BibleTrekToday.com

Author: Editor

  • The Reality of following Jesus

    Scripture reading for August 12: 2 Corinthians 11

    “Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” 2 Corinthians 11:24-28

    Often in today’s world, we seek to win people to follow Christ by telling them how God wants them to be rich, happy, and blessed. But Paul described in detail the suffering he had endured in following Jesus’ command to preach the Gospel to the Gentiles. He wasn’t seeking sympathy or trying to warn those he had shared the Gospel with by reciting his troubles. He was really ‘boasting’ in his weakness and proclaiming how Christ’s power and presence had brought him through all these difficulties. (2 Corinthians 11:30)

    The false apostles had pointed to these things in Paul’s life as a sign that God was not with Paul. People had sometimes misunderstood him and his life of suffering. Paul was a Jew, but suffered beatings from the hands of his own people as he shared Christ’s love and desire for their salvation with them. In following God, Paul was shipwrecked three times and almost lost his life. He had a right to be supported by the believers, but he worked with his own hands to support himself and his ministry team. He was sometimes hungry and thirsty and without proper shelter. But behind all this, Paul walked in faith that Jesus was with him in his assignment to care for the churches he had helped found. In his weakness, Paul found the strength of Jesus sufficient for every hardship.

    Have you ever had to suffer as a result of living for Jesus or preaching the Gospel? How does this account of Paul’s suffering change your world view of being a Christ follower? Is your weakness something you have ever ‘boasted’ about?

    Prayer: Father God, I find it hard to think about my weakness. I have been taught to be strong and our culture rewards strength. Thank You for sustaining Your people in times of persecution, through life’s shipwrecks, beatings, hunger and thirst. I am weak and need Your daily supply. Amen.

  • Powerful spiritual weapons

    Scripture reading for August 11: 2 Corinthians 10

    “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6

    Paul desired that those he had led to a relationship with Jesus Christ would live a life of holiness and victory over Satan and their sinful flesh. He plainly told them that each believer was in warfare, not against other people but evil forces of darkness. The wicked spiritual forces came to kill them, steal from them, and ultimately destroy them. Satan uses our fleshly appetites and desires and our worldly thinking to accomplish his destructive plans. All believers are in the world and live in a body of flesh that can be manipulated by our evil enemy to hold us in sin and disobedience.

    But God has not left us without spiritual weapons to combat the forces of darkness and our flesh. These weapons have divine power to destroy strongholds of sin and fleshly thinking. God’s Word brings a knowledge of God and truth that sets us free. God’s Gift of the Holy Spirit living in us brings power to recognize sin and flee temptation and to live by faith in Christ’s righteousness. Through the Word and Spirit, we destroy arguments and prideful thinking that tries to exalt the flesh and block God’s knowledge. We are enabled to bring our thought life under God’s control. God’s power through the Holy Spirit destroys Satan’s strongholds of fear, addiction, and bondage to flesh. Understanding the warfare and our powerful weapons allows us to walk in victory through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

    Have you ever felt pushed around by thoughts, feelings, and emotions that demand actions that are selfish, hateful, or harmful? Have you discovered the spiritual weapons that God has provided to give you victory? What excuses have you made to accommodate your flesh and worldly thinking?

    Prayer: Father God, thank You for giving me powerful weapons of truth and righteousness through faith. Thank You for giving me the ability to recognize spiritual attacks in my flesh and mind through the indwelling Holy Spirit. By faith, I bring every thought captive into the obedience of Christ. Amen.

  • Giving by faith!

    Scripture reading for August 8: 2 Corinthians 9

    “The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all time, you may abound in ever good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-9

    “For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin!” (Romans 14:23) Paul was encouraging the Corinthians in giving and the importance of willingness and cheerfulness when we give. Preachers can put pressure on the congregation to give through various types of manipulation. This causes feelings of compulsion and that brings a lack of joy or cheerfulness. Paul advocated for strong faith in the act of giving. He likened it to a farmer sowing seed. If there was reluctance and stinginess to sow, then the benefit of the harvest will also be sparing. But if sowing was done with an abundance of seed in faith of a grand harvest, then a bountiful reaping would bring joy.

