<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br><span class="italic">     <span class="scriptRef" ref="ro+14:5-13">Romans 14:5-13</span></span></p><p>It seems almost unbelievable that the thing which stopped the psalmist's feet from slipping and sliding was not the awareness of his relationship with God but the awareness of his relationship with his brothers and sisters. It might not have been the highest spiritual principle he could have held on to, but it saved him from disaster. It is this matter - our relationship with one another - that Paul is speaking about in today's passage. You will be familiar, I am sure, with the passages in  <span class="scriptRef" ref="1co+8,10">1 Corinthians 8,10</span> where Paul enlarges on this subject and where, in a remarkable statement, he says: "I mean for the sake of his conscience, not yours, do not eat it. For why should another man's scruples apply to me, and my liberty of action be determined by his conscience?'  (<span class="scriptRef" ref="1co+10:29">1 Corinthians 10:29</span>, Amplified Bible). He is saying, in other words, that you might see no need to refrain from eating meat offered to idols for your own sake, because your conscience is not offended, but what about your weaker brother for whom Christ also died? You see, "none of us lives to himself alone", so when next the devil tries to convince you that you are an isolated case and that what he is suggesting concerns you and you alone, quote this verse to him. We do not act in isolation; if you fall, you do not fall alone, the whole Church falls also. If nothing else can stop you from doing wrong, remember the people to whom you belong, remember you are part of a heavenly family, and that when you fall, others fall with you.</p><p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">Father, drive deeply into my spirit this truth that I cannot act in isolation, for I am bound up with my redeemed brothers and sisters. Help me experience an ever-growing consciousness of this important fact. In Jesus' Name. Amen.</p><div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="1co+9:15-22">1 Corinthians 9:15-22</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ac+20:35">Acts 20:35</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ro+15:1">Romans 15:1</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="1th+5:14">1 Thessalonians 5:14</span></li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What was Paul's approach to the weaker brethren?</li><li>What was Paul's word to the Thessalonians?</li></ul></div></div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

"For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone." (v. 7) 

<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation: </span><span class="italic"><span class="scriptRef">1 Corinthians 9:15-27</span></span></p>
<p>We continue meditating on the idea that everything we do represents a goal. In fact, most of the frustration we experience in life comes from wrong goals and blocks to those goals. Let me illustrate. Cast your mind back to the last time you were angry. If you can identify your goal and what blocked your goal, then you have the clue to what produced your anger and frustration.</p>
<p>A man once asked me if I could explain what caused his deep-seated anger. It soon became apparent that his anger was due to a blocked goal. His goal in life was to make money. He reasoned: "If I can make plenty of money, then everyone will see that I am a successful and important person." When he encountered blocks to this goal, such as his wife's insistence that he cut down on the amount of time he was spending in his business, he would erupt in anger.</p>
<p>I pointed out that the way to deal with the anger was to establish a goal that no-one could block. And what was that? To please the Lord. He resisted that idea at first, but when he came to realize that his goal in life was unbiblical and that his anger resulted from others blocking his unbiblical goal, he made a new commitment to God and found happiness and release. From then on his goal was not to make money, but to please the Lord.</p>
<p>I has to point out that there is nothing wrong with wanting to make money - it is a legitimate human desire - but it must remain a desire and never become a goal.</p>
<p class="mlr40 mtb20"><strong>Prayer:</strong> O God my gracious Father, help me never to turn what can be a legitimate human desire into a life goal. Save me from pursuing unbiblical objectives, and guide me toward the truth which alone can make me free. In Jesus' Name. Amen.</p>
<p class="mlr40 mtb20">&nbsp;</p>
<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around">
<div>
<div class="fs-17 fg-mustard"><strong>Additional Verses</strong></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0px;">
<li><span class="scriptRef">James 1:9-20</span></li>
<li><span class="scriptRef">Psalm 37:8</span></li>
<li><span class="scriptRef">Proverbs 14:17</span></li>
<li><span class="scriptRef">Proverbs 16:32</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<div class="fs-17 fg-mustard"><strong>Questions to Consider</strong></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0px;">
<li>What does an impatient man do?</li>
<li>Who will 'take the city'?</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>

