AUTHENTIC GENEROSITY

Posted on March 26, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Corinthians – Belief and Behavior
 
Many years ago God invited me to His work with a denomination. Part of that work was to plan at least four mission trips each year for older youth and college age adults. It was a great undertaking to plan and implement the meaningful trips to Haiti, Brazil, Navajo nation, and other places in need for help. It also meant raising funds for the cost of travel and the ministry itself. God provided where He guided. Every time.
 
There is one particular memory of generous giving that will stay with me forever. I am still blessed by that memory and driven in my own giving by it. I was sitting at my desk, going through the mail that had stacked up between trips out of town. There it was. It was a letter from a Haitian pastor. As you know, Haitians are not known for “wealth” as we Americans see it. This pastor had made a generous donation to the mission ministry because he was blessed because of the ministry. Wow. I sat in my chair for a while tearfully praising God for this man and for how God touches hearts. I then shared his giving with the office staff that day, giving praise to God.
 
This memory jumps to mind as we read about the generous outpouring of offerings to those in need. Paul is amazed that he can’t wait to tell others, like me, that day. Troubles came to the Macedonian churches. How did they respond? The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts. Paul describes the people as “incredibly happy, though desperately poor.” “They gave offerings of whatever they could–far more than they could afford!–pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians.”
 
Wow. Do we plead for the privilege to help?
 
Then Paul explains well where this joy in authentic, no strings attached generosity comes from… “FIRST they had given themselves unreservedly to God and to us (the ministry).” (bold print mine) “The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives.”
 
Authentic giving, wanting nothing in return for self, flows from a heart completely committed to God. This puts a smile on God’s face. Oh how He must love it when we help each other because of our love for Him. All that we have is God’s. He trusts us to manage His “wealth” given to us. How are we doing?
 
“So here’s what I think,” says Paul to the church gone wild but is coming back to God’s ways, “The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart’s been in the right place all along. You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can’t. The heart regulates the hands.”
 
2 Corinthians 8 Jesus generosity
2 Corinthians 8, The Message
The Offering
8 1-4 Now, friends, I want to report on the surprising and generous ways in which God is working in the churches in Macedonia province. Fierce troubles came down on the people of those churches, pushing them to the very limit. The trial exposed their true colors: They were incredibly happy, though desperately poor. The pressure triggered something totally unexpected: an outpouring of pure and generous gifts. I was there and saw it for myself. They gave offerings of whatever they could—far more than they could afford!—pleading for the privilege of helping out in the relief of poor Christians.
 
5-7 This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard. What explains it was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God and to us. The other giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working in their lives. That’s what prompted us to ask Titus to bring the relief offering to your attention, so that what was so well begun could be finished up. You do so well in so many things—you trust God, you’re articulate, you’re insightful, you’re passionate, you love us—now, do your best in this, too.
 
8-9 I’m not trying to order you around against your will. But by bringing in the Macedonians’ enthusiasm as a stimulus to your love, I am hoping to bring the best out of you. You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us—in one stroke he became poor and we became rich.
 
10-20 So here’s what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart’s been in the right place all along. You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can’t. The heart regulates the hands. This isn’t so others can take it easy while you sweat it out. No, you’re shoulder to shoulder with them all the way, your surplus matching their deficit, their surplus matching your deficit. In the end you come out even. As it is written,
 
Nothing left over to the one with the most,
Nothing lacking to the one with the least.
 
I thank God for giving Titus the same devoted concern for you that I have. He was most considerate of how we felt, but his eagerness to go to you and help out with this relief offering is his own idea. We’re sending a companion along with him, someone very popular in the churches for his preaching of the Message. But there’s far more to him than popularity. He’s rock-solid trustworthy. The churches handpicked him to go with us as we travel about doing this work of sharing God’s gifts to honor God as well as we can, taking every precaution against scandal.
 
20-22 We don’t want anyone suspecting us of taking one penny of this money for ourselves. We’re being as careful in our reputation with the public as in our reputation with God. That’s why we’re sending another trusted friend along. He’s proved his dependability many times over, and carries on as energetically as the day he started. He’s heard much about you, and liked what he’s heard—so much so that he can’t wait to get there.
 
23-24 I don’t need to say anything further about Titus. We’ve been close associates in this work of serving you for a long time. The brothers who travel with him are delegates from churches, a real credit to Christ. Show them what you’re made of, the love I’ve been talking up in the churches. Let them see it for themselves!
 
