Devotion for Thursday, December 12, 2019

“I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my
beloved children.  For if you were to
have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in
Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel” (1 Corinthians 4:14-15)

We all need to be
admonished.  We wander where we will and
do not follow the Lord as we ought.  Take
this to heart, for this is never for condemnation, but for edification.  Be lifted into the life to which You have
been called and know that He who has called you is more than able to accomplish
your salvation.  He will lead you; and
your part is to follow wherever He leads.

Lord, teach me to follow that I would walk with You regardless of
circumstances.  There are many You have
sent who have taught me elements of the faith. 
They have been mentors to me. 
Help me to continue to learn and to share with others as You have shared
with me.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way You
know I need to go that I may faithfully fulfill Your plan for my life.

Lord Jesus, You demonstrated
great perseverance in doing all that needed to be done.  Guide me with the same purposefulness that I
would live my life faithfully as Your follower. 
Help me teach where You appoint and sit and listen when You send a
teacher.  In all things, help me to keep
my eyes upon You alone.  You are the One
who saves, and my life is committed to Your salvation.  Amen. 




Devotion for Wednesday, December 11, 2019

“To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly
clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; and we toil, working with
our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we
endure;  when we are slandered, we try to
conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things,
even until now” (1 Corinthians 4:11-12)

What is your eternal life with Christ worth?  We live in an age such that if things aren’t just the way we want them we go to another place.  Is this living the Gospel life?  To what are you committed and for what do you live?  To live for the self is to die.  To live for the Lord is to live forever.  Come to the Lord and live as He directs no matter the consequences.  In the Lord alone is life.

Lord, I have had it easy in that I can pick and choose what I want and
how I will gather in fellowship.  Lead me
away from myself that I may serve You wherever You would place me.  Guide me according to Your Spirit to
surrender myself to You wholly.  Lead me,
Lord, where You will, for I know that You will provide all that is needed.  Use me as You will for Your glory.

Lord, You know all things.  You know what is needed.  Jesus, You were willing to go to the cross
for me that I could be eternally united with You.  Help me now and always to follow You and not
be tossed about by circumstances.  You
have given Your promises and I have given mine. 
Lead me to live into the promise of salvation, following You wherever
You lead all the days of my life.  Amen.




Devotion for Tuesday, December 10, 2019

“For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men
condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to
angels and to men.  We are fools for
Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong;
you are distinguished, but we are without honor” (1 Corinthians 4:9-10).

In this world, the ones God
would call the greatest in rank are counted as fools in the world’s eyes.  Do not live out your faith in the expectation
of greatness, but seek faithfulness.  Be
content with what the Lord has made you to be and live according to His will
and way.  The strength of the Lord comes
to us in living life faithfully as He calls us to live it.  Abide in the Lord always.

Lord, help me to see that only in You is there hope and promise.  You have called me into a life that is filled
with promise.  You are guiding me through
Your Spirit.  Let me see that it is not a
matter of getting ahead as the world see things, but about learning to be like
Jesus.  Help me to be willing to be a
fool for Your sake knowing that Your foolishness is wiser that the greatest
wisdom this world has to offer.

Lord Jesus, Your Word says that I
will be like You.  Lead me in the
humility You demonstrated.  Guide me
according to the Father’s will to live now the life to which I have been
called.  Help me now and always to
understand that only through Your grace can I live faithfully.  Let my weakness rest in the truth of Your
eternal strength that I may live faithfully now and forever.  Amen.




Devotion for Monday, December 9, 2019

“For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not
receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received
it?  You are already filled, you have
already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that
you had become kings so that we also might reign with you” (1 Corinthians
4:7-8).

Each has what has been given
them.  There really is no cause for
boasting.  An intelligent person did not
create their intelligence.  One who is
artistic and has an eye for form and function did not create the ability.  We can only use what has been given us.  Therefore, use what the lord has given you
and use it for His glory.  He is the Lord
of creation and the One who gives what He gives.

Lord, You know where there are those places of pride in my heart.  Lead me away from these places.  You have given me the gifts I have, so help
me to simply use them for Your glory. 
Guide me according to Your purposes that I may live the life You have prepared
for me to walk in, knowing that only in You is there hope and a future.  May my heart be turned to You always Lord.

Lord Jesus, God in the flesh, You
through whom all things have come into being, in You and through You is all
hope in this sinful world.  Lift me up by
Your Spirit knowing that only in You can I hope and have a being that will go
into eternity with You.  Lead me in the
way I need to go that I may live according to Your grace and mercy.  Help me always to abide in You as You abide
in me.  Amen.




Devotion for Sunday, December 8, 2019

“Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait
until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the
darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise
will come to him from God.  Now these
things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your
sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no
one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other” (1
Corinthians 4:5-6).

You know what you know of the
Lord’s plan.  The Lord Himself told us to
leave the wheat and tares together.  He
is the Lord of the harvest.  Both here
and to the Romans he wrote admonishing us to not judge, for we have limited
understanding.  But this does not mean
that one allows all things.  On the one
hand, apply mercy and on the other, be diligent to prevent holier-than-thou arrogance.

Lord, only You know the hearts of men. 
Guide me, O Lord, in the way You would have me go and stay me when I
would act against what You have commanded. 
Bring me to the place of being humble and diligent, but keep me from
judging what is not mine to judge.  You
have promised salvation to all who turn to You. 
Lead me in the way You would have me go.

Lord Jesus, Your instructions are clear and yet I often ignore
them.  Lead me, O Lord, to become like
you where I am stern when I need to be stern and merciful when mercy is needed.  In the mystery of salvation, grant me a
willingness to be humble so that I live according to the Father’s will.  In all things, may I look to You and be
guided according to Your salvation.  Amen
.




