2 Corinthians 1 – 4

Too many times I have heard a well-intentioned person tell a brother or sister in Christ who is suffering through a difficult situation, “God never gives us more than we can handle.”  They might as well say, “If you weren’t so strong, God wouldn’t be putting you through this.”  What an awful thing to say to someone whose world is falling apart around them!  How is that supposed to comfort someone whose heart is broken over the loss of a loved one, or is suffering with a chronic illness or a cancer diagnosis, or is dealing with financial difficulties or clinical depression or… or….or.  You fill in the blank.

It’s not a true statement.  It is a poor way of translating 1 Corinthians 10:13 where Paul writes, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.  And God is faithful.  He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.  When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”  Paul is speaking about temptations.  He says nothing about the difficult trials of life in this verse.  However, in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9, Paul talks about, “the trouble we went through in the province of Asia.  We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it.  In fact, we expected to die.”  Sounds like more than they could handle to me.

So how should we comfort a person suffering through life’s tragedies without coming across like friends of Job?  Paul tells us in  2 Corinthians 1:4, “He (God) comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.”

How has God comforted you?  Has He provided a kind word when it was needed most?  Maybe reminded you that the trial you are suffering through is not a punishment from Him?  Has He sent someone your way to give you a hug, tell you you are loved, sit with you and let you just talk about your situation or vent your frustrations, or be a shoulder to cry on?  How has He provided comfort for you?  That is how you can comfort others.

So instead of misquoting a scripture that just leaves a person feeling more depressed, let’s quote scripture to our Christian family that can be encouraging and comforting.  Let’s remind each other that God loves us – (John 3:16-17).  God loved us even when we were sinners – (Romans 5:8).  God doesn’t condemn us – (Romans 8:1).  We are never alone – (Deuteronomy 31:6).  He is close to the broken hearted – (Psalm 34:18).

Similar to how temptations we face are no different from what others experience, trials we’ve gone through are often the same trials others are going through.  Who better to comfort someone going through a difficult situation than a person who has been there – done that – and survived?

The best news of all regarding the trials of this life is this: “For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long.  Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!  So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now, rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen.  For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18)

Pam Jackson

Romans 12:1 begins, “Therefore” (KJV) “And so” (NLT) – and ‘so what’ you ask?  That is a very good question!  To understand this passage, we first have to back up into the books of Romans….

After Paul’s salutation in his great treatise to the church in Rome he shows clearly that the whole world stands guilty before a Holy and Righteous God, there is no one who is good, only God!  (Luke 18:19) Before Him all humanity stands condemned with nothing to say.

An idiom of speech is to be ‘gob smacked’ – literally with one’s hand over one’s mouth and dumbstruck.  (3:11-12 ) The reality of our sin is shocking and overwhelming. Yes, we all fall seriously short of God’s perfect standard (23) we are sinners under condemnation.

But this is not the end of the story…’yet God’ – don’t you just love the ‘But God’ verses of the Bible!  3:24-25 “Yet now God (or BUT GOD) in His gracious kindness declares us not guilty. He has done this through Christ Jesus, who has freed us by taking away our sins.  For God sent Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to satisfy God’s anger against us. We are made right with God when we believe that Jesus shed his blood, sacrificing his life for us.”

On the foundation of our salvation by grace alone through faith alone in our Lord Jesus Christ alone Romans 4-8 develops this further with our Sanctification.  Romans 9-11 expands on God’s Sovereignty to Jews and Gentiles ending with the wonderful benediction of verses 33-36.

Now we can understand the context of Romans 12. “AND SO!”  Because of God’s great mercy towards us, the withholding of what is due by His grace, kindness and compassion, Paul pleads with us to offer or present our bodies to God as a LIVING SACRIFICE.  Now here is a beautiful picture from ancient times when a bride was presented to her husband.  The father places her hand into the hand of his son to be his wife.

And so – we have the practical application chapters of Service, first to GOD and then in like manner to His body – ONE ANOTHER.  Mark 12:30-31.  We love the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and one another!  One pastor took an epilogue on Romans 12:1-2 and said, “I’ll tell you exactly what that means, “If God calls you to go to darkest Africa tomorrow, you go!”  Guess where we ended up!  Are we willing to say, wherever, whatever the cost…?

