“All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things
are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of
his neighbor” (1 Corinthians 10:23-24).

We live in a world that encourages
us to go for all we can gain. We are encouraged to think of ourselves first. There
are times, but not all times, when we should think of these things. But we are
a part of the Lord’s creation and what does it mean to be a part of His
kingdom? Think on these things and act in accordance with His purposes. Seek
and do what is good for the neighbor.

Lord, I know well the pollution of my own mind. I know that I seek after things for myself.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way You would have me go that I would seek after those things which are in Your plan and purpose rather than just those of this world. Lead me in the way of life that I would think of others too and not only of myself. Help me to know the freedom I have in You that I would live into Your will.

Lord Jesus, You know all that is needed. You know the struggle we have with sin and the temptations that get in the way of us living according to the Father’s will. Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would now and always abide in the truth of what You have done and what You are doing. Guide me in grace to live according to Your never-changing Word that I may always abide in You and You in me. Amen.

“You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot
partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or do we provoke the
Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?” (1 Corinthians 10:21-22).

Joshua said it in the Old
Testament and its message is true today. Choose whom you will serve. We were
created to serve and we will serve somebody. So choose whom you will serve and
in all things, as Paul will tell the Colossians, do so as serving the Lord. The
Lord is your strength and with His leading, He will take you where you need to
be. Be guided by the Lord and no one else.

Lord, teach me all that I need to know. Give me eyes to see that I
would not be led astray by the whims of this world. Help me now and always to
see that only in You is there the hope of eternity. Lead me, O Lord, that I may
remain on the narrow way. Guide me that I may stay in step with You. Help me to
overcome those things that get in the way of following You in and through all
things that I may learn to be faithful.

Lord Jesus, You know the
obstacles that come along to lead us astray. Guide me, O Lord, in my wandering
so that You need not go off to find me. Help me have a clear mind and sharp wit,
that I would hold fast to the truth You have revealed and walk humbly with You
all the days of my life. Amen

“What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons” (1 Corinthians 10:19-20).

Seeing things as they are is a
hard thing to do in our world because of the pollution with which we have all
been afflicted.  A thing is a thing, but
we are in a war against principalities. 
Come then and be led by the goodness of the Lord knowing that He who
formed you will guide you in all of your ways and keep you from harm.  Your part is to be aware and not become
entangled in such things.

Lord, grant that I may have discernment and see more clearly the things
I need to see.  Guide me according to
Your goodness that I would not even inadvertently fall prey to the games of the
wicked one.  Keep me close to you knowing
that in You is real and true life and that You offer to share this life with
those who come to You.  Guide me, Lord,
in the way You know I need to go.

Lord Jesus, You have asked me to
come follow You.  You have taught us to
not be led in the way of temptation. 
Guide me, Lord, in the way of goodness that I would walk with You
always.  Keep me from those things which
will harm me.  Help me be whom You are
shaping.  In and through all things,
grant me eyes to see that I would not be led astray by demons into trivial
pursuits.  Amen.

“Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all
partake of the one bread.  Look at the
nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar?” (1
Corinthians 10:17-18)

The Lord has come that all who
are in Him might be one even as the Lord is One.  There is great mystery in all the Lord is
doing, for He who is eternal has come into our temporal world that we might
follow Him into eternity.  This faith is
not to be figured out, but lived.  Grow
in wisdom and follow the Lord all the days of this life, being prepared to be
with Him forever in the world to come.

Lord, in this age of reason rather than faith I want to figure things
out.  There are some things that cannot
be figured out because of the temporal reality in which I live.  Lead me to live by faith not as one who is
blind, but as one who sees Your eternal light shining in the darkness of this
world and by it sees all else.  Guide me,
Lord, in the way of truth that I may now and always abide in the light of Your
presence.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead
the way for as many as would follow You out of the darkness of this age and into
the light of the glory of the Father which You have revealed.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may
learn to humbly abide in the grace You have given knowing that in You alone is
the hope for all people.  Lead me in the
way of salvation that I would walk with You now and always.  Amen.

“I speak as to wise men; you judge what I say.  Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a
sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in
the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:15-16)

It does not matter what the
world thinks of you, but of who you are in Christ.  You have been called wise because of the call
you have in Christ.  Come then as one who
is wise and realize the gift you have been given.  Do not live as one who seeks the things of
the world, but as one who lives in the truth of Christ.  Feed your soul with the truth of His Word and
live into the life to which you have been called.

Lord, create in me a heart that seeks after the eternal truth You have
given.  Let me not be led astray by the
illusory glowing images of this age. 
Keep my mind clear that it would not fog over with the illusions, but
see the light of truth You have revealed once for all.  Guide me along the narrow path that I may
walk humbly in Your sight and live according to Your goodness.

Come Holy Spirit and sift my
heart that the things which hinder my walking humbly in Your guidance may be
set aside.  Wise or not wise, let me not
be concerned with what others think, but with continuing to run the race with
perseverance.  Lead me, O Lord, that I
may follow, with You always being the One who guides me day in and day
out.  Let me walk fully in Your grace and
according to Your call.  Amen.                                                  

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God
is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but
with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be
able to endure it.  Therefore, my
beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Corinthians 10:13-14).