2 Corinthians 8 gift of givingThink about it…
Paul talks about the integrity of Titus like we talk about the true integrity in all ways of Billy Graham today. The world sees the difference in integrity, authentic generosity and what is fake. Where are our hearts? Where does our generosity flow from? God first? Does it come from a heart committed to God and His purposes? Mm. I am meditating and evaluating my own heart over this…join me.
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
We repent of giving our tithes and offerings for less than stellar attitudes of the heart. May our generosity come from a heart that has first been with You, led by Your Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord for memories and examples of hearts that make you smile.
Transform me. Transform your church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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BE MORE! LESS REGRET

Posted on March 24, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Corinthians – Belief and Behavior
 
Regrets. We all have them from time to time because of our behavior. We are distressed for a while when someone wiser and more mature brings our bad behavior to our attention. If true and honest confrontations are handled by loving, compassionate people who know us, love us and want God’s best for us, though it is hard to take at first, because of our love for the messenger, we take it to heart.
 
When I taught school the kids in my classroom where “my kids”. I knew their stories. I loved them. They knew I loved them. I knew their personalities and how to help them because of this love. Time with them had earned the right to correct their behavior when necessary. When another teacher would harshly reprimand one of “my kids”, I would automatically rush to help resolve the situation because of my love for them. It is hard to take criticism from someone who doesn’t know you and assumes the worst in you. But it is wise to listen to those who know and love you well.
 
Hearing helpful “should’s” with “how’s” from Paul who loves the people at Corinth, the church gone wild because of conforming to the culture around them, teaches us that caring confrontation that drive us back to God is much needed in our world today. But this is tricky. We must earn the right to confront by caring, loving passionately and deeply and knowing that love is reciprocated. It’s doing life with them. Paul had earned that right with the believers at Corinth. He delivers God’s Truth in a Spirit of deep love.
 
Paul knew his words would cause distress at first but has no regrets in sharing Truth that saves lives and turns people back to God. “Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets.”
 
The believers at Corinth turned around, refocused and looked up into the eyes of God once more. Paul, who passionately loved the church relates these encouraging words to the church today who willingly uses distress in behaviors to repent, correct and realign their lives to focus back on God…”And now, isn’t it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You’re more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible.”
 
We are MORE in Christ when we listen to correction and allow God to transform our lives…be MORE with less regret.
 
2 Corinthians 7 regrets2 Corinthians 7, The Message
With promises like this to pull us on, dear friends, let’s make a clean break with everything that defiles or distracts us, both within and without. Let’s make our entire lives fit and holy temples for the worship of God.
 
More Passionate, More Responsible
2-4 Trust us. We’ve never hurt a soul, never exploited or taken advantage of anyone. Don’t think I’m finding fault with you. I told you earlier that I’m with you all the way, no matter what. I have, in fact, the greatest confidence in you. If only you knew how proud I am of you! I am overwhelmed with joy despite all our troubles.
 
5-7 When we arrived in Macedonia province, we couldn’t settle down. The fights in the church and the fears in our hearts kept us on pins and needles. We couldn’t relax because we didn’t know how it would turn out. Then the God who lifts up the downcast lifted our heads and our hearts with the arrival of Titus. We were glad just to see him, but the true reassurance came in what he told us about you: how much you cared, how much you grieved, how concerned you were for me. I went from worry to tranquility in no time!
 
8-9 I know I distressed you greatly with my letter. Although I felt awful at the time, I don’t feel at all bad now that I see how it turned out. The letter upset you, but only for a while. Now I’m glad—not that you were upset, but that you were jarred into turning things around. You let the distress bring you to God, not drive you from him. The result was all gain, no loss.
 
10 Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets.
 
11-13 And now, isn’t it wonderful all the ways in which this distress has goaded you closer to God? You’re more alive, more concerned, more sensitive, more reverent, more human, more passionate, more responsible. Looked at from any angle, you’ve come out of this with purity of heart. And that is what I was hoping for in the first place when I wrote the letter. My primary concern was not for the one who did the wrong or even the one wronged, but for you—that you would realize and act upon the deep, deep ties between us before God. That’s what happened—and we felt just great.
 
13-16 And then, when we saw how Titus felt—his exuberance over your response—our joy doubled. It was wonderful to see how revived and refreshed he was by everything you did. If I went out on a limb in telling Titus how great I thought you were, you didn’t cut off that limb. As it turned out, I hadn’t exaggerated one bit. Titus saw for himself that everything I had said about you was true. He can’t quit talking about it, going over again and again the story of your prompt obedience, and the dignity and sensitivity of your hospitality. He was quite overwhelmed by it all! And I couldn’t be more pleased—I’m so confident and proud of you.
 
2 Corinthians 7 sorrow to repentAND that’s not all…
–Listen to Paul exuberant words of encouragement to the believers who turned back to God! We cannot encourage each other enough! When right behavior is happening, shout it out!
–All praise and glory goes to God for how He works in our lives to bring us closer and closer to Him Who loves us best.
–Be MORE.
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
Help us to listen to Your Holy Spirit who comforts, cares and convicts us to be more. Help us to listen to those who love us and love you as they come alongside us and help us, too.
Transform me. Transform your church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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I WANT YOU ALL FOR MYSELF –GOD

Posted on March 23, 2018 by randscallawayffm

Corinthians – Belief and Behavior

Right and wrong. Good and evil. There are only two real choices to make. But we waffle at times. When in doubt…don’t. If it is not necessary to say or do then don’t say it or do it. This is good advice but we need help. We fight a daily war with evil. Life is full of daily choices. What we truly believe and who we fully trust shows up in the details of our lives.

