It is a fearful time when a person is arrested and is called to stand before a judge. Depending on the accusation, the defendant may be released, fined, imprisoned, or occasionally sentenced to death. However, the Apostle Paul spoke of another coming judgment before God Almighty which is far more dreadful. Transition In our text, […]
Computer software is often scheduled for upgrades. I have found that not all upgrades are beneficial. Some contain bugs that cause problems. Others change things and require extensive relearning. Many upgrades only remain good for a brief time and then are replaced again with another upgrade. Most of you can relate. Christians are scheduled for […]
Years ago, when we lived in PNG, I took a trip deep into the highlands. It was a 1-hour flight by small plane and a 7-hour exhausting hike over the mountains. The local men encouraged me by saying, “The village is just over the mountain.” I had to keep focussed. Life’s trials and burdens can […]
In 2 Corinthians 3, we learned of Paul’s ministry that had changed lives. He was a minister of the New Testament that gives life, that provides righteousness, and that is much more glorious than the Old Testament law that killed and condemned. He referred to that ministry as he began chapter four. Though his witness […]
So far in our study of 2 Corinthians, we looked at God’s Comfort, Christian Teammates, Biblical Love, and Conquering Discouragement. In the third chapter, the Apostle Paul describes the character of his ministry, message, and method. Character may be defined as “A characteristic property that defines the apparent individual nature of something.” WordWeb Paul’s ministry […]
Someone wisely noted, “Behind every shadow there’s a light shining.” Author unknown Think about that! Shadows are dark and dreary, but they can only exist because something is blocking the light. Discouragement is like a shadow. It exists because the Devil has gotten between us and God’s light. To conquer discouragement, we must look past […]
The Apostle Paul, after starting the church in Corinth, learned of some serious problems in the church. He wrote 1 Corinthians to address those problems. This helped to resolve some of the problems, but not everyone in the church understood his motives. Here in 2 Corinthians 2:1-11, Paul seeks to correct the misunderstanding by explaining […]
A woman was trying hard to get the tomato sauce out of the bottle. During her struggle, the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter Amanda to answer the phone. Kids view the world differently sometimes. Literally. She answered the phone obediently, “Hello, this is Amanda. Mommy can’t come to the phone to talk […]
Why do bad things happen to good people? That question has been asked countless times. The primary answer is that we live in a sin-cursed world. Bad things like death, pain, sorrow, and loss are the result of sin. God created a perfect world, but Satan tempted Adam and Eve, they disobeyed God, and plunged […]