Pause for thought

Generous giving 8:1

Most giving can be naturally motivated but let’s not forget that God sometimes bestows a special grace upon us, so that like the Macedonian churches of Philippi, Thessalonica and Berea though suffering great hardships begged to be partners with their fellow churches in giving towards the collection for the Jerusalem church. Even Paul himself seemed surprised by their sacrificial giving. Their willingness demonstrates the grace of giving 8:15

1 The example of Jesus Christ did not begin at the cross. It began when He laid aside His glory and came to earth 8:9
2 The Grace of giving is activated in our lives when we dedicate ourselves to the Lord and His direction for our lives, and as members of a church which is His body in which we all share 8:5 .

3 Giving is according to what we have, never according to what we don’t have 8:11.

4 Don’t forget to keep any vow you make to God 8:10-11

The grace of giving is best summed up in 2 Corinthians 9:10

Memory verse

You know how full of love and kindness our Lord Jesus Christ was. Though He was very rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty He could make you rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

Have you like Paul ever felt discouragement or pain because you had rebuked a fellow Christian and wondered how it would all end, or been rebuked yourself? Then you can understand Paul’s distress. Titus gives Paul the good news, the trouble is over any wounds are now healed all is well. Please read 1 Corinthians 5:1-8 and 2 Corinthians 2 1-11 to understand the context of chapter 7.

Paul was quite clear that in the case of immorality in the Corinthian church rebuke was necessary, he did not wish to inflict pain, he simply desired that the Church should be all that Christ saved them from to be. Some types of sin if not dealt with can spread like wildfire in the church this is why Paul gave the instructions he did 7:9

Godly sorrow produces true repentance, and true repentance is proved by its deeds. Worldly sorrow is sorry it didn’t get away with its sin, and got found out. worldly sorrow is not sorry about the hurt caused to others only the hurt caused to itself.7:11-12

Paul was worried that he had caused pain to other believers even though his purpose was godly. Sadly the church has many wounded souls who are waiting for the other person to make the first move unlike the. Corinthians who did all they could to make things right 7:11.

Memory verse

For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 N.L.B.

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Pause for thought

I believe that many Christians are restricted in their relationship with the Lord by secret sins. Secret sins can be sins we are well aware of but refuse to deal with, or sins we are unaware of! We do well to ask the Lord like the Psalmist to search our hearts Psalms 139:23-24 sin secret or otherwise hinders first our relationship with God and then our fellowship with others believers 6:11-12.

We must avoid all associations with idolatry in fact anything that causes us to compromise our faith with unbelievers. Question, who are the unbelievers Paul has in mind? Please read 1 Corinthians 5:9-13.

However hard it may be it will always remain true that there are certain things a person can not do and be a Christian 6:16

Memory verse

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete purity because we fear God. 7:1 N.L.T.

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What a privilege! We are workers together with Jesus Christ. It’s His ministry not ours that He has called every Christian into, this must be remembered even when it’s so easy to talk about “our” ministry 6:1.

Don’t miss out on all the benefits of the Grace of God, I’m assuming no one reading this would reject the grace that brings salvation. But what is the Christian life if not lived out in the abundance of Gods grace each day? 6:2.

Whatever God calls you to do His grace will supply.

Not everyone will have a positive opinion of faithful ministers, but like Paul this should not affect him greatly, this is yet another mark of the ministry of Christ 6:8

Some of the marks of the ministry

Paul lived in such a way so that no one was put off from finding out about the grace of salvation through Jesus. As believers we are ministers with Christ, others are watching us, let’s be careful that our speech and actions always encourages others towards Jesus 6:3

Not many have had to face the sort of trials that Paul did, but he was constantly sustained by the Holy Spirit, Paul said he endured calamities and hardships of every kind. But in every thing he tried to show that he was a true minister of Christ 6:4

Nothing stopped Paul from faithfully preaching the truth, why? Because it was Gods power working in him 6:7

Memory verse

Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2 N.L.T.

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Every Christian is brand new on the inside, because through our faith in Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit has given us New Life 5:17 please also read John 14:6

Because of the death of Christ we know that we have died with Him, now that the old self has been put to death we don’t keep looking over our shoulder. Now no longer in bondage to please ourselves we live to please Jesus Christ 5:15 please also read Romans 6:5-6

Paul spoke on behalf of his team “We are Christs Ambassadors” a bold statement but certainly true of Paul and those working with him. Is this true of you? Only those who themselves have been reconciled to God have the joy of appealing to others be reconciled to God 5:20.

