EXPAND TO READ: 1 CORINTHIANS 6 (HCSB)
PERSONAL JOURNAL:
SIN (verse 18): Father, I have given into sexual immorality in the flesh so many times in my life, even since coming to faith. I am not proud of this and do regret that I ever even allowed myself to do such sinful acts. In this verse You tell us that we should “run from sexual immorality” yet oftentimes I ran towards it instead of from it. Please forgive me for these transgressions, Father. Although it has been quite some time (almost a year) since I have given into these fleshly desires, I do still get the temptations. I have not given into the temptations recently, which I give all glory to You for that because there is no way I could have done this on my own. Thank You, Father, for working so diligently in me to help cure me of these mistakes from my past. I still need to remember to lean on You through all things so I do not relapse, but I am so very grateful for the changes You’ve made in my heart, mind, and life.
PROMISE (verse 3): You promise us that all matters will be judged in Your timing. Even angels are judged along with “ordinary matters” just as You promise us in this verse. Help me to remember this promise, Father, when I want to have a judgmental way of thinking and acting towards others in this life. Help me to be better at this so that I live in a way that glorifies You, but also in a way that is a reminder to myself that ALL matters will be judged by You one day. Thank You for this promise, Father.
ATTITUDE (verses 7-8): I do struggle with judgment towards others instead of endurance, grace, and mercy. Help me to be better with this in my life, Father. Help me to be able to endure injustice, endure being cheated, and have a just attitude in this life especially towards other believers. Help me to be better at simply accepting this life’s challenges, regardless of who directed them towards me. Help me to be better at relinquishing control over those challenges to You because You will be the judge for them all and I do not need to control the outcome or ramifications in this life.
COMMAND (verse 19-20): Your command here is one that I feel You keep reminding me about, yet I keep failing to adhere to and fully understand/grasp. Your command is that we are to glorify You through the treatment of our bodies since our bodies are a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who dwells inside of us. I have never been one to truly live in a way that really treats my body as a sanctuary for the Holy Spirit. I have been horrible at consistent fitness, eating right, and remaining sinless when it comes to anything related to my body as You describe in this chapter. Help me, Father, because I cannot do this on my own. Continue to remind me of the issues I have towards my sanctuary so that I can slowly but surely become better at glorifying You with my body.
EXAMPLE (verse 11): Such a powerful verse here, but also a strong reminder of my past. You tell us that we “used to be like this” but that we have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, I used to be like a lot of the verses You mention in this chapter, but thankfully the example You provide here tells me that I am a changed man as a result of Jesus. My past has been washed away, I have been sanctified, my salvation has been justified, and I am a new man in this life solely because of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank You for this reminder through Your example, Father. Thank You for providing Jesus as my gateway into Your kingdom and as my example for how I should be living this life. If not for Him I would be lost, so I am grateful for all that He has done for me.
*DAILY NOTE: I often live this life in my old ways instead of embracing the new life You have given me. I have made so many mistakes in my past such as giving into fleshly and immoral desires. I have been a victim of the same and have used that as an excuse to just keep on doing the same old things because “why bother if it’s just going to happen to me?” This is not how You expect me to live. You gave me a new, born-again identity in Christ that has been washed, sanctified, and justified through Jesus Christ. My new identity in Jesus is not a repair to my old identity, but brand new. I can put aside old things and live in the new things that You have blessed me with. Help me with my identity struggles, Father. Help me to truly grasp onto this new identity and new life You have blessed me with so that I may become the new creation in Jesus.
EXPAND TO READ: GENERAL NOTE FOR MY QUIET TIMES
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