Bible verses for reflection and prayer
No one can take too much upon themselves, when it comes to claiming to bring people to Jesus, by their own efforts alone. Paul points this out, to people who had being making out one minister or Bible worker, was the only one to support and give approbation; to the detriment of another. Paul finds it useful to use analogies from garden and construction.
1 Corinthians 3: 7 “So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God gives the increase.” V8”Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive is own reward according to his own labour.”
1 Corinthians 3: 9, 10 and 11”For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise mater builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
What type of person I am, will be revealed at the end? So why do I seek approval from people, or want my activities to be noticed and appreciated? For in God’s work it is apparent that it is not about me, but God. I do not have what it takes to germinate and grow, or give a true foundation and build a ‘building’ that will be founded on Jesus, or turn out right, or cause others to mature as God’s children, apart from Him. But Jesus does want me to do the part He has given me, toward bringing others to know Him; and in allowing Him to grow me into and the spiritual person He wants and knows I can be. Grown and moulded by Him all the way!
To be most useful to Jesus, I will allow myself to be like the surgical glove on a hand. Close enough to Jesus to have been mounded to His form, move when He does, in the way He does; happy to stay and be at His service, even though I could be removed at any time. I could not be most useful to Jesus, if I wore a boxing glove, which is not closely applied to the hand, and able to make the sensitive movements, as the hand actually could. Neither would someone who applied a boxing glove want the glove to deliver sensitive individual finger motions, but rather the crushing forceful impact of a closed fist in an arranged fight; which are more designed be won by the strongest or most strategic player on the day, than to grow or build up another person.
The surgical glove is designed to be able to make the movements of the wearer and so help and deliver the other person; the boxing glove is designed to deliver the ‘knockout blow’ that stills the movement of the other person. I pray that I will be made more like the surgical than the boxing glove, and be next to Jesus, the Giver of peace, in His service.
Because I have asked Jesus into my heart and desire to tell others about what He has done for me, and live in such a way that will bring Him glory, I desire to care for my physical body very carefully.
1 Corinthians 3: 16, 17 “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”
It has been a slow life time process, but gradually it has been dawning upon me, that compared to all there is to know on earth and then in a vast universe, I really do not know much. And then again when spiritual things are considered, I may know very closely the words from many passages of the Bible, yet not understand all of these words. Humans are really not very wise, and all true wisdom comes from God. Maybe many of us are in for many surprises in heaven, throughout millennia, as truth is revealed. Therefore it seems to me, that even the most learned person on earth, is not nearly as wise as they think they are, or would manifest when compared to God or even an angel.
1 Corinthians 3: 18, 19 and 20 “Let no one deceive himself, if anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become as fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their own craftiness’, and again, ‘The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.’
I am so very thankful, that God you have invited me to call on Your wisdom every day, and for the much deliverance that I have received as Your gift in this area, in answer to claiming relevant promises for the situation.