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
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
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
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
Thursday, November 17, 2011
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
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
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
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
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
Monday, November 14, 2011
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
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
Sunday, November 13, 2011
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
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
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
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