We won't give up.

2 Corinthians 4:1 – 6:2, Nehemiah 8

2 Corinthians 4:1 – Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart.

2 Corinthians 4:16 – So, we do not lose heart.

2 Corinthians 5:6 – So we are always of good courage.

Lord Jesus, grant me a spirit.  Give me a courage and a determination like his.  Give me a renewed heart and steadfast courage so that I remain confident and heartened no matter what happens with me, no matter what is going on in my life, and no matter how things appear to be going. O Lord, take not your Holy Spirit from me, but grant me your steadfast Spirit to sustain me.  Restore to me the joy of my salvation and grant me strength and courage of spirit.  I need this, Lord, because it is so easy for me to lose heart and grow discouraged.   I am weak.  I often don’t get done what I set out to do, not because of laziness or laxity, but because it doesn’t work out the way I thought it might.  I am often attacked my temptations of discouragement by the Devil so that I just want to throw up my hands.  “What’s the point anyway,” he tempts me to think.  I face obstacles within my own heart.  I face obstacles from outside, even from people who are within the Christian family.  Lord Jesus, all of this hardship and difficult, it turns me back to you. Help me remember what Paul remembered when he was attacked like this.  Help me remember that the work of my calling is a mercy from you.  I am called to this only by your grace and mercy.  More than that, since you have called me to this calling, you will also be with me in this calling and you will equip me and strengthen me to fulfill this calling.  Help me to remember that all of this hardship is preparing me for an eternity with you and glory to come with it.  Help me to remember to lean on you in all my troubles.  These troubles highlight my weaknesses and my failures.  But more than that, these troubles spotlight your glory, power, might and love. Lift up my eyes, I pray O Lord, from these light and momentary troubles to the love that you have for me.  Turn my heart toward the power that is at work in me and is just as surely at work in this world.  Turn my mind to things above where you, O Jesus, are seated at God’s right hand.  And then, Lord Jesus, as I turn my heart and mind there, grant me your Spirit and a spirit like Paul’s so that I refuse to quit.  Amen. 

Am I enough?

2 Corinthians 2:12-17, 2 Corinthians 3, Nehemiah 6-7

2 Corinthians 3:4-5 – Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.  Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.

Lord God, as I wake up this Monday I’m wondering if I am up for the task in front of me. Am I enough?  Do I have enough time?  Do I have enough energy?  Do I have the right skills, the right gifts?  Do I have enough strength?  And I know that I’ll be challenged by doubts from the Devil and from the challenges of others. They’ll ask, “Are you sure that this is where God wants you?  Are you sure that you’re up for this?”  Lord God, help me remember today that I am not enough for this.  I am not strong enough, smart enough, skilled enough, or good enough for this.  But you are. And you have put me here for these tasks and in these callings. Lord, I find my sufficiency in you.  You alone are enough for me.  Your righteousness makes perfect, holy, and good; I get to claim your reputation as my own. More than that, Lord God, you are the one who created me and formed me, just as I am.  And though sin has thoroughly corrupted my nature, that did not stop you from making me with the skills and abilities that you wanted me to have.  You have, indeed, fearfully and wonderfully formed me.  You created me just as you wanted me to be; you gave me the skills and abilities.  And then, in still another gift of grace and mercy, you have given me these callings in my life (as a father/mother, son/daughter, employee/employer, etc).  And that wasn’t by accident either.  You have called me to this and have commanded me to fill this calling.  Everything about my day today is put in front of me by you on purpose so that I might do the good works that you prepared in advance for me to do.  Am I enough for today?  By your grace and mercy, I am.  By your strength and power, you will support me and equip me to do it.  Lord, give me confidence because my sufficiency is from you.  Amen.

The Name

Proverbs 18, Psalm 108

Proverbs 18:10 – The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous man runs to it and is safe.

