“Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?” (1 Corinthians 14:7-8)

In this world, there is the tendency to not be whom the Lord made us to be. Each person is distinct and wonderfully made. Do not hide behind complacency, but become who you have been made to be. Play your instrument, so to speak, with distinction and clarity that others may know you belong to the Lord.

Lord, help me to see more clearly where I bury Your light in me under a bushel basket. Help me learn to let the light of Your presence shine in me, Keep me from hiding within complacency that I may learn to humbly yet boldly be whom You are making me to be. You have called for those who follow You to not be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Lord Jesus, You have come into the world to save all those who turn to You and believe. Remove my doubts and fears that I would play the tunes You have given me to play. Help me to be persistent that I would be led by Your goodness and mercy and share the same with others. Through Your presence in my life, lead me in the upward call You have given me to be all You know I can be. Amen.

“Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying. But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?” (1 Corinthians 14:5-6).

We combat pride in us, but may be tempted to want to be greater because of ability and then have others acknowledge this. Because this is what we are combating, see then that any gift the Spirit gives us is for the edification of the church. Do not be driven by self, but by the Lord and how He will use what He gives you for the body of Christ. Seek the good gifts for His sake and not your own.

Lord, continue to work on my heart that I would learn to walk humbly with You and serve my neighbor as You lead. Guide me to understand that I will not be greater or lesser, but faithful when I follow You. Help me to see through the temptations of this world that I may be equipped to do even greater things. May I learn humility in my serving Your people as I am empowered by You to do so.

Lord Jesus, all things are in Your hands, yet You emptied Yourself to become fully human. Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may serve You with my whole heart. Guide me along right paths to not fall into the pit of arrogance, nor think anything other than what You think of all I do. Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would grow in becoming like You. Amen.

“But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church” (1 Corinthians 14:3-4).

Do you hear the message? It is not about you or me. It is about what the Lord is doing. Be guided not by your own ambition, but by the Lord who will lead those who humbly submit to Him. Come then and know that the Lord is the One who saves and He will lift up those who will live with Him, shaping them into and for His body. Seek what the Lord will give and be content in Him.

Lord, open my mind to see more of the revelation You have given. Guide me with understanding to be able to give an account of the hope that is within me. Send me as one who gives consolation to those in need, In all things, be the One who is leading me that I may be Your instrument now and always. Let me never only edify myself, but edify Your people through all that I say and do.

Lord Jesus, You have come to disciple all who will follow You in the way of eternal life. You know what I need. You know what You will give me. You know what needs to decrease and what needs to increase. Lead me, Lord, and help me to get out of the way that You would increase and I would decrease. In all things, guide me that I may be what You are creating me to be in You. Amen.

“Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries” (1 Corinthians 14:1-2).

This is not a call to go into spiritual ecstasy, but to seek the deeper things of God. Have you ever listened to a lecture of one who seemed way above your head? Was it not that they seemed to be speaking in a foreign language? Learn the language of the Lord that You may grow closer to Him. Seek what He will give you to understand that You may learn His will.

Lord, I look at these things through the eyes of pride. Help me instead to see all things through Your eyes. Guide me in the way of truth that I would learn to live and love as You would have me live and love. Help me to not be contented with what I have learned, but strive for the greater portion which You offer freely. Lead me in the way of truth that I may learn to think and speak in the heavenly tongue.

Holy Spirit, where there are issues of pride in my heart, slay them. Where there are obstacles that keep me from pursuing the greater portion You offer, remove them. Guide me deeper into the faith You give with a willingness to learn the heavenly language to be able to speak of the truth which You have revealed through the One who is our Savior. Guide me as I need to be guided. Amen.

“For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:12-13).

Pride is at the top of the list in what is keeping us from the Lord and one another. How does the Lord rid us of pride? Is this why we need to die with Christ? But we are instructed to live into the great things, faith hope and love. Are you able to see the call of the Lord? Will you seek to walk in this direction? These are the imperative things for our heart, mind, and soul.

Lord, I am so prideful that I do not even know how much pride is in me. Lord, strip me of myself that I may be whom You have made me to be. Guide me in Your goodness that I may learn from You to have faith, hope, and to learn to love as You love. Guide me, Lord, in the ways I need to go that I would have a change of heart and focus upon You and Your will.

Lord Jesus, You have tolerated the foolishness of every generation. You have tolerated my foolishness. Lead me, O Lord, down the path You know I need to go that I would abide in You and all that You give for me to grow in Your likeness. Help me see that in You alone is all hope, for You are the author of my faith. Teach me to love as You love that I may fulfill what You have come to accomplish in me. Amen.

“But when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things” (1 Corinthians 13:10-11).

Jesus taught us to not hinder the little children. We need to have the eyes of children as we begin. But let us never forget that all life shows us that we must mature, grow and in this age, change. The call of salvation is to put on Christ and become as He is. We will put away the childishness of this age in order for us to stand in the presence of a holy and perfect God who is in all and through all.

Lord, grant me eyes to see more clearly the reality of what You are doing. Let me not get caught up in the insanity of this world which is looking for perpetual youth, but to see that You are maturing me in the way of everlasting life. Help me now and always to see that in You alone is the hope for all people. Help me to become like You in maturity, yet retain the wonder of a child.

Lord Jesus, You are the way, truth, and life. In You is the hope of every generation. Guide me, Lord, that I may walk humbly in Your presence and follow as You lead. Remind me when I am childish and when I think I am mature and I am not. Help me to live into the life to which You are calling me and let nothing get in the way. May I now and always look to You alone for salvation. Amen.

“Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part”(1 Corinthians 13:8-9).

The Apostle John wrote that God is love. To never fail means infallible.  God is both. We should understand that the ability to never fail and perfectly love is something only God can do. This is who He is, what He does, and what He offers to us. We only know partially, but He will give to us the ability in spite of our inability. Come then into the One who loves perfectly and abide in Him.

Lord, help me see that my abilities are limited and only unlimited in You. Guide me according to Your goodness to see that You will lead me in the way of love doing what needs to be done and as it needs doing. Help me to not rely upon myself, but to see that You are the One who will lift me up. May my eyes see ever more clearly as I live this life You have given me.

Lord Jesus, You are love incarnate. You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Lead me, Lord, in the way of life that I would abide in You and with You, as the One who is my salvation. May I now and always look to You as the One who will teach me all things.  May I faithfully receive any action, gift, or direction You may give to accomplish all that the Father desires. Amen.

“Does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:5-7).

Lord, You have endured the foolish doubts of every generation.  I am unable to imagine how You do it.  Yet, You have done so for my sake and for the sake of those around me.  Lead me, O Lord, that I may walk humbly with You and learn how to love.  Guide me to be appropriate in Your love and to rejoice in all that You are doing.  Help me to believe, hope, and endure.

This world is filled with constant noise and feelings which are lifted up as love.  They are, at best, a pale reflection of the truth.  You alone know all things and You are love, O Lord.  Take away the foolish notions of this generation and replace it with the truth of Your love.  Lead Your faithful to come into Your presence with joy and thanksgiving.

Lord Jesus, You suffered for my sake and of us all.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would walk humbly with You and learn how to fulfill the law of love.  Guide me today and every day to put into practice what You are teaching me.  Help me to learn to love as You love that I may be ready to be in the Father’s presence forever.  Help me to endure all things for the overwhelming glory of Your love.  Amen.

“And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.  Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant (1 Corinthians 13:3-4).

What are you trying to prove to God?  The One who made everything and knows everything can having nothing proved to Him.  Yet, we tend to think in terms of doing something in the presence of the One who needs nothing done for Him.  Stop trying to prove anything and live in the presence of the One who calls you to Himself.  Live in His presence and with Him in the love which is His gift to you.

Lord, I dance around, moving hither and yon and get nowhere.  Help me to stop in front of the cross as the beginning place to see the truth of Your love.  Guide me according to Your will, for You are the One who made all things, that I may simply live as You have created me to live.  Renew my mind and let it be filled with Your mind.  Teach me to be kind and not jealous; content and not arrogant.

Lord Jesus, in great love, You have come to us all for the sake of our being completed in You.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may walk humbly with You and learn to love as You love.  Guide me, O Lord, that I may be led.  Humble me, Lord, that I may be truthful.  Teach me, Lord, that I may know.  Help me understand that in You I already have all things and apart from You I have nothing.  Amen.

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-2).

Loving is not just how you feel, but who you are in the Lord.  All true love comes from the Lord and it is He who must teach us how to love as He loves.  He loves us enough to lay down His life that we might live.  It is not just a matter of what you do, or are able to do, but of whom the Lord is making you to be.  Come then into the presence of the Lord and learn His love and abide in Him.

Lord, this world is filled with wicked notions about the idea of love, most of which are about being self-absorbed and self-consumed.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I might learn from You what love really is.  Guide me along Your paths and for Your sake that I might now and always walk according to Your will.  Teach me to go beyond myself and live according to what You will make of me.

Lord Jesus, love incarnate, guide me in the path of love that I would now and always look to You to understand what love truly is.  Teach me today and everyday to move beyond myself and learn from You, for You are gentle and humble and love each of us equally and fully.  Help me to look to You and beyond all of the garbage that is working in this world.  May I learn from You true love.  Amen.