The response from the last two weeks:

August 16 – Read 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:2

1 Corinthians 10:16-21 – Why was the food offered to idols such a problem to the believers in Corinth? In Old Testament days, when a Jew offered a sacrifice, he ate a part of that sacrifice as a way of resorting his unity with God, against whom he sinned. Christian participate in Christ’s once for all sacrifice when they eat the bread and drink the wine symbolizing his body and blood. Recent converts from paganism could not help being affected if they knowingly ate with pagans in their feast the meat offered to idols.

August 17 – Read 1 Corinthians 11:3-16

1 Corinthians 11:14-15 – What does head covering or the length of my hair have to do with my worship of God? This reference was made to the days of Corinth. Paul was saying that in the Corinthian culture, Christian women should keep their hair long. If short hair on women was a sign of prostitution, then a Christian woman with short hair would find it even more difficult to be a believable witness for Jesus Christ.

August 18 – Read 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

1 Corinthians 11:20-34 – What does the Lord’s Supper mean? The celebration of deliverance from sin by Christ’s death.

1 Corinthians 11:25 – What is the new covenant? A commitment. Eating the bread and drinking the cup shows that we are remembering Christ’s death for us and renewing our commitment to serve him.

August 19 – Read 1 Corinthians 12:1-26

1 Corinthians 12:1 – What are the “special abilities” mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:1? The spiritual gifts given to each person by the Holy Spirit are special abilities that are to be used to minister to the needs of the body of believers.

1 Corinthians 12:13 – What is the meaning of the phrase “we were all baptized into one body”? When a person becomes a Christian, the Holy Spirit takes up residence, and he or she is born into God’s family. We were all given the one Spirit to drink and that same Holy Spirit completely fills our innermost beings.

August 20 – Read 1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13

1 Corinthians 12:30 – What is the gift called ‘various kinds of tongues”? Ecstatic utterances rather than known languages. Not more than two or three shall speak. They speak in order, one at a time. Paul says women should be silent. Private, devotional use of tongues is an individual matter. Not all tongue speaking is genuine. Speaking in tongues is not needed as a sign of regeneration or of sanctification.

1 Corinthians 13:1 – What is the meaning of “charity”? Charity is translated as Love elsewhere in the New Testament. Love is compared with gifts as tongues, prophecy, understanding of mysteries, knowledge, faith and giving of one’s goods to feed the poor. Where love is lacking, none of these gifts will benefit a man or woman.

August 21 – Read 1 Corinthians 14:1-17

1 Corinthians 14:1 What does prophecy involve? Predicting the future but it’s main purpose is to communicate God’s message to people, providing insight, warning, correction and encouragement.

August 22 – Read 1 Corinthians 14:18-40

1 Corinthians 14:34-35 – Does 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 mean that women should not speak in church services today? No, women if that day did not receive formal religious education as did men. Women are given spiritual gifts and are encouraged to exercise them in the body of Christ. Paul was asking the women not to flaunt their Christian freedom during worship. The purpose of Paul’s words was to promote unity, not to teach about women’s role in the church.

1 Corinthians 14:2 – What is Paul’s view on speaking in tongues? 1. It is a spiritual gift from God. 2. It is a desirable gift even though it isn’t a requirement of faith. 3. It is less important then prophecy and teaching.

August 23 – Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-28

1 Corinthians 15:12-28 – Why didn’t the Corinthians Christians believe there would be a resurrection? Most Corinthians were Greek, the Greek philosophers, the soul was the real person, imprisoned in a physical body and at death the soul was released. There was no immortality for the body, but the soul entered an eternal state. Christianity, by contrast, affirms that the body and soul will be united after resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:19 – Why does Paul say believers should be pitied if there were only earthly value to Christianity? In Paul’s day, Christianity often brought a person persecution, ostracism from family, and in many cases, poverty. There were few tangible benefits from being a Christian in that society.

August 24 – Read 1 Corinthians 15:29-58

1 Corinthians 15:35-58 – What kind of body does 1 Corinthians 15 describe? Paul compares the resurrection of our bodies with the growth in a garden.

August 25 – Read 1 Corinthians 16:1-24

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 – What 5 items did Paul tell the Corinthians to do while they awaited his visit? 1. Be on guard against spiritual dangers. 2. Stand firm in faith. 3. Behave courageously. 4. Be strong. 5. Do everything with kindness and in love. As we await Christ return – we should follow the same instructions.

August 26 – Read 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

2 Corinthians 1:2 – What kind of city was Corinth? A flourishing trade center because of its seaport. The most immoral city in the ancient world; its many pagan temples encouraged the practice of sexual immorality along with idol worship.

August 27 – Read 2 Corinthians :12-2:11

2 Corinthians 1:17 – Why was it a problem for Paul to change his plans? This cause some of his accusers to say that he couldn’t be trusted, hoping to undermine his authority. The reason for Paul trip was to bring joy and this could to be accomplished with the present crisis.

August 28 – Read 2 Corinthians 2:12-17

2 Corinthians 2:13 – Who was Titus? Titus was a Greek convert whom Paul greatly loved and trusted. He was one of the men responsible for collecting the money for the poverty-stricken Jerusalem church.

2 Corinthians 2:16 – Why does Paul say that he and the apostles are “the aroma of death to death” and “the aroma of life to life”? When Christian preach the gospel, it is good news to some and repulsive news to others. Believers recognize the life-giving fragrance of the message. To nonbelievers, it smells foul, like death – their own.

August 29 – Read 2 Corinthians 3:1-18

2 Corinthians 3:13-18 – Why did Moses wear a veil on his face? Moses had to put a veil on his face to keep the people from being terrified by the brightness of his face.