When we choose Jesus, evil’s schemes to bring us down are thwarted. Evil is sly but we can have God’s wisdom to point out the flaws in evil’s choices in our lives. All we have to do is ask for wisdom and insight. Sometimes the choice is hard to make but God reminds us, “I heard your call in the nick of time; the day you needed me, I was there to help.” We cannot do life alone. When we try, we fail. Apart from God helping us we fall hard and pay the consequences. Life hems us in. Life becomes much smaller and harder without God.

Paul begs the church gone wild in Corinth to stay with what Jesus taught. Believe, worship and trust in God alone. Leave the idols in the dust, and understand fully what God has said from the beginning of creation; “I want you all for myself.” There is no one like our God, our Father, who loves us more than we can fathom. The choice is clear to those who believe. In good times and bad, choose to live openly, honestly and expansively with God.

Soak in God’s promise at the end of this passage and let it marinate all day long today…

2 Corinthians 6, The Message
Staying at Our Post

1-10 Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don’t squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us. God reminds us,

I heard your call in the nick of time;
The day you needed me, I was there to help.

 

Well, now is the right time to listen, the day to be helped. Don’t put it off; don’t frustrate God’s work by showing up late, throwing a question mark over everything we’re doing. Our work as God’s servants gets validated—or not—in the details. People are watching us as we stay at our post, alertly, unswervingly . . . in hard times, tough times, bad times; when we’re beaten up, jailed, and mobbed; working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness, and honest love; when we’re telling the truth, and when God’s showing his power; when we’re doing our best setting things right; when we’re praised, and when we’re blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God; terrifically alive, though rumored to be dead; beaten within an inch of our lives, but refusing to die; immersed in tears, yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all.

11-13 Dear, dear Corinthians, I can’t tell you how much I long for you to enter this wide-open, spacious life. We didn’t fence you in. The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way. I’m speaking as plainly as I can and with great affection. Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!

14-18 Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way:

Fancy Quotes On Forgiveness From The Bible 2 corinthians 6 18 i will be a father to you and you“I’ll live in them, move into them;
I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people.
So leave the corruption and compromise;

leave it for good,” says God.“Don’t link up with those who will pollute you.
I want you all for myself.
I’ll be a Father to you;
you’ll be sons and daughters to me.”
The Word of the Master, God.

2 Corinthians 6 life with GodThink about it…the choice is clear and understandable!

–Don’t be late to God’s work.
–Listen as never before and be quick to obey God.
–People watch what we do so do what God tells us to do because what we do leads others to Him!
–People wonder how we will react when we are tired, busy in the work, staying up late to finish a sermon or plan the worship, when our family is very ill, when we are hurt by others and the list goes on. “Our work as God’s servants gets validated–or not–in the details.”
–Our behavior reflects what our heart, mind and soul believes about God.
–“Don’t be partners with those who reject God.”
–“The smallness you feel comes from within you. Your lives aren’t small, but you’re living them in a small way.”
–“Open up your lives. Live openly and expansively!”

And God said,

“I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people. So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good, says God. Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me. The Word of the Master, God.”

2 Corinthians 6 above allDear Heavenly Father,
I’m yours. All that I am. All that I have is Yours. It was yours from the beginning. Help me not to squander one minute of this marvelous life You have given to me. Transform me. Transform your church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, By His power living in us, Amen

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JUST CAMPING

Posted on March 22, 2018 by randscallawayffm

Corinthians – Belief and Behavior

I did not grow up camping. My mom and dad grew up on farms and thought going to the woods was not what they wanted to do. My dad’s idea of camping was “roughing it” at a hotel that only had a black and white TV with no remote. Being an outside girl camping allured me.

Randy’s family DID grow up camping. They went to a beautiful place (and still do) for fishing, boating, swimming and hiking. Randy taught me the love of camping. We still do it today with a pop up tent camper. It’s old (like us) but it still works. We enjoy being in the woods for awhile but we both know we wouldn’t want to live there. We are just camping.

There comes a moment in the days of camping that there is only so much nature you can attach to your body and clothes. I am talking about the dirt that won’t wash off because of the temporary conditions. Only when you go home can you get everything clean again.

Then there are those pesky mosquitoes who love having me for lunch and supper. They constantly bite me to the point the salve to relieve the itching is gone. Then I’m left defenseless. I go home and finally heal completely.

Let’s talk about the rains that come to make our temporary camp site miserable and wet. Sometimes we have to change camp sites because of flooding. Yes, that has happened to us, too! We pray for the sun to come out and dry up the canvas and ground around it so we won’t keep tracking in mud into our makeshift living pad. The sun does come out eventually and all is well, just dirty. We go home and all is clean and bright.