We give him our bodies (12:1 ), our minds and will (12:2).  So instead of being molded into the pattern of the world’s thinking (watch any TV commercial) our minds will be ‘metamorphosed’ = to be transformed and renewed in our thinking to do what is pleasing to our Lord and Savior.  Gosh just like a caterpillar into a butterfly so God will transform our minds and renew them beautifully to be as His! Then…having a right estimation of ourselves with our identity in Christ (3) we will function in our God given gifts of His grace (4-8)  (1Cor. 12:12-18).

However the verses that really grabbed my attention this time were verses 9–18.  Seriously, are we devoted to one another? Is our love genuine?  Do we honor one another?  Are we lazy or zealous?  How about our prayer life?  When did you last pray for me or I pray for you?  Hosting and Hospitality – when did you last invite someone outside of your circle of friends in for a meal or give them a bed?  One of our pastors was great at doing both for us, right here in Lebanon.  Do we empathize with one another?  Are we happy for them and do we cry with them?

Lots of questions we could and should be asking ourselves – me too!  Just scratching the tip of an iceberg.

Rosemarie Baghurst

(see also life in Col. 3:3, Gal. 2:20 and love in 1 John 4:10-11)

For most of us, the word “persistence” can conjure up both positive and negative thoughts. Perhaps you think of a time when persistence enabled you to accomplish something fulfilling (finishing a college degree, weeding an entire garden bed, working out and losing weight). Then there are those other examples of persistence, like when a child asks you over and over again for something and you finally give in just so you don’t have to hear them ask anymore! Or perhaps when a family member persists in sharing their advice or opinion even though you have made it clear you are not interested.

One definition of persist, according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “to be insistent in the repetition or pressing of an utterance (such as a question or opinion).”The Bible talks about this matter of persistence in the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8). Here, Jesus tells the following parable:

“In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. ³ And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ ⁴ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, ⁵ yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming (Luke 18:2-5, ESV).”

Jesus then goes on to say that if this unrighteous judge ultimately gave this woman justice because of her persistence, will not God give justice to his own children, who cry out to him day and night?

When we consider our prayer lives, are we quick to give up and lose heart when we don’t receive an answer from God? Do we persist in our prayers even when frustrated, disappointed, discouraged? Do we think, “Well, I serve an all-knowing God; I’ve already asked Him once, so surely I don’t need to keep pestering him over and over with the same request?”

If we look through Scripture, we can find many examples of persistent prayer. David fasted and prayed all night for his child to live (II Sam. 12:16), Paul prayed numerous times for God to remove a thorn in his flesh (II Cor. 12:7-10), Samuel prayed all night over Saul’s disobedience (I Sam. 15:11), and Jacob wrestled all night with the Lord until he received a blessing (Gen. 32:22-30). If we look back at the parable of the persistent widow, Luke had prefaced the story with “And [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1, ESV).”

So why does God ask us to be persistent in our prayers?  When we look at Paul’s request for God to remove the thorn in his flesh, it becomes apparent that persistence in prayer can be used by God to mold, transform, and purge our desires and grow our relationship with Him. When Paul realized that God was not going to remove the thorn, he instead asked God to help him rely on His grace and power.

Praying with persistence molds our desires, teaches us patience, and grows our relationship with Christ.If you have been praying about something for a long time, don’t lose heart. Know that God wants to hear our prayers, He tells us to persist in our prayers, and He wants to deepen our relationship with Him through our prayers. Don’t give up!

Melissa Piper

 

Acts 27-28

Imagine for a moment how strange the claims of the Gospel would sound to those who don’t already believe. All the talk of crosses, blood, tombs, and thrones might seem to border on insanity—not to mention virgin births, walking on water, and white horses in the sky!

Surely these things seemed unbelievable to many who first heard the Gospel, just as many people today find Christian claims irrational. Of course, Christians believe that the Bible is grounded in history, proven by experience, and not only rationally defensible, but the Truth revealed from God himself. But what if you didn’t already believe? What if you had never heard the Good News?

