“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise
according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the
foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak
things of the world to shame the things which are strong,” (1 Corinthians
1:26-27)

You have been called by God to
come into His presence and dwell with Him. 
The calling is by grace, for no one has earned the right to stand before
the Lord.  The world thinks in terms of
merit, but grace is a gift God gives. 
The Lord knows this world is in rebellion and has answered that
rebellion with an invitation that calls you by grace to come dwell with Him
forever.

Lord, the world does resist Your offer of grace.  They do call it foolish, but You have shown that
You chose to do this to exhibit Your superior wisdom.  Help me to move beyond such things that I may
now and always look to You for strength and wisdom.  Let me not be hindered by the names the world
gives to Your faithful ones, but trust in Your Word alone which abides
forever.  Lead me ever deeper into Your
wisdom.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead
the way.  You demonstrated humility,
meekness, and kindness to us all.  Help
me to follow Your example and be bold in this faith You have given me.  Guide me according to the Father’s will that
I may humbly walk with You.  No matter
what those around me say, help me to live into the hope You give in the promise
of grace and mercy.  Amen.

“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of
God is stronger than men.”  (1
Corinthians 1:25)

This simple principle is one of
the most profound truths that helps us navigate around all of the errors that
are in the world.  The wisdom of this
world cannot compare to the Maker of this world.  The weakness of God is also stronger than any
man.  Why settle for less when the Lord
offers life in Him?  Come to the One who
made all wisdom and has all strength and learn from Him what life is to be
like.

Lord, You offer wisdom through Your Word by the power of the Holy
Spirit.  In the greatest demonstration of
strength in weakness on the cross, You conquered death, the recompense of
sin.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of
truth that I may now and always abide with You wherever that may lead.  Guide me according to Your goodness to look
at You and live in the truth You have revealed for all ages.

Lord Jesus, You did not resist
those who mistreated You, but died for them as well on the cross.  The world calls this foolish, but You have
used what the world calls foolishness to make our salvation possible.  Guide me now and always to see that in You
alone is the hope for every age, that I may live into the promises You give to
those who are faithful.  Lead me now and
always, O Lord.  Amen.

“For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we
preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God
and the wisdom of God.”  (1 Corinthians
1:22-24)

These ideas still circulate
today.  There are those who await
miraculous things, those who think they can figure things out and those who
follow the Lord of all: different times, but the same pursuits.  Be led by the promise of the One who is
forever and see that there is nothing new under the sun.  Christ is the power of God and in Him alone
will you find true wisdom.  Follow the
Lord.

Lord, teach me to open myself to Your Word and all that You give.  Guide me according to Your goodness to see
that in You alone is the hope of every age. 
Lead me according to Your goodness to walk in Your grace and seek the
wisdom You give.  Help me now and always
to turn to You first and neither seek this world’s wisdom or its signs and
wonders.  Lead me according to Your
purpose.

Lord Jesus, You performed many signs and wonders and yet many did not believe.  Guide me, O Lord, in Your goodness that I would be one who believes despite neither signs nor wonders.  Lead me into the eternal truth You have revealed once for all and the salvation You have prepared through the cross.  Let me not be worried what the world calls me otherwise than  Your follower.  Amen.

“Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of
this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  For since in the wisdom of God the world
through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the
foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.”  (1 Corinthians 1:20-21)

Listen to the noise in our age.  “Go here, do this or that, believe what you
want.”  It is noise that may bring
momentary pleasure, but accomplishes nothing. 
Be guided by the truth revealed once for all through Christ, who alone
is the Savior.  Be a fool for Christ, for
what difference will it make what others think when You stand before the One
through whom all things have their being.

Lord, help me unlearn the foolishness of this age to which I cling and
replace it with the eternal truth You have revealed.  Guide me according to Your goodness to see
that in You alone is the hope of every age. 
Lead me in the way of everlasting life that I may now and always abide
in You as You abide in me.  Teach me to be
bold in faith that I may share with others what You have shared with me.

Lord Jesus, You said, “Come,
follow me.”  Help me this day to follow
You wherever You lead.  Guide me in the
Holy Spirit to speak what You give me to speak. 
Help me always to be willing to appear foolish in this age that the
truth of the cross may always be proclaimed by me.  Let me stand with You always that I may stand
in the presence of the Father.  Grant me wisdom
to walk in the narrow way this day. 
Amen.

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not
in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made
void.  For the word of the cross is
foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the
power of God.  For it is written, “I will
destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the cleverness of the clever I will set
aside.”  (1 Corinthians 1:17-18)

The Lord does not send us to baptize,
for baptism means to immerse.  Christ is
the One who immerses those who are His into Himself.  But as Paul said elsewhere, how can they hear
if one does not preach.  We are sent to
share the Good News of Christ, for that is what the word evangelize means.  Share the cross of Christ and those who
belong to Him will rejoice in the Lord.

Lord, I cannot save myself, let alone another.  Guide me, O Lord, to see that I am sent by
You to share what You have given me. 
Guide me in the way of truth that I may share truthfully what You have
given me.  Lead me according to Your
goodness to live into the Gospel which You have given me that I may now and
always live in the wisdom of the truth which is in You.

Lord Jesus, in You alone is the
hope of all people.  Lead me in the way
of the cross that I may die to sin, death, the devil, and myself.  Raise me up to see that only in You is the
hope of eternity.  Guide me in the way of
truth that I may now and always abide in You and You in me.  Immerse me in the way You have established
and lead me according to the Father’s will to do what is pleasing in His
sight.  Amen.