Camping for me is constantly cleaning something so we can use it again. Mm, maybe I don’t like camping as much as I say I do. (Smiling) What keeps us going is the beauty we see around us, the lake to swim and boat, the woods to hike, the peace without electronics to distract us, the sun on our faces, and the alone time with God to speak to our hearts away from the busyness of life at home and work. But it is only temporary. We are just camping…until we go home.

265Paul talks about a bigger concept of just camping. We are the temporary tents that eventually are folded up and taken home AND replaced with a permanent God-made, brand new, clean and bright, resurrection body! Here, on earth, we are just camping…

2 Corinthians 5, The Message

1-5 For instance, we know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents and folded away, they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven—God-made, not handmade—and we’ll never have to relocate our “tents” again. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move—and so we cry out in frustration. Compared to what’s coming, living conditions around here seem like a stopover in an unfurnished shack, and we’re tired of it! We’ve been given a glimpse of the real thing, our true home, our resurrection bodies! The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.

6-8 That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we’ll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.

9-10 But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions. Sooner or later we’ll all have to face God, regardless of our conditions. We will appear before Christ and take what’s coming to us as a result of our actions, either good or bad.

11-14 That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It’s no light thing to know that we’ll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That’s why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We’re not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we’re on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.

2 Corinthinas 5 faithA New Life
14-15 Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than people ever lived on their own.

16-20 Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.

21 How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.

What do we learn and rely upon? 
—“He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less.”
–“It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going.”
–“But neither exile nor homecoming is the main thing. Cheerfully pleasing God is the main thing, and that’s what we aim to do, regardless of our conditions.” 
–“If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ’s love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.”
–“Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone.” 
–“Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look.”
—“Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new.” 
–“All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other.”
–“God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives.” 
–“Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. 
How? you ask. In Christ. God put the wrong on him who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God.”

We are challenged. We are just camping here to prepare for there…with a task. As believers, we are the “park rangers” of this world in which we are just camping, just passing through. We are the ambassadors of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We represent His forgiveness because He forgave us. We show His love because He loved us first. We do everything we can to have peace in relationships because He is peace. Yes, we are just camping now…with a “little bit of heaven in our hearts.”

Dear Heavenly Father, 
Thank you for the promise of heaven…home. Thank you for preparing a place for me and for others who believe. Continue to transform me, getting me ready to fold up what is temporary for what will be forever. Transform Your church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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ORDINARY

Posted on March 21, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Corinthians – Belief and Behavior
 
Somewhere between presumptions of greatness and assumptions of insignificance put on us by other humans, God sees us as His beloved created. He loves us and extends His grace and mercy to us. We become His sons and daughters when we believe what Jesus did for us and accept His gift of salvation. Then Christ lives in us, causing our ordinary lives to carry His bright Light in the dark. God trusts us as carriers of His message to other ordinary people on a search to be filled. Ordinary, unadorned clay pots. HE is God and we are not.
 
“Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you,” Paul explains to us. “It started when God said, ‘Light up the darkness!’ and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.”
 
We will have good times and bad times in the work as messengers. Paul explains, “We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus they do to us…”
 
What is the behavior of those who “spiritually terrorize”?
 
It’s giving praise and glory to humans.
Let us not praise but only encourage each other to stay filled. A good way to begin a sentence of encouragement is, “I see Jesus in you when _____________”. Sincere encouragement to each other gives automatic praise to God who created us to live for Him and worship Him alone.
It’s comparing clay pots.
Let us not compete but help each other. We are no comparison to what Jesus has done, is doing and will do for us.
 
It’s gossiping about other ordinary clay pots who might be a little cracked and weary from hard work.
Let us not manipulate and maneuver behind the scenes to get ahead of each other but grab the hand of another and help them up, pick up the slack and give rest to the weary.
 
Let us stop judging the degree of Light in each other with assumptions and presumptions.
“If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness”. says Paul.
 
Most of all, let us empty our ordinary, unadorned clay jars of ourselves and of everything that is not Christ so that we can be filled to the brim, to overflow with Christ and His Story.
 
“So, we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.”
 
Ordinary, unadorned clay pots filled day to day with God’s grace.
Wow.
 
2 Corinthians 4 jars2 Corinthians 4, The Message
 
Trial and Torture
1-2 Since God has so generously let us in on what he is doing, we’re not about to throw up our hands and walk off the job just because we run into occasional hard times. We refuse to wear masks and play games. We don’t maneuver and manipulate behind the scenes. And we don’t twist God’s Word to suit ourselves. Rather, we keep everything we do and say out in the open, the whole truth on display, so that those who want to can see and judge for themselves in the presence of God.
 
3-4 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention. All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the dayspring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
 
5-6 Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we’re proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, “Light up the darkness!” and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful.
 
7-12 If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!
 
