scriptures and topic
  • Your personal experiences related to the topic and how you’ve seen God move or work related to it in your life

Pastor Gary Hamrick of Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, VA preached on this topic back in December of 2024 which you can find here using this link  https://cornerstonechapel.net/teaching/20241208/ . Pastor Gary interprets Scripture in a way that makes him a continualist. He references Pastor John MacArthur who is a cessaitonist and even had a 3-day conference on the topic. Pastor MacArthur is someone who I have also listened to sermons as a resource for my past Bible Journal writings. From my experiences, both follow God’s Word in their teaching..they just have a different interpretation on the Scripture for this topic.

If you are a fellow Christ follower who holds a cessationist view, meaning you believe these gifts are no longer active, please don’t hold it against me that after using some of the above methods, I would call myself a continualist. If we both believe in Jesus, that’s all that really matters. And yet again, http://biblejornal.net is just a way our writers to share what’s on their heart.

My interpretation after reading these Scriptures and listening to Pastor Gary are that things are not yet “perfect” as 1 Corinthians 13:10 says they will be when these spiritual gifts pass away. I can look around and see that things are far from perfect and although the Bible teaches us a lot about God’s heart, will, and plan..there is still a lot we don’t know that only God does. I don’t know it all or how understand all that is going on in the world around us. Do you? My interpretation of perfect is when Jesus comes again, not with completion of God’s Word in the Bible.

The other reason my interpretation of these verses is that these spiritual gifts are alive and have not yet ended are my personal experience. About 6 years ago I made a decision to step away from one half of a dual role I served in my company. This was a big decision. That one half of the dual role was the reason we moved from the Springfield area to the Bloomington area in 2011, and for many years I thought that role was the role God was calling me into to impact many others throughout the rest of my career. For various reasons which I won’t go into here and through prayer and experiences, I began to believe that may not be the case. While I felt it was the right decision to step down from this role, there was still uncertainty and fear of if this was the right decision and what was next.

When I went to tell my Managing Partner in Champaign I was stepping down from this role one early morning in late 2019, my wife was the only person who knew. I had told no one else. As I drove back to Bloomington-Normal to meet with a newer financial representative I was mentoring in the role I was stepping down from, my mind was elsewhere still wondering what was next for my family and me and our future. Had I made the best decision? When he sat down he said he wanted to tell me something before his coaching session started. He said he doesn’t tell many, but he has the spiritual gift of prophesy which was not for him and his life experiences, but to share with others. He said for many years he has observed these prophetic visions come true. He told me God had laid it on his heart during his prayers time that morning that he didn’t know exactly what, but that I was going to have a major change or promotion in my career and what I did with my company. He said whatever that change was, it was going to be a really good thing and that I would be able to bless others and blessings would come to my family in this new role. It was all I could do to keep it together. When he left that coaching session which was supposed to be for him, I broke down into tears. I was so humbled God gave him that message to deliver to me to give me peace and affirmation that my decision was the right one.

While there are always challenges that come with change, it has been clear he was correct and the change in roles has not only been good for me professionally but given me more bandwidth to coach my kids’ teams and get involved in other charitable and church and mission type work for His glory that I may or may not have thought had the time for previously.

The purpose of my writing today is not to convince you to be a continualist when it comes to spiritual gifts, but just to share with you my personal interpretation through some methods you also might find helpful to interpret Scripture and my experiences. Most importantly, my prayer is that we listen to God’s voice and the ways he may be speaking to us through His Word and through others.

Faith, Hope and Love

1 Corinthians 13

The first thing I thought of after reading 1 Corinthians 13……who stood up and read this at my wedding??  I can’t be the only one that thought about weddings!  Second thing I thought of and went straight to spotify to play for some inspiration…..Alan Jackson – Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?  Heck, I just listened to it again.  That song in itself can be the summary of this chapter!

Paul reminds us all that without LOVE, nothing else matters.  Love is patient, love is kind.  I was told to be patient and kind as young as I can remember.  My wife still tells me that today.  We tell our kids that.  Love doesn’t envy or boast meaning don’t show off or resent other people.  Again, things and principles we were told growing up and what we continue to tell our children.  I feel like from now on I should say to my kids each day on the way out the door, “First Corinthians, chapter 13!”, but it doesn’t quite have that ring to it.

I think the word love can be abused, overused, taken advantage of.  We need that reminder of what the bible says it means and Paul does that here.  Many things like knowledge, prophecy, and spiritual gifts are temporary.  But LOVE is eternal.  Someday, when we fully understand everything and see God face-to-face, we’ll realize love was the most important thing all along.

