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High and lifted up – the Darling of Heaven crucified – worthy is the Lamb that was slain.

“Even as I was slain I was taken into the very presence of the Father to be glorified – but I first had to experience the searing pain of being separated from Him. As I have soared into the glory of the Father – I am the only one who actually deserves this honour – but because you have trusted in Me and are therefore in Me – I take you up into the presence of the Father with Me, so that you too can appreciate the glory of His presence. A glory which is impossible to describe in human terms and only will be truly appreciated when you enter into it. So come – my invitation to you is to come – just as you are – without preparation – I will prepare you, I will give you My worth so that you can come with Me. Be excited and filled with expectation.”

As we come now to 2 Corinthians ch 10, we start a new section. Up till now Paul has dealt with the past and the present. Now he looks forward to the future – his expected visit to them again, in person. Seeking to find the true thread of Paul’s thoughts as he pours out many words, I have tried to distill the main theme which he is presenting to these people.

Just let us remind ourselves what we have seen up to now. Paul is dealing here with two lots of people in the Church at Corinth. He is facing a small recalcitrant group who are criticizing him and more or less rejecting his authority. The basis for their rejection is the fact that he has suffered much and had many serious set-backs. On top of that he seems to have been unimpressive in appearance and perhaps did not even speak that clearly. According to them this outward appearance and negative experience, disqualified him from being a true apostle who should be seen as a victor all the time, demonstrating the power which would prove that he is a true apostle..

At the same time he had to keep in mind the many folk who were truly saved in the church and who needed him to encourage them.

His answer to them then in this section is that his apostolic ministry is from the Lord. Not something he has taken upon himself. They should not judge him by his appearance but by the spiritual content of the message that he is bringing to them. It is important to him that he sets this up before he visits them so that he can accomplish the purpose of his visit more effectively.

Ch 10 has three sections and can be summarized as follows:

Verses 1-6; Paul may appear weak and afraid to be bold – yet he confronts those who are against him with some powerful language. He makes the point that their problem is a spiritual problem – revealed in their disobedience. The hint is that there are spiritual forces at work behind this disobedience. The important point is that he has God’s authority to overrule the spiritual forces that are behind their actions. Note – the spiritual weapons are from God Himself.

Verses 7-11; The Corinthians are challenged not to assess Paul on his appearance but on the fact that he has received his authority from God. Paul’s apostolic claim is thus that the ministry he has is a ministry given him by God Himself. This is extremely important, because this reflects on the very scriptures we read and believe are from God Himself, because of this authority He gave Paul. Reflecting back on ch 3:1-3 – the proof of the veracity of his authority is the change in the lives of those who have responded to the gospel message.

Verses 12 – 17; The Corinthians had obviously been boasting in their ministry. Paul compares his ministry as coming from the Lord Himself and warns them that it is not boasting that shows how good their ministry had been but a growth in faith. This would be reflected in making it possible to preach the gospel in regions further on.

Reflecting on this chapter to hear what Jesus was saying to me, I was struck with the continuous insistence by Paul of the fact hat His ministry is from the Lord. It is so easy to start taking any success or failure in one’s ministry as coming from our own ability or failure. It is so important that our message be the message from the Lord and the response that comes is to the Lord’s message, not our ability. This is important in all our interactions with other people, both Christian and non-Christian.

This has also been a timely reminder again of the fact that we need to see the scriptures as from the Lord Himself and therefore the authority in the scripture is from God through the writing of Paul and he other writers who have been included in the canon of scripture.

I also need to see any criticism levelled against me comes from spiritual forces who operate behind the faces of those who voice them and are actually aimed at God Himself and actually not me personally.

Friends, this letter has many of Paul’s words, not always easy to follow the gist of his argument and it has become clear to me that is why it is the least read letter of his. However as part of the canon of scripture we should try and hear what Jesus is saying to us even in these difficult passages. Next week we will look at the next passage which deals with the false apostles of the time. However there are plenty of them around now and we need to be aware of how they operate. God bless you as you read on.

“Oh the deep deep love of Jesus “ – I am overwhelmed by the words of this song I have been listening to which highlights Jesus’ love for me – for us.

“Love – A word which conjures up mystical, almost ethereal emotions and ideas. It brings forth the picture of beauty, loveliness, light, warmth. At the same time it can also be a fixed point in times of ugliness and despair. It can be a shining light of hope against the darkness of unfaithfulness and desertion. That is why My love is so different. It is not ethereal – it is real – demonstrated by My supreme act on the cross which I undertook solely for the benefit of mankind, for you and all others who would receive it. It is fixed and sure and if I could have done that – how much more will I do all else for you that love requires and offers. It is very real and calls for only one response – your love for Me in return, demonstrated by your action of following Me as you deny yourself”

As we come now again to Corinthians ch 9, we get to the heart of the teaching on giving. For many Christians, their giving is just a matter of “tithing”. There is nothing wrong with that, however that is not the New Testament teaching on giving. That is an Old Testament requirement, almost like a tax. In the New Testament giving is an act of worship. An act which reflects our relationship with God and understanding of His generosity towards us.

