Week of February 13, 2011, 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

One of the Scriptures for Sunday is from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church, chapter 3, verses 1 to 9 – where Paul tells the congregation to move beyond the basics, quit their infighting, and do mission, using the gifts that God has given each of us:

1And so, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but rather as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for solid food. Even now you are still not ready, 3for you are still of the flesh. For as long as there is jealousy and quarrelling among you, are you not of the flesh, and behaving according to human inclinations? 4For when one says, ‘I belong to Paul’, and another, ‘I belong to Apollos’, are you not merely human?
5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labour of each. 9For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Dear Lord, thank You for showing us the way, the way to You, and the way to service. Thank You, Jesus, that we look to You for all things. Help us to grow spiritually, developing a closer relationship with You, as we read Your word, as we worship, as we pray, as we share Your love with others.

And remind us too, Lord, that You give everyone gifts in ministry – some of planting seeds of faith, some of modeling lifestyles, some of watering and nurturing, some of encouraging and affirming, some in all kinds of leadership. But You remind us, Jesus, that we are all Your servants, working together, in Your Kingdom, building relationships of care and help. And You remind us also, Lord, that You are the One who gives the growth; we are all moved – each of us in our own way – by Your Spirit in our midst.

Thanks, Jesus, for Your strength, and help, and hope, Your overwhelming love and mercy, Your peace and Your presence with us always. Amen.

May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to Himself;
May the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in His service;
May the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our souls;
May the fire of the Holy Spirit bring us comfort, guide us in our decisions, and fill us
with a fervent desire to serve God better.
And may the blessing of the almighty and most merciful God - Creator, Word and eternal Holy Spirit - be upon us and remain with us always.
In the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

You may leave a message or prayer request by emailing me at: peacewm@tds.net.
May you be more and more aware of God’s presence as you live each day.