    Paul quoted Psalm 112:9 to encourage cheerful and abundant giving. God is pictured here freely and abundantly scattering His gifts to the poor. This produces an abundant harvest and great joy and thanksgiving. This faithful giving to those who cannot repay, reaps a reward of eternal righteousness. In the same way, God loves to see His children sowing abundantly. God will multiply our seed so we can continue to sow. God will multiply the harvest of souls through the sowing and many will be made righteous! Praise the Lord for the blessing of giving! (Acts 20:35)

    Would you characterize your giving to God’s work as bountiful? Sparing? Willing? How does the concept given by Paul of sowing seed help you to have faith and cheerfulness? Is it difficult for you to give your money to God’s work?

    Prayer: Father God, thank You for being a cheerful and willing giver of the most precious possession, Your only Son. Thank You for giving the abundant bounty of supply to all humans and animals. We can only say “Thank You Father!” Help me to be an abundant sower and a cheerful and willing giver. Amen.

  • Giving fairness!

    Scripture reading for August 7: 2 Corinthians 8

    “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 by His poverty might become rich. And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness.” 2 Corinthians 8:9-14

    The subject of giving money is often a difficult issue in the church as well as our world. But money is a part of our world and is a test given by God of our faithfulness and stewardship. Scripture teaches us that all we have comes from God. He gives to us through our family and national identity. He gives gifts and talents to use for His glory. He gives jobs and responsibility that earn wages and serve Him and others.

    Paul used Jesus as the supreme example of giving. Although Jesus was owner of all, He chose to humble Himself and take the form of a human being, becoming poor to identify with us. He did this that all mankind might be made rich with eternal life through adoption back into God’s eternal family. Jesus’ example was for the benefit of us all for all time.

    The Corinthian church had been asked to prepare an offering and planned for it for over a year. They had come upon some hard times, but were still well-supplied compared to the Jerusalem church that was enduring persecution. Paul encouraged them to complete what they had started. He pointed to the principle of fairness to help them cheerfully give. Their comparative abundance should be freely given to those in need at the present time. There would be a time when they would need help and the others they had blessed would return the offerings! God understands that we can only give out of what He supplies.

    What is your world view concerning money and wealth? How does it affect your attitude towards giving and discussing what to give to God’s work? Do you plan your giving in advance?

    Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your blessing in providing everything in my life. Thank You for gifts and talents to serve others and You. I freely give of myself, my time and talents and my money to further Your work. It is truly more blessed to give than receive. (Acts 20:35) Amen.

  • Life without regrets!

    Scripture reading for August 6: 2 Corinthians 7

    “For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it–though I did regret it, for I see that that letter grieved you, though only for a while. As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regrets. whereas worldly grief produces death. For see what earnestness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what punishment! At every point you have proved yourselves innocent in the matter.” 2 Corinthians 7:8-11

    As believers, we have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. One of the benefits of the Spirit is the conviction of sin. As the Word of God is preached or read, the Holy Spirit takes that Word and brings conviction of sin which produces godly sorrow in the human soul. For unbelievers, this godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation and new birth. It has been said that truth is often negative in our first hearing. It produces sorrow and sometimes anger towards the one speaking. Believers also experience conviction through the Word of God and by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is grieved by sin and we feel that grief in the sorrow of feeling separated from God.

    Paul admitted that he knew that his letter admonishing the believers to repent and forgive would cause some to grieve. He briefly grieved and regretted having to call them out. But now Paul was rejoicing because their godly grief had brought repentance and salvation and restored relationship with the Holy Spirit and God the Father. But some were just sorrowful that they were called out and did not repent. This group was headed towards death–eternal separation from God! True godly repentance brings earnestness to be cleared, holy fear of God and zeal for God’s will and leads to no regrets.

    Have you ever experienced a godly sorrow over sin in your life that brought you to a change of heart and direction? Have you ever experienced worldly sorrow that brought no change? What are some of the possible regrets with simple worldly sorrow?

    Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your Gift of the Holy Spirit indwelling me. I welcome the conviction of sin by the Holy Spirit producing godly grief enabling me to know I need to repent. Lord Jesus, keep me from worldly sorrow that leads to death and the weeping and gnashing of teeth in eternal regret. Amen.