Devotion for Saturday, December 7, 2019

“But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or
by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.  For I am conscious of nothing against myself,
yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord” (1
Corinthians 4:3-4).

Do not trust in your own ability
to determine where you are in matters of your faith and heart.  The Holy Spirit searches the heart and knows
all men.  Come into the presence of the
Lord and abide in Him that He may examine your heart.  He alone knows all that is needed.  He alone is able to provide the path which
You must walk to remain faithful.  Look
to Him for all things.

Lord, in this world many are making defenses and accusations as if by these they may find what they are looking for.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting life that I may live by what You have given.  Search deep into my heart and transform it that I would now and always abide in the truth You have revealed through salvation.  May I now and always look to You for all things.

Guide me, Lord Jesus, in the way of truth.  You have come that I might have life and have it more abundantly.  Keep me close to You that I would learn from You as You teach me.  Keep me from the way of arrogance and untruth.  Save me from being my own keeper, so I can learn that You alone have the words of eternal life.  Lead me, O Lord, that I may follow You always in the way of truth.  Amen




Devotion for Friday, December 6, 2019

“Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2)

Humanity looks into itself and
strives to be on top.  The Lord looks
inside and knows we need humility.  Do
not look for how to boast, but instead, look as to how to serve.  The Lord has set the example by serving you
enough to die on the cross for you.  In
that example, serve others, knowing it is not a matter of deserving a reward,
but of obedience.  Be a trustworthy
steward of the Gospel.

Lord, You know I have much to learn. 
Guide me in this journey that each day I would learn a little more about
the truth of the mysteries You are revealing. 
You know the direction I need to go and You know what I need to learn.  At every step it is You who must be leading
for I have a tendency to stray from the path, nor am I able to lead.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way You would have
me go that I may be faithful.

Lord Jesus, You not only have
made salvation possible, but only You alone are able to lead in the model of
the godly life.  Teach me, O Lord, that I
would become like You as I dwell in You and learn the mysteries You are
revealing.  Guide me, Savior, in the way
of salvation that I might now and always abide in the richness of Your grace
and learn to walk humbly with You at all times.  Amen.




Devotion for Thursday, December 5, 2019

“So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether
Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or
things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ
belongs to God”  (1 Corinthians 3:21-23).

It is not whom you know upon
this earth, but the One who created all that exists who is the One to whom we
all should turn.  It is He who made us
and not we who make Him.  Be guided by
the One who knows You and learn from Him. 
He who has humbled Himself to make Himself knowable to You will lead the
way that You may come to Him and know Him as He knows you.

Lord, is this not too simple? 
Yet this is what the Gospel is all about, that I would abide in You and
You in me.  Lead me through the snares of
this world to not be caught up with what those of this world say or do, but
with what You are doing for all time and eternity.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I
may now and always trust You in and through all things.

Come Holy Spirit and open my heart,
mind and soul.  Lead me in the way of
truth that I may always abide with You and look to You for all wisdom.  Open my mind to see the places where this
world has gotten in the way that I may now and always live into the hope and
promise of Your presence, purpose, hope, and love.  Guide me this and every day into the truth
You reveal.  Amen.




Devotion for Wednesday, December 4, 2019

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is
wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.  For the wisdom of this world is foolishness
before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their
craftiness”; and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they
are useless” (1 Corinthians 3:18-20)

The Lord said, “Come let us
reason together.”  This does not mean
that we are to figure all things out. 
What it means is that we come to the Lord and He gives us what we need
to have in order to understand.  He is
the source of wisdom.  When we seek it on
our own and in our own way it is only foolishness.  Living life is not just about being
reasonable; it is about being faithful to the Lord.

Lord, I do rely upon what I know. 
Help me rely upon You above all things. 
I do delight in the times when I figure things out.  Help me delight in the knowledge and
understanding You give.  Guide me, O Lord,
in the way of truth that I may now and always walk in Your ways.  You are the source of all truth, knowledge
and wisdom.  Help me to seek what You
give and not rely upon what this world offers.

Lord Jesus, You have the words of
eternal life.  You have said that a child
can come to You and know these things. 
Help me to not get caught up in the arrogance of this world, but know
that all that is needed has already been provided.  Open my eyes to see and my mind to understand
that all that is needful comes from You. 
Lead me, O Lord, on the path I should follow  that I may walk with You in the everlasting
way.  Amen.




Devotion for Tuesday, December 3, 2019

“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of
God dwells in you?  If any man destroys
the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and
that is what you are”  (1 Corinthians
3:16-17)
.

Jesus told us to abide in Him
and Him in us.  This was not a metaphor,
but the reality of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  No one can say Jesus is Lord unless the Holy
Spirit gives the ability to say so.  The
Spirit of the  Lord dwells in You.  Do you walk according to His Word or are you
constantly grieving the One who is in you? 
You are the temple in which God has chosen to dwell. So ask yourself:
how then shall I live?

Lord, You are holy and I am not. 
Yet, by grace, You have made me the holy dwelling of Your Spirit.  Lead me to increase in holiness as I shed the
old Adam which has been slain on the cross. 
Guide me in the upward path of becoming more like Christ.  Help me to see clearly the difference between
the two ways of life that I would choose the calling You have given me by Your
grace.

Lord Jesus, not only are You the
model of the godly life, You have enabled me to live into a life that would not
be possible apart from You.  Lead me Lord
Jesus to truly follow You today and every day knowing that You are in me as You
call me to be in You.  Help me overcome
the obstacles in my way that I would walk this path of faith You have given
me.  Guide me in the way that is pleasing
to the Father.  Amen.