Traveler's Log

Bridget Horan

June 28, 2012

Today's Passage: 1 Corinthians 10

Hi! My name is Bridget. I have had the privilege of serving in many ministries with different people while at Watermark and have enjoyed it all! A random fact about me is that I have been to all nine Watermark Young Adult Launch Retreats. Another thing most people don't know about me is that when I was a child, I was very stubborn, or "strong-willed," as my mother puts it. Bless my parents and James Dobson's book! Now, as a counselor, I get to work with parents who have children just like me!

Key Verse:

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Central Truth:

As Christians, we are called to follow Christ. This means trusting Him. The Lord teaches us many lessons about life through mistakes -- our own mistakes and those of others. In this passage, Paul is reminding us to be wise and not make the same mistakes others have made in the past.

I NEED AN ERASER!

I like rules . . . well, most of the time! But sometimes, rules seem to make things less fun, and we can be tempted to break them just to get our own way. For example, when I was a kid, I liked to do my homework while watching TV. My parents didn't like this because they knew I was not doing my best work with that distraction in front of me.

When I was in fifth grade, I had a small amount of time home alone before my brother and mom got home. So I tried to watch TV while doing my homework and, then when I would hear them coming, I would turn it off and act like I was innocent. It didn't work for long. I was caught, and it was the one time in my life when I was grounded. I learned not to go against my parents' authority even when I thought my way might be better. We all make mistakes, though. As I tell the students at my school, "Erasers were made for a reason. We all make mistakes. We just need to learn from them."

In this passage, Paul says the Corinthians made choices that were displeasing to the Lord. He says that since these people were baptized, they seemed to act like they had special privileges and were immune from sin. This is far from the truth! We all have a choice in how we act, and we are given guidelines and rules in life to help us along the way.

When we get into a tough situation, as verse 13 states, the Lord will provide a way out as long as we are wise enough to see it and take it. This is not always easy, but we can find a way out of the temptation and not fall into sin, especially when we have other believers in our lives who know us well and can help us grow closer to God. God wants only the best for us, just like my parents did, and we should trust Him.

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you see yourself as being the exception to anything because you are a Christian? Do you make excuses about your sins?

2. Do you have people in your life who will speak truth to you, even when it is difficult? If not, find a community group through Watermark's GroupLink.

3. In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul warns us NOT to: lust after evil things; have idols or be idolaters; and commit sexual sin. Are you committing sin in any one of these areas? If so, will you stop committing that sin so that you can honor the Lord? How will you stop? If you need help, the Watermark re:generation ministry is a great place to start.

WEEKLY FAMILY ACTIVITY

1 Corinthians 7-11 (June 25-29)

Read 1 Corinthians 10:1-11.

• In verses 1-10, who is the writer talking about?
• Do you remember all the things that happened with to Israelites in the wilderness?
• What does verse 11 tell us about the Israelites?
• What does it mean for something to be an example for you? What about a warning for you?
• Have you ever thought about learning from someone else's mistakes or example?
• What are some things you have learned from other people just by watching them?

Activity: God gave us His Word so that we would have a clear guide on how to live in a way that brings Him great glory. Let's think back on the stories that He gave us as examples and what we can learn from them. For each story, have someone give a short version of what happened in the story and then everyone talk about what we can learn from them.

Stories: Noah and the Ark; Moses and the Red Sea; Eve in the Garden; Daniel in the Lion's Den; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace; Joshua and the Wall of Jericho; David and Goliath.

Comments

Amy Hulme

June 28, 2012 06:35:50 AM

Great devotion, Bridge!

Elaine Word

June 28, 2012 10:51:48 AM

Good Morning, Bridget, thank you for your devotional thoughts today. I connect with you on being stubborn as a child. Yet, my story was not as successful as yours regarding my upbringing. But as an adult... God redeemed me, and I have been re-parented by Him. He, through His Word and His enduring Love have taught me so much, and yes, I Cor 10:13 offered me great consolation. His redeeming love and compassion have caused me to thirst and Hunger for Him with my whole heart, and to seek Him with a passion to help others who are the "lost" child as I once was. Verses 31-33 speak so strongly to my heart... Paul shares from his heart: "31 Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God...; 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit but the profit of the many, so that they may be saved." I owe Christ all... He deserves more. As His child I pray I will always follow Him, as Paul taught us to do so well... Grace & Peace!

Sue Bohlin

June 28, 2012 02:49:42 PM

Thanks for your devo, Bridget! It does seem that the Corinthians weren't much into rules, were they?! Paul offered two high-level principles for living that are just as helpful today as they were back then. In v. 31, he exhorts us to do EVERYTHING to the glory of God; if we're about to do something that doesn't bring glory to Him, we shouldn't do it! And one of the things that brings glory to God is obeying the two greatest commandments: love God, and love other people. Which is why v. 24 is so helpful: Don't seek our own good, but be on the lookout for what's best for the other person. On the Probe.org website, we have 700+ answers to email, many of which ask, "Is it OK to _______?" If people ran their questions through the grid of these two verses, they'd have their answers!