Daily Devotion for March 10, 2018
Prayers
Scripture
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Our “Saturday Oldie” is my favorite song by the Golden Gate Quartet, formed in 1934 by four students at the Booker T. Washington College. Their last world tour was in 1994!
Prayer to Walk with Christ Today
Dear Heavenly Father, I am learning to understand what your Word says. Yet so often I simply hear it or read it and think about applying it, but get no further. I want to do it and intend to do it Lord, but it is gone from my mind so easily. I am deceiving myself if I simply hear it and do not make it a part of my life.
Please help me today to take one truth and apply it to my circumstances. Oh blessed Holy Spirit, nudge me, remind me throughout my day, again and again, for I know I will find freedom in obedience to your Word. I pray, show me what I need to focus on, right now and wherever the day might take me.
Change my vision. Embolden me to practice what you reveal to me, for I am confident of the blessings that come from life in harmony with your Word. My life is yours: I give it to you, of my own free will, and pray you to take it up and show me your path. In the name of Jesus, I pray this with all my heart,
For the Spread of the Gospel
O God, you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth, and sent your blessed Son to preach peace to those who are far off and to those who are near: Grant that people everywhere may seek after you and find you; bring the nations into your fold; pour out your Spirit upon all flesh; and hasten the coming of your kingdom; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
And let me remember, now, and occasionally in my prayers, the millions who have served Christ, not only for their own salvation, but to clear the path for me, that I might join them in eternal light and love.
Benediction
Finally, may I go forth filled with the joy and confidence of your Spirit; and may everything I do this day, in word or deed, be done in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Think of the day ahead in terms of God with you, and visualize health, strength, guidance, purity, calm confidence, and victory as the gifts of His presence.
Today’s “Remember the Bible” Question
Where does Jesus command us to “go and make disciples of all nations”?
Take Your Time
“Hurry is the death of Prayer.”
~ Samuel Chadwick
1 Corinthians 16:5-14 (ESV)
Travel Plans
I will visit you after passing through Macedonia, for I intend to pass through Macedonia, and perhaps I will stay with you or even spend the winter, so that you may help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now just in passing. I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay in Ephesus until Pentecost, for a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you, for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. So let no one despise him. Help him on his way in peace, that he may return to me, for I am expecting him with the brothers.
Now concerning our brother Apollos, I strongly urged him to visit you with the other brothers, but it was not at all his will to come now. He will come when he has opportunity.
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love.
Notes on the Scripture
On his third journey (this letter being written on his second journey during his long stay in Ephesus), Paul would indeed return to Corinth — twice. It was a large and influential church and, as we have seen, much in need of loving guidance.
imothy was one of the greatest of the new generation of disciples, people who had not known Christ in the flesh but would become filled with the Spirit and continue to spread salvation at great risk. Paul treated him nearly like a son. They traveled together for years, Timothy acting as Paul’s assistant. Non-biblical history tells us that Timothy became the Bishop of Ephesus.
He died at age 80, in poor health, but not of natural causes. As an old man, he tried to stop a pagan procession through the streets, carrying and chanting to idols; the outraged people beat him, dragged him through the streets and stoned him to death.
Apollos, an Alexandrian Jew of great intelligence, is less well-known or celebrated. From what little we know, he was a powerful orator and theologian. Earlier in this book, Paul says several times that he would leave a church in Apollos’ hands after getting it started, e.g., “I planted, Apollos watered . . . .” (1 Corinthians 3:6)
He also appeared open to instruction and correction from others. Despite his strengths — he was mentioned as one of the nominal leaders of the sectarianism in Corinth in Chapter 1 — he was apparently unable to deal with the kind of disharmony occurring in Corinth. History has him traveling to Crete and, eventually, returning to Corinth as its bishop after Paul had brought the Christians there into unity.