Lord God, your name is holy and good.  Your name carries with it all the weight of your reputation.  Your name teaches me about your power and your might, your righteousness and justice.  Your name teaches me about your love and mercy, your grace and compassion.  Your name tells me everything about you.  O God, my name is nothing.  I have nothing to claim, nothing to cling to.  My name does tell a story about me, but it is a story of failure and sin.  It is a story of letting you and others down.  My reputation gives me nothing to boast about.  Because of this I’m constantly on the run because I’m trying to maintain, protect, and even build up a reputation.  I’m constantly trying to make people think I’m great and make them think that I’m great.  And I’m tired of it.  I’m tired of trying to prove myself.  I’m tired of trying to protect me name.  I’m tired of trying to cover up.  Lord God, I’m running to you and your name.  I’m going to hide in your name.  I’m going to run to you and your reputation and I’ll rest there.  Your reputation has become mine; I believe it and it’s true.  You have given me, Lord God, the reputation of your Son as my own.  All the good that he did, I get to claim as if I had actually done it.  The perfect life that he lived, I get to take credit for it through faith.  Here I am safe, Lord.  Protect and keep me safe by your name, the name that you gave me at my baptism.  Help me, Lord, to rest in your reputation that has been given to me in my baptism so that I’m not chasing or running any more.  Your name is mine.  Your reputation is mine.  Here, Lord, I find my rest and am safe.  Amen.

Tune your ear, O God.

2 Corinthians 1, 2 Corinthians 2:1-11, Nehemiah 1-5

Nehemiah 1:11 – O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.

Lord God, Father in heaven, tune your ear to me.  I pray, listen to my prayer today.  I confess that I do not deserve for you to hear my prayer. I do not deserve for you to pay attention to a thing that I have to say.  But Father, for the sake of your Son, tune your ear to my cry and be attentive to my prayer for mercy. Your people in Houston, in Edna, in Victoria, in Louisiana and in Texas are hurting.  Their lives have been torn apart by the Hurricane and the flooding that followed.  Your people here in Fort Worth are hurting as their live are torn apart by sickness and sadness, by hardship and trouble in different but still painful ways. Your church on earth is torn apart by division and by false teaching, by selfishness and by apathy.  Hear our prayer, Father. We have sinned against you.  All of us. Not one of us has clean hands.  We do not deserve for you to hear our prayers, but Father, for the sake of your Son, hear us!  Tune your ear to our cries for mercy.  We pray provide help, healing and hope to all who were crushed by the storms of last week.  We pray provide the same for those who are crushed by the hard circumstances of their life.  We pray, heal your church by the gospel of Jesus, so that we are one church on earth as it already is in heaven.  Give success to me today in all that I do.  As I seek your kingdom and your righteousness today, dear Lord, give success and strength to my hands as I seek to alleviate some of the suffering of those around me.  Help me do this, dear Lord.  Amen.

Christian Up

1 Corinthians 16, Ezra 9-10

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 – Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.  Let all that you do be done in love.

Lord God, it is so easy to grow listless and apathetic about our life and our work as Christians.  At least, it comes easy to me.  We’re doing battle against evil and we never seem to make much, if any, headway.  The battle seems to be never ending.  I’m tempted to throw up my hands in discouraged resignation.  More than that, I easily slip into a spiritual carelessness and apathy and I don’t even seem to notice or care about it. I stop caring about my own relationship with you. I stop caring about the eternal destinations of other people in my life or even in the world. I feel so helpless against it that sometimes I stop caring about their fate.  Lord God, this call final call to action by the apostle Paul in these letter are a call to me.  Help me hear his call and to follow through.  I pray, keep me awake, watchful, alert and standing firm in the faith. I will fall asleep as the disciples did in Gethsemane unless your Holy Spirit keeps me alert.  I pray, Lord, keep me alert to the spiritual dangers facing my soul. Keep me from apathy, acedia, and despair.  Help me keep my eyes on you, always believing and trusting in you.  Then, Lord, make me bold, courageous and strong in my life and work for you.  Keep me from a timidity and weakness that is not fitting for a man or woman of God.  Give me a godly confidence. And help me to do everything in love.  Lord God, I am yours.  Give me boldness and courage to live that truth out in my life.  Amen.

