DownshoreDrift

This weeks class discusses Paul's attempted visit to Corinth and why he decided not to go there twice, but instead planned to only visit there once. The text is 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11.  Paul says that he did not return to Corinth because he did not want to be too harsh with them and grieve them. He wrote them a letter so that they would deal with the problem that was in their midst.  There has been much debate as to what this problem was and it depends on how many letters to the Corinthians you believe there were.  We have two letters, but some scholars believe that there were three.  We do not know exactly what the problem was, but many believe that it could have been the issue in 1 Corinthians 5, where a man was taking his father's wife. If this is the case, then we can surmise that the church in Corinth addressed the issue and the man  repented (2:5-11).  This passage is about church discipline and what it means to confront an erring brother. While this is a difficult thing to do, the Bible tells us to confront those who are in sin so that the sin will not affect the church (1 Cor. 5:6-11), and so that the sinner will repent (1 Cor. 5:4,5; Matthew 18:15-17).

We drew three main lessons out of this passage:

1. Even though it is not easy, we must confront others who are in sin. It is the loving thing to do if we believe that following Jesus is the path to life. If we really love our children, then wouldn't we correct them if we saw them going the wrong way? Often, we take the easy way out and we just want to mind our own business, but when a brother is stumbling, it is our business. We should come around them and help them follow the Lord.
2. Lest we get too excited about this, we should always be broken and humble before we confront anyone (2 Cor. 2:4).  Paul wrote "out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you." Just because we are confronting someone does not mean that we should relish it. If you are vengeful or want to see the person suffer, or if you have malice in your heart toward the person, you should step back. Remember, you too are a sinner. The purpose of the confrontation is to loving help the person get back on track, not to display how wonderful you are and what a mess they are. We should only do this out of love and sorrow for the person in the wrong.
3. We should always confront with the hope of restoration.  2 Corinthians 2:5-11 shows us a picture of the person repenting.  When this happens, we should welcome them back into fellowship and restore them.  God has forgiven them, so should we. Many times, people use church discipline as a means of punishment.  It is to be used to bring correction and restoration. Only if the person does not respond should the steps increase (See Matthew 18).  When the person repents, we should rejoice and welcome them back into fellowship in the church.

While this is always a difficult issue, we will all know the Lord better if we come to believe that we are accountable for our actions and that there are other believers who love us enough to tell us the truth.  All of us have sinned and we will all continue to sin. Confrontation is only scary in a community where self righteousness is the norm and we all have to protect our image of imagined perfection. If we all know that we are fallible, and we are humble before one another and the Lord, hopefully, we will be open to correction and we will repent of sin so that we can continue to travel on with God in the community of faith. If we refuse to repent, then we are making a conscious choice to go the other way. The community of faith has no choice but to release us to travel after our flesh, and in effect, Satan.  Hard words, but true.

Well, it's been a week since I posted. My rule here is to try and get something up several times a week. As with all things, sometimes the rule is not followed. I went down to Mississippi and New Orleans this past week and that kind of threw me out of the loop. I was gone for only two days to work on some stuff with Charlie and Martie Elgin at the camp down there, but when you go out of town mid-week, it seems to throw off your timing. On top of that, I've had a cold for about two weeks now that morphed into something akin to a stomach virus - ugh! - and found myself incapacitated for the weekend. Enough complaining. Overall, I really think that I needed the rest. I find that when I am going and going and going, I tend to get sick, get a lot of sleep, and then kind of recharge. Maybe it's God's way of making me slow down.

Unfortunately, my wife got sick too, and today was her birthday. No fun at all. We'll probably celebrate it this weekend though.

My message notes will be up tomorrow for all of you who are waiting with great anticipation. I know you have come here throughout the day, eagerly waiting for the notes, and have been terribly disappointed (this is all tongue in cheek). They'll be up tomorrow. The message was on the inbreaking of the Kingdom of God through the ministry of Christ and how God wants us to consistently pray and act so that His Kingdom comes into all of life here on this planet. My friend Andrew Jones has some interesting thoughts along these lines if you want to get a head start. He talks about the Missio Dei (mission of God) and how God's desire is to redeem "whatever" needs redeeming.

Here are the message notes from Sunday. Most of you got a handout with them, but I thought I would post them on line for future reference. We had an incredible time of prayer on Sunday night about these things and I am very encouraged about what God is doing in our midst. I pray that we continue to grow in these areas over the coming year!

Knowing God . . . Loving One Another . . . Blessing All People

If you have been around our church very long, you know that we are a church that values 3 things:

1. Spiritual Depth & Growth

2. Authentic Relationships

3. Kingdom Impact

Obviously, each church wants to take part in these things and we know that it is God’s will that these facets are present in the life of every believer.  But, at Gateway we take seriously God’s purpose to make these three aspects of His work and will the foundation of our personal lives and our church.

