Speaker 1: Ladaies and gentlemen, Welcome to Wednesday Service, episode forty seven.
Speaker 1: I am your host, Josh on Monday. If you don't
Speaker 1: know me, I'm a Christian rapper, devoted husband, father, and
Speaker 1: Army veteran. This is brought to you by Cope of
Speaker 1: Conspiracy Podcasts. Thank you so much, Jonathan and Jacob and Raven.
Speaker 1: I thank all three of you now because I know
Speaker 1: that Raven's the new host, so I got to thank
Speaker 1: all of you now. And I just want to give
Speaker 1: shout outs to those that did comment last week. Angela
Speaker 1: as always, Thank you, Jcon forty four to twenty. Thank you,
Speaker 1: Brad Gillis, thank you, MDMP twenty two. Thank you so
Speaker 1: much for commenting on Wednesday Service. And then for those
Speaker 1: that commented on Sunday Service. I have Angela at MDMP
Speaker 1: twenty two. So if you guys happen to catch this,
Speaker 1: please go back and check out Sunday Service episode sixty three.
Speaker 1: I'm going over first Kings eight through ten and uh yeah,
Speaker 1: if you guys can go ahead and leave an emoji
Speaker 1: or a comment on that, really appreciate it. Thank you.
Speaker 1: And this week we're gonna be going over second Corinthians. Eight,
Speaker 1: and first, I like to go over a little intro.
Speaker 1: So Second Corinthians eight provides a powerful exposition on the
Speaker 1: grace of giving. Paul uses the explanary generosity of the
Speaker 1: Macedonian churches despite the poverty and affliction, to encourage the
Speaker 1: Corinthians to excel in the same grace. The chapter also
Speaker 1: stresses the importance of integrity and handling church resources, and
Speaker 1: introduces Titus and other brothers as trusted servants. So perfect,
Speaker 1: all right, and let me just go ahead and get
Speaker 1: to my teaching points here and also my other notes.
Speaker 1: There we go, and just let you guys know before
Speaker 1: we start, we're gonna be talking about the Macedonian churches
Speaker 1: and all. Just let you know before we start that
Speaker 1: the Macedonian churches in the Bible refer to the congregations
Speaker 1: established by the Apostle Paul and the region of Macedonia,
Speaker 1: a Roman province north of ancient Greece during his missionary journeys.
Speaker 1: The most prominent are Philippi, that's on Alaika and Brea,
Speaker 1: and that's where the brions are. So it's Berea, which
Speaker 1: are highlighted in the Acts of the Apostles and Paul's epistles.
Speaker 1: These churches are particularly known for the immense generosity and
Speaker 1: sacrificial giving despite facing poverty and persecution. Okay, you'll see
Speaker 1: that as we go through here. So I just wanted
Speaker 1: to let you guys know that when it says the
Speaker 1: Macedonian churches is talking about Philippi, that's only Alaika, Thesa,
Speaker 1: Lonaika and Brian. So it's Berea. Okay. So I just
Speaker 1: want to let you know. Let's go ahead and start
Speaker 1: at Tewod Corinthians eight, verse one, and the title is
Speaker 1: excel in Giving, And just let you guys know, this
Speaker 1: is not about This is not going to be like
Speaker 1: a normal church sermon where they'll be like talking about
Speaker 1: giving and hey guys, you know the church needs money
Speaker 1: and all this stuff. Sometimes that happens. I've heard people
Speaker 1: teach on this subject and they would say something like
Speaker 1: that that the pastor I study, he doesn't even he
Speaker 1: doesn't ask for offerings ever. They just they pass the
Speaker 1: offering around and whoever offers offers but he never asks,
Speaker 1: which is really cool. But some pastors end up struggling,
Speaker 1: which happens, you know, because you know, some people aren't
Speaker 1: giving to churches. You know, so some some pastors end
Speaker 1: up struggling and when they get to this these chapters,
Speaker 1: they kind of they you know, they kind of would
Speaker 1: be asking the congregation for money, just to let you know,
Speaker 1: this is not that kind of This is not that
Speaker 1: kind of teaching. This is just basically gonna be to
Speaker 1: the best of my ability to teach and give you
Speaker 1: examples and you know, key points to take from these
Speaker 1: chapters and stuff. But are this ministry is taken care
Speaker 1: of by cult the conspiracy podcasts, so they actually take
Speaker 1: care of this, so there's no giving required in any way. Okay,
Speaker 1: two Corinthians eight, verse one. Moreover, brethren, we make known
Speaker 1: to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches
Speaker 1: of Macedonia. Hold on them, excuse me, wow, that in
Speaker 1: a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their joy
Speaker 1: and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality.
Speaker 1: For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes
Speaker 1: beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with
Speaker 1: much urgency that we would receive the gift and the
Speaker 1: fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And not only
Speaker 1: as we hoped, but they first gave themselves to the
Speaker 1: Lord and then to us by the will of God.
Speaker 1: So we urged Titus that as he had begun, so
Speaker 1: he would also complete this grace as in you as well.
Speaker 1: But as you abound in everything, in faith, in speech
Speaker 1: and knowledge, and in diligence, and in your love for us,
Speaker 1: see that you abound in this grace also. So Paul
Speaker 1: highlights the Macedonian churches, who, despite their severe trials and poverty,
Speaker 1: have gave generously and willingly in the midst of a
Speaker 1: very severe trial. They're overflowing joy, and their extreme poverty
Speaker 1: welled up in rich generosity. So, just to give you
Speaker 1: as an idea, the example of the Macedonians is a
Speaker 1: significant biblical account that highlights the virtues of generosity, selflessness,
Speaker 1: and faithfulness in the early Church of the Early Christian Church.
Speaker 1: This example is primarily drawn from the apostle Paul's second
Speaker 1: Letter in Corinthians, where he commends the Macedonian churches for
Speaker 1: their exemplary giving despite their own hardships. What's the context.
Speaker 1: The Macedonian churches include those in Philippi, Thessaloni, Laika, Burrea,
Speaker 1: which are part of the early Christian communities established by
Speaker 1: Paul during his missionary journeys. These churches are noted for
Speaker 1: their strong faith a commitment to the teachings of Christ,
Speaker 1: even amidst persecution and poverty. The scriptural reference is going
Speaker 1: to be in Second Corinthians eight, verses one through five,
Speaker 1: which we just read key themes generosity admits poverty. The
Speaker 1: Macedonians and are celebrated for their generosity despite their extreme poverty.
Speaker 1: Their giving was not out of abundance, but out of
Speaker 1: a deep commitment to the needs of others, demonstrating that
Speaker 1: true generosity is measured by the heart's intent rather than
Speaker 1: the size of the gift. Joyful giving. The Macedonians giving
Speaker 1: was characterized by overflowing joy, suggesting that their contributions were
Speaker 1: not made out of obligation or reluctance, but with a
Speaker 1: cheerful and willing spirit. This aligns with the biblical principle
Speaker 1: that God loves a cheerful giver, which we're going to
Speaker 1: be talking about in chapter nine of tewod Corinthians sacrificial giving.
Speaker 1: The Macedonians gave beyond their ability, indicating a level of
Speaker 1: sacrifice that went beyond mere convenience. Their willingness to give
Speaker 1: sacrificially serves as a powerful example of prioritizing the needs
Speaker 1: of the church and fellow believers over personal comfort. The
Speaker 1: voluntary initiative the Macedonians took it took the initiative to
Speaker 1: give entirely on their own, without external pressure or compulsion.
Speaker 1: This voluntary action underscores the importance of personal conviction and
Speaker 1: leading of the Holy Spirit and accident charity and service
Speaker 1: commitment to the Lord before giving to others. The Macedonians
Speaker 1: gave themselves first of all to the Lord. This demonstrates
Speaker 1: their generosity was an outflow for their dedication to God,
Speaker 1: highlighting the principle that true Christian service begins with a
Speaker 1: heart fully surrendered to Him. And you know, earlier I
Speaker 1: said that, Oops, earlier I said that, you know, cult
Speaker 1: conspiracy takes care of this, but really God takes care
Speaker 1: of this, right because everything we have is given to
Speaker 1: us by the Father, right, so everything we only give
Speaker 1: glory to the Father, you know, So I give glory
Speaker 1: to God for this podcast. Okay, so I did say
Speaker 1: cult conspiracy physically takes care of this financially, but God
Speaker 1: is the one that's actually truly in control. And then sorry,
Speaker 1: let me get back to this. So the Macedonians. So
Speaker 1: the fifth one is commitment to the Lord before giving
Speaker 1: to others. The Macedonians gave themselves first of all to
Speaker 1: the Lord. This demonstrates generosity, the outful of dedication to
Speaker 1: God highlight, and the principle of true Christian service begins
Speaker 1: with a heart fully surrendered to Him. So, in summary,
Speaker 1: the example of the Macedonians remain a timeless illustration of
Speaker 1: Christian generosity and faithfulness, encouraging believers to give selflessly and joyfully,
Speaker 1: trusting in God's provision and grace. Okay, So I don't
Speaker 1: think I have to Okay, So we talked about that,
Speaker 1: all right, So let me just go back see if
Speaker 1: I have I'm sorry, guys, example of the Macedonians. Okay,
Speaker 1: there we go, And have you read seven? Yeah? We
Speaker 1: did read seven? Okay. So, and then in two Corinthians eight,
Speaker 1: verse seven, where it says, but as you abound in
Speaker 1: everything in faith and speech, knowledge and diligence, and are
Speaker 1: our love for us, see that you abound in this grace.
Speaker 1: Also so the grace of giving and two Corinthians eight,
Speaker 1: verse seven, Paul emphasizes that giving is an act of grace.
Speaker 1: He encourages the Corinthians to excel in this grace just
Speaker 1: as they excel in faith, speech, knowledge, and love. Just
Speaker 1: as you excel in everything in faith and speech and
Speaker 1: knowledge and complete earnestness and in love. We inspired in you.
Speaker 1: See that you excel in grace of giving. So the
Speaker 1: grace of giving is a is deeply rooted in the
Speaker 1: Christian faith, reflecting the character of God and the transformative
Speaker 1: power of the Gospel. It's an expression of love, gratitude,
Speaker 1: and obedience to God's commands, and it plays a significant
Speaker 1: role in the life of a believer. Okay, so just
Speaker 1: want to let you guys know that kind of give
Speaker 1: you like a biblical definition of that, And then we
Speaker 1: haven't read nine yet, right Nope? Okay, So key takeaways
Speaker 1: from A are Second Corinthians eight verses one through seven.
Speaker 1: Generosity amitdst hardships. Despite extreme poverty and several trials, the
Speaker 1: Macedonian Christians gave generously with overflowing joy. Right. Another one
Speaker 1: is giving is a response to grace. Their giving is
Speaker 1: not a burden, not a privilege. Their giving was not
Speaker 1: a burden but a privilege made possible by God's grace
Speaker 1: that was at work in their lives. They first gave
Speaker 1: themselves to the Lord before giving the collection. And then
Speaker 1: encouragement for the Corinthians. Paul encourages the Corinthians to complete
Speaker 1: the act of giving. As they excel in other areas
Speaker 1: like faith, knowledge, and love, he is urging them to
Speaker 1: excel also in this gracious act of giving. And then
Speaker 1: also the last one key takeaway from this these seven
Speaker 1: verses is giving is not dependent on wealth. The passage
Speaker 1: teaches that giving is about having a sacrificial heart and
Speaker 1: is not limited by one's financial status. The Macedonians example
Speaker 1: shows that true generosity is about willingness to give, not
Speaker 1: the amount. Okay, So I just want to let you
Speaker 1: guys know that. Let's go ahead and continue, and we're
Speaker 1: going to read eight through fourteen now or fifteen. I'm sorry,
Speaker 1: Christ our pattern so two Corinthians eight verse eight. Now,
Speaker 1: I speak not by commandment, but I am testing the
Speaker 1: sincerity of your love by the diligence of others. For
Speaker 1: you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
Speaker 1: though he was rich, yet for our stakes he became poor.
Speaker 1: But you though but you, through his poverty, might become rich.
Speaker 1: So we'll stop there really quick, so we know that
Speaker 1: it's you know, it is awesome to be a human.
Speaker 1: We're so blessed to be able to be born, to
Speaker 1: be a spirit for us to live life. And the
Speaker 1: demons they are jealous because they would love to be
Speaker 1: in our human bodies. And it's awesome to be human.
Speaker 1: But for God who is coming from heaven, who's a
Speaker 1: perfect and just God, for Jesus to come God in
Speaker 1: the flesh. Jesus it says that he was rich, obviously
Speaker 1: not meaning that he was rich on earth. He was
Speaker 1: rich in heaven. This is just him using a metaphor.
Speaker 1: It says, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you,
Speaker 1: through his poverty, might become rich, so meaning we become
Speaker 1: rich because through what Jesus did for us, we are
Speaker 1: able to and we become disciples for Jesus. Also we
Speaker 1: believe what Jesus did on the cross, and he becomes
Speaker 1: a mediator between us and God. So what he does
Speaker 1: he actually opens the door for us to be able
Speaker 1: to get to Heaven. So through his poverty, or through
Speaker 1: him becoming poor by becoming human, he was actually literally
Speaker 1: poor though too when you know Marry his family, they
Speaker 1: didn't have a lot of money. You could tell because
Speaker 1: when they went to do the sacrifice, they brought they
Speaker 1: brought two turtle doves. And that's usually someone that you know,
Speaker 1: somebody that doesn't have a lot of money would bring
Speaker 1: something like that. So yeah, so that's just an example.