Have you ever asked why this
constant tug-of-war?  Has not the Lord
promised that He will grow in you the image of Christ?  Do you not yet see that the Lord is working
all things together for good for those who love Him?  Do not be tossed about by the thinking of
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Flee from that which tempts you and walk in
the counsel of the Lord.

Lord, help me to see that the war of this world is over.  Guide me in the way of true life that I would
not place myself in a position to be constantly tempted.  Help me to walk humbly with You knowing that
only by Your grace can I not be thrown about by the constant pressures of this
world.  You, Lord, have provided the way
of living that all who walk with You may walk in peace.

Lord Jesus, You know all that we
face and You have provided all that is needed. 
Teach me to flee from those things which entice that I may not be tossed
about by this world.  You have led the
way to worship the Father in spirit and truth. 
Continue to teach me what this means that I may always come into the
Father’s presence and abide with You and the Holy Spirit, doing what is
pleasing in His sight. Amen.

“Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written
for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.  Therefore let him who thinks he stands take
heed that he does not fall” (1 Corinthians 10:11-12).

If you are confident in your
faith, good for you. Take care, though, that your confidence is not in your
standing or your ability, but truly based upon what you have received from the
Lord.  This is the heart of the faith,
for we ought not lean on our own understanding, but upon the very breath of
God.  He who created all things knows all
that is needed.  Come into His presence
and be led by the One who knows you better than you know yourself.

Lord, help me to always turn to You first and foremost.  Guide me in the goodness of Your mercy that I
would always seek Your face.  Help me to
not fall, but to stand firm in the truth of all that You have revealed.  It is You alone and for Your glory alone that
I desire to live this life which You have given.  Guide me according to Your goodness and mercy
all the days of my life.

Help me Holy Spirit to keep first
things first.  Never let me wander and
keep me close to You.  Help me through
all the trials that will come that I may not fall.  Lead me in the grace of Christ to seek each
day to walk on a journey of becoming more like Him.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go and
search my heart that all that would hinder me might be removed.  Guide me now and always according to Your
perfect plan.  Amen.

“Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by
the serpents.  Nor grumble, as some of
them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer” (1 Corinthians 10:9-10).

The rebellion against the Lord
is deep and continuing.  We were born in
a world opposed to the Lord and the things of the Lord.  In salvation we come into a new life that
seeks to see the old Adam killed each day that the likeness of Christ may
increase.  Come into the new life that comes
through salvation and know the goodness of the Lord by putting on the mind of
Christ.

Lord, help me to see where I rebel against You.  Guide me in the way I need to go that I may
grow in the likeness of Christ.  Lead me
according to Your goodness that I may now and always abide humbly in Your
presence and walk according to Your precepts. 
Let me not be destroyed, but destroy within me those things which hinder
my relationship with You.  You know what
is needed.  Apply all that I need that I
may humbly walk with You.

Lord Jesus, You have come to save
us.  Save me from myself and all that
hinders me from simply walking with You each day.  Lead me into the life You have in store for
me.  Guide me this day according to Your
grace that I would hold fast to the truth You have revealed.  Let me not be turned aside by those around me
who hate You, but uplifted in the way You know I need to be uplifted.  Amen.

“Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written, “The
people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play.”  Nor let us act immorally, as some of them
did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day” (1 Corinthians 10:7-8).

What is the purpose of your
life?  Is it to seek after the pleasures
of the flesh?  This does not mean one has
to be austere or deny the flesh, but one should seek balance knowing that this
world is temporary and we are preparing to be with the Lord forever.  This life will disappoint, but the Lord never
will.  Do not practice idolatry, but live
in the presence of the Lord always.

Lord, help me to see where I cross the line and the worries of this
world supersede the truth of eternity. 
Grow in me a balance that sees my life lived in balance.  Guide me Lord in the way of truth that I
would now and always look to You first and know that I am always in Your
presence.  Guide me, Lord, according to
Your will that I would live life in a way that is pleasing to You.

Come, Holy Spirit, and minister
to my inner life.  Lead me in the way I
need to go and when I cross the line, convict me that I would repent and remain
on the narrow road.  You know all that is
needed and You continuously search my heart. 
Guide me in the way of truth that I would grow to become like Christ in
all things.  Help me now and always to
keep the balance You have given me. 
Amen.

“Nevertheless, with most of them God was not well-pleased; for they
were laid low in the wilderness.   Now
these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil
things as they also craved” (1 Corinthians 10:5-6).

We seek after temporary things
to appease our desires and place our faith in our comfort.  Be not tossed about by the fickle feelings
this world encourages, but by the truth that the Lord has revealed.  Come into the presence of God and see Your
life become what it was meant to be.  Do
not be as those who wander in the wilderness, but as those who sit at the feet
of Jesus and receive the one thing necessary.

Lord, help me to be a temperate person who is balanced in this life in
preparation for what is to come.  Guide
me according to Your goodness that I may see that in You alone is the truth of
life.  Keep me from being led astray by
hunger in the belly, or a tantalizing temptation.  Hold me fast to the truth You have revealed
once for all.  Guide me in the goodness
of Your Word that I may be satisfied.

Lord Jesus, You know all the
temptations that are common to us all. 
You know where I am led astray. 
Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may now and always walk
with You leading me.  Help me in those
moments where I am tempted to wander that I may be guided by Your grace.  Whenever I meet those obstacles that come,
lead me not into temptation, but into Your presence.  Amen.