Spiritual Depth & Growth (Read Philippians 3:7-14)

            What is Needed?

• Forsake all other things – we are to be holy, set apart

• Value knowing Christ – worship – the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ

• Righteousness that comes by faith

• Know Christ and the power of His resurrection

• Be willing and ready to suffer

• Forget the past, look ahead to the goal

Practical Application @ Gateway:  LIFE Groups, Sunday School, Wednesday Nigh Worshipt, Bible

Reading

Authentic Relationships  (Read Philippians 2:1-5)

            What is Needed?

·         Take an account of what YOU have received from Christ

·         Give it away in relationships

·         Come together, be unified

·         Love one another deeply

·         Don’t promote yourself – be humble

·         Look to the interests of others, not just yourself

·         Have the same attitude as Jesus Christ – be a servant

Practical Application @ Gateway: Family, LIFE Groups, Sunday School, Personal Relationships, Ministries within the body (children, youth, praise team, etc.)

Kingdom Impact  (Read Matthew 24:14)

            What is Needed?

• Gospel of the Kingdom (Matt. 6:9-13) Pray that God’s will be done on earth

• Whole Gospel to be preached to the whole world – Acts 5:20; Is. 61:1-4

• Then the end will come – before judgment comes the offer of new life.

Practical Application @ Gateway: Local & Global Missions, A Time to Serve, Katrina Relief, Large Outreaches, Kingdom impact through workplace, daily life, involvement in ministry

Matthew 28:18-20   “Go and make disciples of all nations . . . “

What happens when people criticize you? When you are attacked personally?                      Sometimes we get  defensive and go on the attack. Other times we acquiesce completely and just try to make the other person happy. Rare is the person who can objectively consider the criticism and respond in a strong, yet humble manner.  Sometimes, people are right. You blew it. Other times, they are off base.  The issue rarely has to do with the subject matter of the criticism but how it makes us feel about ourselves.

In 2 Corinthians 1:12-22, we see a picture of how Paul responded to criticism. He was planning on visiting Corinth twice on the way to Macedonia and back but he changed his plans to respond to problems there and decided to stay longer. He had critics in Corinth who were trying to discredit his life and ministry by saying that he was fickle and could not be counted on to do what he said.  Later in the letter we see Paul defending his ministry as an apostle, so we can assume that they also thought his ministry was fake.

Paul responded by saying "Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God" (2 Cor. 1:12).  Is that something that you can say? When people see you do they see a representative of Christ? None of us are perfect, but hopefully our lives are pointing people to Jesus through the way that we carry ourselves and the way that we treat others.  So, when Paul was facing criticism, he was able to remind them of how he actually was. In a sense, Paul was asking them, "Did you see a wishy washy person when I was with you? Did you see someone that you could not trust?"  Paul had a relationship with these people and he appealled to that.

He then appeals to the foundation of Jesus Himself in reminding them of the message that he preached. In verse 18, he says, "our message to you is not 'Yes' and 'No.'  For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by me and Silas and Timothy, was not 'Yes' and 'No,' but in him it has always been 'Yes.' For no matter how many promises God has made, they are 'Yes' in Christ." Then in verse 21-22, he says that he has been sealed with the Holy Spirit, just as they have.  So, Paul was not just trying to defend himself.  If he was seen to be flaky, then the message of the Gospel would be in doubt.  Paul reminds them of the integrity of his life and the truth of the message about Jesus that they received.

The point is, that when Paul faced criticism, he pointed to his life and asked if there was any falsehood.  He then pointed to the very message of Jesus that he preached to make sure that they knew that it was sure and that he was being guided by that message.  The message was steadfast and every promise of God was fulfilled in it.  Often, when we face criticism, it either destroys us or we go on the attack.  Perhaps, Paul is showing us that it is possible to stand firm in the Lord and allow Him to defend us.

Joe McKeever, the Director of Missions, is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. If you have not read his blog, you HAVE TO - RIGHT NOW!!!  Sorry, I didn't mean to yell, it's just that this guy really loves the Lord and has amazing insights.  Check out his latest article called Love Indeed. Yes Indeed.   Here is an excerpt concerning a meeting he was at where the future of small, struggling local churches in New Orleans was discussed:

I told the group that in a recent article on this website, I said, "We do not want a lot of tiny, struggling churches." One reader took issue with that, saying "That is precisely what God wants." I never responded to him, but what I thought was he does not have a clue what he's talking about. These small struggling churches spent their time and resources on themselves, their money trying to pay their light bill and insurance, their work and energy on keeping the ship afloat. Drive around this city and you'll see New Orleans did not need any more churches; it had hundreds and hundreds. You'll see several on a block, often side by side. So why was the city so crime-ridden, such a haven for drug-dealers, a dangerous place to raise one's children? The churches were isolated from one anonwardly focused. They did not reach out to one another, joining hands with other believers in that neighborhood, building a unified witness. It was every man, every church, on his own. We don't need any more of that. God has put so many of our struggling churches out of business, giving us a chance to start over and get it right this time.