Speaker 1: But he did, you know, he stripped himself of his
Speaker 1: got ship, right, So that that's kind of what I
Speaker 1: believe they're saying here says for you know, the grace
Speaker 1: of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich,
Speaker 1: yet for year's sakes, he became poor, and through his
Speaker 1: poverty might become rich. Okay, so we'll continue reading until
Speaker 1: we get done with fifteen, and then I'll go over
Speaker 1: some of the stuff in my notes, And in this
Speaker 1: I give advice. It is to your advantage not only
Speaker 1: to be doing what you began and we're desiring to
Speaker 1: do a year ago, but now you may also complete
Speaker 1: the doing of it that as there was a readiness
Speaker 1: to desire it. So there is also maybe a completion
Speaker 1: out of what you have. For if there is a
Speaker 1: first a willing mind. For if there is first a
Speaker 1: willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has,
Speaker 1: and not according to what he does not have. For
Speaker 1: I do not mean that others should be eased and
Speaker 1: you burden, but in equality. That now, at this time,
Speaker 1: your abundance may supply their lack, That their abundance may
Speaker 1: also supply your lack, that there may be equality. As
Speaker 1: it is written, he who gathered much had nothing left over,
Speaker 1: and he who gathered little had no lack. So Christ
Speaker 1: is our example. In tewod Corinthians eight, verse nine, Paul
Speaker 1: reminds the Corinthians of Christ's sacrifice. It says, who, though rich,
Speaker 1: became poor for our sake? For you know the grace
Speaker 1: of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he was rich. Yeah,
Speaker 1: for your sakes, he became poor so that you, through
Speaker 1: his poverty, might become rich. And it says Christ is
Speaker 1: our example. The concept of Christ as our example is
Speaker 1: a central theme in Christian theology, emphasizing the life and
Speaker 1: teachings of Jesus Christ is a Jesus Christ as a
Speaker 1: model for believers to emulate. This idea is rooted in
Speaker 1: the New Testament, where Jesus's action, character, and teachings are
Speaker 1: presented as an ideal standard for Christian conduct and spirituality.
Speaker 1: Christ is our example. Some of the biblical foundations would
Speaker 1: be imitation of Christ, which was found in one Corinthians
Speaker 1: eleven to one. It says, be imitators of me as
Speaker 1: I am of Christ. That's well. Paul writes Humility and
Speaker 1: Service in Philippians two, versus five through eight, highlights the
Speaker 1: humility and servitude of Christ, urging believers to adopt the
Speaker 1: same mindset. Let this mind be in you, which has
Speaker 1: also in Christ. Jesus, who existed in the form of God,
Speaker 1: did not consider equality with himself, taking equality with God
Speaker 1: something to be grasped, but emptied himself taking the form
Speaker 1: of a servant, being made in human likeness and being
Speaker 1: found in appearance as a man. He humbled himself and
Speaker 1: became obedient to death, even death on a cross. So
Speaker 1: that's a great verse to connect to this verse where
Speaker 1: it says, for you know the grace of our Lord
Speaker 1: Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your
Speaker 1: sake he became poor. Okay, So the humility and Service verse,
Speaker 1: that's Philippians two, verses five through eight, if you guys
Speaker 1: want to look that up. And then love and forgiveness
Speaker 1: jesus teachings on love and forgiveness are central to his example.
Speaker 1: In John thirteen thirty four and thirty five a new
Speaker 1: command And I give you love one another as I
Speaker 1: have loved you, And you must love one another by this.
Speaker 1: So you must love one another. By this, everyone will
Speaker 1: know that you are my disciples if you love one another.
Speaker 1: This commandment emphasizes the sacrificial, unconditional nature of christ like love.
Speaker 1: Then we have suffering and endurance in one Peter two
Speaker 1: twenty one. For to this you recall, because Christ also
Speaker 1: suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should
Speaker 1: follow in his footsteps. Next one is obedience to God.
Speaker 1: Jesus obedience to the Father is a key aspect of
Speaker 1: his example in John six thirty eight, for I have
Speaker 1: come down from Heaven not to do my own will,
Speaker 1: but the will of him who sent me. This obedience
Speaker 1: is further exemplified in the Garden of Yosemite, where Jesus
Speaker 1: praise not my will, but yours be done. Okay, So
Speaker 1: what's the conclusion. The example of Christ serves as a
Speaker 1: foundational guide for Christian living, calling believers to embody his
Speaker 1: teachings and character in every aspet respective life though the
Speaker 1: power of the Holy Spirit. Through the power of the
Speaker 1: Holy Spirit, Christians are equipped to follow in the footsteps
Speaker 1: of their Savior, reflecting his love, humility, and obedience in
Speaker 1: a world, in a word, in a world in need
Speaker 1: of his light. Okay, so important. So yeah, there's some
Speaker 1: really good stuff in there. Hopefully guys took some notes,
Speaker 1: all right, So we also did fifteen or fourteen Equality
Speaker 1: and giving. So in two Corinthians eight fourteen, Paul speaks
Speaker 1: of a balance in giving where those with abundance can
Speaker 1: help those in need, creating equality. At the present time,
Speaker 1: your surplus will supply their need, so that in their
Speaker 1: surplus will supply your need. So in their surplus will
Speaker 1: supply it your need. Then there will be equality. So
Speaker 1: equality and giving, let's kind of look a little deeper
Speaker 1: into that. The concept of equality and giving is rooted
Speaker 1: in the biblical principle of generosity and fairness among believers.
Speaker 1: It emphasizes the importance of sharing resources within the Christian
Speaker 1: community to ensure that no one is in need. This
Speaker 1: principle is primarily derived from the teachings of the apostle
Speaker 1: Paul and is exemplified in the early Christian practices. In
Speaker 1: early Church practices, the biblical foundation is found in Two
Speaker 1: Corinthians eight verses thirteen through fifteen, which we just read.
Speaker 1: Paul addresses the Corinthian Church regarding the contributions of the
Speaker 1: improvision impoverished believers in Jerusalem. He writes, it is not
Speaker 1: intended that others may be relieved while you are burden,
Speaker 1: but that there may be equality. At the present time
Speaker 1: your surplus you meet their need, so that in their
Speaker 1: surplus will meet your need. Then there will be equality.
Speaker 1: As it is written, the one who gathered much had
Speaker 1: no excess. The one who gathered little had no shortfall.
Speaker 1: This passage highlights the reciprocal nature of giving, or the
Speaker 1: abundance of one group can alleviate the lack of another,
Speaker 1: fostering a balance within the body of Christ. Old Testament
Speaker 1: precedents inequality forgiving would be Leviticus nine nine through ten.
Speaker 1: The Mosaic law, including provisions of the poor such as
Speaker 1: gleaning laws and the year of Jubilee Leviticus twenty five,
Speaker 1: which aim to prevent the accumulation of wealth by a
Speaker 1: few and ensure that the land and resources are redistributed fairly.
Speaker 1: These laws reflect God's concern for justice and equality among
Speaker 1: his people in the early Church, and Acts provides a
Speaker 1: practical example of equality in giving all the believers as
Speaker 1: Acts two forty four through forty five. All the believers
Speaker 1: were together and had everything in common, selling their possessions
Speaker 1: and goods. They shared with anyone who was in need.
Speaker 1: The communal approach to resources ensured that the needs of
Speaker 1: all members are met, demonstrate in a tangible expression of
Speaker 1: love and unity. So what is the conclusion? While the
Speaker 1: Bible does not prescribe a specific formula forgiving, the principle
Speaker 1: of equality and giving serves as a guide for believers
Speaker 1: to share their resources. Generosity and equality are yeah generosity,
Speaker 1: generously and with equality. By doing so, Christians fulfill the
Speaker 1: biblical mandate to love and support one another, reflecting the
Speaker 1: character of God in their stewardship. Perfect So I'll go
Speaker 1: over some key parts for eight through fifteen. Eight through
Speaker 1: fifteen is about generous, joyful giving as a reflection of
Speaker 1: Christ's sacrifice, not only legalistic command. Paul encourages the Corinthian
Speaker 1: Church to follow the example of the Macedonians by giving
Speaker 1: out of love and abundance, ensuring that those with more
Speaker 1: help those who would more help those with less, creating
Speaker 1: equality and fairness among believers. The central message of the
Speaker 1: ability to give as a gift from God and the
Speaker 1: motivation should be the love demonstrated by Christ, who became
Speaker 1: poor so that others could become rich. A couple key
Speaker 1: themes for you, guys, to understand giving is an act
Speaker 1: of grace, not obligation. Paul explicitly states he is not
Speaker 1: commanding them to give, but to test the genuineness of
Speaker 1: their love by showing the same eager generosity as the Macedonians.
Speaker 1: Follow Christ's examples.
Speaker 2: The ultimate motnovation forgiving.
Speaker 1: Is should imitate Jesus, who willingly gave up his heavenly
Speaker 1: riches to become poor for humanity's sake. The sacrifice makes
Speaker 1: believers spiritually rich, and their giving should mirror his generosity.
Speaker 1: Next one is give according to your means. Paul advises
Speaker 1: the Corinth to give from their abundance, not out of
Speaker 1: a lack of resources. The goal is not to give
Speaker 1: beyond one's means, but to complete the act of giving
Speaker 1: they had started with the willing heart aim for equality
Speaker 1: and fairness. The passage references the Old Testament account where
Speaker 1: the Israelites gathering manna, where everyone had enough and no
Speaker 1: one had too much or too little. This principle is
Speaker 1: applied to the Church, suggesting that those with more should
Speaker 1: provide for those who have less, so there's a balance
Speaker 1: of resources.
Speaker 2: Joyful participation.
Speaker 1: True giving is not a burden, but a joyful opportunity
Speaker 1: that results from God's grace. Working in a person's heart
Speaker 1: is a way to participate in a partnership with other
Speaker 1: believers and reflect the generosity shown by God. And uh yeah,
Speaker 1: just to get real with you guys too. I mean
Speaker 1: when you help somebody out or you give that feeling
Speaker 1: that you get, you know, it feels good to be
Speaker 1: able to help somebody out. Now, you don't go and
Speaker 1: brag about it, you know, you just keep it between
Speaker 1: you and that person, or you and God, or just
Speaker 1: you and God and that person. That's what you should
Speaker 1: keep it between, you know, because your reward is your
Speaker 1: Your reward in heaven will stay if you keep it
Speaker 1: a secret and you don't try to tell man by
Speaker 1: boasting and then people tell you're such a good guy
Speaker 1: or you're awesome. Oh my goodness, I can't believe that
Speaker 1: you would you would give you know, and that's amazing.
Speaker 1: You know, that's all that stuff that's your that's your
Speaker 1: reward if that's what you want, if you want people
Speaker 1: to you know, if you want likes on social media,
Speaker 1: or you want people to think that you're awesome and
Speaker 1: you're amazing or oh my gosh, you know whatever, you know,
Speaker 1: that's that'll be your reward, you know. So just just
Speaker 1: want to tell you guys that, just try to keep
Speaker 1: it between you, the person and God. Okay, it says
Speaker 1: collection for the Judean Saints well sixteen through twenty four.
Speaker 1: But thanks be to God who puts the same earnest
Speaker 1: care for you into the heart of Titus, for he
Speaker 1: not only accepted the exhortation, but being more diligent, he
Speaker 1: went to you of his own accord. And we have
Speaker 1: sent him with him, the brother whose praise is im
Speaker 1: gospel throughout all the churches. And not only that, but
Speaker 1: who also chosen by the churches to travel with us
Speaker 1: with this gift which is administered by us, to the
Speaker 1: glory of the Lord himself. And to show your ready
Speaker 1: mind avoiding this that anyone should blame us in the
Speaker 1: lavish gift which is administered by us providing honorable things,
Speaker 1: not only in the sight of the Lord, but also
Speaker 1: in the sight of men. And this is two Corinthians
Speaker 1: eight twenty two now, and we have sent them our
Speaker 1: brother whom we have often proved dea dig and many things,
Speaker 1: but now much more diligent because of the great confidence
Speaker 1: which we have in you. If anyone inquires about Titus,
Speaker 1: he is my partner and fellow worker concerning you, Or
Speaker 1: if our brethren are inquired about they are messengers of
Speaker 1: the churches. The glory of Christ. Therefore show to them
Speaker 1: and before the church is the proof of your love
Speaker 1: and of our boasting on your behalf. All right, so
Speaker 1: some of the so sewod Corinthians A.
Speaker 2: Sixteen through twenty four discusses the administration of a church offering,
Speaker 2: focusing focusing on the importance of integrity and accountability. The
Speaker 2: passage introduces three men, Titus and two other brothers, sent
Speaker 2: to corinth to oversee the collection of funds for the
Speaker 2: suffering church in Jerusalem. Paul commends these men, particularly Titus,
Speaker 2: to the Corinthians and emphasizes that they are being sent
Speaker 2: to ensure transparency and event any criticism of how the
Speaker 2: generous gift is handed handled. Key takeaways from the passage
Speaker 2: will be establishing the credibility. Establishing credibility Paul sends Titus
Speaker 2: and two other representatives are two other respected messengers of
Speaker 2: the churches to ensure the collection is handled with complete
Speaker 2: transparency and integrity. Commending to delegates, Titus is commended for
Speaker 2: his deep care for the Corinthians and his eagerness to serve.
Speaker 2: The other two brothers are praised for their proven character
Speaker 2: and their service to the Gospel. Appointed by the churches
Speaker 2: to ensure accountability and then honoring in the sight of all.
Speaker 1: The passage highlights that while uprightness before God is primary primary,
Speaker 1: believers should also be mindful of their reputation in the
Speaker 1: eyes of others. This is to avoid any suspicion and
Speaker 1: build trust motivation for the collection. This passage is part
Speaker 1: of a larger argument encouraging the Corinthians to give generously.
