Pastor’s Bible Reading Schedule: Psalm 113-115; 2 Corinthians 2
Devotional Thought:
In leadership, it is imperative that those who follow you know how much you love them. Agape love is the climax of the Christian life; it is the evidence of true spiritual maturity. (2 Peter 1:4-7) Agape love seeks to meet the needs of the person loved at the expense of your own needs ever being met with no expectation of anything in return. In chapter two, Paul expresses his love for the Corinthian church. He had visited them one time and written a painful letter to them, addressing the problems in this carnal church. “For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.” (vs. 4) Someone in this Corinthian church had caused Paul much sorrow and pain; however, he did not love this person any less. I believe Paul is addressing the man who has lived in open fornication, and who had been disciplined in 1 Corinthians 5. Paul is now going to address how the church should respond to this one who has been disciplined. The phrase in verse 6, “…inflicted of many…” simply refers to a majority vote that had placed this man on church discipline. Paul counsels this church to forgive and comfort this man, “lest he should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.” (vs. 7) The Greek word for comfort means “to draw near or to invite.” Paul exhorts them to confirm their love toward him. (vs. 8) In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul warns the Ephesian church about the danger of sinful anger and tells them that it leads to putting the Devil in a strategic place where he can defeat them spiritually. Here, Paul warns them that an unforgiving spirit leads to the same thing. I believe the thing that God is warning us about through the pen of Paul is the danger and destruction of bitterness. We must remember that forgiveness is our part and reconciliation is the other person’s part. True reconciliation can never happen without the other person acknowledging what they have done wrong, but in our heart we have handed the situation over to God so we can move forward in true Christian love. “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” (vs. 11) Paul concludes this chapter by acknowledging that life seemed to be unraveling around him, yet his heart was at peace with God. There were several concerns for which Paul was wrestling: (1) The Corinthian church was struggling with carnality. (2) The fact that Paul could not find Titus. (3) He had an open door in Troas, but he did not have any peace to walk through that door. However, Paul writes, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ…” (vs. 14) Remember this today, no matter what you are facing and no matter what you are going through, there is victory promised in Christ. We are complete in Him and we need nothing from this world in order to have joy unspeakable and full of glory!
Personal Requests:
• Lord, please help me to always love my wife, family, and church with an agape love. Help me to always see their needs and seek to meet them with enthusiasm.
• Lord, please help me to always have a forgiving spirit. Help me to never hold a grudge or harbor anger in my heart. Please help me to always trust you through every trial.
• Lord, thank you for loving me, forgiving me, and comforting me even when I manifest a selfish attitude or actions.