We all certainly know what love is and what it means when it comes to our loved ones or special events like the birth of a newborn or the day we get married.  But what Paul does here is go a little deeper and reminds us about that Alan Jackson type of love that we need to show towards everyone.  It is not just about the love on the good days and people that are close to you but also the love on the not so good days and everyone else in the world.

Country music fan or not, I urge everyone to listen to that song at least once today and reflect on where and how you show your love to those around you and those far away.

Faith, Hope and Love will always matter, but LOVE is the greatest.  It is the foundation of real relationships, real growth, and real faith.

God’s Guidance for the Spiritual Design of Marriage

Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 11

How awesome that by the publishing of this post, we will celebrate the marriage this weekend of our daughter. We are very blessed and happy that our daughter is marrying a Godly-man and their faith in Jesus Christ is a central part of their relationship. Praise God!

Marriage, as designed by God, is a sacred covenant that reflects His character, order, and love. From the beginning, Scripture teaches that marriage is not merely a social contract, but a divine institution created by God to unite a man and woman in a lifelong, faithful partnership (Genesis 2:24). At its core, marriage reflects the covenant relationship between Christ and His Church (Ephesians 5:25-32), built on love, sacrifice, mutual respect, and spiritual unity.

God’s design for marriage begins with headship and partnership. In 1 Corinthians 11:3, Paul outlines a spiritual order: “the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.” This structure reflects not superiority, but divine alignment. Just as Jesus submits to the Father in love and unity, so are husbands called to lovingly lead their wives, and wives to respond with respect and support. This mutual submission (Ephesians 5:21) fosters unity, trust, and flourishing.

Marriage is also a sanctifying relationship, where both spouses are shaped more into the image of Christ. Through selfless service, forgiveness, and shared spiritual pursuit, a husband and wife grow in faith together. God calls couples to love each other deeply, bear with one another’s weaknesses, and remain faithful through all seasons.

At its heart, God’s spiritual design for marriage is about reflecting His love to the world. A Christ-centered marriage puts God first, values prayer and Scripture, and commits to building a home grounded in grace and truth. It is a daily choice to love as Christ loves—sacrificially, joyfully, and unconditionally.

When couples honor this design, their marriage becomes more than companionship—it becomes a testimony of God’s glory, faithfulness, and redeeming love.

Written with the assistance of ChatGPT

Trust your Conviction

1 Corinthians 8 (Wednesday June 4th)
To preface this entire post, I want us all to read 1 Cor. 10:31, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Be above reproach. Be a man or woman of good reputation because you represent our great God.

If you have been a Christian for any amount of time, you have had the question okay well what do I do if the Bible doesn’t talk about a certain topic? For example, the Bible doesn’t always give us specific verses on if you can or cannot take in certain media, to smoke, to drink alcohol (the Bible clearly warns against getting drunk Eph. 5:18), and many other hot topics in our culture. So, what do we do?

This passage of scripture was specifically for the Corinthian church. There were many pagans turned Christians in this church. Something that they would have done in their previous worldview was to sacrifice meat to the various idols they worshipped. Then that same meat would be sold in the market. So, the Christians are now asking okay now that we worship Jesus, can we still eat this meat, or should we not eat this meat? Paul’s answer is simple. He says that some people have the knowledge in their heart and mind that all other idols are not true gods, therefore their conscience is not weak when they eat the meat that was offered to these idols. Then there are the people who may have practiced the actual offering before and their conscience is weak towards this practice because it reminds them of idolatry they previously committed.

So, let’s make this more personal. Say you had a sin struggle with getting drunk before you came to Christ for salvation. Now after you are a Christian, you understand that just having a drink is okay, but because you have abused it, your conscience is weak towards even having a drink. Obviously that Christian should not drink because going against their conscience would be sin.

Now, Paul goes back to everyone and clarifies some things.

1. Our freedom should not be a stumbling block for another Christian (v.9).
2. Give up your freedom for the sake of others (v.13).

So, to put this all together, there are some areas where you have freedom to trust your conscience that God created in you and the Spirit He put in you. BUT you should never favor your liberty over your brother and sister in Christ. AND you should be willing (not that you must) to give up your liberty, even though your conscience is not weak, for the sake of someone else.

Happy Anniversary

Today’s Reading is 1 Corinthians 7.  When reading and reflecting on these words from Paul there will be a part for everyone no matter where you at in your relationship journey.  For myself my wife Jennifer and I will be celebrating our 16th wedding anniversary which includes many situations of hills and valleys.

Thankfully in all these moments I can see God at work and also recognize the times where He was present and I was the one absent in my obedience.

