August 7

Ezra 4:24-6:22, 1 Corinthians 3:5-23, Psalm 29:1-11, Proverbs 20:26-27

Pray: Look back and ask God to reveal times when you’ve been used to spread seeds of the Good News of Jesus and times when you’ve been able to water or tend the growth spiritually in someone. Thank God for His grace to allow you to participate in His work and ask God for more opportunities to spread seeds and water, and ask God for the chance to see Him make the seed grow.

Read: Look for the ongoing revelation from Old Testament to New Testament reading of what a temple is, what the foundation for that temple is, and the implications of the location of the dwelling house of God.

Edify: Is Jesus the foundation from which all of your life, decisions, interactions, and desires are built upon? As if that question isn’t big enough, take a moment to evaluate it by your interactions. Paul says that he purposefully invested time and attention as an expert builder to build a foundation in the Corinthian believers. But he did not take credit for it, because the most important thing is that foundation IS Christ. The challenge from Paul in our interactions with others is to not lean on our own wisdom, and as the NIV version puts it in verse 19, our craftiness; but to rely on the wisdom that is found in Christ. When you are close enough to speak into someone’s life foundationally, it is only the foundation of Christ that will allow that person to withstand any storm, situation, or suffering in this life. Speak Christ, for the wisdom of this world is foolishness!

Practice: Thank a leader in your life that has foundationally spoken Christ into your life. Do it today with a simple text or phone call. Then begin making plans to situate yourself where you can speak Christ into the life of others through a life group or regularly scheduled coffee with a friend.