Speaker 1: The focus of the administration of the funds serves to
Speaker 1: build confidence and trust so that the Corinthians will be
Speaker 1: willing and able to follow through on their commitment to
Speaker 1: give to the needy saints in Jerusalem. A model for accountability,
Speaker 1: the passage provides a biblical model for accountability and financial matters,
Speaker 1: emphasizing the need for both a pure conscious and an open,
Speaker 1: trustworthy reputation. Okay, Macedonia knew there was money gods? Yeah yeah, Okay,
Speaker 1: I got that down. Perfect. So we finished chapter eight,
Speaker 1: all right, and let me just go over some uh
Speaker 1: things real quick. Oh yeah, so won over all the
Speaker 1: teaching points. Since we finished the chapter, I'll go over
Speaker 1: some practical applications. We have four of them. First one
Speaker 1: is evaluate your heart. Reflect on your attitude towards giving.
Speaker 1: Are you giving out of all the gation or is
Speaker 1: it a joyful response to God's grace? Practice generosities. Number two,
Speaker 1: look for opportunities to give, whether financially with your time
Speaker 1: or through acts of service, especially to those in need. Okay.
Speaker 1: Number three, follow Christ's example. Consider how you can emulate
Speaker 1: Christ's selflessness in your daily life, putting others' needs before
Speaker 1: your own, encouraging others share the joy of giving with
Speaker 1: others in your community, encouraging them to participate in acts
Speaker 1: of generosity. Perfect. So that's all four of them. Now
Speaker 1: let's go ahead and find some additional scriptures that connect. Oh,
Speaker 1: I think they sit down here. Topics themes, Okay, I'm
Speaker 1: gonna went right by them, all right. Oh, right, here
Speaker 1: we go. Oh perfect. We have ac thirty verse thirty five,
Speaker 1: and everything I showed you that by this kind of
Speaker 1: hard work, we must help the week, remembering the words
Speaker 1: of the Lord Jesus himself. It is more blessed to
Speaker 1: give than to receive. And then we have Philippians four,
Speaker 1: verse nineteen, which is, I could do all things through Christ,
Speaker 1: who strengthens me, says, and my God will supply all
Speaker 1: your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Speaker 1: Let me just oh, my God will supply your Oh oh,
Speaker 1: I think it's four thirteen Philippians four thirteen. I think
Speaker 1: I did that before. I did that same exact thing before,
Speaker 1: didn't I. I think it's Philippians for thirteen. I think
Speaker 1: I'm mistaken. I feel all confident too. Oh, what's this one?
Speaker 1: Philippians for thirteen, Right, yes, it's thirteen. Philippians for thirteen
Speaker 1: says I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.
Speaker 1: Philippians for nineteen says, and my God shall supply all
Speaker 1: your need according to as riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
Speaker 1: All right, sorry, oh, Yep. Whenever I do these late podcasts,
Speaker 1: I think I got it down and I guess the
Speaker 1: wrong verse. I'm sorry, I guess I was close. Luke
Speaker 1: six thirty eight Give and it will be given to you.
Speaker 1: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over
Speaker 1: will be poured into your lap. For the measure you
Speaker 1: use will be measured to you. Luke six thirty eight. Cool.
Speaker 1: We had additional scriptures. We talked about practical application. Perfect.
Speaker 1: We are done with chapter eight. That was a good
Speaker 1: time minute, good timing too. So before we start on
Speaker 1: chapter nine, I always like to go over a quick introduction.
Speaker 1: Tewod Corinthians nine, penned by the apostle Paul, instructs the
Speaker 1: Corinthians about the blessings that come from generous, cheerful giving.
Speaker 1: It encourages Christians to give what they have decided in
Speaker 1: their hearts to give without reluctance or compulsion, for God
Speaker 1: loves a cheerful giver. This chapter is a powerful reminder
Speaker 1: of the divine promise that our generous giving on earth
Speaker 1: yields an eternal return in heaven. Okay, perfect, Let me
Speaker 1: just get down to my teaching points so I see
Speaker 1: where I'm at perfect all right, and then let me
Speaker 1: pull up my other notes. All right, there we go.
Speaker 1: If you guys see on the screen, I'm gonna go
Speaker 1: ahead and switch to SOE Corinthians nine, administering the Gift.
Speaker 1: So we'll read one through five first, and then we'll
Speaker 1: go over some things. It says administering the gift. This
Speaker 1: is Tewo Corinthians nine, verse one. Now concerning the ministering
Speaker 1: to the saints. It is super flowless for me to
Speaker 1: write to you, for I know your willingness, about which
Speaker 1: I boast to you to the Macedonians, that kate Kaiah
Speaker 1: was ready a year ago, and your zeal was stirred
Speaker 1: up the majority. Your zeal has stirred up the majority,
Speaker 1: and I have sent the brethren less. Our boasting of
Speaker 1: you should be in vain in the respect that, as
Speaker 1: I said, you may be ready less if some Macedonians
Speaker 1: come with me and find you unprepared, we not to
Speaker 1: mention you should be ashamed of this confident boasting. Therefore,
Speaker 1: I thought necessarily to exhort their brethren to go to
Speaker 1: you ahead of time and prepare your generous gift beforehand.
Speaker 1: Before you add previously promised that it may be ready
Speaker 1: as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. Okay,
Speaker 1: So in UH one through five it emphasizes that giving
Speaker 1: should be a cheerful and voluntary act of generosity, not
Speaker 1: a forced obligation. Paul is encouraging the Corinthian Church to
Speaker 1: follow through on a promised collection for Christians in Jerusalem
Speaker 1: by preparing their generous gift in advance, partly to avoid
Speaker 1: potential embarrassment for both the givers and himself. This passage
Speaker 1: also highlights the generosity of a response to God's grace
Speaker 1: and that it is better to give than to receive.
Speaker 1: Link in generosity to both spiritual and material blessings, so
Speaker 1: some of the key takeaways generosity is a response to
Speaker 1: God's grace. The passage reflects the idea that just as
Speaker 1: God has been gracious to you and to us, we
Speaker 1: should be gracious to others by sharing our blessings. Generosity
Speaker 1: should be prepared. Paul sends people ahead to ensure the
Speaker 1: Corinthians collection is ready, showing that good work should be
Speaker 1: prepared and not just a spontaneous last minute effort. The
Speaker 1: readiness also guards against any potential embarrassment for those involved.
Speaker 1: Giving should be cheerful, not compelled. Paul explicitly states that
Speaker 1: the gift should be a bounty or generous gift and
Speaker 1: not as a ungrudgingly grudgingly given one, because a gift
Speaker 1: given under compulsion is not truly a gift. Another key takeaway,
Speaker 1: the heart of a giver is what matters. The Passes
Speaker 1: stresses that giving must be a personal choice that comes
Speaker 1: from the heart, not from pressure or manipulation. Wow, that's
Speaker 1: something that people need to understand from some of these churches,
Speaker 1: not to manipulate. The act of giving has a dual purpose.
Speaker 1: The collection serves as providing for the needs of suffering Christians,
Speaker 1: the ministry of the saints, and to cause people to
Speaker 1: give thanks to God bringing glory to Him. Now, guys,
Speaker 1: this week is Thanksgiving week. Okay, so this this Thanksgiving.
Speaker 1: I don't know if all of you celebrate Thanksgiving, but
Speaker 1: I just want you, guys to do me a favor.
Speaker 1: When you're at the table before you eat, pray to
Speaker 1: God and just give thanks for everything that He's done
Speaker 1: for you. Okay, that's just a word of advice. And
Speaker 1: maybe another thing that I think is pretty cool is
Speaker 1: if you go around the table and everybody says something
Speaker 1: that you know that they're thankful for this year, you know,
Speaker 1: like I'm thankful for this, I'm thankful for that, you know,
Speaker 1: whatever you can you can think of. I think it's
Speaker 1: very it's a nice act to do that. So all right,
Speaker 1: I'm very thankful. I'll just let you guys know right
Speaker 1: now for you guys, and I'm very thankful for this podcast.
Speaker 1: And I think this is the best thing that I've done. Ah,
Speaker 1: I would say in my life having a Bible study.
Speaker 1: I think it's the best thing I've ever done. This
Speaker 1: is the best thing that God has ever blessed me with.
Speaker 1: So what a what a blessing to uh to be
Speaker 1: able to be part of this, all right. Two Corinthians nine,
Speaker 1: verse six. The cheerful giver. But this I say, he
Speaker 1: who sows sparely will also reap sparingly. He who sows
Speaker 1: bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give
Speaker 1: as he proposed purposes in his heart, not grudgingly, or
Speaker 1: if a necessity or of necessity. For God loves a
Speaker 1: cheerful giver, and God is able to make all grace
Speaker 1: abound towards you, that you, always, having all sufficiency in
Speaker 1: all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
Speaker 1: As it is written, he has dispersed abroad, He was
Speaker 1: given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. And let's
Speaker 1: go ahead and continue verse ten. Now may he also supplies.
Speaker 1: May he who supplies seed to the sower and bread
Speaker 1: for food supply and multiply the seed. Now now you
Speaker 1: have sown and increased the fruits of your righteousness. While
Speaker 1: you are enriched in everything from all liberally liberality sorry,
Speaker 1: which causes thanksgiving through us to God for the administration
Speaker 1: of service not only supplies the needs of the saints,
Speaker 1: but also the abounding through many thanksgivings to God. While
Speaker 1: through the proof of the ministry that glorify God for
Speaker 1: the obedience of their confession to the Gospel of Christ,
Speaker 1: and for the liberal for your liberal sharing with them
Speaker 1: and all men, and by their prayer for you who
Speaker 1: long for you, because of the exceeding grace of God
Speaker 1: in you. Thanks be to God for his in describable gift. Amen.
Speaker 1: So I think I have something on chapter Yeah, verse six.
Speaker 1: So I got a few things here, Okay, So the
Speaker 1: principle of sowing and reaping and two Corinthians nine, verse six.
Speaker 1: This principle underscores the spiritual law of rescipret wait restpro
Speaker 1: city respro city sorry, in giving rights. Remember this, whoever
Speaker 1: so sparingly? Yeah, it's very red, So what's the principle
Speaker 1: of sowing and reaping is a fundamental biblical concept that
Speaker 1: illustrates the cause and effect relationship between actions and their consequences.
Speaker 1: This principle is deeply rooted in both the Old and
Speaker 1: New Testaments, serves as a moral and spiritual guideline for
Speaker 1: believers the Old Testament foundation. The concept of sowing and
Speaker 1: reaping is first introduced in agricultural context of ancient Israel.
Speaker 1: Why farming was a central part of life. In Genesis
Speaker 1: eight twenty two, God establishes the natural order while the
Speaker 1: earth endures see time and harvest, cold and heat, summer
Speaker 1: and winter, day and night shall never cease. This first
Speaker 1: underscores the reliability of sowing and reaping cyclist part of
Speaker 1: God's creation. Proverbs twenty two eight. He who sows in
Speaker 1: just will reap disaster on the row of his fury
Speaker 1: will be destroyed. Here the principle is applied to human behavior,
Speaker 1: indicating that actions, whether righteous or wicked, yield corresponding outcomes.
Speaker 1: And then the New Testament teachings. Teachings the New Testament
Speaker 1: reinforces and expands upon this principle, particularly in the teachings
Speaker 1: of Jesus and the Apostles. In the Parable of the
Speaker 1: Sower Matthew thirteen, verses three through nine, Jesus uses the
Speaker 1: imagery of sowing seeds to describe the reception of the
Speaker 1: Word of God in different types of hearts. The varied results,
Speaker 1: ranging from fruitfulness to barrenness. Barrenness illustrate how the condition
Speaker 1: of one's heart affects spiritual growth and productivity. Paul the
Speaker 1: Apostle explicitly articulates the principle in Galatians nine, verses seven
Speaker 1: through eight. Do not be deceived. God is not to
Speaker 1: be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.
Speaker 1: The one who sows to please his flesh from the
Speaker 1: flesh will reap destruction, but the one who sows to
Speaker 1: please the Spirit from the spirit will reap eternal life.
Speaker 1: The passage highlights the spiritual dimension of sowing and reaping,
Speaker 1: and sizing the eternal consequences of one's actions. The principle
Speaker 1: of sowing and reaping is applical to various aspects of life,
Speaker 1: including personal conduct, relationships, and stewardship. In two Corinthia's nine,
Speaker 1: verse six, we already read the verses as Paul applies
Speaker 1: the principle of generosity, and then in the realm of
Speaker 1: personal conduct, James three eighteen states peacemakers who sow in
Speaker 1: peace reap the fruit of righteousness. This underscores the importance
Speaker 1: of cultivating peace and righteousness in one's interactions with others.
Speaker 1: What is the esca logical implications. The principle of sowing
Speaker 1: and reaping also carries eschaeological significance. In Revelation fourteen fourteen
Speaker 1: through sixteen, the imagery of harvest's usual describe to final judgment.
