2 Corinthians 8

Put Your Love Into Action {2 Corinthians 8}

2:00 PM




Monday May 4, “Walking In Wisdom”

In the days of Paul, the Jewish believers in Jerusalem were hurting. Not only did a famine sweep the land, members of the church were disowned by their families, and taxes were levied against them by both Rome and the Jewish leaders. When the churches at Macedonia heard of their plight, even though they themselves were in deep poverty, they pleaded with Paul to let them help their brothers and sisters in Christ. And so they gave, “according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.” (vs. 3-5) 

Not wanting to be left out of the great joy found in the privilege of supporting fellow Christians, even though the Macedonia churches had little, they gave eagerly, generously, and without having to be asked. From hearts filled with love for Jesus, and thankfulness for His saving grace, they were honored to show that same love and grace to others. And Paul calls us to do the same. “Just as you abound in everything.....see that you abound in this gracious work also.” (vs. 7) Love isn’t only something we feel, love is also something we do. It isn’t enough just to have a desire to help others. Out of the abundant grace given to us through Jesus, we need to put that love into action, not only glorifying Him, but as proof of “the sincerity of your love” for the Lord. (vs. 8) 

There is no greater example of love in action than our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For, “though He was rich, yet for your sake, He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” (vs. 9) Jesus has everything. He sits at the right hand of the Father, surrounded forever by the glory of God. As Ruler and Creator of all things, He has multitudes worshiping Him and singing His praises. Yet willingly, out of His great love for us, He left behind the treasures, power, and majesty of heaven. “The Lord Jesus left the magnificence and splendor of His kingdom in heaven where He is abounding in every way. He chose the limitation, suffering, and lowliness of a human body so He could personally demonstrate His great love to us.”....Dr. Charles Stanley. 

Because of His sacrifice on the Cross, because He gave all He had, because He gave His life to save ours, we as Christians are now heirs to the riches of Jesus’ great kingdom. And one day very soon our Savior will return to take us to that kingdom where we will dwell and reign with Him forever! So especially now when the whole world is hurting, give God your first and your best by putting your love in action! 


2 Corinthians 3

You May Now Kiss The Bride {2 Corinthians 3}

2:18 PM




Monday April 27, “Walking In Wisdom”

With the quarantine I’ve been able to spend some time doing one of my favorite things, watching old movies. The other night I was enjoying a romance film that had the most wonderful wedding scene. The bride wore a beautiful antique wedding dress with a delicate lace veil that covered her face. The groom was filled with love and joy as he watched his soon to be wife walk down the aisle. After a quick ceremony and the exchange of vows, the minister finally said, “You may now kiss your bride.” As the groom lifted her veil he exclaimed, “You’ve never looked more beautiful!” And indeed her face was beaming with happiness and anticipation as she transformed from bride to wife.

All of us were created, as the church, to become the bride of Christ. Yet sadly some reject this calling, and Jesus. Instead of wearing a bridal veil to be lifted by the Lord revealing a face which is a shining reflection of His glory, some choose to wear a widow’s veil barring all light from getting in. Instead of becoming transformed into Christ’s perfect image, they hide their faces in darkness and harden their minds against Him. Just like in the time of Moses. After spending 40 days and nights on Mt. Sinai receiving God’s Law for a second time, as Moses came down the mountain the skin of his face was transformed from the glory of God. When the Israelites saw how his face shone, they were filled with fear and dared not come near him. So after he had finished speaking with them, Moses wore a veil to hide the shine of God’s glory. (Ex. 34:29-35)

Like Moses, the  apostle Paul too received a great transformation. As told in the book of Acts, he was once known as Saul, one the greatest persecutors of Christians. But because of an encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus, Saul was transformed into Paul, one the greatest evangelists in history. We too can receive a great transformation.  A transformation possible because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus comes into our hearts by faith, through the Spirit, “the veil is taken away”, (vs 16) and the transformation begins. For unlike the veiled faces of those who cling to the Law, choosing instead to live in darkness, Christians not only see the glory of God but become, “transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.” (vs. 18)

What does it mean to be transformed from glory to glory? Our God is so loving that He never wants to leave us as He found us. And so the moment we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit, if we let Him, gets to work taking our sinfulness, wickedness, and brokenness, and through God’s saving grace, transforms us from a Saul to a Paul. Not to say that our transformation will come easy. For the Christian walk is a lifelong journey of growth and change. There will be times when our walk will be hard, frustrating, and painful. And days where it’s two steps forward and three steps back. But if we keep seeking God, allow the Holy Spirit to work both in and through us, change will come. And on that glorious wedding day when Christ comes for His bride, as He lifts our veil in love, the transformation will become complete. We will be perfect reflections of His image as we dwell with the Lord forever! 



1 Corinthians

The Body is the Lord’s {1 Cor. 6:12-20}

11:00 PM



Monday Oct. 7,  1 Cor. 6:12-20

Because they were no longer bound by the constraints of the law, the members of the Corinthian church mistakenly believed that grace gave them a free pass to do whatever they liked with their bodies; a freedom to eat and drink what they wished, and to have sexual relations with whomever they wanted. But Paul tells them to hold up. Time for some self discipline here. Just because they could do it doesn’t mean they should do it. And being under grace isn’t a license to sin. (Rom. 6:15) Those bodies of theirs needed to be treated right. Why? Because our bodies are not our own. They belong to God. And as His stewards there are some things to need to consider.

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything.” (vs. 12) Paul isn’t telling us to practice self discipline because he’s a party pooper, rather he understands the destruction that comes from being slaves to the desires of the flesh. Whether it be gluttony, alcoholism, or sexual addiction, these sins put us right back into the bondage that Jesus died to free us from.

“Flee immorality. Every other sin a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.” (vs. 18) Sexual immorality not only effects the body physically, but also morally and spiritually. It open us up to disease, hurts others, destroys families, and separates us from God. Sexual immorality damages our character and our testimonies. It pollutes the gift given by God to be enjoyed in marriage between husband and wife.

“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” (vs. 19) The Jewish temple where the Spirit of God dwelled on earth was a holy, sacred place. And the moment we receive Jesus as our Savior, that same Spirit comes to dwell within us. The Levitical priests practiced great self discipline when it came to obeying the rules of God pertaining to serving in His temple. Shouldn’t we do the same knowing we have the Lord living inside of us? 

“For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” (vs. 20) “No one owns his or her body. It either belongs to God or is enslaved to sin. (Rom. 6:6,16-19). If you are a believer, Jesus redeemed you through His death on the Cross. He wants to free you from the sins that entangle you and prevent you from being all that He has created you to be.”...Dr. Charles Stanley 
When I think of the price Jesus paid for me, how can I do anything less than use my body to glorify Him!

Your body was a willing horse when it was in the service of the devil, let it not be a sluggish hack now that it draws the chariot of Christ." (Spurgeon) Each one of us is born with a sin nature that would rather practice self indulgence than self discipline. And when the flesh wants something, the hardest word to hear is “no”. But as followers of Christ, Paul reminds us that, “God did not give us a Spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7) If we truly love Jesus, we should strive to honor Him in all things; including being good caretakers of our bodies. For they are given to us by God to whom they belong. And God promises that one day those very same bodies will be resurrected and forever glorified!