  • Holy Separation

    Scripture reading for August 5: 2 Corinthians 6

    “”Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God has said, “I will make My dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God and they shall be My people. Therefore go out from their midst and be separate from them, says the Lord and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome You, and I will be a Father to you and you shall be sons and daughters to Me, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

    Paul explained that as new creations, believers had some choices to make. God did not want them yoked together with unbelievers. Paul used five questions to probe the understanding of those he was writing these instructions to. The answers were obvious to each question, showing the folly of becoming yoked with someone who was an unbeliever and still in the darkness of sin and under the devil’s influence. In considering covenant ties of marriage, the spouse to be must be a believer. In business partnerships, believers will work best together. In recreation, sinful pursuits must be avoided.

    Paul explained how believers have now become a ‘temple of the living God.’ They belong fully and completely to God as His dwelling place and family. The result of this new world view was to bring about willing holy separation through joyful submission to God and His Word. Close partnerships with those not following Jesus were to be evaluated and any sinful activities or practices must be repented of and forsaken. Believers must prepare their lives to welcome God’s rule and relationship. They were to be fully dedicated to Him alone. Earlier, Paul had told those already married to unbelievers to live with them if possible, seeking to win them to the Lord and sanctify the children. (1 Corinthians 7:12-16)

    As you evaluate your marriage, if applicable, partnerships, and committed relationships, would you consider yourself equally yoked spiritually? How does God’s desire for your holy separation from worldly entanglements and dedication to Him help your decisions to joyfully submit to Him?

    Prayer: Holy Father, Your passionate and jealous love for me and each person is amazing and humbling. I am willing to separate from any unequal yoking or sinful behavior so that I can allow You to fully indwell my soul and body. I am your child and You are my Heavenly Father. Have Your way in me! Amen.

  • Ambassadors for Christ

    Scripture reading for August 4: 2 Corinthians 5

    “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, Who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake He made Him to be sin Who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

    Paul explained to the transformation that takes place when believers place their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord. The believer is born again and becomes a new creation. The old man has passed away, crucified with Christ. The new man, created in Christ Jesus in righteousness is a gift from God through the Holy Spirit dwelling within. Because of righteousness, believers are now able to be reconciled to God. They are no longer objects of His wrath because of sin. This was God’s plan of salvation in action, to reconcile the world to Himself through the message of reconciliation found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

    This transformation was instantaneous at our repentance and conversion. But this transformation is also ongoing in that now we become available to be Christ’s ambassadors. As ambassadors, we represent Christ and His Gospel appeal to others. We can implore others to be reconciled to God through Jesus Christ. This is possible because God made His Son, Jesus Christ, to be sin although He was without sin Himself. He bore our sins on the cross and died on our behalf that we might through Him receive the Gift of righteousness from God our Father. As we mature as believers, we joyfully ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit to empower us to be ambassadors, appealing to all to enjoy reconciliation to their Father.

    Have you had a believer who shared their faith in Jesus Christ with you? Can you declare today that you are a new creation in Jesus Christ? Has your spiritual transformation progressed to where you consider yourself an ambassador for Christ Jesus?

    Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your amazing plan to reach all people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank You for sending ambassadors to me on several occasions, including my mother, my Sunday School teachers, and youth leaders. Fill me with the Holy Spirit again today and send me as Your ambassador. Amen.

  • The Gospel of Glory!

    Scripture reading for August 1: 2 Corinthians 4

    “And even if our Gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, Who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, Who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” 2 Corinthians 4:2-7

    After describing how the Spirit of God indwelling believers brings freedom and an ever-increasing transformation into the image of Christ and His glory, (2 Corinthians 3:17-18) Paul tells the believers that some cannot lay hold of the Gospel truth. Their enemy, Satan, has blinded their minds and hidden the light of the Gospel of Christ’s glory from them. They continue in darkness and remain unchanged and in bondage to sin and self. But this does not deter Paul and those helping him share the Gospel. Paul continued to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord as a faithful servant of God serving Jesus and others as He commanded.