He also writes about hoping that the St. Bernard Housing Project is not rebuilt and that it's residents find good lives elsewhere. His reasoning is sound and very compassionate, although the relational toll on displaced people must be incredible. I am heading to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and New Orleans on Tuesday and Wedesday to try and meet with pastors and coordinate some things.  Keep me in your prayers, if you would.  These people are continuing to endure and persevere and we must come alongside of them.

On this blog, I will probably have a lot of information over time on what is happening in my home area of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast concerning the rebuilding after Katrina. I really believe that this is such a critical time for the church to live out the commands and opportunities that God gives us to transform this world (Isaiah 58:12; Isaiah 61:1-4; Matthew 24:14; Matthew 28:18-20).  If you are wanting to keep up with what is going on, two great resources are available.  One is the website of Joe McKeever, the Director of Missions for the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans.  I met Joe on a trip down there in December and he is doing a great job.  Check out his site and hear about what God is doing through the Baptist churches there.  It is really amazing to see how they are coming together.  The other resource is Nola.com.  It hosts the Times-Picayune newspaper and each day there are articles about the recovery.  It really gives me something to pray for as I think and pray about what is going on there.

I believe with all my heart that God has called the church to help with the rebuilding of cities. In many ways, Christians were the first on the ground to proclaim the gospel in word as well as deed. What if we stayed in this for the long haul and helped provide strength, support, and the muscle that it takes to rebuild homes, businesses, and lives?  Could it be that God has placed us here for such a time as this? Joe McKeever thinks so and  paints a beautiful picture of a "New" New Orleans.  If we really do possess eternal life and the blessings of God, what if we blessed others with what we have received (Matthew 10:8)?  I believe that in 20 years we will look back and see this as a divine window that God opened to change the future of a region and to create a witness for the truth and love of Jesus Christ that will affect the world as we love people in need - one person at a time. 

If you are growing tired of hearing about this, know that the situation is still grim and people still need your prayers and support.  Check out Charlie and Martie Elgin's website concerning their work on the Gulf Coast to see what I mean. They are trying to gather resources  and volunteers to help construct storage pods for people who live in FEMA trailers and have had over 500 people request help.  The work goes on and on, but God is being glorified, people are being helped, and lives are being changed.  It is amazing what happens when you step out in faith and follow the Lord.  The "Pods for God" effort is a $150,000 project, but God is providing and people are receiving the help that they need.  A spiritually dark region is being changed one life at a time and seeds are being planted that will bear eternal fruit.  The Bible says in Galatians 6:9-10, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."  I pray that this will be the legacy of our church and all of the others that God has called to help in a desperate time.

Last night we did something different in our Wednesday night Bible Study.  I divided everyone into groups and assigned scripture passages to each group to read over, discuss, and share with the larger group their observations.  I used the same passages as I used with my LIFE Group on Monday night because God has been speaking to me about having faith in Him that goes beyond what I am capable of doing myself.  You know, we often encounter situations that are beyond our ability to control or handle on our own.  In those moments (and really, everyday), we have an opportunity to believe God and trust Him, or to either go it on our own and just muddle through the best way we know how.

Well, the passages were mostly out of Matthew, but I thought I would list them for you for your own study:  Matthew 9:18-26; 9:27-34; 9:35-38; 10:1-10; 11:3-6; 11:28-30; 12:15-21; 12:22-29; and 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.  Click on the scripture passage to read it.

As we read and discussed these passages, the themes of God's power and our faith being expressed through prayer emerged.  A danger in our lives is that we become discouraged in prayer because we see prayers not being answered. It is easy to become fatalistic and say, "Well, God is going to do what He is going to do, so what's the use?" When, in reality, God wants us to always keep praying, even if the answer is "No". God does do miracles each and every day.  He does act on our behalf and He is involved in our lives.  It is us who do not believe, or we are so filled with the flesh that we cannot see with spiritual eyes His work and blessings all around us.  This is why we daily need to be renewed in our minds by God's Word, so we can see Him more clearly.  If we are praying in faith, then when the answer is "No", just like Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, we can know and receive God's grace and know that it is sufficient for us.  If we just accept the situation without believing God, then we are pretty much on our own, living from our own understanding and resources.  It is a pretty simple concept and when God says for us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17), maybe He knows what He is talking about!

