** I Corinthians 13 **
** Verse 11 **
*

When I was a child,
I used to speak as a child,
think as a child,
reason as a child,
when I became a man,
I did away with childish things.

(Soul Winners New American Standard New Testament)
******************************************************
Grace be unto you, from me my beloved Christian brothers & sisters. Giving Him thanks for allowing the fellowship of His word through this group once more.
Take out some time in your daily schedule to give God praise & glory for all He has done for you. For God has been good to me & if you can read this letter, God is being good to you, so let Him know through your praise worship today, that you thank Him for giving us His precious son, Jesus Christ. It is because of His daily mercy & compassion that
You & I
are not consumed.
(Lamentations 3:22-23)

*****************************************************
My dear friends, take a moment to reflect back when you were a child & remember some of the toys you played with. I know most of you are women & that is ok, I have a sister & remember some of the things she played with. A few of my favorite toys & this will surely validate my age was, Lincoln Logs, the glider plane, made of soft balsa wood, which made the most beautiful loop to loops, LOL, the infamous Hot Wheels tracks & cars, a figure eight racing car set & a bag of brilliantly colored marbles.
To the men in the group, some of you should be saying,
O yea, right about now, LOL.

Am I Right About It

In response in sending your verse of scripture, I would like for each of you to list a few of your favorite toys. In sharing this moment of childhood, I know we will all smile & say O yea, I remember or played with that toy, when I send out the reference verses.
So now, go with me as we explore the wonderful word of God.

For this brings me to my topic this week:
(What Toys Do You Play With, Now?)

Thank You Lord
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
In the book of Acts, we can read the story & conversion (growing process), of Saul, later to be known as the Great Apostle Paul, responsible for writing nearly two-thirds of the New Testament. The story of Saul's conversion is a most compelling & thrilling account in all history. My beloved brothers & sisters, I am sure most of you are familiar with this great story, if not, please take out some time in your schedule to read such an inspiring transformation of one man's life, so relevant to us as Christians, as we were once children playing with our toys of selfishness, hatred, greed, lust, just to name a few.

Thank You Lord For My Salvation

Saul made havoc of the early Church. He was struggling with an aroused conscience, He knew he was in the wrong, but often, we also continue to do so.
Jesus spoke to him in his vision, saying that is hard for him to
"kick against the pricks."
(Acts 26:14)
Utterly our Lord Jesus Christ was saying to Paul, it is time to put away those childish toys & become a man.
Jesus came into this world to be about His Father's business.
(Luke 2:49)
There is time to play & think as a child, & also a time to put away milk & desire meat.
(Hebrews 5:12-14)
(I Peter 2:1-2)

Am I Right About It

The more moral & intelligent a man is, the more harm he can do when controlled by the forces of Satan.
Paul was a man breathing out threatenings & slaughter against the disciples of the Lord.
(Acts 9:1-2)
Then we find him preaching Christ in the synagogues, that he is the son of God.
(Acts 9:20)
God is so wonderful, a loving Father concerned about us growing up, putting aside childish things as we mature in Christ. Knowing that as we mature, we shall be like His son Jesus Christ.
(Ephesians 5:1)



The text takes us to Paul telling of the changes that had come into the lives of those Corinthian Christians as they had turned from worshiping dead idols (childish things) to the living Christ. In order that they might develop in their Christian life as we should daily ask God to help us grow, Christ gave them spiritual gifts.
Paul in essence is saying, the purpose of the nine gifts given by God,
(I Corinthians 12) are to be used for the building of the church, used in love, growing up, not being full of pride, boastful, showy, that their value was to be measured by their usefulness to the church. Chapter thirteen is called the Hymn of Love. Gifts without love are poor things. Men speak of love, but do not live it. Until the love of Christ is in a heart, it is impossible to love one another with any degree of permanency & the putting away of childish toys in our life.

So my dear beloved Christian brothers & sisters, take a self-examination in answering this call:
What toys do you still play with?

A Haughty or Prideful Spirit
Ready to boast of your accomplishments,
Status or Title.
(Daniel 4:37)
(I Epistle John 2:16)

A Life devoted to lust & sinful activities.
(Galatians 5:16)
(Psalm 81:12)

An unthankful or selfish attitude.
(Colossians 3:15)
(Deuteronomy 9:6)

Holding on to an unforgiving spirit.
(Ephesians 4:32)
(II Timothy 4:16)



Charity is much to be preferred to the gifts on which the Corinthians prided themselves. From its longer continuance. It is a grace, lasting as eternity. The present state is a state of childhood, the future that of manhood. Such is the difference between earth and heaven. What narrow views, what confused notions of things, have children when compared with grown men! Thus shall we think of our most valued gifts of this world, when we come to heaven. All things are dark and confused now, compared with what they will be hereafter. They can only be seen as by the reflection in a mirror, or in the description of a riddle; but hereafter our knowledge will be free from all obscurity and error. It is the light of heaven only, that will remove all clouds and darkness that hide the face of God from us. To sum up the excellencies of charity, it is preferred not only to gifts, but to other graces, to faith and hope. Faith fixes on the Divine revelation, and assents thereto, relying on the Divine Redeemer. Hope fastens on future happiness, and waits for that; but in heaven, faith will be swallowed up in actual sight, and hope in enjoyment. There is no room to believe and hope, when we see and enjoy. But there, love will be made perfect. There we shall perfectly love God. And there we shall perfectly love one another.
Blessed state!
how much surpassing the best below!
God is love,
(I Epistle John 4:8,16)
Where God is to be seen as He is, and face to face, there charity is in its greatest height; there only will it be perfected.

O Lord
Thank You
******************************************************
Dear friends, I pray that you have enjoyed this lesson & you find yourselves, putting away any so called toys,
(things not of God)
in your life & that you walk in love, doing that which is pleasing to Him that has given us the free gift of eternal life. Remember to keep God first in all that you do in the upcoming week. Pray for one another in the uplifting of spirit & healing. If any of you wish to be opted from the group, please send me a note of that reflection, in that, I wish not to offend anyone.
May God always walk with you & you with God.

Peace
Don

** Dare To Be A Disciple For Christ **