13-15 We’re not keeping this quiet, not on your life. Just like the psalmist who wrote, “I believed it, so I said it,” we say what we believe. And what we believe is that the One who raised up the Master Jesus will just as certainly raise us up with you, alive. Every detail works to your advantage and to God’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!
 
16-18 So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever.
 
2 Corinthians 4 Jesus in usDear Heavenly Father,
In good times and bad times, Your promise to be with us still stands. Forever. Thank you. Our praise is to You, alone. Transform me. Transform Your church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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TRANSFORMED

Posted on March 20, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Corinthians – Belief and Behavior
 
Pause. Let’s pause for a moment to remember the time we said yes to God and allowed His Holy Spirit to take control of us from the inside out. By saying yes, not maybe, God’s Spirit enters our being and automatically shines a light in all the dark places of our souls and begins to clean house. Our lives gradually become brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become more and more like Him and less like our natural selves.
 
When we truly sacrifice ourselves (let go of self), as Paul wrote to the Romans, and place ourselves before God as a daily offering, God will transform us day by day to be more, to live more, and be free from the entanglement and confusion of sin and selfishness. Our behavior will begin to take shape and align more and more to what we say we believe.
 
2-corinthians-3-18 transformationBut it takes time. It is a growing process. It begins by dying to self and sin and rising as an infant plant from a dead seed that is planted. It is so exciting as a gardener to see the first sign of growth pop through the dirt from seed we have planted. How exciting to us and to God when He sees signs of growth and transformation in us!
 
“Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention of God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.” (Romans 12) Don’t get comfortable in the dirt as a seed! Reach, stretch, look up beyond the dirt and allow God to water and feed us so we will grow from death to life abundant.
 
Now Paul tells the Corinthian church “Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it–not with ink, but with God’s living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives–and we publish it.”
 
What are people reading when they look at our lives? Depression, death, sadness or joy, peace, love of God and for others? Are we addicted to our culture or to Christ?
 
2 Corinthians 3
 
1-3 Does it sound like we’re patting ourselves on the back, insisting on our credentials, asserting our authority? Well, we’re not. Neither do we need letters of endorsement, either to you or from you. You yourselves are all the endorsement we need. Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God’s living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives—and we publish it.
 
2 Corinthians 3 letter4-6 We couldn’t be more sure of ourselves in this—that you, written by Christ himself for God, are our letter of recommendation. We wouldn’t think of writing this kind of letter about ourselves. Only God can write such a letter. His letter authorizes us to help carry out this new plan of action. The plan wasn’t written out with ink on paper, with pages and pages of legal footnotes, killing your spirit. It’s written with Spirit on spirit, his life on our lives!
 
Lifting the Veil
7-8 The Government of Death, its constitution chiseled on stone tablets, had a dazzling inaugural. Moses’ face as he delivered the tablets was so bright that day (even though it would fade soon enough) that the people of Israel could no more look right at him than stare into the sun. How much more dazzling, then, the Government of Living Spirit?
 
9-11 If the Government of Condemnation was impressive, how about this Government of Affirmation? Bright as that old government was, it would look downright dull alongside this new one. If that makeshift arrangement impressed us, how much more this brightly shining government installed for eternity?
 
12-15 With that kind of hope to excite us, nothing holds us back. Unlike Moses, we have nothing to hide. Everything is out in the open with us. He wore a veil so the children of Israel wouldn’t notice that the glory was fading away—and they didn’t notice. They didn’t notice it then and they don’t notice it now, don’t notice that there’s nothing left behind that veil. Even today when the proclamations of that old, bankrupt government are read out, they can’t see through it. Only Christ can get rid of the veil so they can see for themselves that there’s nothing there.
 
16-18 Whenever, though, they turn to face God as Moses did, God removes the veil and there they are—face-to-face! They suddenly recognize that God is a living, personal presence, not a piece of chiseled stone. And when God is personally present, a living Spirit, that old, constricting legislation is recognized as obsolete. We’re free of it! All of us! Nothing between us and God, our faces shining with the brightness of his face. And so we are transfigured much like the Messiah, our lives gradually becoming brighter and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we become like him.
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
Have your way in me. Continue your transforming work in me. Transform Your church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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GOD OPENS DOORS

Posted on March 19, 2018 by randscallawayffm

Corinthians – Belief and Behavior

It’s not about us, how hard we work, what we look like, how we dress, what we think or say in the work of helping others find and follow Jesus. It’s all about God. Always. God is the One and Only who will open doors at the right time and place. It is God who opens hearts to hear. He will not force His way in but will provide a clear pathway to come to Him as many times as it takes. We can count on it. We pray. He works.

Paul relates, “In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade.” We must understand. Jesus came, died for all our sin, rose again in victory over death and all that goes with death. He is alive today! He has thrown the door wide open for all of us to join Him in His Victory parade. Our work is to keep in step to the rhythm of the beat of His heart. Wow!

