Don’t worry, Just Praise Him – 6-30-22

“And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

Do you already have a relationship with a powerful God who cares about your every need because He loves you? Did you know my God can communicate with you and protect you – He has a plan for you to prosper if you just submit to His will and let His plan play out in your life!!! God wants a relationship with you and has already made a plan for your life. He loves you so much He sent His son to this world, to die as a sacrifice for your sins and rise from death with victory over sin and the ability to have a personal relationship with you.

Do you want to know truth? Be able to discern lies? Know how to figure it all out in these confusing times and have peace? The Bible says Jesus is the truth. I have experienced it and it has changed my life. I was once a hot mess of sin, promiscuity, drug and alcohol use and so much more. But I was lost and when I could not find my way, or find a truth, I numbed it with bad choses. When I found Jesus, and truth – I found peace and deliverance from those things.

If you want a relationship with God without truth you will get the counterfeit, hypocritical Christianity that has kept some of you away for too long. You need truth and relationship. You need to be honest with yourself and God (including honest repentance) and God will reveal truth to you. It becomes the two way, interaction that your relationship with God is built on. This is why Jesus is called the truth, because he is our only way to the Father.

“If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.” Romans 10:9-10 NIV
Here is a prayer for you to pray:
Jesus, I believe you are the way, the truth, the life, and the only way to the Father. I believe you are the son of God, you came to Earth and lived. That you died on the cross as a sacrifice for my sins, and rose again so that I may be saved from my sins and be able to get to know you. I declare: Jesus, you are Lord!
Therefore, I confess that I am a sinner and I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my life. Help me to turn away from my sins and transform me into what you have lovingly created me to be. Help me through a real personal relationship grow and accept your will for my life – that I may live in your blessings. Please walk with me, and talk with me – I accept a relationship with you and with our Father God, through you. In the name of Jesus I pray ~ Amen

BIBLE READING:

Dear Heavenly Father – Please give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of who you are, who Jesus is, and who the Holy Spirit is. Open the eyes of our understanding, please, so we may know the hope of our calling and the vast sovereignty and power of the grace of the cross. Please do not let us miss out on what you want and need from us today. Lord, I pray that your word prepares us and not scares us! We forbid the works and influences of fear over your word and our sound mind. And please keep us and bless us and shine your face upon us and pour out grace over us and give us peace! And we pray for the peace of Jerusalem! Thank you! – In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Today’s reading is the Book of Philippians chapter 4 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Be Anxious for Nothing; Think These Thoughts

4 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.

Be United, Joyful, and in Prayer

²I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³^[a]And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.

⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

⁵Let your ^[b]gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Meditate on These Things

⁸Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippian Generosity

¹⁰But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your^[c] care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. ¹¹Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹²I know how to ^[d]be abased, and I know how to ^[e]abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³I can do all things through ^[f]Christ who strengthens me.

¹⁴Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. ¹⁵Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. ¹⁶For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. ¹⁷Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. ¹⁸Indeed I ^[g]have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. ¹⁹And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ²⁰Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Greeting and Blessing

²¹Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. ²²All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household.

²³The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with ^[h]you all. Amen.

Footnotes

Philippians 4:3 NU, M Yes
Philippians 4:5 graciousness or forbearance
Philippians 4:10 you have revived your care
Philippians 4:12 live humbly
Philippians 4:12 live in prosperity
Philippians 4:13 NU Him who
Philippians 4:18 Or have received all
Philippians 4:23 NU your spirit

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Acts 4:12-

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

Today we wrap up Philippians but we have only scraped the surface of the depth of life changing goodness in this short, but powerful book. After our last book with ALL of Paul’s corrections and hard words, it has been such a pleasure to bask in the goodness of God without correction – just encouraging and edifying and building us up.

“¹ Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.”

Today’s chapter begins with encouragement for a situation with two sisters who are part of Paul’s team. Some say they were not getting along and in some sort of disagreement and Paul is correcting them, and telling the church to help them get along. Another thought is that they had two different works and Paul was telling them to combine their vision and telling the church to get behind this combined work.
No matter which way you view it the Bible was written with narrative / historical parts specific for the original reader and lessons and corrections written for all people.

“²I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord. ³And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.”

And since I am not Euodia, Syntyche, or Clement – this is not for me. However the urge to help all who labor in the gospel AND with all whose names are in the Book of Life, is for us. Who do we labor with everyone?! Some ministries we send money to, some we send gifts to, some we physically help by volunteering or cleaning or participating or serving. He is speaking with mature Christians in an economically depressed area – it is more likely they helped any way they could and that usually meant NOT with money.
This urging doesn’t feel corrective to me – but edifying and reminding that if you see something that needs to get done, do it. Especially given the fact that this poor but generous church had taken time to save up and send a generous financial gift to Paul.
Speaking of generous gifts – you and I challenged ourselves to give the best offering in addition to our tithes, 2 Sundays ago. And last week we challenged ourselves to do it again.
I don’t know about you – but when you give while you are in need and not from a place of abundance and your offering really stretches you… it is so easy for me to sit here and say to myself, I could have used that money for this or that. I’d really like eggs (because I can make more things if I had eggs) I should have kept a little of the offering back and bought eggs. Or dishwasher soap so I do not have to hand wash the dishes! Then the dog runs out of kibble and I am back to a real need – but I have some chicken that was given to me and some rice – I can make dog food until God provides and he always does.
My point is that after a generous gift to God – there is always anxiety that tries to creep in and usually it starts with listing all the things I could have done for me with that money instead of giving it to God and letting Him do with it what He wants. I am guessing that after their generous offering – this church probably felt some anxiety as well.

“⁴Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!”

Even in the need. Even if the anxiety – rejoice in the Lord! So when I start thinking of my needs I stop and thank the Lord for what I do have and for saving me!

“⁵Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.”

In our needs, struggles, sufferings, battles… are we remaining gentle? And what does that even mean? Well, “the Lord is at hand” is the point of that sentence – not the word gentleness. Paul is saying we need to ALWAYS behave in a manner that furthers His will and His kingdom. As a teen Youth leaders used to say – don’t forget you represent God, your church and your family so behave accordingly. But the Lord is at hand, has an urgency about it… it is not about us representing God. It is about us furthering God.

I was just interrupted. A friend messaged me that they were in front of my house and it was urgent that I come right out. I came out and they waved and drove off – but there was a bag on my porch. Inside the bag was eggs, butter, olive oil, and vinegar. PRAISE THE LORD! Everything except the oil were things I needed – God met these needs AND gave abundance, the oil.

I was leading up to making the point that God doesn’t want us to worry – he really does handle it all. Both the big things and the little things. I was believing for $3000 by the end of this month to pay the bills and be able to make more offerings. I have $900 so far, God is SO GOOD. And I am sure Monday, I will be able to share where the rest came from. I made a bunch of new product for my store and I am praying that it all sells and then some of the older products too!

“⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

My heart IS full of thankfulness and my belly will soon be full of eggs! Lol So it is with confidence in my loving and generous father that I thankfully pray for what I do not yet have but believe he will give as well as what I have been given!

But anxiety, and a little, is a hard thought process to break. And for those who suffer with clinical anxiety, it is even harder. BUT GOD HAS AN ANSWER!

“⁸Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. ⁹The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”

The answer is to think on those things –AND to do the things Paul has taught us, following his example.

If you have not practiced the giving exercise – get to it and plan an offering for the Lord. Do these things as we are reading and learning. We are going to see some crazy thing in the next month – we will need the peace that comes from knowing the word of God and obeying it / practicing it daily.

Philippian 4:8 is one of the most difficult verses I ever had to memorize. And it is the only verse I remember working on memorizing. I remember because the meaning of it is deep and meaty. Each thing to think on is attached to a fruit. I memorized it in the King James Version because it has more rhythm, and I think that makes it easier. AND I worked on memorizing it every time I was anxious about something, anything.
Therefore, every time I have anxiety or I am anxious, I try to recall this verse and all the things to think on in the right order – and my anxiety goes away and I am thinking on the right things.
Anxiety and ‘what if’s are monsters from the enemy in a way. He whispers ‘what if’ and our flesh is a monster that reels us down a path to out of control – so he can come in and take control. UNLESS we stop, start working on or quoting this verse and surrender all the ‘what if’s to God for His glory.

“¹⁰But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.”

We read earlier this year of the church who loves to give, but has to sell things and work hard to earn it in order to give – It is suspected that it was this church. They did such a great offering for the church in Jerusalem that it took them a while to earn enough money to give to Paul. This offering was to help with his legal fees and cost of living – the Roman prison system did house arrest because it cost the government less money, the prisoner (unable to work while under arrest) was still responsible to provide his own food and life needs.
Paul is saying he understands that it took them a while and he is praising the Lord with them, knowing that every cent possibly came from a miracle and answer to prayer.

“¹¹Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹²I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

It is ok to go through needy times as well as bountiful times – God gives us the strength to get through it and the grace.

“¹⁴Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress.”

It is quite possible that they shared, because they experienced needing and knew what it was like and what was needed. We go through hard times and suffering sometimes so we can become generous to those with those same needs.

I knew a wealthy lady who came from nothing. She has long passed – but she was born of a prostitute and in squalor. Through marrying a man better off than her and he put her through nurses’ school – she died with not only her own money but his, a beautiful house, nice car, and everything people want. Her three children came to the funeral and very few other people. The adult children did not even bring their children and they fought with each other over the money and the estate. Although she knew what it was like to be needy – she never helped anyone else in need. She was stingy and greedy. No one liked her, not even her kids, who had to make their own money like she did.
I am sure God’s heart broke for her – she was supposed to learn from overcoming poverty and turn around and help others out of poverty. She did not even have to give all her money away, she could have started a charitable organization that gave scholarships to needy girls who wanted to be a nurse.
When we are in distress – learn from it so we can share in someone else’s.

“¹⁵Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. ¹⁶For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities.”

What beautiful praise – these people have learned to be generous from the beginning. They learned not just how to be a Christian in their own small circle of life – but they were on board with the big picture and gave and helped with the spreading of the good news.

“¹⁷Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.”

When we both give and receive – we should pray for the fruits and for God meeting their needs.

Back to us giving our generous offerings – when we stretch and pray for God to give us money to give that money is already a miracle when it lands in our hands! Then the miracle can multiple into the offering plate – to whatever ministry God has you give it to.

“¹⁸Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.”

Money, offerings that were blessed and came from sacrifice and God’s answer to prayer, hit the offering plat differently. They sound like the widow’s mites and smell like the broken alabaster box. They bring to remembrance all of the sacrifices and all of the provisions of all time. They are a direct reflection of God’s great sacrifice and gift to us on the cross. And because he loves us so much he did that he also sustains us:

“¹⁹And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

According to His riches – the silver is his and the God is his and He owns a cattle on a thousand hills.

“²⁰Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Don’t worry – Just praise Him.

“²¹Greet every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren who are with me greet you. ²²All the saints greet you, but especially those who are of Caesar’s household. ²³The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

And that concludes this book. I hope you have let the word get inside you and change you.

Tomorrow we begin a new quarter of the year and a new book. We start each quarter with one of the Gospels – so we will begin this one with the Gospel of Luke. Looking forward to spending more time learning about Jesus!

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

29 Jun 202228 Jun 2022

How to Walk Like Paul Walks – 6-29-22

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Philippians chapter 3 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

All for Christ

3 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

²Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! ³For we are the circumcision, who worship ^[a]God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, ⁴though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: ⁵circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

⁷But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ ⁹and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; ¹⁰that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, ¹¹if, by any means, I may attain^[b] to the resurrection from the dead.

Pressing Toward the Goal

¹²Not that I have already attained,^[c] or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³Brethren, I do not count myself to have ^[d]apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. ¹⁶Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already ^[e]attained, let us walk by the same ^[f]rule, let us be of the same mind.

Our Citizenship in Heaven

¹⁷Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. ¹⁸For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. ²⁰For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

Footnotes

Philippians 3:3 NU, M in the Spirit of God
Philippians 3:11 Lit. arrive at
Philippians 3:12 obtained it
Philippians 3:13 laid hold of it
Philippians 3:16 arrived
Philippians 3:16 NU omits rule and the rest of v. 16.

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Acts 4:12-

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

“¹Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.”

When addressing a strong and mature Christian audience – it is ok to repeat things. It’s not that it is tedious, it’s not that they aren’t getting it, it’s not that God isn’t working these things in them – it is that some of these things are so important that it bears repeating. Some of these things are so deep, you need to hear them a few times to catch the layers of revelation the Lord has for us. Never stop being open to reading the same verse or the same passage or the same book over and over – because each time God can show you something new.
Paul is saying that he wants us to pay attention, even though we have heard this before, because there is more revelation in this. I know I always start our Bible reading with the same Pauline prayer for understanding and revelation but today it’s extra important – so much so, that he prays for our revelation again in chapter, specifically in relation to the state of our hearts to receive something new from God and be able to discern and avoid evil.

“²Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!”

I know many of you who “like” these posts regularly have been doing so for a year or more… I pray you have grown into a more mature Christian during that time. This is NOT just for the mature believers. Because if you just got here, if you started believing today, and if you’ve been believing for a long time and struggling to grow – this is for you. And let God meet us all where we are at with the lesson we need to stretch and grow a little closer to Him today!