Memory verse

What this means is that those who become Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begone! 2 Corinthians 5:17

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When we tell others about Jesus we must always be truthful in what we say never distorting the message to please people. The message we preach must always be about the Lord Jesus and never about ourselves 2:2.

If called upon to give a personal testimony we must never exaggerate to draw attention to ourselves.. The treasure we carry within us is Gods glory in these frail human bodies we have nothing to boast about but this Christ lives in me 2:5.

In the parable of the sower, the seed that fell on the hard path represents those who heard the Good News about the kingdom and don’t understand it. These are the ones who have hard hearts or “veiled hearts”. These are those through ignorance of the message fall prey to Satan’s lies, and whose minds are so blinded that they refuse to believe and have unknowingly made Satan their god. This is of great concern because this seems to suggest that people don’t have to put their trust in Satan to make him their god it is the default position of anyone who rejects the Good News of Jesus Christ 4::4.

Have you met the perfect Christian or heard of the Christian family that has never experienced any troubles? Paul’s experienced more pressure from trouble than most, he said he was pressed on every side but he would not give in! He talks about having the same faith as the psalmist when he said I believe in God and so I speak. We have this very same faith because we believe in Jesus, and we completely trust Him. So we will continue to speak for Him because we understand that our troubles that often loom so large now won’t last much longer. The best is yet to come! 4:18.

Memory Verse

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.

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Pause for thought

At the very beginning when Moses gave the Law etched on stone tablets, his face shone because he had been in God’s presence. Moses wore a veil over his face to shield the people from its glow, and its fading glory. The old covenant of works is made void by the death and resurrection of Jesus, see Hebrews chapters 8-10 The veil illustrates the fading away of the old system, and represents the closed minds of those who hold to it, ending in their spiritual death 3:7 and 3:14.

The first covenant as glorious as it was could never give life, Jesus was the only one who fulfilled the law perfectly keeping it entirely. He was tempted in every way like us yet He never sinned. Under the new covenant the Holy Spirit gives new life to everyone who believes in Jesus. Paul says that compared to the overwhelming glory of the New covenant the old was not glorious at all 3:10.

when a person believes in Jesus Christ, the veil is stripped off by the Holy Spirit giving new life and freedom from sin and it’s bondage. When this happens we become like mirrors that reflect God’s glory, but this is just the start for as the Holy Spirit continues His work in us we become more and more like the Lord reflecting His likeness to a greater degree 3:16-18.

memory verse

When anyone turns to the Lord then the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, He gives freedom 2 Corinthians 3:16-17 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

William Barclay quote “every Christian whether we like it or not is an advertisement for Christ and Christianity” Evangelist Dick Shepard quote “the greatest handicap the Church has is the unsatisfactory lives of professing Christians”

Like Paul we don’t trust in ourselves but must trust in the sufficiency of the Holy Spirit, for without Him we could never be living letters 3:5.

The Law shows us our need but has no power to meet it, only the Spirit gives us life 3:6

We should not read more into these verses than is intended, Paul was not against Letters of introduction see Romans 16:1-2, 1 Corinthians 16:10, The main point he was making is that the letter of the Law written upon stone tablets had no power to change lives, we don’t get saved by following rules, but through faith in Jesus Christ and I believe that we become genuine living letters as we show the Spirits transforming power at work in our hearts to our own generation 3:6

Memory verse

It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5 N.L.T.

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Pause for thought

Like Paul we should care enough for our friends and fellow Christian to confront them if they do wrong Proverbs 27:6.

Church discipline must never drive anyone to despair, its motive is correction not vengeance. Someone once said “God’s strokes always upward” done in the wrong way it can drive a person away from fellowship and into the arms of Satan. Godly corrections aim should not knock a person down but lift them up 2:5

The devil will always take advantage especially where there is discord amongst Christian’s so we must always be quick to forgive each other, not forgetting to forgive yourself 2:11.

Apparently when the Romans held a victory parade the conquered in chains followed the Roman Legions, who were followed by musicians. Then came the priests swinging their censers with the sweet-smelling incense which meant something different to the victors and the vanquished. Paul probably had this in mind when he writes that as we Christian’s share the gospel its fragrance is a fearful smell death leading to death to those who are perishing but an aroma of life leading to life towards all who are being saved 2:15-16

God has given every Christian authority to share the gospel what a responsibility! we may feel inadequate, but we speak sincerely the words of God who is watching over us 2:17

Memory verse

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