The first part of Ch 9 continues with Paul’s motivation to the Corinthians to give, using the Macedonians, almost to create a sort of competition or jealousy.

The real teaching comes from v 6 -15. Just a few observations that struck me. I wonder what you saw in these vv as you read them.

The first word which struck me was the word “grace” which is repeated twice (vv 8, 14). From that I gather that our giving is commensurate with our understanding the grace of God. As I have reflected on God’s grace I realize how difficult it is to really understand and appreciate the fulness of His grace and what it really means. He has given and given to us. He has given forgiveness to us at great expense to Himself. To us who absolutely did not and never will deserve it. The God of all creation coming in human form and dying for us. As well as that He has given us everything we need to live our lives in grateful thanks to Him.

As we understand that through God’s intervention it will show in our response. That is what v 8 is really saying. It will show in our being prepared to sow generously. It will show in the cheerfulness and joy in giving. Another translation of the word “cheerful” in vs 7 is “hilarious”. That should characterize our giving. A joy which reflects our understanding of God’s grace. Against that background you give what you have decided in your heart not because of a law of compulsion to give a tenth. Don’t know how much to give? Well start with a tenth.

Paul goes on to describe the spiritual concept and benefits of sowing generously. The last part of vs 8 reminds us that giving is just part of the lives of those who have been transformed by God’s love. It is part of “every good work” which every Christian shows.

The vs he quotes from psalm 112 follows one in the psalm which says that good will come to those who lend (give) generously and is part if the description of a man under God’s blessing. (Psalm 112:5)

Then (back in Corinthians) from vs 10 onwards Paul shows how our sowing ( giving) brings a harvest. The harvest is not one of wealth in financial terms. The harvest is one of righteousness. Yet at the same time God promises that no matter how much you give He will always continue to supply all your needs.

This whole attitude of generosity becomes a great part of your witness to the reality of your relationship with God and will result in people recognizing God’s work in us overflowing in thankfulness.

So summarizing some of these main points, our giving is a reflection of a God who is continually giving to us and should bring a response as part of our Christian life of giving with great joy that which we decide, with God’s help to give. This whole attitude and action results in the most genuine witness that we can have to the reality of Jesus and His love. It should never be a legal requirement to somehow satisfy God that we are on the right path. It should also not be focused on what we will get in return. This is a teaching in the Prosperity churches.

Let us just focus on God’s love and grace in this coming week and let the rest flow from that. God bless you all.

“Without the blood where would I be, without Your love where would I be?” It seems as I ponder those words, that the whole of our relationship is initiated by You and at Your invitation.

“ You are right – from the moment of creation where I created to make a home for the pinnacle of my creation – who would become a kingdom of priests for Me – it was My initiative. I have reached out so that you would seek Me, I have sought the lost sheep, I have been the Father waiting with open arms for the lost son to return. I took the initiative at the cross to demonstrate My love to you and all creation. All I ask is for you and the rest of My chosen ones to respond and turn to me – recognize My love and seek Me – to make that your priority in your life – if you do that all the rest will fall into place.”

After a long introduction in 2 Corinthians, from ch 8 we now come to the main body of the letter. We will hear what Paul has on his heart to share with these people whom he has made such an issue of reaching out to. It seems the main thing is about a collection which he has been organized. Is that all, many would ask?

We first need to stand back and answer the question, why the big fuss about a simple collection? We need to transport ourselves back to that time. There was a need, a huge need. The Christians in Jerusalem were being persecuted and were suffering extreme poverty. There was no telephone, internet or easy way of communication. All communication had to happen by personal messenger. Travel was slow and awkward and often took months. Paul had obviously made it his purpose to try and relieve this poverty while he was on his apostolic trips and had tasked people, Titus and others, to be involved in this collection.

He first starts off by praising the Macedonian church to them, holding them up as an example of generosity. Where the people of Macedonia had given “even beyond their ability”. He holds this up as a sign of God’s grace vs 1. He then urges the Corinthians to follow suit by praising them for the other signs of God’s grace – faith, knowledge, complete earnestness and in their love for Paul and co. (vs7). Then in vs 8 he gives the motivation for them to respond.

Now let us stop here and look at this whole question of giving and generosity in general.