We have discussed the shaking in the church, the judgments of God falling starting in the house of the Lord, which we see has begun. We have discussed the separation of the goats and the sheep, and the other passage which says the goats and the sheep and the sheep. I have heard people share dreams and visions of the shaking of the tree with the leaders in it and certain branches breaking. And another of running a race and the earth begins to crumble and swallow people up while there make it across the divide. And my own dream I shared part of before of the earth splitting open and everyone choosing a side, while those who didn’t choose fell into the black dark canyon that split the two sides. And last year we read Ezekiel 34 – and now it is here upon us. And not a bit of any of that is scary for those who are in love with Jesus and in a relationship with God through Jesus and obeying the will of our Father.
I bring it all up because the overturning of Roe v. Wade – is like a spiritual earthquake, according to my pastor and ALL of this came to mind. And I watch everyone pick a side and the divide grows dark and deep. And those in the middle better scurry to a side or they will be swallowed up.
We know who the dogs are for the most part. Jews of that period called the gentiles dogs as a derogatory slang, because dogs were thought of as unclean and impure. Paul is a Jew and he is writing to a mixed group of Jewish and Gentile believers in Christ. He MOST CERTAINLY IS NOT calling the gentiles in the group, dogs. Paul’s flare for sarcasm, is using the meaning of the slang and turning it back upon the unrighteous who use that term. Beware of the leaven, the unclean that can get you dirty, or the wolves in sheep clothing. (To go deeper, see also Matthew 15:26-27 and Revelation 22:15 and think about the distinction between unclean and clean food in relation to people.)
Evil workers get exposed eventually but we do need discernment. This is the same term as “deceitful workers” which we studied in 2 Corinthians 11:13. False teachers, those who knowingly take advantage of the flock as well as those who themselves are deceived and deceive others but with good intentions, which we see a lot of these dark days that we live in. AND…
What are the mutilation? Other translations say “the mutilators”. It is Gentile derogatory slang of it’s time against the Jews who circumcised their boys as a badge of honor.

Today starts off with quite a bang – things escalated quickly when by verse 2 Paul is throwing around derogatory slang in a sarcastic tone right out of the gate! We start with rejoice in the Lord and beware of…. I mean literally Paul himself IS a “mutilator” so what on earth is he saying?! AND THEN… he admits he is one of them, after saying beware of them and even more confusing he calls the believers (Jews and Gentiles at Philippi) mutilator as well:
“³For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, ⁴though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: ⁵circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; ⁶concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”

Paul literally juxtaposes all the nonsense of the various schools of thought in the early church in one seemingly confusing sweep. Until we step into the sarcastic tone, step back to see the whole paragraph, and step back into history. The early church had a problem with people pushing circumcision on the Gentiles. Since the Jew’s path to Christ was first through Judaism they felt everyone should meet Jesus that way. And we discussed before that ALL the elders and disciples and apostles of the early church got together and decided no one had to come under the law to then be freed from the law. We cannot trust the flesh – but if you are not there yet and do not yet understand why we can’t trust the flesh, trust Paul – because he was circumcised and has the experience and knows what he is telling you.

Circumcision was a sign of a covenant between God and Abraham. Jews had to keep that covenant. BUT that has nothing to do with being saved. So these dogs, evil workers and mutilators were distracting and confusing the simple and pure salvation message and imposing rules that infringe on the freedoms that we have in Christ.

Now Paul will continue to use his experience as a guide for us. Not that we need to be shipwrecked a few times and beaten and thrown in jail. But my trials, which are different form your trials, which are different from Paul’s trials are what GOD needs to refine us so He can tell His story through our lives. Therefore what things we have by way of experience and trials (the things we learned and grew from and give us gain and the eyes of man) are a loss for Christ and what we lose through those experiences are God’s gain!

“⁷But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. ⁸Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ”

We have heard this before – not so much with the letters to the immature Corinthians. But in the die to flesh letter to the Romans and the kingdom of heaven minded Thessalonians and we will see it again in scriptures.
God’s ways are not our ways and what MAN sees is now how God sees any of this.
I have shared, maybe overshares my trials as examples so you can apply scriptures to your selves, as I try to do as well. And now I can look back at some of those troubles and thorns and struggles and I see a lesson I was never looking for, never saw while I went through it, and never even realized I was learning. And it is lose to me – but glorious gain for my Father and His Kingdom plan.

“⁹and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;”

Not having my own righteousness, but through FAITH – Paul is quoting his letter to the Romans.

“¹⁰that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,”

Paul NEVER took his salvation or his relationship with God for granted. He always kept at the front of every claim of his salvation, the fact that it is only because of Jesus. His focus was ALWAYS to “know Him and the power of His resurrection”. He looked at every problem, obstacle, struggle (or suffering) as not just comparing and getting an understanding of Jesus’s struggle – but sharing, communing and fellowshipping in Christ’s work. In all things Christ was made man and understands us – and we can share His experience for His glory when we have the revelation that this is MEAT! It may be breaded with savory seasonings we all love and nibble on… but get into the meat as well.

“¹¹if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Did you catch that? If he may reach the Goal. Did Paul doubt that he was going to heaven? Doubt is the wrong word. Paul knows firsthand how easy it is to run the wrong course, zealously chasseing the will of God. IN EVERY LETTER we see warning about not being fooled. Jesus said it will be worse in the perilous end times (which we are in). The point is NOT to doubt that which the spirit bears witness to – the point is to fight to hold it, to examine yourself daily, to let God continue to guide you. That point is – we are still human and make mistakes – so make sure your mistake isn’t to rebel against God’s will by following a lie.

“¹²Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.”

I love how human Paul is – and the fact that even those of us who have been in this for a while need to be reminded. If we become complacent, no longer guarding our hearts, minds and salvations that we can end up finding ourselves lost and at the wrong side of this divide that is happening, or worse, by not attaining what the Lord has for you for all eternity.

“¹³Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Paul is merely reminding us to stay focused on Christ. To seek first the Kingdom and all things are then added to us. Our relationship with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit is all about relationship. But Paul also compares it to a walk with someone, a race with a prize, and something to hold onto, protect and fight to keep.

“¹⁵Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.”

God will reveal it. It is my Job to tell you, to teach. But it is only through Christ’s revelation will you learn. Those who know, know. And the rest will find out. Not only do we have to trust God and obey him in actions – but we must trust Him with the results – which we may never see. God’s word finishes what it started. God is able to handle His story. God can do what He does. And even as God is growing us and maturing us…

“¹⁶Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.”

We must remain humble in Him and in unity with each other.

Paul’s metaphor changes from a race to a walk here – as he continues to teach on HOW to walk this thing out. How the fact that we have a relationship with God changes everything about our behavior and being in all things. What does it look like when we surrender completely to God?

“¹⁷Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.”

Paul lives it as an example.

Now, remember Paul is just writing this out as a reminder. It is the deep things to know how to do this. When we are new in Christ we learn as we go, and now we are able through our experience to understand (while those who are still newer, can take this and tuck it in their hearts in hope of obtaining the deep understanding faster).

Of course remembering these lessons will make us sad about those who did not hold on and slipped away. Those who walked away.

“¹⁸For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: ¹⁹whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”

Yeah – it is NOT even the enemy of our souls, but our own flesh and desire that slides us away.
I had reconnected with an old ministry leader I knew as a child. They are still in ministry, in another state. So I had no visual clues just written words on a screen – so I called to at least hear their heart. Nothing is more beautiful than the heart of those who love the Lord. But a sneaking kind of pride answered. Not the braggadocios kind. The kind that is wrapped in criticism and is always better than. Over the course of the time we were reconnected, slowly sins immerged that were justified – just small ones. Then they stopped speaking to me all together and I learned they had an affair that destroyed their marriage and their church. I am sure their decline started long before we had reconnected – but the decline did not start with the big bad sin, it started with pride – thinking you are way too mature to slip up and compromise. And that is the POINT of this whole chapter. Beware of Dogs.

“²⁰For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.”

When we focus on this planet we live on, our flesh can lead us astray. If we reject the citizenship of this planet and put all our hopes, effort and energies into the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN and being a good citizen of heaven – then there is less a chance of being led astray and more of a chance that we will accomplish the Lord’s will.

Be wise and careful. Examine yourself and draw close to God. Ask God to help show you how you can walk MORE like Paul walks. Not with a limp or in his mechanics – but in the spirit with Christ-like mannerisms and love.

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

28 Jun 202227 Jun 2022

Humility and Sacrifice of a Mature Christian – 6-28-22

“that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:10-11 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Philippians chapter 2 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Unity Through Humility

2 Therefore if there is any ^[a]consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ²fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. ³Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

The Humbled and Exalted Christ

⁵Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, being in the form of God, did not consider it ^[b]robbery to be equal with God, ⁷but ^[c]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ⁹Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Light Bearers

¹²Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; ¹³for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

¹⁴Do all things without ^[d]complaining and disputing,^[e] ¹⁵that you may become blameless and ^[f]harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

¹⁷Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.

Timothy Commended

¹⁹But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your ^[g]state. ²⁰For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. ²¹For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus. ²²But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. ²³Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. ²⁴But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.

Epaphroditus Praised

²⁵Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; ²⁶since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. ²⁷For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. ²⁹Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; ³⁰because for the work of Christ he came close to death, ^[h]not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.

Footnotes

Philippians 2:1 Or encouragement
Philippians 2:6 Or something to be held onto to be equal
Philippians 2:7 emptied Himself of His privileges
Philippians 2:14 grumbling
Philippians 2:14 arguing
Philippians 2:15 innocent
Philippians 2:19 condition
Philippians 2:30 risking

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Acts 4:12-

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

While the young divided and mischievous church of Corinth is still on our minds – the contrast of speaking firm in love to a wild child vs this more mature church is quite a juxtaposition to ponder. Not to mention this book was written in approx. 62 ce, almost 10 years after 1 Corinthians; so Paul had also matured in Christ some in that time as well.

Some believe this book is actually a combination of 3 letters to the church at Philippi, with the end of chapter 4 being the first letter. The idea is that Paul jumps from topic to topic, seems abrupt. But it could be to save money on ink and scroll. The other argument for it being multiple letters is that in today’s letter we see that Epaphroditus was sick (almost dies) and in chapter 4 he just arrives. On the other hand, Epaphroditus’s illness could be a past event that Paul is just talking about.

Whatever the case may be – in today’s reading we learn that no matter what your maturity level is, we all need reminding of that deep spiritual secret: humility. We also discuss the powerhouse weapon called unity. So far in our studies this year, we have only touched on it, but we will begin to see it more in Paul’s other letters.

“¹Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ²fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”

We start with a therefore – what is it there for? Yesterday’s meaty verses about the false teachers and the state of things in general – with a focus on God’s sovereignty – seems to be what it is there for. Unity. Not be like the rest, have unity.
Modern application – we are now a bunch of denominations or non-denominational with a bunch of various ideas on prophecy, on how to baptize, on speaking in tongues, and so on… and the truth is most of our difference are not heaven or hell, life or death differences. We agree on more than we disagree on and our spirits bear witness that each other is of our Father. So like-minded and one mind is not telling us we can’t disagree on some things. There are a few records of Paul disagreeing with a brother. It doesn’t stop or prevent unity. We can agree to disagree. I know that takes maturity and humility, but it is easier than you think.

“³Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

Esteem others – this is consideration. I had a dear friend years ago ask me what was the character trait that was a must have or deal breaker when it came to a relationship with someone else. I thought about it and came to the conclusion that it was consideration. I could not date someone who was inconsiderate to others, especially me. It struck her as a funny answer because most people answer with shallow things – and consideration includes a level of humility and a servant’s heart, meekness and gentleness of spirit, and godliness. The truth is – we are all drawn to it and it is easy to be in unity and like mind with someone who is considerate. They may consider you and make a choice you do not like – that does happen. But they thought about how it affects you and probably found a compromise. If we find it attractive and easy to get along with, we too should become humble and esteem other better.

“⁴Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.”

And it is worth repeating. They will know we are Christians by our love Jesus said. And a mature Christian shows that love in the form of consideration.

Paul then inserts a poem, verses 5 through 11. The style is a popular style of poetry from the 30’s just after Jesus’s death at least from what we can tell from dating the various texts found from that time. Paul would have been in school, a child, and would have studied that style of poetry. And this is only 30+ years later – so it is possible Paul is quoting someone else, possibly a popular encouraging song or maybe Paul did write them a poem.
But after expressing consideration, this poem would come to mind as it expresses Jesus’s humility and consideration:

“⁵Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, ⁷but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. ⁹Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Every letter Paul writes also has a version of the good news, the gospel message, the point of this – the grace of the work of the cross. And here in this poem, we find that message. We can take this passage to the streets and witness to people and ask them if they want prayer and a relationship with God, with just 7 verses of poem. If Paul wrote it or not, I am glad it is included.

Jesus did not consider it robbery to be equal with God. This verse is one of the verses that help us to understand the relationship amount God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. I was always taught the concept of a trinity and the three of them are one, with different names and slightly different jobs. Although Jesus said: ‘if you know me, then you know the Father’. So not all that different at all.
The word trinity is not in the Bible. It is a word we came up with to help simplify and understand a spiritual concept we can only understand in part, and have faith that somehow these three are separate and are one. However if you do not believe in the trinity of God and think all three are very separate, crazy enough, I can understand your argument and honestly I think both are true. They are and are not one. But spirit things cannot be understood in the flesh or expressed with words. And it is not for us to know in full, now – just read the Bible and get it in you. Jesus was the word, with God and equal to God – the word became flesh and now I am quoting John chapter 1.

Paul also likens men to bondservants. We no longer have bondservants in my country (nor in most). But in the Roman world is was very common and something people could easily relate to. Having debt and paying it off in service instead of in cash was common (sadly, you could force your daughter to pay off your debt as a wife bondservant). It was actually a good business to get into. Many masters who owned vineyards, olive groves, and wheat fields needed laborers. So they would pay a debt on behalf of a working class person (usually for some settled amount), and that worker would willingly submit into a form of slavery and pay off the full amount in labor.
It is hard to understand in our world where we see treating people as property is wrong. But in that extreme swing away from abusive slavery – we lost a tender and amazing spiritual principle. We owed a debt we could not pay and Jesus humbled himself to come here and humbled himself further to pay that debt on our behalf – and we are not forced into being his bondservants – yet, because of his loving sacrifice we humble subject ourselves to being his bondservant, owned by him and in his service. It is good to be owned. I tell my son I own him – in spirit, I claim that ownership and take authority over the evil coming against him. But the same principle is magnified when we are owned by the most high, living, and powerful God! What then can harm us? We are HIS. (and He is ours – yes, we lovingly own a stake in God.) Being owned and a possession is NOT bad – but the enemy certainly has corrupted it and now the younger generations and those more ‘liberal’ minded struggle to comprehend and handle it, therefore they will not submit or subject themselves to being a bondservant to our Lord. That is actually a problem. That is not how our relationship with Him works. We must submit, and do so out of overwhelming love and understanding of what great love he has for us.

