Papa J says

Do not look at work as a chore, or pace the floor over what to do next. All things like this are the labors of 
evil. Look to the LORD, He always knows the next step will establish your thoughts. Proverbs 16:3

The Devotional

How often we do things that offend people, mostly this is not intentional; at least I am supposing this to be true. I remember a time when I was released from active duty after four years in the Navy. I went to work in a factory as a shipper and receiver and was pals with an older man who was the company’s rigger. The company made boat parts and many of the items that were made were required to be tested and this was the primary responsibility of this man. I did not get along with people and he sort of took me aside and taught me that life was more than what I was putting into it. He kept me out of trouble and in all of this watch care. He never looked for a reward. Over a year ago I spent some time sharing in one of these emails a little more detail about him and someone asked me if he was a believer in Christ. I do not know, I was not a believer at the time, but I thought even then that he was a different sort. He lived alone, worked hard and had a dog that he often talked about. Sometime after I returned to the Navy, I heard that he was out walking his dog one evening and was killed by someone who hit the two with their automobile. He had a life, he had income and he had his entertainment. I asked him once to go have a beer with me, his reply was. “No thanks Jesse, life is more than having a beer” In those days I never understood what he meant, but today as God has permitted I believe that my friend meant that life is about caring and sharing even when the reward is not there, sometimes the reward is just another offensive statement by someone who doesn’t understand.

1 Corinthians 9

1 Corinthians 9:1-18 Knowing who we are in Christ is a good thing and it is not that others do not know as well. But I believe like the apostle here that many people offend because of ignorance, but there are a few who; because of jealousy, or pride, or indifference ignore their responsibility to reward the care giver. I also believe that the apostle is focused on these who are knowingly ignorant, rather than the ones who are not mature enough to recognize the results of their actions.

The Corinthian church is like many churches today. Pastors look to the congregation to support the work of the ministry. While looking they support their wives, raise their children and sometimes cry out to God to meet the pending need, what ever it may be. To be expected many men who preach the gospel leave the ministry or take part time employment. All seem to struggle as the church matures over the understanding full stewardship.

All of this is part of full time ministry and woe is the one who does not preach the gospel because of a lack of support. Godly men will go on and preach even when the tools of an equipping team are not present. The reward is always to preach the word of God, in season and out of season and be ready to give a reasonable defense, for there is a time approaching when people will not have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. 2 Timothy 4:2.

The Devotional

Papa J's rules for Livin #170

Do you find it strange, like I do, that when you know the local authority is corrupt and a law is breached; their judgment of our action seems justified. Proverbs 16:10-12

The world around us does not have a right standard to live by. Oh, there is the Constitution, but have you noticed how it is always under the attack of people who claim that the Constitution is in need of repair. Yes, we do have a pillar of how to live free, how to have liberty, how to experience justice and how to pursue peace within the nation and around the our borders. This pillar of righteousness and justice though is not a stand alone pillar that operates in a vacuum. In the early sixties our schools fell to secular humanism. Prayer and the Bible were told to take a sabbatical from the everyday influence it had in our public schools. Then, as our young people were molded into this influence and became adults we took another step. The separation of church and state. More and more people are being educated with curricula that is full of secular achievement. So some might ask, “what does secular mean”? The Webster Dictionary defines the word in this manner. “Not religious, not connected to the church.” The word secularize, takes the thought one step further; “to change from religious to civil control” After swooning our nation away from the pillar of Creation, the pillar of Marriage, the pillar of Family and the Pillar on Nationalism, we have become a nation without THE KING. JUDGES 21:25. I would conclude that this “Post Modern Secularist” condition is an evil that wears the same clothing of a religion that is rapidly gaining control of our schools, our government and our freedom. God is not willing that any of these so called religious or non-religious (view) perish. But God is also unwilling that we should give up those pillars that protect and support the pillar of the Constitution of the United States of America.

1 Corinthians 8

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Now we may be thinking. What has all of the above have to do with this chapter in First Corinthians? I am glad you are thinking! Idolatry is adultery to God as we just looked at this in 1 Corinthians 6:9 and if you do a word search in the Old Testament on the two words you will see that God alone is to be worshiped, thus those who worship idols are committing adultery.

When we say that to be secularist or religious positions can be tolerated we are actually agreeing with these positions of idolatry and God is not please. As believers in Jesus Christ we should not be knowingly ignorant of our responsibility to offend the conscience of people, that would include our own conscience. In other words we must be kind and tenderhearted. Philippians 2:15 and Matthew 5:15-16.

Then, of course if a person will be led to Christ by our desire to be led by the power of the Holy Spirit, we must be further willing to be led by the Spirit and not offend these weak babes in Christ by actions that cause them to stumble. Yes we have liberty, but for the sake of Christ and offending the conscience of others, we must be willing to accept those cultural obstacles that always seem to be there. God will direct the path for each of us to take, even when the path is obscure with stumbling blocks. Proverbs 16:9.