2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15 - Thoughts

For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has , and not according to what he does not have. (verse 8:12)

I grew up in an environment that encouraged pledging and making promises to God to give a certain amount each week or month.  I now know that this is not the heart of God.  We are not to boast for tomorrow and assume we'll have anything to give next week or next month (James 4:13-16).  This is not to say we give God our leftovers.  We are not to do what we want with our resources and give whatever is left to God.  We should give to Him and to His work first, but give from what we have and not from what we don't have.

The idea of giving back to God from the very things He gives to us is a cheerful thought.  Giving is the heart of God, and the desire to give is also a gift from the Holy Spirit.  We love because He first loved us and we give because He first gave to us. (1 John 4:19)  Giving is a demonstration of love. (Romans 5:8)

Oh God, please give me a heart like Yours.  Help me to give of myself daily to Your service, the service of my wife and to those You have placed around me.  Only by Your power am I able to put away the selfishness of the flesh and live as You would have me live.

2 Corinthians 8:1-9:15 - Outline

Chapter 8

Macedonia Church as an Example (1-4)

Give First of Ourselves (5)

Giving is a Gift of the Holy Spirit (6-7)

Jesus Was Our Example (8-9)

Give from What God Has Given (10-15)

Be Careful In the Administration of Gifts (16-22)

Love is an Action (23-24)

Chapter 9

Be People of our Word (1-4)

Give Generously and Cheerfully (5-8)

God is the One Who Really Gives Everything (10-15)

2 Kings 3:1 & 4:37 - Thoughts

He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. (verse 4:35)

It's so difficult to imagine a man like Elisha pacing back and forth not knowing what to do next.  This is one of the few times we see Elisha struggle with his faith and not being confident in the will of God.  I'm grateful this event was documented for us because I experience moments like this too.  I walk back and forth wondering what God would have me do in this particular situation.  God is faithful to finish the work even if we don't know what to do next. (Phil 1:6)

If God had not chosen to raise the boy from death, would it have changed the character of God?  Certainly not!  This boy's healing was only temporary; he still died, but later in life.  God is ultimately interested in our eternal life and will deal with us in such a way as described in Romans 8:28: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose."  The "good" spoken of here is the salvation of souls, not our immediate pleasures or comforts.

I believe God was doing a work in Elisha's life that required him to see God's power over life and death.  We see Elisha continue his ministry in a dramatically new way after this occurrence.

May the work God does in my life have an impact on me for the "good" of reaching others for Christ.

2 Kings 3:1 & 4:37 - Outline

Chapter 3

Reign of Jehoram (AKA Joram) (1-3)

Moab's Revolt (4-5)

Joram Goes to War (6-10)

Calling for Elisha (11-14)

Elisha Gives Prophecy and Instruction (15-19)

Battle with Moab (20-24)

The Destruction of Moab (25-26)

Chapter 4

The Woman and the Oil (1-7)

Shunem Woman (8-37)

2 Corinthians 5:16-7:16 - Thoughts

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. (16:14)

The Christian life is a team effort. Not only does God want to work through us individually, He wants to work through us corporately. God WILL bring people together and have them work as a team to accomplish His will. Paul, in this section of 2 Corinthians, is explaining our obligation to give our lives daily to the service of our King. He then reminds us that we are not in it alone and can take comfort in each other and support one another.

Too often I try to do things on my own. I take the worldly attitude, "If you want something done right, do it yourself." Since our obedience is more important to God than the results, isn't it better to work with others even if things are not done perfectly?

Certainly Jesus' disciples did a poor job at God's work, yet Jesus insisted on using them and not doing it all Himself. May we all take a lesson from Jesus' playbook and find someone to be equally yoked with in ministry.

2 Corinthians 5:16-7:16 - Outline

Chapter 5

New Creation (16-17)

Reconciled Back to God (18-21)

Chapter 6

Saved to Serve (1-2)

Service Can Be Difficult (4-10)

The 10 INs (what)

The 11 BYs (how)

The 7 AS/YETs (why)

Live an Open Life Free of Guilt (11-13)

Work Together for Righteousness (14-18)

Chapter 7

Be Clean and Open (1-3)

Comfort from Each Other (4-7)

Purpose of Correction (8-)

2 Kings 1 & 2 - Thoughts

And the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, "Go down with him; do not be afraid of him." (2 Kings 1:15)

What a shocking verse to be found in the midst of this chapter.  We know that Elijah must have been afraid or else God would not have given him these words of comfort.  Why was he afraid?  He saw the power of God through fire from heaven on multiple occasions.  This points out once again that faith does not come from signs and wonders, but from the Word of God (Romans 10:17).

Fear is a powerful emotion, but is it bad?  The Bible tells us that fear is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10).  The problem is not with fear, but in the object of our fear.  Fear comes from our understanding that we are not in control.  When we are surrounded by 50 military men, like Elijah, we are not in control.  When the bank account is empty and the stack of bills is full, we are not in control.  When our spouse stops loving us or when we lose a job, we are not in control.

God tells us to not be afraid of the things of this world.  Cast our fears on Him and give Him control of our lives.  He loves us and wants to direct our path.  Peter says it best in 1 Peter 5:6-7, "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

We can only do this by the power of the Holy Spirit, so we should pray for help.

God, please give me the correct perspective on this world and fear ONLY You.  Let me be afraid of walking outside Your will and outside of Your commandments.