Verse 9 is a victorious swing of your sword EVERY time it is swung! Yep – it hit and cuts the enemy deeply enough to declare victory over that battle every time. Let’s read it again:

“⁹Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,”

Cancer has a name, and therefore it must bow to the name of Jesus. Sickness and pain has a name and therefore it must bow to the name of Jesus. Poverty has a name and therefore it must bow to the name of Jesus the provider. Confusion has a name and MUST bow to the name of Jesus! [fin in your prayer need’s name] must bow to the name of Jesus!
Every time, every swing of quoting that verse – these things must bow. And in the spirit they do bow. Declare the victory over the battle and keep fighting the war.

“¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

I repeated the end of this poem as well, because it is another good sentence for swinging in battle. Remind that enemy of the end game.

That poem contains every promise – because it is the salvation message and our every victory! It is life changing to those who believe. It is world changing for those who share it.

“¹²Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;”

The word ‘Therefore’ is there for the reminding that this sentence is directly connected to the gospel poem. Paul says I know you are mature believers, keep going and each work out your own salvation – meaning your own relationship with God. If we truly take the time to develop a relationship and not some form of religion – God will be working on each of us where we are at and growing us at our appointed speed, in accordance with our obedience. As much as we must be in unity in spirit – mature Christians know God is going to work out all the sin in other people, so they focus on the sin in their own life. Now if someone is in rebellion refusing to work out their sin – lovingly bring them before God. If they reject God, then they must leave until they are ready to do it right. Now, please note, that these are a combination of the lesson of Paul to the early church which was meeting underground and in houses. You had to be careful of who came in. So you when out, evangelized and brought them in. Today, we bring people in and hope the pastor evangelizes for us and we no longer have ‘out-reaches’, instead have ‘drag-ins’. In this method, witches, sorcerers, wolves, demoniacs, and other evils march in through the doors of the church and disrupt the move of the spirit in the church. Some even sit on the board. So some of Paul’s intolerance in the church does not apply because the church is where we bring it all in to clean it up. So there really needs to be a separation somewhere between the church and the body – and we vet those permitted in the body who do life with us.

“¹³for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Back to being a bondservant – or willingly submitted as a servant in order to pay back a debt that was paid by our master. Bondservants may go into it willingly and obey willingly – but they are still subjects to the will and pleasure of their master. Same with us to God’s will and good pleasure. Thankfully God is love, and good, and kind, and gentle, and generous, and affectionate, and merciful and and and…
even when we do not understand and we think we are under attack or struggle or persecution or even threat of death – He is still good. He has the right to tell HIS story any way He wants through our lives. AND he uses the non-believers as well as the believers – so you might as well be a believer where it also works out for our good!

“¹⁴Do all things without complaining and disputing,¹⁵that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, ¹⁶holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”

Take away from this the idea that if you complain you labor in vain. The reason – complaining is a slippery slope. Just stay away from it. You can inform people of your woes and needs without complaining – otherwise God does NOT get the glory. And the point of struggling is that God gets the glory. It also gives others an opportunity to share in your struggles, either in prayer and intercession for you, or in gifts and being used by God to meet the needs. In that sharing, God is glorified doubly – once in you and once again in the person who shares in it. Then you both have a blessing and a testimony!

“¹⁷Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. ¹⁸For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.”

This sharing of the burdens IS like a drink offering poured out to God. It is another image we do not see but they would have been familiar with. Imagine if you own a winery and you open a wine to taste it and discover you have made the best tasting wine EVER! If people tasted it, you’ll be famous and rich! Well, glory to God! Now bring that wine to the temple and offer it as a drink offering. Offer to God, your very best! Pour it out on the altar. With it goes any hope of people tasting it, knowing it was the best, all fame and hope of riches – everything is poured out. You’re left with nothing but empty bottles. But you are filled with God’s grace and favor.
Now imagine yourself a bottle full of all the best – and you pour yourself out to the Lord. Give him your all – empty yourself of self. Then God will fill you – overflowing! With him.
God poured out Paul as a drink offering. And you and I should follow and offer ourselves poured out to God.

“¹⁹But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. ²⁰For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. ²¹For all seek their own, not the things which are of Christ Jesus.”

No one like-minded. That is so sad. But the truth is sometimes God gives us a burden BECAUSE no one else is picking it up. Here is a mature church, so no one is praying for them, because they seem to have their acts together. Please always remember to pray for EVERYONE and EVERY MINISTRY that touches your life. If it is mature or still new – we all need prayer.

“²²But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel.”

Here Paul reveals that he sees and treats Timothy as a son. And later we will see Paul give his mantle over to him.

“²³Therefore I hope to send him at once, as soon as I see how it goes with me. ²⁴But I trust in the Lord that I myself shall also come shortly.”

Ok, so if Paul is writing from Rome under house arrest, then why is he hoping to come to them shortly? It could be that Paul means after his trial before Cesare, when he hope to be found innocent (since he is) and freed. Or maybe this really is a collection if a few letters pieced together and written at different times.

“²⁵Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; ²⁶since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick.”

Paul was going to send Timothy, but here is Epaphroditus who what worried about them worrying about him being sick. So Paul is sending him instead. OR Paul is explaining why he sent Epaphroditus who has now returned with the offering for Paul and now Paul is sending Timothy back with this letter and the tenses are just translated wrong. Parts of scripture are just narrative and although narrative helps us know content, it is not always necessary to know everything about the narrative.

“²⁷For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had mercy on him, and not only on him but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. ²⁸Therefore I sent him the more eagerly, that when you see him again you may rejoice, and I may be less sorrowful. ²⁹Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness, and hold such men in esteem; ³⁰because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life, to supply what was lacking in your service toward me.”

As often as we see immediate healing after immediate healing in the Bible. This healing does not seem immediate. Also, as full of faith as Paul is and with as many signs and wonders that Paul saw – He never demanded of God – it is not lack of faith, but reverence to God’s will that make Him joyous at each miracle. Like a child always remain in wonder by God.

Wow is this book nice and meaty. Please take time today to mediate on the word and let God continue to work it in you and help you grow.

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

27 Jun 202226 Jun 2022

Welcome to the Book of Philippians – 6-27-22

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Philippians chapter 1 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Greeting

1 Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the ^[a]bishops and deacons:

²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thankfulness and Prayer

³I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, ⁴always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, ⁵for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; ⁷just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. ⁸For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.

⁹And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, ¹¹being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Christ Is Preached

¹²But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, ¹³so that it has become evident to the whole ^[b]palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

¹⁵Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: ¹⁶^[c]The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; ¹⁷but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁸What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.

To Live Is Christ

¹⁹For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I ^[d]cannot tell. ²³^[e]For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. ²⁴Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. ²⁵And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, ²⁶that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.

Striving and Suffering for Christ

²⁷Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but ^[f]to you of salvation, and that from God. ²⁹For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, ³⁰having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.

Footnotes

Philippians 1:1 Lit. overseers
Philippians 1:13 Or Praetorium
Philippians 1:16 NU reverses vv. 16 and 17.
Philippians 1:22 do not know
Philippians 1:23 NU, M But
Philippians 1:28 NU of your salvation

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Acts 4:12-

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

Welcome to the book of Philippians. Paul and Timothy, well it was more like Paul and his whole team effort (just like all of his letters), wrote to the church in Philippi. This letter was written in response to a generous offering this church sent to help support Paul while he was imprisoned in Rome and unable to work for money. You might remember at the end of the Book of Acts, Paul was imprisoned under a form of house arrest in Rome waiting his trial before Cesare. He needed money for food and survival as well as for his lawyer and legal fees. Yet, there is no record of Paul asking for money. This church felt compelled to take up a collection and give – and what is so amazing is that these people were needy and they still took up an offering to give to help Paul.
While Paul was under house arrest, he had access to his team, to visitors, and wrote many letters to the churches.

Let’s talk for a minute about the city of Philippi. It was not like Corinth. Corinth and Ephesus (and others) are Greek cities which when Rome came through conquering, became “civilized”; which is the Roman word for Romanizing a different culture. Rome took over by letting people keep their beliefs and values and slowing twisting and assimilating them into the Roman way. But in order for Rome to be successful in maintaining areas, they had to build strongholds – planting ROMAN cities that had no Greek law or process or area King. These Roman cities had full Roman rights as if they were the actually city of Rome and answered directly to Cesare. Philippi was one such city. It was a mini Rome. It was located a little bit in land, but strategically placed, as it originally was a fortressed, major Greek city on a major trade route of roads. But over the years, being slightly in land, with only foot and chariot traffic and no sea traffic, the divide between the “haves” and the “have nots” grew, with more “have nots” and the city had a poverty issue.

From their struggles and Paul’s gratefulness sparking a desire to write to thank them for their gift and edify them we get some of the strongest promises of God to stand on for provisions and strength. The overall theme of the book is to be encouraged to be a mature Christian and continue to grow, even as a mature believer.

We do not grow in the Lord, and reach maturity and stop growing and struggling and trying. The human experience is about struggle and interactions and overcoming, no matter how mature you are – and understanding this and continuing to grow is fundamental to maturity.

“¹Paul and Timothy, bondservants of Jesus Christ, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:”

I am not sure if we discussed titles in the early church before, but some weird things happened in the texts from the time Paul wrote them and we received them. First of all, there were NO titles when Jesus walked the earth, except ‘disciples’ – which means disciplined student. They turned into ‘apostles’, meaning a type of teacher/leader. Those stem from Greek words with those meanings we were not really a formal title as much as a general description.
Bishops is NOT actually in the Bible. The original Greek word is: ἐπισκόποις (episkopois) which comes from ‘epi’ and ‘skopos’ meaning an overseer. There is some debate about the 1^st century structure as to if the bishops were overseeing the deacons of if they answered to the deacons. Originally it was thought that the bishops over saw everything – but in typical Pauline humility, it may be they were listed first because they were lower on the chain of command and the last was actually the first.
Deacons are in the original text from διακόνοις (diakonois) meaning attendant or waiter, a server. It seems the original pastors/teachers were called deacons, but the slave who served you at the local restaurant or and of the slaves who served the upper class Romans were also called διακόνοις (diakonois). They had developed the title of the servant – and had an everyday reminder by title to be humble and serve the people. This word may have come to use from Jesus asking Peter to feed His sheep – to be the waiter and server.
Over time, as the Bible was translated and man made positions came to be the overseer was called (in the Holy Roman roots of Catholicism) the Bishop. And from there when translated to King James and other some other versions, the new man made title was inserted over the term overseer.

“²Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. ³I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, ⁴always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, ⁵for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now,”

I never tire of the importance of prayerfully greeting someone by speaking grace into their lives. Why have we put aside this tradition? Why aren’t we praying down grace and more grace while we are still in the dispensation of grace – while grace is bountifully available? How much more can we do with a bit of extra grace?!?!

“⁶being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;”

And boom! Before Paul is even done with the greeting we are hit with the first life changing promise of God in this book. God will finish what He started.
Did he call you as a child, but it isn’t happening yet? It will. Is God a man that he should Lie? NO (Numbers 23:19)! Will God finish what he started in my life? Yes! Will He fishing what He started in you? Yes! Will he abandon us half done? Nope! God is so Good. This is one of those verses you can stand on whenever you are in a waiting period, a growing period, and even when you are having victories – there are more to come!! Because God will not just finish the first part – He will finish It all with COMPLETE VICTORY! Completely finished! Hallelujah!

“⁷just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. ⁸For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.”

Just because Paul was under house arrest, did NOT mean he had it easy. You cannot take a man who has run, run, run and make him hold still and not be with those he loves. I can imagine how much he longs to see them. Years ago I was drawn back to God and a church in NJ had a huge part in my return. I still join their prayer times and online services. I have gotten to know many of them and I am now, even friends with them on Facebook. But as much as I long to go visit them – I have been prevented. First it was my car (which was bad). I got a new (new to me, but old in age, used) car, but then it was an icy bad winter. As spring approached, 2020 lockdowns began. Things open up and I had covid for so long. Finally now… and gas and finances are an issue. If I long to see a body of believers who I have never met but love dearly, I can imagine that knowing them and missing them must be worse!

“⁹And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, ¹¹being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

Paul’s letters also often have amazing examples of ways to pray for each other. Yesterday, a pastor I know personally but do not know well, lost his mind and publicly called out a handful of false teachers and every person ever seen in a photograph with them. Wisdom, be careful who you get photographed with. But many preachers / teachers are at these big event full of many different denominational pastors preaching. None of them agree with everything the others are saying. And IF there are false prophets in that group, the men and women of God agree with what is godly and pray against that which is not. Being at the same conference, being in photos together, interviewing each other, having a conversation, etc. does not mean they agree on everything (or even anything for that matter).
So my friend who lost his mind (I always say we are NOT heresy hunters – God lets false teachers rise up to test His elect, as we have studied – Let God expose them and bring them down. DO NOT GET IN GOD’s WAY!) Anyway, my friend, failed to expose the truth, by muddling it up with speculation and association – SO HE EVEN FAILED AT EXPOSING THE FALSE PROPHETS.
The problem was he threw in the name of another dear pastor friend of mine who I know that I know is a man of God. So now anyone who knows that is wrong, and possibly others in that list are wrong, they dismiss the whole list and never take the time to discern if anyone on that list IS ACTUALLY A FALSE PROPHET.
Here is the point – BE CAREFUL. And pray “that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment”. Operative word is LOVE. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! And discernment and knowledge – OH LORD, OPEN OUR EYES AND UNDERSTANDING, PLEASE!
I pray this for you – pray it for me too!
Paul is praying this over a church of mature believers! Mature! It is SO POSSIBLE that mature believers can be deceived. I cannot warn on this enough as we see it over and over in all of Paul’s letters and in the gospels where Jesus warned of how easy we can be deceived! Do not be so proud to think it can’t or won’t happen to you.
Please spend time in the word of God seeking Him about who you should follow and pray about it. Ask for discernment for yourself as well. Let God call out the evil, most of us are NOT called to that and there are only a few examples of prophets who are called to being a heresy hunter and God blinded their audiences so no one listened to them. Just let God handle it.