Because of Christ, we no longer carry the stench of death, but His sweet smelling fragrance of Life. You can’t manufacture this kind of scent! Spring is beginning to make it’s debut once again to our part of the world bringing dormant nature back to life with all the fresh smells of this grand awakening from death. Our saved lives reflect His creation’s pattern for rebirth and revewal! But still it’s all about God. Our “fragrance”, given to us by Christ, is carried back to God and He takes pleasure in our aroma. So, how do we smell?

When God opens a door, we walk through it. Simple. We tell everyone Who opened the door, Who saved us, Who raises us from death to Life eternal. We don’t water it down. We speak Truth. God gives the words and the way to say it. God is Truth. His Son is Truth. His Holy Spirit is Truth, the Three in One, living in us. Only God. It’s all about God.

2 Corinthians 2 fragrance of Christ2 Corinthians 2, The Message
An Open Door
12-14 When I arrived in Troas to proclaim the Message of the Messiah, I found the place wide open: God had opened the door; all I had to do was walk through it. But when I didn’t find Titus waiting for me with news of your condition, I couldn’t relax. Worried about you, I left and came on to Macedonia province looking for Titus and a reassuring word on you. And I got it, thank God!

14-16 In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.

16-17 This is a terrific responsibility. Is anyone competent to take it on? No—but at least we don’t take God’s Word, water it down, and then take it to the streets to sell it cheap. We stand in Christ’s presence when we speak; God looks us in the face. We get what we say straight from God and say it as honestly as we can.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for inviting us to Your victory parade! Thank you for saving us. Thank you for inviting us to your work to tell others about you. Thank you for open doors. Thank you for opening the door to Life for me. Transform me. Transform Your church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, Amen

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CONFRONT AND RESTORE

Posted on March 17, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Corinthians – Belief and Behavior
 
We do not like to confront because we are taught not to judge others. But when there is a person among the gathering of believers who is blatantly hurting others with their sin, then we must care enough to confront that person with compassion. Then the next step is to love them enough to lead them to and through restoration. Paul grieves with the church so much over this issue that he delays a trip to see them until he knows the church has dealt with it. He explains how to lovingly restore the person (mentioned in his first letter to the church in Corinth) who caused the problems. The ones hurt must also be restored as well.
 
This passage is short but packs a punch with profound wisdom with skills to deal with tough situations that arise in the church today. It is good to read slowly, with the insight of the Holy Spirit, to help us understand and walk through it with understanding. No one likes “drama” in the church but the church is made of imperfect humans seeking to be saved and restored, constantly on a journey to grow up in Christ. There will be drama. It is up to us to decide how we will deal with it. Paul’s words, inspired by God, helps us.
 
2 Corinthians 2 church2 Corinthians 2, The Message
 
1-2 That’s why I decided not to make another visit that could only be painful to both of us. If by merely showing up I would put you in an embarrassingly painful position, how would you then be free to cheer and refresh me?
 
3-4 That was my reason for writing a letter instead of coming—so I wouldn’t have to spend a miserable time disappointing the very friends I had looked forward to cheering me up. I was convinced at the time I wrote it that what was best for me was also best for you. As it turned out, there was pain enough just in writing that letter, more tears than ink on the parchment. But I didn’t write it to cause pain; I wrote it so you would know how much I care—oh, more than care—love you!
 
5-8 Now, regarding the one who started all this—the person in question who caused all this pain—I want you to know that I am not the one injured in this as much as, with a few exceptions, all of you. So I don’t want to come down too hard. What the majority of you agreed to as punishment is punishment enough. Now is the time to forgive this man and help him back on his feet. If all you do is pour on the guilt, you could very well drown him in it. My counsel now is to pour on the love.
 
9-11 The focus of my letter wasn’t on punishing the offender but on getting you to take responsibility for the health of the church. So if you forgive him, I forgive him. Don’t think I’m carrying around a list of personal grudges. The fact is that I’m joining in with your forgiveness, as Christ is with us, guiding us. After all, we don’t want to unwittingly give Satan an opening for yet more mischief—we’re not oblivious to his sly ways!
 
2 Corinthinas 2 reconcileWhat do we learn?
–Unresolved issues allow evil to work on the minds of those involved, never putting the issue to rest. Gossip rules.
–Treat others in sin like Jesus treated us. He forgave, without hammering us down with a life of guilt. Instead he gave life abundant to those who repent of their sin.
–Jesus remembers the sin no more. The slate is clean. What do we remember? Do we hold on?
–Satan would have us hold a grudgingly to all the details of the sin and outcomes of the sin, replaying it over and over in our minds. That draws our focus away from a forgiving Christ and impedes restoration of all parties involved.
–What breaks the heart of God should break our hearts. He hates it when His kids fight and sin against each other.
–God restores, through the work of His Son, Jesus Christ, with continued love for us. His love never fails even when we fail.
 
“Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don’t use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don’t stay angry. Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.” Ephesians 4:27 The Message (MSG)
 
Dear Lord,
You have taught us to Care enough to confront and Love enough to restore. Transform me. Transform Your Church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, and by His power working in us, Amen
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MOPPING UP

Posted on March 15, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Corinthians – Belief and Behavior
 
We spent last Saturday as servers at a middle/high school show choir invitational hosted by our grandkids’ school. For a few hours, our job was to retrieve trays of trash from students and sponsors as soon as they ate so the trays could be cleaned and used by others. (School cafeterias don’t stock enough trays for an event for hundreds!) We also wiped tables as quickly as possible to keep the crowd moving in and out. It worked well. Everyone seemed happy. However what we saw, as servers, was all the mess under the tables. But we were too busy and it was too crowded to get to it while they were eating. The mess would have to be mopped up later.
 
2 Corinthians 1 calm and mopSometimes ministry is messing. (Sometimes?!, you’re thinking.) As leaders you can’t get to it all at once. God leads us to the most important aspects of His work of telling His story, teaching us how to love Him and how to love each other. All seems well until we “look under the tables” and see the messy details of what needs to be cleaned up in communication, relationships with continual restoring the unity of the Body of Christ, His church. Be encouraged! God is in the details. He helps us to mop up the messy with His guidance. Paul does just that as he writes his second letter to the church gone wild who have left a mess here and there.
 
For anyone operating under the naive presumption that joining a Christian church is a good way to meet all the best people and cultivate smooth social relations, a reading of Paul’s Corinthian correspondence is the prescribed cure. And we should be thankful, for his writing help us today.
 
Paul’s second letter was also prompted by the church’s attack on his leadership for correcting them. They bucked his authority and motives and questioned his credentials. (Like Jesus!) Paul was forced to defend his leadership. After mopping up a few details left over from the first letter, he confronted the challenge, and in the process probed the very nature of leadership in a community of believers.
 
Let’s begin with the salutation…”cleaning the tables”…
 
2 Corinthians 1, The Message
 
1-2 I, Paul, have been sent on a special mission by the Messiah, Jesus, planned by God himself. I write this to God’s congregation in Corinth, and to believers all over Achaia province. May all the gifts and benefits that come from God our Father and the Master, Jesus Christ, be yours! Timothy, someone you know and trust, joins me in this greeting.
 
The Rescue
3-5 All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too.
 
6-7 When we suffer for Jesus, it works out for your healing and salvation. If we are treated well, given a helping hand and encouraging word, that also works to your benefit, spurring you on, face forward, unflinching. Your hard times are also our hard times. When we see that you’re just as willing to endure the hard times as to enjoy the good times, we know you’re going to make it, no doubt about it.
 
8-11 We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us in Asia province. It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us. As it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Instead of trusting in our own strength or wits to get out of it, we were forced to trust God totally—not a bad idea since he’s the God who raises the dead! And he did it, rescued us from certain doom. And he’ll do it again, rescuing us as many times as we need rescuing. You and your prayers are part of the rescue operation—I don’t want you in the dark about that either. I can see your faces even now, lifted in praise for God’s deliverance of us, a rescue in which your prayers played such a crucial part.
 
12-14 Now that the worst is over, we’re pleased we can report that we’ve come out of this with conscience and faith intact, and can face the world—and even more importantly, face you with our heads held high. But it wasn’t by any fancy footwork on our part. It was God who kept us focused on him, uncompromised. Don’t try to read between the lines or look for hidden meanings in this letter. We’re writing plain, unembellished truth, hoping that you’ll now see the whole picture as well as you’ve seen some of the details. We want you to be as proud of us as we are of you when we stand together before our Master Jesus.
 
15-16 Confident of your welcome, I had originally planned two great visits with you—coming by on my way to Macedonia province, and then again on my return trip. Then we could have had a bon-voyage party as you sent me off to Judea. That was the plan.
 
17-19 Are you now going to accuse me of being flip with my promises because it didn’t work out? Do you think I talk out of both sides of my mouth—a glib yes one moment, a glib no the next? Well, you’re wrong. I try to be as true to my word as God is to his. Our word to you wasn’t a careless yes canceled by an indifferent no. How could it be? When Silas and Timothy and I proclaimed the Son of God among you, did you pick up on any yes-and-no, on-again, off-again waffling? Wasn’t it a clean, strong Yes?
 
20-22 Whatever God has promised gets stamped with the Yes of Jesus. In him, this is what we preach and pray, the great Amen, God’s Yes and our Yes together, gloriously evident. God affirms us, making us a sure thing in Christ, putting his Yes within us. By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal pledge—a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.
 
23 Now, are you ready for the real reason I didn’t visit you in Corinth? As God is my witness, the only reason I didn’t come was to spare you pain. I was being considerate of you, not indifferent, not manipulative.
 
24 We’re not in charge of how you live out the faith, looking over your shoulders, suspiciously critical. We’re partners, working alongside you, joyfully expectant. I know that you stand by your own faith, not by ours.
 
