II Corinthians 12, 14, 15: "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds... I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you... And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you;"
The Apostle Paul again dealing with the church of Corinth writes to them and informs them that, even though he is an apostle of Jesus Christ, complete with all the exciting apostolic signs and wonders, that he was still willing to give up of himself, for their benefit - not only willing, but very glad to do it.
He was willing to spend: He told them that when he came, he was not going to take their money for his daily necessities. That is one of the reasons that he kept on making tents. He wanted to prove to them that he was in this for them, and not for himself. He was willing to spend for them.
He was willing to be spent: When you spend something, it's gone. Something spent is something used up. Paul was a man. He had only so much of himself. He was willing to have his energy, his abilities, his efforts spent, and he was willing to be spent for their sakes. He couldn't get back what parts of him were spent; they were gone. But he was willing, even though, as vs. 15 tells us the more he loved them and was spent for them, the less he was loved. But it didn't persuade him.
I want to have a minister's heart like the Apostle Paul: willing to very gladly spend and be spent.
Just a thought...
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Don't Let Him Down
2 Corinthians 9:1-4: "For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: [2] For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. [3] Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: [4] Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting."
The Apostle Paul had ministered to the Corinthians, and he had experienced their zeal in ministering to the saints. He experienced this, and then turned around and boasted on their efforts to other people. The church of Corinth now had this reputation that they were a people known for they ministering. Paul even said that it was 'superfluous' (meaning: More than necessary) for him to write to the church to tell them to be ready to minister... ye he did it anyway.
He used the motivation of this, Hey, Church, please be ready to minister... I've been telling all of my friends that you guys are great like this, and when I bring them down, please, for my sake, don't let me down...
My thoughts went to our church, First BIBLE Baptist Church. I remember how Pastor Grace was told by a pastor in another church in the area that he recognized FBBC people as being people of the Book. And what a compliment that was to be known as such. But, Hey, Church, please be a people of the Book... Pastor Grace has been telling all his friends that this church (you & I) are a people of the Book, and when they come around, please, for his sake, don't let him down...
We ought to love God's Word just because, but let's live up to the reputation that our church has developed over the years, and let's be a people of the Book.
Just a thought...
The Apostle Paul had ministered to the Corinthians, and he had experienced their zeal in ministering to the saints. He experienced this, and then turned around and boasted on their efforts to other people. The church of Corinth now had this reputation that they were a people known for they ministering. Paul even said that it was 'superfluous' (meaning: More than necessary) for him to write to the church to tell them to be ready to minister... ye he did it anyway.
He used the motivation of this, Hey, Church, please be ready to minister... I've been telling all of my friends that you guys are great like this, and when I bring them down, please, for my sake, don't let me down...
My thoughts went to our church, First BIBLE Baptist Church. I remember how Pastor Grace was told by a pastor in another church in the area that he recognized FBBC people as being people of the Book. And what a compliment that was to be known as such. But, Hey, Church, please be a people of the Book... Pastor Grace has been telling all his friends that this church (you & I) are a people of the Book, and when they come around, please, for his sake, don't let him down...
We ought to love God's Word just because, but let's live up to the reputation that our church has developed over the years, and let's be a people of the Book.
Just a thought...
Friday, October 19, 2007
Hurry up!
I have written on my blog that I think we often are too busy with things in our lives - good things: ministry related, church activities, etc. that we often overlook God and end up working in the flesh. I by no means am retracting those ideas in this post.
However, at the same time, the Bible says that we are to "run" our Christian race, not just walk it. I could go to Isaiah 40:31 where they that wait upon the Lord (that supports my previous posts and opening paragraph here) shall renew their strength, and they shall run and not be weary. 1 Corinthians 9:24 talks about running a race. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us how to run our race.
We ought to not just sit back and take it easy in our Christian lives. We shouldn't say, "Oh, I will grow in this area next year. I just want to take it one at a time..." We need to run the race - without losing focus of the waiting on the Lord part. Hebrews 12:1 says we need to run it with patience. That doesn't mean run it slowly and pacing yourself, but rather like Jesus did, we need to run through all the obstacles that come up in our race. For Jesus, that meant things like, the Cross.