Speaker 1: Then I looked and saw a white cloud, And seated
Speaker 1: on the cloud was one like the son of Man,
Speaker 1: with a golden crown on his head and a sharp
Speaker 1: sickle in his hand. And another angel came out of
Speaker 1: the temple called in a loud voice to the one
Speaker 1: seated in the cloud, swing your sickle and reap, because
Speaker 1: the time has come to harvest, for the crop of
Speaker 1: the earth is ripe. So the one seated on the
Speaker 1: cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth
Speaker 1: was harvested. The passage illustrates the ultimate fulfillment of the
Speaker 1: sowing and reaping principle, where the righteous and the wicked
Speaker 1: received their due rewards. Conclusion, the principle of sowing and
Speaker 1: reaping serves as a timeless reminder of the moral and
Speaker 1: spiritual laws established by God. It encourages believers to live righteously,
Speaker 1: act generously, and remain mindful of the eternal consequences of
Speaker 1: their actions. And then the next is going to be
Speaker 1: in verse seven, it's the attitude of the heart. Each
Speaker 1: one should give that he has decided in his heart
Speaker 1: to give, not out of regret or compulsion, For God
Speaker 1: loves a cheerful giver. Our giving should be voluntary, joyful,
Speaker 1: reflecting a heart aligned with God's purpose. We'll look a
Speaker 1: little deeper into the attitude of the heart. The concept
Speaker 1: of the heart in the Bible extends beyond the physical
Speaker 1: organ to encompass the inner being of a person, including
Speaker 1: their emotions, will, intellect, and moral character. This attitude of
Speaker 1: the heart is a central theme throughout scripture, reflecting one's
Speaker 1: relationship with God and others. It is often depicted as
Speaker 1: the seat of one's spiritual life and the source of
Speaker 1: actions and thoughts. Biblical understanding of the heart. In Biblical terms,
Speaker 1: the heart is the core of a person's identity and
Speaker 1: spiritual life. Proverbs four twenty three emphasize the importance of
Speaker 1: guarding the heart. Guard your heart with all diligence. From
Speaker 1: it flows springs of life. This verse underscores the heart's
Speaker 1: role as the wellspring of one's actions and decisions, highlighting
Speaker 1: the need for vigilance and maintaining a pure and righteous heart.
Speaker 1: The heart's condition and God's concern. The Bible frequently addresses
Speaker 1: the condition of the heart, indicating that God is deeply
Speaker 1: concerned with its state. And on Samuel sixteen, verse seven,
Speaker 1: the Lord tells Samuel, do not consider this appearance for height,
Speaker 1: for I have rejected him. The Lord does not see
Speaker 1: as a man does, for man sees the outward appearance,
Speaker 1: but the Lord sees the heart. This passage reveals that
Speaker 1: God prioritizes the inner disposition over external appearance. Jeremiah seventeen
Speaker 1: nine through ten further explores the heart's nature. The heart
Speaker 1: is deceitful above all things, that beyond cure. Who can
Speaker 1: understand it? The Lord which search the heart, examine the mind,
Speaker 1: rewarded man according to his way, but what his deeds deserve.
Speaker 1: Here the heart is described as inherently deceitful and necessitaying
Speaker 1: divine examination of transformation. Okay, what's the conclusion that to
Speaker 1: the heart is a profound biblical theme that encompasses one's
Speaker 1: inner life, relationship with God, interactions with others. It is
Speaker 1: a reflection of one's spiritual condition and is of most
Speaker 1: importance in the Christian faith. Though divine transformation and renewal,
Speaker 1: Believers are called to cultivate a heart that aligns with
Speaker 1: God's will, characterized by love, humility, and obedience. Sorry, guys,
Speaker 1: give me one second. I gotta let my dog in.
Speaker 1: This is too much. Let's get back to the screen.
Speaker 1: Thank you for your patience. My dogs were barking like
Speaker 1: crazy outside, so I just I don't know if you
Speaker 1: guys could hear it, but they're right next to the
Speaker 1: door barking, so I had to bring him inside real quick,
Speaker 1: so you guys won't even notice the pause. But all right,
Speaker 1: So the next one would be God's provision and sufficiency,
Speaker 1: which is talked about in Second Crinthians nine, verse eight.
Speaker 1: And God is able to make all grace abound to you,
Speaker 1: so that in all things, at all times, having that
Speaker 1: all that you need, you will abound in every good
Speaker 1: work Psycho Corinthians nine, verse eight. God promises to provide
Speaker 1: our needs as we trust Him and give generously. So
Speaker 1: next is going to be in Seco Crinthia's nine verse twelve.
Speaker 1: The service that you perform is not only supplying the
Speaker 1: needs of the saints, but also overflowing many expressions of
Speaker 1: thanksgiving to God. Our giving results in praise and thanksgiving
Speaker 1: to God, impacting both the giver and the receiver. What's
Speaker 1: the I want to go over the impact of generosity.
Speaker 1: Generosity is a Biblical principle, is deeply rooted in the
Speaker 1: character of God and is a reoccurring theme throughout scripture.
Speaker 1: It is not merely an act of giving, but a
Speaker 1: reflection of the heart's poster towards God and others. The
Speaker 1: Bible presents generosity as a virtue that brings blessings both
Speaker 1: to the giver and the recipient, fostering a community of love, support,
Speaker 1: and mutual care. So the Old Testament Foundations lays the
Speaker 1: groundwork for understanding in Deuteronomy fifteen verses ten through eleven.
Speaker 1: And it's the generosity of understanding through the laws and
Speaker 1: narratives that emphasize care for the poor, the stranger, and
Speaker 1: the needy. And in Deuteronomy fifteen verses ten through eleven,
Speaker 1: it says, give generously to him, and do not let
Speaker 1: your heart be grieved when you do so. And because
Speaker 1: of this, the Lord your God will bless you in
Speaker 1: all your work and in everything to which you put
Speaker 1: your hand. There will always be poor people in the land.
Speaker 1: Therefore I command you to open wide your hand to
Speaker 1: your brother, to the needy, and to the poor in
Speaker 1: your land. The account of Ruth and Boaz illustrates the
Speaker 1: impact the generosity of individuals' lives the broader community and
Speaker 1: the broader community. BoA's kindness and provisions for Ruth, a
Speaker 1: foreigner and widow, not only ensured her survival but also
Speaker 1: led to her becoming part of the lineage of King
Speaker 1: David and ultimately Jesus Christ Ruth two verse four. Wisdom
Speaker 1: literature so proverbs only exhorts the virtues of generosity, linking
Speaker 1: it to prosperity and divine favor. Proverbs eleven, verse twenty
Speaker 1: four through twenty five. One gives freely yet gains even more.
Speaker 1: Another withholds what is right, only to become poor. A
Speaker 1: generous soul will prosper, and he who refreshes others will
Speaker 1: himself be refreshed. The wisdom underscores the paradoxical nature of
Speaker 1: generosity and giving one receives. So people might think that
Speaker 1: this means like one gives freely yet gains even more.
Speaker 1: Might you might think that you're talking about giving money
Speaker 1: and then receiving money, But it's talking about giving freely
Speaker 1: of anything, first of all. But this might be more
Speaker 1: referring to I haven't really looked into this verse before,
Speaker 1: but I just just came to me. It might be
Speaker 1: referring to, you know, riches in heaven, not oh, you
Speaker 1: give money and then you receive money. That's and I
Speaker 1: don't think that's what it is. I think maybe you
Speaker 1: give generously with a good heart, then you're going to
Speaker 1: receive riches where in heaven. Okay, and that's what we're
Speaker 1: supposed to be stacking up for. But I'd have to
Speaker 1: look deeply into that verse. Yeah, So this is the
Speaker 1: paradoxical nature of generosity and giving one received. Yeah, are
Speaker 1: we receiving money or financial backing? I don't know. Maybe
Speaker 1: it's something more to it, you know. Spiritual and the
Speaker 1: New Testament teachings, we have Jesus Christ and bodies and
Speaker 1: teaches the principal generosity as life and ministry are marked
Speaker 1: by acts of compassion and selfless giving. In Matthew five
Speaker 1: forty two, this teaching challenges believers to adopt a lifestyle
Speaker 1: of open handed and illness and trust in God's provision.
Speaker 1: Then we have Acts two forty four through forty five.
Speaker 1: All believers together had nothing in common, selling their possessions
Speaker 1: and goods they share with anyone who was in need.
Speaker 1: And that's communal communal giving. What's the summary? The Biblical
Speaker 1: call to generosity is a call to reflect God's character
Speaker 1: and participate in his mission. It is a powerful force
Speaker 1: for good, transforming individuals and communities in profound ways. My
Speaker 1: leg is itchy, okay, perfect? Well those were all good.
Speaker 1: Let me get back down to the teaching points. Perfect
Speaker 1: all right, So we have that going. And I have
Speaker 1: some key themes from the from chapter nine or sorry,
Speaker 1: chapter nine, verses six to fifteen, sewing and reaping The
Speaker 1: passage uses on agricultural analogy, stating that what you sew,
Speaker 1: you will also reap. Sowing generously leads to a generous harvest,
Speaker 1: while sewing sparingly leads to a meager one. Cheerful and
Speaker 1: willing giving giving should not be done out of compulsion
Speaker 1: or reluctance. God loves a cheerful giver. And then next
Speaker 1: is God's provision. God is able to make all grace
Speaker 1: abound to believers so that they have all sufficiency and
Speaker 1: can abound in every good work. He supplies the seed
Speaker 1: for the sower and increase the harvest, ensuring that those
Speaker 1: who give generously are not left wanting. So purpose of
Speaker 1: giving the generosity describes described as a ministry that supplies
Speaker 1: the needs of others, specifically the suffering saints in Jerusalem
Speaker 1: at the time, resulting in abundant thanksgivings. The next one
Speaker 1: is gratitude for God's gift. The passage concludes by emphasizing
Speaker 1: the ultimate source of all generosity, God's indescribable gift, often
Speaker 1: understood to be Jesus Christ. This incomprehensible gift is the
Speaker 1: foundation for all giving, all other giving, so perfect that
Speaker 1: is the end of chapter nine. Let me go over
Speaker 1: some practical applications we have. Evaluate your giving. Reflect on
Speaker 1: your current giving habits. Are you giving out of obligation
Speaker 1: or is it a joyful expression of your faith? Next,
Speaker 1: trust in God's provision. Consider areas in your life where
Speaker 1: you need to trust God more fully for provision. How
Speaker 1: can you demonstrate that trust enough through generous giving? How
Speaker 1: can you demonstrate that trust through generous giving? How can
Speaker 1: you demonstrate that trust through generous giving? Sorry, encourage others
Speaker 1: share testimonies of how God has provided for you as
Speaker 1: you have given generously. Encourage others in your community to
Speaker 1: experience the joy of giving. And the next plan you're giving,
Speaker 1: decide in advance which you will give, allowing your giving
Speaker 1: to be intentional, purposeful rather than impulsive impulsive. Okay, there
Speaker 1: we go. We got teaching points. Now we're going to go.
Speaker 1: We're going to do additional scriptures that connect we have
Speaker 1: Luke six, verse thirty eight. Give and it will be
Speaker 1: given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together,
Speaker 1: and running over will be poured onto your lap. For
Speaker 1: the measure you use. It will be a measure to you.
Speaker 1: And then Proverbs eleven, verse twenty five. A generous soul
Speaker 1: will prosper, and he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.
Speaker 1: That's Proverbs eleven, verse twenty five. And then we have
Speaker 1: Philippians four nineteen once again. And my God will supply
Speaker 1: all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ's Jesus.
Speaker 1: All right, so that was about an hour, all right,
Speaker 1: So let me just switch to Second Corinthians, chapter ten,
Speaker 1: then go over the intro. In Second Corinthians ten, Paul
Speaker 1: addresses criticisms and challenges to his authority in corn. Although
Speaker 1: his detractors see his physical presence as weak and his
Speaker 1: speech is unimpressive, Paul the searched that the strength of
Speaker 1: his ministry lies in the power of Christ, not worldly standards.
Speaker 1: He emphasizes the importance of spiritual warfare, the spiritual nature
Speaker 1: of his weapons, and his God given authority to build
Speaker 1: up the church, not to tear it down. All right,
Speaker 1: let me get to the teaching points real quick. All right,
Speaker 1: there we go psych Corinthians ten. So the first title
Speaker 1: here in Second Corinthians ten it says the spiritual war.
Speaker 1: So we're gonna read verse one through six. And I
Speaker 1: got some notes. It says, now I pall myself and
Speaker 1: pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ,
Speaker 1: who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent
Speaker 1: and bold towards you. But I beg you that when
Speaker 1: I am present, I may not be bold with the
Speaker 1: confidence by which I intend to be bold against some
Speaker 1: who think of us as we walked according to the flesh.
Speaker 1: For though we walked in the flesh, we do not
Speaker 1: war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our
Speaker 1: warfare are not carnal, but mighty in God. For pulling
Speaker 1: down strongholds, casting down arguments in every high thing that
Speaker 1: exalts himself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought
Speaker 1: into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready
Speaker 1: to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Very important.
Speaker 1: So it's but I beg you that I am in
Speaker 1: the presence, that I may be bold in the confidence
Speaker 1: which I tend to be bold against some. So basically
Speaker 1: two Corinthians ten, verses one through it discusses that while
Speaker 1: Paul is perceived as meek in person, his spiritual authority
Speaker 1: is not worldly right, So he he's he might, I
Speaker 1: don't know what Paul's appearance was. Some people said that
Speaker 1: Paul was short and not good looking. I don't know what,
Speaker 1: you know, who knows? I mean some people say that,
Speaker 1: and maybe that's why he said. He's perceived as meek
Speaker 1: in person, but his spiritual authority is not worldly. He
Speaker 1: and other believers. I'm back to my notes. He and
Speaker 1: other believers do not wage war with worldly weapons, but
Speaker 1: with divine power to demolish false arguments and to take
Speaker 1: every thought captive to obey Christ. His passage addresses criticism
Speaker 1: from those who follow worldly standards, refute their claims, and
Speaker 1: contrast the fleshley approach while a spiritual one focused on
Speaker 1: obedience to Christ. Let me just pull some a verse
Speaker 1: up real quick too, you know. So we were reminded
Speaker 1: of talking about spiritual warfare. So we're going to go
Speaker 1: to Ephesian six verse starting at verse ten. It says,
Speaker 1: the whole armor of God. All right, So we're going
Speaker 1: to be in Ephesian six, verse ten. Finally, my brethren,
Speaker 1: let me just sai someth going off. Ooh, don't do that,
Speaker 1: go back. I just want to make sure I don't
Speaker 1: lose my place here, it says, Finally, my brethren, be
Speaker 1: strong in the Lord and the power of His might.
