FAITH'S IMPACT

 

FAITH’S IMPACT

II Cor. 13:5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test. NLT

First, the Apostle Paul is addressing the church at Corinth. He is challenging them to take an honest look at themselves and determine whether or not the faith they profess and teach is for real. He reminded them of the fact that if Jesus was indeed the Lord of their church, it would show. Where Jesus is, there is a noticeable likeness to Jesus. What is true of the church is true for those who make up the church, you and me.

Are you up to the challenge? Are you willing to take a serious and honest look at yourself to see if your faith is genuine? How does your faith hold up in the daily grind of life? Does your faith make a difference in how you look at things, the way you handle things, and the way you approach things? Does your faith influence the reasons why you do what you do and say what you say? Does your faith determine what you are living for? Does it make a difference in how you handle the tough times of your life? Do others see Jesus in you wherever you are at?

Test yourself. If you cannot honestly say that Jesus has changed you and how you deal with living, then can you honestly claim that He is your Savior? Jesus is not an ornament we wear around our hearts; He is a changer of our hearts. Jesus always makes changes in us to make us holy in God's eyes. He never leaves us the same way He found us when we let Him into our lives. The old passes away and all things become new.

EXAMINE YOURSELF

 

EXAMINE YOURSELF

II Cor. 13:5 Examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine. Test yourselves. If you cannot tell that Jesus Christ is among you, it means you have failed the test. NLT

Here is a verse that should be put into practice regularly in the life of the Church and in our individual lives. We need to take a serious look at how well we are living out what we profess. We easily fall into the rut of coasting along in our walk with the Lord. We seldom are dissatisfied with our progress in the faith. We get comfortable with the way things are and seldom want God to rock our boat.

Self-examination is essential for a healthy soul. We need to see ourselves honestly through the mirror of God’s Word. We need to take seriously our sinful behavior, thoughts, and speech. We need to examine our motives for what we do in Jesus’ name. We need to be honest about the degree in which the Lord is impacting our lives.

If it is not clearly understood by ourselves and others that Christ is with us, then we have a serious problem in our relationship with God. We must identify where we have gone astray and sinned and then repent of it. We must restore Christ to His rightful place in our hearts. We must start all over again exercising our love for Him. A restored heart is a grateful heart and it shows up in the way in which we live.

WE NEED THE LORD

 

WE NEED THE LORD

II Cor. 12:8-9 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. NLT

What are your weaknesses? Your weaknesses are an asset and not a liability. They are given to us to keep us close to God. The more we understand our need for the Lord's help, the stronger in faith we become. We learn to trust the Lord best when we are tried the best. In fact, I would call our weaknesses a badge of honor. They remind us of just how good, kind, and gracious the Lord is to us as He supplies for us what our weaknesses withhold from us. Our weaknesses are another person's strengths and vice versa. Together we make for a unified and strong team.

I can't sing. There is no way in the world that I can stay on tune, if I could even get there. As a pastor of small churches, I have been expected over the years to lead congregational singing. I had to learn how to lead without being heard for the sake of others. However, my wife is a good singer and musician. She has been able to compensate for my lack of music. Together we make a team that the Lord has used for His glory.

The Lord is a master at plugging us in where we belong in the body. He does not ask us to do what we can't do, but what we can do. The Lord never required of me to serve Him musically. As much as I would have liked to do it, He had other plans for me. He required of me to serve Him in the areas where I am gifted. His grace has proven to be more than sufficient for me. He has more than compensated for my lack of musical giftedness. It is more than okay for me to be weak and limited in what I cannot do.

It is not a bad thing to recognize and understand our weaknesses. We must know who we are and where we are and are not gifted. We must learn to honor the Lord in the ways we use our gifts and in the ways we trust Him through our weaknesses. If we let Him, the Lord will work through our strengths to let us serve Him. He allows us to understand our weaknesses so that we can understand that our strengths come from Him and not us. What we are able to do is a gift from God. We praise Him both for what we can't do and what we can do. It is by and through His power at work within us that we are able to serve Him.

Trying to do what we are not gifted to do is like trying to put a square peg into a round hole; it simply does not work. In fact, we usually do far more harm than good when we try to do it.

SUFFICIENT GRACE

 

SUFFICIENT GRACE

II Cor. 12:8-9a Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My gracious favor is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.” NLT

This verse is familiar to most of us. Most of us have been reminded of it many times. Let us not let our familiarity of it take away from us its powerful message to us.