2 Corinthinas 1 mopping upDear Heavenly Father,
I pray for all leaders whom You have called to lead your church forward, to clean up messes along the way and to cast Your vision for Your church…to find and follow You. Help us as servants to do what is necessary to help not hinder Your work. Transform me. Transform Your church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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HOLY EMBRACES OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Posted on March 14, 2018 by randscallawayffm
Corinthians – Belief and Behavior
 
No matter what is happening in your life, isn’t it wonderful and spirit lifting when someone comes up to you and gives you a holy hug and speaks words of encouragement to you? These holy embraces, whether at church or seeing someone you know at a store or other places outside of church give you a sense of belonging and significance.
 
We all need to know that someone else genuinely loves us and is glad to see us. It makes us feel like we belong. As former teachers, kids don’t hold back when they see us in stores and even yell out our names. Other kids are too shy to yell but still point to us and tell their parents we are in the vicinity. It shows they care. And they will always be “our kids” because they belonged in our class for a while.
 
1 Corinthians 16 holy embracesHow do we show we care as believers when we see others inside or outside God’s church? Do we yell and hug or hide and avoid contact? We are becoming, more and more, isolated islands of people as we leave the church doors. There seems to be less and less face to face contact because of social media. Social media is great to catch up with old friends and family far away but if they live in town, wouldn’t it be nice to take time to visit them and they you? Is it rejection that we are afraid of? Maybe they are, too. Mm.
 
1 Corinthians 16 hugs healSocial interaction seems to very important to Paul and includes what to do, who to see and how to interact with “holy embraces” with arms of love open wide to receive others. We seem more and more to be a closed arms people. Maybe others have hurt you in the past and you don’t trust them as you once did. I know that feeling well. We have all experienced betrayal. But maybe it’s time to open up our Spiritual arms of love again and give someone a holy embrace. They might be hurting, too, and your hug just might be life saving. “At just the right time”, led by the Spirit, pay a visit, notice others you know, and offer holy embraces to each other that is pure, not expecting anything back.
 
“Pass the greetings around with holy embraces!”
 
“Make room for the Master! Our Master Jesus has his arms wide open for you. And I love all of you in the Messiah, in Jesus.”
 
1 Corinthians 16 open arms1 Corinthians 16, The Message
 
Coming to See You
1-4 Regarding the relief offering for poor Christians that is being collected, you get the same instructions I gave the churches in Galatia. Every Sunday each of you make an offering and put it in safekeeping. Be as generous as you can. When I get there you’ll have it ready, and I won’t have to make a special appeal. Then after I arrive, I’ll write letters authorizing whomever you delegate, and send them off to Jerusalem to deliver your gift. If you think it best that I go along, I’ll be glad to travel with them.
 
5-9 I plan to visit you after passing through northern Greece. I won’t be staying long there, but maybe I can stay awhile with you—maybe even spend the winter? Then you could give me a good send-off, wherever I may be headed next. I don’t want to just drop by in between other “primary” destinations. I want a good, long, leisurely visit. If the Master agrees, we’ll have it! For the present, I’m staying right here in Ephesus. A huge door of opportunity for good work has opened up here. (There is also mushrooming opposition.)
 
10-11 If Timothy shows up, take good care of him. Make him feel completely at home among you. He works so hard for the Master, just as I do. Don’t let anyone disparage him. After a while, send him on to me with your blessing. Tell him I’m expecting him, and any friends he has with him.
 
12 About our friend Apollos, I’ve done my best to get him to pay you a visit, but haven’t talked him into it yet. He doesn’t think this is the right time. But there will be a “right time.”
 
13-14 Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.
 
15-16 Would you do me a favor, friends, and give special recognition to the family of Stephanas? You know, they were among the first converts in Greece, and they’ve put themselves out, serving Christians ever since then. I want you to honor and look up to people like that: companions and workers who show us how to do it, giving us something to aspire to.
 
17-18 I want you to know how delighted I am to have Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus here with me. They partially make up for your absence! They’ve refreshed me by keeping me in touch with you. Be proud that you have people like this among you.
 
19 The churches here in western Asia send greetings.
 
Aquila, Priscilla, and the church that meets in their house say hello.
 
20 All the friends here say hello.
 
Pass the greetings around with holy embraces!
 
21 And I, Paul—in my own handwriting!—send you my regards.
 
22 If anyone won’t love the Master, throw him out. Make room for the Master!
 
23 Our Master Jesus has his arms wide open for you.
 
24 And I love all of you in the Messiah, in Jesus.
 
KEY verse to live by…
“Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your convictions, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping.”
 
Dear Heavenly Father,
You love it when we love on each other. This is evidence. Thank you for opening your arms of love to us. Guide our thoughts and actions with opportunities to hug more and avoid less. Transform me. Transform Your church. Transform the world.
In Jesus Name, Amen
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