How to live as a Christian, II Corinthians 10 Wednesday, Dec 31 2008 

Meditation or Scripture and decisions and hope and truth simplicitybegins 8:55 am

Paul is speaking to those in the church at Corinth; apparently, there are teachers/leaders among them who are setting themselves up as leaders, not teaching them to follow Christ.

10:1  By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you.

10:3  though we live in the world,

           we do not wage war as the world does.

10:4  The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.

10:5  We demolish arguments and every pretension

           that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,

          and we take captive every thought

          to make it obedient to Christ.

10:6  we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience,

           once your obedience is complete.

10:7  If anyone is confident that he belongs to Christ,

           he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as he.

10:9  I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters.

10:10  Some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful,

             but in person he is unimpressive

             and his speaking amounts to nothing.”

10:11  Such people should realize that what we are in our letters

             when we are absent,

            we will be in our actions when we are present.

10:12  We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves

              with some who commend themselves.

              When they measure themselves by themselves

              and compare themselves with themselves,

              they are not wise.

10: 13  We will confine our boasting

               to the field God has assigned us,

              a field that reaches even to you.

10:15  Our hope is that,

             as your faith continues to grow,

            our area of activity among you will expand

10:16  so we can preach the gospel

             in the regions beyond you [Spain?].

            We do not want to boast about work

            already done in another man’s territory.

10:17  Let him who boasts,

              boast in the Lord.

10:18  it is not the one who commends himself who is approved,

             but the one who the Lord commends.

There is nothing within us about which we can boast; we can feel good about what Christ is doing in us and through us.

 

How to live as a Christian, II Corinthians 9 Tuesday, Dec 30 2008 

Meditation or Scripture and decisions and hope and truth simplicitybegins 8:13 am

9:5  I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you in advance and finish the arrangements for the generous gift you promised.  Then it will be ready as a generous gift, not as one grudgingly given.

[referring the the money they said they'd set aside to be taken to the very needy church in Jerusalem---I find this a little humorous in that it seems Paul thinks they may not have followed through in saving as they'd promised, so he needs to remind them so when the group comes, they will be ready]

9:6  Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,

         whoever sows generously will reap generously.

9:7  Each should give what he has decided to give,

         not reluctantly or under compulsion,

        for God loves a cheerful giver.

9:8  God is able to make all grace abound to you,

        so in all things at all times,

       having all that you need,

       you will abound in every good work.

9:10  he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food

          will also supply and increase your store of seed

          and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

9:11  You will be made rich in every way

          so you can be generous on every occasion,

          and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

[Paul and his workers will take the money given to those in Jerusalem.]

9:13  because of the service by which you have proved yourselves,

          men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies the gospel of Christ,

          and for your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else.

9:14  In their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you,

           because of the surpassing grace God has given you.

9:15  Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.

 

As we are obedient to God by sharing what he has given us, all needs will be met—ours and others.

 

How to live as a Christian, II Corinthians 8 Monday, Dec 29 2008 

Meditation or Scripture and decisions and hope and truth simplicitybegins 8:05 am

Paul is writing to the church in Corinth about giving to help other churches, using as an example the churches in Macedonia who gave generously out of the love Christ put in their hearts.

8:1  we want you to know about the grace God has given the Macedonian churches.

8:2  their overflowing joy and extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.

8:3  they gave as much as they were able, even beyond their ability.

8:5  they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us.

8:10  Here is my advice for you:

           Last year you were the first to give and to have the desire to do so.

8:11  Now finish the work.

8:12  if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has.

8:13  Our desire is equality.

8:14  At the present time your plenty will supply what they need;

          in turn, their plenty will supply your need.

8:16  I thank God, who put into the heart of Titus the same concern I have for you.

8:17  He welcomed our appeal and is coming to you with much enthusiasm on his own initiative.

8:18  we are sending with him the brother who is praised by the churches for his service to the gospel [maybe Luke or Barnabas]

8:19  he was chosen by us to accompany us as we carry the offering.

8:20  we want to avoid any criticism of the way we administer this liberal gift.

8:22  we are sending with them our brother who has proved he is zealous and because of his confidence in you.

8:23  Titus is my partner and fellow worker among you.

           our brothers are representatives of churches and an honor to Christ.

8:24  show these men the proof of your love and the reason for our pride in you,

           so the churches can see it.

 

A visit to the renovated DIA Sunday, Dec 28 2008 

Family and art and friends simplicitybegins 10:10 pm

wa-david-dia-web

david-dia-web 

We visited the Detroit Institute of Art today.  They have a photography exhibit of black and white pictures taken of artists; some were Georgia O’Keefe, Picasso, Monet, Andy Warhol.

