14Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent you? 18I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not act in the same spirit and follow the same course?
One thing about my parents is that they weren’t the type to always tell me what I wanted to hear. I can think of so many times growing up that I would listen to just about everybody but my parents. Seeking that type of independence is part of growing up, but the hardest lesson is the realization is that we should listen to our parents because they are the ones who are no matter what looking out for our best interests over their own.
Paul is dealing with the same thing with the Corinthians. Other pastors have come in and undermined what he has taught. Part of their tactic is to point out how impressive they are and how unimpressive Paul is. Paul points out that all he has ever done is love them and acted in their interests rather than talk about how great he is.
Who are you listening to? Who should you be listening to?
Friday, March 27, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
II Corinthians 12:11-13
11I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the "super-apostles," even though I am nothing. 12The things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles—were done among you with great perseverance. 13How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong!
When we were younger our parents looked out for us and took care of us. They knew what was best for our lives when we were little children. We were dependent upon them to take care of us and knowing what was best for our lives. Our relationship with Christ should be the same. We should rely on Christ to guide us daily as in the direction we should go. For by ourselves we are nothing, but with Christ we can do anything. Christ can give us the strength to do the things we need to do we just need to remember that we need Him in our lives so that He can help us.
When we were younger our parents looked out for us and took care of us. They knew what was best for our lives when we were little children. We were dependent upon them to take care of us and knowing what was best for our lives. Our relationship with Christ should be the same. We should rely on Christ to guide us daily as in the direction we should go. For by ourselves we are nothing, but with Christ we can do anything. Christ can give us the strength to do the things we need to do we just need to remember that we need Him in our lives so that He can help us.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
II Corinthians 12:7-10
7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
From lemons to lemon drops
We can’t be entirely sure what the thorn in the flesh was that Paul spoke of, but it was a physical affliction of some kind. In any case, we are still able to apply the lessons Paul learned to our own afflictions, physical or otherwise.
In our lives, we receive many of our blessings through transformation, rather than substitution. When Paul prayed three times for the removal of his affliction, he was saying “God, give me health instead of sickness, deliverance instead of pain and weakness.” But many times, instead of removing what burdens us, God gives us grace so that the affliction works for us and not against us.
That reminds me of my favorite verse of scripture: Romans 8:28. My paraphrase of it goes like this: God causes everything to work out for those that love Him and are seeking to live according to His purpose for them.
I have endured a great many trials in my life, and through every one of them, God has been faithful to help me embrace this verse which assures me that He is with me through ALL things, not merely some or most of them.
From lemons to lemon drops
We can’t be entirely sure what the thorn in the flesh was that Paul spoke of, but it was a physical affliction of some kind. In any case, we are still able to apply the lessons Paul learned to our own afflictions, physical or otherwise.
In our lives, we receive many of our blessings through transformation, rather than substitution. When Paul prayed three times for the removal of his affliction, he was saying “God, give me health instead of sickness, deliverance instead of pain and weakness.” But many times, instead of removing what burdens us, God gives us grace so that the affliction works for us and not against us.
That reminds me of my favorite verse of scripture: Romans 8:28. My paraphrase of it goes like this: God causes everything to work out for those that love Him and are seeking to live according to His purpose for them.
I have endured a great many trials in my life, and through every one of them, God has been faithful to help me embrace this verse which assures me that He is with me through ALL things, not merely some or most of them.
Monday, March 23, 2009
II Corinthians 11:21-29
What anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. 23Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
Everyone loves to be praised. Some crave this praise more than others. Many strive to be stronger, faster, prettier, smarter, and better than everyone else so that they can have more praise. When others do not give forth praise, it is human nature to boast and praise ourselves. Such boasting leads to pride, and pride goes before a fall. Therefore, God instructs us not to boast about ourselves or our possessions or our plans. Ultimately, we cannot control any of that. Therefore, we are instructed to boast in the Lord.
So WHY is Paul boasting here? Even he admits that it is foolish to do so. However, note the topic of his boasting. At first glance, this is not something to be proud of. Paul’s life was full of trials and pain. Still, this serves the purpose of showing his merit, his perseverance. Paul suffered freely and frequently for the sake of the gospel and when he boasts, he boasts not of how many churches he has planted, or how much he gave to the poor, or how many people he led to Christ. No. Instead he boasts about his weaknesses. God strength shines best through our weaknesses, not our strengths. This is a message every Christian martyr can testify to.
What do you boast about? Strengths or weaknesses? Does the light of God’s strength shine through you? Be aware. If you boast, do it for the right reasons and give the glory to God.
Everyone loves to be praised. Some crave this praise more than others. Many strive to be stronger, faster, prettier, smarter, and better than everyone else so that they can have more praise. When others do not give forth praise, it is human nature to boast and praise ourselves. Such boasting leads to pride, and pride goes before a fall. Therefore, God instructs us not to boast about ourselves or our possessions or our plans. Ultimately, we cannot control any of that. Therefore, we are instructed to boast in the Lord.
So WHY is Paul boasting here? Even he admits that it is foolish to do so. However, note the topic of his boasting. At first glance, this is not something to be proud of. Paul’s life was full of trials and pain. Still, this serves the purpose of showing his merit, his perseverance. Paul suffered freely and frequently for the sake of the gospel and when he boasts, he boasts not of how many churches he has planted, or how much he gave to the poor, or how many people he led to Christ. No. Instead he boasts about his weaknesses. God strength shines best through our weaknesses, not our strengths. This is a message every Christian martyr can testify to.
What do you boast about? Strengths or weaknesses? Does the light of God’s strength shine through you? Be aware. If you boast, do it for the right reasons and give the glory to God.
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