When true regeneration takes place in an individual a number of things happen. As God’s grace comes to bear, the person starts to become other people centred, rather than self-centred, which is the default state of the unbeliever. The true trigger that precipitates our regeneration is the realization of God’s generosity, His infinite love and grace towards one. This is really the basis of the gospel. The realization of the fact that God has reached out to us first. That He has bestowed gift upon gift onto us. As this realization takes hold of us we become aware that He seeks to reach others through the love He has shared with us. One of those things we are to share is His generosity. Both in time, love and in more concrete ways like giving financially.

I have often said that one of the surest signs that a person has been genuinely converted is that their wallet also becomes converted. However, as we all know, these positive changes in the new believer are often moderated by the draw to return to our previous lost state. So not everyone is equally changed in various respects and we therefore need to be reminded and encouraged in the path we should go.

This is what Paul is doing with the Corinthians, as he uses various methods to persuade them.

Firstly he holds up the example of the Macedonian Christians. He then reminds the readers of the fact that when we become Christians we first of all give ourselves to God and flowing from that obviously is the fact that we also give all we have to God. (vs 5). He then reminds them of all the other signs of change they have shown (vs 7) and urges them to add to that the grace of giving.

He then points out the true aim of the Christian church is to have equality among all the believers v 13 ff.

Having done all this he shares the practical arrangements he has made through Titus to fetch the collection and finally ends the chapter with the appeal “Therefore show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you, so that the churches can see it”8:24

So what do I make of this? What do I hear Jesus saying? I have been convinced for most of my life as a Christian of the importance of this teaching on generosity. However there have often been times, I must admit that I felt rather reluctant to give what I felt the Lord was expecting of me. In retrospect, however the Lord has always more than come up with His promise that He will provide all I need. At times this has happened almost miraculously. So my testimony is, as hard as it is to give that last cent, like the widow’s mite, if that is what you believe the Lord is calling you to do He will never leave you stranded.

Te story on generosity goes on in Corinthians so let us explore further next week. Meanwhile have a blessed week in the Lord.

I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene.

“It is good for you to be amazed, to be overawed that the Creator of the whole universe – the One who created all the galaxies should allow you to stand here in his presence. But I not only allow you, I invite you and I invite you not as one who is just an object that I created – but I invite you as a friend, I invite you into fellowship – to sit at my table as it were with Me and enjoy my friendship. I invite you as a son, a brother, a friend – my purpose is growing that friendship – so yes, stand amazed and overawed – but let that be the starting point, the underlying basis of our friendship – but let it grow from there into a full blown friendship where you can share everything with me.”

Continuing now in 2 Corinthians 7, Paul maintains his affirmation of love and concern towards them He reminds them of the delegation of Titus to them and affirms his delight at the result. Not only did the news of their reception comfort him, he is delighted that Titus had in fact, comforted them. We are taken back again to the beginning of the letter where Paul emphasized the concept of “comfort”, against the background of God being the Supreme Comforter and how we should all take a cue from that using the comfort we have received during difficult times as a basis to comfort others.

But now we come to a crucial paragraph in the whole letter from vs 8. Underlying Paul’s previous letter, which he describes as severe and which he is sort of expressing regret (I think with tongue in the cheek) that he had to send it, we have this magnificent exposition of what true repentance is. That is the repentance that Paul was seeking in them and perceived that they had shown it.

Can you see the emphasis in this section? Paul starts with the fact that repentance starts with “sorrow” vs 9. However he makes a strong point about this sorrow. You see there are two types of sorrow people experience when they are confronted with their sin. Can you see them? Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow..

I can remember sitting on the beach at Pringle Bay where I had gone to confront a brother who was involved in adultery. As I spoke to him he wept copiously, threw himself on the ground and declared his sorrow. However, as it turned out, his behaviour never changed. The sorrow he was expressing was “worldly sorrow”. In some way, I suppose he was sorry that he had been exposed and would be unable to continue as before.

True, godly sorrow comes when one realizes the full extent that your behaviour has offended God, not other people. We see that in Psalm 51:4 where David, although his sin had causes huge pain to others, is more concerned about the pain that it caused God. “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done evil in your sight”.

Paul compares the two types of sorrow in their final effect. Godley sorrow leads to salvation and leaves no regret, whereas worldly sorrow brings death. I take it he is speaking here about eternal death.. Look how he shows that their sorrow was indeed godly sorrow. vs 11,12. Godly sorrow, followed by true repentance always leads to a change in behaviour, even if it is slow sometimes.

