Scripture

When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. The important thing is for the Lord to commend them.

Observation

Paul is not trying to frighten people with the sternness of his letters. He will be just as bold when he comes in person.

Other people boast about how wonderful they are, but Paul does not do that. They only compare themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement.

Paul refuses to reach beyond the area of authority that God has given him. When he claims authority over the Corinthians, it is because he was the one who established the church there.

There is no point in Paul commending himself because only the Lord’s commendation matters.

Application

The world tells us that we have to promote ourselves, talk ourselves up, stand out from the crowd.

This has infiltrated the church in many ways. We have so-called “celebrity pastors”, which is crazy when we realise that their job is to point others to Jesus, not to themselves. This phenomenon is like having a road sign so adorned with decorations that you cannot read the sign.

There are countless ministries that advertise and promote themselves. They want you to know how good they are at what they do. Is their goal to have the praise of men or the praise of God?

In the end, the only the only opinion worth anything is that of the Lord. The ultimate judgement is not how famous we are, but how faithful to the Lord.

I have seen many people come and go in ministry. The ones who are the loudest and seek to make an impression are like fireworks in the sky – they seem to have the power and authority, but after a short time they disappear.

Prayer

Lord, may I only seek your commendation. Please help me to shun the accolades of people to be totally dedicated to you. Amen.

Scripture

We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts to teach them to obey Christ.

Observation

Paul appeals to the Corinthians with the gentleness and kindness of Christ. Some people think Paul is only bold at a distance, confusing his gentleness with timidity when he is with them.

Our weapons are not the fleshly weapons of the world. We use God’s weapons to demolish strongholds and to bring every rebellious thought under Christ’s reign.

Some people might think Paul boasts too much about his authority, but it is authority that comes from Christ and builds people up.

Application

The weapons of our warfare as Christians are not fleshly weapons, but are spiritual in nature.

Paul mentions here strongholds. These are areas of our life where satan has been so entrenched that we are not even aware there is a problem.

Strongholds might be deeply embedded habits or thought patterns that we think are “normal” but are in fact contrary to the gospel.

Strongholds need to be pulled down by an honest look at ourselves in the presence of the Holy Spirit. The weapons that destroy them are prayer and God’s word, that is the normal Christian disciplines.

As we submit ourselves to God’s word and apply it to every part of our life, we notice over time that we no longer believe the way we once did. Strongholds, attitudes, and behaviours become obliterated by the grace of our Lord.

Prayer

Lord, please show me strongholds that satan has established in my life. give me the grace to pull these things down. Amen.

Scripture

For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

Observation

Paul quotes Psalm 112 which says that God’s people share freely and give generously to the poor. God provides seed for the sower and bread to eat. In the same way, He will increase their resources and produce a harvest of generosity in them.

God will enrich the Corinthians in every way. When Paul takes their gift back to Jerusalem, the believers there will praise God for this generosity and they will pray for them with deep affection.

Application

God provides the farmer with the seed to sow as well as bread to eat. The test for sustainable farming in the ancient world was that even in the most severe of famines, some grain had to be saved to sow the following year. To fail to do this would lead to further suffering.

As Christians who are under God’s grace, we need to both sow into God’s kingdom and also retain some money to meet our own needs. There is no glory to God if we give away everything we have and then become dependent on others.

So discernment in the Holy Spirit is needed in knowing how to spend and invest the resources that God has given us.

In any event, if we are faithful to the Lord, we will reap a great harvest of generosity. The harvest God is looking for is not just a harvest of wealth, but a harvest of generosity. H wants our hearts changed to the point where the first question we ask we ask is, “How much how much can I give?”

Prayer

Lord, please develop in me this generous heart that seeks to give rather than get. Amen.