From: August 30, 2023
“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT).
Our message is not about us, but about our Lord. For we are like fragile clay jars containing a great treasure. Our weakness only serves to emphasize the greatness of Christ within us. When we want people to see us, to applaud our efforts, we forget that our purpose is to cause others to give glory to God, not to us. For people to see this “great treasure,” we must decrease, so that He might increase. We are to live in such a manner that there is no other explanation for our existence than God’s power within us.
It’s not about us, it’s about Christ in us. As the apostle Paul wrote, “[It is] Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we often wonder why some trial comes our way, yet as we go through it, we see Your power shining through us. We struggle with making everything about ourselves. Teach us to see life from Your perspective. Often it is in our weakest moments that Your love and message show most clearly in us. We desire more of this, Lord. Let others see more of You and less of us in our message and our behavior. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 30, 2022
STOP INVITING PEOPLE TO CHURCH
Paul didn’t care what people thought of him as long as they heard him proclaim Christ as Lord. But the Corinthians were easily impressed by appearance and eloquent speech. Though Paul had been the one who had first preached the gospel to them, to which they believed and were saved, they were swayed by fancy preachers who came later. In response, Paul reminded them that he and his preaching team sought to make Jesus famous, not themselves. In fact, in Paul’s first letter he told them that “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). And further he wrote, “We are fools for Christ’s sake” (1 Cor. 4:10).
If our life’s purpose is to make Christ Jesus famous, then we must give up on making much of ourselves. We proclaim not ourselves, nor our church, but Christ! The world may think us foolish, but we have given up on pleasing men, seeking to please God alone.
So stop inviting people to church and start inviting people to Jesus! Tell them what Jesus has done for you and give them the gospel. Then when they come to faith, help them find a Christ-honoring, gospel-proclaiming, and Bible-believing church to join. We’re making Jesus famous, not ourselves.
PRAYER: Dear Father, forgive us when we make things about ourselves, instead of Jesus. We give Him all the praise and glory this day. Strengthen us to tell others about Him at all times. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 30, 2020
IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU
Our message is not about us, but about our Lord. For we are like clay pots containing a great treasure. Our weakness only serves to emphasize the greatness of Christ within us. When we want people to see us, to applaud our efforts, we forget that our purpose is to cause others to give glory to God, not to us. For people to see the Treasure, we must decrease, so that He might increase. We are to live in such a manner that there is no other explanation for our existence than God’s power within us.
It’s not about you, it’s about Christ in you. As the apostle Paul wrote, “[It is] Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we often wonder why some trial comes our way, yet as we go through it, we see Your power shining through us. We struggle with making everything about ourselves. Teach us to see life from Your perspective. Often it is in our weakest moments that Your love and message show most clearly in us. We desire more of this, Lord. Let others see more of You and less of us in our message and our behavior. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 30, 2017
The combined effect of having received both the “mercy” and the “ministry” of the gospel strengthened the apostle Paul, so that he did not “lose heart.” The same should cause us to persevere in sharing the gospel. For as Paul also wrote, God has “reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor. 5:18).
From: August 30, 2016
The Psalmist reflected on the stories told by their fathers of God’s miraculous deeds in bringing them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. Although those stories were from “days of old,” the author still leaned on them in faith to give him hope for the days ahead. These faith stories, although not experienced first hand, yet inspired hope. Remembering the hand of God in the past, we too can be encouraged as we face the future.
From: August 30, 2015
The same God who created physical light by His command has sent His Son, Jesus to be our spiritual light. Yet, our hearts remain in sin’s darkness until they behold the light of the gospel “in the face of Jesus Christ.” Those who would seek to know God, to see His glory, must seek the face of Jesus. There is no other power to enlighten our darkened hearts. For Christ is the image of the invisible God, the Light of the world, the only way to the Father. Although our hearts now reflect His light as we share the gospel, we are not its source, so we must always direct others to seek His face. We sing: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
From: August 30, 2014
Our message is not about us, but about our Lord. For we are like clay pots containing a great treasure. Our weakness only serves to emphasize the greatness of Christ within us. When we want people to see us, to applaud our efforts, we forget that our purpose is to cause others to give glory to God, not to us. For people to see the Treasure, we must decrease, so that He might increase. We are to live in such a manner that there is no other explanation for our existence than God’s power within us.
From: August 30, 2012
This “light” is the glory of the abiding Christ in us. As we walk by faith through this world our bodies become increasingly fragile, yet the glory revealed in us increases. We learn to preach Christ, and not ourselves. We learn to lean on Christ, not our own strength.