2 Corinthians 11: Are You Suffering For Christ?
Verse of the Day: (V25) “Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;”
1. Simplicity (V1-4)
V3 “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, warned the Corinthian church that God’s preachers should simply preach God’s Word, the Bible. There were many false preachers, deceived by Satan, the devil, added to or subtracted from the Bible, making their own interpretations and religions. As a result, many people were deceived and misled to fiery hell, instead of glorious heaven to be with God. Let us preach nothing but only the truth!
V4 “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”
2. Satan (V5-15)
V14 “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.”
Indeed, Satan and his demons can transform themselves into angels of light, and deceived and misled many people to fiery hell. Let us be vigilant of Satan and his demons by staying close to God, and diligently studying the Bible with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and fasting and praying and preaching the gospel that all may come to know Christ.
V15 “Therefore it is no great thing of his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
3. Suffered (V16-33)
V25 “Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;”
Though Paul was God’s preacher of many churches, and he prayed for them daily, yet he suffered much for Christ’s sake. Many times he escaped death as the Romans were after his life for preaching the gospel of Christ. However, he knew that his suffering was nothing compared to the suffering of Christ. Indeed, let us endure suffering for Christ as we preach and share the gospel of Christ as we know that our labour is not in vain, and one day, we shall meet God and receive His rewards and above all be with Him for ever.
V28 “Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to endure suffering for You and Your gospel.
2 Corinthians 10: Are You Gentle?
Verse of the Day: (V1) “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:”
1. Gentleness Of Christ (V1-2)
V1 “Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:”
Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, confessed to the Corinthian church that though he was bold and sharp in his writing warning them of their sins, yet in person he was meek and gentle like Christ, because there was some believers who strongly opposed him. Indeed, let us be meek and gentle as there shall always be strong opposition in our service to God even from within the church, because the devil seeks to divide and destroy God’s church.
V2 “But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.”
2. Obedience Of Christ (V3-13)
V4 “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Paul knew that he was in no authority and position to rebuke the sins and wickedness of the Corinthian Christians except by God’s authority and power, because only God could overcome the evil power of the devil that sought to destroy God’s plan and purpose, as well as God’s preachers and people. Let us therefore trust and obey God, and seek His wisdom and power, as only God and God alone can overcome the evil power of the devil.
V5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
3. Gospel of Christ (V14-18)
V14 “For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:”
Paul explained to the Corinthian church that he came to preach the gospel of Christ to them so that they would believe in Christ. He had no intention to seek his own glory, but to obey God in preaching the gospel of Christ that all might come to God’s saving grace.
V16 “To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man’s line of things made ready to our hand.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be meek and gentle in sharing Your gospel.
2 Corinthians 9: Are You A Cheerful Giver?
Verse of the Day: (V7) “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
1. Giver (V1-7)
V6 “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, praised the Corinthian church before the Macedonian church for their generous giving to God. The Corinthian and the Macedonian churches understood the importance of the grace of giving, in other words, the more you give to God and His church, the more God shall bless you, your family, career and ministry. However, many fail to give generously and cheerfully because they fail to trust God, and to realise that everything they have including their precious lives and salvation, truly belong to God. Let us be generous and cheerful givers and see how our generous and cheerful God abundantly bless us, our family, career and ministry!
V7 “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
2. Grace (V8-9)
V8 “And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:”
Though God bless some with riches, He also loves and cares for the poor, and provides and sustains them. However, ultimately God desires that all, whether the rich or the poor, be saved. This is why God cheerfully gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins, so that whosoever believes and receives Him, shall never perish in hell, but have everlasting life with Him in heaven. Indeed, by grace are we saved through faith in Jesus.
V9 “(As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.”
3. God (V10-15)
V14 “And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.”
Paul was very thankful and grateful to God and His amazing grace for providing for the material and spiritual needs of all the churches and saints. Indeed, let us be thankful and grateful to God for everything, especially our salvation, the greatest and unspeakable gift!
V15 “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be a generous and cheerful giver like You.
2 Corinthians 8: Will You Give?
Verse of the Day: (V5) “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”
1. Gave (V1-5)
V1 “Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia;”
Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, cited the example of the generous giving of the churches of Macedonia in helping their fellow churches who were in poverty as a result of famine and persecution. Though these Macedonian churches were also experiencing poverty yet they could give generously because they had fully committed their lives to God. They truly believed that God’s grace was sufficient to sustain them now and forever.
V5 “And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.”
2. Grace (V6-15)
V8 “I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love.”
Paul praised the Macedonian churches because they gave willingly from their hearts. Indeed, we have nothing to offer to God because everything we have is of God’s and from God. God’s greatest gift is His grace and love for us when He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our sins. Whosoever believes in Jesus shall never perish into fiery hell but shall inherit the everlasting life with Him in the riches in heaven.
V9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”
3. Glory (V16-24)
V19 “And not that only, but who was also chosen of the churches to travel with us with this grace, which is administered by us to the glory of the same Lord, and declaration of your ready mind:”
The glory of Christ is upon all His preachers and servants, the likes of Paul and Titus, when they willingly gave their lives for the Lord’s work and Word in ministering to and providing for both the material as well as the spiritual needs of God’s churches and saints.
V23 “Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to give my life to You as You have given Yours to me.
2 Corinthians 7: Are You Comforted?
Verse of the Day: (V6) “Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;”
1. Cleanse (V1-3)
V1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, pleaded with the Corinthian Christians, to flee from their sins and wickedness, and to strive to be holy and righteous in the fear of a holy God. Paul explained to them that he and his fellow preachers sharply rebuked their sins and wickedness, not to condemn or despise them, but because they truly loved them as their spiritual children, and they were always in their hearts whether in life or in death.
V3 “I speak not this to condemn you: for I have said before, that ye are in our hearts to die and live with you.”
2. Comforteth (V4-13)
V6 “Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us by the coming of Titus;”
Paul and his fellow preachers were suffering from intense persecution by the Romans and they feared for their lives. However when they heard from Titus, another preacher and Paul’s spiritual son, that the Corinthian Christians had truly repented of their sins and wrongdoings, and were now great examples of holiness and righteousness in Christ Jesus, they were filled with comfort and thanksgivings. Indeed, it is not enough to be sorrowful of our wrongdoings, but true repentance is when we confess our wrongdoings before the holy and righteous God, and choose to believe and receive Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as our personal Saviour and Lord, and commit ourselves to live a holy and righteous life.
V10 “For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
3. Confidence (V14-16)
V15 “And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.”
Paul was filled with confidence and comfort when he heard from Titus that the Corinthian Christians who were once carnal and worldly, had become spiritual and godly.
V16 “I rejoice therefore that I have confidence in you in all things.”
Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please comfort me as I am going through trouble, trials and testing.
