2 Corinthians 6: Are You The Temple Of God?
Verse of the Day: (V16) “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

1. Grace of God (V1-2)
V1 “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.”

Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, pleaded with the Corinthian Christians not to receive God’s grace in vain, because they failed to obey God’s great commission of sharing the gospel that all may know Christ. Indeed, let us have the love and urgency of sharing the gospel otherwise many shall be condemned to fiery hell because of their sins.

V2 “(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

2. Ministers Of God (V3-13)
V3 “Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed:”

The preaching and sharing of the gospel of Christ is not just the responsibility of the full-time pastor or staff, but it is every Christian’s responsibility. Every Christian is a minister of God. It is never the shepherd who produces another sheep, but it is the sheep that produces another sheep. Christ is the Shepherd, and we are His sheep who shall produce another sheep. In spite of opposition and even persecution, let us be patient and trust Christ, our Shepherd, to lead and guide us as we keep preaching and sharing His gospel.

V4 “But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,”

3. Temple Of God (V14-18)
V16 “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

What a joy and privilege to know that we are the temple of God once we receive Christ as our personal Saviour! The Lord shall then dwell in us, and walk with us, not only in this life on earth, but for all eternity in heaven. Let us therefore be holy before the holy God.

V17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be Your holy temple by living a holy and godly life.

2 Corinthians 5: Are You Ready For The Judgment Seat Of Christ?
Verse of the Day: (V10) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

1. Judgement Seat of Christ (V1-10)
V7 “(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)”

The judgment seat of Christ is reserved only for Christians. At the judgment seat, Christ shall judge all Christians whether we have lived a faithful life for Christ. We may not be rich or wealthy or successful or famous, but we must be faithful to Christ and His Word.

V10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

2. Love Of Christ (V11-19)
V14 “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:”

Paul and his preachers were fully committed not only to preach, but even to die for the sake of the gospel of Christ, because of the love of Christ. They believed that Christ loved the world that He left the throne of glory in heaven and became a man, and lived on this earth, and subsequently died at the cross and shed His blood for the sins of the world. On the third day, Christ arose from the dead, thus conquering death. Whosoever therefore believes in Christ shall never perish in hell, but have everlasting life with Him in heaven. Hence the Christians should never live for themselves, but for Christ and Christ alone!

V15 “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.”

3. Ambassadors For Christ (V20-21)
V20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

When we believe in Christ, we are reconciled with God, and we become His ambassadors or representatives in this world. Just like the ambassadors who represent their respective countries, and speak well of their countries and cultures, we represent Christ and His kingdom, and we ought to speak well of Christ by living a faithful and righteous life.

V21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be ready for Your Judgment by living a faithful life.

2 Corinthians 4: Will You Preach The Word Of God?
Verse of the Day: (V2) “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

1. The Word of God (V1-2)
V1 “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;”

Paul declared to the Corinthian Christians that he and his preachers continued preaching nothing except Jesus Christ and the Word of God because without God’s mercy they would have been dead. However, there were many false preachers who were preaching everything except Christ and God’s Word in their selfish pursuit of fame and fortune.

V2 “But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.”

2. The Image Of God (V3-5)
V3 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:”

Many refuse to believe and accept Jesus Christ, who is the image of God, as their personal Saviour and Lord, because they are spiritually blinded by the Devil and the sins and wickedness in their lives. God shall only heal their spiritual blindness, if they truly repent their sins, and believe and accept Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord.

V4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

3. The Glory Of God (V6-18)
V6 “For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

God shall shine our hearts as well as send His treasure and power, the Holy Spirit, to indwell in our bodies, which are like earthen vessels, when we truly believe and receive Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour and Lord. Indeed, whether we live or die, we are God’s vessels, as one day, we shall be with like Him, and be with Him in heaven forever.

V7 “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to preach nothing except Jesus Christ and Your Word.

2 Corinthians 3: Who Is Your Sufficiency?
Verse of the Day: (V5) “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;”

1. Stone (V1-3)
V2 “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:”

Paul commended the Corinthian Christians because they were like epistles or letters of Paul and his preachers that others could read and experience the love of Christ through them. Indeed, Moses once wrote God’s words on tables of stones. Today, God’s words are written in our hearts when we believe in God and His words. As we apply them to our lives, we become God’s letters that all may read us, and come to God’s saving grace.

