“And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.  Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant (1 Corinthians 13:3-4).

What are you trying to prove to God?  The One who made everything and knows everything can having nothing proved to Him.  Yet, we tend to think in terms of doing something in the presence of the One who needs nothing done for Him.  Stop trying to prove anything and live in the presence of the One who calls you to Himself.  Live in His presence and with Him in the love which is His gift to you.

Lord, I dance around, moving hither and yon and get nowhere.  Help me to stop in front of the cross as the beginning place to see the truth of Your love.  Guide me according to Your will, for You are the One who made all things, that I may simply live as You have created me to live.  Renew my mind and let it be filled with Your mind.  Teach me to be kind and not jealous; content and not arrogant.

Lord Jesus, in great love, You have come to us all for the sake of our being completed in You.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may walk humbly with You and learn to love as You love.  Guide me, O Lord, that I may be led.  Humble me, Lord, that I may be truthful.  Teach me, Lord, that I may know.  Help me understand that in You I already have all things and apart from You I have nothing.  Amen.

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2).

Loving is not just how you feel, but who you are in the Lord.  All true love comes from the Lord and it is He who must teach us how to love as He loves.  He loves us enough to lay down His life that we might live.  It is not just a matter of what you do, or are able to do, but of whom the Lord is making you to be.  Come then into the presence of the Lord and learn His love and abide in Him.

Lord, this world is filled with wicked notions about the idea of love, most of which are about being self-absorbed and self-consumed.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I might learn from You what love really is.  Guide me along Your paths and for Your sake that I might now and always walk according to Your will.  Teach me to go beyond myself and live according to what You will make of me.

Lord Jesus, love incarnate, guide me in the path of love that I would now and always look to You to understand what love truly is.  Teach me today and everyday to move beyond myself and learn from You, for You are gentle and humble and love each of us equally and fully.  Help me to look to You and beyond all of the garbage that is working in this world.  May I learn from You true love.  Amen.

“All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?  All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?  But earnestly desire the greater gifts” (1 Corinthians 12:29-31).

The world puts pressure on us both to conform and to insist that everyone can be great.  The Lord grants to each according to His measure that He determines for the sake of all.  The Lord is building up His body and for the sake of His church, each has their part.  Do not reject what the Lord is doing, but live into that part which He gives You knowing that in Him alone is all hope.

Lord, I do need to be taught and You have appointed teachers who will teach me.  I do need those who will serve with abilities You give that I do not have.  Lead me to live into my part, for there are those who need what You will do through me.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of life that I may grow into the likeness of Christ, and according to Your goodness, do Your will.

Lord Jesus, You have taught us to come to the Father for all things.  You have taught us that we are dependent upon You to be able to do what is right.  Lead me, Lord, in the way of righteousness that I would be guided by You alone to do what is good.  Help me to receive and to give, knowing that You are the author and finisher of faith for all those who believe in the truth of Your grace.  Amen.

“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:27-28).

There is order in the body of Christ. Each has a position and there should always be mutual respect. In our contemporary culture, we tend to think in terms of equality. In the kingdom, God levels the field by grace, but there is an order of things, so we ought not be worldly, but recognize that there is one Lord of all, and He appoints to positions of authority those whom He appoints.

Lord, this world loves to have its tyrants. Let me neither be one, nor uphold one. Yet, there is a place for position and authority. Help me to have a godly balance that I would not tear down, but lift up and acknowledge my position in Your body. Help me to use those gifts and abilities that You grant by grace that I would live into the life to which You have called me. Help me learn to always be faithful.

Lord Jesus, You have taught us that equality with God is not something to be grasped. You came humbly and demonstrated obedience as a Son to the Father. Teach me both to lead and to follow. Help me in all things to be faithful to the call You give and to obey, even when You are going to have me do something the world says is impossible. In all things, may I look to You. Amen.

“So that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.  And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26).

Division is of the devil.  Our Savior prayed that we would be one even as He is One.  Be guided by this principle and not the principles of the world which segregate and divide.  We are all called in the one baptism to the One Lord for His sake and purpose.  Be guided by this always knowing that He who is in You has already overcome the world.  Be lifted up in His presence.

Lord, where I fight against the truth of Your kingdom, bring me to the place where I see others through Your eyes.  Lead me in Your goodness that I would not act as those who are worldly, but as You do towards all people.  Teach me these principles that I may grow in Your likeness and learn to love as You love.  You know what is needed; help me accept all that You give.

Lord Jesus, though the world was made through You, You did not come into the world demanding the respect You are due.  Instead, You came humbly to accomplish all that needed to be done for our salvation.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of salvation that I would hold fast to Your promises and not settle for anything less.  Help me live through every temptation to be Yours always.  Amen.

“And those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,  whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked” (1 Corinthians 12:23-24).

We are affected one by the other.  There is the mutual building up of the body which the Lord is doing by holding us together.  Therefore, do not flee from those who are different, but embrace all whom the Lord brings into your midst knowing that you too have groups who might look down upon you in a worldly way.  The Lord leads and teaches us along the way as we live out our life of faith in community.