The Apostle Paul was very intense and had suffered much for Christ. His whole life was a life of service. He had some kind of a problem that he wished he did not have. Speculation is that he had poor eyesight, but the Word does not tell us. Whatever it was, Paul asked the Lord for healing three times. He did not give up or stop believing that God could, and maybe would, heal him.

Notice that Paul’s prayers were not casual prayers. He begged the Lord to heal him. It was something that Paul wanted the Lord to do from the depths of his heart. He saw his problem as a liability and not an asset. He believed that he would be better able to serve the Lord without this problem.

However, the Lord knew better than Paul about what he needed. The Lord denied Paul’s request. He knew that he would be better glorified through Paul’s limitations than through his strengths. The power of God is seen more through our weaknesses than it is through our strengths.

The Lord also knew that we are at the best in our faith walk when we are aware of our weaknesses. When we focus on our strengths, we tend to rely on ourselves instead of the Lord. So, God did not take away from Paul his weakness. Like us, Paul needed to be constantly reminded of just how much we need to depend on the Lord.

When the Lord works through us in spite of our inabilities and limitations, He gets the glory and not us. It is not what we can do that matters; it’s what He can do through us that matters. He is the one who matters, not us. We must understand this important truth. It is Christ who must be glorified and honored, not us. We must learn to lean on His strength, not our own.

All we need is the Lord. He can and will work through submissive hearts regardless of our limitations. Don’t let Satan convince you that you are of no good to the Lord because of your inabilities. We are most usable when we rely on His strength and not our own.

BOAST NOT

 

BOAST NOT

II Cor. 12:6 I have plenty to boast about and would be no fool in doing it, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it. I don’t want anyone to think more highly of me than what they can actually see in my life and my message,…… NLT

If anybody had reason to boast, it would have been Paul. He was a very well-educated man and was well on his way to the top early on in his life. He was very passionate about his beliefs and it showed. He was highly respected amongst his peers and there seemed to be no end to his potential.

After his conversion, Paul could still boast about many things. He was the most prominent leader in the early Church. He was very passionate about the Lord and wise beyond his years. He established churches wherever he went and was a great disciple-maker. He taught people everywhere the deeper things of God and no one in the Church doubted his trustworthiness. He was a leader amongst men and wrote much of the New Testament.

Yet, Paul was not one to gloat about himself. He didn’t want the attention. His sole desire was to bring Christ to people. He wanted others to see Christ and to focus on Him. He wanted people to hear the message and not see the messenger. It was all about Jesus and not about himself.

We should have the same spirit as Paul. It can never be about us. Our sole purpose ought to make Christ known and not ourselves. We must guard our souls from wanting the attention. We must purposely direct the attention to Christ. It’s not about us; it’s about Christ. Our living should always be such that others can see Christ in us.

Don’t rob the Lord of His glory by letting yourself be the center of attention and not Him. Keep your soul in tune with God and you will always seek to honor the Lord.

FAKE LIGHTS

 

FAKE LIGHTS

II Cor. 11:13-14 These people are false apostles. They have fooled you by disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. NLT

Stay alert. There are many false teachers and leaders in the Church today. There are those who claim to be who they are not, proclaimers of the truth of God. They may appear to be trustworthy, but they are not. They may be good speakers and have a lot of charisma, but they are not children of God. They may be able to gather a huge following, but they are not speaking for God. It's not hard for Satan to use people who are his to infiltrate the Church and lead many astray.

How can we know who are fakes from the real children of God? We need to examine carefully what they proclaim in light of the Word of God. We must think for ourselves and ask ourselves if what we hear actually makes sense in light of what the Scriptures teach. Do the teachings hold water with what the Church has understood and taught for centuries? Are the teachings backed up by the whole of Scripture? Is what is being taught even in the Bible? Is the Bible being quoted reliable? Is the application reasonable and useful for living? Is the teaching self-serving or Christ honoring?

What about the personal life of the teacher? It is hard to know much about the life that many church leaders live today. It's easy to hide behind the mass media without exposing one's personal life. Yet, it is important to know if a person's living backs up his teachings. Does the person use the Word or his position in the church for personal gain? Does the person get involved in local ministry to help those who need it? What kind of reputation does he have amongst those who know him? These are some questions that I believe should be asked of those whom we follow whenever possible.