As we end the book of Acts, imagine for a moment that you lived in Rome and met Paul while he was there in prison, preaching the Gospel unhindered. As you pass by, he greets you and strikes up a conversation. It quickly turns to Jesus and you begin to consider what Paul is telling you.

Of all that you hear, there is one part of the story that seems particularly foolish. That is the claim that Jesus Christ was the true King. How could Paul, a man imprisoned in the heart of the world’s most powerful empire, claim that Jesus reigned? Clearly Paul is at the mercy of Rome. What a bizarre claim for a prisoner to make!

As you see the scars on his body, and hear the stories of his life, you are even more perplexed. Paul describes himself as an ambassador for King Jesus. What kind of King would let this happen to his servant? Shipwrecks, trials, imprisonment, beatings. Don’t these things prove that Jesus isn’t in control?

When you ask him the question, Paul smiles. “No,” he might say. “You see, Jesus is a different kind of king.”

He is the kind of king who proves his power by showing mercy. He is the kind of king who girds himself as a servant and washes feet. He’s the kind of king who remembers those the world has forgotten. He’s the kind of king who raises the dead.

He’s the kind of king who binds the brokenhearted and offers freedom to the captive. He’s the kind of king who welcomes little children. He’s the kind of king who transforms the wicked heart. He’s the kind of king who calls back the wayward son.

He’s the kind of king who wears a crown of thorns. He’s the kind of king who lays down his life. He’s the kind of king who stands by you in prison, stays with you in the deepest waters, and prepares a table for you in the presence of your enemy.

“Yes,” he might say again, “I know it sounds strange. Many pretend to run the world, but only One truly does. And even if I die, I trust my King will bring me home. Nothing can stop my King, and nothing ever will.”

As you walk away, you can’t decide whether or not Paul has lost his mind, or whether there is some truth in what he is saying. You decide perhaps you’ll talk to him again tomorrow. After all, even the guards don’t seem to be hindering him from sharing the story (Acts 28:31).

Church, as we end the book of Acts, may we be a people who continue to proclaim King Jesus to a world that desperately needs to know. With all boldness. Without hindrance. The only name given among men, by which we must be saved.

Timothy Howe

Acts 8-9

Acts chapters 8 and 9 have recorded in them a number of amazing stories. Actually, more than amazing, they are MIRACULOUS! These two chapters are full of people that responded to the commands and the leading of the Lord. When they were directed to move or go…they did!

In these two chapters, people were continually told to get up and move. They were sent, told to arise and go, come to, go thy way, and various other versions of being called to action. God was continually sending people out to share the gospel. The message being sent then and now is that Christ died for ALL. Mercy, grace and salvation are available to everyone. The impact of the faithfulness, the willingness and obedience of Philip, Peter, Paul and others was dynamic!

The results of these efforts are recorded in Acts 9:31: “The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.”

One of the amazing aspects of this spiritual growth is that it was preceded by a time of great persecution. So there may be times when we are called to suffer for Christ. After all, Jesus Christ, God’s only son, suffered greatly and willingly so that we all can have the opportunity to become a child of God.

So what does this mean to us? How does this impact how we live our lives? Well James 1:22 says, “Be ye doers of word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” The fine folks in Chapter 8 and 9 were certainly doers of the word. James 2:18 says, “Yea, a man may say, thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.” As believers, we have to ask ourselves, can the people around us see our faith by our works?

The answer to the question may be “no” for some and “yes” for others; or for some the answer may be “yes” some days and “no” other days. One thing that might help us to be consistent doers of the word is to remind ourselves just what it is God has called us to do.

Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

In other words, God has called us to do the same thing he asked the believers in Acts 8 and 9 to do, arise and go share the gospel with those around us. Please remember you don’t have to have hundreds of verses memorized to share the gospel. All you have to do is testify, share your story and tell someone what God has done for you. God has called us to be faithful and obedient in sharing the gospel and we can trust him for the increase.

Being faithful to the will of the Lord may result in struggles, trials, and hardships for us, but it is worth it. For God will bless our obedience and faithfulness. Also, remember the promise of our Lord, that He will be with us always, even to the end of the world!

Mark Davis