We are in the middle of a big move for our family.  New place, new community, new everything.  The moments of excitement seem to have disappeared as we say goodbye to friends and things that make you feel comfortable and content.   In these high stress times hearing His Words are a reminder how I should be treating Jennifer always.

Stay faithful – the world is full of temptations and our devices we carry allow these temptations to be present 24/7.   In her presence or not am I “giving” to her?

Devote yourself to prayer – our physical world makes us believe we can do all things ourselves.  We don’t need help. The truth is we all need help.  Do I seek my help from the One who does provide all the TRUE answers.  God.  Pray, pray, pray.  Every decision we make can be lifted when we look to Him.

However many years the Lord gives us do I devote them to prayer? I can be vulnerable in saying this has been a shortcoming which I need to do better with.

Lastly, live as we are called.  Like I started, no matter where you are at with a relationship – are you leading a life that is obedient to our Lord .  Are you keeping His commandments?  If not – confess, pray to Him and ask for forgiveness, and turn away from the sins that can seek you daily.  Stay faithful, the Lord is near to Him that call on Him.

Happy Anniversary Jennifer.

Blessings to everyone!

What You Allow, You Become

1 Corinthians 5

The Corinthian church turned a blind eye to the reckless behavior of some of its members. ‘We are all Christians,’ they reasoned. But over time, sin became normalized. What once shocked them now seemed ordinary. A few had infected the whole.

Could the same be happening in your church? Maybe — but the first place to look is within.

Where are you making small compromises?

    • “What you watch”
    • “What you listen to”
    • “What you say”
    • “What you do”
    • “Where you go”
    • “What you give – or withhold”

Small sins shape your soul — and our souls shape the church.

The Upside Down Kingdom of God

Today’s reading is 1 Corinthians 4 where Paul writes about the ministry of the apostles.

Merriam-Webster defines the word apostle as “one sent on a mission: such as one of an authoritative New Testament group sent out to preach the gospel and made up especially of Christ’s 12 original disciples and Paul.”

These are God’s chosen people to deliver the truth of God and the gospel of Jesus to the world and what does Paul tell us about them. In 1 Corinthians 4:9 he says they are “last of all, like men sentenced to death.” He says in 1 Corinthians 4:10 they are “fools for Christ’s sake” and “weak,” as well as in “disrepute.” But it doesn’t stop there, he goes on in 1 Corinthians 4:11 to say they “hunger and thirst,” and they are “poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless.” Lastly, he says in 1 Corinthians 4:13 they are “like the scum of the worlds, the refuse of all things.”

Despite all of this in in 1 Corinthians 4:12-13, “When reviled, we bless: when persecuted, we endure, when slandered, we entreat.” Above all though he begins in 1 Corinthians 4:1 by saying..

  “This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.”

What an example these apostles, chosen by God, give us. One would typically think those chosen by God should be put on a pedestal and held in high regard, yet it is exactly the opposite. Remember, there was time where James and John ask Jesus in Mark 10:37 to sit on each side of Him in Heaven. But now, after seeing the pain, the agony, and the suffering that Jesus, the Son of God, did on their behalf on the cross to do what they could not do for themselves to make them right with God through the forgiveness of their sins, their priorities were different. Their perspective is different because they saw firsthand the sacrifice He made and now consider it an honor to suffer in a similar manner so long as they are being used by Him to spread the Gospel so others may be saved like them.

So, what does this mean for us and our everyday life here today? I’m not certain I know, but at a minimum we should respond by being more in tune with what God wants of us in our lives and in certain situations which may differ from what we want or what the world says we should want and get. And above all, we should strive to live in a way to be regarded like the apostles who are viewed as “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” as he says in 1 Corinthians 4:1 which he also says in 1 Corinthians 4:2 is because “it is required of stewards that they be found faithful.”

Let us start by being faithful….one moment and one day at a time.

Eternal Truth

The cross of Christ stands as the ultimate paradox: a symbol of shame and suffering that reveals the wisdom and power of God. At its center lies a truth that defies human logic—salvation through sacrifice, victory through death, glory through humility. The world esteems power, status, and intellect, yet God chose what is “foolish” in the eyes of the world to shame the wise and the strong (1 Corinthians 1:27). In doing so, He exposes the emptiness of human pride and redirects our hope to what truly matters: Christ crucified.

Worldly thinking prioritizes self—self-reliance, self-glory, and self-promotion. It seeks answers in human achievement and reason, measuring worth by influence, wealth, or success. But the message of the cross calls us to a different standard. It confronts us with our sin, humbles our ambitions, and demands surrender. At the cross, we see that our deepest need cannot be met by human effort, but only by divine grace.