The Word of God changes lives. Nobody has the power to change lives. Nothing anyone says changes lives, God's Word alone does. Whenever the messenger becomes more prominent than the Word, beware. Satan is not above disguising himself as an angel of light and he often does. Not everyone who purports to speak for God does. You can be assured that if more attention is paid to the messenger than the message, it’s not from God.

Satan loves it when Christ takes a backseat to the messenger or the message. He is not above using anyone to distract us from Christ. He often disguises himself as a messenger of God to undermine Christ in the world. Be discerning and let the Holy Spirit be your guide and revealer of truth.

He who stays prayed up when discerning truth from error will know the truth and it will set him free.

KNOW WHAT YOU SAY

 

KNOW WHAT YOU SAY

II Cor. 11:6 I may not be a trained speaker, but I know what I am talking about. I think you realize this by now, for I have proved it again and again. NLT

You don’t have to be an eloquent speaker to be a good communicator of the Gospel. The best speakers are those who speak confidently because they know what they are talking about. If you are not absolutely sure that what you are saying is true, you won’t be very effective in convincing others.

One of the things that made the Apostle Paul such a powerful speaker and servant of God is that he knew what he was talking about was true because he was living it. His life experience taught him that faith in Christ indeed works, just as God told him it would. Paul was in constant touch with the Lord and learned well at His feet. Paul knew that if it worked for him, it would work for everyone.

Paul knew well the truth because he stayed very close to the truth. He trusted the Lord with his life and often was in grave danger of his life because he refused to bend the truth. Paul knew the Lord so well that no personal sacrifice was too great of a price for him to pay for Him. Paul was so grateful for what the Lord had done for him that he purposely was totally committed to living for Him, no matter the cost.

You don’t have to be a somebody or be specially gifted in order to have a lasting impact on the world. You don’t have to do things well or speak well. All you have to do is to know Christ well and live well for Him and He will use you as you are. When your words are backed up by your works, you will be heard. The world needs to hear people who really know who and what they are talking about.

STAY IN THE BOUNDARIES

 

STAY IN THE BOUNDARIES

II Cor. 10:13 But we will not boast of authority we do not have. Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God's plan for us, and this plan includes our working there with you. NLT

Life would be so much simpler and easier if we would learn to stay within the boundaries of God's plan for us. Instead, we plunge ahead like a bull in a china closet. We give little thought to making sure that what we do is indeed what God wills for us. We plunge into careers and ministries that often we are not suited for. We tackle things that we are not equipped for. We don't bother to take the time to wait before the Lord for His instructions and direction.

The Apostle Paul knew exactly what he was to do each phase of his life. He was certain of his calling and would not let himself do anything but what God had called him to do, in spite of all the hardships he endured because of it. For Paul it was far better to obey God than to be comfortable in life. Paul was a preacher and instructor of the things of God. He was well grounded in the Scriptures and under God's direction, expounded on them in his preaching, teaching and writings. He never went outside the perimeters of what God revealed to him.

Paul did not exploit others; he did not use his position as a founding father of the Church to rule people. He humbly served the Church. He bathed all he did in prayer and lovingly presented the Gospel message wherever he went. He never backed down from or compromised the truth he proclaimed. His only desire in life was to do all he did for the honor and glory of God.

It would do us well to follow Paul's example. Let us strive always to be in the center of God's will for us. Let us not stray from it and seek God's honor and glory in all things as we walk amongst man. Let us preach and teach the Word of God that others may learn of God and be saved. Let us admonish others to live holy lives and be a people fit for heaven.

If you know what role the Lord wants you to play in His Kingdom, don’t let anything in life keep you from doing it. If you don’t know yet what your role is, wait before the Lord and let Him know you want to know and do it, and He will show you what you are to do.

Don’t try to do what God has not fitted you for; you will struggle mightily and fail to be successful or know His peace.

Do your best at whatever you do for the Lord for His honor and glory and you will be greatly blessed by Him.

USE GOD'S MIGHTY WEAPONS

 

USE GOD’S MIGHTY WEAPONS

II Cor. 10:4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not mere worldly weapons, to knock down the Devil’s strongholds. NLT

If you are trying to resist or defeat Satan without God’s help, good luck. It is impossible to overcome Satan without the help of God. God’s weapons are mighty in power and extremely effective. Let us think for a few moments about some of the weapons God provides for us to use to defeat Satan in our lives.