    Paul knew that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was the power of God to salvation to those who would believe. (Romans 1:16) God used the Gospel to shine the light of His Son into darkened hearts. Through the Gospel, the glory of God in Jesus Christ’s face was unveiled and Satan’s darkness dispelled! Believers cannot be boastful about this, because this is all a work of God on their behalf. They have this treasure of the knowledge of God’s glory in Christ in their mortal body, likened to a jar of clay. But God through His Holy Spirit transforms our jars of clay ultimately into a glorious body, like Jesus’ glorious body! Amen!

    Does your world view include the spirit world and an understanding of the god of this world, the devil? Have you heard the Gospel message of Jesus Christ, Son of God, dying on a cross as a sacrifice for sin? How has this Gospel helped you to understand the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ?

    Prayer: Father God, I am so blessed to have heard the Gospel from a young age and to be drawn by the Holy Spirit to salvation and transformation. Thank You for those you sent as Your servants to share with me. Here I am, send me as Your servant and allow the light of Your glory to shine through me. Amen.

  • Spirit written tablets!

    Scripture reading for July 31: 2 Corinthians 3

    “You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all. And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ towards God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, Who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a New Covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” 2 Corinthians 3:2-6

    Paul explained to the Corinthians the spiritual nature of the New Covenant that had brought them salvation and made them into a new creation in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:17) He compared them to a letter written by the Holy Spirit from Christ that was delivered by Paul and His ministerial team. They had preached the Gospel of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, God’s Son. The Corinthians had repented and believed. The Holy Spirit had come and written God’s law and Word on the tablet of their heart, bringing them into God’s family and eternal life.

    This letter written by the Holy Spirit on believers human hearts was contrasted with the letter from God received by Moses on Mt. Sinai written on tablets of stone. That first letter had brought conviction of sin and revealed God’s wrath and death. The Law came with thunder and lightning and glory that faded from Moses. (2 Corinthians 3:9-13) The Law was glorious but was superseded by the New Covenant. The Holy Spirit comes into the repentant believer in Jesus and writes God’s Word on the tablet of the human heart. That glory that comes into the believer transforms them into a new creation that increases in glory as the Spirit brings revelation. The Spirit brings eternal life!

    Have you ever struggled with trying to keep God’s law and do everything to make Him happy? How does viewing your life in Christ as a letter from God written by the Holy Spirit help your attitude? Do you have confidence towards God in your salvation?

    Prayer: Father God, I am thankful that You have given me rest from a life of working to please You. I am confident in Your New Covenant with me through the Holy Spirit living in me and transforming me through a relationship, not just rules. I look forward to life daily and life eternal in Your Spirit. Amen!

  • Forgiveness Applied!

    Scripture reading for July 30: 2 Corinthians 2

    “For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him. For this is why I wrote, that I might test you and know whether you are obedient in everything. Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.” 2 Corinthians 2:6-10

    Paul had worked with the Corinthian believers and church leaders through a difficult case requiring church discipline. (1 Corinthians 5) Evidently, this person who had been given over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh was now repentant. Paul urges the church to forgive him as Christ has already forgiven us. Withholding forgiveness can cause excessive sorrow and unnecessary division in Christ’s church. Forgiveness is not saying what was done was now accepted. Forgiveness says that a repentant heart receives grace from God and as God’s family, we also must give grace as Christ gave us grace.

    Paul tells how he personally had to forgive members of the church there that had turned against him and spoken critically of his ministry and motives. Paul pointed them to Satan’s designs to cause hatred and distrust and division in Christ’s church. When we forgive, we defuse Satan’s designs and plans. These truths help all of Christ’s followers to see how to operate against a cunning enemy. Forgiveness is a choice that springs from the heart of our Lord Jesus Himself and the Holy Spirit living in us.

    Have you ever found it difficult to forgive someone who has hurt you deeply? How does this instruction to the Corinthian church help you to be aware of Satan’s devices against you and the church? Have you ever been repentant but not found forgiveness from the one you wronged, in spite of asking?

    Prayer: Father God, I admit that I have struggled to forgive those in the church that have turn against me or falsely accused me. Thank You for leading me to repentance for my attitudes and helping me to be aware of Satan’s devices. Please pour out Your grace on Your church enabling forgiveness. Amen.