Paul has turned the purpose of his writing to a different perspective at the end of this chapter. He expresses his satisfaction that having encouraged them at the same time they had in turn encouraged Paul and Titus. How this correspondence had, in fact improved their relationship with each other. He ends the chapter with a final word of encouragement in vs 16 “I’m glad I can have complete confidence in you”.

So what did I learn and hear Jesus say from this chapter? Well, firstly I was reminded of the pivotal role repentance plays in the practice of our relationship with the Lord. Without writing an essay on it, I would say that the important feature’s of repentance are – firstly a recognition of the the enormous gulf sin causes between us and God. To remember the pain we cause Him when we sin. Then a genuine regret that comes with that as well as realizing that in Jesus lies complete forgiveness and the power to change future behaviour. This is integral to how we conduct our relationship with the Lord. It should be like breathing.

I find it abhorrent when fellow Christians walk around with long faces bemoaning their sinful state. We live a life of victory in Jesus and the remedy for our sin is at hand. We should recognize it and deal with it in the manner which God has prescribed. Then we can experience the full joy of our relationship with the Father.

It has also struck me how hard Paul has worked at winning the Corinthian church back to him and to he Lord of course. That is surely an example we need to take to heart.

Well. bless you on this cold wintery evening and share any other insights you may have had from this chapter with us on the blog comments.

I have been thinking of “The Song Of Solomon”.

“ The song of Solomon has been placed in the center of My word as a reminder of the kind of relationship I would have with you and all those who have responded to Me. It is a reminder that I, like the bridegroom, have been wooing you into a love relationship with Me. I have taken the initiative. I have approached you and revealed My heart do you. My attitude has been to woo you into discovering the fullness of life which can only be found in Me. My word is my love letter do you – so remember it is not like a thorn branch full of prickles to make you feel uncomfortable. It is a revelation of Myself and demonstrating My desire to have a relationship with you. And as you respond My love letter will reveal My heart to you so that you may understand how you should do that so that our relationship will be perfect. So come close to me my loved one and all that of those who read this and receive my love”.

We have reached ch 7 of 2 Corinthians. In the first part, vv 3-10 Paul opens up again about the personal hardships, suffering and pain he has gone through. Why is he laying it on so thick here again?

It seems the answer is in vv 11-13. It appears that a number in the Corinthian church have built up a sort of animosity towards Paul. Probably partly due to the tone of his earlier communication with them and partly due to the actions of at least one person who has made it a task to alienate the Corinthians from Paul. Its as if Paul is using the maximum emotional pressure on these people, to get them to respond to the message he has for them. They first need to “open wide their hearts”, before they will be in a position to HEAR what Paul is wanting to say to them.

These vv are a remarkable revelation, once again of the sort of life Paul had been living for the gospel. As I considered these revelations, I found myself, on the one hand being grateful that the Lord has not called me to that sort of life and at the same time wondering if I would still be able to be as positive as Paul was after it all if I had been faced with these sorts of hardships. It helped also to put into perspective any hardships I might feel that I have experienced.

At the same time I am reminded of the many fellow believers who have been martyred over the years. Recently in a documentary on the bible that I saw, it revealed that over 50 million people had been brutally tortured and put to death by the Spanish Inquisition over a question of 4-600 years. It was a stark reminder to me of how important God’s word is and our faith, that all these people were prepared to die an excruciating death rather than recant. It made me appreciate God’s word so much more as well as the immense privilege I have to be part of His kingdom.

Now Paul, having drawn the attention of the Corinthians and hopefully persuaded them to “open their hearts”, addresses the next concern He has. Their purity. Now it is important to see that this section comes after he has spoken about the gospel, in the previous chapters. The order is most important. We cannot purify ourselves before our hearts have been changed by the gospel. In fact, once we are born again we are judicially regarded as being pure. However our status is not necessarily matched by our behaviour. Here in Corinth there were some pretty questionable practices going on, especially in the temples.

It would appear that the things that were happening were carried on by “unbelievers”. Some who had not accepted Jesus as their Saviour. What appears to have been happening is that some of the believers felt that they were now judicially pure and therefore free to participate. They were being led and influenced by the unbelievers.

Paul wants them to sit up and listen. There is no place for tasting these fruits. There is only one way for a true Christian and that is to walk the road of purity with the Holy Spirit. He really expresses this in he strongest of terms, which should remind us too that we should be careful of feeling immune to the devil’s temptation and share in things that are borderline. Many Christians have come to grief because of not realizing how important purity is in God’s kingdom. There can be no place for dabbling in something, even if it is only in the shallow water of questionable disobedience.

This is also a warning to be careful who your close friends are. It does not mean you must not be friendly with non-Christians, but a really close “bestie” type of friendship can perhaps override your standards if the other person has a strong personality. I have seen that happen on more than one occasion. Of course this passage is often used as a warning to those who are planning to get married. It is applicable, but not the main thrust of Paul’s teaching.