I want to move on – but this also says “without offense” and unto “fruits of righteousness”.
Good warriors, war. They fight! They take an attack on a friend as an attack upon themselves. But God grace in suffering it only for the one who is offended. We literally just saw that verse the other day (God’s grace is sufficient). I do not have the grace to fight your battles. I have just enough grace for my own job here. Do not offend and do not take on offences. Taking on another’s offense will cause offending! Woe what a snow-ball effect that will have. Instead have peace and know God is able to fight his own fights. Our friends have the grace to endure their struggles. We must stay out of God’s way, and have peace. It is right and is our righteousness. Then grab this verse and pray it over all parties involved. Because only God know what is truth – and only God can reveal it to you. Die to flesh – have no opinion and let God speak. (During the conflict I am referring to – it has been hard to hold my tongue. I will let God work. But then it comes up here and I have to speak.)

“¹²But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel,”

Paul is saying that being held a prisoner has actually worked out to further the gospel! So many times in our physical eyes we see a situation as something bad, a hindrance, or even a setback – BUT God is working all things for our good, while we are in His will. So it is HIS good too!
The second promise we can affirmatively stand on in this book is that God can turn any test into a testimony, can turn any situation into His glory, and can work all things for our good.
That means this heresy hunting pastor I know, upsetting a section of the believers and attacking a closer friend and pastor can actually work out for the glory of God. But we need to submit to God’s plan and shut our mouths. It is great to be lions and generals in this time, but we must also be gentle:
“Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16
We know there are wolves – and the wolves ARE NOT in the midst of us, but WE are in the midst of them! They are all around. Be wise and gentle – trust God to be God over it.

“¹³so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

Back to what Paul is saying – many of the guards are becoming believers or are seeing the life witness of Paul, through Paul’s imprisonment. Moreover, Paul is becoming more bold. Which is so interesting – but he has an armed guard at his side to keep him from escaping – but also, as a Roman citizen, to keep him alive until his trial. So Paul NO LONGER has to flee for his life when he upsets the status quo (something God’s presence does often)!
Paul started his ministry recklessly proclaiming the gospel! He told everyone and ran for his life! Then Jesus took him aside and taught him. Paul became more and more careful and humble in his service.
As Paul matures in the Lord, and as you and I mature in the Lord, we slowly become more and more zealous, and fearless again. This time, fearless; not reckless!
As we watch the signs of the times unfold, as we fight the good fight of faith, we end up at a point where either it is forced upon us, like Paul’s imprisonment or it is a decision like Queen Esther – we just stop being afraid and we walk in faith! ‘If I die, I die’ (Esther 4:16)

“¹⁵Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: ¹⁶The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; ¹⁷but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. ¹⁸What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice.”

Honestly, I never considered this before… even if Christ is preached from someone with wrong ambitions – at least Christ is being preached and therefore people can have the opportunity to choose a relationship with God through Christ! And let God be God over that relationship! I can sit under a false teacher and still grow! And once mature enough to hear God’s voice God can move me to someone preaching a clean unadulterated word. But even then, man is fallible and may make a mistake – BUT GRACE, GRACE is abundant and Christ is being preached. Do you get that?! It is the second promise we can stand on in this book, as long as Christ is being preached God can work with it! Thank you Jesus!

That is a mature concept. When we are young in Christ we are offended by false prophets. As we mature, although offended for the blight on righteousness – we can be in peace knowing God’s sovereignty.

Here is a little history that I think is interesting. Certain Jews who had it out for Paul and hunted him from city to city, were without a purpose once Paul became a prisoner to the Roman government. They were NOT going to give up on making life hard for Paul. So they pivoted and discovered that IF they preached Christ a certain way, it caused problems for Paul with Rome. This is actually documented. But what they preached exactly is unknown. Some think they were causing division in the church like we saw in Corinth (years earlier). Some believe they were preaching Christ ‘better’ than Paul, preaching down to Paul and making him look back to the Roman government. I guess it would be like going to a prayer meeting where people pray corrections on the others in the room. Paul is saying, at least they are praying. (I personally haven’t matured enough to say that, and still struggle to keep my peace and not get judgmental in prayer meetings like that. But God will help me. Meanwhile I avoid meetings like that and participate in prayer meetings with Christian more mature than me, and hopefully learn from them how to pray effective fervent prayers.)

“¹⁹For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, ²⁰according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. ²¹For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. ²³For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. ²⁴Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you. ²⁵And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith, ²⁶that your rejoicing for me may be more abundant in Jesus Christ by my coming to you again.”

Phew! This is so raw from the heart. To live means we can continue the Lord’s work – but to die means a big hug from Jesus. I know that the choice is NOT in my hands. and Thank you God for that! I mean, depending on the day, who knows what I would choose. Some days I just get so homesick for a place I have never seen – the arms of Jesus!
But our deaths are written in God’s books. When he calls us home he calls us home. When I got sick with Covid and was at the worse part… all I could do was repeat “help” prayerfully – caught in a loop in my head, without voice from the sore throat, with so much pain and such a struggle for breath. It was HIS breath in my lungs that blew me past that point. But one thing I never doubted was my life. Never did it even dawn on me that I could die. Because I know the plans the Lord has for me and I know it is NOT yet time. There is a level of boldness that comes with that understanding. God finishes what He started.

Oh this is meaty – I hope you are grasping the full bite of this! It is a lot – big bites! Maybe we should cut it up smaller and chew on it over the course of today and really enjoy it!

“²⁷Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel,”

Striving, Determined, Go-getting, Ruthless, Pushy, Motivated, Struggling, and Endeavoring together, in one mind and one spirit. Humanity is a condition of struggle, and out of that struggle comes growth and all that is good about people. But not if we gripe and complain through our struggle. We must strive together.

“²⁸and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God.”

Let’s flash back to a couple years ago when I worked for that lady who threatened me almost daily because I was a Christian. It was difficult, yes. I cried – I did. A lot! God knows. But I never feared her. If I did, she could say I did not trust my God to take care of me. AND as I wrote here a few time: God is my provider, not that job and not that lady – moreover I sought God, my provider and NOT my provisions. And I still do today. What is there to fear when you are in the hands of the most powerful being? It is not just my salvation from that situation – it is such a beautiful friendship and love! I have rejoiced and thank God every day for taking me out of that Egypt. And NEVER once have I looked back and said take me back because at least I had financial security. Oh no, in the hands of a living God is so much cooler!

“²⁹For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, ³⁰having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.”

And we finish today with that word “suffer”. And I know a few of you cringed when you read it.
I know many who believe Jesus will return for His church before the tribulation because he doesn’t want us to suffer – and others think Paul’s obsession with speaking of human suffering means not only will we endure part, of not all of the tribulation, but that we will have suffering before the tribulation – and then there are many schools of thought in between. I personally prefer to live believing the rapture will happen later, so I am ready and not surprised by the suffering.
BUT – the suffering Paul speaks of is just the human struggle – or trial and tribulations – it is the life we must live and the growth we must endure to be Christlike.

The human struggle was Paul surviving on the missions journeys, or us living out our assignments. And Jesus described the human suffering, and struggle, as:

“³⁵for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; ³⁶I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
³⁷“Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ³⁸When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ³⁹Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’” Matthew 25: 35-40 NKJV

It’s like watching those videos on the internet of people rescuing each other caught on video, where you see the best in humanity come out of a moment of suffering and struggle. Or the animal rescue videos, which are more common – where people work together to save something. Working together to save each other from hell is our mission – we are all in it together. The struggle is human suffering.

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

26 Jun 202224 Jun 2022

WEEKEND READING – 6-26-22

“Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.” Psalm 107:43 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Psalms chapters 103-107 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV). Today we complete book 4 of Psalms and begin Book 5.

Praise for the Lord’s Mercies

A Psalm of David.

103 Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
²Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
³Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
⁴Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
⁵Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
⁷He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.
⁸The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
⁹He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
¹⁰He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

¹¹For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
¹²As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
¹³As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
¹⁴For He ^[a]knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
¹⁶For the wind passes over it, and it is ^[b]gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
¹⁸To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

¹⁹The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.

²⁰Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
²¹Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ^[c]ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
²²Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

Praise to the Sovereign Lord for His Creation and Providence

104 Bless the Lord, O my soul!

O Lord my God, You are very great:
You are clothed with honor and majesty,
²Who cover Yourself with light as with a garment,
Who stretch out the heavens like a curtain.

³He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters,
Who makes the clouds His chariot,
Who walks on the wings of the wind,
⁴Who makes His angels spirits,
His ^[d]ministers a flame of fire.

⁵You who ^[e]laid the foundations of the earth,
So that it should not be moved forever,
⁶You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters stood above the mountains.
⁷At Your rebuke they fled;
At the voice of Your thunder they hastened away.
⁸^[f]They went up over the mountains;
They went down into the valleys,
To the place which You founded for them.
⁹You have set a boundary that they may not pass over,
That they may not return to cover the earth.

¹⁰He sends the springs into the valleys;
They flow among the hills.
¹¹They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
¹²By them the birds of the heavens have their home;
They sing among the branches.
¹³He waters the hills from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your works.

¹⁴He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the service of man,
That he may bring forth food from the earth,
¹⁵And wine that makes glad the heart of man,
Oil to make his face shine,
And bread which strengthens man’s heart.
¹⁶The trees of the Lord are full of sap,
The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
¹⁷Where the birds make their nests;
The stork has her home in the fir trees.
¹⁸The high hills are for the wild goats;
The cliffs are a refuge for the rock^[g] badgers.

¹⁹He appointed the moon for seasons;
The sun knows its going down.
²⁰You make darkness, and it is night,
In which all the beasts of the forest creep about.
²¹The young lions roar after their prey,
And seek their food from God.
²²When the sun rises, they gather together
And lie down in their dens.
²³Man goes out to his work
And to his labor until the evening.

²⁴O Lord, how manifold are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all.
The earth is full of Your possessions—
²⁵This great and wide sea,
In which are innumerable teeming things,
Living things both small and great.
²⁶There the ships sail about;
There is that Leviathan^[h]
Which You have ^[i]made to play there.

²⁷These all wait for You,
That You may give them their food in due season.
²⁸What You give them they gather in;
You open Your hand, they are filled with good.
²⁹You hide Your face, they are troubled;
You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
³⁰You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the earth.

³¹May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
May the Lord rejoice in His works.
³²He looks on the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the hills, and they smoke.

³³I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
³⁴May my meditation be sweet to Him;
I will be glad in the Lord.
³⁵May sinners be consumed from the earth,
And the wicked be no more.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!
^[j]Praise the Lord!

The Eternal Faithfulness of the Lord

105 Oh, give thanks to the Lord!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
²Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;
Talk of all His wondrous works!
³Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
⁴Seek the Lord and His strength;
Seek His face evermore!
⁵Remember His marvelous works which He has done,
His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth,
⁶O seed of Abraham His servant,
You children of Jacob, His chosen ones!

⁷He is the Lord our God;
His judgments are in all the earth.
⁸He remembers His covenant forever,
The word which He commanded, for a thousand generations,
⁹The covenant which He made with Abraham,
And His oath to Isaac,
¹⁰And confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,
To Israel as an everlasting covenant,
¹¹Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
As the allotment of your inheritance,”
¹²When they were few in number,
Indeed very few, and strangers in it.

¹³When they went from one nation to another,
From one kingdom to another people,
¹⁴He permitted no one to do them wrong;
Yes, He rebuked kings for their sakes,
¹⁵Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones,
And do My prophets no harm.”

¹⁶Moreover He called for a famine in the land;
He destroyed all the provision of bread.
¹⁷He sent a man before them—
Joseph—who was sold as a slave.
¹⁸They hurt his feet with fetters,
^[k]He was laid in irons.
¹⁹Until the time that his word came to pass,
The word of the Lord tested him.
²⁰The king sent and released him,
The ruler of the people let him go free.
²¹He made him lord of his house,
And ruler of all his possessions,
²²To ^[l]bind his princes at his pleasure,
And teach his elders wisdom.

²³Israel also came into Egypt,
And Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.
²⁴He increased His people greatly,
And made them stronger than their enemies.
²⁵He turned their heart to hate His people,
To deal craftily with His servants.

²⁶He sent Moses His servant,
And Aaron whom He had chosen.
²⁷They performed His signs among them,
And wonders in the land of Ham.
²⁸He sent darkness, and made it dark;
And they did not rebel against His word.
²⁹He turned their waters into blood,
And killed their fish.
³⁰Their land abounded with frogs,
Even in the chambers of their kings.
³¹He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,
And lice in all their territory.
³²He gave them hail for rain,
And flaming fire in their land.
³³He struck their vines also, and their fig trees,
And splintered the trees of their territory.
³⁴He spoke, and locusts came,
Young locusts without number,
³⁵And ate up all the vegetation in their land,
And devoured the fruit of their ground.
³⁶He also ^[m]destroyed all the firstborn in their land,
The first of all their strength.

³⁷He also brought them out with silver and gold,
And there was none feeble among His tribes.
³⁸Egypt was glad when they departed,
For the fear of them had fallen upon them.
³⁹He spread a cloud for a covering,
And fire to give light in the night.
⁴⁰The people asked, and He brought quail,
And satisfied them with the bread of heaven.
⁴¹He opened the rock, and water gushed out;
It ran in the dry places like a river.

⁴²For He remembered His holy promise,
And Abraham His servant.
⁴³He brought out His people with joy,
His chosen ones with ^[n]gladness.
⁴⁴He gave them the lands of the ^[o]Gentiles,
And they inherited the labor of the nations,
⁴⁵That they might observe His statutes
And keep His laws.

^[p]Praise the Lord!

Joy in Forgiveness of Israel’s Sins

106 Praise^[q] the Lord!

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

²Who can ^[r]utter the mighty acts of the Lord?
Who can declare all His praise?
³Blessed are those who keep justice,
And ^[s]he who does righteousness at all times!

