“Do we not have a right to take along a believing wife, even as the
rest of the apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or do only
Barnabas and I not have a right to refrain from working?” (1 Corinthians 9:5-6)

We each have the
responsibilities and obligations that we have, each according to the call the
Lord has given. There has always been this sense that it must be this way or
that and if something does not align with our sensibilities, we think it
therefor ought to be different. Be guided by the way of the Lord and not by
what you think it ought to be in your mind, and in all things with grace.

Lord, teach me the way of grace. I do have my ideas and want things to
be conformed according to the way I think these things ought to be. Lead me O
Lord that I may not be guided by what seems right in my mind, but by what is
pleasing in Your sight. Teach me the difference where there is conflict. May I
be guided by Your eternal principles and what is according to Your will.

Lord Jesus, You taught us to continually go to the Father in prayer. Help me to become one who prays without ceasing. Help me to be guided by the eternal truth You have revealed for all. In Your example, guide me to live with charity for others and a strong conviction where I am doing what You have asked me to do. Through all things, help me to always have grace for others as You have given grace to me. Amen.

“My defense to those who examine me is this: Do we not have a right to
eat and drink?” (1 Corinthians 9:3-4).

Humanity is critical. We
criticize one another over all kinds of things. Does not each person have the
right to certain things? This is an age old question that begins with the
simple premise that if you feel you ought to have it, then so should your
neighbor. Come then and see that all are created in God’s image and have a right
to access the grace that is given for all. To each is given according to the
grace given.

Lord, let me not stop and think only in terms of this time and place,
but in terms of the eternal truth which You have given to all. Guide me in the
way of truth that I may now and always abide in the love You have given to all
knowing that only in You will we find peace and equity. Lead me in the way of
truth and understanding that I may abide in Your eternal presence.

Lord Jesus, You have come that we
may have life and have it abundantly. Guide me, O Lord, in the way You have
established that I may learn how to obey all that You have commanded. Help me
to always see that only in the salvation You provide will I be guided by those
principles which are eternal. Help me give grace as I have received it, knowing
that in You alone is all hope. Amen.

“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?
Are you not my work in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I
am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord” (1 Corinthians
9:1-2).

Has not the Lord chosen one who
was used to speak to you? If you will not listen to them, why do you say you
will listen to the Lord? Pride is what brought down Lucifer. Pride will bring
down every person who lifts themselves up. Why do you cling to that which
destroys when the Gospel of life is given you that You may have an abundant
life? Cling to the Lord, not your pride.

Lord, I am free in you. Not free from the circumstances in this age, but free from sin, death and the devil. Help me to live in this freedom by teaching me how to live in liberty by being responsible where I am able. Guide me in the eternal way that I would flee from all immoralities and seek what is best for others and myself according to Your Word. Lead me in the way of salvation.Jesus, Your name means salvation. You have come to lead the way for as many as would follow You. Lead me now and always in the way of truth that I would not flee from You, but from all others that would tempt me to go astray. Help me now and always to see that in You alone is the hope for all ages. You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly. Help me to live the abundant life that You give. Amen.

“For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for
whose sake Christ died. And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding
their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food
causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not
cause my brother to stumble” (1 Corinthians 8:11-12).

The place for the knowledge we
gain is maturity not superiority. Many fall into the temptation of pride and so
destroy the possibility of their brother or sister living a life of faith. One
who becomes like Christ has compassion for all. Christ did not demonstrate
superiority, but compassion, and reached out to all. We ought to do the same. What
is it you give up when you give up for another?

 Lord, teach me that this world is fleeting and the things I know are gifts from You. Guide me in a way of life that does not look at things for gain, but looks at things as a part of the whole of Your creation. When it comes to others, grant that I would learn compassion and mercy. Help me to see in others that which others saw in me to give me the opportunity to know You.

Lord Jesus, You have shown us how
to have compassion for those around us. You have shown me mercy and grace and
have taught me to do likewise. Guide me, Lord. this day to see differently
where I have been crass or uncaring. Grant me the ability to focus upon the
better portion knowing that only in You is there hope and a future. Let me share
the same with others. Amen.

“But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a
stumbling block to the weak. For if someone sees you, who have knowledge,
dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be
strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols?” (1 Corinthians 8:9-10)

The summation of the law which Jesus gave rules in the freedom we have in Christ. Love your neighbor such that though you know such things do not matter, you are sensitive to them who think these things do matter. It is not a matter of right and wrong, but of love. One who loves the other does what they may for the sake of the other. It is upon this that God builds His kingdom.

Lord, grant that I would become discerning and see that in the truth
You have already revealed I have both freedom and obligations. Teach me to be
sensitive to my neighbor, loving them enough to be constrained with my freedom
for their sake. Grant wisdom to not live by some newly formed law, but by love
that I may now and always live in Your grace and will.

Lord Jesus, in the contrasts of the life You lived, help me to see more clearly the balance You demonstrated. You were always aware that the disciples were watching and You led them that in time and with Your Spirit they matured and became Your witnesses. Help me to do the same and live life in freedom, but with sensitivity to my neighbor that I may also be Your witness. Amen.

“However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to
the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their
conscience being weak is defiled. But food will not commend us to God; we are
neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat” (1 Corinthians
8:7-8).

