We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.

I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.

For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ,11:29 Greek the body; other manuscripts read the Lord’s body. you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.

But if we would examine ourselves, we would not be judged by God in this way. 32Yet when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned along with the world.

Lord God my Father,

Help me to identify the compromise I allow and surrender them to you so I may be pure to worship you without compromise. Cause me to add your purpose to my every thought and action so you may receive glory for all I do. Give me strength and courage over my weakness so I may be strong in you. Bring unity in me so I have less conflict between my spirit and body.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer5:11 Greek a brother. yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people.

Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

and he can control his passion,

Lord God my Father,

Give me wisdom to create boundaries around me and courage to keep them intact. Help me to represent you well with both believers and unbelievers. Help me to not judge, but to love as I should. Help me to honor you with all I am and all I have. Help me to care for my body and restore it to your design and desire. Help me with my self control.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 

only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow.

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power. 

Lord God my Father,

Help me to release my desire to control and understand. Make me obedient in all things you ask of me. Give me understanding of still and the power you bring to me in it. May I allow you to have your way without interfering. May I live by you alone.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

 “Don’t be afraid! Speak out! Don’t be silent! 10For I am with you, and no one will attack and harm you, for many people in this city belong to me.” 

he proved to be of great benefit to those who, by God’s grace, had believed. 

God gave Paul the power to perform unusual miracles. 12When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.

But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?” 

Everything was in confusion. In fact, most of them didn’t even know why they were there.

Lord God my Father,

Grow my courage to speak your Truth, direct my words and give me discernment to speak at the rite time. Keep me from engaging in the confusion of today and allow me to represent your strength properly, help me to truly know you.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

And may the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow, just as our love for you overflows. May he, as a result, make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy as you stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again with all his holy people. Amen.

Always be joyful. 17Never stop praying. 18Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.19Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20Do not scoff at prophecies, 21but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. 22Stay away from every kind of evil.

Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness2:3a Some manuscripts read the man of sin. is revealed—the one who brings destruction.2:3b Greek the son of destruction. 4He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.

For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. 8Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed,

This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

never get tired of doing good.

Lord God my Father,

Soften my heart to release my stubborn arrogance and allow your Peaceful Truth to overwhelm me. Allow your Joy to be my guide and protect me from the deceiver. Allow your Peace to temper my desire to control.

In Jesus Name I pray,

Amen

We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles4:3 Or powers; also in 4:9. of this world.4But when the right time came, God sent his Son,

Where is that joyful and grateful spirit you felt then? I am sure you would have taken out your own eyes and given them to me if it had been possible. 16Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth?

The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise.

What is important is faith expressing itself in love.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross,6:14 Or Because of him. my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.

Lord God my Father,

Help me to grow as you desire, remove from me my worldly desires. Allow you Joy and Peace to be my guide and your Truth to be my protection. Keep me from pushing your plan out of your design and place your Love in me as designed so your fruits rest well with me. May I only honor you and not own your plan that passes thru me.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

Galatians 1

6I am shocked that you are turning away so soon from God, who called you to himself through the loving mercy of Christ.1:6 Some manuscripts read through loving mercy. You are following a different way that pretends to be the Good News 7but is not the Good News at all. You are being fooled by those who deliberately twist the truth concerning Christ.8Let God’s curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. 9I say again what we have said before: If anyone preaches any other Good News than the one you welcomed, let that person be cursed.10Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.

And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes.

Lord God my Father,

Keep me from looking away from you and placing my desire above your plan. Keep me in your Truth so I may know deceit. Bring me into unity with others who desire you and use me for kingdom work.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay no greater burden on you than these few requirements: 29You must abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this, you will do well. Farewell.”

So the churches were strengthened in their faith and grew larger every day.

 As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart, and she accepted what Paul was saying.

A mob quickly formed against Paul and Silas, and the city officials ordered them stripped and beaten with wooden rods. 23They were severely beaten, and then they were thrown into prison

There they met with the believers and encouraged them once more. Then they left town.

Lord God my Father,

Help me to keep my faith simple and not overthink your Truth. Give me strength every day to grow closer to your plan. Open my heart and give me discernment over false teaching and use me to encourage others.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. 6But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone.

And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.”

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you.

Lord God my Father,

Soften my heart to only be directed by you, remove my selfishness. Protect me from my own temptation and selfishness and remove it from me. Give me determination to only move in your desire. Allow your Peaceful Truth to test well and temper me to your plan. Help me to find obedience.

in Jesus name I pray,

Amen

“You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord? 

Lord God my Father,

Allow your Truth to rest on my so I may turn from my evil nature and live in yours.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen