2 Cor 7-10

Scripture - 2 Corinthians 9:10 Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness.

Observation - Paul is addressing the giver in this chapter. he is speaking to the Corinthians, who are a very advanced and modern society, and have prepared to help his missionary efforts. The tenor of the passages before and after this describe a people that know they should give but are having a hard time releasing it. Paul encourages them to be cheerful in giving and that once the seed is sown God will multiply it for them. I love what verse 10 says that God multiplies the seed you have sown and increases the fruit. God only multiplies seed that is sown. Seed that has left your hand and been placed in God's harvest field.

Application - Economic hardship is hitting many people these days. But as the people of God we must continue to sow seed, both financially and spiritually. God will multiply the seed that has left our hand and been placed in His. God will increase not only the seed, but the fruit of righteousness which if you remember is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The fruit will increase by the sowing of the seed.

Prayer - Father let us continually look for places to sow seed.

Ps 122; 1 Cor 9-11

Scripture - 1 Cor 9:8-12 Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also? 9 For it is written in the law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Is it oxen God is concerned about? 10 Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. 11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? 12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?

Observation -It is probably that some in Corinth were debating his Apostleship and his right to receive materially for the work that he was doing. Paul goes on a rant here and begins to not only confirm his apostleship but the necessity that the man of God be taken care of. He explains that a man that plows should plow in hopes of bringing in a harvest. He should not plow, not expecting to reap anything. I believe that Paul connects the work to spiritual deposit into the lives of the people and it is not immoral or immaterial to expect to receive care and material blessings for that work. He compares the work of the man of God to the work of an ox. He explains that God cares much more for man than the ox but yet gives food to both.

Application - I believe that some shifting of expectations needs to happen. It is time to start hoping for the harvest from the labor. The interesting thing is that in agriculture there are seasons. Seasons for plowing, seasons for planting, seasons for caring, seasons for reaping. Too often we only focus on the plowing and maybe the planting - but now its time to expect the harvest. Paul tells us that we can expect to gain the harvest and that the harvest is the real focus. Spiritually or materially God wants to bless those who plow.

Prayer - Father open my eyes to the reaping. I get the sowing and the plowing, now teach me to reap.

Job 38; 1 Cor 4-6

Scripture - 1 Cor 5:6 Your glorying is not good. do you no know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

Observation - 1 Corinthians writings contain very direct instruction for living. While the compassion of the Apostle can be seen, he is very direct in dealing with sin and sinful living. In the previous verses to this passage Paul is dealing with gross sexual immorality and not only saying not to do it, but instructing the disciples and believers not to even talk about it as if it is ok. He says your glorying is not good. In other words "Your innocent acceptance of the actions by another is not good".

Application - It seems like the lines between sin and purity are becoming more and more blurred. Paul cautioned that we should not even eat dinner with a sexually immoral person. His instructions were harsh, in fact he explained them in the last few verses of the chapter. Paul was cautioning the church not to make light of the sin, not to accept the sin, to to watch others engaged in the sin. Too often we blur the line - we may not be engaged in sexual immorality but we don't mind watching it. We may not be doing it but we celebrate it as if we do. The line needs to be clear.

Prayer - Father help me to understand how to offer a hand of compassion but keep the lines clear. I know that radical extreme views are the concern, but God help me to continue to advocate pure, holy living without isolating those you love.

Job 19; Mk 1-2

Scripture - Mk 2:1-4 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.

Observation - These four men carrying this paralytic men had simply heard word that Jesus could do miraculous, life changing things. They were so overwhelmed by that testimony that they wanted to get their friend in front of Him. They were persistent and actually aggressive about getting him there. They really didn't let anything stop them from getting to Jesus. They couldn't get through the front door or the windows so they ripped the roof off the house to get in front of Jesus. What determination to get in front of Jesus. These men had some passion to get the answer that they needed. Their focus was squarely on getting in front of Him. Getting their friend the touch from Jesus that he needed, so focus in fact, that nothing would stop them.

