“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.

“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.

“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.

“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.

“If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a
reward.  If any man’s work is burned up,
he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire”  (1 Corinthians 3:14-15).

Keep in mind the context.  This is not a “do good works for a reward”,
but in the context of walking with the Lord faithfully.  What you do in this life will ultimately
either fall in the category of being in accord with the Lord’s will or else,
against it.  Therefore, do that which is
pleasing to the Lord and increasingly become more like Christ.  The question is: how much of yourself will
you take into eternity?

Lord, lead me in such a way that those good things which are
Christ-like dwell richly in me.  Let me
not be caught up in this world’s nonsense. 
Help me to focus on having a character that is pleasing in Your
sight.  Aid me to do what You give me to
do knowing that only that which is in accord with Your will shall last.  Guide me, Lord, toward the goal of growing as
Your disciple.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead
the way.  I am often distracted and
wander in many directions.  Lead me in
the Father’s will to be whom You are making me to be.  Guide me to be obedient and simply obey when
You ask me to do something.  Help me see
clearly the difference between what is pleasing to You and what is being
offered by the world.  Keep me in the way
of faithfulness.  Amen.

“For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid,
which is Jesus Christ.  Now if any man
builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay,
straw,  each man’s work will become
evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and
the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work.”  (1 Cortinthians 3:11-13)

Who you are is evident in what
you do and how you do things.  Do not be
led by the ways of this world, for they are fleeting and will soon be
gone.  Be led by the eternal Word of the
Lord who gives instructions for the ages. 
Know that in the Lord, there is hope and an eternal future.  Laying a foundation upon the things of this world
is only temporary.  Which shall be your
foundation?

Lord, guide me to choose the better portion.  Help me to understand that only in You is there
a future that is unending.  I desire more
time, but only in Your Word do I find the hope that is unending.  Show me how to walk the path You lay before
us all that I may abide in Your presence now and forever.  Let me walk through every test with You by my
side that I may come out on the other side with You.

Lord Jesus, You also walked a
path that did not leave You unscathed. 
Help me see that walking in this world is not an easy thing, yet, with
You, it is assured.  Guide me in all of
Your ways that I would walk abiding in You and You in me.  Lead me in the way of everlasting life that I
would see that my hope is in You alone. 
Lead me, Lord Jesus, to do those things which are pleasing in the
Father’s sight and will bring me closer to who You are making me to be.  Amen.

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s
building.  According to the grace of God
which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and
another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.”  (1 Corinthians 3:9-10)

Each person is a unique creation
of the Lord.  Salvation is one person at
a time, for each of us will be built up in Christ according to the plans of the
Lord.  We each have our part in helping
shape others just as we have been shaped over our lifetime by many.  Do your part and be willing to be a
part.  The Lord, who is Master over all,
directs all that is happening that His will may be done.

Lord, guide me to be willing to be shaped as You know I need to be
shaped.  Your Word has told me that I
shall be like Christ and I do not fully know what this means.  Guide me to see that in You is the only hope,
for what I shall be I may not know, but I do know I shall be like Christ.  Lead me, O Lord, to live into this life for
which You have invited me that I may grow in Christ-likeness.

Lord Jesus, You have exhibited the model of the godly life.  You have called each of us to follow You that we may become like You in preparation for all that is to come.  Help me to not resist doing my part of being a part of all that You are doing.  Guide me in the power of Your Spirit to learn to obey all that You command, doing those things which are well pleasing in the Father’s sight.  Amen.

“So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything,
but God who causes the growth.  Now he
who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward
according to his own labor.”  (1
Corinthians 3:7-8)

Each is called to do their
part.  We each have jobs to do, but it is
the One who is over all who brings all things together for good for those who
love Him.  Be guided by the Lord and do
what He asks you to do.  Know that the
One who made all things will see His will accomplished on earth as it is in
heaven.  Do not work for a reward, but to
please the One who sustains all things.

Lord, prioritize my heart, mind and soul to be what You are creating me
to be.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of
truth that I would not be sidetracked by the trifles of this world.  Keep my focus upon You that I would do what
is pleasing in Your sight.  Guide me
through the things that entice me so that I can appreciate the good things of
this world, but let nothing get in the way of seeing You first.

Come Holy Spirit and minister to
my heart.  You know me better than I know
myself.  Help me walk through those
things that distract me to focus upon those things which You know are
good.  Lead me today and each day to be
focused and purposeful.  Help me live
into the life to which You have called me that I may now and always walk with
You leading the way.  In this purpose
help me to live.  Amen.

“What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you
believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one.  I planted, Apollos watered, but God was
causing the growth.”  (1 Corinthians
3:5-6)

Why do you look at the one who
has been a mentor to you rather than the One who is Lord of all.  Has not Scripture been fulfilled that says
that no longer will we be taught to know the Lord, for from the least to the
greatest they shall know Him?  Yes, be
thankful for those who have led you to the Lord, but place your eyes upon Him,
for He is the One who has saved you and the One who leads you.

Lord, in this world I am caught up with hero worship.  I look to those whom I look up to.  Guide me to be thankful for all who have
taught me, but to look to You as the One who guides all things to fulfil Your
will.  Let me see that You are the One
who causes all growth.  Guide me to grow
in You that I may increase in the gifts You have given me and use them to Your
glory.

Lord Jesus, You have been an
example of humility and service.  Guide
me by Your example to know that it is in You alone that we have hope.  Lead me to abide daily in You as You lead me
in the way I should go.  Help me to
understand that it is by the Father’s will alone that goodness comes to any of
us.  May I now and always look to You first
as You lead me in the way I should go. 
Amen.

“For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly,
and are you not walking like mere men? 
For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are
you not mere men?”  (1 Corinthians
3:3b-4)

We tend to look for bragging
rights.  But then, is this not behind the
sin of pride?  Who are any of us that we have
any reason to boast?  Is it on the
knowledge I have?  But then, did this not
come from another?  What grounds then do
I have to boast about what I received? 
Only this, that at the right time, in that while I was yet a sinner,
Christ died for me.  You and I are mere
mortals, so let us boast only in Christ.

Holy Spirit, check my spirit that I would not fall into the sin of
pride.  All that I need to know has come
from You.  You have used faithful
witnesses to share with me the things I know. 
Guide me in the wisdom You give that I would mature in this wisdom and
continue growing according to what You know I need.  Let me share with all the truth of the grace
You have given me.

Lord Jesus, though You are God in
the flesh, You came humbly and demonstrated the godly life.  By Your example, teach me to walk in Your
ways so that I would humbly follow You always. 
Guide me to share as others have shared with me.  Help me overcome the obstacles in the way
that I may become more like You.  Through
all things, strengthen me in this faith You have given me for Your sake.  Amen.