2 Corinthians 6-9
All-sufficient
Abundant Grace
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Psalm 141:1-10 Developing a Fragrant Life
Come to Me Quickly!
1O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice when I call to you! 2 Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
3 Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips! 4 Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their delicacies!
5 Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. 6 When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. 7 As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
8 But my eyes are toward you, O GOD, my Lord;
in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! 9 Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
and from the snares of evildoers! 10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.
Application
Give God permission to remodel your heart and mouth, and cooperate with Him and His subcontractors.
Prayer
God, may my desires, words, and works be like incense before You; please bring people into my life who can help me achieve that objective, and protect me from those who seek to destroy rather than build. Thanks that I can trust You to answer these requests. Amen.
TMS Matthew 4:19 Fisher of Fish or Men?
Observations
4:20 Note the immediate obedience, regardless of what it cost.
See Relationships in and out of the Body and Evangelism Objectives for fishing tips. This is a really easy verse to memorize if you haven't already done so.
Application
Those who follow Christ become fishers of men; no fishing, no following.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, I will follow You; I want to give my life to more than rotting fish; help me become a fisher of eternal souls, to save them from judgment. Amen.
2 Corinthians 6-9 All-sufficient Abundant Grace
The major “good stuff” of this post is in chapters 8-9 on the all-sufficient enabling grace/power of God that abundantly meets all our needs in this life, as we seek to do His will. However, don't miss chapter 6 which is important for understanding the reconciliation God wants believers to have with Him and ends with how to achieve that (holiness). In between Paul paints a portrait of a true servant of God. Chapter 7 opens with a great verse, and then it gets a little murky, with a few bright spots as Paul describes the difficulties of following and serving God in a fallen world.
2 Corinthians 6 Separated from Sin, Joined to God
Paul’s Hardships and God’s Grace
1 Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For he says,“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything. 11 We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also.
Do Not Be Unequally Yoked
14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
and I will be their God,
and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst,
and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you,
and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.”
Application
Holiness (separation from sin) is essential for a rewarding relationship with God. It's your choice. Listen to “Ain't Gonna Reign No More” on Truthbase.net for help in doing so.
Prayer
God, help me use the grace/power You've given me to separate from sin and be loyal to You, so You can dwell with me and bless me. Amen.
2 Corinthians 7 Perfecting Holiness
Paul’s Joy in the Corinthians
1 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. 2 Make room in your hearts for us. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you, for I said before that you are in our hearts, to die together and to live together. 4 I am acting with great boldness toward you; I have great pride in you; I am filled with comfort. In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. 5 For even when we came into Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were afflicted at every turn—fighting without and fear within. 6 But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, 7 and not only by his coming but also by the comfort with which he was comforted by you, as he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. 8 For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it—though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. 9 As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. 10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 11 For see what earnestness this godly grief has produced in you, but also what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter. 12 So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. 13 Therefore we are comforted.And besides our own comfort, we rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus, because his spirit has been refreshed by you all. 14 For whatever boasts I made to him about you, I was not put to shame. But just as everything we said to you was true, so also our boasting before Titus has proved true. 15 And his affection for you is even greater, as he remembers the obedience of you all, how you received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice, because I have complete confidence in you.
Application
Holiness is optional, but it's not an option, for those who will be glorified. It is not automatic; you have to reflect, repent and cleanse yourself, to perfect and maintain holiness. Only then can we experience God's promises.
Prayer
God thanks for calling me to be holy as You are holy so that I can experience You and the best possible life on this planet. Amen.
2 Corinthians 8 Grace of Giving
Generosity Commended
1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints— 5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 6 Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also. 8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 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 by his poverty might become rich. 10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. 11 So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. 12 For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 13 For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness 14 your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. 15 As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”Titus Commended
16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will. 20 We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us, 21 for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man. 22 And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. 23 As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker for your benefit. And as for our brothers, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. 24 So give proof before the churches of your love and of our boasting about you to these men.Application
How does God's grace enable you to give so others can be blessed and God glorified?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thanks for becoming poor so I might become rich; may that same grace be at work in my life. Amen.
2 Corinthians 9
God Loves a Cheerful Giver
1 Now it is superfluous for me to write to you about the ministry for the saints, 2 for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them. 3 But I am sending the brothers so that our boasting about you may not prove empty in this matter, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be. 4 Otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—for being so confident. 5 So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction. 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 9 As it is written,“He has distributed freely, he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.”
10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. 13 By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others, 14 while they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. 15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!
Application
If God gives you all the grace you need to do His will, what prevents you from doing it?
Prayer
God, thanks for the generosity You displayed in sending Jesus to die for my sins; thanks that You give me all the grace I need to give myself to You and Your purposes. May You receive through my life the praise and glory You desire and so richly deserve. Amen.
Digging Deeper
God in a nutshell: God gives us all we need to do His will, abundantly. He wants a relationship with us, and has done all that's necessary to make that possible.
Build-a-Jesus: Jesus emptied Himself to become poor for our sake so we could become rich.
Us in a nutshell: We need to draw upon God's limitless grace to separate from sin, and serve others, knowing God will give us all the grace we need to do His will.
Where to go for more
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