I Promised You To One Husband

2 Corinthians 10:15-11:2 - Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.


Jeremiah 9:23-24 - This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.

Romans 2:29 - No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

Ephesians 5:25-27 - Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Application:

· Do I boast in the Lord? Only God and my knowledge of and love for Him are worthwhile
· Have I repented of my hard heart? Have I received the Holy Spirit? Have I been enabled by the Holy Spirit to live a new life characterized by obedience to God?
· Do I entertain any rivals to Christ and His gospel?
· Do I give myself up for my wife? Do I love my wife in a self-sacrificial manner? Do I ensure that my wife finds marriage a source of rich fulfillment and joyful service to the Lord?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Frighten You With My Letters

2 Corinthians 10:8-16 - So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present. We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory.


1 Corinthians 4:20 - For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 - My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 - We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.

Application:

· Does God reign in my life? Do I have a dynamic new life in Christ? Is my life humble? Am I dedicated to Christ and His church?
· A preacher’s wisdom, eloquence, intelligence and oratorical ability are ineffective if the Holy Spirit is not working in my heart.
· Do I feel obliged to give thanks where it is due?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

He Belongs To Christ

2 Corinthians 10:5-7 - We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. You are judging by appearances. If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do.


2 Corinthians 5:12 - We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 - So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Acts 9:4 - He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

Application:

· Do I have a superficial front? Am I concerned with spirituality that is true and deep, or am I concerned with money, popularity and self-importance?
· Am I in union with the church’s true leaders and with Christ?
· To persecute Christians is to persecute Christ.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

We Urged Titus

2 Corinthians 8:1,5-7 - And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches…And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.


1 Corinthians 12:8-10 - To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

1 Corinthians 13:1 - If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 1:7 - Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.

Application:

· Contributing to the needs of others is made possible by God’s undeserved gifts in my life
· Giving myself to the Lord is the true principle of my giving. Am I giving myself to the Lord?
· Do I have the ability to speak wisely or with knowledge into a situation?
· Do I have a will to love in obedience to God’s command?
· Has God enriched my skills (gifts) as a result of being a follower of Jesus Christ?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

They Gave Themselves First To The Lord

2 Corinthians 8:1,3-5 - And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches…For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us.


2 Corinthians 12:9 - But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Application:

· Contributing to the needs of others is made possible by God’s undeserved gifts in my life
· Giving myself to the Lord is the true principle of my giving. Am I giving myself to the Lord?
· Human weakness provides the ideal opportunity for the display of divine power

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Grace

2 Corinthians 8:1-4,9 - And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people…For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.


1 Corinthians 16:2 - On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

Application:

· Contributing to the needs of others is made possible by God’s undeserved gifts in my life
· For my sake Christ became poor so that I might become rich
· I am to bring what I have set aside to the Lord on Sunday, a day that acknowledges the crucial importance of Christ’s resurrection

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Salvation

2 Corinthians 7:6-16 - But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever. Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—yet now I am happy, not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by us. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. So even though I wrote to you, it was neither on account of the one who did the wrong nor on account of the injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted to us you are. By all this we are encouraged. In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was, because his spirit has been refreshed by all of you. I had boasted to him about you, and you have not embarrassed me. But just as everything we said to you was true, so our boasting about you to Titus has proved to be true as well. And his affection for you is all the greater when he remembers that you were all obedient, receiving him with fear and trembling. I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.


Acts 11:18 - When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, “So then, even to Gentiles God has granted repentance that leads to life.”

Philippians 2:12-13 - Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

Application:

· Have I changed my attitude toward sin? Have I turned from sin to God?
· Am I persevering, growing spiritually and maturing? Do I respond with reverence and singleness of purpose to God’s grace?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Great Confidence...My Joy Knows No Bounds

2 Corinthians 7:2-7 - Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you. I have spoken to you with great frankness; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds. For when we came into Macedonia, we had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming but also by the comfort you had given him. He told us about your longing for me, your deep sorrow, your ardent concern for me, so that my joy was greater than ever.


2 Corinthians 6:4-10 - Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

2 Corinthians 2:14 - But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Application:

· I have everything in Him who is Lord of all
· My apparent defeat is temporal. Spiritually, I am victorious.
· God’s comfort flows to me when I suffer for Jesus sake.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

We Live On

2 Corinthians 6:4-10 - Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.


2 Corinthians 1:9 - Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Philippians 2:17 - But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.

Colossians 1:24 - Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.

