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And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 2 Corinthians 9:8
Have you ever been in a situation where you had an opportunity to give but just didn’t do it? You were asked to donate to a worthy cause and while you could afford it, just didn’t do it?
You were asked to help with a church or community event and even though you had the time, the invitation of your couch and TV was more compelling
A group of friends invite you to a cookout but your grass needed mowing (which you never got around to doing anyway).
In 2 Corinthians 9:8, the Apostle Paul is writing regarding a financial gift the Corinthian church had committed to. He reminds them that while giving financially can be hard at times, the reward of knowing you are helping the Kingdom of God and the Body of Christ is not without reward.
While Paul is talking money here, there is a valuable principle we can sure in other areas of life. The more we give of our time, our gifts and yes, our money, the more we can see God work.
I’m not talking prosperity gospel here, I’m not saying give (out of duty) and you’ll get an unexpected check in the mail. I’ve found that the more I give of my time, the more time I tend to have. The more I use my gifts, the more enjoyment I get from seeing others encouraged.
I’ve started a practice lately that may seem rather odd or even self-serving. When time allows, I do much of my writing/studying at a local coffee shop. More often than not, someone I know will ‘stop by’ my table and chat. I’ve been able to minister and encourage in ways that I never could have sitting in my home office.
We have more than we need to accomplish God’s will for our lives. A will that we are told in Romans and elsewhere is good, pleasing and perfect. Sometimes it’s the little things we can do that make a big difference.
Use the overabundance of resources God has freely given you to give freely to others.
For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. 1 Corinthians 15:9
“I don’t deserve this.”
How many times do we hear that said, or maybe we’ve said that after we’ve been criticized or wrongfully accused. Maybe we’ve been judged unfairly for not meeting the expectations of others. Then there are the times when people play the comparison game, “Not bad, but sally does it better.”
Life is hard when it never seems like we can catch a break. If there was anyone who deserved to be scrutinized, the Apostle Paul was one.
He was a Pharisee, and likely had some part in the decision to murder Jesus. He gleefully watched the stoning of Stephen after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. He celebrated the persecution, imprisonment and physical beating each follower of ‘The Way’ received.
After his conversion to Jesus, Paul was called to preach this same Jesus that he’d ridiculed earlier. There were many who doubted him, right up until the day he died. Among other things, he was beaten, jailed, stoned and left for dead, and shipwrecked.
Paul could have said, ‘I don’t deserve all this! I’m the Apostle Paul after all. I was called by Jesus Himself. I’m important.” But he didn’t.
Instead Paul counted himself of being unworthy of any ministry at all because of his former life. The mistreatment he endured was nothing compared to what Jesus endured.
Jesus was completely innocent of any sin, yet rejected, abused and murdered. Elsewhere Paul says he would gladly go through abuse because of what Jesus endured for him.
None of us deserve to be mistreated on the physical plain, yet compared to God’s Holy standards, we all deserve so much more. We deserve death, but Jesus gives us life. We deserve punishment for our sins, but Jesus gives us forgiveness. We deserve poverty, Jesus provides from heavens storehouses.
I don’t deserve the abuse I get, but in reality, I deserve so much more! Thank you Jesus for sparing me from what I truly deserve.
Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 1 Corinthians 15:8
We can’t be sure, but it’s very likely that the man we know as the Apostle Paul at least knew ABOUT Jesus while he ministered on earth.
Saul, as he was known before his conversion, was a high ranking Pharisee and would have heard about this ‘teacher from Galilee. He would have heard about the miracles. He could have heard about His teachings. He may have even been involved in planning his death!
One might ask, how could someone see so many good things and still reject Jesus? How could one see the miracles and still not believe? How could one see the life changes and still doubt?
Yet, that was Saul’s story until that fateful day on a road to Damascus. Saul was enjoying the prestige and power he had over these ‘followers of the way’ these believers in Jesus. He spewed hate, anger and judgment. He basked in the glory of his violence.
Then he saw Jesus in a new way and everything changed. There are still many who know ABOUT Jesus. They’ve heard the stories. They’ve seen the life change. Yet they have yet to ‘see’ Jesus.
There are even those of us who have walked with Jesus for years that have a tendency to grow so content with Him that we fail to live in the power of His Spirit living within us.
May we each see Jesus for who He is in all His power and majesty. May we never grow apathetic in our worship of Him. May we live in such a way that others see Jesus because of how we interact with them.
Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12
When trouble comes, our human tendency is “fight or flight “. When we rely on fight or flight, we are in reality relying on our own power to accomplish a solution to the trouble we are in.
Rather than fight or flight, Paul gives us three better options when trouble comes our way.
First of all, he encourages us to rejoice. Worshiping and praising God is often the best way to counteract fear in our lives.
Secondly, he encourages us to be patient. When we know the outcome does not rely on us it’s easier to be patient and wait for God to work.
Lastly, he encourages us to pray. Praying may not change God‘s mind. Praying may not even change the trouble we’re in! But praying in the midst of trouble Helps us to see God in his character and strength and power.
When God is the center of our life as supreme ruler, our reaction to trouble is patient confidence and joy as a result of persistent prayer.
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! Psalms 111:10
I’m not a builder, but my limited knowledge of knowing the process of building tells me that the foundation is, perhaps the most important part of the building. Without a proper foundation, the rest of the building will not withstand the rigors of the environment in which it exists.
The stronger the foundation, the stronger the building. The deeper the foundation, the taller the building. That’s why builders are very meticulous and making sure the foundation is laid well.
In our spiritual lives, our foundation begins with the growing knowledge of God. When we begin the process of relationships here on earth, we don’t reveal everything about ourselves to the other person. There are things we may want to hold back out of fear, shame, or guilt.
That’s not how God operates. From the very beginning, he reveals himself. Little by little, he shows us his greatness, his power, his love, and his forgiveness. The more we grow our relationship with God, the more he grant us wisdom. The deeper we grow in relationship to God the more we grow to understand his heart.
The more we obey him in the tough times, the more he gives us strength to endure. Everything in a successful life, begins with a foundation built on faith and trust in the power and love of God.
Mike Fisk & Built with Grace 