Daily Bible Plan

24. July 2025

Devotion by Reverend Joseph Antwi

Theme: Living your Faith in the Public Sphere

Fortified City Church & Love City Church, Basel

Topic: “Called to Be One – Guarding the Unity of the Church”

Series: “Living Called in a Corrupt Culture”

🕊️ Daily Devotion: 1 Corinthians 1:1–17

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📣 A Word from Pastor Joseph:

Congratulations, Church! 🎉

We’ve come far in our devotional journey. If you’re behind, take 2 hours today to visit our website and catch up—you’ll be blessed.

Now, let me tell you why I’m excited. We are entering one of the most controversial and richest letters Paul ever wrote—1 Corinthians. And what makes it special is that it was written to people just like us—Gentiles, called out of a broken culture to follow Jesus.

But this is not a letter to skim. Please take this seriously.

📖 Open your Bible to 1 Corinthians 1:1–17

🔊 Read it out loud

🖊️ Highlight or underline the verses that speak to you

📤 Share a verse in our WhatsApp group

🙏 Pray: “Lord, open my heart to understand and obey Your Word today.”

💧 Wash your face, find a quiet space, and let God speak. Avoid interruptions.

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🏛️ Background: Corinth – A City of Power and Pollution

Corinth was a wealthy, powerful, and morally corrupt Greek city. Located on a strategic trade route, it became a booming commercial center full of different cultures, religions, and influences.

• 🏛️ It had many temples, especially one for Aphrodite, the goddess of love—where temple prostitution was part of worship.

• 💰 The city was financially rich but spiritually bankrupt.

• 💔 Corinth was so immoral that “to Corinthianize” meant to live sinfully and without restraint.

It was into this broken culture that Paul planted a church.

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⛪ The Church in Corinth: Messy but Called

Paul arrived in Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1–18), around AD 50–52. He worked with Aquila and Priscilla, preached in the synagogue, and after facing opposition, began ministering to the Gentiles.

• ✝️ Key converts included Crispus (a synagogue leader) and Titius Justus.

• 💬 God encouraged Paul in a vision:

“Do not be afraid… for I have many people in this city.” (Acts 18:9–10)

Paul spent 18 months building the church. But after he left, reports reached him that the believers were struggling with division, pride, immorality, and confusion—so he wrote 1 Corinthians to correct and restore them.

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📖 Scripture Focus: 1 Corinthians 1:10

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another… that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

— 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NIV)

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🪔 Devotional Thought: Unity Over Comparison

One of the biggest problems in the Corinthian church was comparison among leaders. Some said, “I follow Paul,” others, “I follow Apollos,” or “Cephas,” or even “Christ.”

Paul responded boldly:

“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” (v.13)

Even though Paul founded the church and mentored Apollos, he made it clear that neither of them mattered more than Jesus. They were only servants through whom God worked.

Today, we still face this issue. Some believers compare one pastor or elder to another. But I say to you—it’s immature and unnecessary. Whether it’s Elder Edward or Deaconess Ruth, Deacon Thompson or Deacon John, Pastor Joseph or Apostle Frank—we are all servants of the same Master.

If God planted you at FCC, this is where He will grow you. Don’t waste your spiritual energy comparing ministries. Loyalty belongs to Jesus and the church family He placed you in.

Even when I baptize people, I make it clear:

“I do not baptize you in my name. May God forbid! I baptize you in the name of Jesus Christ.”

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⚔️ Spiritual Warfare: I Heard a Rumour…

Let me also speak to what’s happening in the spirit.

I heard rumours that thieves recently broke into our church and stole laptops and a camera. While this may look like a physical crime, it is also spiritual warfare.

The enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10).

But those items were not ours—they were God’s holy property.

We refuse to accept loss. We declare:

“What the enemy meant for evil, God will use for good.”

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🙏 Join Our Recovery Prayer Chain:

Church, this is our moment to stand together:

1. Pray for the recovery of the stolen laptops and camera.

2. Ask the Holy Spirit to convict the thieves. May they have no rest until they surrender to Jesus. They touched what was sanctified.

3. Declare divine protection over FCC. No weapon formed against this house shall prosper.

This is unity in action—and it’s how we recover what was stolen.

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👨‍👩‍👧 Unity Must Touch Every Part of Life

Unity doesn’t stop at church teams—it must enter:

• 👫 Marriages

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• 🎤 Ministry teams

• 🏠 Homes and leadership circles

“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:3

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🙌 Final Prayer:

Lord Jesus, thank You for the unity You’ve built at FCC. Strengthen every leader, every marriage, every youth. We reject division. Restore what has been stolen. Convict those who touched what is holy. Let them encounter You. Cover this house with Your blood. Let harmony and strength remain. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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📌 Takeaway:

The Church in Corinth struggled with division—but they were still called.

FCC is no different. We are called, equipped, and united. Let’s stay together, pray together, and win together.

With love and urgency,

Pastor Joseph Antwi

Fortified City Church | Love City Church Basel | Global Prayer Hub