In closing we can look back at Paul’s life and see to what extent he was prepared to go to remain “pure”, as it were. Let us never think this subject can be buried under the banner of God’s grace. Remember the warning in Hebrews 12:14; “without holiness no one will see the Lord”. Holiness is not a deprivation, it is a joy. So have a lovely holy week each of you.

I have been singing, “it was finished upon that cross”.

“Do you fully understand and appreciate the full extent of what those words convey? Of that moment in time when everything changed? Up till then the whole of creation, the whole of history was building up with bated breath and as I called out those words the dam broke and my healing power, my forgiveness, my grace flooded the world in a new way and from then onwards everything was changed, made new. But, although Satan was defeated at that moment he still prowls around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. The battle is intense – look around you and you can see all the debris of the battle in the broken lives, the pain and the suffering. Do not ever underestimate the intensity of that battle – yes I am the victor, in Me you are safe. So be alert, hide yourself in me as a shield against the fiery darts and go out in that confidence, the confidence of My victory.”

As we move now into Chapter 5 of 2 Corinthians, we follow Paul’s discussion on the contrast between our present frailty and the beautiful permanence of the gospel. He reminds us, as if we need to be reminded of the sighing and groaning in our lives in this world. He uses the picture of a tent for our bodies, to emphasize the temporary nature of our life here on earth. We need to remember that this life is only temporary and we are reminded that we were sealed with the Holy Spirit the moment we were born-again to guarantee a life which is still to come, a life of real permanence.

In the meantime Paul also reminds us that, in this life we live by faith (v 7) and our aim should be to live a life which is pleasing to God. And we will all appear before the throne of grace eventually – not to be judged, Jesus has taken God’s judgement on Himself, but for the things that are due to us (v10).

I have pondered a lot on this passage, as to what Jesus is actually saying to me. I have been experiencing a number of physical challenges in the last months and have often found myself so wrapped up in my immediate feelings and emotions that I have seemed to have put my relationship with Jesus on the back burner. It is what I feel at the moment which fills my mind. Yet what Paul is saying is that everyone is living a temporary life here on earth, the sighing and groaning are common to all. I need to step past that, remind myself of the bigger picture and live by faith in a way that pleases God, from moment to moment. I can only do this with the power of His Spirit to help me.

Paul then goes on to describe his actual ministry, in this case to the Corinthians, but I dare say it has been his ministry from the beginning. Similarly it is every one of us’ ministry. Maybe for some in only a small way and for others a full-time career.

He gathers it all together with the description of the ministry being one of reconciliation. vv 18 ff. Notice though, it is a ministry in which God is doing the reconciling “through Christ“. He is reconciling the whole world to himself. The role of the minister? the role of each of us? Is to be an ambassador, appealing to the lost on Christ’s behalf.

Paul launches this section with two reasons why he is constrained to do this work. v11 “Since, then we know what it is to fear the Lord”. And in vs 14 “For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all , and therefore all died.”

Do you know what it really means to “fear the Lord?” And are you constrained by Christ’s love to follow Him as He asks, being an ambassador for Him?

In this section is also the kernel of the gospel again, so well put and worth taking in. vs 14b “One died for all and therefore all died. (15)And He died for all that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” vs 17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come.” vs 21 God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God”. vs 19 “God was reconciling the world to Himself , in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them”.

Then finally the appeal to respond in Ch 6. We all would like to call out to some of our loved ones “Now is the time of God’s favour, now is the day of salvation”. It is urgent but it is God who saves, as much as we may call out to the lost. Seeing that it is God who saves our all should equally be to Him to save.

So bless you all for another week.

In my mind’s eye I surrender all I have to the Lord this morning. I give him back everything he has given me to live my life with. I surrender that back to him and I have a picture of myself kneeling naked before His cross.

“I hear you and receive all you have surrendered to Me. Stand up – I have taken you and clothed you with my cloak of holiness, of praise and of righteousness. You have received a new life – not the old life patched and repaired – a new life completely fresh in my holiness and in my loving presence. You are a new person – not a reconstructed figure from the past. I have created you for this experience to be part of My holy family, so cast off all your doubts, your cares and your insecurities and remind yourself of My love which surrounds you. And in all this, I will give you all you need to live in righteousness and godliness, but most of all I will give you Myself and my love. Let that thought govern your whole life “

As we turn now again to 2 Corinthians, let us start today by reminding ourselves of the melodic line which runs through this letter: “Paul’s suffering is the revelatory vehicle through which the knowledge of God – manifest in the cross of Christ and in the power of the Holy Spirit. His suffering, the embodiment of Christ’s crucifixion – is the very instrument that God uses to display His resurrection power. He does this in two ways: – either rescue when it is all too much to bear – or strengthening in the midst of adversity, so that God will be glorified”.