To live by the cross is to live counter-culturally. It means rejecting the temptation to find identity in anything other than Christ. It means embracing weakness so that God’s strength may be made perfect. It means resisting the lure of popular opinion when it conflicts with eternal truth.

In a world that exalts what temporary, the cross anchors us in the eternal. It reminds us that God’s ways are higher than ours, and His wisdom far surpasses our understanding. To stand firm in the gospel is to reject the fleeting wisdom of the age and cling to the cross—the only hope that does not fail.

Lastly, on this Memorial Day, thank you to all the soldiers and veterans that have selfishly given their lives for our freedom.  Your sacrifice, suffering, and even death for a cause, our country, required immeasurable courage and resolve.  Thank you for putting your beliefs and loyalty before your own well-being.

He sees it all, and he still loves us!

When you were a child, do you remember your parents looking after you? Do you have specific memories of places, events, or timelines where you knew someone had a watchful eye on you?

For example, I grew up swimming all the time. Lakes, pools, rivers, hot tubs and so on. During that time I didn’t always look to see where my parents or caregivers were, but there was always someone paying attention. With this there was also to an extent, an amount of freedom to do what I wanted. There were times when I wanted my parents to be watching and then other times I didn’t want to get caught.

At this point in my life, I am longing for the days when I could have a meaningful conversation with my mother and father. There are things I want to tell them about my wife, my life, and their grandchildren. I want to hear their stories again about how they grew up, both the good and the bad.

Today’s reading: Psalm 33

13 The Lord looks down from heaven;
    he sees all the children of man;
14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out
    on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions the hearts of them all
    and observes all their deeds. (Psalm 33:13-15)

These verses should remind us that no matter the presence or relationship with our Earthly parents, our Father God is always watching us. He loves us more than we can fathom, and he wants us to call on him in the good and bad times.

What thoughts come to mind when thinking about the fact that God is always watching? Probably some mix of fear (like I shared about not wanting to get caught), and hopefully some sense of warmth and love because of the extent God took to purchase our salvation.

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

If there are feelings of dread or fear, it is usually because of some hidden or unconfessed sin. This week, I took an inventory of my life as to the things that are hindering my relationship with God. I asked him to reveal my sins to me so that I may confess and ask for forgiveness. The many thoughts that came to mind were daunting, but there is so much freedom when we come clean and admit our wrongs to the one who already knows what we did.

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” (Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT))

Let us remember that God’s watchful eye is not one of mere surveillance, but of love. Regardless of our memories of those who nurtured us, we can always come to our Heavenly Father for forgiveness, wisdom, grace, mercy, love, a warm embrace, and much more.

Seek the Lord Amidst Suffering

Psalm 31

This psalm is very applicable to every single person who calls earth their home. You may ask, why are you wording it this way… Well, we live in a fallen world that was cursed back in Genesis 3:17, and not only was the ground cursed then, but sin has abounded in our world. Cancer, greed, heartbreak, covetousness, and every evil (or imperfect) thing is a result of the sin that Adam committed. So let’s study this Psalm and see how one of the greatest earthly kings of Israel handled his anguish.

Just by means of breaking this Psalm into chunks, we see in the first 5 verses David is requesting protection from the LORD. He exclaims truths that God is his rock, his fortress, and that God is faithful. The next three verses, (6-8) David is portraying his trust and faith in God as his protector. God listens and hears the cry of David.
Now, in verses 9-13 David starts to explain some of the symptoms of his life. He explains:
1. His body and soul are withering away
2. Sin has drained his strength
3. He is wasting away from within
4. His enemies are conspiring against him, plotting to take his life.

Through these verses, David explains both internal and external suffering and anguish. He mentions that his sin has drained his strength. In Psalm 51, David asks the Lord to restore to him the joy of his salvation. There are two truths here. The first being that our own sin can cause us suffering and internal anguish. The second truth is that our sin steals the joy that we once had… But God is faithful to forgive you when you come to Him and He is faithful to restore that joy to you.

The external suffering David faced, and that we face today, is often a result of other people sinning against us. We must remember that sin is simply missing the mark of God’s righteousness and holiness.
Now let’s apply this to our own lives.
1. When we sin and face internal anguish, we must keep short accounts with God (James 5:16, 1 John 1:9, Ps. 32:1-5).
2. We must forgive others so we can also be forgiven (Matthew 6:14-15).
3. We must continuously praise God and seek Him as our refuge and rock (Ps. 31:3,21)