Sowing and Reaping…

Read: 2 Corinthians 9
Marked: 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Paul makes the case that what we have we have received from God who has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor, He supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food. We have been enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God (V9-11).

What we do with what we have can bring honour to God. But if we hold back we don’t affect God as much as we affect ourselves. Sowing sparingly causes us to reap sparingly, while sowing bountifully causes us to reap bountifully.

Honour the Lord…

Read: Proverbs 3
Marked: Proverbs 3:9-10, Honour the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Wisdom says that what we have received from God, salvation, peace, eternal life, dictates that we should also honour Him with what we have received from Him. Through wisdom we gains understanding and her proceeds are better than the profits of silver and the gain of fine gold (V13-15). Through wisdom we receive length of days and riches and honour, pleasantness and peace (V16-17). God has given us more than we are due, so it is only right we honour Him with our possessions and the first fruit of all our increase.

Preach Jesus…

Read: Mark 2 Corinthians 4
Marked: 2 Corinthians 4:5, For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake.

The gospel must be preached clearly. Jesus is the heart of the gospel. Man has no place in it unless it’s acknowledgement that we are sinners and, apart from the gospel, lost in our iniquities. Jesus came to set us free from sin. Those that have received freedom by His blood must not take His place. We are simply bondservants to others who have yet to hear the message, for Jesus and for the sake of the gospel.

Serve Others…

Read: Mark 10
Marked: Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Serving another. It’s doesn’t excite us, yet Christ set the example of serving. Husband’s serve wives and wives their husbands. Less divorce would likely occur if we learned to serve our spouses.

Children are needy and parents serve their need. When children wanted to see Jesus His disciples stopped them. But children can teach us a lot about how to receive the kingdom.

A rich young man wanted to know how to inherit eternal life. Jesus told Him to sell his stuff and give it to the poor, in essence serving their needs. He didn’t like that answer and went away sad.

Then Jesus predicted His arrest, be condemned to death, and executed Him, but like many of us, His disciples didn’t hear Him. Instead two of them wanted positions of authority or power over their fellow disciples.

Then He pointed to Himself. He hadn’t come to take power and authority, but to lay His life down that we might gain eternal life. He came to serve and give His life as a ransom. No one ever served like Jesus served.

Overcoming Discouragement…

Read: Hebrews 12
Marked: Hebrews 12:3, For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

Jesus called others to follow, not at a later time, but right now, to come now, and follow. Christ is our leader. We go where He goes. Sees what He does. Do what He commands. The that’s following. He never promises that it would be easy.

Matter of fact, He told those who said they would follow Him wherever He went. But did they know the cost? He told them while other creatures had homes, He did not (Luke 8:58). Others said they’d follow Him, but only after completing some task. He said they weren’t fit for the kingdom.

Following Jesus isn’t always easy. Others won’t see what we see or know what we know and will be hostile to our message. But Christ, whom we follow, endured the cross, despised its shame, and sat down at the right hand of God.

Be Steadfast…

Read: 1 Corinthians 15
Marked: 1 Corinthians 15:58, Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

In the opening verses Paul defines the gospel for us. Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and rose again the third day, and was seen by many (V3-8), including Paul.

Because Christ rose from the dead our resurrection in Him is a certainty. If not, our faith is empty and we are false witnesses. If hope in Christ is only for this life, then we are to be pitied (V14-19).

But Christ destroyed death (V26) and because of the hope we have in Him our lives have meaning and value. Life may be hard, but we should not be moved, but remain steadfast in the work the Lord has prepared for us, namely the proclamation of the gospel which is to salvation for all who believe.

Transformed…

Read: Romans 12
Marked: Romans 12:2, And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

We can be patterned after this world thinking, saying, and doing the same thing as the world, or we can be transformed by the Spirit of God by renewed thinking proving that God’s ways are best.

When we became Christians by believing in and receiving Christ we were transformed. Old ways passed away and all things became new. The way we think, act, and speak should align with God’s word.

We are no longer of the world, but are now in the kingdom of God where truth prevails, noble things are pursued, justice is sought, and lovely and good things fill our thoughts and our hearts (Philippians 4:8).

We are not to love the world, but are to love God and through our love for God love our neighbours.

Do Not Love the World…

I read: 1 John 2
Best thing I Marked: 1 John 2:15-16, Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world–the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life–is not of the Father but is of the world.

Eve, in the garden, was deceived by the serpent to take her eye off of the Lord. She saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate though God had commanded not too (Genesis 3:6).

God tells us not to love the world, but our flesh lusts after the power and prestige the world promises , and our eyes lust after luxury and possessions available in the world. Pride tells us we deserve it. That we’ve worked hard and it’s our right.

But nothing the world offers is of more value than what God can provide. If we value the world more, the love of God is not in us. The world will pass away and all the world promises will burn up. Only what God provides last for eternity.

Seek the Kingdom First…

Read: Matthew 6
Marked: Matthew 6:33, But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.

When you receive Christ you are born again by the Spirit of God (John 3:3-6); you have passed from death into life (John 5:24). But being born again you are a spiritual infant and need nurture and care, the pure milk of the word that you might grow (1 Peter 2:2).

Living in the kingdom seeking God’s righteousness means that His will is our first priority in everything we do. When we do our desire for the world becomes secondary as we quickly grow into spiritual children, young adults, and adults.

Straight Paths…

Read: Proverbs 3
Marked: Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

The commandments of God teach us that we can trust God. Obedience to God’s commands has many benefits such as length of days and long life and peace (V2).

God’s commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). Properly applied they guide us, strengthen our faith, and draw us deeper into a loving relationship with our Creator.

It is when we go off on our own, instead of trusting in Him, that we find our paths crooked instead of straight. Trust in the Lord with all your heart.