Finding Gold in God’s Word

22 May Finding Gold in God’s Word

Happy Wednesday y’all! (probably Thursday for most of us)

Apologies for this being delayed this week…lots going on, but here we are!

What’s your favourite book of the Bible? Most folks have one…something that speaks to you every time you read it. Maybe one of the gospels or one of Paul’s letters? Maybe Psalms or one of the prophets? What about your least favourite…you know the one that you read on those nights when you’re having trouble falling asleep. Leviticus? 1 Chronicles?

I have two favourites: John  & Colossians. There are other books that I love reading, but those two are my “go to” when I’m looking for a quick faith boost. My least favourite would be a tie between 1 Chronicles and 1 Corinthians. There are reasons for each…but here’s why I read the whole Bible first chapter of Genesis to last chapter of Revelation every year: I always find something that surprises me & challenges me even in my least favourite books. That happened this week…1 Corinthians chapter 8 & 9. I’ll quote what I read & you’ll see it instantly.

“But for us, There is one God, the Father, who created everything, & for whom we live; and there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything, and through whom we have been given life.” – 1 Corinthians 8:6 In the first part of chapter 8, Paul has been cautioning the Corinthian church about how they can best witness to their faith in a pagan-idol-saturated culture. He offers wisdom that is fitting for 2025…There is one God, the Father,  & one Lord, Jesus Christ. Any other pretenders competing for our devotion are imaginary & powerless. Our lives are embedded in the eternal purposes of God & redeemed back into those purposes by Christ’s death & resurrection. If we keep that in mind…how non-Christians arrange their lives or how the world around us dismisses our faith are of no consequence. It’s there we find security & assurance against the backdrop of this world’s death spiral. — Then in the very next chapter…

“I try to find common ground with everyone in any & every way I can, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News & share in its blessings.” – 1 Corinthians 9:22b-23  Paul had travelled across most of the known world (or at least the Roman Empire) with one goal in mind: build as many relationships with as many people as he could so that somewhere some would come to trust in Jesus & join him in the joy of life in Christ forever. With that one goal & the one assurance from chapter 8 the promise of abundant life in Christ flourished in peoples’ lives wherever Paul went.

And there it was…in my least favourite book in the Bible pure gold from God’s word for all of us. Wherever we are in our week we too can…

• build as many relationships with as many people as we can in the effort to share with them the good news that…
• our lives are embedded in the eternal purposes of God & redeemed back into those purposes by Christ’s death & resurrection, & that promise is for every one.

Let that word guide you…it does me.

Now…what’s on the family calendar?

1. Zoom Bible Study Catch-up (John 10:22-30)
   Friday, 23rd May 2025 @ 1:00 p.m.
   Join Zoom Meeting  —  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89674789066  —  Meeting ID: 896 7478 9066
2. LWF Prayer Morning @ the Prenzler’s home – Saturday 24^th May from 10:00-11:00 a.m.
3. Later that day, Saturday 24^th May, there’s a Family Fun Day at the Christian College from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. There’ll be performances from the College’s musicians, food, games…stop by & have a look at all the good things going on out there this year! I’m cooking sausages…so stop by & grab a bite.
4. Our Next GBO/Biggest Morning Tea – Sunday, 1^st June for the Cancer Council – Let’s go all out! This is always our biggest GBO…let’s do that again!

God bless the rest of your week…I’ll see you Sunday if not somewhere before then

John