Not in Vain

1 Corinthians 15:35-58, Ezra 7-8

1 Corinthians 15:58 – Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the LORD your labor is not in vain.

Lord God, your resurrection brings me so much hope.  In this world when we are constantly facing death, constantly trying to put off and avoid death, I need this hope. In this world when we often seem to be beating back the wind, your resurrection brings meaning back to my every action.  My body is constantly decaying around me.  I can feel it in my bones, in my back, my joints, my ligaments.  My very body preaches to me about my coming demise.  My conscience also constantly reminds me of my sin and my failure.  It preaches to me about my sin and it’s punishment.  But your resurrection, Lord Jesus, reminds me that all of that has been undone.  My sin has been truly and fully paid for.  I am not in my sins because you are raised from the dead.  Death will not be the end of me.  It will be but a semicolon on an eternity with you.  Lord Jesus, fill my heart with resurrection confidence as I live today.  Remove the fear of death from my heart and give me joy to live for you.  And then, help me to overflow in your works and in your ways.  My time is not wasted when I use it for you. My effort is not wasted when I follow you and obey your will.  Help me to joyfully obey and follow you today.  Then, then I can be sure that my labor is not a beating back of the wind.  Give me, Lord, resurrection confidence as I live and work today.  Amen.

First Things.

1 Corinthians 15:1-34, Ezra 3-6

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received from: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

Lord God, one of the first things that Paul wanted the Corinthians to know in his ministry to them was the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.  That was the first thing out of his mouth.  That was the chief message to which Paul kept coming back to throughout his whole ministry among them, even in these letters he wrote them.  I pray, Lord God, help this simple gospel truth find a primary place in my heart and life.  It’s easy for me to focus on the things I should be doing. It’s easy for me to focus on my sins and failures, areas of growth in my own life.  Jesus, I pray that you send your Holy Spirit to me and plant this gospel truth deep in my heart so that this is the primary and chief thing in my heart and life.  This gospel truth reminds me not to worry about what I am to do, but on what you have done.  This gospel truth teaches me not to carry a weight of guilt, but to rejoice in guilt that is dealt with and gone.  All has been finished and done.  All my sin has been forgiven and forgotten.  All victory has been won and has been given to me.  Help this simple gospel truth overwhelm and overflow from my heart into every crevice of my life.  This is the first, middle, and end of all the truth I really need to know for my life now and my eternity forever.  Amen.

Gifts from the Spirit

1 Corinthians 14, Ezra 1-2

1 Corinthians 14:12 – So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

O Spirit, I long for your gifts. I want to be an evangelist like Paul.  I want to be a speaker like Peter.  I want to be more compassionate. I want to be able to give more to those in need.  I want to be better at all those things and more.  I long for your fruits.  I long, O Spirit of God, to be full of love and joy, peace and patience, kindness and goodness, gentleness and self-control.  Pour yourself out on me, O Holy Spirit, by your holy Word that I might be gifted by you in just the right way to serve as a member of Christ’s body. Make me the best body part I can be. And, I pray, also teach me contentment and even joy to serve with the gifts you have given me.  Help me find joy in who you have made me to be and how you have gifted me to serve.  And whatever gifts you have given me, O Spirit, help me to use them to build up the body of Christ, to strength and edify her, so that all of us are growing up into Christ, who is our head. Pour yourself out on me, O Spirit, that I might be part of the way you build up the church.  Amen.

Chorus

Proverbs 17, Psalm 107

Psalm 107:8 – Let them give thanks to the LORD for his faithful love and his wonderful works for the human race.