⁴Remember me, O Lord, with the favor You have toward Your people.
Oh, visit me with Your salvation,
⁵That I may see the benefit of Your chosen ones,
That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation,
That I may glory with ^[t]Your inheritance.

⁶We have sinned with our fathers,
We have committed iniquity,
We have done wickedly.
⁷Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders;
They did not remember the multitude of Your mercies,
But rebelled by the sea—the Red Sea.

⁸Nevertheless He saved them for His name’s sake,
That He might make His mighty power known.
⁹He rebuked the Red Sea also, and it dried up;
So He led them through the depths,
As through the wilderness.
¹⁰He saved them from the hand of him who hated them,
And redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.
¹¹The waters covered their enemies;
There was not one of them left.
¹²Then they believed His words;
They sang His praise.

¹³They soon forgot His works;
They did not wait for His counsel,
¹⁴But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness,
And tested God in the desert.
¹⁵And He gave them their request,
But sent leanness into their soul.

¹⁶When they envied Moses in the camp,
And Aaron the saint of the Lord,
¹⁷The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan,
And covered the faction of Abiram.
¹⁸A fire was kindled in their company;
The flame burned up the wicked.

¹⁹They made a calf in Horeb,
And worshiped the molded image.
²⁰Thus they changed their glory
Into the image of an ox that eats grass.
²¹They forgot God their Savior,
Who had done great things in Egypt,
²²Wondrous works in the land of Ham,
Awesome things by the Red Sea.
²³Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
Had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach,
To turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them.

²⁴Then they despised the pleasant land;
They did not believe His word,
²⁵But complained in their tents,
And did not heed the voice of the Lord.
²⁶Therefore He raised His hand in an oath against them,
To ^[u]overthrow them in the wilderness,
²⁷To ^[v]overthrow their descendants among the ^[w]nations,
And to scatter them in the lands.

²⁸They joined themselves also to Baal of Peor,
And ate sacrifices ^[x]made to the dead.
²⁹Thus they provoked Him to anger with their deeds,
And the plague broke out among them.
³⁰Then Phinehas stood up and intervened,
And the plague was stopped.
³¹And that was accounted to him for righteousness
To all generations forevermore.

³²They angered Him also at the waters of ^[y]strife,
So that it went ill with Moses on account of them;
³³Because they rebelled against His Spirit,
So that he spoke rashly with his lips.

³⁴They did not destroy the peoples,
Concerning whom the Lord had commanded them,
³⁵But they mingled with the Gentiles
And learned their works;
³⁶They served their idols,
Which became a snare to them.
³⁷They even sacrificed their sons
And their daughters to demons,
³⁸And shed innocent blood,
The blood of their sons and daughters,
Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;
And the land was polluted with blood.
³⁹Thus they ^[z]were defiled by their own works,
And played^[aa] the harlot by their own deeds.

⁴⁰Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people,
So that He abhorred His own inheritance.
⁴¹And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles,
And those who hated them ruled over them.
⁴²Their enemies also oppressed them,
And they were brought into subjection under their hand.
⁴³Many times He delivered them;
But they rebelled in their counsel,
And were brought low for their iniquity.

⁴⁴Nevertheless He regarded their affliction,
When He heard their cry;
⁴⁵And for their sake He remembered His covenant,
And relented according to the multitude of His mercies.
⁴⁶He also made them to be pitied
By all those who carried them away captive.

⁴⁷Save us, O Lord our God,
And gather us from among the Gentiles,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
To triumph in Your praise.

⁴⁸Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”

^[ab]Praise the Lord!

BOOK FIVE

Psalms 107–150

Thanksgiving to the Lord for His Great Works of Deliverance

107 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!
For His ^[ac]mercy endures forever.
²Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,
Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,
³And gathered out of the lands,
From the east and from the west,
From the north and from the south.

⁴They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way;
They found no city to dwell in.
⁵Hungry and thirsty,
Their soul fainted in them.
⁶Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He delivered them out of their distresses.
⁷And He led them forth by the right way,
That they might go to a city for a dwelling place.
⁸Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
⁹For He satisfies the longing soul,
And fills the hungry soul with goodness.

¹⁰Those who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death,
Bound^[ad] in affliction and irons—
¹¹Because they rebelled against the words of God,
And ^[ae]despised the counsel of the Most High,
¹²Therefore He brought down their heart with labor;
They fell down, and there was none to help.
¹³Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
¹⁴He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death,
And broke their chains in pieces.
¹⁵Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
¹⁶For He has broken the gates of bronze,
And cut the bars of iron in two.

¹⁷Fools, because of their transgression,
And because of their iniquities, were afflicted.
¹⁸Their soul abhorred all manner of food,
And they drew near to the gates of death.
¹⁹Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He saved them out of their distresses.
²⁰He sent His word and healed them,
And delivered them from their destructions.
²¹Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
²²Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
And declare His works with ^[af]rejoicing.

²³Those who go down to the sea in ships,
Who do business on great waters,
²⁴They see the works of the Lord,
And His wonders in the deep.
²⁵For He commands and raises the stormy wind,
Which lifts up the waves of the sea.
²⁶They mount up to the heavens,
They go down again to the depths;
Their soul melts because of trouble.
²⁷They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,
And ^[ag]are at their wits’ end.
²⁸Then they cry out to the Lord in their trouble,
And He brings them out of their distresses.
²⁹He calms the storm,
So that its waves are still.
³⁰Then they are glad because they are quiet;
So He guides them to their desired haven.
³¹Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness,
And for His wonderful works to the children of men!
³²Let them exalt Him also in the assembly of the people,
And praise Him in the company of the elders.

³³He turns rivers into a wilderness,
And the watersprings into dry ground;
³⁴A fruitful land into ^[ah]barrenness,
For the wickedness of those who dwell in it.
³⁵He turns a wilderness into pools of water,
And dry land into watersprings.
³⁶There He makes the hungry dwell,
That they may establish a city for a dwelling place,
³⁷And sow fields and plant vineyards,
That they may yield a fruitful harvest.
³⁸He also blesses them, and they multiply greatly;
And He does not let their cattle decrease.

³⁹When they are diminished and brought low
Through oppression, affliction, and sorrow,
⁴⁰He pours contempt on princes,
And causes them to wander in the wilderness where there is no way;
⁴¹Yet He sets the poor on high, far from affliction,
And makes their families like a flock.
⁴²The righteous see it and rejoice,
And all iniquity stops its mouth.

⁴³Whoever is wise will observe these things,
And they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.

Footnotes

Psalm 103:14 Understands our constitution
Psalm 103:16 not
Psalm 103:21 servants
Psalm 104:4 servants
Psalm 104:5 Lit. founded the earth upon her bases
Psalm 104:8 Or The mountains rose up; The valleys sank down
Psalm 104:18 rock hyraxes
Psalm 104:26 A large sea creature of unknown identity
Psalm 104:26 Lit. formed
Psalm 104:35 Heb. Hallelujah
Psalm 105:18 His soul came into iron
Psalm 105:22 Bind as prisoners
Psalm 105:36 Lit. struck down
Psalm 105:43 a joyful shout
Psalm 105:44 nations
Psalm 105:45 Heb. Hallelujah
Psalm 106:1 Heb. Hallelujah
Psalm 106:2 express
Psalm 106:3 LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. those who do
Psalm 106:5 The people of Your inheritance
Psalm 106:26 make them fall
Psalm 106:27 make their descendants fall also
Psalm 106:27 Gentiles
Psalm 106:28 offered
Psalm 106:32 Or Meribah
Psalm 106:39 became unclean
Psalm 106:39 Were unfaithful
Psalm 106:48 Heb. Hallelujah
Psalm 107:1 Heb. same as goodness, vv. 8, 15, 21, 31, and lovingkindness, v. 43
Psalm 107:10 Prisoners
Psalm 107:11 scorned
Psalm 107:22 joyful singing
Psalm 107:27 Lit. all their wisdom is swallowed up
Psalm 107:34 Lit. a salty waste

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Acts 4:12-

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

25 Jun 202223 Jun 2022

WEEKEND READING – 6-25-22

“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” Psalm 100:1-5 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Psalms chapters 98-102 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

A Song of Praise to the Lord for His Salvation and Judgment

A Psalm.

98 Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
²The Lord has made known His salvation;
His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the ^[a]nations.
³He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

⁴Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
⁵Sing to the Lord with the harp,
With the harp and the sound of a psalm,
⁶With trumpets and the sound of a horn;
Shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.

⁷Let the sea roar, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell in it;
⁸Let the rivers clap their hands;
Let the hills be joyful together
⁹ before the Lord,
For He is coming to judge the earth.
With righteousness He shall judge the world,
And the peoples with ^[b]equity.

Praise to the Lord for His Holiness

99 The Lord reigns;
Let the peoples tremble!
He dwells between the cherubim;
Let the earth be ^[c]moved!
²The Lord is great in Zion,
And He is high above all the peoples.
³Let them praise Your great and awesome name—
^[d]He is holy.

⁴The King’s strength also loves justice;
You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.
⁵Exalt the Lord our God,
And worship at His footstool—
He is holy.

⁶Moses and Aaron were among His priests,
And Samuel was among those who called upon His name;
They called upon the Lord, and He answered them.
⁷He spoke to them in the cloudy pillar;
They kept His testimonies and the ^[e]ordinance He gave them.

⁸You answered them, O Lord our God;
You were to them God-Who-Forgives,
Though You took vengeance on their deeds.
⁹Exalt the Lord our God,
And worship at His holy hill;
For the Lord our God is holy.

A Song of Praise for the Lord’s Faithfulness to His People

A Psalm of Thanksgiving.

100 Make a joyful shout to the Lord, ^[f]all you lands!
²Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
³Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and ^[g]not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
⁵For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

Promised Faithfulness to the Lord

A Psalm of David.

101 I will sing of mercy and justice;
To You, O Lord, I will sing praises.

²I will behave wisely in a ^[h]perfect way.
Oh, when will You come to me?
I will walk within my house with a perfect heart.

³I will set nothing ^[i]wicked before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not cling to me.
⁴A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will not know wickedness.

⁵Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor,
Him I will destroy;
The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart,
Him I will not endure.

⁶My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land,
That they may dwell with me;
He who walks in a ^[j]perfect way,
He shall serve me.
⁷He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house;
He who tells lies shall not ^[k]continue in my presence.
⁸Early I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
That I may cut off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord.

The Lord’s Eternal Love

A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed and pours out his complaint before the Lord.

102 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
And let my cry come to You.
²Do not hide Your face from me in the day of my trouble;
Incline Your ear to me;
In the day that I call, answer me speedily.

³For my days ^[l]are consumed like smoke,
And my bones are burned like a hearth.
⁴My heart is stricken and withered like grass,
So that I forget to eat my bread.
⁵Because of the sound of my groaning
My bones cling to my ^[m]skin.
⁶I am like a pelican of the wilderness;
I am like an owl of the desert.
⁷I lie awake,
And am like a sparrow alone on the housetop.

⁸My enemies reproach me all day long;
Those who deride me swear an oath against me.
⁹For I have eaten ashes like bread,
And mingled my drink with weeping,
¹⁰Because of Your indignation and Your wrath;
For You have lifted me up and cast me away.
¹¹My days are like a shadow that lengthens,
And I wither away like grass.

¹²But You, O Lord, shall endure forever,
And the remembrance of Your name to all generations.
¹³You will arise and have mercy on Zion;
For the time to favor her,
Yes, the set time, has come.
¹⁴For Your servants take pleasure in her stones,
And show favor to her dust.
¹⁵So the ^[n]nations shall fear the name of the Lord,
And all the kings of the earth Your glory.
¹⁶For the Lord shall build up Zion;
He shall appear in His glory.
¹⁷He shall regard the prayer of the destitute,
And shall not despise their prayer.

¹⁸This will be written for the generation to come,
That a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.
¹⁹For He looked down from the height of His sanctuary;
From heaven the Lord viewed the earth,
²⁰To hear the groaning of the prisoner,
To release those appointed to death,
²¹To declare the name of the Lord in Zion,
And His praise in Jerusalem,
²²When the peoples are gathered together,
And the kingdoms, to serve the Lord.

²³He weakened my strength in the way;
He shortened my days.
²⁴I said, “O my God,
Do not take me away in the midst of my days;
Your years are throughout all generations.
²⁵Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,
And the heavens are the work of Your hands.
²⁶They will perish, but You will ^[o]endure;
Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;
Like a cloak You will change them,
And they will be changed.
²⁷But You are the same,
And Your years will have no end.
²⁸The children of Your servants will continue,
And their descendants will be established before You.”

Footnotes

Psalm 98:2 Gentiles
Psalm 98:9 uprightness
Psalm 99:1 shaken
Psalm 99:3 Or It
Psalm 99:7 statute
Psalm 100:1 Lit. all the earth
Psalm 100:3 So with Kt., LXX, Vg.; Qr., many Heb. mss., Tg. we are His
Psalm 101:2 blameless
Psalm 101:3 worthless
Psalm 101:6 blameless
Psalm 101:7 Lit. be established
Psalm 102:3 Lit. end in
Psalm 102:5 flesh
Psalm 102:15 Gentiles
Psalm 102:26 continue

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Acts 4:12-

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

24 Jun 2022

PRAISE THE LORD!

“They even sacrificed their sons And their daughters to demons, And shed innocent blood, The blood of their sons and daughters, Whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; And the land was polluted with blood. Thus they were defiled by their own works, And played the harlot by their own deeds.
Therefore the wrath of the Lord was kindled against His people, So that He abhorred His own inheritance. And He gave them into the hand of the Gentiles, And those who hated them ruled over them. Their enemies also oppressed them, And they were brought into subjection under their hand. Many times He delivered them; But they rebelled in their counsel, And were brought low for their iniquity.
Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, When He heard their cry; And for their sake He remembered His covenant, And relented according to the multitude of His mercies. He also made them to be pitied By all those who carried them away captive.
Save us, O Lord our God, And gather us from among the Gentiles, To give thanks to Your holy name, To triumph in Your praise.
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel From everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, “Amen!”
Praise the Lord!” Psalm 106:37-48 NKJV

The USA has turned from their policies of wickedness. Please Lord, come and save us!

