Month: February 2023

This is my first day back to writing since last Wednesday. Thursday, I had to face the layoffs of half of my team (5 people). I didn’t have just any team; we had have been to Alaska together, 4 multi-week trips to the east coast away from our families, and brutal development schedules. I have met wives, husbands, and families….it was one of the hardest days of my life. Some people had even moved here to the west coast from places like Louisiana and Virginia. The impact of this layoff was huge, and I am still working through “Survivor’s Guilt” and figuring out how to come alongside one person who holds me personally responsible for this outcome. Please join me in praying for these families who have had their lives turned upside down.

For my reading today, I am making the turn into chapter 10 of 2nd Corinthians. Chapters 1-9 carry a message of relief and comfort whereas 10-13 the tone is very different. It is marked by satire and sarcasm, spirited personal defense, reproach directed towards the Corinthians and bitter attack levelled at outsiders who have infiltrated and are now influencing the congregation.

NOW I myself, Paul, beseech you, by the gentleness and consideration of Christ [Himself; I] who [am] lowly enough [so they say] when among you face to face, but bold (fearless and outspoken) to you when [I am] absent from you!
I entreat you when I do come [to you] that I may not [be driven to such] boldness as I intend to show toward those few who suspect us of acting according to the flesh [on the low level of worldly motives and as if invested with only human powers]. 2 Corinthians 10:1-2 [AMP]

These first 2 verses setup this latter half with who the message is meant to be directed at. It is to those few who suspect Paul and his companions of acting according to the flesh and their own worldly motives. Of course, knowing Paul, this could not be further from the truth. What I think is important is that we all need to hear what Paul has to say and do our best (with the help of the Holy Spirit) to apply to our own areas of our lives and hearts that either harbor or nurture ungodliness that comes in the form of religiosity, prejudice, or pride.

8 And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].
9 As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever!  10 And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity].
11 Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God. 2 Corinthians 9:8-11 [AMP]

My epiphany today was what the Lord laid on my heart in regard to what Paul is saying in most of this 9th chapter of Corinthians. What hit me was that I find myself creating structures or frameworks that ‘Giving’ must fit in -> Money, shelter, food, clothing, and any other physical commodity that you can think of…but what Paul is saying here is that God gives us an abundance of things to be generous with.

• Our Time
• Kindness
• Labor
• Empathy
• Compassion
• Encouragement
• etc.

In my life as a believer, I have been to quick to create channels of giving that if the ‘thing to give’ did not fit in that channel, then there was nothing to give. What Paul is saying is that there is really no boundary to the type of blessing that you can be generous with in ‘giving’…there is no channel, there is only an open table by which anything you have to give can be slid to the person in need. You might be reading this and thinking, “Ben, this is so elementary!”. You are probably right, but on my road to sanctification, I needed this today.

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 [AMP]
[Remember] this: he who sows sparingly and grudgingly will also reap sparingly and grudgingly, and he who sows generously [that blessings may come to someone] will also reap generously and with blessings.
Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (Hetakes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it” ) giver [whose heart is in his giving].

We’ve all heard this passage before but this is the first time I have read the full context of the situation. What is happening is that believers with the Macedonian church are coming to Corinth to visit and Paul has communicated to these Macedonians that the believers in Corinth are prepared to send them back with a gift offering. Just before these two verses, Paul is reminding the Corinthians to be ready with this offering. In most cases preparation was needed to assemble the intended offering which may be money, objects of value, or other gifts that could help the receiving church. Paul was concerned that some members would drag their feet and not be ready and then he would be embarrassed at the lack of preparation to bless this Macedonian church.

Application:

The lesson is that delayed obedience is disobedience. When the Lord has laid something on our hearts to do, we should quickly execute on the task with joy and purpose…especially when it is serving people with immediate needs.

​1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 2 Corinthians 8:1-2 [ESV]

I was convicted in my reading today as Paul recounts the churches in Macedonia (Thessalonica, Philippi, and probably Beroea) to the Corinthians as churches who were embroiled in persecution (to both the apostolic team and to the new converts). The conviction comes from what Paul says about the Macedonian church’s response out of their extreme poverty. It was out of their joy that their giving overflowed in a wealth of liberality. The Macedonian Christians know the joy of being the recipients of God’s free giving, and that joy, they gave freely.

Because of their situation, what the churches gave was probably quite a small amount, but measured against their extreme poverty it represented a wealth of liberal giving.

Application:

I feel like I have not only been given so much in the Son of God, but God has also given me so much here on earth. Do I give in proportion to what I receive? Not by any stretch of the imagination when compared to the churches of Macedonia. Lord God, please forgive me for not giving more and help me to be open handed out of the joy in of the wealth I have been giving in eternal security.

10 For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 [ESV]

During the counseling conference this year, we had the privilege of sitting under the teaching of Dr. Ellen. He taught us the difference between the two types of conscientious sorrow.

• Casualty Sorrow: which is worldly sorrow leading to death (what this verse above is referring to). Casualty sorrow is, I’m sad because I have regrets over what’s happened. I know I’m wrong, but I’m not really focused on how I’ve sinned against God, dishonored him and others, I’m just consumed with what can happen to me. With casualty sorrow, we call it that because the person, if they don’t deal with their sin, sin leads to death. 
• Contrite Sorrow: Which is what 2 Corinthians 7 talks about Godly sorrow producing this thing of repentance.

We either move into casualty sorrow, where we have regret and feel sorry, or contrite where we are broken and want to make things right. This seems so simple but when you truly consume it relative to our sanctification, it is super powerful!