It helps to keep this in mind as we seek to unravel all Paul’s twists and turns in His arguments and speeches.

As we come now to Ch 4 we can pick up another bracket in the text which should help us follow the main thought. The phrase is: “Therefore we do not lose heart”. vv 1 and 16. As Paul continues to defend His ministry in the light of the accusations that he could not be a true apostle because of his weakness and all the trouble he has been through.

Paul’s defence is quite clear: “But we have this treasure (ie the blessing of the gospel) in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us”. vs 7 God’s power becomes blindingly obvious when we are weak and our obstacles appear insurmountable. His intervention, in whatever way, is much clearer under those circumstances.

Friends, this is a principle which is just as true today as it was then. When we are “self-sufficient” and think we have everything under control, God is unable to demonstrate His supernatural power. I, myself love to have things under control, it gives me a sense of security. However God is in the business of showing me how much I actually need Him, in every part of my life. So He knocks my feet, my security out of under me, to show how false that is. Sometimes those lessons are really painful.

Now as we read this chapter we have two things contrasted. Paul’s weakness and all his troubles, on the one hand and the brilliant blessing of the perfect gospel on the other. The two should not be confused. In the middle we have a key statement which we should not miss (v13). It is Paul’s faith which gives him the right to speak with absolute confidence of the amazing work of Jesus on the cross and being raised from the dead.

Paul will not allow the Corinthians to disparage the gospel because of all the troubles he has had and his apparent weakness. Therefore (vs 16) he is determined not to lose heart but to continue his ministry to them even though there are those who oppose him.

His summary at the close of the chapter (4:16-18), is perhaps the most revealing as to how he is feeling. This sentiment, I am sure resonates among all of our readers. We are all conscious of the wasting away of age and infirmity, but the clarion call is that we should not be measured and we should not measure ourselves by that. The reality is, if you are walking with Christ, that the inward spiritual, real you is being strengthened every day and will be that part of us which will one day experience the full joy of being in the presence of God Himself and the Lamb that was slain.

So I call on you all to heed 4 :19; “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen eternal” and not lose heart, no matter how difficult things may seem or become.

God bless till next week.

“ You have been singing, ‘On that day you will see Him’. On that day as the curtain is drawn aside – you’ll see and understand the fulness of My grace – My Grace has been surrounding you and protecting you and even as you have said, ‘Your grace is sufficient for me’ – you have never really plumbed the full depth of what that means. But on that day it will all be revealed to you and even as all your cares and worries are shed the best part of all is that My Grace will be replaced by the fullness of My Presence – that is a promise from Me which you even now cannot fully appreciate – but relax now and receive My peace and grace and enjoy every moment I give you here in preparation of that great day.”

As we go on now into this letter to the Corinthians, in Ch 2 from vs 12, (till 3:18), we see Paul continuing the defence of his ministry, in the face of severe criticism and suggestions that he was not an authentic Apostle. After some personal notes as to his travel plans, he makes the first point. We see that in vs 17 where he reminds them that he did not come to them trying to make money out of preaching the gospel. This sort of gives one a picture of what was happening at the time when there were no written scriptures available yet. Nothing’s changed as we look at the world around us today, with many trying to and succeeding, may I say to get rich from peddling the gospel.

He goes on to mention letters of recommendation. It seems that some of the travelling teachers carried letters of recommendation to authenticate their ministry, which was probably very helpful in the face of the many false teachers around. However Paul makes the point that he did not need any letter, because the people who he had ministered to were his letter. Obviously he is speaking about the real change that happens when people are genuinely converted to Christianity.

Buried in there (2: 15 ff) is the classic statement about the aroma of Christ, which I am sure you have all experienced and seen from time to time. It is a very apt description of the two ways that people respond to the gospel and the eventual outcome which follows each decision.

In 3:4 Paul once again affirms the important point that his appointment is from God and that leads him to describing his message in terms of the New Covenant as compared to the Old. There were probably quite a number of converted Jews in the congregations and Paul wants to make clear how the New Covenant is a major advance over the Old. Why don’t you read through3:6 – 3:18 and see what the three points are that Paul is making in comparing the two.