Our main weapon is Jesus. Our Lord is our righteousness and holiness from God. He alone enables us to stand before God with a pure heart. He makes all of His children right with God. There is no condemnation in Him. When our sins are forgiven, they are forever taken from us and forgotten by God. Satan’s accusations are nothing but a bunch of hot air, lies. Jesus declares us acceptable to God and we are in Him.

We have the Word of God in our arsenal. The Word of God is absolute truth and the more we know it and apply it to life, the less of a hold Satan will have on us. God’s Word leads us into a deeper walk with God and trust in Him. Satan crumbles when the Word is properly applied in our lives against him.

We have prayer in our arsenal. Prayer keeps us connected to God. As long as we are in close touch with God, Satan cannot get to us. Prayer shields us from Satan. It reinvigorates the soul and empowers us to stand strong and keep on pressing forward in our lives.

We have the fellowship of the church. For all her faults, the church is where we find encouragement, hope, inspiration, instruction, and understanding in our journey of faith. We need each other. We find in each other love and reassurances that help us to not get discouraged to the point where we want to give up.

We have the witness of those who have gone before us in our arsenal. It helps us when we know that others have gone before us and have been victorious in the battles we fight. If others can do it, we can too! Let the example of others inspire and encourage you in your walk of faith.

As long as we pick up and use the weapons God provides us with, we will break down the strongholds of Satan. There is victory in Jesus and we have no one to blame but ourselves when we fall into defeat at Satan’s hands.

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

 

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE

II Cor. 9:10 For God is the one who gives seed to the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will give you many opportunities to do good, and he will produce a great harvest of generosity in you. NLT

The Lord gives us the knowledge, desire, opportunity, and tools to do things and expects us to use them. But, when we do, the results still fall back on the Lord and not us. We can't achieve anything in life without the Lord's permission or blessings. He controls the outcome of our labors. Now, why God enables some to achieve much and others little, only He knows. It is not for us to question God; it is for us to thank Him for what we do achieve.

The Lord gives us many opportunities to do good. If we seize those opportunities with humility and gratitude, the Lord will produce a great harvest through us. It is never okay to gloat over our opportunities or think highly of ourselves because we have been given them. We are to serve the Lord out of our love for Him. It is then that He blesses us with a great harvest. We often will not see the harvest as it comes in, but that's okay. We serve the Lord for His sake and not our own. It is never about us. The sooner we accept it, the better our lives will be.

And, we need to understand this about the harvest. We don't value the harvest we reap in the same way the Lord does. The Lord takes into account the heart and its motives. He values our obedience to what He has equipped and called us to do. The size of the harvest has nothing to do with its value in His eyes. Our role is to obey with a joyful and thankful heart and not concern ourselves with the results. We are blessed according to our faithful obedience and not our fruitfulness.

PLANT GENEROUSLY

 

PLANT GENEROUSLY

II Cor. 9:6-8 Remember this---a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each make up your own mind as to how much you should give. Don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves the person who gives cheerfully. And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need, and plenty left over to share with others. NLT

So often we put money value on our giving; I think that is a mistake. There are so many different ways we can give to the Lord: our time, energy, giftedness, knowledge, testimony, resources, love, and prayers are some of the things that come to my mind. No matter what we give, if it is not done cheerfully, it's not pleasing to the Lord. The Lord can do without our giving. He is far more interested in our motives than He is our giving. The motivation behind cheerful giving is our love for the Lord. If we truly love the Lord, we will not begrudge opportunities He leads us into to give.

The more we give, the better the returns. We cannot expect the Lord to bless us abundantly if we don't do our part and give of ourselves abundantly. It's not a tradeoff. The Lord does not bless us because of how much we give; He blesses us because we give as an act of worship and adoration.

The Lord doesn't ask us to give what we can't give, but He does ask us to give with a right heart. Everyone's ability to give varies, but the motive for all should be the same. We give not for the sake of being seen, but for the sake of our love for the Lord. The measurement of a gift's worth is always the motivation behind the giving. The more love for the Lord we have, the greater the value of the gift---no matter the size of the gift.

Love the Lord passionately, give what you can, and see what the Lord does with your gift. The blessings are rooted in the joy of giving. It is enough to know that we give from love to the One who first loved us. We are truly blessed to be favored by the Lord to be His children and be given the resources and opportunities to give.