Lord God, this is a constant refrain and chorus in my life.  This is a constant refrain throughout the history of the world, and especially in the history of your people.  They were lost.  We were oppressed and burdened.  We were in trouble.  And you heard our cry and answered.  You have been at work to save the human race from before the first people sinned.  You have been working to save and rescue me even before my heart gave its first beat.  Teach me to give thanks for your work in my life and in the lives of all humanity.  You are a good Father who rescues your people, yes, all people.  Let this be the refrain and chorus of my life: “I was in trouble and you rescued me.   They were in trouble and you saved them.” Amen.

Persistent

1 Corinthians 12:12-31, 1 Corinthians 13, 2 Chronicles 34-36

2 Chronicles 36:15 – The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because of his compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.

Lord God, you are slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness.  You show your faithfulness to generations of peoples even when they are faithless and rebellious against you.  Your patience with your people of Israel is shocking, really.  Their story reads the same on page after page.  Even with the most faithful kings there is an asterisk about their faithlessness and their turning away from. But you are persistent and you keep on sending prophets and pastors to them. You keep on sending them, even though they sometimes even beat, persecute and kill your prophets. You keep on persistently sending them because you love your people whom you bought with the blood of your Son.  Oh God, your faithfulness and persistence with people of this generation is just as shocking.  The godlessness and even false teaching that abounds on earth surely must sicken you.  Yet, you continue to send out your truth persistently.  O God, first, I ask help me to know the truth and listen to it when it come through your messengers.   Protect me from false teaching and false believing and help me to listen to the truth when it comes.  Then, God, make me one of those faithful messengers tho keep on going on with the message of your word and the comfort of your gospel out into the world. Help me shine like a light in this dark place.  Make me as persistent with your Word and your Gospel as you are.  Amen.

More Help

1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 2 Chronicles 32-33

2 Chronicles 32:7-8 – Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him.  With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.

Lord God, I’m seeing a theme among the kings of Israel, a lack of trust that shows up in so many ways.  Instead of trusting you, they trust their own military might; they seek out help from other kings and armies; sometimes – as here – they freak out and panic.  Though my battles may look very different from theirs since I’ve never been to war, I face the same issues of faithlessness.  I trust my own planning and ingenuity.  I trust other people to rescue, help, and heal me from the challenges of life and the sicknesses that come.  Or sometimes I just panic.  I do all of that, Lord, because I don’t trust you. Lord God, what a comforting word you leave here for your people and your king – “there are more with us than with him.”  O God, this word draws me closer to you.  It reminds me that you are on my side. You remind me that you are by my side and in my struggle with me.  It is not me against life, it is US.  And it’s not just you and me, there are so many more on OUR side. There is a countless angel host all around us, in this battle on our side.  Whatever I am up against, Lord God help me to remember to trust you first, middle, and last.  You are on my side. You proved it to me when your Son, suffered and died on the cross.  You proved your might when he was raised from the dead.  Nothing can stop you.  All victory was won by you. Help me, yes, teach me to trust you all the time.  You, along with all your angel host, are on my side and are with my on the plain.  Amen.

Advantage Them

1 Corinthians 10:23 – 11:34; 2 Chronicles 29-31

1 Corinthians 10:32-33 – Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I seek to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Lord Jesus, Paul sets a high bar for balancing love and freedom.  I feel the tension.  I rejoice, Lord God, in the absolute freedom that you’ve given me.  There is nothing that I owe to you.  Your Son, Jesus, has paid the whole debt that I owed.  He was punished in my place and for my sin.  He has completely satisfied your anger and appeased your wrath.  There is nothing I owe you.  I am absolutely free now to live without rules and compulsion.  I am free and it is permissible to me to do anything that is not sinful. I can do anything, anything at all, that you have not called sin.  But, Lord God, this does not mean that I will. Though I may be free to do, this does not mean that it is loving to do it.  Love for you and love for all the other people in my life tempers my freedom.  I’m thinking about the people with whom I go to church.  I want them to be saved and I want what is for their advantage.  I’m thinking about the people who don’t go to a Christian church, who have been offended by the Christian church before, who have no idea what Christianity is all about.  I want them to know Jesus and to be saved by him.  I especially want what is for their good and salvation.  Lord God, this introduces a tension into my heart and life. What’s good for the lost may introduce trouble for the found. What’s good for the found may cause stumbling for the lost. Ach, Gott! This is hard! Give me wisdom to walk the tightrope between love for the lost and love for found.  Give me wisdom to know what to do and when to do it.  Give me wisdom to show love in any and every situation.  Keep me from giving moral offense and causing those who are in the faith to stumble and fall from it.  Keep me from giving offense to those who are not yet in the faith so that they are not drawn to it, but rather are pushed from it. Lord God, help me draw people to you by my life and by my exercise of my Christian freedom.  Amen.

