Our Today Daily Devotional

THURSDAY, JUNE 30, 2022

TEXT: 1 Corinthians 9:15-27

15. But I have not used any of these rights, and I am not trying to get anything from you. That is not my purpose for writing this. I would rather die than to have someone take away what for me is a great source of pride.

16. It’s not my work of telling the Good News that gives me any reason to boast. That is my duty-something I must do. If I don’t tell people the Good News, I am in real trouble.

17. If I did it because it was my own choice, I would deserve to be paid. But I have no choice. I must tell the Good News. So I am only doing the duty that was given to me.

18. So what do I get for doing it? My reward is that when I tell people the Good News I can offer it to them for free and not use the rights that come with doing this work.

19. I am free. I belong to no other person, but I make myself a slave to everyone. I do this to help save as many people as I can.

20. To the Jews I became like a Jew so that I could help save Jews. I myself am not ruled by the law, but to those who are ruled by the law I became like someone who is ruled by the law. I did this to help save those who are ruled by the law.

21. To those who are without the law I became like someone who is without the law. I did this to help save those who are without the law. (But really, I am not without God’s law-I am ruled by the law of Christ.)

22. To those who are weak, I became weak so that I could help save them. I have become all things to all people. I did this so that I could save people in any way possible.

23. I do all this to make the Good News known. I do it so that I can share in the blessings of the Good News.

24. You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one runner gets the prize. So run like that. Run to win!

25. All who compete in the games use strict training. They do this so that they can win a prize-one that doesn’t last. But our prize is one that will last forever.

26. So I run like someone who has a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something, not just the air.

27. It is my own body I fight to make it do what I want. I do this so that I won’t miss getting the prize myself after telling others about it.

(Easy To Read Version Holy Bible)

TOPIC: PREACHING WITHOUT CHARGE

A pastor once said that the he invited a music minister to minister in songs in his church and he told him that he collects hundreds of thousands to do so! One wonders whether the gospel is for sale. Can such people be called to minister in a church that cannot afford that amount of money?

Paul said that his pay is the opportunity to preach the Good News and not to charge. He said that he has disciplined himself to win the prize and not be condemned or disqualified after preaching to others. Money and material gains should never be our goal when preaching the gospel. Rather, we should see it as a golden opportunity to reach out to others for Christ.

QUESTION: What are your expectations when you have the opportunity to preach the Gospel?

PRAYER: My desire is to preach Christ at every opportunity. Help me, dear Lord, to achieve this goal, in Jesus name, Amen.