It is not what we do on the
outside that means anything. Some stumble because their piety seems more
important than what is driving that piety. Do not be driven by what you think
or your actions, but by the One who has created you. Yes, when you do good this
is right, but doing right is from what has happened because of grace. Live in
the freedom the Lord gives in faith.

Lord, there is a time and place to think and do, but help me see that no
matter what I do it is You alone who enables me to do good. Help me to mature
so that I am not caught up in the elemental things without realizing that it
must be You above all things. Lead me in faith to come to that place where I
look to You as the source of all that I am. Guide me in this upward call now
and forever.

Lord Jesus, You have given us the
example of the godly life. Lead me to be faithful knowing that faith itself is
a gift You give. Guide me according to Your goodness to know that in You alone
is the hope that I may not become caught up in some kind of works-righteousness
way of living. You have freed me by grace to be forever Yours. Lead me in this
call You have given me. Amen.

“For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as
indeed there are many gods and many lords, yet for us there is but one God, the
Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus
Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him” (1 Corinthians
8:5-6).

Even though the world offers all
kinds of ideas and ideals, focus upon the True and One God who is the Creator
of all. Do not worry about all the offers out there. Come to the Lord and let
Him guide you through life amidst the myriad thoughts that float around. It is
not to figure out, but to taste and see that the Lord alone is good and
gracious. All things exist through Him.

Lord, I am easily distracted and chase this way and that. Help me O
Lord to see that in You alone is the hope of all ages. Guide me through the
noise of this world to see that only in You do I find the hope and salvation
that is true for all times and in all places. Lead me now and always in the way
of truth that I would know that You are the One through whom and in whom are
all things.

Lead me Lord Jesus in the way of
truth. You have come to reveal truth and lead those who follow in the way
established before the foundation of the world was laid. Guide me, O Lord, in
that way You know I need to go that I may live as one who has faith. Help me
through the struggles and save me from this world of insanity. Guide me in the
way of true faith that I may abide in You. Amen.

“But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. Therefore concerning the
eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an
idol in the world, and that there is no God but one” (1 Corinthians 8:3-4).

Once one knows in faith that God
is God, everything else is known as a lie. In our politically correct world we
often forget to think in the simplest of terms. God is God and there is no
other. Therefore, the things people do that are false mean nothing. There is no
jinx, curse, or karma, only God and what He has created. Know that the Lord has
made His revelation and called You into His presence.

Lord, I listen to all of the noise of this world. Then I see those who
say they have faith and then act abominably and think, “Can this be the faith?”
Help me to hear amidst all the noise the simple truth that You are Lord and
there is no other. It is not as if I were choosing what to believe, but instead
living in the knowledge of what is true. Help me, Lord, to see, hear and
believe.

Lord Jesus, You came to reveal
the truth of the ages. Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may now and
always abide humbly in the truth of the revelation You have given. Let me see
through the cacophony of things in this world the simple truth that You alone
hold all power and authority. Lead me, Lord, in the way of truth and help me
now and always to follow You who has give the words of eternal life. Amen.  

“Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have
knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. If anyone supposes that
he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know”(1 Corinthians
8:1-2).

The gift of salvation is never given
to lift us up in arrogance. Some see themselves as superior because of the gift
of salvation. This is the old Adam. Jesus comes to us humbly, having emptied
Himself of His heavenly glory to walk as an ordinary man in our midst. We are
to follow the example of Jesus and walk humbly as He did. If you know
something, simply share it with others as Christ has shared it with you.

Lord, it is hard to be humble. Let me neither walk in pride, nor seek
to walk with a false humility. Lead me to simply walk each day as You give it,
sharing where You would have me share the knowledge You have given me. As I am
free, help me see that others are free to believe what they do. Give me a
willing heart that shares, but does not insist. Teach me this humility in all
things: for Salvation is of the Lord,

Lord Jesus, I am unable to
imagine how You, so high, came so low for our sakes. Lead me, O Lord, in the
way of truth that I would become unconcerned with where You place me. I am
Yours and pray that this truth is enough – and more than enough. Remove pride
from my heart that I may simply learn to live in the love You have for all
people and share that love with all whom I meet. Amen.

“So then both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does
well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better.  A wife is bound as long as her husband lives;
but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only
in the Lord. But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I
think that I also have the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 7:38-40).

What is the better portion for
you to do? We do have choices and sometimes they are a matter of good and
better. Seek for excellence. Do not just settle for good enough, though it be a
fine choice. You are called to come out of yourself and forward toward and into
the Lord. Toward this goal, live urgently, for each day brings you closer to
the prize. Know that He who is in You has already overcome all obstacles.

Lord, in this world, we can be tempted to settle for good enough, but
there are those few who take the extra step toward what is exceptional. Help me
to not live mechanically, but willingly, doing all I can and to the best of my
ability. Stretch me Lord in the way I can and need to be stretched that I would
live into a life that is all You know it can be, doing all You know I can do.

Lord Jesus, none of this is about
grace, for Your grace alone saves me. This is about learning to become like You
in all things. Guide me along this path that I would daily increase in Your
likeness. Help me now and always to see that only in and through You am I able
to exercise these gifts which You have given. Help me always that I may grow
and be like You and become excellent in the gifts You have given me. Amen.