The reason this thought came to me today was because last night, while Sarah was driving home from having coffee with some friends, she got pulled over by a policeman. No... she wasn't speeding. She actually got pulled over for going 7 miles under the speed limit: 33 mph in a 40 mph zone!
Just a thought...
However, at the same time, the Bible says that we are to "run" our Christian race, not just walk it. I could go to Isaiah 40:31 where they that wait upon the Lord (that supports my previous posts and opening paragraph here) shall renew their strength, and they shall run and not be weary. 1 Corinthians 9:24 talks about running a race. Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us how to run our race.
We ought to not just sit back and take it easy in our Christian lives. We shouldn't say, "Oh, I will grow in this area next year. I just want to take it one at a time..." We need to run the race - without losing focus of the waiting on the Lord part. Hebrews 12:1 says we need to run it with patience. That doesn't mean run it slowly and pacing yourself, but rather like Jesus did, we need to run through all the obstacles that come up in our race. For Jesus, that meant things like, the Cross.
The reason this thought came to me today was because last night, while Sarah was driving home from having coffee with some friends, she got pulled over by a policeman. No... she wasn't speeding. She actually got pulled over for going 7 miles under the speed limit: 33 mph in a 40 mph zone!
Just a thought...
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Committment in Christianity
On the brink of tomorrow's Men's Conference, put on by Rick Grape, I have had 'Committment' on my mind. One of the things that Rick has taught me constantly is committment and faithfulness. So, today I was reading the blog from Jeff Adams, pastor of Kansas City Baptist Temple, and he ends up quoting something that someone else wrote... and I thought I would take today's post as an opportunity to point at that, and hopefully to help us all be encouraged to be faithful to where you are. And as you'll see if you read it, that charge is given especially to those interested in missions.
Anyway, here it is:
Jeff Adams
Anyway, here it is:
Jeff Adams
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Charity... and your neighbour part 2
So, like I wrote about on Monday, we are to have 1 Corinthians 13 "charity" towards our "neighbour" (see Luke 10 to define "neighbour") in order to fulfill the Second Great Commandment.
Continuing that thought, 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,"
Applying these to our neighbours, we ought to be long suffering and patient towards them. If they have a bad habit that we don't like - we should probably just get over it. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? To be obedient to the 2nd Great Commandment, we should be willing to love even in the midst of whatever nuisance our neighbour may provide to us.
We are to be kind. Forgiving one another as Christ forgave us, being tenderhearted, that is how Eph. 4:32 defines it for us.
Charity envieth not. I was thinking that 'coveting' is when we want something that we don't have, and we let it change our attitude because we don't have it. It's ok to want something, but when that want changes your attitude, it has become lust / covetousness. Envy on the other hand is: after you have coveted something that somebody else has, not only are you sad that you don't have it, but you actually turn and develop a negative attitude towards the person that does have it. If we could just be content with what we do have, we would not covet and in turn be envious towards others. Be content with what you have. And what do you have? Jesus promised that HE would never leave you nor forsake you. Are you content with Jesus, or do you need more? Charity envieth not.
Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. When you have love for someone else, you will exalt that person instead of yourself. In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Jesus loved us, and He was willing to humble Himself... Besides, you know what happens when you boast on yourself and give yourserlf glory? Well, if you're not struck dead like Herod in Acts 12, Proverbs tells us that for men to search out their own glory, it is not glory. When we boast on ourselves, we actually are making what perhaps we would have deserved credit for - unpraiseworthy.
Anyway, just a couple more thoughts on having charity towards your neighbour. Another way to love your neighbour would be to watch your tongue.
Continuing that thought, 1 Corinthians 13:4 says, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,"
Applying these to our neighbours, we ought to be long suffering and patient towards them. If they have a bad habit that we don't like - we should probably just get over it. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? To be obedient to the 2nd Great Commandment, we should be willing to love even in the midst of whatever nuisance our neighbour may provide to us.
We are to be kind. Forgiving one another as Christ forgave us, being tenderhearted, that is how Eph. 4:32 defines it for us.
Charity envieth not. I was thinking that 'coveting' is when we want something that we don't have, and we let it change our attitude because we don't have it. It's ok to want something, but when that want changes your attitude, it has become lust / covetousness. Envy on the other hand is: after you have coveted something that somebody else has, not only are you sad that you don't have it, but you actually turn and develop a negative attitude towards the person that does have it. If we could just be content with what we do have, we would not covet and in turn be envious towards others. Be content with what you have. And what do you have? Jesus promised that HE would never leave you nor forsake you. Are you content with Jesus, or do you need more? Charity envieth not.
Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. When you have love for someone else, you will exalt that person instead of yourself. In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Jesus loved us, and He was willing to humble Himself... Besides, you know what happens when you boast on yourself and give yourserlf glory? Well, if you're not struck dead like Herod in Acts 12, Proverbs tells us that for men to search out their own glory, it is not glory. When we boast on ourselves, we actually are making what perhaps we would have deserved credit for - unpraiseworthy.
Anyway, just a couple more thoughts on having charity towards your neighbour. Another way to love your neighbour would be to watch your tongue.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Interruption
We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog posting for this important announcement. Normal programming will resume tomorrow.
So, today the Tsoukalas family is leaving for South Africa. I had the blessing of being able to watch the girls for their last evening here in the States while mom & dad did some last minute stuff. Anyway, they are leaving today, and I just wanted to recommend that everyone take some time to pray for them as they go to work where God has called them.
Julie's blog address (if you don't know) is: JulieMom
The effectual, fervant prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
We're praying for you guys!
So, today the Tsoukalas family is leaving for South Africa. I had the blessing of being able to watch the girls for their last evening here in the States while mom & dad did some last minute stuff. Anyway, they are leaving today, and I just wanted to recommend that everyone take some time to pray for them as they go to work where God has called them.
Julie's blog address (if you don't know) is: JulieMom
The effectual, fervant prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.
We're praying for you guys!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Charity... and your neighbour
(I just liked using the King's English spelling of 'neighbour')
I Corinthians 13 is the famous 'charity' chapter. Now, I have never really looked into seeing if the King's English word for 'charity' is different in anyway than 'love,' as the word is more contemporarily translated, but I'm going to use it as being compatible. Webster's 1828 number 1 definition of 'charity' is: "In a general sense, love, benevolence, good will..." So, I'm comfortable with it.
Anyway, the next point of my thought today is like unto it... "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." I believe the Bible teaches that we should have I Corinthians 13 charity towards our neighbor in order to fulfill the second commandment (Matthew 22:39). All of the definitions of charity in I Corinthians 13 ought to be found in the way that we love our neighbor.
For example:
I Corinthians 13:5 says that charity "thinketh no evil." That means that we ought not to think evil of our neighbor. And, by the way, if you have a problem defining who your neighbor is, go ahead and read Luke 10. Jesus will help you out.
So, we are to not think evil of our neighbor. Sounds to me like we're not supposed to jump to conclusions about people. We are to always give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm afraid that I too quickly jump to a negative opinion about somebody, and just because they are lost, think that they are always out to do the worse thing possible... I'm not being charitable to them by thinking that way. I am not loving my neighbor when I do that.
Let's think no evil towards our neighbor.
Just a thought.
I Corinthians 13 is the famous 'charity' chapter. Now, I have never really looked into seeing if the King's English word for 'charity' is different in anyway than 'love,' as the word is more contemporarily translated, but I'm going to use it as being compatible. Webster's 1828 number 1 definition of 'charity' is: "In a general sense, love, benevolence, good will..." So, I'm comfortable with it.
Anyway, the next point of my thought today is like unto it... "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." I believe the Bible teaches that we should have I Corinthians 13 charity towards our neighbor in order to fulfill the second commandment (Matthew 22:39). All of the definitions of charity in I Corinthians 13 ought to be found in the way that we love our neighbor.
For example:
I Corinthians 13:5 says that charity "thinketh no evil." That means that we ought not to think evil of our neighbor. And, by the way, if you have a problem defining who your neighbor is, go ahead and read Luke 10. Jesus will help you out.
So, we are to not think evil of our neighbor. Sounds to me like we're not supposed to jump to conclusions about people. We are to always give them the benefit of the doubt. I'm afraid that I too quickly jump to a negative opinion about somebody, and just because they are lost, think that they are always out to do the worse thing possible... I'm not being charitable to them by thinking that way. I am not loving my neighbor when I do that.
Let's think no evil towards our neighbor.
Just a thought.
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