March 20th
Scripture - 2 Corinthians 13
Observation - Paul founded the church in Corinth and stayed a year and a half (Acts 18:11). He had a hard time on his second visit and was getting ready to visit for the third time. Paul realized that the Corinthians needed to respond to God by turning from their sins; he was urging them to respond to God before his next visit. Most of them wanted Paul to lead differently, some of them even saw him as a weak leader. Paul pointed them to the power of Christ instead though. He warned them that if they didn’t clean house before his arrival, he would make sure the task got done when he arrived. He also asked that they examine themselves to know if they realized that Jesus resided in them. Paul wanted them to be strong like a building built on a firm foundation. He knew that there was joy in walking with God, and he wanted the Corinthian Christians to experience that in their day-to-day lives.
Application - It’s easy to sometimes look at ourselves and not feel God or question if we are truly following him. Some days we mess up, other days we begin to get back on track with our old sins. The beautiful thing about salvation is that you get to walk it out daily. It’s not a snap-your-fingers-all-is-well kind of thing. Life is too messy for that. If you are weak in your walk with God or have a particular area that keeps drawing you back, find someone who is stronger than you to help guide you, lead you, and pray with you. Most of all, build your foundation on Christ.
Prayer - Lord Jesus, I’m tired of always going back to my old sin patterns. I have made some choices that have not led me to good areas. I’ve let the enemy whisper in my ear. I want your word to be the only thing growing in my mind. Help me walk away from lies and deceit. You created me in your image. You know every thought in my head before I even speak them out loud. Thank you, Father, for loving me and not disqualifying me because of my sins. Instead, you made me righteous by the work you did on the cross. Restore my heart and restore my faith. In your name I pray, Amen.