V3 “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”

2. Sufficiency (V4-16)
V5 “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;”

Paul affirmed them that God was their sufficiency and He shall provide all their needs if they shall receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Indeed Christ came to remove the veil of spiritual blindness from those who would believe in Him so that they shall see and taste the goodness and glory of God. Those in the Old Testament could also have their veil removed from them if they would believe by faith that one day Jesus shall come and die for their sins, and on the third day, He shall raise from the dead conquering death.

V14 “But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.”

3. Spirit (V17-18)
V17 “Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

When we receive Christ as our Saviour, the Spirit immediately indwells in us, and our sins are forgiven. We shall then be able to look into the glass or God’s words, and apply them in our lives, so that we are truly transformed into God’s image reflecting His glory.

V18 “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, thank You that You are my Sufficiency and shall provide all my needs.

2 Corinthians 2: Will You Triumph In Christ?
Verse of the Day: (V14) “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

1. Person Of Christ (V1-11)
V10 “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;”

Apostle Paul loved the Corinthian Christians so much that when they had victory over sins he rejoiced with them, and when they fell into sins, he grieved with them over their sins. Paul reminded those who had an unforgiving spirit that even as Christ had forgiven them, they should also forgive others. He warned them of Satan’s strategies of deceit, division and eventual destruction of the church because of hatred and unforgiving spirit.

V11 “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

2. Triumph In Christ (V12-14)
V12 “Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord.”

No matter how difficult and depressing Paul and his fellow preachers faced in preaching Christ’s gospel, they always triumph in Christ because Christ shall open the hardest door, melt the hardest heart, and save the worst sinner. Indeed, we shall triumph in Christ, because Christ already had victory over death, and there is nothing that Christ cannot do!

V14 “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.”

3. Savour Of Christ (V15-17)
V15 “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:”

Paul and his fellow preachers were great blessings and sweet savour to the people because they preached Christ’s gospel. However, they were great blessings only to those who believed in Christ because these people shall one day inherit glorious heaven and shun fiery hell. Those who reject Christ had only themselves to blame, because they shall be condemned to fiery hell. Let us therefore be great blessings and sweet savour to all by sharing Christ’s gospel so that all may come to know Christ, and make Christ known.

V16 “To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to triumph in You by sharing Your precious gospel!

2 Corinthians 1: Will You Comfort Others?
Verse of the Day: (V4) “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

1. Comfort (V1-11)
V3 “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;”

The God of mercies and all comfort shall comfort and console those who fully trust in Him so that they in turn shall comfort others who are also suffering in pain. God allows suffering in our lives so as to test our faith in Him. Let us truly thank God for our suffering because it is through suffering that we experience His mercies and know how much faith we have in Him. The greatest test of our faith in God is when we can still comfort others while we are going through the greatest suffering and storm of our lives.

V4 “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”

2. Conscience (V12-19)
V12 “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.”

Paul and his preachers rejoiced in living in simplicity, sincerity and a clear conscience before the true God because they knew that they were saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ. It is not so much of what we say, but how we live for Christ. Our walk must talk louder than our talk talks, otherwise, we are just empty vessels and mere hypocrites.

V18 “But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.”

3. Christ (V20-24)
V20 “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.”

Paul and his preachers endured the suffering and persecution while preaching the gospel because they knew that Jesus Christ who anointed them shall fulfil His promises to them. Indeed let us trust and believe in God and His promises as they are sure and steadfast.

V21 “Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God;”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to comfort others even though I am suffering too.

1 Corinthians 16: Are You Addicted To The Ministry?
Verse of the Day: (V15) “I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)”

1. Adversaries (V1-14)
V9 “For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.”

Paul warned the Corinthian Christians that though there were great opportunities for them to preach the gospel of Christ, yet there were also many adversaries or opposition. The main opposition was Satan who sought to oppose them from sharing the gospel. God’s goal is for all to be saved and heavenward bound, while Satan’s goal is for all to be condemned to fiery hell. Paul then reminded them to encourage and support Timothy, his spiritual son as well as a young preacher, who would come and serve alongside with them.

V10 “Now if Timotheus come, see that he may be with you without fear: for he worketh the work of the Lord, as I also do.”

2. Addicted (V15-21)
V15 “I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)”

Paul pleaded with the Corinthian Christians to submit and serve closely with the family of Stephanas who were the first converts and who were fully addicted and devoted to the Lord’s ministry. Paul strongly encouraged them to be united for Christ’s sake though Stephanas and some of the leaders might have disagreements on certain minor issues.   

