The Devotional - A Look at the Book #582

A Devotional Look at the Book #582

Papa J's rules for Livin #5

On the surface a painted portrait resembles the good life; but beneath the stokes of the brush and the paint is simply a stretched out canvas rag that holds the inner thoughts of the earthbound artist. Isaiah 64:6-7

The Devotional

The power of a man in authority can be intimidating. I know such a man and he demands from those who work for him absolute obedience. He is not nice as he curses and rages with a face so red he always looks as if he is about to “pop”! His employees are afraid to talk with him on any subject as they have a real fear of losing their employment. I have not known this man for a long time; less than a year, but he has always been pleasant around me; in fact the man likes me and he does not curse or get visibly mad around me. Less than a month ago he had a mild stoke and was diagnosed with a severely clogged artery disease. He will be having an operation very soon! The man and his personality changed and his once unpleasant demeanor has been pushed aside for a face of fear. There is major expansion going on in his place of business and these events in his life clearly remind me of the following passage of scripture. Luke 12:16-21. I pray that I will have an opportunity to talk with him a length about the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ; I have told the man that I will be praying for him; my reporting of this to you the reader is that you will pray for me that the LORD will open the door for me to communicate the good news of our LORD and Savior, in that Jesus loves him and desires a relationship with him.

2 Corinthians 12

2 Corinthians 12:14-21 – The apostle states that this is the third time that he is preparing to come to the Corinth church. Do you ever find yourself traveling back to a place because you love the fellowship of the believers in that location? We have a far greater ability to do that today then in the day of the apostle Paul, but in most cases; if we leave a church fellowship we never go back. If you have left a church or fellowship then return after a season of time you will see as the apostle Paul did some very interesting and parallel events.

It is the war of the two natures within. Men and women under the power of the Holy Spirit are the most pleasant people to be around. Love constrains us and love also abounds in us and there is no better fellowship to experience. However; men and women under the influence of the flesh are the most unpleasant people to be around and it seems that after the initial glad moment of arrival, conflict begins.

What is this conflict? Contention, jealousy, selfish ambition, backbiting, whispering and left unchecked all the rest mentioned here in 2 Corinthians 12:20. These things found in the church at Corinth are found in all churches across this country, also this corruption does not stop at those sins found in verse 20, but lead to further corruption listed in verse 21. If you go back to a church of your past… you will see just as Paul sees; that is if you look!