Remember, we can’t out give the Lord. He honors and blesses those who give out of cheerful hearts. And, we will always reap what we sow. Trust the Lord always in your giving and He will supply your every need. Withhold from God what you can give and you will keep the Lord from blessing you.

EQUALITY IN GIVING

 

EQUALITY IN GIVING

II Cor. 8:12-13 If you are really eager to give, it isn’t important how much you are able to give. God wants you to give what you have, not what you don’t have. Of course, I don’t mean you should give so much that you suffer from having too little. I only mean that there should be some equality. NLT

Giving comes from the heart. If you really have a desire to give, then it pleases God when you give. However, God does not want us to give beyond our means to give. Scripture gives us some guidelines to follow, but it does not mean that it is in the best interest of all to follow them exclusively. The Lord honors those who give as He moves their hearts to give. Giving out of duty kills the spirit of giving.

The Lord does not expect us to give when we simply can’t give without neglecting the basic needs of our lives. But, He does expect us to give when our needs are being met and we have the means to give. To not give and use what we have on other things to satisfy our wants is sin.

Sometimes the Lord moves us to give when we don’t have it to give to test our faith. When that happens, give and trust Him to supply your needs. He will not let you down. There should be no confusion about this. The Lord will make sure you know that it is of Him and that you are not being led to give out of false persuasion.

Giving is not just confined to our finances. It involves every area of our lives. The Lord wants our whole involvement in Him. He wants part of our time and talents as well as our treasures. He blesses those who are willing to give back to Him that is rightfully His in the first place.

A willing heart is rooted in a loving heart. If we truly love the Lord, we will not be willing to withhold from Him anything we can give to Him. Let us always strive to let the Lord have His share of every part of our lives.

HOW TO GIVE

 

HOW TO GIVE

II Cor. 8:11 Now you should carry this project through to completion just as enthusiastically as you began it. Give whatever you can according to what you have. NLT

The church at Corinth had made a commitment to financially help the church in Jerusalem. They saw the need and responded to it. The Apostle Paul held them accountable for their commitment.

There are a few things to note here that should serve as a warning to us. First, we can get caught up in our emotions and make promises that we may find it hard to keep later on or we may even be unwilling to keep. We need to be careful when it comes to making promises, especially to the Lord.

The Lord does not take lightly our promises. When we make a promise to Him or before Him, He expects us to keep them and He will hold us accountable for it. Our words are our honor and when we fail to keep them, it tarnishes our integrity before both God and man. Promises made that are not kept makes us untrustworthy and reflects on our standing with God. When we promise something as a child of God, we bring dishonor to the Lord's name when we don't deliver.

And, when we stand behind our promises, we should do it enthusiastically. The Lord blesses a cheerful giver, not a begrudgingly one. He desires that whatever we give, we give from the heart and not from duty. Also, we should never feel compelled to give what we don't have to give. The Lord does not expect us to give beyond our ability to give. Be assured, if the Lord asks us to give something, He will provide so that we can give, whether it's finances, time, talents, or something else.

Giving should not be done legalistically, but from the heart of love for the Lord. God does not need your money; He needs your heart to be right when you give.

SORROW AND SALVATION

 

SORROW AND SALVATION

II Cor. 7:10 For God can use sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek salvation. We will never regret that kind of sorrow. But sorrow without repentance is the kind that results in death. NLT

There are two important things for us to know here. One is that sorrow that leads to repentance is good for us. Sorrow is a genuine regret for what we have done against God. It is accepting responsibility for our sins. It is a deep sense of wrong doing. Repentance is a turning away from sin. It is putting teeth to our sorrow. It is seeking to change our ways and thoughts so that they are pleasing and acceptable to God.

It is one thing to be sorry we have sinned, it is another thing to strive to not do it again. Everybody lives with regrets for things they have done or said. However, when sorrow does not lead us to change our ways, it is good for nothing. Sin leads us away from God. It is a path of eternal separation from Him. We do ourselves no good at all by just being sorry we have sinned. God demands godliness in the hearts of His children. There is no way around it. If we truly repent of our sins, we will show it in our lives.

If your heart is right with God, you will experience sorrow when you do sin. You will not be at peace or comfortable in the presence of God. You will seek Christ's forgiveness and help in not repeating the sin over again. You will want to not sin the closer you walk with the Lord.

There will be far deeper sorrow than just being caught in the act of sinning. You will sense the guilt and shame of what you have done and strive to not do it again.