We are going to have a time of prayer in our church on Sunday night, January 22 from 6- 7:30.  I want to encourage each of you to come and really believe God to do great things through our body this year - things that we could never do on our own or with our own resourses.  He really wants us to believe in Him and ask Him to perform His work through us according to His will.  Will you join us? We have lots of ministry plans for 2006, but without seeking God's guidance and power first, it is just a bunch of stuff. Let's come together and seek the Lord and ask Him to empower our lives, our families, and our ministry as a church so that what we do, we in God's power, for it is "'Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty" (Zechariah 4:6).

On Sunday, I shared a message concerning the sanctity of human life.  Over the past thirty years, we have been involved in an incredible struggle in this country over the meaning of life.  When does life begin?  Of what value is it?  Who has the most rights - the mother or the fetus?  This debate has spread to other issues like euthanasia, genetic engineering, the terminally ill, etc.  As I have been challenged on this issue, I have begun to consider the need to live from a consistent ethic of the value of human life.  I have always been pro-life on the issue of abortion, but am I consistent with calling for a pro-life position across the board? Here are some areas that we do not usually think about when it comes to being pro-life:

·         War – do you critically think about what a Christian’s position is on war when we serve the Prince of Peace?  When is war right? When is it wrong?

·         The Poor – what is our position on living in affluence when such a large number in the world are starving? 

·         The diseased – have you thought about the AIDS epidemic in Africa?  In this country?  What is God’s heart toward this?

·         Capital Punishment – while I believe in this, should we work toward making it more fair and accurate?  If one innocent man is executed, that is a terrible tragedy.

·         Euthanasia – what about the debate on a “right to die”?

·         Genetic Engineering?  Should we be tampering with the human genetic code to supposedly create stronger life?

      There is a right and wrong on each of these issues, but we do not discover God's will for us in these areas unless we begin to think.  It is so easy to just be carried along by our culture and by what makes sense without truly considering what the truth is.  That is what I am trying to do in my life - come out of the cultural fog that deceives on so many levels to really consider what it means to have a consistent Christian worldview on these issues.

      On the issue of abortion, we believe that it is a moral evil and consists of the taking of the most innocent of human life.  Unfortunately, this act is incredibly common.  Here are a  few facts:

At current rates, an estimated 43 percent of American women will have at least one abortion by the age of 45.

• Two-thirds of all abortions are among never-married women.

• Fifty-two percent of U.S. women having abortions are younger than 25 years old.

• About 13,000 abortions each year are attributed to rape and incest—representing 1 percent of all abortions.

• 95% of all abortions are done for convienience – because it would be too hard and scary to bring a child into the world after the woman has gotten pregnant

• Approximately 1/3 of all pregnancies end in abortion

To put it in perspective, here is a listing of American War dead throughout the centuries compared with those who have died from abortion:

Revolutionary War - 4,435 deaths.

Civil War (both sides) - 498,332 deaths.

World War I - 116,708 deaths.

World War II - 407,316 deaths.

Korea - 25,604 deaths.

Vietnam - 58,168 deaths.

Total killed due to abortion since 1973
44,670,812 (44 MILLION) deaths
as of April 22, 2004

What does the Bible have to say about the Sanctity of Human Life?  Let's look at the following scriptures:

"Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee..." (Jeremiah 1:5)

"He shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb" (Luke 1:15)

"And it came to pass , that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: And she spake with a loud voice, and said 'Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb'." (Luke 1:41-42)

"Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." (Genesis 9:6)

"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.  So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."  (Genesis 1:26-27)

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."  (Psalm 139:13-16)

Each of us should consider the value that God places on the life of each one of us, the unborn and those who live on this planet as well.  We should all value life and strive to protect it and rescue those who are in need.  God is a forgiving God and loves us so much.  If you have failed to honor life, and especially if any have had abortions in the past, you need to know that God loves you and forgives you when you call upon Him.  There is hope and healing for you as well.

I believe that two major issues that drive the committing of abortion are selfishness on one hand and fear on the other.  Many people do not want to be bothered with a child before they are ready.  It is just easier to kill the unborn child than it is to go through with the pregnancy.  It would be too much of an interruption of the plans that they had for their lives.  Others, are literally scared to death.  Many women become pregnant and then are abandoned.  They are alone with little support or ability to care for the child.  The father is gone and perhaps the family of the woman would be little help or would turn against her.  I realize that this simplifies the issue and it is never simple.  The real question is, how can we intervene in both instances and bring life out of death?

We should seek to be a part of the solution, whether we reach out to mothers who are considering abortion, whether we consider adopting children ourselves, or whether we work to bring spiritual, social, and economic transformation to our society so that the problem of devaluing life is addressed holistically.  All of us should consider our own selfishness when it comes to those who are in need and suffering.  How can we be Jesus' hands and feet to a lost and hurting world?  How can we help rescue those who are in need?  It is the responsibility of us all. 

