Discipleship Response
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Pondering Point
We may not always be able to see the fruit that we bear for God. But let's remember the promise that nothing that we do, none of our labors, will be in vain. God's Word goes out and accomplishes what he desires (Isaiah 55:11). Let His word go out through you too. In light of this, let’s review our lives as disciples of Jesus:
Review
Knowing that your labor is not going to be in vain, are you standing firm in the Lord? Are you giving yourself fully to the work of the Lord?
Repent if Necessary
You may need to repent of a defeatist mindset that has led to a less than firm stance. You might need to repent of neglecting the work of the Lord.
Return as Necessary
Take time to read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 (the origin of verse 58's driving thought). Then finish with the prayer for the day.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
The Resurrection of Christ
1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
Prayer for the Day
Father God, to use a double negative, let Your grace not be without effect on me. Thanks for the reminder that my life in You is not in vain. May I live well in Jesus’ name. Amen.