seriouslyscorpio

thoughts of the moment and of my life

Tag Archives: Christianity


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1 CORINTHIANS……THE GARDEN OF FOREVER!


Remember the old song….In The Garden?…..I come to the garden alone…..while the dew is still on the roses….and the voice I hear, falling on my ear….the Son of God is calling…..

And He walks with me, and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own….and the joys we share, as we tarry there, none other will ever know.

Chapter 15 talks to us about this new Son of God and why the whole idea of Jesus’ death and resurrection is so important if one wants to be a Christian. So simple and yet so difficult to hold on to, because we are human…we want the facts, we want the whole story, we want the news as it happens, we want pictures and background, and family responses….. That’s how life is today for us, instant, real, proof in the pudding of FOX and CNN.

But Paul says stake your life on the faith, words, the promise of those who lived before…..and BELIEVE! Christianity is not a half-way belief…it’s the whole package. Christ came for me, He lived for me, He died for me, and He provides a garden filled pathway to heaven.

Resurrection example…..given in ‘The Message’…is so good…..Part of it reads…”What does the ‘resurrection body’ look like? If you look at this question closely, you realize how absurd it is. There are no diagrams for this kind of thing. We do not have a parallel experience in gardening. You plant a ‘dead’ seed; and soon there is a flourishing plant. There is no visual likeness between seed and plant. You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don’t look anything alike. The dead body we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.” It goes on to say “We are only looking at pre-resurrection ‘seeds’—-who can imagine what the resurrection ‘plants’ will be like.

So here we are…..as Paul signs off in chapter 16, planning to come to the newly formed churches for a visit, we still have the words of this wonderful book to rely on. He taught us in so many ways, with so many descriptions, about the wonderful works of God and His son, Jesus Christ. He scolded us and prodded us, embarrassed us, and then praised us in the next sentance.

As we Christians struggle through these days of loss, death of our beloved on a cross, and yet of promises so amazing we cannot properly comprehend. We must keep the this faith…the belief…the beauty…and the prize of what Christ has so graciously presented us.

Believe…..yes you will fall, yes you will fail miserably, but there will be days that you rise to the occasion in thought, word, and deed. Christ shows us the way..he asks us to walk the path with him, regardless of bumpy it may be, and to remember that beautiful garden and the walks we’ll share together….forever.

Happy Easter! He has risen!!


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I CORINTHIANS……BE COMPELLED!


Each time I read more of this letter, I see the writer, sometimes, just beside himself…..Exasperated, even exhausted! One can see him pacing in the after glow of the sunset, knowing he would have to continue on thru the night.

He further reminds his newbies, he is not asking for the moon. He doesn’t need a big paycheck, not a palace for the duration of the stay, and certainly not taking from those who are disadvantaged, to pay the bill.

The key word here in these pages is ‘compelled’. He is compelled to speak of Christianity. He can’t leave the subject alone. He needs to shout about his Christ, and your Christ. How exciting is that! How many times have you been COMPELLED in your Christian belief? I know I should be more like Paul, so motivated, even at times obsessive in my description of what is Christ all about, and what he means in my life, but I’m chicken. I am not an outgoing ‘evangelizer’, sounding off on busy corners or handling out pamphlets door to door……SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD BE!! I’ve come to understand there are lots of ways to teach and learn about Christ, just like there are lots of ways of healing. Some are loud and even shocking in certain circles, and some are as quiet and calming as the dove cooing before a rain. I understand now we all have healing qualities within….we just have to figure out what they are…ahh, to be compelled in the name of Jesus!!

Chapter 10 looks further into learning and teaching…I like the way Paul talks of drinking of the cup of blessing and having a portion of the loaf of bread….In doing this we take in the very life of Christ and become united. Introducing his thoughts, his teachings, and his promise of eternal life, leaves us enriched.

Paul says there are all kinds of food..real and religious. Be choosy….. eat and share the best from your table and from the table of others. There are many ‘foods’ that should not be eaten, as they have been contaminated by bad teaching. Choose only the best for your body, your life, and your continued service in Christ’s name. Be compelled!!


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CORINTHIANS 1….IT’S A LONG LETTER


I know, it’s been awhile…..but I’ve had company for the past two weeks…and time was spent being a tourist. But on to Corinth.

Chapter 7 gets in to the discussion of marriage…I could go on and use my own words, however, I have a Bible Handbook from the 50’s that belonged to my parents….Think I’ll quote their remarks as it is much better than mine.

” Evidently they had written asking if it is legitimate for Christians to marry. Strange, they were puffed up over the case of incest, 5:2, and yet had scruples about lawful marriage. Paul advises marriage, except for those who have the ‘gift’ of sexual control. Paul himself was not married,8. Some think that he may have been a widower and lost is wife while yet young: for two reasons: one, he was a member of the Sanhedrin, Acts 26:10, ‘vote’, for which it is said marriage was a necessary prerequisite; the other, this chapter seems to have been written by one who knew something of the intimacies of married life.”

I think the chapter discusses morals and ethics….during this period in Corinth. I also am smart enough to know there have been modifications thru the years concerning marriage, divorce, and everything in between. Having been divorced once myself, it was not the easiest thing for me to do almost 40 years ago…it was the hardest thing for me to do. I wish I could agree with marriages being made in heaven, but I think marriages are made by people.
That’s another discussion for another day.

Paul said to be smart enough to stay married if you were, and stay single if you want to be single……and it’s okay of you change your mind about being single.

I love the discussion of consuming the meat offered up to idols….Paul says we all have eaten ‘idol meat’ at sometimes in our lives and it wasn’t the meat that made us bad. Move on in your beliefs and realize it is not the meat at all, for everything is provided by God. Be knowledgable in helping people thru the walk of realizing Christianity. Help the new believer…..

Chapter 9 talks a little about pay…..as in who does, who doesn’t, when, and why. I know this is a wide area that can be discussed forever, but my feelings are Paul says he took on the charge from Christ because he wanted to, knowing that it would not be a paying experience, and that he probably wouldn’t get rich monetarily off it. And for him, just like similar groups today, it is perfectly fine. By the same token he goes on to say he expects help…as in a place to stay, to sleep, to be safe, to eat, and to preach.

What is his point….help him out, help out the leaders of the new church, but don’t deprive your new followers to fill your pocket.

Just keep your eyes on what is right, why you have become a servant of Christ, and how you must respond to non-religious and religious in a like manner.

thanks for reading and thinking…..always ready for a response.