1 Corinthians 16:13-14

"Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love" (1 Corinthians 16:13-14, NASB).

In our home, we have a devotional time around the dinner table. We read from Our Daily Bread and pray. In January, we added another activity to our devotional time: memory verses. At first, I thought that we could memorize one passage a week, but we have found that going at Christopher's speed is much better. So far we have memorized Genesis 1:1, Proverbs 24:5, and John 3:16.

We are in the process of memorizing 1 Corinthians 16:13-14, so my mind has been on these verses lately.

Be on the alert

We never know where temptation and sin will come from, nor when they will hit us. However, we can learn from our failures and mistakes. We can figure out that being tired makes us vulnerable to impatience. We know that some media are designed to arouse improper sexual temptations. We can be alert to what we know. We don't need to be surprized by everything.

Stand firm in the faith

Many people attack our faith in many ways. We must stand firm in believing in the creation, the great flood, and the other miracles of the Bible. We must retain confidence in the God who cannot lie. We must believe in the accuracy of the Bible. We must trust in Jesus Christ, even when others waver.

Act like men

We must take initiative to protect and provide for others. We must approach life with courage and a sense of responsibility.

Be strong

Our strength comes from reliance upon God. We become strong by reading and thinking deeply about the message from God. We become strong by praying and by noticing God's answers to our prayers. We become strong from the support and encouragement of other believers. With strength, we can approach life with confidence. In addition, we are prepared to carry out the next command:

Let all that you do be done in love

We can find ways to live in a way that benefits everyone. We can be kind and patient. We can make the sacrifices. We can honor Jesus Christ through our lives of love.

These are powerful verses.