Speaker 1: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may
Speaker 1: be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Speaker 1: For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but
Speaker 1: against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of
Speaker 1: this age, against spiritual host of wickedness in heavenly places. Therefore,
Speaker 1: take up the whole armor of God, that you may
Speaker 1: be able to withstand in the evil day. And having
Speaker 1: done all to stand, stand therefore, having girded your wate
Speaker 1: with truth, having put having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
Speaker 1: and having a shot of your feet with the preparation
Speaker 1: of the Gospel of Peace. Above all, taking this shield
Speaker 1: of faith, with which you will be able to quench
Speaker 1: all the fiery darts from the wicked one. And take
Speaker 1: the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
Speaker 1: which is the Word of God, praying always with all
Speaker 1: prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to his end,
Speaker 1: with the perseverance of supplication from all the saints. And
Speaker 1: for me that utterance may be given to me, that
Speaker 1: I may be open, that I may open my mouth
Speaker 1: boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel, for
Speaker 1: which I am an ambassador in chains that in it
Speaker 1: I may speak boldly as I ought to speak. So
Speaker 1: understand something. Okay, So when he's talking about for the
Speaker 1: weapons of our warfare are not Carnival Mighty and God
Speaker 1: for pulling down strongholds. You know, we got to understand
Speaker 1: that they're not physical weapons. You know, they're not an
Speaker 1: ar fifteen, they're not a literal sword, They're not aginsu
Speaker 1: you know, anything like that. Okay, They're going to be
Speaker 1: you know, our weapon is going to be, as it's
Speaker 1: talked about here, the Word of God, right, that's going
Speaker 1: to be our sword, is going to be the Word
Speaker 1: of God. And then we have the prayer is also
Speaker 1: our weapon. So we have prayer and we have the
Speaker 1: Word of God. Is our offensive weapons? What is our
Speaker 1: defensive weapons? It says that it the belt, the belt
Speaker 1: of truth, which is girding the waste. And then you
Speaker 1: have the breastplate of righteousness. You also have the shot
Speaker 1: of your feet, which is the preparation of the gospel.
Speaker 1: And then above all taking this shield of faith. How
Speaker 1: is faith built well? Romans ten seventeen says faith cometh
Speaker 1: by hearing and hearing by the word of God. So
Speaker 1: right now, as I'm speaking the word of God to you,
Speaker 1: you're building faith. So you want to get that shield
Speaker 1: of faith as big as possible, right so, And that's
Speaker 1: how you quench the wiles of the devil, is what
Speaker 1: it says. And then take the helmet of salvation that's
Speaker 1: going to protect you from all these evil thoughts. Right
Speaker 1: it's actually talking about it here in the other verse.
Speaker 1: It talks about taking those thoughts captive into the obedience
Speaker 1: of Christ. Now do I always do this all the time?
Speaker 2: No?
Speaker 1: Do I try to do this as much as possible.
Speaker 1: Of course I try to. So in spiritual warfare, this
Speaker 1: is something you should think about, is that we need
Speaker 1: to have the word of God as the sword of
Speaker 1: the spirit, okay, which is the word of God, which
Speaker 1: is an offensive weapon. And prayer always with all prayer
Speaker 1: and supplication, and the Spirit being watchful to the end,
Speaker 1: with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, okay,
Speaker 1: and for me. That's what it says. So make sure
Speaker 1: that praying always and also the sword of the spirit.
Speaker 1: And also you need the shield the faith, okay. And
Speaker 1: then you need the breastplate of righteousness and the gospel
Speaker 1: sandals of the shod okay. And then also you're going
Speaker 1: to need that girded for your waste, okay, which is
Speaker 1: like the belt of truth. Okay, very very important verse
Speaker 1: for you to understand. And just to let you guys know,
Speaker 1: just in case you forgot, it's a Pheesian six verses
Speaker 1: ten through twenty. Okay. Most of you probably are familiar
Speaker 1: with that verse. But I think it's a good connection
Speaker 1: between Aphesian six and then also Tewod Corinthians ten, verses
Speaker 1: one through six. Okay, So I just wanted to go
Speaker 1: over that, and then I'll continue with some key points
Speaker 1: addressing criticism. Addressing criticism is one Paul responds to accusation
Speaker 1: that he is timid in person but bold in his letters.
Speaker 1: He argues that his meekness is a reflection of Christ's character,
Speaker 1: not a sign of weakness. Spiritual warfare. The passage uses
Speaker 1: military language, demolishing strongholds, taking captives, clarifies that this is
Speaker 1: a spiritual battle, not a physical one. We got to
Speaker 1: understand that there's spiritual battles going on everywhere around you
Speaker 1: at all times. Divine power, the weapons of their warfare
Speaker 1: are not worthy, but are powerful through God to dismantle
Speaker 1: false ideas and pretensions that oppose God. Next, taking thoughts captive,
Speaker 1: the ultimate goal is to bring every thought into obedience
Speaker 1: to Christ, transforming it from a hindrance to faith into
Speaker 1: an act of submission. Next focus on obedience. Paul gives
Speaker 1: the Corinthians an opportunity to correct their disobedience before he arrives,
Speaker 1: as he is ready to deal with those who act
Speaker 1: according to the flesh or worldly standards. All right, so
Speaker 1: I have some teaching points here Paul's authority and humility.
Speaker 1: Paul begins by appearing to the Corinthians as meek and generals.
Speaker 1: We already went over that spiritual warfare. Paul emphas sizes
Speaker 1: that the weapons of our warfare are not the weapons
Speaker 1: of the world. Instead, we went over Phesian six, verses
Speaker 1: ten through twenty. Let's see what else we have here
Speaker 1: in my teaching points. Spiritual warfare refers to the Christian
Speaker 1: concept of fighting against the work of pre natural, pre
Speaker 1: eternal eternal. It says, pre eternatural evil forces. It is
Speaker 1: based on the belief that there is a constant battle
Speaker 1: between the forces of God and the forces of Satan.
Speaker 1: This battle is not found with physical not fought with
Speaker 1: physical weapons, but spiritual ones. As believers are called this
Speaker 1: stand firm in their faith and resist the devil's schemes.
Speaker 1: The concept of spiritual warfare is rooted in various passages
Speaker 1: throughout the Bible. One of the most explicit references found
Speaker 1: in Ephesians six, verses ten through twenty, which we already
Speaker 1: went over. This passage outlines the spiritual armor that Christians
Speaker 1: must wear, including the belt of truth, the breastplate of
Speaker 1: righteous as, the Gospel of Peace, the shield of faith,
Speaker 1: the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit,
Speaker 1: which is the Word of God. Nature of the battle.
Speaker 1: The battle describes as not being against flesh and blood,
Speaker 1: but against the rulers, against authorities, against powers of the wickedness,
Speaker 1: against the spiritual forces of evil and the heavenly realms.
Speaker 1: This indicates that the struggles not against human adversaries, but
Speaker 1: against spiritual entities that seek to undermine God's kingdom and
Speaker 1: his people. What are the roles of believers are called
Speaker 1: to be vigilant and prayful, and recognizing that their strength
Speaker 1: comes from the Lord. James four to seven advises submit
Speaker 1: yourselves then to God, resists the devil, and he will
Speaker 1: flee from you. This submission to God and resistance to
Speaker 1: the devil are crucial components of spiritual warfare. Additionally, one
Speaker 1: Peter five eight nine warns believers to be sober minded
Speaker 1: and alert your adversary. The devil prowls around like a
Speaker 1: roaring lion, seeking someone to devour, resisting him devour, resisting him,
Speaker 1: standing firm in your faith. So understand something that is
Speaker 1: such a good point, because how many stupid things have
Speaker 1: you done when you are drunk or under the influence
Speaker 1: of drugs, or under the influence of alcohol, or under
Speaker 1: the influence of weed or whatever you know, or any
Speaker 1: other kind of hard drug. So when you are sober
Speaker 1: minded and alert, then then you are better to go
Speaker 1: against the adversary of the devil. But when you're drunk,
Speaker 1: then it's easier for you to give in to temptation
Speaker 1: or argue or fight, or you know whatever. And if
Speaker 1: you're taking drugs, it's even worse. So definitely, also the
Speaker 1: spiritual the weapons of spiritual warfare are not carnival, but
Speaker 1: mighty through God and Tewo Corinthians ten, verses four through five,
Speaker 1: It says the weapons are a warfare are not the
Speaker 1: weapons of the world. Instead, they are divine power to
Speaker 1: demolig strongholds, which we already went over. Some other examples
Speaker 1: through scripture would be throughout the Bible. There are numerous
Speaker 1: examples of spiritual warfare. Jesus himself faced temptation from Satan
Speaker 1: in the wilderness, has recorded in Matthew four verses one
Speaker 1: through eleven. He countered each temptation with scripture, demonstrating the
Speaker 1: power of God's word and spiritual battles. The Book of
Speaker 1: Acts also provides accounts of the early Church can running
Speaker 1: demonic forces and false teachings through the Holy through the
Speaker 1: power of the Holy Spirit. So and also in Matthew
Speaker 1: four verses one through eleven, Jesus is using the actually
Speaker 1: out of Deuteronomy. So I think that's interesting. He's using
Speaker 1: the Old Testament against the devil and it works. So
Speaker 1: it's not only to know the New Testament, guys, but
Speaker 1: also the Old Testament as well. Some of the practical applications.
Speaker 1: Christians are encouraged to engage in spiritual warfare through a
Speaker 1: life of holiness, prayer, and reliance on God's word, regular study,
Speaker 1: of scripture, participation in communal worship, and a disciplined prayer
Speaker 1: life or vital practices. Believers are also urged to be
Speaker 1: aware of the spiritual realities around them and to intercede
Speaker 1: for others who may be under spiritual attack. The conclusion,
Speaker 1: spiritual warfare is an integral aspect of the Christian life,
Speaker 1: requiring believers to be equipped with spiritual armor and rely
Speaker 1: on God's strength. Through faith, prayer, and the Word of God,
Speaker 1: Christians can stand firm against the forces of darkness in
Speaker 1: advance the Kingdom of God. So, guys, we got to
Speaker 1: understand the word of God. What are we doing right now?
Speaker 1: We are doing Bible studies so that way we understand
Speaker 1: and hopefully memorize some of the Word of God. And
Speaker 1: that's what Jesus did when he was being tempted. He
Speaker 1: always just he didn't rely on a sword, he didn't
Speaker 1: rely on a rock, he didn't rely on a gun.
Speaker 1: You know, he didn't have guns back then. But what
Speaker 1: did he do. He relied on the word of God.
Speaker 1: And that's how he won the battle against the devil
Speaker 1: each time, right, all right, So we have that, that's
Speaker 1: a conclude that And then also when he was talking
Speaker 1: about taking thoughts captive. In the Sewod Corinthians ten, verse five,
Speaker 1: Paul instructs believers to take captive every thought to make
Speaker 1: it obedient to Christ. It underscores the importance of controlling
Speaker 1: our thought life and aligning it with God's truth. Okay,
Speaker 1: so hold on real quick, let me alright, guys, we're back.
Speaker 1: I do apologize. I just had some sound in the background.
Speaker 1: I also want to make sure. Okay, here we go. Okay, guys. So,
Speaker 1: in taking thoughts captive, the concept of taking thoughts captive
Speaker 1: is this is very important for you guys to understand.
Speaker 1: Just is me as well. So the concept of taking
Speaker 1: thoughts captive is primarily derived from the apostle Paul's teachings
Speaker 1: and the New Testament, specifically in his second Letter to
Speaker 1: the Corinthians. This idea is a central theme to Christian's
Speaker 1: spiritual discipline and involves controlling one's thoughts to align with
Speaker 1: the teachings and obedience of Christ. And we kind of
Speaker 1: already went through it already. It's in two Corinthians ten,
Speaker 1: verses three through five, is what they're referring to here.
Speaker 1: So some of the practical applications that we can kind
Speaker 1: of pull out of. This is identify and challenge negative thoughts.
Speaker 1: So recognize thoughts that are contrary to biblical truth, such
Speaker 1: as fear, doubt, combination, and replace them with spiritual affirmations.
Speaker 1: Meditate on scriptures another one. Regular meditation on God's Word
Speaker 1: helps to fill the mind with truth and provides a
Speaker 1: foundation for discerning and rejecting falsehoods. And then number three
Speaker 1: we have prayer and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Prayer
Speaker 1: is essential in seeking God's help to control thoughts and
Speaker 1: to rely on the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength.
Speaker 1: And then number four is accountability and community. Engaging with
Speaker 1: fellow believers for support and accountability can aid and maintaining
Speaker 1: a discipline thought life. So definitely, you know, going to
Speaker 1: church would help. And having if you're a man, you know,
Speaker 1: fellow brothers in Christ or if you're a woman, fellow
Speaker 1: sisters in Christ is gonna help you with accountability and
Speaker 1: also support. That's very important. You know, if you're going
Speaker 1: through spiritual battles or having some issues with anything, you know,
Speaker 1: whether it's drinking, weed, lust, or whatever of the flesh,
Speaker 1: it's good to have a support group and accountability. So
Speaker 1: it can help you maintain a discipline life, you know,
Speaker 1: thought life. And what's the conclusion, The practice of taking
Speaker 1: thoughts captive as a vital aspect of Christian discipleship, reflecting
Speaker 1: a commitment to live under the lordship of Christ. It
Speaker 1: is a dynamic process that involves the mind, heart, and spirit,
Speaker 1: aiming to cultivate a life that honors God in thought
Speaker 1: and in action. Okay, so that was all just man,
Speaker 1: that's a lot of information just from from one to six.
