MONDAY, JULY 16
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:18-20

Paul is saying there are some that are puffed up. He says it again in verse 19. What does puffed up mean? Apparently what it means is a spiritual attitude that allows evil to continue without ever confronting it. Apparently “puffed up” means a spiritual arrogance that thinks we can allow evil to continue in our midst without penalty. Allowing evil to advance lawlessly without consequence in a measure is like a rouge military officer violating chain of command and endangering his unit! Verse 21 is a Lion Scripture if there ever was one, “What do you want? Shall I come to you with a rod, or in love and a spirit of gentleness?” Paul says that he walks in both. Where is that rod? According to Psalm 2, every one of us have it. According to Revelation 2, it is available to those who overcome passivity! In Revelation 19, Jesus is swinging it. Where is our rod? We must ask ourselves if we have bought a sword. If we have not, we are dangerously unarmed. Jesus said to sell our cloak and buy a sword. Have we bought the sword we are supposed to swing? Do we have a rod of iron that we can release? Where is the Lion of the tribe of Judah in us? We have access to the rod everywhere we go. What would Paul think if he were to walk into the present day church? He would look around and say, “Where…where…is your rod?”