5-Day Devo (Based on 11.23.25 Sermon)

Here's a 5-day Bible reading plan and devotional guide based on the November 23, 2025 Sermon.

Reading: 2 Corinthians 11:1-6

Devotional: Paul's divine jealousy for the Corinthians reveals God's heart for His people—He desires our sincere and pure devotion. Just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, we face constant threats to our spiritual purity. The enemy still disguises lies as enlightenment, adding requirements to the simple gospel of grace. Today, examine what you've added to "faith in Christ alone." Have you accepted a gospel of Jesus plus performance, Jesus plus approval, Jesus plus religious activity? The true gospel is beautifully simple: Christ's finished work is sufficient. Return to that pure devotion. Let go of the additions that burden you and rest in the completeness of His sacrifice. Your relationship with Christ doesn't need embellishment—it needs authenticity.

Reflection Question: What "additions" to the gospel have I been carrying that Jesus never intended?

Reading: 2 Corinthians 11:7-15

Devotional: Paul's refusal to accept payment wasn't rejection—it was radical love. He understood that genuine ministry flows from selfless devotion, not personal gain. The false apostles used financial support as validation, but Paul knew the gospel isn't a commodity to be sold. His actions exposed the greed disguised as ministry around him. Consider your own motivations in serving others. Do you serve expecting recognition, repayment, or validation? True Christlike service often goes unnoticed and unrewarded in this life. It may even be misunderstood, as Paul's was. But serving without strings attached reflects the heart of Jesus, who gave everything without demanding anything in return. Let your service be marked by sacrificial love that points others to Christ, not to yourself.

Reflection Question: Am I serving others to magnify Christ or to validate myself?

Reading: 2 Corinthians 11:16-30

Devotional: Our culture celebrates strength, success, and self-promotion. Paul's "resume" turns worldly wisdom upside down—he boasts in beatings, imprisonments, shipwrecks, and daily pressures. Why? Because these weaknesses became the canvas upon which Christ's power was displayed. The false apostles boasted in credentials and achievements, but Paul gloried in his identification with the suffering Christ. What would your spiritual resume look like? Would it list your victories or your dependence? The places where you've been broken, where you've had to rely completely on God's grace—these are your greatest qualifications for ministry. Your scars tell a story of God's faithfulness. Don't hide your struggles; they're evidence that Christ's power works through surrendered, dependent hearts. When we're weak, He's strong.

Reflection Question: Where has my weakness revealed Christ's strength most clearly?

Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Devotional: Paul's mysterious thorn in the flesh—whatever it was—became his greatest gift. Three times he begged for its removal. Three times God said no, offering something better: "My grace is sufficient for you." God's power is perfected in our weakness because weakness creates space for His presence to tabernacle with us. Your thorn may be chronic pain, relational struggle, financial hardship, or mental anguish. You've likely pleaded for its removal. But what if God's answer isn't removal but presence? His grace isn't just enough to survive; it's sufficient to thrive spiritually in the midst of suffering. When you're weak, Christ draws near and sets up camp with you. His present-tense grace meets your present-tense need. You may not want the thorn, but you'll treasure the intimacy with Jesus it produces.

Reflection Question: How have I experienced God's sufficient grace in my current struggles?

Reading: 2 Corinthians 12:11-13; Philippians 4:11-13

Devotional: Paul's conclusion is stunning: "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities." This isn't masochism—it's mission. Paul found contentment in suffering because it magnified Christ, not himself. His life wasn't about comfort, recognition, or ease; it was about making Jesus known. The question for us is simple but profound: Is our life about us or about Him? When difficulties come—and they will—can we say, "For the sake of Christ"? Can we trust that our trials have purpose, that our weakness showcases His strength, that our suffering can lead others to salvation? This contentment isn't natural; it's supernatural, born from deep trust in Jesus. It's the fruit of knowing that magnifying Christ matters more than our momentary comfort.

Reflection Question: What would change in my life if I truly lived "for the sake of Christ" rather than my own comfort?

Father, forgive us for the ways we've tried to magnify ourselves instead of Your Son. Thank You that Your grace is sufficient for every weakness, every trial, every thorn. Help us trust You enough to embrace the difficulties that showcase Your power. May our lives point others to Jesus, not to ourselves. In our weakness, make us strong through Your presence. For the sake of Christ, we surrender all. Amen.

This 5-Day Devotional was generated with the help of AI, and is based off of Pastor Phil's November 23, 2025 Sermon: Called to Magnify Christ.