“I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so
that no one would say you were baptized in my name.  Now I did baptize also the household of
Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.”  (1 Corinthians 1:14-16)

Who is the one baptizing when a
baptism is done?  Is it the one who
stands there saying the words?  No!  The one who is giving the promise is the One
who fulfills the promise for His own purposes. He uses whom He uses to deliver
the message.  Do not be as those in the
world who look up to other created beings, but come to the One who created all
things and receive His promises.

Lord, I do become enchanted with celebrity and think of others as above
me.  I am neither below, nor above any,
for I am Your creature.  Lead me in
humility to neither raise myself up, nor lower myself down, but instead stand
before You, the One who has called me through the baptism You gave me.  Lead me in truth that I would walk before You
all the days of my life in Your promises.

Lord Jesus, You have told us that
each of us will be baptized with the baptism You give.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth that
You have established that I may now and always walk with You, my Lord and God
and live into the promises You have given. 
Guide me in Your goodness to see through the ways of this world and not
get caught in her traps.  Lead me to be
faithful.  Amen.

“Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.”  Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?”  (1 Corinthians 12-13)

To whom do we belong?  Is it to one whom we admire?  Is it to one who has taught us?  It is good to have mentors, but there is only
one Who is Lord of all.  The One through
whom all things have their being, the One who made all things, is the One who
is worthy of all honor and praise.  It is
He who is Your Savior and this is He of whom Paul speaks.  Come to the One who saves.

Lord, teach me the way of salvation that I may walk in the way of
truth.  Guide me according to Your never-failing
Word in all that I need to know in order that above all things, I may praise
You.  Guide me, O Lord, in Thy Spirit to
now and always walk in Your will.  Let me
see through those who would get in Your way in order to live the truth which
You have revealed for all people.

Truth made flesh, my Lord and
Savior Jesus, guide me now and always in the way of truth that I would walk
with and in You in the way You have taught Your disciples.  Lead me always to have no other gods before
You, the Triune God who is in all and through all.  May I always abide in You and have good and
godly priorities.  Lead me, O Lord, in
the way of truth.  Amen.

“God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.   Now I
exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree
and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the
same mind and in the same judgment.  For
I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there
are quarrels among you.”  (1 Corinthians
1:9-11)

We are born into a fallen humanity.  There are divisions and quarreling that happens, but it ought not be so.  We are called by One Lord through one baptism into the one faith by which we are eternally reconciled to One God.  Come into the truth revealed in faith and work together with all whom You fellowship, for this is good and pleasing to the One who calls us by grace into eternity.

Lord, I know how to be contentious and quarrelsome.  Lead me away from the old man and into the
new life to which I have been called. 
Guide me according to Your truth that I would walk humbly with You, my
Lord, God and Savior.  Lead me in the way
of everlasting life that I would now and forever abide in the truth You have
revealed once for all.  Lead me according
to Your will.

Lord Jesus, You have come that we
might have life and have it abundantly. 
Guide me in the Word of truth that I may now and always abide in the
goodness of Your grace and mercy.  Lead
me in the way You know I need to go that I would abide peaceably with others as
You abide with me.  Guide me, O Lord, and
help me to always follow where You lead that I would each day become more like
You.  Amen.

“I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was
given you in Christ Jesus, that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all
speech and all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed
in you, so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the
revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also confirm you to the end,
blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 
(1 Corinthians 1:4-8)

Be thankful not only for the
grace you have received, but also for the grace the Lord grants others.  The Lord knows those who are His, You do
not.  Although all have been called, few
obey the call.  Be one of those who obey
and realize that all you need has been provided by the One who gave Himself for
You that you may stand before the Father as one who is blameless.

Lord, teach me what all of these things mean.  Too often I become wrapped up in the ways of
this world and hurriedly go about my business forgetting that I am to walk with
You as You walk with me.  Lead me in the
revelation You have given that I may learn how to become blameless even as I
know Your grace makes me blameless.  Lead
me by grace to become blameless in eternity.

Lord Jesus, You have empowered
all who believe to walk boldly in the faith You give.  Grant me a willingness to always live by
grace, proclaiming the good and gracious news of the salvation You alone make
possible.  Conform me to You that I may
be like You.  Teach me all I need to know
that I would journey in faith with You until the day I stand before You face to
face.  Amen.

“Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  (1 Corinthians 1:1-3)

We are called and sanctified
through our Lord Jesus Christ.  No one has
authority on their own.  None does
anything for the Lord except in the name of Christ.  At all times and in all places, we are reminded
that, as a person of faith, we are under the headship of our Lord and Savior,
Jesus Christ.  It is by grace alone,
which is a gift of God, that we are redeemed and are thereby able to stand in
the Father’s presence,

Help me, O Lord, with my pride which is at the heart of all rebellion,
that I would remember always that the position I’ve been granted by grace is only
because of what Christ has done for me. 
Guide me to be charitable with others and to reflect genuine
humility.  In You alone Lord do I have
hope and only under Your authority am I able to do all things.  Keep me under Your authority always.

Lord Jesus, by Your blood are we
healed and only under Your grace do we have any merit.  Teach me the line between the boldness of
faith and the humility of service.  Teach
me to always be gracious with others, but also bold in what is right in the
Father’s eyes.  Show me what meekness is
and what standing upon Your Word means. 
Lead me to be faithful to You now and always.  Amen.