If you are interested in finding out more concerning alternatives to abortion, check out Sav-A-Life of Montgomery, AL.

Here is the handout from the 2 Corinthians class on Sunday.  We had a really good group and lots of discussion afterwards.  Thank Chuck and Alecia for bringing the food!  That was great!  I hope you all have a great week and remember that every negative experience that we face in life is just meant to bring us closer to the Lord - so that we will trust in Him instead of in ourselves.   A good resource concerning the reason behind suffering can be found here at the website of a Baptist church in England that deals with the topic.

2 Corinthians 1:8-11 – The Purpose of Suffering

8 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. 10 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, 11 as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.

In our life, suffering produces a dependence on God, not upon ourselves.  It strips us of a sense that we can handle life and it drives us to the Lord.  Consider the following:

James 1:2-5

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Rom 5:1-5

5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Heb 5:7-10

7 During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Ephesians 6:10 tells us to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.  We can only learn to be strong in the Lord when we have ceased trying to be strong in our own strength.  We can only learn to trust God when we cease trusting in ourselves.  God uses suffering in our lives to help us trust in God at all times and to cause us to cling to Him.

Can you think of a time when suffering brought you closer to the Lord?

How did you learn to care for and love others more after what you went through?

How can you pray for each other to become strong in the Lord and to trust in Him in the midst of difficult times?

Here is an example of a community of faith in Italy that really spoke to me.  It is a group of Catholics, which of course, I am not - but, it shows what can happen when people take the gospel seriously.  I found this on the onmovements.com site.  I hope that this inspires you as much as it did me.

Sant’Egidio — The Weak Strength of the Gospel

December 9th, 2005

In his book, Desire of the Everlasting Hills, The World Before and After Jesus, historian Thomas Cahill tells the story of The Community of Sant’Egidio. For Cahill, the worldwide movement of Sant’Egidio provided a living capstone to his book on the legacy of Jesus.

I had a really interesting experience on Sunday.  I had planned to preach a message regarding what God was doing in our church, our future direction, and how to participate and get involved.  I was going to talk about our identity of spritual depth, authentic relationships, and Kingdom growth.  I had it all prepared - with notes and everything!  But, God seemed to have different plans.

We were ordaining Charley Elgin to the gospel ministry.  He and his wife Martie have been down on the Mississippi Gulf Coast helping with rebuilding homes and lives since right after Katrina.  They are running a camp in Waveland, MS (check out the web site here).  They have been members of our church for several years and Charley was just recently elected an elder, but God has called them beyond our church to impact the world.  Part of what we really care about is sending people out and helping them reach others for Christ.  Well, Charley and Martie were doing that previously through their association with Military Missions Network and our previous pastor, Gary Sanders.  Through that, God positioned them for what was coming next and has used them greatly in representing Christ through relief work in the wake of Katrina.

At any rate, during the ordination and after Charley shared about moving forward with God as he referenced passing through the wardrobe into Narnia in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, I got the strangest sense that God wanted me to preach something different than what I had officially prepared.  This was going to be interesting.

It wasn't like I hadn't studied.  Earlier in the week, I was truly captured by Genesis 11:26-12:9  concerning Terah and Abraham (read post from January 6, Traveling to Canaan - this was the message, in essence).  God was leading me to share from my heart about following God's call and moving on from Haran, the place of seeming affluence that is actually the place of desolation, on to Canaan, the place of humility where we trust in God to lift us up.  I struggled mightily with fear, wondering if I would know what to say or if I would just fall all over my self.  I had no notes on that passage, although I had studied extensively on Thursday, going into the Hebrew meanings of the words Haran and Canaan and reading several commentaries.  What I thought was just personal Bible study and curiosity, turned into the message for the church on the spot.  I surrendered to the Lord, and in a sense lived out what I was saying about trusting God even though I didn't know what exactly was coming next.  As usual, God proved Himself faithful and I feel that I was able to say what He was laying on my heart.

It was very special, because He spoke to me deeply as I witnessed the ordination of this extraordinary couple that was stepping out to trust God.  I was reminded of Abraham's faith as he ventured out and left all to go to the land that God would show him.  He humbled himself enough to quit trusting in his own plan for sustaining his life and he believed God.  Therefore, God exalted him and blessed him so that he would be a blessing to all the nations of the earth.  I wonder if I have the courage and the faith to trust God, even if I don't know where He is taking me?  Or, have I built a house in Haran, the commercial center of affluence, that is comfortable, but not the promised land?  If so, I must strike camp and move on, lest I die in desolation like Terah.  This question is asked of each of us throughout our lives:  Haran or Canaan?  Desolation or Humility?  The answer is the difference between life and death.

Here is the handout from the 2 Corinthians class that we just started on Sunday.  I am really excited about journeying through this book and really getting to know Paul better.  We had a really good class on Sunday and I feel like we are all going to grow from this experience.   If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to write in the comments section!