RESPONSIBLE LIVING

 

RESPONSIBLE LIVING

II Cor. 7:1 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete purity because we fear God. NLT

It is up to us to take responsibility for purity in our hearts. We must cleanse our hearts of those things which defile us. We must say no to those things which harm our souls and draw us away from God. No one can make you stay away from evil but you. Only you can resist the temptation to allow sin to gain a foothold in your life. Only you can change sinful behavior, thoughts, and attitudes in your life. The Lord will help you if you are willing to help yourself. He won't change anyone without permission. Are you striving to get rid of those things in your life which are sinful?

We must work hard to obtain complete purity of heart. It is what we do if we truly fear God. If we have a proper reverence and respect for God, we will want to have pure hearts before Him. It doesn't come easily, and we won't ever achieve perfect purity in this life, but we must work at it. We reap what we sow. Our lives reflect our efforts. Are you working hard to get there? Don't ever be satisfied with where you are at. Our work towards heart purity is never done. Can others see Christ growing in you?

One thing we can do to help ourselves is to pray as we approach those areas that tempt us to sin. If we were to discipline ourselves to pray before we entertain ourselves, read, and go places, I suspect we would be more prone to think about what we are doing and resist the temptations we encounter better. I know I need to take seriously putting myself into positions where I can be easily tempted. How about you? Do you find yourself going where you know sin is?

A HIGHER STANDARD

 

A HIGHER STANDARD

II Cor. 6:17 "Therefore, come out from them and separate yourself from them, says the Lord. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you." NLT

One of the reasons why so many Christians struggle so much in the faith is because they do not take this verse seriously or they simply ignore it. Most of us do not put much effort into separating ourselves from the world. We don't consider the cost of becoming like the world. We let the world influence us more than we try to influence the world. We think enough like the world that we often don't even recognize sin when we see it or we try to excuse our behavior and think it's not so bad. Like the world, we play the comparison game and see ourselves as being in pretty good shape in light of what others are like.

As believers, we are not to be like the world. Godliness and ungodliness do not mix. We are different than most by the very nature of who we are in Christ. We must have some guts and dare to be different. We must quit listening to the world and letting it influence our thinking. We are to not even touch the filth of the world.

The issue that all of us must address is how much like the world we have become. Is our behavior consistent with how the Word of God tells us we should live? Do we talk like the world or does what comes out of our mouths reflect godliness? Do we dwell on sinful practices or do the things of God dominate our thinking? Do we want what we want or what God wants for us?

If we do not stand out from the crowd and live differently than the world does, we need to re-evaluate our walk with God. You cannot be of the world and live in Christ at the same time. A true child of God lives a holy life, pleasing and acceptable to God. He lives by a higher standard; it shows and matters.

UNEQUAL PARTNERSHIPS

 

UNEQUAL PARTNERSHIPS

II Cor. 6:14-16a Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. NLT

The message cannot be any clearer. There is a distinct difference between believers and non-believers, and in order to keep ourselves in harmony with God, we must be very careful how connected we are with non-believers. The more we let non-believers into our hearts, the more trouble we are going to have staying close to God. Jesus will not live with the Devil. He will not hang around with you if you are hanging around with the Devil.

Our sinful nature is strong and we are easily drawn into sin. We must therefore, do all we can to protect our souls from its influence on us. Ungodly people will draw us away from God much easier than we will draw them to God. Be careful how much you let ungodly people influence your life. It is far better to walk away from them than to walk into their sin.

It is okay to befriend the non-believer; in fact, we must if we are going to reach them for Christ. But, we cannot let our hearts connect with theirs on a deep level. We must reserve our deep heart connections for the godly, those people who will help us draw closer to God.

Be discerning and wise in whom you let close to your heart. The bigger role someone will play in your life, the more discerning you must be.

I HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL

 

I HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL

II Cor. 6:7 We have faithfully preached the truth, God’s power has been working in us. We have righteousness as our weapon, both to attack and to defend ourselves. NLT

It should be the testimony of every believer that he has faithfully preached the Word and that God’s power is working in him. We do not need to be a preacher in order to preach the Word. We preach a sermon every day by the way we live and talk. We are being watched by those who know that we claim to be a believer. Whether we realize it or not, we are making impressions on others daily for Christ, whether it is for good or bad.