Lord, convict me where I am not living as You would have me live.  Convict my attitude of superiority that I may love all whom I meet and accept all with whom I worship.  You have a reason for everything.  Guide me in Your goodness that I may now and always abide in the truth of Your presence amongst all the groups with whom I deal.  Guide me to be gracious as You are gracious.

Lord, help me to be content with where You have placed me in Your body.  Help me to always be humble, knowing that You are Lord and in humility You walked upon the earth as One who had nothing.  In Your example, lead me always to see through this world’s way of seeing things that I may become more like You.  In all things, grant that I would have a heart of charity, loving others as You love them.  Amen.

“And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of
you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”  On the contrary, it is much truer that the
members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary” (1 Corinthians
12:21-22).

Who are we
that any of us would say to the Lord that we have no need for whom the Lord
brings into our midst.  We are a people
under orders to love our neighbor.  Our
neighbor is whom the Lord brings into our presence.  Therefore, accept what the Lord is doing,
love your neighbor and marvel at what the Lord does in the midst of all of His
church.  The Lord is the One doing the
building up of the body.

Lord, every part of Your body is necessary.  There are those who act as though there are
more important members.  Teach me that
You are the One who is making Your body. 
Lead me in Your goodness to see that all who are present are necessary,
for You alone must be the One who builds the church.  Guide me to see things through Your eyes and
know that all parts are according to Your plan.

Holy Spirit,
change my heart that I would see things as You see them.  Lead me in Your goodness to know that in You
is our hope.  You know what You are
doing.  Guide me, O Lord, according to
Your goodness that I would live into the life to which You call me.  Help me now and always to accept those around
me knowing that You have a purpose for all who come into our midst.  Amen.

“If they were all one member, where would the body be?  But now there are many members, but one body”
(1 Corinthians 12:19-20).

Are you able
to see that the diversity of the Lord is intentional?  Do struggle against this world’s idea that we
are all to be the same.  Even in our
practice, there are many varieties of practice. 
Be whom the Lord has made you to be and live in harmony with those who
follow the Lord, but are different.  The
Lord is the One who is building His body. So keep your focus on following what
the Lord is doing.

Lord, help me to be gracious as You are gracious.  Guide me according to Your goodness to see that
in You alone is the hope for all.  Help
me to live faithfully, but not to insist that the way You have given me must be
followed by others.  Faithfulness, yes,
but conformity only to Christ.  In that,
You alone know what this means.  So, help
me to be pliable in Your hands so that You are the One forming me.

Lord Jesus,
You came as the model of the godly life. 
You did not dictate the specifics of our worship life, only that we live
lives of worship.  Help me to follow Your
lead and be whom You are making me to be. 
Guide me according to Your goodness that I would live graciously, loving
my neighbor and living as You direct me to live.  May I be a faithful follower as You lead.  Amen.  

“If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired” (1 Corinthians 12:17-18).

Do not worry
about whom the Lord is making you to be. 
Rest in the truth that He is conforming you to be like Him, a child of
God.  Do not worry about who is
what.  Rejoice that the Lord in knitting
together His one church according to His eternal and perfect plan.  Know that in Him, all people are redeemed by
the same grace.  He has placed you in His
fellowship, there to live and grow.

Lord, help me to not get caught up in this world’s idea of
being conformed to the ways of the world. 
Help me realize that You are making me to be whom You have always
intended.  Guide me in Your goodness to
see that in You alone is all hope.  Grant
discernment to see and understand that we each have our part and You will
perfect in each one of us exactly what You have always intended.

Lead me, O
Lord, in the way of truth.  You are the
way, the truth and the life. Help me to keep my eyes focused upon You and not
those around me.  To be caring and
loving, yes, but not distracted from You. 
Help me to learn to rejoice in all the good gifts you give to everyone,
each according to Your grace.  In and
through all things, may I arrive at the place where I can see things through
Your eyes and rejoice in all of Your creation. 
Amen. 

“If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part
of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.  And if the ear says, “Because I am not an
eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part
of the body” (1Corithians 12:15-16).

Why do we
look at one another and want conformity? 
“Unless you see things as I do, you are wrong?”  Look at the Lord’s creation and what do you
see?  A great variety and diversity.  Live with what the Lord has given you and do
all you can, for you stand only before Him. 
He is the One who is creating all things for His pleasure.  Abide in the Lord and seek Him above all
things.

Lord, I do judge all day long.  Help me to let go of the desire to take Your
place and rest in the truth that You are the author and finisher of my
faith.  Guide me in Your goodness that I
would now and always turn to You knowing that You are doing for all what needs
to be done.  Let me rejoice in the fact
that there will be only one of me in eternity. 
Let me rejoice in this truth for others.

Lord Jesus,
You have come to lead the way and You have sent Your Spirit to be in me to
guide me.  Help me now and always to
trust in what You are doing.  Teach me to
rejoice in the gifts of others and to not covet.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that You
are authoring my faith and will lead me all the days of my life.  Keep my eyes focused upon You, dear Lord, now
and always.  Amen.