Example and Instruction

1 Corinthians 10:1-22, 2 Chronicles 25-28

1 Corinthians 10:11 – Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our own instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.

Lord God, I learn so much when I read the history of your people. I learn about the tendencies of human nature.  It is such a broken record.  Faithful to one day. Trusting you one day. Falling the next.  I see the same tendency in myself.  If I am not constantly repenting, constantly checking myself against your Word, I find myself wandering away one small step at a time.  Lord God, I beg you.  Do whatever it takes to keep me faithful to you.  Take whatever is harmful.  Give whatever is good.  Do whatever you need to keep me from wandering from you!  I also learn how much you hate sin and rebellion.  You discipline your people when they wander from you. This is a warning for me.  Help me to hear it.  Keep from thinking about these only in terms of the people involved.  Help me to see your nature at work, that you do not tolerate sin and rebellion.  You are a God who hates sin and all who commit it. Help me to hear and heed the warning that you give in the way you discipline your people.  Lord, I also see your faithfulness.  And that is perhaps the most stunning thing of all I learn in the stories of your people.  As faithless as they become, you are always faithful to your promise.  You are not quick to discipline.  You are patient and loving.  You continually call them through the prophets, though they often reject them.  And if or when they return, you always forgive and receive them back with open arms.  Lord God, should I wander from your Word and then, by your Spirit, come to my senses about my sin, remind me then that your arms are also open to me.  Your mercies are new every morning.  Your forgiveness separates my sin from me as far as the east is from the west.  Your grace overflows to me abundantly.  Lord God, keep from missing the example and instruction that the stories of your people give me.  Amen.

Anything Short of Sin

1 Corinthians 8-9, 2 Chronicles 22-24

1 Corinthians 9:12 – Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Lord Jesus, your gospel is so important to me.  The message of your death and resurrection, the message of the full and free forgiveness of sins, the victory of your cross and empty tomb – it is everything to me.  It fills me with hope and peace.  It sets me free from guilt and from the burden of expectations.  It gives me confidence and joy.  It is my everything.  And I want everyone to know it. More than anything, I want everyone to hear it, to believe it, and to live – really live – because of it.  And that’s why I want to give up my rights.  I have the right to do whatever I want.  As long as it is isn’t sin, I can do anything.  But like Paul, I want to give up my rights so that people will hear the gospel.  Paul had the right to get a paycheck from the Corinthians, but he gave up that right so that nothing would get in the way of the gospel.  He was willing and even eager to put up with anything and abdicate all of his rights so that nothing would get in the way of the gospel.  Lord God, more and more, give me the heart of Paul.  Yes, give me your heart so that I will not let my “rights” get in the way of the preaching of the gospel. Lord Jesus, you had the right to demand that all people bow down to you.  But you gave up that right so that you might die for me.  Paul was like you in this.  He gave up his right to demand a paycheck so that he might preach the gospel.  Give me a heart like Paul so that I am willing to die to myself and to my rights.  Give me a heart like Jesus so that I don’t care if people bow to me, but want them to bow to you.  Lord Jesus, your gospel is everything for the world.  Help me to do whatever it takes short of sin to get the gospel to people.  Amen.

Into the Breach

Proverbs 16, Psalm 106

Psalm 106:23 – So he said he would destroy them – if Moses his chosen one had not stood in the breach to turn his wrath away.