As much as we want to celebrate (and we should definitely praise God and thank him for this!) we must also remain diligent in prayer. This is not yet the complete move of God. This is God helping us get this huge thing right!!
And pray for New York and California, and any other state which is planning to maintain disgrace and evil in the eyes of the Lord. Lord help them and the brothers and sister there.

This isn’t the end – this is still time to fight, on our knees in the secret place, with an abundance of thanksgiving and worship for Roe v. Wade being overturned.

“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10 NKJV

We have won a battle – let us press on to win the war!

24 Jun 202222 Jun 2022

Concluding our Study of the Letters to Corinth – 6-24-22

“Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” 2 Corinthians 13:11 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Second Corinthians chapter 13 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Coming with Authority

13 This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” ²I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent ^[a]I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare— ³since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you. ⁴For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

⁵Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you ^[b]are disqualified. ⁶But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.

Paul Prefers Gentleness

⁷Now ^[c]I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. ⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. ⁹For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. ¹⁰Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.

Greetings and Benediction

¹¹Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.

¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss.

¹³All the saints greet you.

¹⁴The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the ^[d]communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

Footnotes

2 Corinthians 13:2 NU omits I write
2 Corinthians 13:5 do not stand the test
2 Corinthians 13:7 NU we
2 Corinthians 13:14 fellowship

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Acts 4:12-

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

This book has been an emotional rollercoaster for Paul: he tries gentle and then hits hard, then backpedals into a gentle approach and hard again – throughout the book. I personally think that is what makes it the most confusing to most, along with the sarcasm.
Not to mention he says he is never coming to see them again, then he says he is coming, finally he says: if I come.
Historically we have lost some context, like possibly another letter and this leads to our confusion, but not to the original readers who not only understood but were able to preserve this letter so we can read it today (it seems someone there heeded Paul’s teachings).
And today we conclude the book with some of the most direct statements from Paul showing both spiritual principles and doctrine that were the core of the original belief that became Christianity today. Some of these ideas have changed in our 2000 years of learning – but maybe it is time to go back to these in original form and warn the church.

“¹This will be the third time I am coming to you. “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” ²I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare –“

Today’s reading starts with Paul explaining authority, power, and process of God – and therefore God through him.
2 or 3 witnesses, let every word be established. This pattern here and usually in our lives is: FIRST, it is impressed upon you, either by someone saying it or an idea or a dream or God said or however. SECOND, it is written in the word of God confirming it. Paul used written word as number three, but I put it as number two because that is enough – 2 or 3 witnesses and the word of God must be one of them. I always press God for a third witness, I want to make sure. SO THIRD is a brother or sister in Christ, like Paul, or your preacher, or your mentor, or a Christian devo, Bible Study, teacher, service you saw on social media – if of course that third source is vetted and trusted, (meaning NOT from a false teacher or false prophet).
I put these studies out there and I pray something in them touches you; that God moves. I also pray He confirms it for you so you know God has spoken to you. This is a vital principle in our walk with God. I often have my own confirmations on these blog posts: I will schedule one and then hear a sermon that speaks on some of it or all of it, confirming to me that I am on the right path.
Another example is my business. God gave me the business with 3 witnesses AND supernatural provisions, of which I am only able to do that type of business with. Then when the great struggle came into my life in every area, and affected my finances, I was seeking God to make sure I was still on the right path. Do you want me to go find a job and close the business? Do you want me to change what I do? And I got nothing. So, I stay on the same path, doing the same thing, because THAT is what I have the witnesses and confirmation and know that I know that God said to do that.
Live with this principle.

The end of verse 2 is the final time where Paul says: Don’t make me stop this car! Or Don’t make me come down there! Or Don’t make me take you outside! Or Don’t make me call your father! And Don’t make me stop what I am doing and come there!
It is the proverbial threat that is known in all cultures, globally AND apparently historically. Paul understand his authority and that in his authority alone he can, and will, handle it – but he is also about to explain God (the Father’s) authority as well. They need a little fear of God!

It was the 13^th Chapter of the first letter to Corinth that Paul reminded us of God’s love and we were praying for more of God’s love in us. We also prayed to fall back in love with God and be restored to our first love. And it is so easy to get swept up in love and begin to take advantage of the other’s long suffering. We need a balance of both being swept up in the love with God and acknowledging His authority, mercy, power, grace and judgment, and fearing the Lord.
And it is from a place of love, parental love, that Paul speaks. First in the authority God gave him then in reminder of God’s authority.

“³since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.”

I hate separating verses 3 and 4 – but verse 3 says something deep without saying it and it is worth pointing out. Paul says Christ is mighty IN YOU. And Paul has been defending Christ in himself. BUT shouldn’t Christ recognize himself? Shouldn’t my spirit bear witness to confirm that another IS right with Christ? If their spirit is not bearing witness, then maybe Christ is not mighty in them.
I am not a fan of heresy hunters and I did point out there are false prophets who are popular in the US and how I was stirred and almost deceived. But God rose him up and God will take him down, not me. It is ONLY because Christ is mighty in me that my spirit was able to stir and quake and break through that thick lie to show me the truth. Others, who I know to be mighty men of God, have fallen for him. And in our pride we look at me and say: do you think you are better than us for discerning that? NO! And I tell you as a warning, because I almost didn’t! Paul says Christ is mighty in them, yet they fail to discern if Christ is in or not in another. The deception is great, the doubting if you are correct or not is great, it is so easy to mess this one up. Paul is on this point hard, because even the very elect could fall:
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Matt. 24:24 NKJV

But back to the contextual argument Paul is making – which is

“⁴For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.”

Christ died in weakness – actually is was in strength because he carried all of our sins with Him into the grave. But they mean weakness in that Jesus had the power and authority to call down Armageddon and put an end to it all, and not have to die. But for our sakes, he did not and he sacrificed himself for us. Even his weakness seem pretty strong – and Paul knows it!
Look, if that is his weakness, and we are also weak (because we do not have God powers) then once He is within us – how much power and authority we have!

Paul is saying we have authority and power in Christ! This is a very meek way of saying it – but we have been given authority when we entered into this relationship. We have ALL authority and ALL power to accomplish His will! If only we actually acted like it.
Modern churches are teaching that healing was for a time without medicine – the Holy Spirit was only to hold us over until we developed the New Testament in written and published form – and that signs and wonders were only so we knew who the apostles were. BUT THAT IS NOT WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS! Have you bought the lies? Are you living in the authority of your calling? Are you living in the power of Who God created you to be?

“⁵Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. ⁶But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.”

Paul challenges the people in every church to examine themselves. In Thessalonians we studied that we should examine ourselves before we take communion. In Romans we studied to examine ourselves and kill the flesh. And so on… here we should examine that we haven’t disqualified ourselves.

What does disqualified mean? Well it is intentionally a broad sweeping word And I think Paul meant it as inclusive of all meanings. Once saved, but then disqualified from heaven, meaning you somehow lost your salvation along the way – is one way to look at it. We know Paul, John, and other First Century writers believed we could lose our salvation. Another meaning could be that they become disqualified from their calling or position. Like Paul disqualified himself from being able to tell them what to do, because he left them and was hard on them in letters. This doesn’t mean he won’t get into heaven. I think Paul meant it as both. Unless people were saying Paul lost his salvation, then he only meant it in relation to losing your salvation.

“Check your self before you wreck yourself” is a common phrase used at this point in this book. It’s cute and focus on the correction – but the hour is getting late and I feel I will be wrong if I do not point out that we should understand it is possible to start sliding or even slide away completely and still be in the church. It is possible to be so wrong you do not make it into heaven while you still do work for Jesus. (Jesus said so himself.) This is a serious matter and I cannot make cute f it as I know how quickly I slid away once and how I fight not to be drawn away again. Yes we are all weak, but also the deception is strong in these times.

Paul goes from YOU MIGHT GO TO HELL! To softer and gentler in order to make a point here: he would prefer to be gentle and not have to correct them.

“⁷Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honorable, though we may seem disqualified. ⁸For we can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth. ⁹For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete. ¹⁰Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction.”

When you are in a critical and destructive environment it is easy to confuse truth and edification with just more of the same. I feel for Paul and really hope these Corinthians responded positively to this message.

We do know from history that they did come through with the offering. I am not sure how generous or if it was lacking. I just know there is a record of it happening.

“¹¹Finally, brethren, farewell. Become complete. Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. ¹²Greet one another with a holy kiss. ¹³All the saints greet you. ¹⁴The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”

Instead of getting into how we should pray for each other and comfort each other or even how to become complete, let’s circle back to the offering. Last week we prepared and on Sunday we gave a big, generous gift to God out of Love and to put to practice what we had just studied.
Then Monday of this week we returned for more lessons of planting seeds with our offering and getting a return on investment from God. So I challenged you to spend this week preparing an even better offering for God!!

Last week I had a need and prayed for the money for it and for money for the offering. I also took my most expensive materials and made keyrings for all of the pastor’s as part of my offerings and gifts to God. AND I found money in an old pocketbook and it was just enough for both. I came home with my purchase and my change that I was going to give as last week’s offering and while cleaning a cluttered catch-all I found a few more dollars. Now I was back to the original amount I found. So, on Sunday I put it all in the offering plate, and I made sure I was smiling and said thank you Jesus as I did.
Before I left the building I was blessed with a Pentecostal hand-shake. You may have heard the term before? It is when someone hands you money and says the Lord told them to give it to me. $25 – which is enough to give this coming Sunday and be an even bigger gift! Remember we are talking about a gift above and beyond our tithes. So I slid the money into my Bible for Sunday. But I need gas for the car. But the food pantry boxes are showing up with less and less because of the economy. But the dog needs food soon. But I’d like some coffee or tea to drink instead of just water. But…..
But, we’ve been challenged, NOT BY ME, but by God giving us a giving lesson (one last week and one this week). And the challenge is to give another great gift to God. SO I am making expensive keyrings as offerings to other men and women of God who are supporting me and teaching me. AND I have the money (the $25), but Lord, please provide more for the offering. And God, I also need $850 for the mortgage and $500 more for the rest of the bills, and maybe some for foods and house hold?
In the mail came a check the exact amount as the mortgage this month! No lie! Praise the Lord!
but I looked at it and thought of how much more is needed and I expected a God of exceedingly abundant – so I asked: is that it? and he looked back down at me – I hung my head in shame. I should be more grateful. I am grateful. But I am also asking and expecting BIG things – BIGGER.
I suppose I must learn to crawl before I run. The mortgage and bills aren’t even due for another week, so I will take part of this as well as my giving and let God refill it. If he did it once, he can do it again! If he gave me $25 in hand, he can give me $250 or $2,500!

And I am thrilled to report that I have had at least one sale per week in the business which is a huge jump. It is adding activity and excitement of happy customers and good reviews to the social media and the website. I praise and thank God because it is beginning to grow again! And yes, I am tithing on each sale – my check is already made out and ready for Sunday as I work on the offering to go with it. It will be epic!

Have a blessed weekend. Join us for some wisdom reading from the Psalms and come back on Monday when we can discuss how our offering challenge went this week, (I am expecting testimonies in the comments about the outcomes of sowing seeds – especially since I know the results can be instantaneous!) And we start a new book!!! Yep – we are starting the book of Philippians – another powerful life changing letter written by Paul.

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

23 Jun 202221 Jun 2022

Grace is Enough – 6-23-22

“And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Second Corinthians chapter 12 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

The Vision of Paradise

12 It is ^[a]doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: ²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. ⁵Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. ⁶For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.

The Thorn in the Flesh

⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to ^[b]buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Signs of an Apostle

¹¹I have become a fool ^[c]in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. ¹²Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. ¹³For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!

Love for the Church

¹⁴Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. ¹⁵And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

¹⁶But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning! ¹⁷Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?

¹⁹Again, ^[d]do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification. ²⁰For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; ²¹lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.

Footnotes

2 Corinthians 12:1 NU necessary, though not profitable, to boast
2 Corinthians 12:7 beat
2 Corinthians 12:11 NU omits in boasting
2 Corinthians 12:19 NU You have been thinking for a long time that we

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Acts 4:12-

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

Yesterday Paul was pretty fired up and sarcastic! The last verse it Paul recounting his very first escape. It almost seems like we are about to do through Paul’s life and the book of Acts in detail after that verse, just so Paul can make a point.

But Paul stops himself. There is no profit, nothing to gain by going down this path – these people will not understand this line of reasoning.

“¹ It is doubtless not profitable for me to boast. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord:”

Paul’s list of sufferings was NOT a lists of suffering – if that is what we heard, we read it wrong. IT WAS A LIST OF GOD’S GLORY! God saved Paul in a basket in Damascus, God saved Paul in shipwreck, God saved Paul time and time again. But, out friends in Corinth are looking for a bigger wow than Paul’s life. And I am sure Paul could brag on much bigger miracles, giving God the glory. However, the power of God through Paul is more easily confused then the Power of God imposed upon Paul. Did you follow that?
If Paul lays hands on the blind and they see – that is God through Paul and easier for people to give Paul the credit and not God. Or worse, Paul may slip and say I healed the blind. It doesn’t matter if it is people or Paul (person being used by God) who robs God of His glory, God is still mad. This is not just me hung up on this idea. GOD is hung up on this idea. The second he is robbed of even a sliver of His Glory, God will remove His hand. The hard part, for us, is the gifts remain, so people and we, may see the gifts and miss that the person is no longer anointed.
So when we, like Paul, are giving an account of the power of God in our lives – ‘God through us’ is just not as powerful a testimony.

Now, the trials and hard parts and those moment God saved us – that is ‘God imposing himself upon us’. Can’t say Paul rescued himself in a basket. It had to be a big enough basket to fit a grown man. There was a hunt for him. No humanly way could Paul NOT get caught – it is GOD. All God. Same with the shipwrecks. Same with all His infirmities.

So Paul is trying to boast solely on God. So He gives this example:

“²I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. ³And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— ⁴how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.”