1. Vs 7. The law, as glorious as it was, set the standard, but was unable to provide the power necessary to obey it, which the Spirit who is even more glorious does (vs 8).
2. The law had an honourable purpose, but it was only temporary. Paul uses the example of the fading glory on Moses face (v 11).
3. The law betokened a barrier between God and the people of Israel – both in Moses’ day as then and even today. The barrier, which is likened to the veil over Moses’ face, hides the truth and only Christ can remove that barrier. This is the work of the Spirit and is responsible for the glorious transformation that the message of the New Covenant brought then and right up to today.

This brings us right back to the beginning of our passage today. The authentic gospel always brings a dramatic change to those who embrace it and the measure of a church’s effectiveness is the many lives that are changed through its ministry.

So what has Jesus’ being saying to me this week? Firstly the reminder of the power of the gospel is so relevant and makes me excited as a minister of that very glorious gospel, which I feel God has appointed me to do even if only in a modest way.

Secondly it is also a reminder, if we need one, of the many who turn their backs on the gospel message, to whom it is the aroma of death. Knowing this as a fact means I should never take a negative reaction personally, as long as I have been careful to respect the person I am speaking to.

I suppose there is much else, but finally there is a reminder, and I’m sure this is for all of us, in 4:18. It is a timely reminder that God is busy with each one of us busy transforming us into His likeness, through His Spirit. Written between the lines is the reality of this whole letter that that transformation often happens through greater or lesser suffering and difficulty.

So keep walking with the Spirit this week friends and be ready to give an answer for the hope you have, which is demonstrated by your changed life. Even and often in the face of suffering.

“God is so good, God is so good, God is so good, He’s so good to me.” I imbibe this little song and what it means to me and countless others.

“Yes, My goodness overrides everything in this world and this universe. What you see when you look around you is chaos, fear, violence, hate, a world scurrying around – yet behind all this is a huge solid framework – the framework of My goodness. Everywhere My goodness is manifesting, sometimes there to see, sometimes hidden. The pinnacle of My goodness was My death on the cross which has suffused every situation in the whole world. Which has especially suffuse the suffering and chaos you see. Settling into a solid framework of my goodness which upholds My whole creation. So, yes, appreciate My goodness not only in general but towards you personally and towards every person who reads this blog”.

Picking up now in Corinthians where we left off last week, where we had started looking at the prologue to the letter, we find that we are reading a unique piece of literature. Everywhere else Paul speaks with such authority and clarity. He often speaks of difficulties he has had to face, but he always appears to have been able to deal with them decisively and without really seeming to become too emotionally involved. Here we have a deeper insight into Paul and his feelings. We see a man who is wracked with regret that he may have offended some. We see a man who has been trying to organize his life in such a way as best to deal with a situation which he is perceiving as extremely difficult.

Read from 1:12 to 2:11 and see if you can follow the gist of what he is saying. I found I had to read it several times to get an idea of his presentation as it seemed sometimes to be a bit confusing.

In 12 – 14 he defends his conduct and his correspondence with them, trusting that the Lord will help them to understand in due time.

Then from 12 – 22 he speaks about the plans he has had and has had to change , because of circumstances.. This seems to have been a sore point to the Corinthian church. We don’t know what they had said to him but it seems that they were saying that if he could change his plans so easily then his message is probably equally unreliable. This is an important point for Paul, because the gospel message’s integrity must be kept at all costs. So we find him writing the well-known words in vs 20, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the amen is spoken to us to the glory of God”. Then he goes on to reaffirm how sure our position ‘In Christ” is, repeating the reassuring words from Ephesians 1:13 that we are “sealed by the Holy Spirit” as a sign of His total ownership of ourselves.

These are most reassuring words to the Corinthians and to us today. The message is evident. “Don’t rely completely on anyone. We are all fallible human beings. The only one that we should rely on completely is Jesus Himself. His answer is always yes and Amen. He is totally dependable under all circumstances, even when we may not see it so easily..

He then explains why he had not come to them earlier. It had to do with his previous interaction with them. He had, of course, written 1 Corinthians, which was quite a severe letter. The it seems he had visited them and there he was confronted with the fact that they were quite upset with him. Here he tells of his feelings towards them and how he would like to correct the bad taste he had left.

(2: 5-11) Prominently there appears a figure who seems to have been behind much of the rejection and bad feelings towards Paul in the Church. Here he shares how glad he is that the church had dealt with this person and disciplined him. He now pleads that they should forgive him, even as he, Paul has forgiven him.

This whole section shows the complexity of Paul’s relationship with this church an how he had invested much emotion in this relationship with them. It is a remarkable insight into Paul, the person.

So what has Jesus been saying to me from this passage.? Well firstly my conduct before and with anyone can have a definite effect on whether they will believe my message. This is easy, perhaps when you are ‘on show’ as it were, but it is in the unguarded moments that people often assess my character. So my actions and behaviour, my words and manner should always be, as much us possible under the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit.

