Most Viewed Search on Bible Gateway-1 Corinthians 13

Bible Gateway is a scripture search site where you can find any verse you are looking for. It is a favorite site I use often. The most searched verses in 2009 are interesting but the number 1 search was:

1 Corinthians 13

The Greatest Gift

 ¹ Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,^[a] but have not love, it profits me nothing.
⁴ Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
⁸ Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰ But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. ¹² For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
¹³ And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

 

 

Here is the complete list compiled by Andy on Biblegateway.com.

1. 1 Corinthians 13
2. Psalm 23
3. Genesis 1
4. John 3:16
5. Romans 8
6. Psalm 91
7. Matthew 5
8. John 1
9. Matthew 6
10. James 1
11. John 14
12. Romans 12
13. Jeremiah 29:11
14. Philippians 4
15. Psalm 1
16. Psalm 139
17. Ephesians 4
18. 1 Corinthians 1:31
19. Romans 1
20. John 3
21. Ephesians 1
22. Ephesians 5
23. Luke 1
24. Matthew 1
25. 1 Peter 1

Becoming Spiritual

Religion is for people who are afraid to go to hell. Spirituality is for people who have already been there.

Running Hawk,
of The Lakota Nation

Many people in the world believe that all Christians serve God out of fear of Hell.  While that may be true for some people, it is not true for everyone. The above quote is true in that people who have suffered deeply many times turn to God for solace they find nowhere else. This type of spirituality has nothing to do with the fear of hell. 

No one wants to go to hell but it is possible to have a relationship with God that is not based on the fear of punishment. When you rise above the fear of punishment in your walk with God you have taken a step toward knowing God in spirit and truth! That is the first step on your journey to understanding. 

When you rise from the ashes of life's failure to start over in the presence of the Almighty, you will find comfort, joy, and love, as well as enlightenment!

Just a little point to ponder! Blessings!

Spiritual Truths From A Layman's Point of View: The Sanctuary

Spiritual Truths From A Layman's Point of View: The Sanctuary

We Will Remember the Name of the Lord

 Bishop Bourne and Brother Billy Edwards at a special service in the fall of 2009

We just finished a week of prayer and sacrifice that ended 21 days of prayer and fasting. God hears us and answers our prayers. This chapter just speaks to my heart tonight after the wonderful interlude with the Bishops Bourne and Neyland!

Psalm 20

 ¹The LORD hear thee in the day of trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend thee;
 ²Send thee help from the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion;
 ³Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice; Selah.
 ⁴Grant thee according to thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel.
 ⁵We will rejoice in thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners: the LORD fulfil all thy petitions.
 ⁶Now know I that the LORD saveth his anointed; he will hear him from his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand.
 ⁷Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
 ⁸They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.
 ⁹Save, LORD: let the king hear us when we call.

Marvelous promises. I feel like singing!

When I think about the Lord...and what He's done for me...........
It makes me wa..nt to shout Hallelujah!, Lord, you're worthy, of all the honor, all the glory, all.....the....prai.....se!  It make me want to shout, Hallelujah!, Lord, You're worthy, of all the honor, all the glory, all....the....prai.....se!

The Sanctuary

The image you are looking at is not a great cathedral. It is not an ancient Sanctuary where people found safety. This is a modern Sanctuary that has been dedicated to the Most High God. It is a place where people come to get away from the world and all their troubles. It is a place where God lives. In this holy place we come to meet with the Lord and bring our requests to him. This Sanctuary is where we find the answers God is sending our way. 

The official definition of a sanctuary is this: 1. a place of refuge or safety (immunity from arrest) 2. a holy place, a temple or church

While there is no sanctuary in modern times where there is immunity from arrest, it is important to remember that God offers immunity for your sins when you seek Him in the sanctuary and repent of your wrong doing. When you enter the sanctuary you enter God's home. 

There is no building or cathedral more important than this small sanctuary where we meet with God. Reverence this place. Be respectful. This is where God lives. This is where you will find peace, comfort, shelter, deliverance, redemption, salvation, blessings, hope, and so much more.

Psalm 91

 ¹ He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
 ² I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

Psalms 27

⁴ One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.

 ⁵ For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.

Thoughts About Christmas

For most of the world Santa Claus came and went last week and Christmas is over. Many of us in the church world have spent so much time celebrating, eating, and spending that we have forgotten the true meaning of the Holy Days. Yes, I said Holy Days. 

The denominational world goes to church to mark the glorious event of our savior's birth. However, our people scorn tradition so we throw one big party that lasts from about the first of December until New Year's Eve. So what about Jesus Christ? Perhaps we should reconsider our family first traditions that leave out the reason we celebrate.  

Christmas bells ring out on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning while OUR churches are silent as the grave. Our people are home taking a break from church...leaving worship for the New Year! We cannot leave our families...or God forbid...bring them to church with us while we worship and remember the birth of the King of Kings. 

Perhaps we should rethink this flouting of traditional worship that we think keeps us separate from the world. It does not keep us separate.  The First Century Church kept these days holy and we should do that too.

My message is not that we should stop celebrating with friends and family, but rather that we should include Jesus Christ in the celebration of His birth. It is time we came back to church to honor the Lord on His birthday!

Take a moment to read the essay from Barry Setterfield about the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. It is enlightening and will lay to rest the belief by some people that December 25 is from a Roman holiday. Christmas was celebrated on Dec 25 years before the Romans began their celebrations and we should ask ourselves why. 

http://ldolphin.org/birth.html

 

Learning To Dance In The Rain

"Life's not about waiting for the storms to pass...
It's about learning to dance in the rain."

~Vivian Greene

We spend a lot of time worrying about how to get out of trials and tribulation that comes into our lives. Sometimes our storms get the better of us and we want to crawl into our shell and disappear!  We pray for God to deliver us from our afflictions. No one wants to suffer, but the way we handle adversity is equally important as how we handle our blessings. 

Storms are a part of life. There is an old song that goes..."Into each life some rain must fall, but too much has fallen in mine..."   Do you feel like that sometimes? God knows all about your pain, but if you are reaching for a higher level you must endure pain to rise to the top. There are lessons to be learned when you are stretching that can be learned no other way!

I Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

¹⁶Be joyful always; ¹⁷pray continually; ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Learning to worship and give thanks when you are in the valley is part of your walk with God. Keeping a good attitude when your world is caving in around you is not easy. Dottie Rambo put it like this, "The earth all around me is sinking sand, on Christ the Solid Rock I stand..." Your world may be shaking but Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, Today, and Forever! 

Dancing in the rain is not the same as enduring the rain slapping you in the face. Dancing implies happiness in spite of the rain. When you are able to give God wholehearted worship even in the face of despair, hurt, pain, sickness, death, you will have learned something about dancing in the rain.