2 Corinthians 1

At least the fourth letter that Paul wrote to the Corinthians

1. 1. Previous letter mentioned in 1 Cor. 5:9

   1. 2. I Cor. Itself

   2. 3. Severe letter mentioned in 2 Cor. 2:3-4

   3. 4. 2 Corinthians

   Date – A.D. 55 from Macedonia – 2 Cor. 2:13; 7:5

   Purpose:  This letter was a defense of Paul’s life and ministry.  He was under severe attack by opponents who were saying he was not a real apostle and his message was phony.  He has decided to come and pay them a long visit to minister to them and address problems.

   2 Cor. 1:1-11

   Vs. 1    Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God

   ·        Paul is declaring who he is

   ·        He then declares who they are – identity is important

   Vs. 2    Grace and Peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ  -

               What else can we ask for?

   ·        We stand in grace and are saved by it (Rom. 5:2; Eph. 2:5,8)

   ·        And the peace of God guards and rules our hearts (Phil. 4:7; Col. 3:15)

   Vs. 3    Father of compassion and the God of all comfort

   ·        This is His character, His name.  If you are troubled, hope in God (Ps. 42:5,6).  He will comfort you.

   Vs. 4    He comforts us in all our troubles so we can comfort others with what you have received from God.  What receive from God, we are to give away to others

   ·        Matt. 10:8 – Freely you have received, freely give

   ·        Genesis 12:1-3 – You, just like Abraham, are blessed to be a blessing

   ·        Phil. 2:1-5 – If you have received anything from God, share it with others

   Vs. 5-7    The Christian life requires sharing in sufferings, but in the midst of that, God brings comfort (1 Cor. 4:9-13).

   We have come to believe the lie that everything in the Christian life will be easy, but the truth is that we suffer just as Christ suffered.  This world is not our home.  We do not get all we want out of this life.  But, God promises to comfort in the midst of suffering.  He is our hope and our reward. This comfort and compassion is so victorious that it heals us, pulls us out of the situation, and empowers us to minister it to others who are hurting – All of us learn patient endurance to wait on God and find hope in Him.

   Questions:

   • Have you ever received supernatural comfort from the Lord in the midst of suffering?  If so, how?
   • Do you need this now?  Pray for one another.

Here's an article by Bible.org called "From City Councilman to Caveman:  What a Difference a Day Makes."  It is about Lot and how he got into the trouble he got into in Sodom as well as later on in the cave.  It takes a little while to read, but it is really insightful and I was really challenged about our position concerning living in the world but not of the world.  The author states that we either live too closely to the world and partake of it as Christians and therefore compromise, or we retreat completely to seclusion and lose our witness.  The answer is not found in either position, but in being a Sojourner with the Lord like Abraham was and living by faith in God.  Ultimatley, we each need a transformation of the heart that goes beyond outward influences and ties us deeply to the Lord as our source and our guide.  I found this article by reading the commentary on the OneYearBibleBlog and following the link. 

For those of you who are reading the Bible through this year I want to commend you.  The Genesis readings are especially speaking to me as well as the reading from Matthew today about trusting God for our provision.  I hope that you are getting as much out of it as I am.  For those of you who are not, I want to encourage you to begin today!  You can start at January 1 and double up for awhile until you catch up.  It does not take too long and the benefits are enormous! 

God bless each of you.  My class notes for 2 Corinthians and my sermon notes for Sunday will be up tomorrow, although you can take a look at my blog from January 6 for a preview of this Sunday's notes.  Have a great week and remember to rejoice in the Lord at all times!  He is worthy of our praise!

A neat thing about yesterday's Bible reading that I never saw before:  In Genesis11:26-12:9, Terah took his whole family, including Abram and Sarai to Canaan.  They had set out to go to Canaan. When they came to Haran, they stopped there and that is where Terah died. Haran means a dried up place, a place of desolation. Canaan means to humiliate or humble. Haran was a great commercial center because it was the center of three trade routes and connected with the Tigris and the Euphrates. Perhaps Terah, after setting out with his family and his son Abram who had heard God's call (Gen. 12:1 - "The Lord HAD said to Abram . . ."), decided to stay in Haran where there was a commercial enterprise. Perhaps it seemed good to him. At any rate, it was a place of desolation and there he died. His son moved on into the promised land. This parallels the first generation dying off before the Israelites could cease wandering and enter the Promised Land. How often do we take up camp in a place that seems comfortable and do not go on with God where He is calling us? How often do we stop in the place of desolation that seems affluent but only leads to death, instead of going on to the place of humility, which is actually our promised land because, "God opposes the proud but give grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time" 1 Peter 5:5,6. When we keep journeying to the place where God will show us, even though we have to leave things behind, we humble ourselves and allow Him to lift us up.

