Nehemiah 11:1-12:26, 1 Corinthians 10:14-33, Psalm 34:11-22, Proverbs 21:14-16
Pray: There is something in the heart of every person which yearns for the presence of God. Should we not acknowledge this and take a step further by asking God to empower us not to worship anyone or anything other than Jesus Christ. We are created to worship something so we must be focused upon worshiping, not idols made of wood or metal, but the One who has created us in His own image.
Read: Paul is well aware of who his audience is in Corinth. Multiple gods and goddesses were worshipped and multiple sacrifices were left upon their altars. So it was not uncommon to see glasses of wine, bread, fruit and other offerings placed at the front altar of one of these gods or goddesses. Paul then speaks words of great caution in saying, “you cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and of demons too…” So don’t even invite the presence of evil into your life.
Edify: Paul’s words are piercing when he says, “I do what is best for others not what is best for me.” We are called to be all things to all people in that we are to care enough to listen, to learn what others value, how they struggle and what their greatest fears are. It is in learning their weaknesses that we can share the strength that we too find in Jesus Christ. People want hope. They are looking for encouragement. We can breathe new life into the heart of another with words of compassion and encouragement.
Practice: If the Lord is really with the “brokenhearted”, and we believe that He is, then we are called to care for them as well. Many people, due to poverty, racism, and sexism, experience a spirit which is crushed and wounded. People don’t have to accept life as it is, especially when we worship and follow a resurrected Savior Jesus Christ. We need to claim our inheritance and to let others know that they too can be a part of God’s forgiven and restored family. How can you and I offer words of hope to those around us today?
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