“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV84) Sometimes, most of the time, what goes on in our head is our greatest challenge. We live in an age of information-overload. Someone tell […]
“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15 NIV84) It’s not that people haven’t tried. Writers of the Scriptures used adjectives like love, grace, mercy, hope, joy, peace, deep, wide, East and West in attempts to describe God’s gift to us. During the last 2,000 years, millions of poems, hymns, and books […]
“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7 NIV84) Stewardship is a tough thing for us Christians to grow into. It challenges us at the very line between faith and reason. God has created us to […]
“For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have. Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so […]
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9 NIV84) So, tell me, what does it mean to be rich? For most human beings in the West, we spend 90+% […]
“But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.” (2 Corinthians 7:6, […]
“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.” (2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV84) The words sorrow, contrition and repentance are used in Christian circles constantly. I’m certain you have heard them and even used them; but do we know what they really mean? In our verse for […]
“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1 NIV84) There is only one way to rightfully teach and understand why we as Christians ought to do good works. All other approaches lead to bad practices […]
“Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Corinthians 6:14, 15 NIV84) As a young pastor I recall these verses […]
“We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.” (2 Corinthians 6:3 NIV84) There is a bit of Paul that needs to rub off on all of us in ministry today. We seem to be driven by events, special-interest ministries and budgets. In the spirit of true discipleship, […]
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