This happens over and over again in Abram's life as he give Sarai away on two different  occasions.  But, God sees the end of our days and kept revealing Himself to Abram. By the end of his life, he was willing to even sacrifice Isaac, knowing that God can raise the dead. Perhaps I make too much of the Haran-Canaan comparison, but it is very interesting.

As I am reading through the Bible the past couple of days, this reading plan is really giving me some amazing insights.  I have always seen the Bible as an incredible narrative of God's plan, the Fall, Redemption, etc. But, just reading the parallel accounts of Genesis where God created the universe and man with the plan of being in relationship with us and how we destroyed that; and Matthew where Jesus comes to save us from our sins - well, it is just really impacting me.  In the first few chapters of Genesis, man is running away from God as fast as he can.  From the Fall in the Garden, to blame being passed, to anger, to murder, to rejecting God, to total destruction during the Flood because of the evil of man - it is a pretty intense situation, and pretty hopless as well.  The picture to the left is from 9/11 and shows people running from destruction, but in the same way, God's creation (man) ran from the only one who could save.  I think that deep down we know that we are sinful and a holy God causes fear because we know that we cannot be with Him.  We know that something in us has to change and that is more than we can take.  No one wants to die.

Fast forward to Matthew, and you see a different picture, although filled with similar violence.  God is now running after us.  Mankind has reached the end and cannot save himself.  God comes to us in Jesus Christ to save us from our sins.  Violence erupts as Herod has all of the boys 2 and under around Bethlehem killed.  Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt.  Angels.  Shepherds.  Proclamations of Salvation and Hope.  The despair of the past is breaking and the light of God is shining in a dark world.  The waters that destroyed the earth in Noah's Flood now point to the salvation of the world in the baptism of Christ.  John the Baptist heralded the way of the coming of the Lord.  He called everyone to repent the same way that Noah did. Some listened and some rejected.  To go along with these readings, Psalm 3:8 says, "From the Lord comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people."  That is truly what happened when Christ came.  The curse of sin and separation from God was taken away.  God came running after us so that we would not have to run from Him.  He calls us again to the waters, this time not to judge and destroy, but to bring life from death.  Yes, death is what awaits each of us and the holiness of God requires it because of our sin, as is shown in Genesis.  But, because of the coming of Jesus, it is His death that we enter into, and we die to ourselves so that we can live a new life.  It truly is an amazing Gospel that blazes from every page of the Bible.  We ran from God - God ran after us.  Are you letting God catch you today?  Have you been apprehended by your Savior?  Stop running and surrender to Christ.  Bring the darkness of your life into the light and let Him redeem and restore what you once thought was lost.  Live the way you were created - in God's image as God's child.

In each of our lives, we regularly need a new approach. We need to look at life in a fresh way.  We so easily get stuck in a rut, lose hope, and think that the way things are is the way that they will always be.  Sometimes, we just get tired. We think that what we are experiencing is all that there is and we lose our perspective.  Days turn into weeks, weeks turn into months and years, and our youth is lost, and we lose hope.  Unfortunately, we develop a "faith" that tells us that this is normal.  Just keep going.  Obey the Lord.  Don't really expect to change.  Don't really expect change in your life, your marriage, your struggles.  Just hang on - heaven awaits us when our suffering will end.

Of course I am being dramatic and trying to make a point - few people actually get that discouraged.  But, it speaks to the fact that we often forget that God wants to do a new thing in our lives every day.  He does not want us to grow weary or to lose heart.  He wants us to be filled with hope and expectation.  He wants us to believe that He is near to us and will deliver us.  He wants to be our Savior each and every day.  Yes, you can change.  Yes, things can be different.  Not because you have the power or the ability, but because the Holy Spirit lives inside of you and we serve the God who says, "I am making everything new" (Rev. 21:5).

Let's look at what the Bible says about having a fresh perspective on life:

Psalm 40:1-5 talks about how God has lifted us out of the miry pit and set our feet upon the rock. He transforms our lives, delivers us, and gives us a firm place to stand. Have you experienced that? It is available to you through the power of Jesus Christ!  Not only does He deliver us, but He puts a new song in our hearts!  He fills us with joy and each day we are to worship Him in a new and fresh way!  This idea of a new song is prevalent throughout scripture. Here are some passages where it talks about singing a new song unto the Lord:

• Psalm 96:1
• Psalm 98:1
• Psalm 149:1
• Isaiah 42:10

Isaiah 42:1-10 is a messianic passage that points to the deliverance and ministry of the Messiah. The result of that is that we are to sing a new song to the Lord. He sets us free from bondage, gives us a new life in Him, and gives us a new song of praise for what He has done.