V16 “That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.”

3. Anathema (V22-24)
V22 “If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.”

Those who refused to love and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ shall be Anathema Maranatha or cursed at Christ’s coming. Let us love and believe in Jesus Christ because He is truly the Son of God who loved us so much that He left His glorious heaven and came to this lowly earth to die on a cruel cross and shed His precious blood for the sins of the whole world. Indeed we are saved by the grace of Jesus Christ through faith in Him.

V23 “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to be addicted and devoted to Your work and Word.

1 Corinthians 15: Are You Abounding In The Lord?
Verse of the Day: (V58) “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

1. Apostle (V1-10)
V9 “For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”

Paul humbly confessed and declared that he was unworthy and unfit to be called and chosen to be an apostle because he had persecuted and killed many Christians. However thanks to God’s grace, he repented of his sins, and received Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour and Lord. This was why Paul laboured the hardest above the rest of the apostles.

V10 “But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

2. Asleep (V11-50)
V18 “Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”

The essence of the gospel of Christ is the resurrection of Christ. Without the resurrection, we are men most miserable because when we die we shall be condemned into fiery hell as a result of our sins. However thanks be to God that Christ resurrected from the dead and lives forever. Therefore those who believe and accept Christ as their personal Saviour shall also resurrect from the dead and their souls shall be with Him forever in heaven. 

V20 “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.”

3. Abound (V51-58)
V52 “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

The Christians are living during the time when either we die and our souls shall be in heaven or we shall suddenly be caught up to heaven to be with God. Indeed, we shall be absent from our bodies and our souls shall have perfect bodies in heaven. Hence, let us abound in the work of the Lord because we know that our labour is never in vain in Him.

V58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to abound in Your work as I know it is never in vain.

1 Corinthians 14: Will You Prophesy?
Verse of the Day: (V1) “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”

1. Prophesy (V1-18)
V1 “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”

Though God blessed Apostle Paul with many spiritual gifts, including the gift of speaking in many tongues or different languages, yet Paul affirmed that his best gift from God, beside charity or love, was prophesy or preaching of God’s word. The greatest joy for Paul was preaching God’s word and witnessing the miraculous salvation of precious souls repenting their sins, and receiving Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour and Lord. 

V18 “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:”

2. Peace (V19-33)
V19 “Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.”

Though God bestowed Paul with the gift of many languages, yet he would rather speak only 5 words of a language that people would understand, than to speak 5,000 words of a language that confused them and no one understood it. In other words, Paul desired that his words must edify and encourage the people to know the God of peace, and make Him known to others. He would never desire to impress others with his gift of languages if they could never understand him. Indeed, God is the God of peace and not of confusion.

V33 “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

3. Prophet (V34-40)
V37 “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”

Paul declared that the real test of the true prophet or spiritual man was when he believed that Paul’s writings were inspired by the Holy Spirit and were God’s commandments. Indeed, Paul’s writings were profitable for doctrine, for reproof of the sins of man and for instruction in righteousness. Paul did not just write God’s word but he lived by God’s word and he did everything decently and in order, and for God’s glory, honour and praise.

V40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to prophesy that Jesus loves, forgives and saves!

1 Corinthians 13: Do You Have Charity?
Verse of the Day: (V13) “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

1. Cymbal (V1-7)
V1 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”

Though God bestowed Paul with the gifts of prophecy and faith, and chose him, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to write 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament of the Bible or God’s Word, namely, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon and Hebrews, yet he confessed that he was a noisy cymbal and good-for-nothing if he had no charity or love. Indeed, love is God’s greatest gift, because it was love that God sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross and shed His blood for the sins of the whole world.

V2 “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.”

2. Child (V8-11)
V8 “Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”

Paul explained to the Corinthian Christians that though they were once like children when they first became Christians and only knew certain part of God’s Word, but as they matured in the Lord, they realised that love was truly the greatest gift among God’s gifts.

V11 “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.”

3. Charity (V12-13)
V12 “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”

Paul concluded that though there were 3 great gifts: faith, hope and love, yet he affirmed that love was the greatest among them. One day in heaven we shall have no need of faith and hope as we shall see our God, however, we still need love, because God is love!

V13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

Prayer of the Day:
Dearest God, please help me to love everyone including my enemies as You are love.