2 Corinthians 3:17 – Is the Lord Jesus the Spirit? When Jesus rose from the dead, he became a life-giving Spirit. That he entered into a new spiritual existence when he was glorified.

August 30 – Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-12

2 Corinthians 4:3-4 – Who is the “god of this age”? Satan. His work is to deceive and blind those who don’t believe in Christ. Money, and pleasures blind people out of seeing the light of the gospels.

August 31 – Read 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10

2 Corinthians 5:1-10 – If Paul was so spiritual why was he concerned about his body? Paul was writing from the heart of Greek culture, and many believers had difficulty with the concept of bodily resurrection. Greeks did not believe in bodily resurrection. Most say the afterlife as something that happened only to the soul with the real person imprisoned in a physical body.

The reading for the next two weeks:

September 1 – Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21

2 Corinthians 5:14 – Is the “love” in 2 Corinthians 5:14 Paul’s love for Christ or Christ’s love for him?

2 Corinthians 5:18 – What is reconciliation?

September 2 – Read 2 Corinthians 6:1-13

2 Corinthians 6:1 – How could the Corinthian believers toss aside God’s message?

September 3 – Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:7

2 Corinthians 6:14 – What does it mean to not be mismatched with unbelievers?

September 4 – Read 2 Corinthians 7:8-16

2 Corinthians 7:8 – What does “my letter” refer to?

September 5 – Read 2 Corinthians 8:1-15

2 Corinthians 8:9 – Was Jesus a poor man?

2 Corinthians 8:12 – how do I decide how much to give to the Lord’s work? What about differences in the financial resources Christians have?

September 6 – Read 2 Corinthians 8:16-24

2 Corinthians 8;18-21 – Why was there another brother traveling with Paul and Titus?

September 7 – Read 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

2 Corinthians 9:15 – What is the unspeakable gift mentioned in 2 Corinthians 9:15?

September 8 – Read 2 Corinthians 10:1-18

2 Corinthians 10:12-13 – Why did Paul criticize the false teachers?

September 9 – Read 2 Corinthians 11:1-15

2 Corinthians 11:6 – In 2 Corinthians 11:6 Paul said he was rude in speech. Is this true?

September 10 – Read 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

2 Corinthians 11:23-29 Why did Paul write about his sufferings and trials?

September 11 – 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

2 Corinthians 12:2 What is “heaven”?

2 Corinthians 12:7-8 What was Paul’s “thorn in the flesh”?

September 12 – Read 2 Corinthians 12:11-21

2 Corinthians 12:12 Why does Paul mention the “signs of an apostle”?

September 13 – Read 2 Corinthians 13:1-14

2 Corinthians 13:14 Is 2 Corinthians 13:14 talking about God as a Trinity?

September 14 – Read Galatians 1:1-24

Galatians 1:1-24 What is the background of the book of Galatians?

September 15 – Read Galatians 2:1-16

Galatians 2:3-5 What does Titus’ lack of circumcision have to do with the truth of the gospel?

Galatians 2:11 What was the problem when Paul opposed Peter in Antioch?

The Mission focus for the next two weeks:

September 1 – Sindyanna of Galilee: Fir-trade production of olive oil – Palestine/ Israel

September 2 – Hanitzotz Publishing House – Palestine/ Israel

September 3 – Aid to the Aged – Bethlehem, Palestine/ Israel

September 4 – Dallas Bethlehem Center – Dallas, Texas

September 5 – Wesley Community Center – Dayton, Ohio

September 6 – United Methodist Women of Latin and South America

September 7 – Youth Ecumenical Missionary Action – Jerusalem, Palestine/ Israel

September 8 – Holy Trinity UMC – Orphanage outreach – St. Petersburg, Russia

September 9 – Wi am Conflict Resolution Program – Bethlehem, Palestine/ Israel

September 10 – Grassroots International – Palestine/ Israel

September 11 – Ruth M. Smith Center – Sheffield, Pennsylvania

September 12 – United Methodist Neighborhood Centers – Chattanooga, Tennessee

September 13 – Young Women’s Christian Association – Jerusalem, Palestine/ Israel

September 14 – Young Women’s Christian Association – Beirut, Lebanon

September 15 – Middle East Council of Churches – Beirut, Lebanon

Mission Moment

Young Friends is a school based mentoring program in North Kansas City School District that serves 17,400 students. Young Friends brings positive adult role models to work with students. Does it make a difference? Last fall a long time volunteer told me he did not think that one of the boys in the small group he tutored was really benefiting from the relationship. I went to the school and asked the fifth grader if he wanted to continue with his Young Friend. He responded, “Of course. He helps me be a better kid.”

Deaconess Pam Polson, North Kansas City School District, Kansas City, Mo.

Scripture

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Psalm 143:10

Everyday Thought

We want the Spirit to be at work in us to make us like Jesus. For this to happen, we must open our heart to the will of God. There are no greater words God wants to hear than "teach me to do your will." That is what it means for him to be God, to have control over our life and our will.

Prayer

Almighty God, I want you to truly be God in my life. I renounce any attempt on my part to try to manipulate or use your grace and kindness for my benefit. I submit my will to yours. But Holy Father, I confess that I struggle at times with my own selfish and evil desires that lead me astray. Please forgive me when my heart is cold and my ears are deaf to your will. Please, take control of my life today. Through Jesus my Lord, I ask you to assert your will as God in my life. Amen

Pray the Lord’s Pray…Our Father

When making a decision about the direction you are going, always choose the path that falls in the shadow of the Cross. It will be the path less traveled, but it will be the path most blessed.

Blessings, Barb