We also saw a special exhibit—Monet to Dali—from the Cleveland Art Museum.  It took up five rooms and contained some very nice pieces.

 

How to live as a Christian, II Corinthians 7 Saturday, Dec 27 2008 

Meditation or Scripture and decisions and hope and truth simplicitybegins 9:25 am

Paul is expressing his joy that the Christians in Corinth responded to his letter by having Godly sorrow and repentance regarding the problems.  Instead of responding to his correction by becoming bitter or hostile, they repented.  Not a bad model for me.

7:1  Since we have God’s promises,

         let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates

         body and spirit,

        perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

7:2  Make room for us in your hearts.

        We have wronged no one,

        we have corrupted no one,

        we have exploited no one.

7:3  I do not say this to condemn you;

         I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that

         we would live or die with you.

7:4  I have great confidence in you;

        I take great pride in you.

        I am greatly encouraged;

        in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds.

7:5  when we came into Macedonia,

         this body of ours had no rest,

        but we were harassed at every turn—

        conflicts on the outside,

        fears within.

7:6  But God, who comforts the downcast,

         comforted us by the coming of Titus

         and by the comfort you had given him.

        He told us of your longing for me,

        your deep sorrow,

        your concern for me,

       so my joy was greater than ever.

7:8  Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter,

         I do not regret it.

         I did regret it—I see my letter hurt you, but only for a little while—

7:9  yet now I am happy,

        not because you were made sorry,

       but because your sorrow led you to repentence.

       You became sorrowful as God intended

        and so were not harmed in any way by us.

7:10  Godly sorrow brings repentence

            that leads to salvation

           and leaves no regret,

          but worldly sorrow brings death.

7:11  See what godly sorrow has produced in you:

           your earnestness,

           eagerness to clear yourselves,

           indignation

           alarm,

           longing,

          concern,

          readiness to see justice done.

7:12  I wrote to you so before God you could see for yourselves

           how devoted to us you are.

7:13  By all this we are encouraged.

           We were delighted to see how happy Titus was,

           because his spirit was refreshed by all of you.

7:15  his affection for you is all the greater

           when he remembers that you were all obedient,

           receiving him with fear and trembling.

7:16  I am glad I can have complete confidence in you.

 

A good resolution to difficulties.  This helps me understand that my difficulties arise from hardheadedness and stubbornness and blaming.  I feel Godly sorrow about all of that and I repent; I want to serve Him with my heart and soul—letting God work in me and trusting the outcomes to him.

 

World Without End top is done Friday, Dec 26 2008 

Third quilt project and decisions and experimenting with quilting simplicitybegins 9:52 pm

wwe-top-2-web

wwe-top-web

I just finished stitching the last strip so the top is ready to be made into a quilt sandwich—top, batting, backing.   The next step of doing the quilting will take awhile, but it feels good to get this far. 

(Notice the little “cat shadow” in the lower right corner?  She is watching me take photographs.)

 

How to live as a Christian, II Corinthians 6 Friday, Dec 26 2008 

Meditation or Scripture and decisions and hope and truth simplicitybegins 7:51 am

In Paul’s absence,  false apostles, who were self serving with concern for their own comfort and prestige, had been influencing the people in/around the church in Corinth.  They were destroying the harmony and fellowship that would unite the church in Christ.  While they were charming and persuasive they were in reality false teachers, being unjust, destructive and fraudulent—all the things they were accusing Paul of being.  Thus, he continues to state his mission to the church in Corinth.

6:1  we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.

6:2  now is the time for God’s favor,

        now is the day of salvation.

6:3  We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path,

        so that our ministry will not be discredited.

6:4  as servants we commend ourselves in every day:

        in great endurance in

             troubles,

            hardships,

            and distresses;

6:5  in beatings,

             imprisonments,

            and riots;

            in hard work,

                sleepless nights,

                and hunger;

6:6  in purity,

             understanding,

            patience and kindness;

       in the Holy Spirit and

       in sincere love;

6:7  in truthful speech and

        in the power of God;

       with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and the left;

6:8  through glory and dishonor,

        bad report and good report;

        genuine, yet regarded as impostors;

6:9  known, yet regarded as unknown;

        dying, and yet we live on;

       beaten, and yet not killed;

6:10  sorrowful, yet always rejoicing;

          poor, yet making many rich;

         having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

6:11  We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians,

          and opened wide our hearts to you.

6:12  We are not withholding our affection from you,

           but you are withholding yours from us.

6:13  As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children—

          open wide your hearts also.

6:14  Do not be yoked together with unbelievers

          [do not cooperative with false teachers]

         For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?

         Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?

6:15  What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?

          [Belial is a Hebrew term for Satan.]

6:16  What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?

          [form no defiling or unholy alliances]

         For we are the temple of the living God.