1 Thessalonians 1:6 - You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 8:9 - For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Acts 3:6 - Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 - So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Philippians 4:19 - And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Application:

· God’s grace is all-sufficient, and my weakness is precisely the opportunity for His power to be displayed
· Even if I have nothing of this world’s goods, I have everything in Him who is Lord of all
· Do I emulate Paul’s joyful service to God?
· What was lacking in Christ’s afflictions was the future suffering of all who are afflicted for the sake of the gospel
· Suffering affliction is normal for those destined to be saved at the end
· My supreme incentive for generosity should be that Christ became poor so that I could be rich
· Peter did not heal by his own power, but by the authority of Jesus Christ
· I am in union with the church’s true leaders and with Christ
· If I am generous toward God, I will find that He is generous toward me and will supply my every need in Christ Jesus

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Holy Spirit

2 Corinthians 6:4-10 - Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.


1 Corinthians 2:4 - My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

Romans 12:9 - Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

2 Corinthians 4:7 - But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Romans 13:12 - The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Ephesians 6:10,12,14-15 - Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power…For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms…Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

Application:

· Unless the Holy Spirit works in my heart, the wisdom and eloquence of a preacher are ineffective
· Do I hate evil?
· God triumphs amid human weakness, embodying the principle of Christ’s crucifixion
· Have I put aside the deeds of darkness? Have I put on the armor of light?
· Do I try to stand on my own against super-human powers? Or, do I rely upon the strength of the Lord’s own might?
· Do I lash out against human opponents as though they were the real enemy? Do I assume the battle is fought with merely human resources?
· Am I withstanding the enemy? Am I giving in to fear?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

We Put No Stumbling Block In Anyone's Path

2 Corinthians 6:3 - We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.


Romans 14:20 - Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble.

1 Corinthians 8:13 - Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

1 Corinthians 9:12 - If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:32 - Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Application:

· Am I concerned that I live an exemplary life because I do not want my ministry to be discredited?
· Do I regard a weak brother’s scruples?
· Do I refrain from engaging in harmless practices if it will cause weaker brothers to sin?
· Because of love for others, I should be ready to surrender my rights
· Living to glorify God will result in doing what is beneficial to others, whether Christians or non-Christians

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

The Time Of My Favor...The Day Of Salvation

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 - As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.


1 Corinthians 15:2 - By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

Isaiah 49:8-9 - This is what the LORD says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.

John 8:56 - Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”

Application:

· Those who turn back from Christ show that their initial, apparent reception of God’s grace was not real but in vain.
· If I am not persevering in the Christian faith, this is an evidence that I did not have saving faith in the first place
· The day of salvation is now
· Abraham rejoiced that he would see the day of Christ

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Ambassadors

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 - All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.


2 Corinthians 6:1 - As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.

Hebrews 4:15 - For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

Application:

· Those who turn back from Christ show that their initial, apparent reception of God’s grace was not real but in vain
· I have the privilege and obligation of being a herald and instrument in God’s hands to minister the message of reconciliation
· God regards me as forgiven and declares and treats me as forgiven, because God imputed my sin to Christ and imputed Christ’s righteousness to me
· I can be comforted with the truth that nothing that entices me is foreign to my Lord

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

To Fear The Lord

2 Corinthians 5:10-13 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.


1 Corinthians 2:4-5 - My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power

Application:

· I will appear before the judgment seat of Christ accounting for all I have done with my life
· Do I put up a superficial front? Am I more concerned with money, popularity and self-importance than a true, deep relationship with Christ?
· Does the Holy Spirit work in my heart? Or do I rest on intellectual and oratorical ability?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Away From The Body...At Home With The Lord

2 Corinthians 5:8-10 - We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.


Philippians 1:23-24 - I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.

1 Corinthians 3:12-13 - If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

Application:

· When I die, I will be in a preferable state than the present life in this body
· When I die I will be immediately with Christ long before my body is raised from the dead
· I will appear before the judgment seat of Christ accounting for all I have done
· Work that I do in Christ-like faith and obedience will survive and be rewarded; all other work will not
· My works could stand the test or disappear

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

A Building From God, An Eternal House In Heaven

2 Corinthians 5:1-8 - For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.


2 Corinthians 4:18 - So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

1 Corinthians 13:12 - For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Application:

· The experiences and circumstances of the present life, often painful and perplexing, are what is visible. They are temporary and fleeting.

· When I die, though my physical body will be buried here on earth, I expect that I will go immediately into the presence of Christ, and will be present with Christ until the day of resurrection

· When the Lord returns, I will fully know Him, similar to the way the Lord knows me

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

What Is Seen...What Is Unseen

2 Corinthians 4:1,17-18 - Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart…For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.


Hebrews 12:1-2 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Application:

· Seen in the perspective of eternity, my difficulties, whatever they may be, diminish in importance.
· The experiences and circumstances of this present life, often painful and perplexing, are what is visible. They are temporary and fleeting.
· Has God through His mercy called and commissioned me? Has God supplied the strength necessary for me to persevere in the face of hardships and persecutions?
· Do I concentrate on Jesus? The humiliation of present sufferings for the gospel’s sake is far outweighed by the prospect of future joy.

All Scripture verses taken from NIV