Go ahead and closes your eyes and listen. I hear the quiet buzz of my computer fan and the water in the fish tank trickling – but not that. Imagine the noise of heaven. It is a noisy place. Everything there is glorifying God. God is not an egomaniac requiring everything to worship him, He is just so good, so perfect, so much love that all of creation cannot help it. Except for humans because we were separated by sin and cannot see it or hear it. The Bible often says to shout to the Lord, we can understand why, because it’s noisy there.
In Acts 2, use the spirit coming sounded like a rushing mighty wind – rushing winds are noisy. Tornados and hurricanes sound like trains with their horns blasting. And to my amazement God also heard our quiet prayers, our silent tears, and our aching hearts – and speaks to us in a still small voice.
This is the kind of GOD GETS THE GLORY scene Paul knows will make these Corinthians thrilled. No man can get the glory from this. (Although in our modern world some men have tried.)

“⁵Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities. ⁶For though I might desire to boast, I will not be a fool; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, lest anyone should think of me above what he sees me to be or hears from me.”

Paul will not risk them getting it wrong, and taking glory from God.
And this really hits home – hits with the truth of humility. Paul brags on God not on anything he has touched. And these Corinthians are accusing Paul of being less than a bunch of wanna be miracle men.
Everyone wants the power of God to surge through them – how cool is that?! Of course we want that. But we do not want the foodless season, the money less season, the learning to be completely reliant on God season – or the shipwrecks. No, no one wants the tribulations that build the character that keeps you from robbing God of His glory and moving responsibly in the gifts.
Paul’s resume never exulted himself and so they missed out on who Paul was. You and I have 2000 years to know, this man was a powerhouse in the kingdom – his ministry spread through Europe and impacted the values nations were built on. And even today we open our Bibles and submit to Paul’s teachings. You and I would love a time machine to go back in time to shake his hand. And Paul would be violently ill over the idea that he was ever sainted by a denomination or that we hold him up with esteem enough to still read his letters, memorize them and learn about our God through them.

“⁷And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure.”

And Paul knew there was a level of anointing, unlike most, upon him – and therefore a temptation to boast in Himself being chosen for this or that it happens through him or some other door for pride to slip in.
So God gave Paul a thorn in his flesh – to keep him humble. Some say it was the constant chase – where he was hunted down to be killed for his entire ministry. Others say it was a physical infirmary. Whatever it was – Paul was NOT boasting it in either. So much so, that we do not really know what he is speaking of.

“⁸Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.”

A few verses ago I was tempted to pray that we can learn this kind of humility – the more humble the closer to God you are and no one can convince me otherwise. We all want to obtain a strong meekness and humility – that would be so cool. But if we were that humble no one would recognize who we are in the kingdom of God – like they failed to understand who Paul was. They thought some of those “Great Preachers” of their time who came and took their money were going to be remembered for all of time and we do not know any of their names. But we know Paul.
We thought we wanted to be the cool, misunderstood one, like Paul – But this thorn to keep him humble was so bothersome, he prayed for it to be removed and God said no. Can we have this humility without a thorn? No one wants a thorn

Wait – no…. some people do. But they took this out of context. Because some have suspected the thorn to be some illness or ailment that was never healed. Being f course the ONE AND ONLY (that I can think of) time someone asked for healing and was NOT healed.
I know people who have been praying for healing for 40 years or more and have no received it. They battled attacks on their faith, blamed the people praying for them, blamed themselves, struggled in their belief system, and maybe even blamed God – until some have surrendered and decided it must be a thorn like Paul’s. Ironically, they are also no humble like Paul – so their thorn, doesn’t even work. Also, the anointing and power of God is not surging through them, either. I might have to conclude from this evidence that IT ISN’T a thorn. Maybe they need to go back to those healing verses again and fight that demon till it is finally gone.

“⁹And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

GRACE – stop believing it is just God’s favor that we did not deserve – because that is such a weak definition of a dynamic transformative POWERFUL thing, like grace. Grace is actionable and its action is to transform.
So stop reading it like (use a wimpy sounding complacent voice): God’s favor is enough for me. I am stuck with a torn but I am in God’s favor. So yay God, you gave me one more thing on top of everything else.
And start reading it like (use a voice that is sure of what it knows): God’ transformative actions are enough! Weakness in me doesn’t matter because this live changing power to turn that weakness into MIGHT is perfected in the struggle of being changed. My trials, infirmities and struggles prove I am no one – and the OUT COMES of the transformation PROOVES HE IS A POWERFUL, RISEN, MIGHTY, LIVING GOD – worthy of all glory, worship, praise and thanksgiving!

Grace is not a sweet word – it is a powerful kind of…, messy kind of…, growing kind of…, changing kind of…, altering kind of…, breaking of a pot on the potter’s wheel and rebuilding kind of… transformative action.

“¹⁰Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

And here Paul defines what his ‘infirmities’ are – the catalysts to grace or transformation. Yes, grace mixed with these causes character building, personality changing, and hopefully as we lean heavily on God in ALL humility – it makes us more Christ-like.

“¹¹I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing. ¹²Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. ¹³For what is it in which you were inferior to other churches, except that I myself was not burdensome to you? Forgive me this wrong!”

I LOVE THAT PAUL IS HUMAN! And it shows. We know he stopped mid boast and started to tell you of outside miracles and then explained why he cannot boast on himself – carefully dancing around looking for the right words to use so that God gets the glory.
Paul points out his own foolishness for even being baited into an argument of his credentials in God. In all truth – their existence is his credentials and they witnessed (saw with their own eyes) the signs and wonders. And the ONLY accusation they are correct in is that Paul never took money for his services. So he apologizes for it (more of his sarcasm).

Here is something that never occurred to me before. These people forgot about the signs and wonders they witnessed themselves and the grace that saved them. They were blinded by the fancy resumes of these false teachers. The Israelites were being led in the wilderness by a floating flame at night and a magical cloud by day – and seem to have forgotten that literally blazing miracle right in front of them while collecting magical food that landed on their front lawns every morning – and they began to complain. Humans are stupid – we forget things so quick. I wonder why God loves us so much – but I am so grateful He does.

Those of you who know me or have followed along long enough, know I am not a prophet chaser. There are ample revelation in the word of God. Yes, I sometimes have dreams. Yes, God tells me things about things. ALL of which can be confirmed in the word and seconded by history. Some prophecy is simply understanding what God is saying now and the patterns of this world history and scriptures, to know what will happen next. So, I am seldom impressed by prophetic ministries. I seek God to tell me, not man. Now, God does appoint prophets and it is good. AND I am not saying you should not follow them and heed to godly wisdom from them and be blessed by the signs and wonders.
However, satan appoints sorcerers too, and puts them in the camps of the righteous who are blinded by bold and fancy words and someone speaking what they want to hear. They are Balaam, sent to curse the righteous and their donkey talks. Be warry. Paul warns of these and we forget when dazzled. Jesus said there will be many in these last days. Be ever so careful.

God led me to a man’s ministry in early 2020 – and I have watched it grow and change. You know what I hate? He always is “releasing a prophetic word”! It is dramatic and get followers – but it is nonsense. He is preaching the word, true to the word and the word has anointing. He has fantastic experiences and dreams that God uses to help him understand the word in context and he uses those examples to teach. Yes, there is an element of prophetic – but I just about turn him off every time he says “Release a prophetic word”. It has grown into a sound ministry. I pray for them and bless them (as he now has a full team). I have tested, and he is anointed and not a false prophet.

On the other hand – a pastor friend told me to check out a prophetic ministry and sent me a link. So I open the link to the… thing… show? Whatever it was. And there is this man speaking boldly and saying things I really liked. Within seconds my spirit was so stirred and I was praying in tongues out loud and pointing my hand at the computer screen! I prayed so loud and fervently that I was telling myself to quiet down so I could hear. But of course – God can tell me, so I flowed with the spirit and prayed till the end. I had seen this self-proclaimed prophet before in an interview on another show and one other time he was in a clip of something else – and all three times my spirit was stirred into fervent prayer!
The man told of certain events happening in the world AND they were happening in a temple near the Biblical city of Corinth! So the geek in me began researching. He found out somehow – So I can too. It must be out there somewhere. I looked for a few days. I was unable to get this man and the good things he said (that I heard) out of my head. I was oddly drawn to him – while at the same time, I was unable to go back to the link or search for him to hear more. I began praying and researching him the person and not his ministry or what he was saying. I researched what people are witnessing and saying about him as well. I looked at pictures of him and looked at body language and people placement and such. But I did not listen to him again. I came to a shocking conclusion: He spoke of things that were lies or cannot be verified – and if they are true, he can only know because the devil told him. My spirit was not stirred to pray because this man was anointed and powerful – but because my spirit joined the fight against him. I too almost fell for a false prophet. It is so easy to do. Be diligent! God will take care of him – but do not fall for it. I can see why you would, but do not forget what Paul says and Jesus says about these demons disguised in light. I know this was a lengthy side note – but vital to say, especially in a day like this with many deceiving the saints!
Men of God can say things that annoy you, but that doesn’t change the very real call of God on their lives and their anointed message. Other may impress you and cause your spirit to stir – but it may be stirring for a fight and not because there is an anointing. May your eye be open to see the darkness looming around the evil ones! In the name of JESUS! ~amen

“¹⁴Now for the third time I am ready to come to you. And I will not be burdensome to you; for I do not seek yours, but you. For the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. ¹⁵And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.”

Back to our reading and study for today. If you thought I was stretching it saying Paul loves this church like a parent loves a child – well, Paul says it. Right here. And even though he said sorry (sarcastically) for not taking money from them – he says he still will not take money from them. AND as every parent of a teen has experienced – the more he shows then love the less they reciprocate.

“¹⁶But be that as it may, I did not burden you. Nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you by cunning!”

This verse makes me laugh! Paul is being such a good dad to a wild teen. He is so tender, hurt, and loving – and yet he is crafty! Laughing! He caught them! Ok, SO Paul is now explaining that he doesn’t have eyes in the back of his head – God always provides a cunning and crafty means to let Paul know that the Corinthians are misbehaving! This word cunning is not a negative manipulative connotation like we associate it with. He is just revealing how he caught them. God does not condone us scheming and manipulating to get things or information.

“¹⁷Did I take advantage of you by any of those whom I sent to you? ¹⁸I urged Titus, and sent our brother with him. Did Titus take advantage of you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not walk in the same steps?”

In other words – Titus came to you the same way Paul came to you preaching Jesus and not taking money. Earlier in this book he pointed out that they treated him well and Titus gave a good report of them – so was it Titus who told Paul of them misbehaving? And is that what Paul is addressing here since the verse above speaks of Paul finding out things.
It is only with careful study that we can understand, as Paul has become unhealthily sensitive to the overly critical and ungenerous Corinthians. At first glance it seems he is repeating 2 Corinthians 8:20-24. And how he came to them for their good and how they never embarrassed or spoke bad of them… But this time seems in defense of Titus and ‘Our Brother’ (Who probably went unnamed because he probable had the job of bringing this letter to them). Paul is saying they were not sent as spies. In other words: “God will reveal to me what you all are up to whether Titus and Bro tell me or not.” Paul does not want them slandering and attacking Titus and Bro the way they attacked Paul.

“¹⁹Again, do you think that we excuse ourselves to you? We speak before God in Christ. But we do all things, beloved, for your edification.”

Let’s stop being distracted and pointing the fingers – the point is Paul, Titus and the Bro must answer to God for what they say and NOT to these people in Corinth. Some think their pastor’s and preacher much entertain them and answer to them about why and how they preach. They owe us no explanation or tenderness, as Paul has tried to offer – the truth is, they answer to God.

“²⁰For I fear lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I wish, and that I shall be found by you such as you do not wish; lest there be contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults; ²¹lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced.”

Paul is trying to save them from themselves – Paul is being hard on them, so you and I think they have done something really bad and some of it is cruel in some ways – but Paul sees his kids get on the other side of the fence at the Grand Canyon and is afraid they will slide over the edge. And the canyon is contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbitings, whisperings, conceits, tumults, uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness.
In other words – Hey you are on the wrong path and that path will lead to worse things! The criticism, accusations, and divisions are bad enough – BUT STOP BEFORE YOU BECOME THE WORLD!

God’s grace will transform us for the good. Or we can get hung up on being critical and miss out – slowly sliding backwards. Be humble enough to be a good daily repenter. Repent means to turn away from and if you are growing in the Lord, then he is always showing you more you can turn away from.

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!

22 Jun 202220 Jun 2022

Pride and Sarcasm – 6-22-22

“But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:3 NKJV

RELATIONSHIP:

BIBLE READING:

Today’s reading is the Book of Second Corinthians chapter 11 (embedded below for your convenience in the NKJV).

Concern for Their Faithfulness

11 Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me. ²For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. ³But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the ^[a]simplicity that is in Christ. ⁴For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

Paul and False Apostles

⁵For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. ⁶Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have ^[b]been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

⁷Did I commit sin in ^[c]humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? ⁸I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. ⁹And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. ¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!

¹²But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. ¹³For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. ¹⁵Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

Reluctant Boasting

¹⁶I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little. ¹⁷What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁸Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. ¹⁹For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise! ²⁰For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face. ²¹To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.

Suffering for Christ

²²Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. ²⁴From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— ²⁸besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?

³⁰If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my ^[d]infirmity. ³¹The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying. ³²In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; ³³but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.

Footnotes

2 Corinthians 11:3 NU adds and purity
2 Corinthians 11:6 NU omits been
2 Corinthians 11:7 putting myself down
2 Corinthians 11:30 weakness

MEMORY VERSE CHALLENGE:

Acts 4:12-

“Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

STUDY/DEVOTIONAL:

Today’s reading will be a struggle of you do not know that Paul has a VERY sarcastic and dry sense of humor. Paul calls himself a fool, and foolish false prophets and teachers as not while making a logical argument that HE is not the fool AND that they are. All while tenderly, speaking as a father to his daughter about staying pure for her groom, to whom he has betrothed her. In context his sarcasm juxtapose to his tender heart is beautifully powerful.