Speaker 1: So that's yeah, that's whenever you get into spiritual warfare,
Speaker 1: there's there's definitely a lot of meat. You know, I could,
Speaker 1: I could go definitely even deeper if I if I
Speaker 1: wanted to, you know, I have. I did a whole
Speaker 1: podcast on spiritual warfare before, a few podcasts already in
Speaker 1: the past on spiritual warfare, and you know, it definitely
Speaker 1: gets deep. But for the sake of time, I don't
Speaker 1: want to get too much into it. But if you
Speaker 1: guys want to comment below on Spotify, if you want,
Speaker 1: you know, a whole show on spiritual warfare sometime, just
Speaker 1: let me know. But I think you guys seem to
Speaker 1: like the Bible studies more than shows like that, but
Speaker 1: you know, you guys can always put in your two cents,
Speaker 1: and when we get done with the Bible, at least
Speaker 1: I'll have some ideas of what you guys would like
Speaker 1: me to do. Or unless you guys suggest that you
Speaker 1: want me to just keep going through the Bible again,
Speaker 1: we could definitely do that. So, all right, so we
Speaker 1: went over. We already went over sewo Corinthians ten, verses
Speaker 1: one through six. Now we're going to be in second
Speaker 1: Corinthians ten, verses seven through eleven. Now, and let me
Speaker 1: get down to my teaching points here, all right, perfect,
Speaker 1: all right, It says reality of Paul's authority two Corinthians ten,
Speaker 1: verse seven. Do you look at the things according to
Speaker 1: the outward appearances. If anyone is convinced in himself that
Speaker 1: he is Christ, let him again consider this in himself,
Speaker 1: that just as he is Christ, even so we are Christ.
Speaker 1: For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority,
Speaker 1: which the Lord gave us for edification and not for
Speaker 1: your destruction, I shall not be ashamed lest I seem
Speaker 1: to terrify you by letters. For by his letters, they say,
Speaker 1: are waitingly powerful. But his bodily presence is weak and
Speaker 1: his speech contemptible. Let such a person consider list that
Speaker 1: we are in a word, we are in word by letters,
Speaker 1: then we are absent. Such we will also be indeed
Speaker 1: when we are present. So so in a second Corinthians seven
Speaker 1: through eleven are ten. Seven through eleven is a passage
Speaker 1: where Paul defends his apostolic authority by telling the Corinthians
Speaker 1: to look beyond ourward appearances. He rebukes those who judge
Speaker 1: based on physical presence or worldly standards, and states that
Speaker 1: his actions when present will match what he writes in
Speaker 1: his letters, emphasizing that his authority is for building up
Speaker 1: the church, not tearing it down. Kind Of crazy though,
Speaker 1: how people are the same as they are nowadays. You know,
Speaker 1: if you come and you're in the presence of people,
Speaker 1: or you're you know, not as tall as people thought,
Speaker 1: or not as strong as people thought, or not as
Speaker 1: buff as people thought, or not as good looking you know,
Speaker 1: in person. It's just man, people are that they're really
Speaker 1: quick to judge. And uh, you know, I went and
Speaker 1: met with a bunch of podcasters. You know, that was
Speaker 1: like the sing in La where there was about four
Speaker 1: different shows that all met up at once, and uh,
Speaker 1: they were like all drinking and stuff, and the they
Speaker 1: were asking a lot of other podcasts would like they
Speaker 1: were calling on the phone and they were asking, you know, hey,
Speaker 1: is Josh drinking, Like they're like checking on me to
Speaker 1: see if I'm drinking, which I wasn't, but still because
Speaker 1: they're not all Christian podcasts that I was gonna go
Speaker 1: meet with, so they're all asking, you know about like
Speaker 1: is he drinking or is he really as Christian as
Speaker 1: he says he is, Like that's kind of what they're
Speaker 1: thinking of, like dang bro chill supposed to be having
Speaker 1: a good time, you know, and so it's just, you know,
Speaker 1: it's just how people are, and it's it's okay, I
Speaker 1: don't really I don't really mind. It's just a good
Speaker 1: example of how people are. They're like, uh, there's a
Speaker 1: certain way like that, you know, you could be online
Speaker 1: where people want to make sure that you're like that
Speaker 1: in person as well, I guess. So it's really interesting.
Speaker 1: It's kind of funny how people are. But anyway, key
Speaker 1: themes and meanings, Okay, So for this chapter, for these verses,
Speaker 1: so for verse seven, Paul confronts are judging by appearances,
Speaker 1: and verse seven Paul confronts the Corinthians by judging him
Speaker 1: and other ministers by outward appearents, which is what his
Speaker 1: opponents did. They admired the false apostles for their confident
Speaker 1: and oppressive demeanor, while dismissing Paul because he seemed physically
Speaker 1: weak or unimpressive. Paul urges them to consider that just
Speaker 1: as they belong to Christ, so do he and his companions.
Speaker 1: And then in verse eight, authority for building up and
Speaker 1: not tearing down, Paul as searched that the authority God
Speaker 1: gave him is for the purpose of building up the church,
Speaker 1: not for destruction or some promotion. And then in verse eleven,
Speaker 1: actions must match words, he addresses the criticism that his
Speaker 1: letters are waiting and forceful, but that he is very
Speaker 1: unimpressive in person. Paul asserts that his actions when he
Speaker 1: is present will be consistent with what he writes down
Speaker 1: when absent. He wants them to know that his character
Speaker 1: and authority are not a facade, but are the same
Speaker 1: in person as they are on paper. And then in
Speaker 1: verses seven through eleven, boasting an intaguity, Paul doesn't want
Speaker 1: to be a source of fear or intimidation through his authority. Instead,
Speaker 1: he encourages them to look at the spiritual substance of
Speaker 1: their faith and recognize that His ministry is genuine and
Speaker 1: that his life is an open book. Okay, so now
Speaker 1: we have Two Corinthians ten, verses twelve through eighteen. So
Speaker 1: in verse twelve it says, for we dare not class
Speaker 1: our for we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves
Speaker 1: with those who commend themselves. But they measure themselves by themselves,
Speaker 1: and comparing themselves among themselves are not wise. We, however,
Speaker 1: will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of
Speaker 1: the sphere which God appointed us, a sphere which especially
Speaker 1: includes you. For we are not over extended ourselves, for
Speaker 1: we are not overextended ourselves, as though our authority did
Speaker 1: not extend to you. But it was to you that
Speaker 1: we came with the Gospel of Christ. Not boasting of
Speaker 1: things beyond measure, that is, and other men's labors, but
Speaker 1: having hope that as your faith is increased, we shall
Speaker 1: greatly enlarge you in our sphere to preach the Gospel
Speaker 1: and the regions beyond you, and not to boast in
Speaker 1: another man's sphere of accomplishment, but he who glories, let
Speaker 1: him glory in the Lord. For he who condemns himself
Speaker 1: has approved, but whom the Lord commends.
Speaker 2: All right.
Speaker 1: So verse eighteen, it says, Paul warns against boasting. Actually,
Speaker 1: let me see, I'll go over. Let me go over
Speaker 1: this other part first, then I'll go to the Verse eighteen,
Speaker 1: it says Corinthians ten Verses twelve through eighteen is about
Speaker 1: the unwise practice of self condemnation and measuring oneself against others,
Speaker 1: contrasting it with Paul's ministry. Instead of comparing themselves, Paul
Speaker 1: and his companions focus on working within the measure or
Speaker 1: spear God has given them, which includes the Corinthian Church.
Speaker 1: The main point is that true approval comes from the
Speaker 1: Lord and not from self promotion, and Christians should boast
Speaker 1: only in the Lord. Some of the key takeaways rejection
Speaker 1: of self comparison. Paul calls it foolish to measure and
Speaker 1: compare one's self against other people, a practice that focuses
Speaker 1: on outward appearance rather than spiritual subsistence. Working with God's
Speaker 1: appointed spear, Paul states he will not boast beyond the
Speaker 1: limits the spear God has assigned him, which is the
Speaker 1: Corinthian Church. He has instrumental in founding, he has contexts,
Speaker 1: he has contacts with his work, and hopes to expand
Speaker 1: his ministry to new areas beyond them. Next boasting should
Speaker 1: be in the Lord. The passage concludes with the reminder
Speaker 1: that true approval comes from God, not from self condemnation. Therefore,
Speaker 1: those who boasts should only boast about the Lord and
Speaker 1: his work, not their own accomplishments. Focus on building up,
Speaker 1: not tearing down. This is a continuation of the earlier
Speaker 1: theme in the chapter that the weapons of their warfare
Speaker 1: are spiritual, not worldly, and are used to build up
Speaker 1: and bring people into obedience, not to destroy or intimidate.
Speaker 1: Perfect all right, So a word to go over the
Speaker 1: boasting in the Lord. I have it right down here. Sorry,
Speaker 1: it jumped all the way to the top of my
Speaker 1: notes boasting in the Lord. So Paul warns against boasting
Speaker 1: in human achievements and instead encourages boasting in the Lord,
Speaker 1: as it is not the one who commends himself who
Speaker 1: is approved, but one whom the Lord condemns. So let's
Speaker 1: look a little deeper into boasting in the Lord. Boasting
Speaker 1: in the Lord is a biblical concept that emphasizes the
Speaker 1: importance of attributing glory and honor to God rather than
Speaker 1: to oneself. This idea is rooted in the understanding that
Speaker 1: all good things come from God, and human achievements are
Speaker 1: ultimately the result of His grace and power. The practice
Speaker 1: of boasting in the Lord is a form of worship
Speaker 1: and acknowledgment of God's sovereign and goodness. What's the Biblical foundation?
Speaker 1: Jeremiah nine twenty three through twenty four says, this is
Speaker 1: what the Lord says. Let out the wise man boasts
Speaker 1: in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength,
Speaker 1: nor the wealthy man and his riches. But let him
Speaker 1: who boast boasts in this that he understands and knows
Speaker 1: me that I am the Lord who exercises loving devotion, justice,
Speaker 1: and righteousness on the earth. For I delight in these things,
Speaker 1: declares the Lord. And then in the New Testament, the
Speaker 1: apostle Paul frequently addresses the theme of boasting in the
Speaker 1: Lord in one Corinthians one, verse thirty one. Therefore, as
Speaker 1: is written, let him who boasts boasts in the Lord.
Speaker 1: This echoes the Old Testament teaching and underscores the continuing
Speaker 1: continuity continuity of this principle throughout the scriptures. Boasting in
Speaker 1: the Lord is a recognition of God's ultimate authority and
Speaker 1: the believer's dependence on him. It serves as a reminder
Speaker 1: that human wisdom, strength and wealth are fleeting and insufficient
Speaker 1: compared to the eternal and unchanging nature of God. Practical
Speaker 1: application in practical terms, boasting the Lord can manifest in
Speaker 1: various ways in a believer's life. It involves giving credit
Speaker 1: for personal achievements, expressing gratitude for his blessings, and sharing
Speaker 1: testimonies of his work in one's life. It also includes
Speaker 1: proclaiming God's attributes and deeds to others, thereby encouraging fellow
Speaker 1: believers and witnessing to non believers. The apostle Paul exemplifies
Speaker 1: this practice in his letters, often recounting his own weakness
Speaker 1: and trials to highlight God's strength and grace and Tewo
Speaker 1: Corinthians twelve, verses nine through ten, Paul states, but he
Speaker 1: said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for
Speaker 1: my power is perfected in weakness. Therefore I will boast
Speaker 1: in all more gladly in my weaknesses, that the power
Speaker 1: of Christ may rest on me this is why, for
Speaker 1: the sake of Christ, a delight and weakness and insults
Speaker 1: and hardships and persecutions and difficulties. For when I am weak,
Speaker 1: that I am strong. So we will go back to
Speaker 1: that verse in probably next week. Conclusion. While boasting the
Speaker 1: Lord is a deeply personal practice, it also it also
Speaker 1: has communal implications. It fosters a cultural worship of gratitude
Speaker 1: within the Body of Christ, encouraging believers to support one
Speaker 1: another in their spiritual journeys. By constantly directing glory to God,
Speaker 1: the Church collectively bears witness to His greatness and faithfulness
Speaker 1: in the world. Perfect All right, guys, so we finished
Speaker 1: chapter ten. Let me go ahead and excuse me go
Speaker 1: over some practical applications. The first we have actually one, two, three, four.
Speaker 1: The first one will be evaluate your thought life. Regularly
Speaker 1: assess your thoughts and identify any that are not in
Speaker 1: align with God's Word. Practice taking these thoughts captive and
Speaker 1: replacing them with scripture rely on God's power, and spiritual
Speaker 1: battles rely on God's divine power rather than worldly methods.
Speaker 1: Equip yourself with the armor of God is described in
Speaker 1: Ephesian six, verses ten through eighteen. Exercise humility. Follow Paul's
Speaker 1: example of humility and gentleness in leadership and interactions with others,
Speaker 1: recognizing that true strength is found in christ like meekness.
Speaker 1: Boast in the Lord. Shift your focus from personal achievements
Speaker 1: to what God has done in your life. Share testimonies
Speaker 1: of faithfulness and grace with others. Amen. Okay, So some
Speaker 1: additional scriptures that connect, of course, Ephesians six, verses ten
Speaker 1: through twenty is a great one, and discuss the full
Speaker 1: armor of God and the spiritual nature of our battles.