Isaiah 43:16-19 reminds us how God delivered the people of Israel in the past, but He does not want them to dwell on that.  He is the God of the present and the future and He is making a way of deliverence for them, as well as you, today!

Moving to the New Testament, in 2 Corinthians 5:17, we are taught how we are a new creation. In Christ, the old has gone and the new has come. This is not just true for when you were saved, but it is true for each day of your life because the Holy Spirit lives within you.  Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us to put off the old, be transformed in the attitude of our minds, and put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.  This is something that we are to do each day and to continue progressively throughout our lives.  God does not want you to stay the same!  He wants to conform you to the image of Christ each and every day and radically change your life!  This is why Philippians 3:12-14 tells us to forget what is behind and press on toward the goal for which we have been called heavenward in Christ Jesus!  Move forward!  Give the past to Jesus - it is nailed to the cross anyway - and believe that God wants to do something fresh, new, and amazing in your life this year!  He wants to reveal Himself to you, to renew you, and revive your heart.  He wants to use you in incredible ways to bring Him glory and to bring blessing to those around you.  Our part is to believe Him, trust Him, and ask Him.

So, what does this mean for us personally?

• Are their strongholds in your life?  Jesus wants to set you free this year.
• How are your finances?  God can help you bring order out of chaos.
• How are your relationships?  God wants to work in your life to bring reconciliation to broken relationships and set things right in your marriage and other relationships.
• Do you harbor unforgiveness toward others?  God can soften your heart.
• How is your diet and exercise plan?  The body is meant to bring glory to God.  Ask the Lord to help you with discipline. This too can change.
• Are you honoring God with your time? Do you spend time with God? With your family? Serving others?  Do you take a Sabbath? Surrender your time to the Lord and ask Him to guide you.
• Are you growing in your walk? Are you discipling others?  Ask the Lord to refresh you and help you be a blessing to others.

This might sound like a lot.  But, in each of these areas of weakness there is an opportunity for God to prove Himself strong.  Remember, it is God who lives and works through us.  Jesus has the victory.  He just calls us to abide in Him (John 15:1-10).  But, our part in abiding requires faith and obedience.  New Year's resolutions are impossible and sure to fail, but living a new life in the power of the Spirit is God's will for you. Set out this year in power and confidence that things can change.  Remember Mark 10:27 that says, "with man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."

So, pray!  Spend time with the Lord!  Ask Him to change you.  "We do not have because we do not ask God" (James 4:2) Engage in a new plan to read the bible, like the One Year Bible reading plan.  Join a LIFE Group or a Sunday School class at our church!  Get involved in ministry.  Ask God to refresh you and don't stop seeking Him until you have victory.  He wants us to believe and cry out to Him.

Believe that 2006 will be a year of change, victory, and experiencing Christ more than ever.  This does not mean that we will not struggle and suffer, because we will.  But, nothing can steal our joy if our joy is found in Christ.  Nothing can defeat us because we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus!

I started reading the Bible through in a year and I was impacted right away.  I was reminded of God's design in creating the world and the cosmos and I was amazed at His power.

  Genesis 1:17 said that God put the sun, moon, and stars in the sky to give light to the earth and to govern both day and night. I don't think that I've ever thought of it that way. With astronomy showing us the vastness of the universe, it is easy to get lost in it and to feel totally insignificant. But, the Bible says that God put them there to "serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years and let them be lights in the expanse of the sky to give light on the earth"(vs. 14-15).  It feels rather self centered to think that God did all of this for us and to show us His glory, but that is what it seems to be saying.  What a Creator. 

Matthew 1 and 2 shows us God incarnated as a human child, come to save us from our sins and redeem us.  Immanuel - God with us.  Jesus, our Savior.  Not only did He create the world, but He loved us enough to come and rescue us after we got into a total mess of sin, death, and bondage to Satan.  If He only created but never incarnated, we would not be able to worship Him or know Him.  What an amazing Savior.

Psalm 1 and Proverbs 1 showed me the path of life. Psalm 1:2,3 says, "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by steams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers."   This is a promise to the Lord for me, that when I meditate on his law and allow it to speak to my heart and transform my thinking, He will bless me and prosper me.  The only blessing worth having is what God gives and I want Him to transform me.  He is so good to show us the way of life.  Proverbs 1:7 echoes this when it says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."  When I fear God, meditate on His Word, and allow Him to form my heart, my way is sure and steadfast and I find life, wisdom, satisfaction, and blessing in Him.  Amen, may it be. 

That was a powerful time of meditation on God's Word this afternoon.  It really reoriented me to see Him as my Source, Savior, and Sustainer.  Don't worry.  I do not plan to write a commentary on my Bible study each day.  I just wanted to get started with some reflection and encourage each one of you to journey through the Bible with me this year.  May God bless you and keep you.