13:9-10 What you don't know can bring you Mercy.

1Cr 13:9

For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

A prophecy is a statement in which someone says they strongly believe that a particular thing will happen.

At this time it seems that we know and prophesy only some of the truth.  That can be dangerous.  That can be a blessing. Why would God choose to have us trust, have faith, in someone or something as part of His plan. Here we have this world that is messy. After all this is an imperfect world.  This must mean that we need to be shown mercy when we mess up, fail, cause an accident, get a failing grade in school. Maybe we need to show mercy when others do the same thing.

1Cr 13:10

but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

Perfection is hard to live up to. We can't  expect anyone to live up to perfection. When perfection was on this earth Perfection was crucified..

So what are we going to do when someone fails us?  Disappoints us? Upsets us?   We need to think ahead and be ready to focus on how we can learn to apply Gods word in our times of trials. Learn to love the people we live with. Treat them better than the people at work.  Learn to live with them because the people I live with have to live with me.  And the people you live with, your family, have to live with you. 

We need to learn to be the type of person that we would be OK living with.  Would you want to live with you?

What do you put your faith in?

"For by grace you have been saved through faith" (Ephesians 2:8).

We all put faith in somthing, or someone, everyday.  Faith is belief plus your actions.  When you go through a traffic intersection at 40 MPH because you have a green light, you have faith that everyone that is going other direction will stop.  We sometimes put more faith in a traffic life to save our life then the creator of the universe.

13:8 Love Never,.. ever..., forever......?

1Cr 13:8

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Never is a long time - it's outside of time.  It is eternal.  There will be no need for prophecies, we will know time begining to the end of time and beyond.  No need to speak in tougues, we will understand the Holy Spirit at the spirit level.  Knowledge will pass away.........OK what does that mean?

1acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition: knowledge of many things.


2.familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning: A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.
 
We will know not have an acqaintance.

We Are Not Alone

As stepfamilies grow in quantity we are becomming the majority in the church body.   Are we going to stand up and say that stepfamilies make up a large portion of any church and ask the church to work to meet our needs?

instepministries.com

Remarriage Issues

According to the Stepfamily Association of America, remarriages account for nearly half of the 2.3 million marriages each year in the United States, and nearly 65 percent of those include children. Remarriage is an incredible event. The union of people who have experienced the tragedy of death or the disappointment of divorce is truly inspirational. Combining two family systems is an adventure with many challenges. The reality, however, is that the average remarrying couple is spiritually, vocationally, emotionally, relationally and socially unprepared for marriage.
Why are most remarrying couples unprepared?
The short answer is unrealistic expectations and unresolved issues. Many couples want to re-create the nuclear family—because they believe that is what they “should” be doing. However, stepfamilies and nuclear families have very little in common. New families do not really “blend” and there is no such thing as “instant” love or family. Some couples have so many wounds from childhood or previous relationships that they sabotage their new marriage. Emotional and spiritual wounds are invisible scars that become a filter for future relationships. Woundedness makes bonding to a new group of people very difficult. The first two years after a remarriage are extremely turbulent as the new couple (and a host of children and other relatives) sort out new rules and roles. Children are seldom ready for remarriage. Most are still trying to sort out the traumatic events of the past. In short, remarriage is challenging and most couples are not only unaware of these challenges, but they have no tools to cope with them.