ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness
GOD IS FULL OF GRACE
Grace is God’s good pleasure that moves Him to grant merit where it is undeserved and to forgive debt that cannot be repaid. Ephesians 1:5-8
Ephesians 1:5-8
He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding
Praise the God Who is Full of Grace
Praise God that His grace runs deep. He has enough grace for any who would receive it. Praise God that His grace is truly free. Praise God that He is lavish with His grace.
CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9
THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.
“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100
SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.
- Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
- Ask God to speak to mothers considering abortion and lead them to choose life.
- Pray for those promoting and profiting from the sex industry. Ask God to save them.
- Pray for freedom and protection for women and children being sold and bought in sex trafficking.
- Ask God to speak to you as you read 1 Corinthians 8
SCRIPTURE READING:
1 Corinthians 8 New Living Translation
Food Sacrificed to Idols
Now regarding your question about food that has been offered to idols. Yes, we know that “we all have knowledge” about this issue. But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church. 2 Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much. 3 But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.
4 So, what about eating meat that has been offered to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God. 5 There may be so-called gods both in heaven and on earth, and some people actually worship many gods and many lords. 6 But for us,
There is one God, the Father,
by whom all things were created,
and for whom we live.
And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ,
through whom all things were created,
and through whom we live.
7 However, not all believers know this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. 8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do.
9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed. 12 And when you sin against other believers by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong, you are sinning against Christ. 13 So if what I eat causes another believer to sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live—for I don’t want to cause another believer to stumble.
SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
Paul was not anti-knowledge he was anti-arrogance. When he says “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” he was passing on knowledge. This is no contradiction, rather he is making an important point. Knowledge as an end itself leads to arrogance. Love is the goal of knowledge. The reason to “know” is to better “love.” Love for God, love for others…this is the best reason to grow in knowledge and wisdom. People often collect knowledge in order to impress or to win their way. We must become people who want to “know” so that we can “bless.” Make it your ambition to seek to bless not to seek to impress.