         God said:

                  I will live with them

                 and walk with them,

                and I will be their God,

               and they will be my people.

6:17  Therefore, come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.

           Touch no unclean thing,

              and I will receive you.

6:18  I will be a Father to you,

          and you will be my sons and daughters,

                says the Lord Almighty.

In the last part, Paul is reassuring them of God’s promises to them if they follow him.

 

How to live as a Christian, II Corinthians 5 Thursday, Dec 25 2008 

Meditation or Scripture and decisions and hope and truth simplicitybegins 6:57 am

Paul continues to explain himself to the church at Corinth; he wants them to understand his thinking and his motives.

5:1  if the earthly tent [our body] we live in is destroyed,

       we have an eternal house [body] in heaven.

5:6  as long as we are at home in the body [here on earth]

         we are away from the Lord.

5:7  We live by faith, not by sight.

5:8  We would prefer to be away from the body

        and at home with the Lord.

5:9  So we make it our goal to please him,

        whether we are at home in the body

        or away from it.

5:10  we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,

           that each one may receive what is due him,

          for the things done while in the body, good or bad.

5:11  What we are is plain to God,

           and I hope it is plain to your conscience.

5:13  If we are out of our mind,

          it is for the sake of God;

         if we are in our right mind,

        it is for you.

5:14  Christ’s love compels us,

          because we are convinced that

         one died for all,

         therefore all died.

5:15  he died for all

          that those who live

         should no longer live for themselves

        but for him [Christ]

        who died for them and was raised again.

5:16  from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.

5:17  if anyone is in Christ,

          he is a new creation,

         the old has gone,

        the new has come.

5:18  All this is from God

          who reconciled us to himself through Christ

          and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:

5:17  God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,

           not counting men’s sins agains them.

          he has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation.

5:20  We are Christ’s ambassadors,

           as though God were making his appeal through us.

           On Christ’s behalf, he reconciled to God.

5:21  God made him who had no sin

           to be sin for us,

          so we might become the righteousness of God.

        [our acceptance before God is solely in Christ because of the initiative of divine grace]

 

How to live as a Christian, II Corinthians 4 Wednesday, Dec 24 2008 

Meditation or Scripture and decisions and hope and truth simplicitybegins 8:51 am

Paul writes to the church in Corinth telling how he thinks, lives, and serves.  Thus he gives an example for us as how we can do the same.  He’s using the “universal we.”

4;1  since through God’s mercy we have this ministry,

        we do not lose heart.

4:2  we have renounced secret and shameful ways,

        we do not use deception,

        nor do we distort the word of God.

       by setting forth the truth plainly

       we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

4:3  if our gospel is veiled,

        it is veiled to those who are perishing.

4:4  the god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers

         so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ,

        who is the image of God.

4:5  we do not preach ourselves,

        but Jesus Christ as Lord,

       and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.

4:6  For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”

         made his light shine in our hearts

         to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

4:7  we have this treasure in jars of clay

         to show that this all-surpassing power is from God

         and not from us.

4:8  we are hard pressed on every side,

        but not crushed;

        perplexed, but not in despair;

4:9  persecuted,

        but not abandoned;

        struck down,

        but not destroyed.

4:10  We carry around in our body the death of Jesus,

           so the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

4:11  we who are alive

           are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake,

          so his life may be revealed

         in our mortal body.

4:12  so death is at work in us,

          but life is at work in you.

4:13  I believed;

           therefore, I have spoken.

          With that same spirit of faith

          we also believe and speak.

4:14  we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead

           will also raise us in Jesus

           and present us with you in his presence.

4:15  All this is for your benefit,

           so that the grace that is reaching more and more people

           may cause thanksgiving to overflow

           to the glory of God.

4:16  we do not lose heart.

           outwardly we are wasting away,

           inwardly we are being renewed day by day.

4:17  Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us

           an eternal glory

          that far outweighs them all.

4:18  So we fix our eyes

           not on what is seen,

          but on what is unseen.

          For what is seen is temporary,

          but what is unseen is eternal. 

     

I needed the reminder that my inner renewal is a daily thing.

 

How to live as a Christian, II Corinthians 3 Tuesday, Dec 23 2008 

Meditation or Scripture and decisions and hope and truth simplicitybegins 9:34 am

3:6  God has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant

         not of the letter [law] but of the Spirit;

        for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

3:8  the ministry of the Spirit is more glorious

3:9  this ministry brings righteousness

3:11  this glory lasts

3:12  since we have such a hope, we are very bold

3:17  the Lord is the Spirit

          and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

         there is freedom

3:18  we, who reflect the Lord’s glory,

           are being transformed into his likeness

          with the ever-increasing glory,

          which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

 

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