Yesterday’s reading flowed from the offering message to the attack from the enemy that is sure to follow if you obey – which lead him back to the attacks on him and his ministry that he must defend. So now he show’s why he is passionately fighting for their affections. Through it we see how God is also parental and fighting for our affections while preparing us for the coming of our groom.

Today also includes one of the few places that Paul lists his sufferings for Christ – but let’s not get ahead of ourselves and jump right in:

“¹ Oh, that you would bear with me in a little folly—and indeed you do bear with me.”

On social media and blogs it is often difficult for sarcasm to come across – it is true in any written word. So, Paul comes right out and says – humor me while I get sarcastic about this situation.
I am sure Paul can see the irony that he founded that church and now they question him. It really is like a teen who is moving out into young adulthood and pressing to be independent while still just a hair to immature to.

“²For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.”

Simple and beautiful – I love you like a father loves his daughter, so I am just looking out for your well-being. On top of it, here is a spiritual principle – YOU ARE CHRIST’S BRIDE!

“³But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”

WE ALL must be EVER so careful not to be deceived. I have said it a million times and so has Paul and so did Jesus. I know I used to and I think it is common to read the story of Eve and think, I wouldn’t fall for a talking snake, especially when her husband was right there next to her. Instead of recognizing a simple truth, we complicate it with our pride and ‘I’m better than Eve’ mindset. Neither of us is smarter or better than Eve or Adam. The satan has been lying, manipulating and leading beings away from God since LONG before humans ever existed. We buy his lie that he isn’t that good at manipulating – and pridefully resist God’s truth, which is found in God passing along the story of how man fell. Man fell, because the enemy is very good at deception.

“⁴For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!”

Jesus said the end times shall be marked by MANY preaching a Jesus without suffering, without power, with self-help instead of Jesus’s intercession, with humanism and without chastity and purity.
Part of me wishes you experience falling for a false teacher, processing the revelation that it was a false teacher and realizing exactly HOW easily we can be deceived. AND that even the false teacher can be deceived that he is indeed a false teacher. See how complicated flesh makes all of this?!
But I’d rather you never fell for it as the season is late and time is short – I pray the Lord keep you.
But you will NOT be kept without the humility of knowing you can be deceived. You can be. So guard against it.

So Paul compares himself to them so we can see the difference. The original reader would have seen this as just that, a lesson using compare and contrast. In those days it was very improper to use yourself as an example, a protocol which Paul forsakes many times because it is better to use himself (considered embarrassing at the time) than to embarrass someone else. You and I, however, due to our culture, may see this as a humble brag. In our culture that is a false humility in order to brag on your pride without looking like the prideful jerk that you are.
It is a difficult line to walk, I know. I often use myself as the example and pray you, the readers, do not find me prideful, and pray I do not be deceived into pride. But to explain things we need to find relatable examples, and pulling from our own lessons is the easiest – without calling someone else out.
I had a friend get offended, thinking I used them as an example (changing small details to spare them the embarrassment) in this blog – but actually, when I wrote it, I was thinking of someone else. So, I see why Paul uses himself.

“⁵For I consider that I am not at all inferior to the most eminent apostles. ⁶Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.”

Not inferior to most eminent apostles?! Yea, this certainly sound prideful. But in truth, we must call this statement sarcasm. Paul was well schooled and educated. He spoke Hebrew and Greek and took all the classes for both a Greek student and Hebrew school to become a Pharisee – he was also educated on writing and speaking to audiences. AND he was trained in a trade as well. So He is neither untrained nor superior to anyone God called. God uniquely qualifies those He calls.

“⁷Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge?”

And verse 7 here would be the punch line. You know when someone is being sarcastic and then there is the line that punches home the point. Basically – what we get from this is Paul saying: if I came to you like those false teachers requiring money, would that be better?

“⁸I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.”

Let us recall the birth of this church – Paul’s second missionary journey where he was chased from city to city by Pharisees who were trying to get Paul killed. Paul had to flee Berea without his team to the coast – where he was chased onto a boat and traveled to Athens. Paul was tired, without his team, without his money and resources (and waiting for them to come) Paul tried something new and failed to minister in Athens (later saying don’t do that, it was awful) and went to Corinth to work his trade and get some money. There he met and stayed with another in his trade who was a believer and they gathered other believers and made converts and started a church.
Paul came to Corinth is the MOST humble and broken way that God could make happen, and wow, didn’t God know that was what these people needed! It was with offerings and money from other churches and his other sources of funds that Paul’s team was able to come and join him and really build this church. So Paul robbed from others to minister to them at Corinth.
It’s a saying – Paul did not rob anyone. They gave Paul money. But Paul did not use it to get back to them, Paul used it to build a church in Corinth.
So Paul was poor and needy when he arrived:

“⁹And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself.”

Paul earned his own money elsewhere – not from his own child/church. And he intends to never take anything from them.
Why are they so hung up on the money? Even, right from the beginning as we see Paul being sensitive to it all along, but taking money from other churches. You see, the reason they are offended with Paul, and money (offerings), and the enemy’s attacks, and this pride that is still evident and dividing this church are all intertwined with these false teacher who came in and began corrupting them along with the extremely liberal, fleshy city’s influence on its occupants. So Paul has tried to talk on each point separate – but as they are tied up together Paul must also address that knot.

“¹⁰As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. ¹¹Why? Because I do not love you? God knows!”

Paul again presents all the GOOD things he has said about these people as proof of his love, with God as his witness (but he says it in typical Pauline sarcasm).

“¹²But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast.”

As long as Paul is telling everyone the truth – no one else can come in and lie. As long as Paul is bragging: hey I started this amazing church in Corinth if you are in the area, check it out! Then no one else can say they started it or that it is not amazing. Apparently some of these false teachers are really trying to muscle in on this church.

“¹³For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.”

Ok, we understand there is a bad guy and a good guy and we are n team good guy in the spirit. Right? But what in all flesh would convince a human to work as a false teacher?
I am so glad you asked!
Some are deceived, they learned the doctrine wrong and teach others incorrectly – so take all teachings back to the Bible and prayer and ask God to reveal false teachers. The ones who are deceived will also warn you to do this, because they believe they are right and you will find no discrepancy. Check for yourself – Go ahead and check me as well. Pray and ask God; He will direct you to where to be taught.

I pray diligently that I am not deceived, I seek God for each of these posts. I know I do not answer to you – but to God, and that is a fearful thing. I do my best.
Also – I am human, I have had it wrong before and said so. I will be wrong again and issue another correction, I am sure of it! Being wrong occasionally is not a false prophet/teacher. Know the difference and pray for and extend grace to those who are willing to serve the Lord.

So what does a person get from faking it. People seem to ‘follow’ certain pastors and evangelists instead of God – So there is a cult like fame to the leadership position in some churches (back in the first century as well as today)! That status and fame is enough for some people.
But earlier in this book Paul called these fakers, “peddlers of the gospel”. They were in it for the offerings. What is a shame is that money was offered to GOD and not to them and both God and man expect them to steward God’s money – woe to them who steal from God. Stealing the sheep and the funds. Woe.

“¹⁴And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. ¹⁵Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

Those who are deceive and those who know they are fakers, but are in it for fame and easy money – they will have their reward – God is just and justice will be served in the end.

“¹⁶I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little.”

As Paul pours out from his heart, his personality and sarcasm really show. I have a similar sense of humor and really enjoy it. But as we get to the heart of the seriousness of this – the sarcasm is dropped – Paul is not a fool. The complaints from the Corinthians are: this tree and that tree and the other tree and they do not seem to see the forest through the trees – but Paul’s got their number and He is teling them there is a forest, a bigger picture.

“¹⁷What I speak, I speak not according to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly, in this confidence of boasting. ¹⁸Seeing that many boast according to the flesh, I also will boast. ¹⁹For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!”

Here is the big picture – you call me a fool, but you are acting foolish. You think you’re so smart, why are you falling for this? you want me to behave like them and give you my qualifications (because the fact that I founded your church, and you exist, isn’t enough) – ok…

Buckle up, cause Paul is breaking loose and taking us on a ride!

“²⁰For you put up with it if one brings you into bondage, if one devours you, if one takes from you, if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the face.”

And right out of the gate – OUCH! Bondage, devoured, robbed, more proud than these Corinthians and strikes your face (dishonor). Yep – Paul already proved his humility and now Paul pulls the mask off these fakers and shows us who they are! Paul reveals how they have taken advantage of them.
This is not a physical bondage – no one is in chains. It is spiritual. Same with the rest – it is a spiritual destruction – and Paul is pulling back the curtain to expose the spirit world.

As the Word of the Lord is anointed to BREAK bondages and strongholds and reveal truth – I pray, right now in the name of Jesus that God will give you revelation of any false preachers you may be following. I pray, Lord that you give discernment to us, so we may know and not be deceived. NOT for us to call them out, we are not heresy hunters, but so we can guard and protect ourselves and love one.

“²¹To our shame I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold—I speak foolishly—I am bold also.”

Paul is too weak to take advantage of people, which is sarcasm, because it is not a matter of weakness to do what is right. But people did think Paul was too weak, while at the same time complained his letters were too bold – Paul is pointing out the foolishness here.

But since they want to compare – Paul hits them with it. Here is how God uniquely qualified Paul for the ministry:

“²²Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. ²³Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. ²⁴From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. ²⁵Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; ²⁶in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; ²⁷in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— ²⁸besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches. ²⁹Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
³⁰If I must boast, I will boast in the things which concern my infirmity.”

Bam! Compared to the false prophets of the time, Paul certainly stands out. He they want boasting Paul will boast on infirmity! Again this is NO humble-brag. Paul’s sarcasm leaps from the page as Paul tries to gentle remind us that serving God is NOT for the weak, it is dangerous, it means dyeing to self, it mean serving, it means we give ourselves completely to God and God has the right to tell HIS story through us any way He wants – including through: shipwrecks, perils, robbings, beatings, almost death, hunger and abundance.

God used these things to uniquely qualify Paul. As I have struggled lately, the cried in my late night prayers when I am tired and weak are “Why God?!” And “Help”. Yet my struggles are NOTHING compared to Paul, or God for that matter. And I know it is for a season, and I know it will build character if I respond correctly dyeing to flesh and surrendering to His will.
I am weak and human – just like you. I have no pride to hold my head high and imply it is a cake walk. When asked how I am doing, I must speak faith and truth – I am in the Lord’s hands. But it isn’t easy. This is not humble brag.

I have met those types – they are always saying they fast, but I never see them refrain from food. They always say they’ve had struggles and their hands are always out – yet I have not seen them work. So I refuse to ask anyone for help BUT my Father. Because I must stand as Paul stood WITHOUT a humble-brag, but in honesty before God.

“³¹The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.”

Isn’t that the craziest? Some thought Paul was lying. Sadly, I have been accused of it myself. So listen, I am not perfect, I have my struggles, as I have been forthright about. I also have sin struggles, like Paul says, we sometimes slip up. I know I do not speak of them often, because what God is working on me with and is a sin to me, may not be a sin to you. But YES I am tempted. God gives us an out and the ability to walk away and usually I am successful (but I also ate half a pumpkin cake in one sitting and beat myself up over it for a few days – I am still an imperfect human).

“³²In Damascus the governor, under Aretas the king, was guarding the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desiring to arrest me; ³³but I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall, and escaped from his hands.”

And Paul concludes with the first time he had to flee for his life.

2000 years after, Christians have a different perspective. Not only do we see it as a humble-brag (which is a negative prideful thing) – many also see this as permission to humble-bag. So, let’s try to understand the differences:

Your pastor is using an example of struggle from his life, and giving all glory to God – like Paul saying the shipwreck built character and God got the Glory or me saying here is my struggle and work through this with me to see God glorified. Is that a humble-brag sign of pride? No.

Your pastor speaks of a tumultuous event and he is the hero and not God. That is a prideful humble-brag.

Random person not teaching a lesson or testifying what God is doing in their life, tells you how much they have suffered for Christ. No Glory to Christ, just suffering. That is a prideful humble-brag.

Random person not teaching – just testifying tells of their struggles, focuses on God’s answers and outcome and how you too can be transformed. That is a witness, who will lead many to Christ.

If you are a teacher / preacher – use your examples to teach others how to glorify God in their struggles.

If you are not – then use your experience to point to Christ as a witness – and ALWAYS end with a prayer for them or lead them in the salvation prayer or both.

Paul did not have a victim mentality or mindset – and I am tired of people who are holier than everyone else because they struggled. And if your struggle was just a mild discomfort, do not show up to share in someone’s suffering who was beaten bloody and say you know how they feel.
Paul did not have a poor man’s mentality or a poverty mindset. Paul usually had sufficient funds, until separated from his team, or shipwrecked and lost his purse at sea, or robbed. And then God blessed Paul quickly with the abundance needed for Him to do the work and give to those in need and to support the whole team. Paul was not a pauper.
SO – if you want to be like Paul as Paul was striving to be like Christ: Both worked hard for money, neither had a free ride, both had supporters, both had people they needed to support, both were beaten, and bloodied – you sure you want to be like them? Like them can brag on their infirmities – but they also needed to literally live through them in order to brag.

Some of you know. Some of you have as little or less food than I have. How can we have computers or phone to access the internet but not enough to eat? With gas shortages and famines and the USA causing their own famine – we are all about to find out. Some of you haven’t even been here in a while nor will you read this post – because your nation has banned you from accessing foreign posts – and soon will be controlling your viewing even more. Even Canada is talking about limiting global internet access – quickly becoming like China. The enemy has created the perfect storm and God is still shaking His people in judgement and in trials to prepare them. It is a difficult time.

God has warned us to prepare us. These lessons about Paul’s hardships are to prepare us. We will be able to brag on our hard times someday IN THE GLORY OF GOD. And in it, we will have peace, abundance in God, and hope. You’ll see.

***

Thank you for reading in 2022 – a Year of Wisdom and Salvation
May the God of peace keep you and bless you. May you stay focused on Christ and covered in grace.
Maranatha ~ Come Lord Jesus!