Application - I wonder sometimes if we have the same passion to get in front of Jesus. So much passion that we don't let anything get in our way. These four men simply heard that this man could do something and believed it so much that they actually ripped the roof off the house. How would Jesus respond today if we were so passionate about getting to him that we didn't let anything stop us. If we really approached Him with that kind of determination. That we knew He holds the answer to our problem and all that we have to do is get in front of Him. Further that we know that He has the answer for our friends and that we will rip the roof off the house to get our friends and family in front of Him. I really believe He is looking for that kind of passion from us today.

Prayer - Father - Help me to be passionate about getting in your presence today. I know that one spoken word from you takes care of many years of worry and stress. That if you simply speak in my direction all things are great. Father help me to get anyone and everyone in front of you - because you hold the same desire to heal them as you do to heal me.

Job 18; Ps 114; Acts 27-28

Scripture - Acts 28:30-31 Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, 31 preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

Observation - I was thinking about the way that the book of Acts ends with Paul in his own rented home in Rome preaching the gospel and no one forbidding him. He was there preaching as he wanted, converting people to Christianity and building ministry. I am sure he was also sending messages to his churches throughout the regions, discipling the men that he planted in those churches. But what is interesting to me is that no one was forbidding him. He was in this place where his ministry just worked. But it took a whole lot of beating up to get there. He had been through prison, beatings, accusations, shipwrecks, viper bites, persecution, slander, and every other type of personal attack, but ended up in a house that he rented preaching the gospel.

Application - How many times do we want the prize but don't want to pay the price. Paul had hit a stride in his ministry but had to pay a tremendous price to get there. Ministry does not come without some prison experiences, some beatings, some accusations and some personal attacks but if you can endure all of that God will get you to the place where your ministry will go without anyone forbidding it.

Prayer - Father help me to endure. I am willing to pay the price to get the prize. We are on our way to ministry that the devil can't forbid. God bless every step of the way.

Neh 9-10; Acts 2

Scripture - Neh 10:39 For the children of Israel and the children of Levi shall bring the offering of the grain, of the new wine and the oil, to the storerooms where the articles of the sanctuary are, where the priests who minister and the gatekeepers and the singers are; and we will not neglect the house of our God.
Acts 2:46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Observation - In Nehemiah 10:39 we see that the temple is completed and dedicated to the Lord, the priests have been commissioned, the people have committed to bringing in the tithes and the storage rooms are full and yet they continue to bring in the tithes so that the ministry can continue. In Acts 2:46 the birthing of the new testament church takes place with God adding to it daily. The scripture just before this one describes the people selling their possessions and bringing them to the house of God so that no one had any needs and that the house of God was taken care of.

Application - I love that in both instances the people cared so much for God's house that it was not neglected. There was a real emphasis in both the old and new testament that the house of God be maintained and cared for. In Nehemiah it goes on to say that "we will not neglect the house of God". To have that much emphasis on the house of God understanding its vital role in the continuation of the ministry and the fulfilling of God's plan. Building or no building - the house of God is a vital aspect of God's plan and every effort must be given to care for it as such. I love that the people were willing to bring all in to take care of the house...

Prayer - help us to see the vital role your house plays. While the church is the people the house of God is important to the kingdom and the work that you are doing here on earth. God help us to never neglect the house.

Nehemiah 7-8; Acts 1

Scripture - Acts 1:4-5 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which" He said "you have heard from Me; 5 "for John truly baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now"

Observation - "Wait For The Promise" - "Do Not Depart" - these gentlemen were gathered together in the upper room waiting for 120 days with nothing. No indication that the promise was coming, no indication that anything was happening. Wait for the promise and do not depart were the instructions from Jesus - as a matter of fact he went on to say "that you heard from Me". In other words I have given you specific instructions and a promise that I will fulfill - don't move until it happens. Don't run, don't walk, don't go, don't leave the room until you see the promise fulfilled.

Application - All too often we leave before the promise is fulfilled. We depart Jerusalem, for that matter we leave the room before the promise ever arrives. Jesus told the disciples very specifically don't depart Jerusalem and wait on the promise. If Jesus can get us to stick around long enough and hang in there even when it looks like things aren't happening He will bring the promise to pass.

Prayer - Father help me to take my eyes off of the tangible results and just wait for the Promise...