MAY 15 | 1 CORINTHIANS 15:42-49

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DAILY READING

1 Corinthians 15:42-49

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REFLECTION

Our New Reality 

by Judy Webb

1 Corinthians 15:42-49

Our earthly bodies are weak, prone to disease and injury. They are perishable with an expiration date. As many reading this now admit, we are aging, and things don’t work as well as they once did. But…one day our bodies will be imperishable, glorious and spiritual. Our bodies will be sown (put into the ground) in a natural state, but will be transformed into a Spiritual state. Mortal and then immortal.

“The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven…and just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man. (vs 47,49)

 Anyone who has ever sat at the bedside of a dying loved one, can take comfort in these verses. Our earthly body fails; it falls apart and holds us prisoner to pain and discomfort. But as Christians there is peace in knowing a big change is coming. Our physical (earthly) bodies will die and return to the earth; our Spiritual bodies are now in tune with the Lord Jesus…we have a Spiritual body made new. No imperfections, no disease – only perfection for everyone as God originally intended. And this is for all who claim Christ as redeemer, who professes faith in Jesus.

Not everyone believed in the Resurrection of Jesus, that is why Paul wrote this text in 1 Corinthians. He explained that the Resurrection of Jesus is an indispensable belief. There is no heaven waiting for us if we do not believe in Jesus’ Resurrection. Because this is our victory over death – our hope in a new life, a Spiritual Resurrection is our whole new reality! There is no need to mourn the earthly death of a Believer, but rejoice in their Spiritual Resurrection into God’s presence.

PRAYER

Dear Lord,

Help us to share with others that You are the only way to Salvation. Jesus is the WAY the truth and the life. We are indeed Dying to Live. There is victory over death. Amen.

Find additional "Dying to Live" study materials designed for small groups or individual use here.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

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JUDY WEBB

I have been a member of UALC for 26 years and have been writing devotions for this site for about 17 of them. Writing is my passion. As retired staff I still love everything about UALC and its members including my small group.

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May 14 | Philippians 2:12-18

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DAILY READING

Philippians 2:12-18

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REFLECTION

Like Stars in The Sky

By Beth Voltmann

Do everything without grumbling or arguing,

so that you may become blameless and pure,

“children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”

Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky

as you hold firmly to the word of life.

(Philippians 2:14-15)

Ouch. That first line hits home. I often act as if grumbling is my spiritual gift. Although I tell my husband that I’m a realist, he says I’m actually a “happy pessimist.” My retort is that he’s a “grouchy optimist”. Neither of these traits are attractive for those who call themselves believers.

We are to do EVERYTHING without grumbling or arguing - not MOST things, not SOME things, but ALL things. Paul admonishes us to become blameless and pure, children of God without fault. In this letter he reflects back to the song of Moses (Deuteronomy 32:5) in which the foolish and unwise Israelites of the Exodus, to their shame, are referred to as “corrupt - not [God’s} children - a warped and crooked generation.”

How do we live as a people holy to God? This is possible but only through the transforming power of Christ in us. If we grumble and complain, we look just like the world around us! Nothing is appealing about that.

Instead we are to:

·      be the aroma of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14)

·      bear Christ’s light in this dark world (Matthew 5:16)

·      share the gospel with the lost (Matthew 28:19-20)

·      love our neighbor as ourselves (Luke 10:27)

Then, and only then, will we shine like stars in the sky as we hold firmly to the Word of Life, and others will be drawn to Jesus.

Hear the prophetic words from the Old Testament echoed in the New:

“Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens,

and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”

(Daniel 12:3)

Let us repent of our grumbling and ask the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts, our minds, our words and our actions. As children of our Heavenly Father, may we be light bearers – a perfect reflection of our Lord Jesus, who is himself, the Light of the World.

PRAYER

Lord Jesus, our bright Morning Star, I know that I am a new creation, forgiven and purified by your perfect sacrifice, but daily, my “old self” tries to surface. Please create in me a clean heart and renew the joy of my salvation. Shine through me and use me to share your gospel of hope with this broken and hurting generation.

Find additional "Dying to Live" study materials designed for small groups or individual use here.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BETH VOLTMANN

After moving to Ohio in 1997 with my husband and four children, I developed a hunger for God’s Word through adult teaching and women’s Bible study at UALC. My passion is to help others understand Scripture so that they may grow in their desire for more of God and experience the new life offered to us through Christ Jesus.

May 13 | Acts 14:19-23

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DAILY READING

Acts 14:19-23

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REFLECTION

True Trust

By Pam Mann

If you’re reading this Bible passage for the first time, go ahead and read it again. Maybe read it a third time to get the facts straight. In fact, read the previous paragraph to know why folks come from Antioch and Iconium to incite the crowds to stone Paul.

At first, the crowds in Lystra are so enthralled with the healing of a lame man while Paul is preaching about Jesus that the people think him a Greek god in human form. They want to offer animal sacrifices to Paul and Barnabas! The two missionaries struggle to make people understand they are mere men with a very great God.

Once the out-of-town naysayers arrive, there’s no more talk of divine status. The public opinion quickly and completely turns 180. Now, instead of worshipping the missionaries, the people want to murder them! They pummel Paul with stones and leave him for dead! We all know mission trips have their highs and lows. But who can beat this contrast in a single trip?

Fortunately, the naysayers and the enraged locals misjudge Paul’s medical status. Or, maybe, God works mightily to revive Paul as believers gather around him. At any rate, however, it happens. Paul is not down long. He gets up, returns to the city, and then what? He heads home for some much-deserved R&R? He goes on personal retreat to work through the trauma of his attack? Oh, no. He and Barnabas go directly to the next town and preach! These mere men have true trust in a very great God.

God blesses their trust and preaching in Derbe by bringing a large number of souls to saving faith in Jesus. So, now they’re going to take that well-deserved time off, right? Oh, no. It’s back

to Lystra for them, back to the town where Paul was nearly killed by stoning. And it’s back to Iconium and Antioch where the naysayers have their home turf.

Do Paul and Barnabas go there to be restored after the terrible ordeal? Oh, no. They go to strengthen the church there, to encourage the believers “to be true to the faith.” 

Note the quote in verse 22: “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Paul and Barnabas are holding back nothing. They are all in. They have a Savior who gave all. That Savior is their Lord in whom they entrust their lives.

No wiggling toes in the shallow end to test the life-in-Christ waters. They are heading off the high dive into the deep. They’re all in, no matter what lurks in those deep waters, no matter how frigid those deep waters are, no matter who wants to drown them. True trust in Jesus is like that, don’t you think?

PRAYER

Jesus, don’t let us waste our lives in shallow faith. Build in us what You built in Paul. Grow in us a yearning for deep faith. Give us true trust in You!

Find additional "Dying to Live" study materials designed for small groups or individual use here.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PAM MANN

I first joined UALC when my husband (then my fiancé) and I were college students involved in youth ministry. God has used UALC to nurture our family’s faith, even in our years outside the U.S. I’ve participated in UALC ministries with kids, art, prayer, exercise, ESL, and Bible teaching. I do all the fun church things.

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