Tuesday, October 22, 2019

praying effectively: Be Sober-Minded (1 Cor.15:33-50)


(1 Corinthians 15:33-50)  Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” 34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of GodI speak this to your shame.

35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.


Reminder:  "praying effectively" involves knowing God's will.  When we pray in His will (in His name), He may choose to not answer those prayers in the time period that we would like, or HOW we would like - but He will answer those prayers!

It is God's will:
- that we stop sinning (15:34)
- that we avoid bad company which will corrupt us (15:33)
- that we are not deceived (15:33)
- that we are sober-minded (15:34)
- that we have knowledge of God (15:34)

Today's prayer:


Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for Your work on the cross.  Without Your death and resurrection, we would not have any hope.  And Your wisdom is mind-blowing.  Thank You for this illustration of the seed being planted - in good soil - dying - then growing eternal... a brilliant parallel of all those who put their faith in You!

And to be PLANTED in You - in good soil - on solid ground... The more knowledge of You that we have, the more sober-minded we should be.  Protect us from evil, and help us not to be deceived, but to remain steadfast and unwavering in Your will.  Cause us to continually produce fruit to Your glory.  Amen.

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