Father, this is an amazing verse.  You were ready to wipe your people off the face of the earth.  You were so done with them.  But then Moses, sinful man of God that he was, stepped into the breach and dared to tell you that you couldn’t, yes, that you shouldn’t do this.  And wonder of wonders, you listened! I can’t help but think about Jesus when I read this verse.  Your fierce anger was aimed straight at my heart because of my unfaithfulness and sin.  You were so done with me! But then here comes Jesus to step into the breach, to step between your anger and me, so that I wouldn’t die!  He dared, yes, desired, to step into the breach to take your anger. He didn’t just ask you to stay your anger, not he took your anger and my punishment, so that I wouldn’t die! Help me to sing and dance all day long because of this marvelous truth.  Amen. 

You are Not your Own

1 Corinthians 7, 2 Chronicles 18-20

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 – You are not your own, for you were bought at a price.  So honor God with your body.

1 Corinthians 7:23 – You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.

Lord God, this simple truth fills me with joy and sets me free to live for you: “You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”  What an amazing thing, Lord God, that you would give up your only Son for me that I might belong to you.  His life-blood is the price for me and for my salvation.  He gave up his life so that I might have a life with you now on earth and forever in heaven.  I belong to you.  And now, I get to live out my life for you.  Because I belong to you, Lord God, I am absolutely free to live in a way that honors you.  Lord God, help me to live this way.  Help me to remember that I am yours as I go about my day today.  Help me to live in a way that says, “I am a child of the one true King and I belong to him.” The subjects of the kings always live and act in a way that glorifies the king.  So, Lord, help me to live, act, speak, and even think in a way that honors and glorifies you.  Lord God, help me live in a free way too.  Keep from my heart the burdens and the pressures that others would lay upon me.  The burden and the pressure to be, think, or live in a way that conforms to their idea of Christianity.  Your way and your will is the only one that matters.  I am not a slave of men. I am yours.  I will serve you alone.  Keep my heart from the burdens and pressures that I would place upon myself.  You have removed all burdens and pressure from me by your death on the cross.  You have given me joyful freedom to serve you.  All this because I belong to you!  Lord God, you set me free to live for you in your kingdom.  Now, help me to live for you.  Amen.

Bear with Each Other

1 Corinthians 6, 2 Chronicles 15-17

1 Corinthians 6:7 – Why not rather be wronged?  Why not rather be defrauded?

Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a complaint against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Proverbs 19:11 – A person’s wisdom yields patience; and it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.

Lord Jesus, I find these words from you to be hard for me.  When someone wrongs me, I want to get even.  When someone defrauds me and steals from me, I want to get back, at least, what they took.  When someone hurts me, I want to hurt them back.  When someone annoys or offends me, I want to get my pound of flesh.  These are hard words.  I find it really hard to overlook the complaints I have against other people.  I find it really hard to overlook an offense.   This is as hard for me as your word to turn the other cheek.  But Lord, this is how you want me to live, especially with my fellow believers.  This is what you want me to do, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Help me to remember how great your forgiveness for me is.  You should have blasted me off of this earth at the first whiff of rebellion from my heart.  You should have blasted me off this earth at the first offense.  But you put up with me and bear with me, even when my heart is stubborn and refuses to go your way.  You are so gracious. You have forgiven all my sins. You have even forgotten my sins, even though there are not enough books on this earth to contain all the sins which I have committed.  You are so good and so gracious to me.  Fill my heart with the warmth of your love and grace of your forgiveness so that I might be like you to those who wrong me.  Teach me to be like you, to put up with those who offend me and get under my skin.  And, Lord, help me to not just put up with them.  Help me to forgive them and pour out on the grace in place of grace, as you have poured out on me.  Help me to turn the other cheek, to go above and beyond in my love for them that they might know your love in the love I show them.  Help me do this, dear Lord.  They need to know your love just as I need to know your love.  Amen.

