Bible Commentary & Daily Devotional

 2 Corinthians 8:10-24 -  New Covenant Giving New Covenant giving is not based on legalism, tithe, guilt, or pressure.  Followers of Jesus are generous givers because God is generous.  God shows us mercy and gives us grace when we deserve rejection and shame.  He became poor because he loved us.  God gave us everything - even His one and only Son. We give because of our abundant joy in Jesus Christ.  Joy overflows into generosity. We are not coaxed or forced by an authority that wields a penalty over us (perhaps there is little difference between the tax man and the insatiable demands of some legalists).  Christians are different; we give out of our free will (8:3) and love.   If Christians are not begging to give generously to their brothers and sisters it is likely because the need has not been shown and understood.  And I suspect many are leery because of all of the dishonor, fraud, and greed.  If the genuine need is there God’s people will give freely, generously, and enthu

 2 Corinthians 8- Eager to Give We can excel at giving once we’ve given ourselves to God and others.  As Christians, we can tie kindness and loyalty to God around our wrists like a bracelet.  And as we work today and serve let’s have hearts of generosity.  We are generous because we know how generous God is with us.  He died on the Cross for our sins.  He loves us completely. Generosity in love is never futile.  In earthly terms giving to a people in a city that was about to be destroyed (think Jerusalem A.D. 70) did not make sense.  They did it anyway.  It blessed the giver and the receiver then just as when we help the poor and needy now helps advance God’s kingdom.  We can excel at the gracious act of giving when we give out of genuine love. As Christians we must learn to excel in many ways: faith, gifted speaking, knowledge, enthusiasm, love, and in the gracious act of giving. The principle of giving here is an example from God.  Jesus’ poverty made us rich with eternal ble

 2 Corinthians 8- First Action           God is kind.  In His kindness, He gave us his Son, Jesus Christ.  His kindness is behind every good gift.  There is a major blessing for any people that put God first.  The Bible says, “What joy for the nation whose God is the LORD whose people he has chosen as his inheritance” (Ps. 33:12).  Who wouldn’t want good gifts?  Who wouldn’t want God’s blessing, peace, joy, health, and loving relationships?           God is not legalistic.  Thank God that he doesn’t play ‘gotcha.’  If he did we’d all be done by now.  Thank God that He never forces His will on any nation, but waits patiently for men and women to put Him first.  The Bible tells us to honor God with our wealth and with the best part of everything we produce (Proverbs 3:9).  But how do we do that?  In a guilt-filled manipulative way when we demand others tithe?  No!  Paul does not do that here and neither should we.  Ever.           This is a sensitive area for Americans.  God forbid the n

 2 Corinthians 7- Joy in Godliness          My grandsons, Jack, Arch, and Colt           How do you feel when you sin?  This is an area where I have expertise.  I’m an experienced sinner.  Just when I see spiritual maturity and purity in one area then I fall in another.  It’s akin to dieting.  I know what I shouldn’t eat, but I eat it anyway.  I like the salty and the sweet, the chips and the chocolate.           But what I’ve found is that the Christian life is not defeatism.  We can lose weight and keep it off.  It takes discipline and good habits.  We can “work toward complete holiness because we fear God” (2 Cor. 7:1).           My greatest fear is not the condemnation of man - although I certainly do not seek shame.  My fear is that Jesus finally tires of my sin and weakness, of my failure to change my way.  I have the same concern for the church.  We seem so slow to fear the Lord God and to cleanse ourselves from all the worldliness that defiles our bodies and spirits.  But I hav

 2 Corinthians 7- Healthy Sorrow, Repentance, Complete Confidence in One Another           We will work through this chapter for a few days.  This is the follow-up encouraging chapter to the tough love chapters of 1 Corinthians.  Serious talk for serious people.  As G.K. Chesterton reminds the Christian in The Everlasting Man , only the live fish can swim upstream.  Paul is talking to live fish here.  Those that are alive with the Spirit of Christ.  They are earnestly concerned to clear themselves; they have righteous indignation, alarm at wrongdoing, longing for fellowship, zeal, and readiness to punish wrong.           Christian men must bring honor to Christ.  It’s a simple question, but man, what a dangerous one.  Has my conduct brought honor to Christ?  Does the way I treat my daughter and sons honor Christ?  Does the way I speak to, support, encourage, and love my wife bring honor to Christ?  Does the way I communicate with my elderly parents and my elderly in-laws bring honor to

 2 Corinthians 6:10 - Owning Nothing and Everything           God has a lot to say about money and riches.  Obviously, as we all know, there are earthly riches and spiritual riches.  Which do I think about more?  I’ve made and lost a lot of money over the years.  I’m in my early 50s now.  My highest earning years were my 30s when I was a securities lawyer and then as a private equity advisor.  I advised and invested in various industries including software, energy, and real estate.  I knew a lot; but, I didn't apply what I knew to my own investing.  I lacked wisdom.  I made and lost millions.           Through the years God’s been getting after my heart.  What do I really care about?  What motivates me?  I wasn’t a good steward of what God gave me.  At times I was extremely generous, and at other times extremely reckless.           Money is a funny thing.  You never have enough of it.  It so obviously does not make people satisfied.  Yet we are to be good stewards of God’s resource

 2 Corinthians 6 - God’s Heart           One of the most revealing and insightful things I learned as a husband is that one of my wife’s heart’s desires is for me to be with her, enjoy her company, and love her for who she is.  Once I saw that in writing a light bulb went off for me.  I love her company as well.  We don’t always have to talk, but we genuinely love each other’s company.           It is similar with God.  God’s heart says, “Come and talk with me.”  And our hearts should reply, “LORD I am coming to talk with you now, I seek to live in the LORD’s house, and delight in His perfection” (Psalm 27).  God loves us and wants us to open our hearts to Him.  Yes, we are to fear Him for He is Mighty God.  Yet He yearns for a genuine relationship with us.  No false fronts, fakery, genie-type stuff, or dishonesty.  Real genuine friendship.           It is hard for me to open my heart up to people.  We’ve all been hurt.  It is also hard to be brutally honest.           We need to take