City Life Starter

By Heather Mattingly

The WORD: 1 Corinthians 4:20 (NKJV)

“For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.”

Questions:

What are your thoughts on this verse?

What are your thoughts about your own story? And the person you used to be before you met Jesus and who you are today?

Do you see that you are a walking miracle?

Reflection

We hope you’ve enjoyed this in-depth study of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church. Of everything, we’ve read and studied over the past 12 weeks, this verse shows us how God worked in our brothers and sisters in ancient Corinth, and how He still works in us today. He doesn’t make us better; He transforms us into something brand new.

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (Ephesians 3:18)

The Corinthians were a mess of broken people – manipulative, self-centered, sexually immoral, greedy, prideful, rebellious….but so are all of us! Jesus, in the form of His Holy Spirit, transformed them not by words, but by His power – into new creations. He’s doing the same thing inside you today. And this letter to the Corinthians shows you how to walk it out with Him in your daily life.

This series has been wonderfully titled “No Perfect People Allowed.” Perfection is an unattainable fantasy, and Jesus has freed us from it to be the children of God we were always made to be – still failing, but failing forward. All the while being transformed into His glorious image.

Be encouraged today; God’s not done with you yet!

Prayer:

“Father, do for me what You did for the Corinthians: transform me from the inside out by Your power. Exchange my heart of stone for a heart of flesh. I’m broken and I can’t fix myself. Please fix me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”