Secondly; while a person does not want to become too emotionally involved, it is important to remember that the word “compassion” means you have passion or are feeling with the person you are speaking to. It is easy to sense when when people are not really listening to you when you speak to them. So also they can sense when your mind is elsewhere when they are sharing some deeper feelings. This takes practice and the help of the Holy Spirit as well.

Finally we have here the case of the one person who opposes you. I have experienced this in several situations and it is extremely unsettling. However, on looking back I see how the Lord has used these people to help me to grow in my ability to relate and to forgive.

Have a good week all of you and remember, “God IS so Good to you and to me”.

I’ll never know how much it cost for you, my Lord, to take my sins to the cross.“You Will never be able to stand in My shoes, those of the Creator of everything and to take the sins, yours and countless others, upon Myself on the cross. It is not possible for you to be able to fully comprehend that amazing and magnificent act. Yet you can and are reaping the benefits. The cross is the sign and promise of My love, My complete commitment to My creation and you as well as billions of others benefit from it. Even as you look at the lifeless body on the cross, it should bring waves of appreciation and love to you. So just received that, even though you find difficulty in comprehending what this all has cost Me. Just continue to draw near to Me, at My invitation. I in turn will draw near to you as more and more that separated us is dealt with. You will also never really appreciate My comfort for you unless you perceive your life with all its difficulties without my comfort. So, take this love and comfort and share it with as many as I bring to you.”

As we start with this second letter to the Corinthians, just a few words to give it some context and background. It is actually the 4th letter, since two have been lost. The tone is completely different to the first. In many ways it is the most personal letter that we have of Paul. He spends much of the letter defending himself and his apostolic ministry and explaining it. The church, now meeting in many homes (house-churches) has many followers of Paul and his ministry. However, there is a faction who are still rejecting him and therefore also his message. Try and imagine all these groups without a central pastor or teacher, how different their ideas could become, without the New Testament scriptures to guide them. They were hugely vulnerable to false teachers.

The prevailing religious attitude (both Christian, as well as the religion of some 35 other deieties) was that any religion which had power and was worth anything, would result in prosperity, a happy life and health. Much like our prosperity gospel teachers today. Against this background, Paul, persecuted, ill, having faced innumerable difficulties, was being portrayed as a false apostle because he seemed to have no power. And because they were rejecting him, they were also rejecting his message. This explains much of the melodic line of this letter.

Today we will just look at the opening 11 vv. The opening praise paragraph, from v 3 -7, bears much scrutiny. It sets the tone of the whole letter and indeed of much of Paul’s ministry as a result of the trials he experienced. The word “comfort” is used 9 times. The Greek word ‘parakaleo’ is very close to the name that Jesus gave the Holy Spirit in John’s gospel, ‘Paraclete’ (John 14:16,6). So, do you see the message of Paul to the Corinthians and to us today? Jesus promised that He would be with the disciples (John 16:33) and while He has overcome the world, we will still experience tribulation while we are here.

Against that background we see Paul, as an example of one who experienced huge tribulation. So, Paul wants to put this in perspective. The perspective of Christ’s sufferings on the one hand and his and ours on the other. What he is saying is that all this suffering has a purpose. They are not just random happenings. It God’s way of growing our faith (1:9,10; 12:10). It also provides us with the opportunity of ministering to each other, in the light of the experience we have gained from our own sufferings.

I smiled on Friday as God demonstrated this principle to me in a practical way. My daughter Leslie, who comes to lunch with me every Friday, is overseas visiting her two sons in Europe. Out of the blue a good friend of hers and erstwhile disciple group leader, Laura Alderman contacted me and told me she was standing in for Leslie and wanted to have lunch with me. A practical demonstration of God’s care, which I could share with her as I shared this passage, while she was telling me how she has now retired and wants to spend time doing caring.

The other side of this that, as Paul points out how, faced with the “sentence of death”, his suffering was so great (1:8ff), he was able to recognize that this intense suffering had the purpose of teaching him to rely on God rather than himself. He picks this theme up later again.

Then finally we see the important role of intercessory prayer in this whole matter of suffering. (1:11) I am afraid this is an area that I need to take far more seriously.

So, this introduction gives us three glimpses into the multifaceted subject of suffering. Paul will build on these as we read further, but in the meantime, we can ruminate on these three important lessons that Jesus is teaching us here.

Suffering, I suppose, remains the great enigma of Christianity, and while we can learn, from God’s word and by personal experience, there always remains a mystical element which we may struggle to come to grips with. Next week we will see the accusations that the people were making against Paul about his lack of decisiveness. See you then.