Necessity is Laid Upon Me

1 Corinthians 9:16
"For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!"

God does not save us so that we can continue living our lives as if nothing happened. There is a reason behind our salvation, a call that He places on the life of each of His children. It varies from person to person, but it cannot be ignored.
Paul knew his calling was to proclaim the Gospel, no matter what. His satisfaction in life was gained through pursuing this goal. Do you think Paul would have been happy being a blacksmith? I doubt it. God called him to be a missionary, a teacher, a preacher. Paul made it clear that he had learned how to be content no matter what life threw at him. However, this contentment came because he knew life's circumstances could never stop him from pursuing his one goal - proclaiming Christ.
What necessity is laid upon me? When I am old, will there be something in my life that causes me 'woe' because I did not do what God had called me to?

Washed, Sanctified, Justified

1 Corinthians 6:11
"And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."

Washing: symbolized by baptism, what God once saw (our filthy sin) He sees no more because it has been washed away.
Sanctified: Separated from the profane, dedicated to God in holiness.
Justified: declared as one ought to be, to show or exhibit that one is righteous and just.
These three steps that God takes each Christian through at the time of salvation are unfathomable to our human conception. The love and sacrifice that was poured into our lives in order to cause this transformation took heavenly perfection to accomplish. Look at where you were, what you came from, who you were before Christ. That is the past. Behold, the new has come. And it is full of glory and unspeakable joy.
How can I show my thanks to God today for what He has done in  my life? Am I living in the joy of this transformation today?

Power, Not Words

1 Corinthians 4: 19-20 "But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord will, and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power."

The speech of a godly Christian can be easy to emulate. Even much of the "good Christian" things to do can be done for a short while in the flesh. However, there is more to being a Christian than words and deeds. The Holy Spirit of the Living Creator God comes to dwell within the Christian. That cannot happen without causing a major change. That cannot happen without the power of the Holy Spirit being evident in a Christian's life.
Think back to Elijah. What set him apart from the false prophets was not what he said or what he did. Rather it was what God did through Him. The demonstration of God's power through a surrendered servant. It was this showcase of power that turned the hearts of Israel back toward God.
Do I see God's power in my life on a daily basis? Do not look for big things, but concentrate on the small things, the things that can be easily overlooked. If I am not seeing His Holy Spirit's power active in my life, why not? What could be stopping it?

Demonstration of the Spirit and Power

1 Corinthians 2:4-5
"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."

What is my faith based in? Have I witnessed the power of God in my life? Can I point to even one example in my recent past? Is His Spirit active in my heart and mind? Do I feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit? Is His "still small voice" speaking to me?

Wiser, Stronger

1 Corinthians 1:25
"Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."

There is a Heavenly scale that measures us against our Creator. Imagine God's weight on the scale being that of the entire universe while ours is that of a down feather. If God were foolish or weak, He would still be incalculably wiser and stronger than man.
So many things in life are about perspective. Humility comes when we gain this Heavenly perspective on life.
Do I see my wisdom and strength as nothing compared to God? Am I depending solely on His might and wisdom?

Through the Power of the Holy Ghost

Romans 5:13
"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."

True hope is supernatural. It is beyond the power of man. The power of the Holy Spirit working in the life of a Christian is what causes hope to abound in our hearts.
God never intended us to "try" and "work up" emotions like love and hope. He wants to be our Spring of Living Water. He wants to be our Source. Every good thing comes from our Heavenly Father. Attempting to "make it happen" may succeed for a brief time, but it will end in failure.
How can I let the Holy Spirit be my Source of hope, joy, and love today?

It Is Well, Even When It Isn't

2 Kings 4:26
"Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well."
When our confidence and trust is in God, nothing can shake us. When we have a deep faith that is rooted in a deep relationship with Him, knowing intimately Who He is, no crisis can touch that faith.
This woman had just lost her only child, a child who had been a miracle, and no doubt a daily reminder of God's power despite her lack of faith. She would not doubt this time, not like she had before.
Her ability to say "it is well" did not come from some effort on her part to stay positive. It did not come from knowledge that her son would, without a doubt, be revived. Rather it came from an unshakable faith in a God she knew.
Do I have faith like that? Is my trust in God based in my intimate relationship with Him as my Heavenly Father?