Trustworthy

1 Corinthians 4-5, 2 Chronicles 10-14

1 Corinthians 4:2 – Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.

Lord God, you have put much into my care.  You have poured many blessings into my life.  Help me, first of all, to remember that these are but a trust from you.  Like a CEO of a company – only better – you have entrusted me with callings to fill and tools to carry out those callings.  Help me to remember that all I have – even my calling – is a gift and a trust from you.  These things, even my callings, it is still all yours.  It belong to you.  Even I belong to you.  Help me to remember that when I go about my life and manage all the things in my life – my time, my money and possessions, my skills and abilities, even my calling.  Help me to remember that I am handling your business, not mine.  Help me to remember that I am managing your affairs, not mine.  Help me to remember that I managing your money, not mine.  Help me to remember that I am managing your time, not mine.  It’s all yours to begin with.  And even when you entrust it to me, it remains yours.  And then, Lord, help me to manage it well.  Help me be a person of integrity and honesty as I handle your affairs and manage your gifts.  Help me to be upright and true.   Keep me honest and true to who you are, true to your Word.  Give me integrity so that I am also true to my word.  Make me faithful and reliable in my callings and in my managing of your gifts.  Lord, it is all yours.  Help me to handle my life and your affairs in a way that honors you most of all.  Amen.

We work; God produces.

1 Corinthians 3, 2 Chronicles 7-9

1 Corinthians 3:6 – I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.

Lord God, I always want credit for the work that I’ve done.  As a student I wanted to credit for the work I did.  As an employee I want the boss to notice and praise me for the work I did.  Even now, Lord God, I want to be noticed and I want to get credit for the work that I do.  And that may work and may matter in earthly things. It might matter at school.  It might matter at work.  But in your kingdom my work does not matter.  My work is not what gives me salvation.  No, God it is your work that gives me salvation.  It is your Son’s death that saves me. And in your kingdom’s growth, it is not my work that produces.  It is yours.  It is your work by your Spirit.  It is your work in the hearts of peoples lives.  You, O God, are the produces.  You are the one who makes it grow.  But God, this is not to say that my work doesn’t matter.  You give great honor to the work I do in your kingdom.  You take the words I share with people and you use them to produce living, breathing faith.  You take the water of baptism, poured out by people, and use them to give rebirth and renewal to people dead in sins.  You, O God, take the measly work of people like me and you produce salvation.  You, O God, take the feeble efforts of people like me and you grow your church.  So, God, send me out to work today. But, I pray, keep me from a concern for results.  Keep me from counting and keeping track.  Keep me from being concerned about how product of my work. Rather, let me find joy simply in doing your work and let you worry about the results and the production.  Set me free to work without worry about results.  There is no freer way to work!  Give it to me this day, dear Lord.  Amen.

Because of Him.

1 Corinthians 1-2, 2 Chronicles 4-6

1 Corinthians 1:30-31 – And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who has become to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

O God, as I live and walk in this world, it is easy for me to start boasting and bragging.  It’s easy to point to things I’ve accomplished and things that I’ve done. Even the things of faith can become like that.  It’s easy for me to point to things I’ve done – like Bible study and worship – that have brought me to where I am.  But Lord God, you’ve taught me again that it’s all because of you that I am your child.  It is because of you alone that I believe the truths of the Bible.  If it weren’t for the work of your Spirit, I would read the account of Jesus’ death on the cross and it would seem to be absolute foolishness.  I listen to the skeptic’s arguments and they seem to make sense.  But your Spirit has given me faith to believe the foolishness of the gospel.  You, Lord Jesus, are everything to me and for me.  You are wisdom from God.  You are my righteousness, my holiness and my redemption. You are my everything.  So, if I’m going to boast about anything today, Lord Jesus, make it a boast about you.   Teach me to boast about what you have done for me.  Teach me to boast about what you have done in me.  Teach me even to boast about what you have done through me.  It’s all you.  It’s all because of you!  Let this truth give me joy as I boast in you today and this week. Amen.