Happy Saturday!

I'm off to celebrate Mother's Day a day early with my family. But before I go, here are the questions/answers and a reflection to get your day started!

Here's the question and answer from yesterday:
Fri, May 8: What is David’s reaction when Nathan tells him that God said, “I will be his father and he will be my son. . . . But my love will never be taken away from him. . .” (2 Sam 7) DISBELIEF: 2 Samuel 7:18-19 18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 19 And as if this were not enough in your sight, O Sovereign LORD, you have also spoken about the future of the house of your servant. Is this your usual way of dealing with man, O Sovereign LORD?

And here's the question of the day:
Sat, May 9: Who is it that Paul cautions the Corinthians NOT to associate with? (I Cor 5)

And here's the reflection of the day:
This passage of 1 Corinthians 10 is one of those that could have been written for us today, instead of written for the church at Corinth centuries ago.

At Bible Study this week, we were lamenting how things never change--how we still do the same bad and sinful things that our ancestors in the faith did. 1 Cor 10 tells us how our ancestors were "baptized into Moses in the cloud and the sea. They all ate from the same spiritual food and drank from the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

NEVERTHELESS, God was not pleased with most of them" (vv 2-5). He writes that their bodies were scattered over the desert as a punishment for their sins (v 6). Paul goes on to say, "Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did" (v 6).

Now, we may think we're doing OK. We haven't killed anyone lately; we have plans to honor our mothers today or tomorrow. We're pretty good at keeping most of the 10 Commandments. But Paul warns us, "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall" (v 12). Don't deceive yourself when it comes to your sinfulness. It's tempting to look around and compare your sinfulness to the sinfulness of others because you may think you'll come out squeaky clean.

It's tempting to look at the history of civilization and think we've made great strides when it comes to holiness. But the very act of comparing yourself to someone else is a sin and will only lead to further sinfulness.

Instead, heed Paul's caution: 1 Corinthians 10:13 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.