Speaker 1: I don't really need to get into that, because we
Speaker 1: already went over that. Philippians four, verse eight encourages believers
Speaker 1: to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent,
Speaker 1: and praise worthy. And then Romans twelve, verses two calls
Speaker 1: for the renewal of the mind to discern God's will.
Speaker 1: And then James four verse six highlights the importance of humilities,
Speaker 1: stating that God's purpose opposes the proud but gives grace
Speaker 1: to the humble perfect. So we want ahead in one
Speaker 1: over second Corinthians ten. Now we're going to go go
Speaker 1: over the intro to second Corinthians twelve, I'm sorry, Second
Speaker 1: Corinthians eleven, okay, and sewod Corinthians eleven. Paul passionately defends
Speaker 1: his apostolistic apostolic authority against the influence of false apostles.
Speaker 1: He reveals his concerned for the Corinthians who are being
Speaker 1: led astray from the pure devotion to Christ. He contrasts
Speaker 1: his genuine service and sufferings for Christ with the deceitful
Speaker 1: practices of the false apostles, boasting paradoxically in the weaknesses
Speaker 1: rather than his strengths. Perfect. Let me go ahead and
Speaker 1: get to the teaching points. We have? How many we have?
Speaker 1: We have four of them? Cool, We have about twenty
Speaker 1: five minutes left, So let me just go ahead and
Speaker 1: get to into chapter eleven. So we did eight through eleven.
Speaker 1: How many do we have? Oh, we got Let me
Speaker 1: check something. So we have eleven, twelve and thirteen? Okay,
Speaker 1: h all right, let me think. Let me see how
Speaker 1: long twelve is? Real quick? Oh man? All right, thirteen
Speaker 1: fairly quick. Okay, Let's go ahead and do eleven real quick,
Speaker 1: and I'll try to do more scripture and little less
Speaker 1: teaching points. I'll do some, but eleven has what one,
Speaker 1: two three four. All right, let me go ahead and
Speaker 1: read sewod Corinthians two, verse eleven, concerning of concerning for
Speaker 1: the faithfulness, Oh, that you would bear with me in
Speaker 1: a little folly. And indeed you do bear with me,
Speaker 1: for I am jealous for you, with godly jealousy. For
Speaker 1: I have bethralled you to one husband, that I may
Speaker 1: present you as a chest virgin to Christ. But I
Speaker 1: fear less somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness,
Speaker 1: so your mind's may be corrupted from the simplicity that
Speaker 1: is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another
Speaker 1: Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive
Speaker 1: a different spirit which you have not received, or a
Speaker 1: different Gospel which you have not accepted, you may well
Speaker 1: put up with it, okay. So and Second Corinthians eleven,
Speaker 1: verse two, Paul expresses a godly jealousy for the Corinthians,
Speaker 1: desiring to present them as a pure bride to Christ.
Speaker 1: This highlights the importance of spiritual fidelity and purity in
Speaker 1: the relationship with Christ. And then in Second Corinthians eleven
Speaker 1: three through four, Paul warns the Corinthians about being led
Speaker 1: astray by false apostles, comparing them to the serpent deceiving
Speaker 1: eve Second Corinthians eleven, verses three through four. This emphasizes
Speaker 1: the need for vigilance and discernment in spiritual matters. Okay,
Speaker 1: so the Biblical frequency frequently. The Bible frequently addresses the
Speaker 1: theme of deception, wanting believers to remain vigilant against false teachings,
Speaker 1: misleading doctionnes, and deceitful practices. This theme is woven throughout
Speaker 1: both the Old and New Testament, emphasizing the importance of
Speaker 1: discernment and adherence to the truth of God's word and
Speaker 1: Deuteronomy thirteen one through three states if a prophet or
Speaker 1: dreamer or dreams arises among you and proclaims a sign
Speaker 1: or wonder to you, that if and proclaims a sign
Speaker 1: or wonder to you, and sorry spoken to you, the
Speaker 1: signer one ed to you he has spoken to you,
Speaker 1: comes to pass. But he says, let us follow other
Speaker 1: gods which you have not known, and let us worship them.
Speaker 1: You must not listen to the words that the prophet
Speaker 1: or dreamer. This passage underscores the necessity of testing authenticity
Speaker 1: of prophetic messages against the established revelation of God. Then
Speaker 1: Proverbs fourteen eight says, the wisdom of the prudent is
Speaker 1: to discern his way, but the folly of fools deceive them.
Speaker 1: Here wisdom is portrayed as the ability to discern truth
Speaker 1: from falsehood, a critical skill for avoiding deception. And then
Speaker 1: in Matthew twenty four, verses four through five, Jesus cautions
Speaker 1: see that no one deceives you, for many will come
Speaker 1: in my name claiming I am the Christ and will
Speaker 1: deceive many. This warning highlights the spiritual deception that will
Speaker 1: characterize the end times, urging believers to remade steadfast in
Speaker 1: their faith. And then in Tewod Corinthians eleven, verses thirteen
Speaker 1: through fifteen, which is coming, which we'll be talking about soon,
Speaker 1: I'm not going to give you a spoiler alert. We
Speaker 1: have Ephesians four fourteen states there will be no there.
Speaker 1: Then we will no longer be infants tossed about out
Speaker 1: by the waves and carried around every wind of teaching
Speaker 1: and by the clear cunning of men of their deceitful scheming.
Speaker 1: This pastor has emphasized the importance of spiritual maturity and
Speaker 1: doctional stability in resisting. So in conclusion, by adhering to
Speaker 1: these biblical principles, christians can safeguard themselves against the persuasive
Speaker 1: threat of deception or remained anchored in the truth of
Speaker 1: God's word. So that's why it says for he who
Speaker 1: for if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we
Speaker 1: have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit
Speaker 1: which you have not received, or a different gospel which
Speaker 1: you have not accepted, you may put up you. You
Speaker 1: may well, you may well put up with it. You
Speaker 1: may well put up with them. And it's like screamed
Speaker 1: or exclamation point. All right, let's see if I have
Speaker 1: anything else. Oh, it jumps all the way to verse
Speaker 1: twenty three through twenty seven. Okay, no problem, all right,
Speaker 1: I'm going to continue Paul and false apostles, for I
Speaker 1: consider that I am not an inferior to the most
Speaker 1: eminent apostles, even though I am untrained in speech, yet
Speaker 1: I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly
Speaker 1: manifested among you in all things. Did I commit sin
Speaker 1: and humbling myself that might be exalted, that you might
Speaker 1: be exalted? Because I preached the Gospel of God to
Speaker 1: you free of charge. I robbed other churches, taking wages
Speaker 1: from them to minister to you. And when I was
Speaker 1: present with you, and indeed I was burdened to no one.
Speaker 1: For what I lacked, the brethren who came from Macedonius applied,
Speaker 1: and in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you.
Speaker 1: And so I will keep myself as the truth of
Speaker 1: crisis in me. No one shall stop me from boasting
Speaker 1: in the regions of Acacia or Achia. Why because I
Speaker 1: do not love you, God knows. But what I do,
Speaker 1: I will also continue to do that I may cut
Speaker 1: off the opportunity for those who desire an opportunity to
Speaker 1: be regarded as we and the things of which they boast,
Speaker 1: for which are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves to
Speaker 1: the apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himselves
Speaker 1: transformed himselves into an angel of light. Therefore there is
Speaker 1: no great thing if this minister's also transforms themselves in
Speaker 1: the ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to
Speaker 1: their works. You guys, understand that it's talking about no wonder,
Speaker 1: for Satan himself can transform himself into an angel of light.
Speaker 1: So ministers can come and act like they're good people.
Speaker 1: You know, you know that they're there for the good
Speaker 1: of everybody, and you know they could be there just
Speaker 1: for money. They could be there no kleftlow dollar type
Speaker 1: of deal, you know, Joel Olstein type of deal. You know,
Speaker 1: that kind of guy. There's just some people that come
Speaker 1: to mind. You know, I can't remember that other guy.
Speaker 1: Oh the guy that's anyways. I don't want to slander people,
Speaker 1: but I still need to point out the truth. Okay,
Speaker 1: So Benny hen those type of people, you know, they
Speaker 1: go up on stage, you know, come on up here,
Speaker 1: you have me five thousand, and you'll make fifty thousand back,
Speaker 1: and then come up here. Say he's like grabbing people
Speaker 1: by the head and throwing them back and then acting
Speaker 1: like they're healed, you know, healed and and uh some
Speaker 1: of those people are paid, you know, and just uh,
Speaker 1: there's just people that we got to make sure that
Speaker 1: we point out so that you don't get deceived by them.
Speaker 1: Prosperity gospel, that type of deal. Just be careful. There's
Speaker 1: also some other pastors that are out there right now
Speaker 1: that I can't really name any off the top of
Speaker 1: my head. There's one that's like right on the tip
Speaker 1: of my tongue. And Kenneth Copeland, Okay, that's another guy.
Speaker 1: If you watch his sermons and you watch the way
Speaker 1: that you know, is he preaching the gospel or is
Speaker 1: he preaching prosperity gospel? You know, And they're driving in
Speaker 1: private jets and they got you know, thirty room mansions
Speaker 1: and they have Texas Houston, Nashville Stadium. They got people
Speaker 1: coming too, you know that kind of stuff. So just
Speaker 1: be careful. You know, can God heal people, absolutely, but
Speaker 1: he is God helping people, heal people so that they
Speaker 1: can make millions of dollars. I don't know about that,
Speaker 1: you know, I don't know. But just be careful of
Speaker 1: false ministers who transform themselves into ministers of righteousness whose
Speaker 1: and will be according to their works, it says, and
Speaker 1: it does say that Satan can transform himself into an
Speaker 1: angel of light. If you look at Hebrews thirteen, verse two,
Speaker 1: it says entertain strangers. When you entertain strangers, you never know,
Speaker 1: and you're entertained an angel unaware. So you know, make
Speaker 1: sure you take care of strangers, because I believe that
Speaker 1: that angels come in the form of a human. And
Speaker 1: I think that some do come in the form of
Speaker 1: a human and you walk pay you know, they cross
Speaker 1: your path and they give you an opportunity to assist them.
Speaker 1: And maybe it's freezing outside and they need a jacket
Speaker 1: or whatever it may be. You know, who knows if
Speaker 1: that's even what they do. I just I don't know
Speaker 1: what what uh you're presented with, you know, if you
Speaker 1: do see an angel, but I do know they come
Speaker 1: in the form of a human. If you look at
Speaker 1: Sodom Ingomorra, what do you see? You see two angels
Speaker 1: coming to a lot and they're in the form of
Speaker 1: a human. We've gone over with this, you know, in
Speaker 1: Sodom inga Morras. So my whole point there is to
Speaker 1: understand that satanim sol can transform himself into an angel
Speaker 1: of light. So I think that Satan can come to
Speaker 1: you in the form of a human. That's what I
Speaker 1: personally believe. Now, he's not going to come to you
Speaker 1: and live with you for your whole life. I don't
Speaker 1: believe that. I just think that he just comes sporadically
Speaker 1: in certain situations in the form of a human. And
Speaker 1: I think he could sit down with worldly governeurs. You know,
Speaker 1: let's talk about in Ephesians six ten through twenty. If
Speaker 1: you look up the if you look up the Geneva Bible,
Speaker 1: it's talked about. It talks about worldly governors. Okay, guys,
Speaker 1: we need to understand that. So I do believe that
Speaker 1: Satan can come and speak to people in human form. Okay,
Speaker 1: I do believe that fallen angels can also come in
Speaker 1: human form? Am I one hundred percent? Is that one
Speaker 1: hundred percent fact? I just know from Hebrews thirteen to two,
Speaker 1: from Salde Mighemora, that angels come in the form of
Speaker 1: a human, you know, when they come in deal with
Speaker 1: people and saw the Migamora for example, they were able
Speaker 1: to eat, they were able to grab Lot's wife, and
Speaker 1: they were people were able to see them right, and
Speaker 1: people were lusting after them and all this stuff. So
Speaker 1: that's what I believe. Do I know if fallen angels
Speaker 1: can come, I don't know, but it just seems to
Speaker 1: me that something happened between the time of between nineteen
Speaker 1: hundred and twenty twenty five. In between that area right there,
Speaker 1: it looks more like probably like nineteen forty seven, and
Speaker 1: you know, all this technology came in like a bat
Speaker 1: out of hell. It just came boom. Is technology that
Speaker 1: changed humanity, you know, like literally changed humanity, like similar
Speaker 1: to what it would say in the Book of Enoch.
Speaker 1: Not saying that that scripture or canon, okay, but just
Speaker 1: similar to how the Book of Enoch was that these
Speaker 1: watchers came down, taught people about putting on makeup, tap
Speaker 1: people about roots and which cre often and sorcery that those,
Speaker 1: and then weapons of war, you know, shields and swords,
Speaker 1: you know, like you see, they teach that, so that's war.
Speaker 1: And then all of a sudden, you know, between nineteen
Speaker 1: hundred and twenty twenty five. The reason why I say
Speaker 1: that is because you know, nuclear bombs, all these different
Speaker 1: things started coming into play, tanks, you know, just a
Speaker 1: lot of technology that was you know, just technology just
Speaker 1: ran rapid during that time. Now, was there something like
Speaker 1: an incursion of fallen angels? They came and taught our
Speaker 1: you know, spoke to our government and sat down and
Speaker 1: gave them give them ideas. I mean, who knows. That's
Speaker 1: all just speculation, but it definitely could have happened. Sorry,
Speaker 1: I went off into a tangent, guys, but that's just
Speaker 1: when my mind does sometimes. Let's get back to the Bible.