It should be our constant prayer that we are good witnesses for Christ. It should concern us enough that we are consciously aware of the life we are living. We should be faithfully on our knees seeking the Lord’s help so that we can live godly lives before man.

There should be no doubt whatsoever to us or others that we are driven by the power of God. We can do nothing or be anything like Christ without God helping us. He should be the one who is seen and gets the glory.

Righteousness is our means whereby we impact the world for Christ. Our only real way to get others to pay attention to what we say is to live godly lives. The more like Christ we live, the more of a difference we will have in others’ lives. Righteousness gives us a leg to stand on. People may refute the Gospel message, but they have no defense for what it does in us. Changed lives cannot be denied, even by the most skeptical of people.

Righteous living is our strongest defense when we are under attack by Satan. When we know that we are living right before God, Satan can say whatever he wants to in order to accuse us and cause us to doubt our standing with God, but when we are living humbly and obediently before God, we know that all is well. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

FAITH'S PROOF

 

FAITH’S PROOF

II Cor. 6:6 We have proved ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, our sincere love and the power of the Holy Spirit. NLT

The proof of one’s faith in Christ is seen in the consistent living out of his faith in the world. There should be tangible things in our lives that are consistent with a godly heart. Our living should be enough proof of Christ in us to convince others we are His.

We should have purity of heart. There should be no question about the genuineness of our love for either God or man. There should be a desire in our hearts to not sin. There should be a desire to honor and please the Lord and not ourselves.

We should have understanding. We should be growing in our ability to know God’s Word and how to apply it to our living. There should be a growing understanding of how to love others in a godly way. We should understand how to keep in proper balance life on earth and our eternal life.

We should have patience. There should be a growing ability to not fly off the handle. We should be able to not get in a hurry and wait on the Lord to lead us. We should be able to let the Lord work things out His way instead of trying to impose our ways on His. We should be able to have more patience with people and let the Lord handle them when they mess up.

We should have kindness. Kindness towards others should characterize our hearts. It should come naturally to us. If you have to make up your mind as to whether or not you will be kind to someone, kindness does not characterize your heart.

We should have sincere love. So much of what passes for love is self-centered and driven. We should so love as God loves that no one can question whether or not our love is for real.

Does your living prove that your faith in Christ is the real deal?

NOT A HINDRANCE

 

NOT A HINDRANCE

II Cor. 6:3 We try to live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding the Lord by the way we act, and so no one can find fault with our ministry. NLT

How hard are you trying to live so that you won’t be a hindrance to others who may be seeking God? Are you living in such a way that no one will hear one thing and see something else in your life?

People are not stupid. They can spot hypocrisy. When our walk does not match our talk, they tune us out. Sinful behavior in the lives of professing believers turns people off. Most people will not pay attention to a God who does not change lives. They know their own sinfulness and are not happy with it, but if the Lord cannot help them with it, then they won’t be willing to put their trust in Him to change them.

People will listen to us when they see real changes in us. They pay attention when it is obvious that Christ has made a real and positive change in our lives—in our talk and in our walk. We do have a negative or positive impact on the eternal decisions people make by the way we live. If we truly love the Lord we will not hinder someone’s pursuit of God by the way we live. We daily portray Christ in a positive or negative light.

Ask the Lord to help you be a help and not a hindrance to those seeking Him.

GOD'S PARTNERS

 

GOD’S PARTNERS

II Cor. 6:1-2 As God's partners, we beg you not to reject this marvelous message of God's great kindness. For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, God is ready to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation. NLT

The Apostle Paul made a very bold statement here. He claimed partnership with God. He knew himself and his relationship with Christ well enough to state he was a partner with Him in His work on earth. Are you confident enough in your relationship with Christ and your service to Him that you can make the same boast?

What were Paul and Jesus partners in? Spreading the Gospel message. It was Paul's passion to tell others about God's great kindness in providing for us salvation. Paul experienced the love and mercy of God in saving his soul, and he was passionate about telling others about it so that they too might be saved. It was Paul's life. I wonder how passionate you are today about your salvation.

Does the fact that Jesus saved you from your sins change you and the way you live? Do you value your relationship with Christ above everything else in life? Do you care enough about others to do your best to lead them to Christ? Are you living more for Jesus today than for yourself?

God wants to be in partnership with you. Do you love Him enough to join Him in His work on earth? The Lord is ready and willing to help you right now. Today is the day of salvation. You may not be given another day to partner up with Him. Will you do it?