Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise.

1 Corinthians 3

Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. v18

We are told that we cannot serve two masters:

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. Matthew 6:24

Although the specific reference in Matthew refers to money, I believe the same can be said of any idol we may have, including worldly knowledge.  We should focus first and foremost on God and knowledge of Him, His Word, His Ways, His Commandments, etc. and intimacy with Him.  We are promised that He will bless us if we do.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God that is the creator and provider of all things (all good and perfect gifts as James says in James 1:17) and You bless me beyond what I deserve. I am selfish, lazy, harsh with my thoughts, words, and actions, etc.  Thank You that You love me anyway Jesus but please forgive me!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

1 Corinthians 3

 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple. v16-17

We are to be good stewards with what God has entrusted to us.  I am also reminded of the following verse.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.  Luke 12:48

My Prayer: Lord, I know You have blessed me with time, treasure and talents and I am blessed with how You provide...more than abundantly.  I am not worth such blessing.  I am selfish, quick to anger, slow to listen, harsh with my words, thoughts and actions, etc.  Thank You that You love me anyway Jesus but please forgive me for such sin and help me turn from such sin towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and ever day.

The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

1 Corinthians 3

The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building. v8-9

I've been praying regularly that I grow in Christ.  God wants us to be good stewards of what He places in our care, whether these are money, skills, children, etc.  

Paul writes to the church in Corinth:

I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. v2

The implication is that we NEED to be ready...we should be growing.  I am also thinking of the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God in that You give all of Your children an abundance of provision so that we may grow.  This provision comes in many forms, the Holy Spirit, the Bible, the church, brothers and sisters in Christ, etc.  What a great God that You provide in such abundance!  I am not worth such abundance...I am selfish, harsh with my thoughts, words and actions.  I am quick to anger and slow to listen...I am impatient, prideful, etc.  The list goes on and on.  Thank You that You love me anyway Jesus but please forgive me...help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart soul, mind and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2

The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for,“Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?”  But we have the mind of Christ. v15-16

For us to fully trust and have faith in Christ we must have an appreciation of the power of the Holy Spirit.  All believers have the Spirit and through the Spirit "we have the mind of Christ".  This is of course a power beyond imagination and one in which we "can do all things through Him who gives us strength" (Philippians 4:13)

My Prayer: Lord, what an awesome God that You provide such "assistance" for us...to guide us and to provide for us in all circumstances.  Yet this is no "mere" assistance...this is the essence and full power of Christ...in describable power.  Amazing!  I am not worthy of being a good steward of such power...but You trust me despite my weakness and sin.  Thank You Jesus!  Please forgive me for my selfishness, my harsh thoughts, words, and actions, my pride, etc.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today.

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

1 Corinthians 1

For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. v25

It is NOT weakness or lack of intelligence to love Christ.  I should not be ashamed but instead boldly proclaim my love for God.

My Prayer: Lord, You are indeed wise and strong beyond human comprehension and You are both my guide and my rock.  Without You I am nothing.  You formed me and saved me...knowing everything about me, including my sin.  How awesome You are.  I am not worth the effort You have made and continue to make for me.  I am lazy, I take Your name in vain, I have harsh thoughts, words, and actions for others, I exacerbate my family, etc....the list is long...daily.  Thank You that you love me anyway but please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You instead.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and everyday.

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

1 Corinthians 1

I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. v10

I often feel like I am falling down in my role as the spiritual head of my household, in this message by Paul convicts me in the sense that I am not driving unity in thought and mind in as many ways as possible.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, I am deeply grateful for the blood You shed for me...and for all those with whom I am close - my family, etc.  I know You died for all of humanity but the gift most precious to me is eternity in heaven with those closest to me and that they have the blessings of Christ with them while on earth.  I am not worth such an unbelievable blessing - I am lazy, harsh with my thoughts, words, actions, selfish, envious, worrisome, etc.  Thank You that You love me anyway but please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

Romans 16

By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. v18

I often lament that I don't have the kinds of close intimate relationships with people that God calls us to have.  Based on appearances of others' relationships, I develop envy.  Yet I need to beware that looking at others obscures what I do have and what God provides for me.  I also need to beware that I might be tempted to behave in such a way that I develop the relationships I (vs what God thinks) think I need. 

I of course need to focus on the relationship I have in Christ.  See related posts here.

My Prayer: Lord, You are the only true friendship I really need...You provide, guide, protect, counsel, comfort, etc....like no person can!  I am truly thankful that I have a God like You in my life.  I am not worthy of such a God.  I am lazy, unforgiving, judgmental, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me turn from such sin and towards You.  Help me instead to love You with all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength.  Help me love and accept others as You do.  Help me grow in my faith.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.