Speaker 1: Two Corinthians eleven, verse sixteen, reluctant boasting. I say again,
Speaker 1: let no one think me a fool, if otherwise at
Speaker 1: least receive me as a fool, that I also may
Speaker 1: boast a little. What I speak, I speak not according
Speaker 1: to the Lord, but as it were, foolishly in this
Speaker 1: confidence of boasting. Seeing that many boasts according to the flesh,
Speaker 1: I also will boast. For you put on the fools gladly,
Speaker 1: since you yourselves are wise. But you put up with it.
Speaker 1: But you put up with if one brings you into bondage,
Speaker 1: and if one devours you, and if one takes from you,
Speaker 1: if one exalts himself, if one strikes you on the
Speaker 1: face to our shame, I say that you are too
Speaker 1: weak for that. But whatever anyone is bold, I speak foolishly,
Speaker 1: I am also. I am bold also. And let me
Speaker 1: see when I have I have twenty three through twenty seven,
Speaker 1: which is coming up. All right, let's go ahead suffering
Speaker 1: for Christ. Two Corinthians eleven, verse twenty two. Are they Hebrews,
Speaker 1: So am I? Are they Israelites? So am I? Are
Speaker 1: they the seed of Abraham. So am I are they
Speaker 1: ad ministers of Christ. I speak as a fool. I
Speaker 1: am more in labors, more abundant in stripes above measure,
Speaker 1: in prisons, more frequently in deaths, often from the Jews.
Speaker 1: Five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times
Speaker 1: I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three
Speaker 1: times I was shipwrecked a night and a day. I've
Speaker 1: been in the deep and journeys, often in pearls of water,
Speaker 1: and pearls of robbers, and pearls of my own countrymen,
Speaker 1: and pearls of the gentiles, and pearls of the city,
Speaker 1: and pearls in the wilderness, and pros of the sea,
Speaker 1: and pros of my false brethren. In weariness and toil
Speaker 1: and sleeplessness, aten and hunger, and thirst and fasting often
Speaker 1: and cold and nakedness. Besides the other things, what comes
Speaker 1: upon me daily my deep concern for all the churches.
Speaker 1: Who is weak? I am not weak? Who is made
Speaker 1: to stumble? I do not burn with indignation. Now I
Speaker 1: feel bad about.
Speaker 2: Complaining about going to work all day, kobe home, taking
Speaker 2: care of my kids, and then come in and do it.
Speaker 1: A podcast this guy's over here getting shipwrecked, beaten with
Speaker 1: rods stripes forty times minus won three times, beaten with
Speaker 1: rods stone three times shipwrecked. I mean, oh my goodness,
Speaker 1: still spreading the gospel message. I just have to appreciate
Speaker 1: what I have here, you know. So in first Second
Speaker 1: Corinthians eleven twenty three through twenty seven, Paul Lissa's sufferings
Speaker 1: and hardships as evidence of his you Win apostleship. This
Speaker 1: underscores the reality that true ministry often involves sacrifice and endurance.
Speaker 1: It definitely does, all right, And I haven't been shipwrecked
Speaker 1: in a long time now, I'm just kidding. I haven't
Speaker 1: been shipwrecked. I did go on a cruise, but we
Speaker 1: didn't get shipwrecked. But yes, I do. I would say
Speaker 1: that a ministry definitely involves sacrifice and endurance because when
Speaker 1: you do these Bible studies for example, and I'm not
Speaker 1: you know, just not trying to boast, brag do anything.
Speaker 1: When you do these Bible studies, for example, I have
Speaker 1: to listen to pastors kind of preach on the subject
Speaker 1: so I can kind of get the flow of things
Speaker 1: of how it's taught. So it takes time, you know. Sometimes,
Speaker 1: you know, sometimes I spend a day at work kind
Speaker 1: of just listening to Bible stuf, and I want to
Speaker 1: listen to other things, you know, because I got other
Speaker 1: things I want to study, you know, and I'm like,
Speaker 1: so I'm so torn. So it does take endurance. Do
Speaker 1: I always listen to Bible studies all the time? I
Speaker 1: mean pastors all the time. No, Sometimes I veer off
Speaker 1: into another show. Then I've your back, and then I
Speaker 1: veer and then it's, oh my gosh, I keep going
Speaker 1: back and forth. But I do my very best. But
Speaker 1: definitely it involves sacrifice and endurance. No time, it's uth
Speaker 1: the essence. You know. Last night, for example, I go
Speaker 1: into the room after I put the kids to bed,
Speaker 1: and I get to lay down with them and put
Speaker 1: them to sleep, right, and my kids like that, and
Speaker 1: I like that, but it takes away time from your children.
Speaker 1: Like tomorrow morning, at five thirty in the morning, I
Speaker 1: have a show, you know, so right now it's like
Speaker 1: almost ten thirty at night. So you know what I'll
Speaker 1: do is I'll finish this podcast. I still have to upload.
Speaker 1: It takes about half an hour to kind of upload everything,
Speaker 1: so you know, what eleven ten, try to go to sleep,
Speaker 1: hopefully by eleven thirty Boom, we gotta wake up. I
Speaker 1: gotta show tomorrow morning at five thirty. So that's just
Speaker 1: how it works doing this ministry stuff. And it's a
Speaker 1: show on the nepheline one, a biblical hit man show. Okay,
Speaker 1: So am I blessed to be able to do these things,
Speaker 1: of course, but it definitely takes My whole point is
Speaker 1: sacrificing endurance, all right. Next, if I must boast, I
Speaker 1: will boast in the things which concern my infirmity. The
Speaker 1: God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is
Speaker 1: blessed forever, knows that I am not lying in Damascus.
Speaker 1: The governor under Aretus the King was guarding the city
Speaker 1: of Damascus, with garrison desiring to arrest me. But I
Speaker 1: was let down in a basket through a window in
Speaker 1: the wall and escaped with my hands. Wow. This one
Speaker 1: is and two Corinthians eleven thirty Paul is boasting in weakness.
Speaker 1: Paul reluctantly boasts about his weakness to highlight God's strength
Speaker 1: in his life.
Speaker 2: This teaches us that our weakness can be opportunities for
Speaker 2: God's power to be displayed.
Speaker 1: Let's go ahead and look that up. Boasting of evil
Speaker 1: is a concept addressed in the Bible as a manifestation
Speaker 1: of pride and wickedness, often associated with rejection of God's
Speaker 1: righteousness and that evaluation of one's own sinful actions. This
Speaker 1: behavior is condemned throughout scripture as it reflects the heart
Speaker 1: that is not aligned with God's will and demonstrates a
Speaker 1: lack of humility and reverence for the Lord. And Psalms
Speaker 1: fifty two, verse one, it says, why do you boast
Speaker 1: of evil? A mighty man? The loving devotion of God
Speaker 1: endures all day long. Proverbs twenty seven, verse one says,
Speaker 1: do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know
Speaker 1: what a day may bring. While the verse primarily against
Speaker 1: presumption about the future, it also implies the folly of
Speaker 1: boasting in one's plans and actions James four or verse sixteen,
Speaker 1: as it is you boast in your proud intentions. All
Speaker 1: such boasting is evil. And then in one Corinthians five,
Speaker 1: verse six, you're boasting is not good? Do you not
Speaker 1: know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?
Speaker 1: What is the con or? The summary in community settings.
Speaker 1: The church is called to address and correct instances of
Speaker 1: boasting and evil, prompting an environment of accountability and mutual edification.
Speaker 1: By doing so, the Body of Christ can maintain its
Speaker 1: witness in the world and uphold the standards of righteousness
Speaker 1: set forth in scripture. Very very important. Boast in weakness.
Speaker 1: All right, Oh, that's what we're talking about, boasting weakness.
Speaker 1: Wonder way I went to that. Okay, boasting and weakness.
Speaker 1: I'll just read the definition. Boasting witnesses concept primarily derived
Speaker 1: from the writings of Apostle Paul and the New Testament.
Speaker 1: It is a paradoxal theme that highlights the strength and
Speaker 1: power of God manifesting through human frailty and limitations. This
Speaker 1: concept is most promonly discussed in Paul's Second Letter to
Speaker 1: the Corinthians, where we are addressed the nature of true
Speaker 1: strength and sufficiency of God's grace. Right there we go,
Speaker 1: And that is the end of the chapter, chapter eleven.
Speaker 1: So next week we're going to be doing chapter twelve thirteen.
Speaker 1: And yeah, I guess we'll have two chapters next week,
Speaker 1: and I'll either go really deep into those two chapters,
Speaker 1: and then I think we'll do an intro to Galatians
Speaker 1: and Galatians has six only six letters, six chapters. Oh,
Speaker 1: six chapters in Galatians. But it's dude, though, I gotta
Speaker 1: get real crazy with that one. And then we only
Speaker 1: got six in Ephesians. Wow, okay, pretty cool, all right,
Speaker 1: so right, well, let me just go back so I
Speaker 1: don't all right, we'll stop the screen share here because
Speaker 1: we only have a couple of minutes. And then all right,
Speaker 1: so practical applications guard against false teachings. Be diligent. We
Speaker 1: actually have four of these. Okay, guys, this is number one.
Speaker 1: Be diligent in studying scripture and testing teachings against the
Speaker 1: Word of God to avoid being led astray by false doctrines.
Speaker 1: Value spiritual integrity. Prioritize spiritual integrity and purity in your
Speaker 1: walk with Christ, striving to be faithful and pure bride
Speaker 1: for Him and pure bride for him. Number three, embrace
Speaker 1: offering for Christ. Recognize that suffering and sacrifice are often
Speaker 1: part of the Christian journey and can be used by
Speaker 1: the glory by God for his glory. And Number four,
Speaker 1: Boast in Christ's strength instead of focusing on personal strengths.
Speaker 1: Boast in your weaknesses, allowing Christ's power to be evident
Speaker 1: in your life. Okay, And next we have additional scriptures
Speaker 1: that connect. We have Galatians one Versus six through nine,
Speaker 1: Paul warns against turning to a different gospel, reinforcing the
Speaker 1: need for discernment. Feast verses ten through twenty is more,
Speaker 1: but we already went over those. And then Philippians three,
Speaker 1: verses seven through eleven, Paul speaks of counting all things
Speaker 1: as laws for the sake of knowing Christ, paralleling his
Speaker 1: weakness to suffer for the gospel perfect. All right, So yeah,
Speaker 1: like I said, next week on When's Day service, we'll
Speaker 1: go over tewod Corinthians twelve and thirteen, and you know,
Speaker 1: I'll try to get pretty deep into those if I can.
Speaker 1: Looks like thirteen was pretty short, so we will definitely
Speaker 1: probably be moving into Galatians next week as well. Okay,
Speaker 1: I just want to let you guys know and thank
Speaker 1: you guys so much for joining me. I feel pretty good.
Speaker 1: It's ten almost ten thirty now, so that's not too bad.
Speaker 1: Usually I'm done at like eleven eleven thirty and I'm
Speaker 1: like bet, but I'm good. So thank you guys for
Speaker 1: joining me let me just go over. Let me just
Speaker 1: go over a few things. So if you want to
Speaker 1: check out my show, I need as many viewers as
Speaker 1: I can get on my audio if I can, and
Speaker 1: my YouTube also if you guys want to check it out.
Speaker 1: My YouTube is Josh Monday Music and Podcast and my
Speaker 1: show is Josh Monday, Christen and Conspiracy Podcast where I'm
Speaker 1: going over these Bible studies. I'm slowly releasing them, and
Speaker 1: I also have interviews. I have three hundred and twenty
Speaker 1: two episodes now available, so I have a bunch of interviews.
Speaker 1: If you want to check it out, I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1: And if you want to subscribe to my YouTube, go
Speaker 1: to Josh Monday Music and Podcasts. Also have patreons as well.
Speaker 1: But you know you can check all that out in
Speaker 1: my link tree. But thank you, and like I always do,
Speaker 1: I like to end this in prayer, so let's do that.
Speaker 1: So Father God, in the name of Jesus, thank you
Speaker 1: so much for this beautiful time. We love to be
Speaker 1: able to go over your scriptures. And you know, spiritual
Speaker 1: warfare is something we all go through on a day
Speaker 1: to day basis, and for us to know our enemy
Speaker 1: and what we need to do against them is amazing
Speaker 1: and a blessing. So thank you for a feesi in
Speaker 1: six verses ten through twenty, and thank you for giving
Speaker 1: us some insight in Second Corinthians as well, Lord, some
Speaker 1: very good verses that we went over and some things
Speaker 1: that we need to think about, and we also need
Speaker 1: to try to use when we're going against the devil
Speaker 1: and his minions and a spiritual host of wicked them
Speaker 1: and heavily places. Lord, So please assist us in using
Speaker 1: the proper verses in our time of need, and also
Speaker 1: help us to resist the devil so that he shall flee.
Speaker 1: Anybody that's going through any spiritual battles or warfare right now, Lord,
Speaker 1: please assist them supernaturally or also just provide them with
Speaker 1: the right versus to say, to have the to resist
Speaker 1: the devil. Also help us to build our shield of
Speaker 1: faith by faith, come up by hearing and hearing by
Speaker 1: the word of God, as Roman tens seventeen says. So
Speaker 1: assist us, Lord and give us that that spiritual faith
Speaker 1: and help us to put on that full armor of God.
Speaker 1: So we're ready for spiritual battle. Lord. We want to
Speaker 1: be warriors for you. Lord, We're ready for that. So
Speaker 1: thank you. We love you so much and we appreciate
Speaker 1: you in Jesus name. Amen. Thank you guys so much
Speaker 1: for tuning ag in once again. I appreciate you. This
Speaker 1: is the end of Wednesday's service. I really appreciate you guys,
Speaker 1: and God bless you