2 Kings 1 & 2 - Outline

Chapter 1
- Ahaziah Seeks Wrong God (1-8)
- - Elijah meets the messangers
- - Message given to the king
- Ahaziah Sends for Elijah (9-14)
- - First fifty-one
- - Second fifty-one
- - Third fifty-one
- Elijah Confronts Ahaziah (15-18)
Chapter 2
- Elisha Begins Preparation for Ministry (1-7)
- - Gilgal - Purification
- - Bethel – God's Presence
- - Jericho – God's Victory and Power
- - Jordan – Separation and New Beginnings
- Elisha Desires the Holy Spirit (8-10)
- Elijah Taken to Heaven (11)
- Elisha Morns and Begins Ministry (12-15)
- Men Persuade Elisha to Search for Elijah (16-18)
- Power of the Spirit (19-22)
- Responsibility of the Prophet (23-25)

2 Corinthians 4:7-5:17 - Thoughts

Jars of clay.  Cracked pots.

Isn't it amazing that God chooses to place His greatest treasure in such imperfect vessels?  Yet I tend to focus on the pot and not the treasure.  I tell myself, "If I can only get this container to look better or act better, then I'll deserve God's love."  The truth is God only needs two things from me:

1. Be clean on the INSIDE
2. Be empty

God, please cleanse me and empty me of myself.  Make me a vessel that You can use for Your glory.

2 Corinthians 4:7-5:17 - Outline

Chapter 4      
- We are Clay Pots With Treasure (7-12)
- We are in This Together (13-15)
- Paul Encourages the Corinthians (16-17)
Chapter 5      
- Old Tent Verses New Body (1-5)
- Absent From the Body is to be Present With the Lord (6-11)   
- Boast in Life not Death (12-13)
- Our Life is Not Our Own (14-15)
- New Creation (16-17)

2 Corinthians 2:12-4:6 - Thoughts

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves... our sufficiency is from God (3:4)

I am so happy to see this verse amongst this section of scripture. Paul points out that we are a fragrance, letter and light to the world.  How reassuring to know that it is not by my power but by the power of God.

Zech 4:6 - "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit," Says the LORD of hosts.

If I simply focus on my relationship with Jesus and feed the Spirit inside me, then I will be the fragrance God wants me to be. God will be able to speak through me to others and shine His light into other's lives. It is an awesome responsibility, but God never expects us to do it in our strength.

Fill me with your Spirit oh God of Jacob!!!

2 Corinthians 2:12-4:6 - Outline

Chapter 2
Paul Seeking God's Direction (12-13)
We are the fragrance of Christ (14-17)
Chapter 3
We are the epistle of Christ (1-3)
God's Sufficiency (4-6)
Glory of the New Covenant (7-18)
- Reflective glory vs direct glory – e.g. sun vs moon (9)
- So we can be bold (12)
Chapter 4
Ministry with Integrity (1-2)
We are Christ's light (3-6)

1 Kings 22 - Thoughts

So the king of Israel ... went... (v29)

In blatant defiance of God, Ahab went to take the city of Ramoth Gilead. God had shown grace to Ahab repeatedly and then warned him about his impending death if he pursued the city, yet Ahab went. There was nothing wrong with Ahab's desire to take the city. It belonged to Israel and was a city of refuge, but it was not God's way or His timing.

How many times in my life do I desire something? Perhaps it's a good thing and something God would be pleased for me to have, but not right now, not this way. When we get our eyes off of God and His ways and onto the object of our obsession, it will lead to disaster.

Lord help me to seek first the kingdom of God and Your righteousness knowing that all these other things will be added to me in Your way and in Your time.

1 Kings 22 - Outline

North and South Unite Against Syria (1-5)
Kings Seek God's Blessing (not permission) (6-9)
Zedekiah Speaks Lies (10-12)
Micaiah is Coached to Say Good Things (13-14)
Micaiah Prophesies (15-18)
Micaiah Explains False Prophets (19-23)
Zedekiah Reacts (24-25)
Micaiah Punished for Truth (26-28)
Ahab and Jehoshaphat Go To Battle (29-40)
- Ahab's Disguise
- Syria's Plan
- God's Providence
- Ahab's Death
Genealogy (41-53)

2 Corinthians 1:1-2:11 - Thoughts

"...lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2:11)

How often do I miss the big picture? Satan will take advantage of us when we error one way or the other. It's like driving down a muddy road with deep ruts on either side. Satan doesn't care which rut we get into, he just wants us off the road and in the mud. In this case, we see the Corinthian church going from one error into another. They were refusing to address blatant, unrepentant sin in the church and Paul warned them about it in 1 Corinthians chapter 5. Now they addressed the sin but when the same man was broken and repentant the church refused to show grace. Satan taking advantage of pushing them from one rut right into another.

No accountability will allow sin to grow until it causes death (James 1:14-15).
No grace or forgiveness will lead to bitterness and often pride.

God will prompt us to deal with things in our lives and to get us out of our current rut. May we be careful not to simply fall into the one on the other side of the road. Only the Holy Spirit can guide us safely down the road and keep us out of the mud.

2 Corinthians 1:1-2:11 - Outline

Greetings (1-2)
God is Our Comfort (3-5)
Purpose of Suffering (6-7)
Paul's Example of Suffering (8-11)
Paul's Sincerity in Ministry (12-14)
Paul Explains Why He Didn't Come See Them (15-22)
- Paul was not lying
- Don't let anything question God's faithfulness
Paul's Desire to See Them and Bring Joy (1:23-2:4)
Extend Grace to Those Who Repent (2:5-11)