Run in Such A Way As To Get The Price -  1 Corinthians 9:15-27

<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br><span class="italic">     <span class="scriptRef" ref="2co+5:11-21">2 Corinthians 5:11-21</span></span></p><p>Now that we have looked at the aspects of our faith which make it unique among all world religions, we must face some other important issues before finally drawing to a close. Being Christians does not mean we therefore have to believe that all other religions are completely wrong. As C. S. Lewis pointed out: "If you are an atheist you have to believe that the main point in all religions is simply one huge mistake. But if you are a Christian you are free to think that all religions, even the queerest of them, contain at least some hint of truth. Being a Christian, however, does mean thinking that where Christianity differs from other religions, Christianity is right and they are wrong. As in arithmetic there is only one right answer to a sum and all other answers are wrong. But some wrong answers are much nearer to being right than others." While never budging from what we believe, we must show a loving disposition toward those of other faiths. A group of adherents to the Muslim faith gathered outside a church in one of Britain's northern cities shouting: "Jesus, Yes; the Church, No." Their complaint was based on the fact that the minister and people of that particular church had pushed thousands of leaflets through local mailboxes stating: "Islam is a devilish religion; only the Christian religion is of God." We can be passionate in our faith without being discourteous to people. We may disagree with what someone believes, but we must disagree agreeably. As one old preacher quaintly put it: "To win some we must be winsome."</p><p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">Father, I see from the text before me today that You want me to implore people to come to You, not intimidate them. Make me a firm but loving witness - one who can disagree without being disagreeable. In Christ's Name I ask it. Amen.</p><div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="1co+9:19-27">1 Corinthians 9:19-27</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ro+10:1">Romans 10:1</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="mt+10:16">Matthew 10:16</span></li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What was Paul's approach to people?</li><li>What approach were the disciples to take?</li></ul></div></div>

"We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." (v. 20)

<p>The liberty of the child of God is one of his priceless possessions. Made free by the Son, he is free indeed. But he is called to responsible freedom, not to license.</p><p>Children want to be free from the restraints of home. Young people want to be free from the discipline of study. Adults want to be free from their marriage vows. Still others rebel against being boxed in by regular employment. But these are not the freedoms to which we are called.</p><p>The stars are not free to leave their orbits and wander throughout space. A train is not free to leave the tracks and meander over the countryside. A plane is not free to leave its assigned course; its safety depends on the pilot's obeying the regulations.</p><p>Jowett comments, "There is no realm where the lawless are the free. In whatever way we wish to go we must accept bondage if we would discover liberty. A musician must reverence the laws of harmony if he would exult in his lovely world. A builder must put himself in bondage to the law of gravity, or it is not a house that emerges, but a rubbish-heap. What sort of liberty does a man enjoy who consistently defies the laws of health? In all these realms to trespass is to be maimed, to pay homage is to be free."</p><p>It is true that the believer is free from the law (<span class="scriptRef" ref="ro+7:3">Romans 7:3</span>) but that does not mean that he is lawless. He is now enlawed to Christ, bound by the cords of love, and committed to obey the numerous commandments that are found in the New Testament.</p><p>The believer is free from sin as master (<span class="scriptRef" ref="ro+6:7">Romans 6:7</span><a href="javascript:%7B%7D" style="text-decoration:underline ;">; </a><span class="scriptRef" ref="ro+6:18">Romans 6:18</span><a href="javascript:%7B%7D" style="text-decoration:underline ;">; </a><span class="scriptRef" ref="ro+6:22">Romans 6:22</span>) but only to become a servant to God and to righteousness.</p><p>The believer is free from all men (<span class="scriptRef" ref="1co+9:19">1 Corinthians 9:19</span>) in order to become a servant to all, that he might win the more.</p><p>But he is not free to use his liberty as a pretext for evil (</p><p><span class="scriptRef" ref="1pe+2:16">1 Peter 2:16</span> RSV). He is not free to indulge the flesh (<span class="scriptRef" ref="ga+5:13">Galatians 5:13</span>). He is not free to stumble or offend another person (<span class="scriptRef" ref="1co+8:9">1 Corinthians 8:9</span>). He is not free to bring dishonor on the Name of the Lord Jesus (<span class="scriptRef" ref="ro+2:23-24">Romans 2:23-24</span>). He is not free to love the world (<span class="scriptRef" ref="1jo+2:15-17">1 John 2:15-17</span>). He is not free to grieve the indwelling Holy Spirit (<span class="scriptRef" ref="1co+6:19">1 Corinthians 6:19</span>).</p><p>Man does not find fulfillment or rest in doing his own thing. He finds it only in taking Christ's yoke and learning of Him. "His service is perfect freedom."</p><p> </p>

With reverence, humor and skill, William MacDonald wove a daily devotional tapestry that challenges the reader to think deeply and Biblically, and apply God's Word to their lives.

Truths to Live By - One Day at a Time

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another." (Galatians 5:13)

<p><h3>Paul’s Use of His Freedom</h3></p><p><span class="bible-text "> <sup class="verse-num ">19 </sup>Though I am free   and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,   to win as many as possible.   </span></p>

1 Corinthians 9:19

Though I am free<cr>1</cr>  and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,<cr>2</cr>  to win as many as possible.<cr>3</cr> 

 19 Though I am free   and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,   to win as many as possible.  

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.

<p><span class="bible-text ">Though I am free   and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,   to win as many as possible.   </span></p>

 Though I am free   and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone,   to win as many as possible.  

Bible Verse of the Day

November 25, 2025

1 Corinthians 9:19 NIV

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